Galactic North

By: Alastair Reynolds

Narrated by: John Lee

Length: 12 hrs and 55 mins

Publisher's summary

Centuries from now, the basic right to expand human intelligence beyond its natural limits has become a war-worthy cause for the Demarchists and Conjoiners. Only vast lighthugger starships bind these squabbling colonies together, manned by the panicky and paranoid Ultras. And the hyperpigs just try to keep their heads down.

The rich get richer. And everyone tries not to think about the worrying number of extinct alien civilizations turning up on the outer reaches of settled space...because who's to say that humanity won't be next?

Set in the Revelation Space universe, this is the first short story collection by the author who has been called "one of SF's best and most ambitious novelists". The eight stories included in Galactic North are "Great Wall of Mars", "Glacial", "A Spy in Europa", "Weather", "Dilation Sleep", "Grafenwalder's Bestiary", "Nightingale", and "Galactic North".

©2008 Alastair Reynolds (P)2009 Tantor Media

Critic reviews

"Reynolds is one of sci-fi's brightest stars. [He] writes Big Science Fiction. Enormous spaceships travel though space that feels galactic in scale, a feat of depiction that is still noteworthy in the genre." ( The Guardian, London)

But

It supplies some more information on stories previously read. I am reminded In general I don't like short stories, a lo ways want more.... never heard of sequels to short Stories. But good listening

Great short-story collection

I really enjoyed all these Snippets from the Revelation Space Universe. it was really great to revisit some of the worlds and ideas. I particularly loved Galactic North and the trip into the distant future that are heroes took.

FIVE STARS!

Love this book!
Have a listen...
It's a 40,000 year Grand Future History Space Chase!

One of the best Alastair work

Read this book more than three times through the years. Every time it was refreshing beautiful imagination
Read this and get “Pushing ice” that one is even better

Excellent

Really great series of short stories. I'll have to read more of this author.

An excellent companion to the main series.

Revelation space is a universe I can sink my teeth into again and again. And John Lee’s fabulous performance always leaves me wanting more. Write some more damn novels already.

Compelling stories. Adequate narration.

With this collection of short stories, Alastair Reynolds has moved up into my list of "must read" authors. Looking forward to going through the rest of his oeuvre.

However, after the brilliant narration of Blue Remembered Earth, this narrator fell a bit flat. He used a grating American accent for the first character he voiced and overly portentous style nearly all the time and it took the edge off my enjoyment.

Awesome set of stories from the RS universe.

This is a nice companion to the novels of the main RS inhibitor saga. Anyone that has enjoyed the novels will like these short stories. The Great Wall of Mars and Galactic North really shine! John Lee’s performance as always is top notch.

Great Revelation Space background

What made the experience of listening to Galactic North the most enjoyable?

Getting some of the back-story on Revelation Space characters, even if it wasn't always totally consistent with the main series.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Galactic North?

The climax of Nightingale. If I say more, I'll spoil the fun.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Not the whole book, but I did want to listen to each story in one sitting.

Any additional comments?

I loved how some of the stories fleshed out things that were just mentioned in passing in the Revelation Space series.

Reynolds and Lee do it again.

Reynolds is the brightest mind in sci fi today.
John Lee in my opinion is the greatest narrator in the history of audio books. I have discovered new authors simply because Lee was the reader.
thank you Alastair and thank you Mr Lee.