600 years from now on the world of Fulgor Roger Blackstone, son of two Pilots (long-time alien spies, masquerading as ordinary humans) aches to see the mythical Pilot's city of Labyrinth, in the fractal ur-continuum of mu-space. In 8th century Norseland, a young carl called Wulf kills a man, watched by a mysterious warrior who bears the mark of Loki the Trickster God. In 1920s Zurich, Gavriela Silberstein enters the long, baroque central hallway of the Eidgenossische Technische Hochschule where Einstein so recently studied. And on a nameless world, not knowing his human heritage, a silver-skinned youth tries to snatch back an Idea - but it floats away on gentle magnetic currents. There are others across the ages, all with three things in common: they glimpse shards of darkness moving at the edge of their vision; they hear echoes of a dark, disturbing musical chord; and they will dream of joining a group called the Ragnarok Council. ABSORPTION is the first novel of RAGNAROK, a new space opera trilogy of high-tech space warfare, unitary intelligences made up of millions of minds, the bizarre physics of dark energy, quantum mechanics and a mindblowing rationale for Norse mythology.
Absorption: Ragnarok v. 1
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Product Description
Book Description
The universe is dark. And it is alive. Hard SF Space Opera to rival Peter F. Hamilton.
About the Author
John Meaney is the author of To Hold Infinity, Paradox and Context. To Hold Infinity and Paradox were on the BSFA shortlists for Best Novel in 1999 and 2001 respectively. The Times called John Meaney "The first important new sf writer of the 21st century." Meaney has a degree in physics and computer science, and holds a black belt in Shotokan Karate. He lives in Glamorgan.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
29 of 30 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
As I've mentioned in other reviews I'm seriously fond of space opera, the more grandiose in scale and complexity the better and this 1st novel in a planned trilogy is frankly brilliant. It delivers on every level with tight plotting, efficient characterisation and compelling world building. The use of a multi threaded narrative, set in multiple time periods delivers a great deal of tension and pace and unusually doesn't get too confusing to follow. Following three primary characters from the dark ages, early 20th century and from 600 years from now, their stories are intertwined with a host of other characters from various time periods around the three main hubs.
The tension and pace ramp up through the book with hints as to the shape of the coming conflict and glimpses of both hidden capabilities and subtle conspiracies. I found myself genuinely gripped with the fates of various characters and found some of the plot twists both totally unexpected and quite moving.
I don't think I can recommend this highly enough. It's the best opener to a space opera trilogy since The Reality Dysfunction. Bravo!
The tension and pace ramp up through the book with hints as to the shape of the coming conflict and glimpses of both hidden capabilities and subtle conspiracies. I found myself genuinely gripped with the fates of various characters and found some of the plot twists both totally unexpected and quite moving.
I don't think I can recommend this highly enough. It's the best opener to a space opera trilogy since The Reality Dysfunction. Bravo!
12 of 14 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I think this is the best novel John Meaney has written to date. It resonates with echoes of some of his earlier novels and short fiction, but while the reader's experience of this book might benefit from having read To Hold Infinity, Paradox, Context, and Resolution, I'm certain that won't be necessary to enjoy it. And if you like science fiction with fascinating characters, exotic yet believable settings, excellent writing, and lots of layers of meaning and action, you will enjoy it a great deal.
Absorption is a richly interwoven narrative that navigates time and space with as much ease and style as one of Meaney's legendary Pilots. It immerses you in elegant complexities of character and story and scene, uniting the lives and destinies of beings from far-flung localities in a cause that leaves the familiar limitations of space and time behind, because the enemies of life are not bound by them. Meaney's villains are powerful, mysterious, well-conceived and downright scary in their ability to infiltrate and twist any reality, including our own.
The overall story is necessarily incomplete until the final volume, but Meaney manages to pause each thread in a satisfying place, while also spinning up new ones to whet the reader's appetite for what's to come. And if what's to come is as good as the first book, it's going to be worth waiting for.
Absorption is a richly interwoven narrative that navigates time and space with as much ease and style as one of Meaney's legendary Pilots. It immerses you in elegant complexities of character and story and scene, uniting the lives and destinies of beings from far-flung localities in a cause that leaves the familiar limitations of space and time behind, because the enemies of life are not bound by them. Meaney's villains are powerful, mysterious, well-conceived and downright scary in their ability to infiltrate and twist any reality, including our own.
The overall story is necessarily incomplete until the final volume, but Meaney manages to pause each thread in a satisfying place, while also spinning up new ones to whet the reader's appetite for what's to come. And if what's to come is as good as the first book, it's going to be worth waiting for.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I really enjoyed this and its sequel. I am very much looking forward to the third part. There is just the right balance of exciting story and new tech visions.
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3.7 out of 5 stars
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
A marvelous tale in n dimensions...
So much better than I had expected - well-balanced, good pacing, interesting charcters, a fantastic backdrop - and that most rare of wonders, a novel storyline. Read more
Published 7 days ago by Jonster
1.0 out of 5 stars
Absolute tripe
An utterly confused plot with no sense of continuity or pacing, with too many uninteresting subplots which lead to nothing. The characters are absolutely dull and uncharismatic. Read more
Published 3 months ago by C. Champion
4.0 out of 5 stars
Bit confusing storyline, jumping timelines
The storyline is divided into time periods, each told in turn, then around again - it does get a bit confusing. Read more
Published 5 months ago by CjW
1.0 out of 5 stars
Rubbish
I wanted to believe that this wasn't as bad as some of the reviewers said it was?
I wanted to believe that it was just a complex plot that other reviewers diddn't... Read more
I wanted to believe that it was just a complex plot that other reviewers diddn't... Read more
Published 8 months ago by Benjamin Bruce
3.0 out of 5 stars
Tries too hard
Whatever criticisms can be made of John Meaney's book (see below) lack of ambition is not among them. Read more
Published 9 months ago by John Fletcher
4.0 out of 5 stars
Hoorah! Proper sci-fi; a fine addition to the space opera genre.
I'm always cautious about anything labelled `epic'; it is often an excuse for an overly long, rambling shambles that should have been condensed and published as a single volume. Read more
Published 9 months ago by Willy Eckerslike
1.0 out of 5 stars
Difficult to read
I stuck with this book for a quarter of the way through before giving up. Some of the other reviewers have commented on its complexity or accessibility. Read more
Published 15 months ago by Robert
5.0 out of 5 stars
Complex, diverse and satisfying
Firstly, I have to admit being a fan of the big space opera and bought this book after reading the other reviews (which by the way is a much better guide than relying upon 'author... Read more
Published 17 months ago by I. E. Pownall
5.0 out of 5 stars
A toughie but a goodie
This book is confusing [cross time and other dimensions] but it knits together well, producing a 'well worth it' read. Book 2, here I come. Like the 'War and Peace' of SF.
Published 19 months ago by Mr. A. Healy
5.0 out of 5 stars
A discovery, the like of which is far to rare.
I did not like chapter one and found chapter two even more off putting. However by the end of chapter three I realised I was in the presence of greatness. Read more
Published 20 months ago by Dung
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