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Jul. 22nd, 2007
Glasshouse
Jul. 22nd, 2007 12:46 pm23 - Glasshouse - Charles Stross
In general I have to say that this is the best book of Charlie's that I've read so far. Definate signs of being more comfortable with the general craf,t the periods of exposition handled more fluidily than I remember in other books.
The scenario is excellent. Robin, a person fleeing their past to the extent of having their entire memory erased, enters a social experiment. In an accelerated future, after a length war in which huge parts of history have been erased, a group of researchers have recreated part of the first lost information dark age, around the end of the 20th century. Robin joins the experiment as part of his recouperation and to avoid people he thinks are out to kill him for who he was.
Obviously, things are not quite as they seem.
That's the good. The bad - well, I felt the ending was somewhat rushed. The pace and control was excellent, but the denouement rushes up and the third act, if you will, is over in a few pages which left me feeling somewhat unsatisfied in comparison to the genuine pleasure I had for the vast majority of the book.
Still, it definately moves Charlie Stross into my "want to own in hardcover" category, which Iron Sunrise and Accelerando had not managed.
In general I have to say that this is the best book of Charlie's that I've read so far. Definate signs of being more comfortable with the general craf,t the periods of exposition handled more fluidily than I remember in other books.
The scenario is excellent. Robin, a person fleeing their past to the extent of having their entire memory erased, enters a social experiment. In an accelerated future, after a length war in which huge parts of history have been erased, a group of researchers have recreated part of the first lost information dark age, around the end of the 20th century. Robin joins the experiment as part of his recouperation and to avoid people he thinks are out to kill him for who he was.
Obviously, things are not quite as they seem.
That's the good. The bad - well, I felt the ending was somewhat rushed. The pace and control was excellent, but the denouement rushes up and the third act, if you will, is over in a few pages which left me feeling somewhat unsatisfied in comparison to the genuine pleasure I had for the vast majority of the book.
Still, it definately moves Charlie Stross into my "want to own in hardcover" category, which Iron Sunrise and Accelerando had not managed.