Halcyon Years - by Alastair Reynolds (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

A private investigator is hired to look into a mysterious, high-profile death aboard the starship Halcyon in this fresh new science fiction masterpiece from the "mastersinger of space opera" (The Times) and the creator of the beloved Revelation Space universe. Strap in for a gripping murder mystery.

Yuri Gagarin is a private investigator, who picks up small cases from his local community, runs into trouble with the local police, and generally ekes out a living as best he can. He's aboard the Halcyon - a starship, hurtling through space, carrying thousands of passengers with thousands more sleeping the journey away.

Only his usual investigative work - catching cheating spouses, and small time con artists - is about to take a turn. He's hired by a mysterious woman called Ruby Red to look into a death in one of Halcyon's most elite families . . . and then warned off the case again by a second mysterious woman called Ruby Blue. Caught between the two, he's about to be embroiled in a murder mystery in which - at any moment - he could be the latest victim.

Gripping, fast-paced fun, this is a classic noir mystery with a science fiction twist, which will keep you guessing and on the edge of your seat to the end.

A fresh new masterpiece, from the master of science fiction.

Review Quotes

"Eversion by Alastair Reynolds is a masterful surprise in this author's work ... a finely written science fiction mystery that I could not put down."

--SciFi Mind on Eversion

"This was a very clever and unique book and has single-handedly reawakened my interest in checking out more of the author's work."

--BiblioSanctum on Eversion

"[Reynolds is] a mastersinger of the space opera."
--The Times (UK) on Blue Remembered Earth

"[Reynolds] is one of the most gifted hard SF writers working today."--Publishers Weekly on Beyond the Aquila Rift

"Alastair Reynolds continues his rise to the top of SF...Revelation, Redemption, Absolution...Reynolds provides them all."--The Guardian (UK) on Absolution Gap

"Alastair Reynolds [is] one of the leading lights of the New Space Opera Movement . . . . Revenger is tremendous fun." Locus on Revenger

"Alastair Reynolds' Eversion is yet another excellent story told by a master novelist ... As a writer, the craft in this book floored me. As a reader, the story kept me glued to the page. Highly recommended."--PrimmLife on Eversion

"Comparisons to Dune abound...At a time when large-scale SF is flourishing, Absolution Gap is as good as it gets, and should solidify Alastair Reynolds' reputation as one of the best hard SF writers in the field."--SF Site on Absolution Gap

"Elements and the occasional atmosphere of Lovecraft's At the Mountains of Madness, mixed with the voyage and discovery of any classic adventure-maybe some Journey to the Center of the Earth-and a touch of any modern sci-fi that really plays with new technology and considers what its role will be in human life ... I thoroughly enjoyed this sci-fi/horror/adventure/mystery story and can't wait to dive into more of Alastair Reynolds' work."--Forever Lost in Literature on Eversion

"Heir to writers like Isaac Asimov and Arthur C. Clarke, Reynolds keeps up the tradition of forward thinking... An immensely thrilling, mind-bending piece of work."
--AV Club on House of Suns

"One of the giants of the new British space opera."
--io9 on Alastair Reynolds

"Reynolds harnesses the tropes and storytelling devices in the tradition of authors like Jules Verne, creating an immersive, entertaining atmosphere ... His approach to science fiction is always interesting, thoughtful, and worth a read."--Kara Reviews on Eversion

"Reynolds packs plenty of emotion into this mind-bending plot... The result is an excellent adventure that's sure to keep readers on their toes."--Publishers Weekly on Eversion

"Reynolds possesses the true and awesome widescreen SF imagination...an exciting, thought-provoking novel."--Locus on Century Rain

"Reynolds writes a lean and muscular prose where the intense action scenes are leavened with the kind of bright, shining, mind-boggling science talk that characterizes the best of post-modern space opera."--Science Fiction Weekly on Absolution Gap

"The author of Inhibitor Phase (2019) and Permafrost (2017), among many other fine SF novels, just might have outdone himself here ... [An] utterly brilliant exploration of life, death, and consciousness ... It's his most ambitious, certainly, and at the very least, one of his best. Required reading for SF fans."--Booklist on Eversion

About the Author

Alastair Reynolds was born in Barry, South Wales, in 1966. He studied at Newcastle and St. Andrews Universities and has a Ph.D. in astronomy. he stopped working as an astrophysicist for the European Space Agency to become a full-time writer. Revelation Space and Pushing Ice were shortlisted for the Arthur C. Clarke Award; Revelation Space, Absolution Gap, Diamond Dogs, and Century Rain were shortlisted for the British Science Fiction Award, and Chasm City won the British Science Fiction Award.