Eversion

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I really enjoyed the story and the differing periods but the ending fell a little flat for me overall.

However, if a reader is wanting to try Reynolds' work, I don't think this book is not very representative of his other stories. But the summary of this book intrigued me enough to have me taking a chance on it, and it ended up checking all the boxes for me and truly exceeding my expectations. There is something crisply precise about his writing, even when stylized along the 19th century lines with a steampunk flavoring and a set of what seem to be alternate realities, all converging into a story that makes sense despite initial touch of confusion.It wasn’t predictable per se, at least not for me, but I was hoping for something … deeper, I guess? One of the crew members, a mathematician whose calculations hold the key to the rescue, is named “Dupin”–I love the reference to Poe’s detective. He lived eight years in Norway, Germany and France, and earned degrees in the study of folklore and mythology, and European history. Silas lives through similar-yet-subtly-different events over and over as part of an expedition to explore a curious and alien Edifice. I had the worst time with the first book I ever read by him (the title of which I can’t even remember anymore, it was that lackluster) so ever since then I’ve stayed far away.

What it is, is a story told by a medical doctor aboard an exploratory sailing ship off the coast of Norway. As the story progresses, we get to meet Silas in the other timelines and learn more about him as more of his personality and motives are revealed. It falls somewhat outside Reynolds' usual space opera fare, but is no less masterful in its crafting and execution, adopting a tone generally more hopeful and less darkly baroque than his widely acclaimed Revelation Space series. A mind unraveling under pressure, forced to make choices that cause pain no matter how you look at that.I read this in 4 days straight, in my inbetween moments of work and life, and it was truly hard for me to put down.

And in the distant future, he is the doctor aboard a spaceship investigating a mysterious artifact in space. One thing that, frustratingly, isn't fully explained is the eversion of the title - I can't sensibly describe what this refers to without giving too much away, but it's pretty much presented as a given without the reason for it happening being explored.

Going in blind is very satisfying, just make sure you have some patience with it as it won't be quite what you expect in the beginning, but things are slowly revealed and it's pretty mind blowing. It gradually builds up tension, and is definitely messing with your mind - you won't be able to discern reality from imagination until almost at the end. He begins to realize that there is something horribly wrong with these missions, wondering why only he can remember memories and information that makes no sense. To say more would be to give spoilers, but I will tell you the reveals are well-timed and powerful, the novel’s conclusion both satisfying and thought-provoking.