Tuesday 20 June 2017

SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW: Xeelee: Vengenace - Stephen Baxter

Release Date: 15/06/17
Publisher:  Gollancz

SYNOPSIS:

Half a million years in the future, on a dead, war-ravaged world at the centre of the Galaxy, there is a mile-high statue of Michael Poole.

Poole, born on Earth in the fourth millennium, was one of mankind's most influential heroes. He was not a warrior, not an emperor. He was an engineer, a builder of wormhole transit systems. But Poole's work would ultimately lead to a vast and destructive conflict, a million-year war between humanity and the enigmatic, powerful aliens known as the Xeelee.

The Xeelee won, but at a huge cost. And, defeated in a greater war, the Xeelee eventually fled the universe. Most of them.

A handful were left behind, equipped with time travel capabilities, their task to tidy up: to reorder history more to the Xeelee's liking. That million-year war with humankind was one blemish. It had to be erased. And in order to do that, a lone Xeelee was sent back in time to remove Michael Poole from history . . .


REVIEW:

Stephen is one of those authors whose writing hooks you from the beginning, His prose is wonderful, the pace ideal and when added to an arc that really delivers what you want from one of his titles, all round generates a title that is hard to put down.

Here in his latest title we have a real treat as we get to observe the Xeelee as they try to eradicate a "blip" on thier history by taking out the man who made it all possible. Its engaging and with the authors ability to bring the characters (both human and alien) across makes this more than approachable. The only thing I'll say is remember to read the original novel first (Xeelee: Endurance). You don't have to but you won't get the full flavour or the pleasure by missing it.

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