Alastair Reynolds is the bestselling author of twelve novels including the Revelation Space series. He has received the British Science Fiction Award for his novel Chasm City, as well as the Seiun and Sidewise awards, and was shortlisted for the Hugo and Arthur C. Clarke awards. In 2013, he published a Dr. Who tie-in novel, Harvest of Time, with BBC Books. Reynolds has a Ph. D in Astronomy and worked for the European Space Agency before he left to write full time. He currently lives with his wife in Barry, Wales.
Praise for Slow Bullets 2016 Locus Award-Winner
A Neil Clarke/Clarkesworld Best Science Fiction and Fantasy of the
Year Recommended Book
2016 American Library Association Reading List Honor Title
A UK Guardian Best Science Fiction and Fantasy Book of 2015
Locus 2015 Recommended Reading List: Best Novella "What happens to
survivors at the end of an interstellar war? In the latest from
Reynolds ("Revelation Space" series), refugees, soldiers, and
criminals are loaded aboard the same vessel and plunged into
cryo-suspension. When Scur wakes in her capsule, she's confused, as
it seems far too soon and no one is in charge. With the ship's
computer in terminal decline and the only stable source of
information the slow bullets injected into their bodies, Scur and
the other passengers must decide what's more important, their
personal lives or the larger fate of humanity. VERDICT While
shorter than Reynolds's usual fare, this is no less ambitious in
covering vast scopes of space and time while addressing big
questions. Suggest to fans of Ian MacDonald or Kim Stanley
Robinson, particularly those who liked Aurora."
--Library Journal, starred review "Reynolds does his usual fine job
of creating a compelling narrative out of the classic materials of
space opera as viewed through a modern sensibility and an awareness
of the real science of space travel. Recommended."
--Asimov's A Buzzfeed June pick " 'Slow Bullets' builds nicely to
an almost profound conclusion and left a big impact despite its
small size."
--SFCrowsnest "It's a compelling adventure story about people
trying to make something worthwhile, after lives spent only on
destruction."
--The Morning Star "Five Stars. Slow Bullets is incredible, it is a
superbly balanced story packed full of ideas and subtlety. It's
also not only the finest of Reynolds work so far but it's one of
the finest nuggets of science fiction you could read anywhere."
--Science Fiction Book Review "This is not military science
fiction, this is war opera. Recommended!"
--Bewildering Stories "Slow Bullets is a huge leap forward for
Alastair Reynolds"
--Strange Horizons "Dang, Reynolds can write. This has it all: a
fantastic premise, a solid protagonist, and incredible tension to
carry everyone along."
--50 Book Challenge "Alastair Reynolds' new novella Slow Bullets
has the scope of a much longer work (Edward Gibbon's The Rise and
Fall of the Roman Empires, say), the literary speed of the most
rapidly hurtling bullet, and so many provocative scientific and /
or philosophical ideas that even Steven Hawking's head might well
spin with them. Moreover, Reynolds artfully compresses all these
disparate elements into a portable trade paperback or a weightless
e-file, the better to accommodate our busy reading habits and the
more fully to entertain us. "Let me also note that Slow Bullets
posits a far-future situation akin to the one that we confront on
planet Earth today, but leavens his fictional crisis with a
hard-won grasp of human psychology and a down-to-the-ground
optimism that bestows on its readers reasons for supposing our
'dammed human race' nimble enough to overcome our demanding
real-world crisis du jour. A fine example of the true science
fictionist's art . . . 'with a bullet, ' as the editors at
Billboard Magazine used to say."
--Michael Bishop, author of A Funeral for the Eyes of Fire, And
Strange at Ecbatan the Trees, and Transfigurations "Alastair
Reynolds is the world's best writer of space opera. If you have any
doubts, then read Slow Bullets."
--Allen Steele, author of Coyote and Spindrift "The writing is
tight, the characters are well developed, and the story itself
moves along at a cracking pace."
--Science Fiction & Fantasy Book Corner "Slow Bullets is classic
science fiction, a space opera, a puzzle story, a character study,
visionary science fiction, and a prayer for peace. I see no reason
why you should not love it."
--Michael Swanwick, author of Tales of Old Earth and Dancing with
Bears "Alastair Reynolds weaves a tapestry of dark, dystopian
societies in a tense, colorful narrative."
--New York Journal of Books "...his writing mixes spartan style,
provocative ideas, and flashes of dark humor.... Reynolds excels at
weaving different threads together...."
--Los Angeles Review of Books "Slow Bullets captured my attention
and did not let up until the ride was over.... Highly
recommended."
--SFFWorld "It's a more intimate vision than what I encountered
until now in Reynolds' books, but for this very reason it felt more
profound and poignant than any other I read so far, and it gave me
a new level of interpretation for this author, and a key to a new
way of reading his stories. Highly recommended, both for Reynolds'
admirers and as an introduction to this author."
--Space and Sorcery "a great introduction to Reynolds' style and
skill."
--Fantasy Literature "Slow Bullets is a tightly focused tale that
moves forward at a brisk and entertaining pace. It is a satisfying
story of survival mixed with an intriguing mystery."
--HoloWriting "...eminently worthwhile..."
--Green Man Review "Fantastic little piece of space noir. It's not
often a short novella will congruously go places the reader could
not even guess in the first few pages, but this story does so
flawlessly. As always, Reynolds writes excellent female
protagonists, who get to have identities not at all anchored to
their gender."
--Fat Robot "Slow Bullets, the new novella by Alastair Reynolds is
space opera condensed into one of its most potent forms. Mystery,
conflict, crisis, strange aliens and a story of interstellar scope
- you'll find it all..."
--Worlds in Ink "...a captivating first-person narrative..."
--Wales Arts Review "Highly recommended"
--Best Science Fiction Books "Stylistically this is a masterpiece
to behold. Slick and polished, Slow Bullets will please the palette
of any reader of any genre, not just science fiction."
--Open Book Society "...effortlessly genius and impossible for me
to put down."
--Little Red Reviewer "Slow Bullets is a confident read from
Reynolds that will please fans and newcomers alike, and hopefully
it will draw in new readers and encourage them to explore more of
the writer's work. Highly Recommended."
--The Fictional Hangout "Reynolds is good at any length, but really
shines with novellas like this one."
--SF Signal "The story that Slow Bul-lets became had me enthralled.
. . . If science fiction, mystery, and political thrillers intrigue
you, I highly recommend Slow Bullets."
--The Warbler "I recommend Slow Bullets to all SF fans . . . It is
a great addition to the genre, with all the conflict, science,
technology and space that any SF could want in a novella."
--Always Trust in Books "Slow Bullets is incredible, it is a
superbly balanced story packed full of ideas and subtlety. It's
also not only the finest of Reynolds work so far but it's one of
the finest nuggets of science fiction you could read anywhere."
--SF Book Reviews "A rousing drama of revenge - which, in a moving
finale, Reynolds subverts with a wonderfully compassionate
resolution."
--UK Guardian "Science fiction as it should be written."
--Eclectic Book Review
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