- Paperback: 352 pages
- Publisher: Gollancz; New edition edition (24 Sep 1998)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 057560168X
- ISBN-13: 978-0575601680
- Product Dimensions: 17.2 x 10 x 2.6 cm
- Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 1,153,692 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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More About the Author
Product Description
Product Description
Confluence is an artificial world, populated by hundreds of alien races. Abandoned by their creators, its people and their stagnant civilization are threatened by civil war.
About the Author
Paul McAuley won the Philip K. Dick Award for his first novel and has gone on to win the Arthur C. Clarke, British Fantasy, Sidewise and John W. Campbell Awards. He gave up his position as a research biologist to write full-time. He lives in London. You can find his blog at: http://www.unlikelyworlds.blogspot.com
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Nice, visual style of writing. The characters were fairly mediocre and there wasn't anything groundbreaking about the science, with this being more of a 'future fantasy' than a real science-fiction book. It's the first part of a trilogy, but unfortunately the plot doesn't reach any resolution by the end of the book, so it's probably best read as part of a whole. I've not read the other books and it now seems as though this book is out of print. This is a pity because the style of writing was very visual and the world the author has created, if not particularly original, was beautifully visualised. I would definitely keep an eye open for other books by this author.
Format:Paperback
Child of the River is the first in a trilogy of novels set on the planetoid Confluence, a setting first introduced in McAuley’s short story Recording Angel (see the collection The Invisible Country) and though it’s not necessary to read this story to enjoy the novel, if you’re having difficulty getting your head round the background it may help.
One of the features of McAuley’s earlier works was to present science fiction as fantasy – this is something he repeats explicitly here: not only is this the first of a trilogy, we also have a hero who is blessed with ‘magic’ powers (the ability to control machines), seems fated to save the world, and even has a ‘magic’ sword! Dig beneath the surface however and you’ll find the hard-sf underpinnings used to prop up the fantasy tropes. Confluence itself appears to be an artificial construct of far future humanity where the animals have been gengineered to human status (hence we have people who resemble anthropomorphic cats, rodents, etc), only for it’s creators to turn their back on it and disappear into another universe. The lead character Yama is a genetic throwback to these creators, and as the only recognisable human on Confluence is trying to unravel the mystery of his birth and destiny.
While the genre tropes may be fairly routine the pleasure here is in the intricate society of Confluence itself, as the old religious order is under threat from a heresy spread by a previous visit from humanities ancestors. McAuley used another ‘pre-destined’ character in his novel Red Dust which annoyed me intensely as the character seemed to have no control over his own fate; here the author bucks expectations by making Yama a strong-willed individual determined to make his way on his own terms – at the beginning of the novel the character is taken to meet his destiny and he runs away; at the novels climax he is told for whom he is expected to fight, and vows to fight for the opposite side.
Doubtless the following two volumes will see Yama gradually coming around to accepting his mysterious destiny, but the ride should be an enjoyable one. An excellent start.
Format:Hardcover
The narative dragged, especially in the middle of the book. Lots of questions posed and ends loosened, I shall not be buying the later parts of the trilogy to find out the answers and tie up the trailing threads.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Why book one of N?
Nice characters, slow story line. Like a third of an Anne McCaffrey novel strung out to be a whole book on its own. Read more
Published on 14 Jan 2000 by simonallen@genie.co.uk
Interesting enough to leave me waiting for the next volume.
Every now and again an author manages to strike the right level between giving enough clues to make the readers feel more intelligent than the protaganists, and leaving us... Read more
Published on 28 Oct 1998
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