Eversion

By: Alastair Reynolds

Narrated by: Harry Myers

Length: 10 hrs and 3 mins

Publisher's summary

From the master of the space opera comes a dark, mind-bending adventure spread across time and space, where Doctor Silas Coade is tasked with keeping his crew safe as they adventure across the galaxy in search of a mysterious artifact.

In the 1800s, a sailing ship crashes off the coast of Norway. In the 1900s, a Zepellin explores an icy canyon in Antarctica. In the far future, a spaceship sets out for an alien artifact. Each excursion goes horribly wrong. And on every journey, Dr. Silas Coade is the physician, but only Silas seems to realize that these events keep repeating themselves. And it's up to him to figure out why and how. And how to stop it all from happening again.

©2022 Alastair Reynolds (P)2022 Orbit

incredible book, wonderful narration

Reynolds is well regarded as one of the best modern science fiction writers, but the inventiveness of this story, which cannot be described without spoilers, absolutely blew me away. It is an unfolding wonder. But the narration is just as remarkable; this is the first audiobook I've listen to where the narrator so successfully pulls off a variety of voices that I at times wondered if there wasn't in fact a full cast. The entire experience was delightful from beginning to end.

Sublime and moving tour de force

The story is original and a true tour de force, the characters real and compelling, and the performance extraordinary. Surely a 2023 Hugo nominee if there is any Justice in the sci-fi universe.

Would have made a better TNG episide

Star Trek has done this story better in three different series. Spirited performance that suffers because the reader doesn't change accents with the various eras the narrator inhabits. The characters sound like crude Victorian stereotypes even in space. Also, his impression of the story's lone woman? Yeeeeesh.

I liked that successive generations of sci-fi get metatextual representation. The pay-off for collapsing that meta-text is weak and melodramatic, and never escapes the gravity of classic sci-fi's acceptance of dominant paradigm cultural tropes as substitutes for character. Neatly predictable with ever-diminishing returns revolving around an incredibly stupid reveal.

That said, I listened to the whole thing.

riveting

loved it. do not ruin the book with a synopsis. a little slow start. pay attention and you will probably love it. I know I did.

Refreshing and modern.

Despite a slow start the story builds up to the kind of scifi I have come to love from mr Reynolds.

I sure hope it’s a future trilogy and that we’ll see the doctor again!

A fine novel and outstanding narration

Eversion is a very enjoyable novel that in some respects reminded me of Cloud Atlas, Engine Summer, and Life After Life. I highly recommend it. The narration is one of the best I’ve ever experienced. Thank you Harry Myers.

Hard/psychological SciFi at its best

I've read many hundreds of SFF books over the years. It is very rare that I encounter a book where the outcome isn't at least somewhat predictable. It will be very difficult to say more without some sort of spoiler, so I will limit my statements to say that for a scifi book, the beginning is rather slow going. Indeed, even halfway through the book, it's still a bit unclear what exactly is going on. Do not give up on it. It isn't that long a book. I don't think you'll regret finishing it. A very well crafted and timely story!

Not for me

Gave up 1/2 way through. Couldn’t go any further. Really tried. Didn’t hold my interest.

Just read this!

I think I enjoyed it more because I didn't read much about it before starting. Better to figure it out for oneself.
There were moments when it felt a little slow, but by the end I had come to appreciate the journey and I want to listen again at some point.
I appreciate how thoughtful this book left me. Adventure and food for thought: a great combination.

Interesting Concept

I liked the idea of the book from the concept, that said there were several issues I saw in the execution. First, it takes 1/3 he book for things to even hint at SF shenanigans, up till that point it’s fairly normal. It seems like intermixing the narratives somewhat would have helped. Next I kind of felt that the Eversion wasn’t explained very well, like he was just bad at solving a made for weeks, then wa-la, he makes it through. Finally the big bad isn’t really explained much besides being a reason for the narrative to exist, and then things just end pretty much all at once. Not bad overall but not his best work either.