Inhibitor Phase

August 9, 2021
A human ship passing through the Michaelmas system threatens to draw Inhibitors, a ruthless alien threat, to the hidden community of Sun Hollow in this uneven standalone adventure set in Reynolds’s Revelation Space universe (last visited in Chasm City). Miguel de Ruyter, Sun Hollow’s leader, sets out to destroy the ship before it can draw unwanted attention to the area. Reynolds’s precise, poetic prose provides elegant characterization of his desperate hero as Miguel’s plan goes awry and one of the ship’s passengers, Glass, survives. Glass reveals that she’s come to Sun Hollow purposefully to recruit Miguel for a dangerous mission. Threads of well-layered intrigue spiderweb throughout, occasionally linking to events and characters from previous Revelation Space novels in ways that will delight existing fans without being overly confusing to newcomers. However, some of the science presented as fact makes the fiction implausible after Glass coerces Miguel into accompanying her to the ruins of the Yellowstone system in search of an arcane object with the potential to turn the tide in the fight against the Inhibitors. Suspension of disbelief becomes difficult with the introduction of hyperpigs and contrived technological problems on the way to an underwhelming close. This will best be enjoyed by Reynolds’s diehard fans. Agent: Robert Kirby, United Agents.

Starred review from September 1, 2021
It's the late years of the twenty-eighth century and the Inhibitors (also known as "wolves") have been culling humanity over the past two centuries. Miguel de Ruyter is kidnapped in such a way that the sanctuary he has fought hard to keep hidden stays hidden. The demi-conjoiner, Glass, has done so in the hope he will cooperate in helping her in a desperate attempt to stop the wolves. She also begins to restore him to his previous identity as a ruthless soldier and brother to Nevil Clavain (see Redemption Ark, 2002). That transformation slowly occurs as they rejoin another demi-conjoiner and her companion, a hyperpig; recover Gideon stones from the Swinehouse hidden in what remains of Chasm City; race to Ararat to swim among the Pattern Jugglers; and in discovering its location; head to Charybdis to find a hidden Nestbuilder ship in an attempt to unleash the Incantor. As always, Reynolds' space opera is intense because of compelling characterizations blended with explorations of hard science and world building. A standalone that connects with past Revelation Space books without spoiling them, Inhibitor Phase is a fine introduction to his popular series as well as a satisfying continuation.

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