You’ll find this in the collection, Zima Blue and Other Stories.

It’s one of those sci-fi stories that goes on about quantum babble and how there’s a universe for every possible outcome of every possible situation.   To be honest, i think this theory is no different than the theory of god, both total nonsense made up by people who really don’t understand Nature and how it works.

Then Alastair has our protagonists in this book starting a war over whether god is right or quantum babble is right — which is just silly when all intelligent people already know that they’re both utter nonsense, which i hope is the point that Alastair is making in this story?   Although, thinking about it, he has wrote some other really bizarre stuff that makes no sense in other books, like the sheep in Inhibitor Phase; so maybe Alastair really is a die-hard quantum babble-ist and thinks that quantum babble-ists everywhere should rise up and start a war against the god grovellers?   Who knows the true thoughts of fiction writers?

But, whatever, have a read, it’s a fairly good story.

Coming next in the Alastair Reynolds reading list, from the year 2000, will be Merlin’s Gun.

Bye for now.

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You’ll find this in the collection, Deep Navigation.

Super good idea on how we might test future prisoners as to whether or not they’re suitable for parole.

Although we have to be sure that those doing the testing can’t be allowed to fiddle with the test — don’t we?

Enjoyable.

Next in the timeline from Alastair, it’s Angels of Ashes, from 1999.

Bye for now.

Alastair’s Page

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You’ll find this in the collection, Deep Navigation.

A rather enjoyable short story, and a definite must read for any weirdos out there who are considering cryonics.

You never know who is going to end up buying out the corporation you originally contracted with, and once you’re frozen you won’t get any further say whatsoever as to what level those contracts will be honoured.   Maybe your new corporate owners will find a better use for your frozen bits in 20 or 30 years time.

Cremation is much cheaper and you know you’ll only be good for plant fertiliser afterwards.

Next up in Alastair’s writings will be Viper, a short story from 1999.

Bye for now.

Alastair’s Page

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You’ll find this in the collection, Deep Navigation.

I get the distinct feeling with this short story that Alastair was just having some fun with an idea.   And why not?

Basically, there’s a game that involves some newly discovered, alien lifeform that the solar system’s best gamers are invited to play.   There’s also a bit of politics involved, with the goodies v baddies, evil corporation thing going on in the background as well.

It’s ok, only 4 stars for this instead of Alastair’s usual 5, but like i said, this one just seemed like he decided to have some fun for a change.

Next up on the Alastair Reynolds timeline, from 1998, it’s On the Oodnadatta.

Bye for now.

Alastair’s Page

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You’ll find this in the collection, Zima Blue and Other Stories.

It’s looking like all of Alastair’s early writings were short stories, and this is another one in the long list.   You certainly get to see how Alastair worked on his craft as a writer, cutting his teeth on these sci-fi ideas neatly wrapped up within a few hundred Kindle Loc Points.

Spirey and the Queen was written at a time when Alastair was just beginning Revelation Space and there’s certainly aspects of self aware machine vs human going on within this.   It’s a really good story, but, and it’s a big but, the beginning is all rather all over the place in terminology and nomenclature.   It’s like you’re thrown into this completely blurred out reality and slowly, over time, like in an opticians appointment, Alastair gradually finds the right lenses and all gradually becomes clear.

In Zima Blue and Other Stories, Alastair comments at the end of this story, that he’d like to come back to Spirey at some point in the future and explore what happened afterwards: which i would really look forward to reading.

So while i do feel this could have been better served had Alastair given it a novella length and explained things a lot more as we went along, i won’t throw the baby out with the bath water, it’s still, certainly, a good short story.

Coming next in the Alastair Reynolds reading list wil be Stroboscopic.

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You’ll find this in the anthology, Deep Navigation.

In this short we’re off to an Antartic research station, in Marie Byrd Land: oh yeah, you get to learn about real stuff with Alastair.

Anyway, someone’s been playing with quantum entanglement and has totally messed all kinds of things up for the people at “Byrd Land Six”, and also on the Moon, where the other half of the entangled pair is residing.

Once again, super good sci-fi from a real physicist: we like!

Next up in the Alastair Reynolds timeline is Spirey and the Queen.

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You’ll find this in the collection, Zima Blue and Other Stories, and the anthology In Dreams.

A rather different take on why the dance music craze spread like wildfire in the 90’s.   As someone who was totally into the London acid techno scene in the 90’s this was right up my alley.

A fun little short with a nice touch of nostalgia for some of us.

Next up in the Alastair Reynolds timeline is Byrd Land Six.

Alastair’s Page

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