Review by Booklist Review
What happens when you foment revolution on a generation ship where most of the crew is in stasis most of the time? It is slow, painful, and very risky. The narrator is not entirely reliable see most of the crew is in stasis. The rebels set things in motion or watch things set in motion and are next awake only to see the consequences of what they've done. It takes thousands of years, in short bursts of consciousness, to even inspire revolution, but once the crew becomes disillusioned with their mission, the tension ratchets up, even with the purposely disjointed pacing. The revolutionaries come up with increasingly creative ways to circumvent the all-seeing eye of the Chimp, meeting in the one mysterious place the computer can't reach. Told in a perfectly human voice someone who questions and shifts his or her stand on things, who has unusual friendships and clings to small details this is a genuinely pleasing story. Although it certainly could sustain greater length, the latest from Watts (Blindsight, 2006) packs a significant punch into a small package.--Schroeder, Regina Copyright 2010 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
In this short, tight novel that contains vast science-fictional speculation, the human crew of the construction ship Eriophora spends 66 million years building interstellar wormhole gates, so they have lots of time to ponder issues of purpose. Sunday Ahzmundin, on a quest to find a missing crewmate, has to deal with another coworker, Lian, who is traumatized after the ship is damaged by one of the "occasional demons" that pop out of newly opened gates. Dropping in and out of suspended animation as scheduled by the Chimp, the AI that runs the ship, Sunday begins to uncover the secrets behind Lian's subsequent death and the disappearances of other crew members, learning what hides beneath the ship's closed and rigidly structured society. Watts (Echopraxis) puts the concept of humanity under the knife, teasing out how Chimp's programming and Sunday's loyalty can both tie them together and set them at odds. Watts pits the drive toward success against the need for connection, leading to an ending as open and as expansive as the universe. SF fans will love this tale of bizarre future employment and genuine wonder. (June) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
