Tom Dreyfus is a Prefect, a policeman of sorts, and one of the best. His force is Panoply, and his beat is the multi-faceted utopian society of the Glitter Band, that vast swirl of space habitats orbiting the planet Yellowstone. These days, his job is his life. A murderous attack against a Glitter Band habitat is nasty, but it looks to be an open-and-shut case - until Dreyfus starts looking under some stones that some very powerful people would really rather stayed unturned. What he uncovers is far more serious than mere gruesome murder: a covert takeover bid by a shadowy figure, Aurora (who may once have been human but certainly isn't now), who believes the people of the Glitter Band should no longer be in charge of their own destiny. Dreyfus discovers that to save something precious, you may have to destroy part of it.
The Prefect (GOLLANCZ S.F.)
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"A fascinating hybrid of space opera, police procedural and character study."
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Book Description
A rollercoaster ride through the dark and turbulent universe of REVELATION SPACE: an interstellar thriller where nothing - and no one - is what they seem . . .
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
13 of 13 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Once again Alastair Reynolds returns to his "Revelation Space" universe and is a glorious read. Field Prefect Tom Dreyfus is an agent of Panoply, an agency that ensures and protects the voting rights of the residents of the Glitter Band, ten thousand habitats which orbit the planet Yellowstone in the year 2427. When a habitat is attacked Panoply sends their best agent and his team to investigate and once he begins he will not stop until he finds the truth.
Reynolds further adds to his menagerie of characters and expands his colourful universe, having read all of Reynolds's other "Revelation Space" books its great to see an era that is in the golden age of man kind the but never been visited.
The Prefect stands well as a stand alone book and if you have read the other books in the series it adds another dimension. More please Mr Reynolds!
Reynolds further adds to his menagerie of characters and expands his colourful universe, having read all of Reynolds's other "Revelation Space" books its great to see an era that is in the golden age of man kind the but never been visited.
The Prefect stands well as a stand alone book and if you have read the other books in the series it adds another dimension. More please Mr Reynolds!
23 of 24 people found the following review helpful
By Kerome
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
For me this is without a doubt Reynolds' best work to date. It has the same gritty-space-operate flavour as previous Revelation Space novels, but the pace of the plot is considerably higher and there is less time spent on long introspectives. The Glitter Band pre-melding-plague is a great setting for those who know the series, and the book follows mainly just two plot-strands tracking Dreyfus and his deputy Thalia, so there's not too much to keep tabs on. Overall it reminds me a little of Ian Banks' Player of Games or David Brin's Startide Rising, which is a high standard indeed.
38 of 41 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
It is the year 2427. The place is the Glitter Band, ten thousand space habitats circling the planet Yellowstone, the golden heart of human space where a multitude of different cultures meet and trade, and a waystop for huge lighthuggers as they slowly traverse the distances between the stars at speeds just below that of light. This is the universe of Revelation Space, Alastair Reynolds' critically-acclaimed gothic space opera which has now extended across five novels, two novellas and a short story collection. The Prefect is a stand-alone addition to this excellently-realised future history, taking place approximately a century before the events of Chasm City and Revelation Space itself.
Whilst the planet Yellowstone and its biggest settlement, Chasm City, deal with their own affairs, it falls to the prefects of Panoply to police the vast Glitter Band and its 100 million citizens, who practice the ultimate form of democracy, Demarchism. Every minute dozens of decisions, large and small, are put to the public vote and the people of the Glitter Band spend much of their time engrossed in politics, employing a form of VR known as Abstraction to talk to one another, or choosing to lose themselves in fantastical reflections of the real world. The greatest crime in the Glitter Band is an attempt to deny the will of the people. [...][...]And, as this is a mystery novel, to say any more of the plot would threaten to indulge in spoilers. Suffice to say that the links between The Prefect and the other Revelation Space novels are subtle and numerous.... Read more ›
Whilst the planet Yellowstone and its biggest settlement, Chasm City, deal with their own affairs, it falls to the prefects of Panoply to police the vast Glitter Band and its 100 million citizens, who practice the ultimate form of democracy, Demarchism. Every minute dozens of decisions, large and small, are put to the public vote and the people of the Glitter Band spend much of their time engrossed in politics, employing a form of VR known as Abstraction to talk to one another, or choosing to lose themselves in fantastical reflections of the real world. The greatest crime in the Glitter Band is an attempt to deny the will of the people. [...][...]And, as this is a mystery novel, to say any more of the plot would threaten to indulge in spoilers. Suffice to say that the links between The Prefect and the other Revelation Space novels are subtle and numerous.... Read more ›
13 of 14 people found the following review helpful
By Matt Bland
Format:Hardcover
Whilst the Prefect isn't perfect it did remind me of those good old Asimov Bailey detective novels, which is praise indeed as far as I am concerned.
There are plenty of twists and turns, some of which I anticipated, although I didn't foresee how they would tie in with other parts of the Revelation Space universe. The reader isn't led by the nose through the plot. I had a few 'a-ha' moments as the protagonist pieces the mystery together, something I savour. I'd much rather have this than be screaming at blind supporting characters for fifty pages.
The characters on the whole are well drawn and I found myself wanting to rush onwards and finish the book in a single sitting - which I didn't manage due to time, it took me three visits.
I am eager to see if Al rolls out the main character again in the future as I would love to see more like this if possible. Having just finished Galactic North and Zima Blue my Alastair Reynolds apetite has been quenched for a short while, but sadly I'm going to have to wait for another fix for a while whilst we give him time to write some more delicious morsels for us to devour.
This book now sits proudly next to my other Alastair Reynolds hardbacks on my bookshelf. If you've read him before and liked his stuff make sure you get this book too.
There are plenty of twists and turns, some of which I anticipated, although I didn't foresee how they would tie in with other parts of the Revelation Space universe. The reader isn't led by the nose through the plot. I had a few 'a-ha' moments as the protagonist pieces the mystery together, something I savour. I'd much rather have this than be screaming at blind supporting characters for fifty pages.
The characters on the whole are well drawn and I found myself wanting to rush onwards and finish the book in a single sitting - which I didn't manage due to time, it took me three visits.
I am eager to see if Al rolls out the main character again in the future as I would love to see more like this if possible. Having just finished Galactic North and Zima Blue my Alastair Reynolds apetite has been quenched for a short while, but sadly I'm going to have to wait for another fix for a while whilst we give him time to write some more delicious morsels for us to devour.
This book now sits proudly next to my other Alastair Reynolds hardbacks on my bookshelf. If you've read him before and liked his stuff make sure you get this book too.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
A prequel to Alastairs much loved Revelation Space novels and one that will more than satisfy the already established fans. As a novel for the uninitiated it opens the gateway to the later tales and will also present a tale that whilst it seems to repeat many themes from Reynolds other novel, will thrill and excite the reader into forgetting about these errors. As an already established fan I can see how Alastair's writing has changed with each novel produced, as such its always good to see how an author tackles an already established history generating a tale, that whilst we know the outcome, will still keep us guessing as to how things will happen to pass. A sign of a good writer.
If you want to know why you should read Reynolds novels over say Star Trek, well lets face it, Star Trek only has the moral best of humanilty, here you get to see mankind in all his honest glory as he has been throughout history and as he is today, a self serving person who may tow the line because it's the right thing to do but if a better offer comes along well who knows. To sum up this book is probably best thought of as a Space Soap Detective tale blending the best of each genre into one giant book of fun.
If you want to know why you should read Reynolds novels over say Star Trek, well lets face it, Star Trek only has the moral best of humanilty, here you get to see mankind in all his honest glory as he has been throughout history and as he is today, a self serving person who may tow the line because it's the right thing to do but if a better offer comes along well who knows. To sum up this book is probably best thought of as a Space Soap Detective tale blending the best of each genre into one giant book of fun.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Enjoyable
I do like a good, far-ranging SF. Reynolds can be one of the best at this, and this rattled along at a good rate. Read more
Published 26 days ago by Teddy
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Prefect is Reynolds at his best.
The Prefect is easily one of Mr Reynolds best books, a gripping tale which kept me hooked from start to finish.
Published 6 months ago by Sagemw
5.0 out of 5 stars
Nothing rusty here
I'm going to keep this review short. If you enjoy the Revelation Space series, then buying this book is a no brainier. This is my favourite Reynolds novel so far. Read more
Published 7 months ago by Lexicon
4.0 out of 5 stars
very good hard scifi
A fascinating story by Alastair Reynolds who is gradually becoming a master of science fiction story telling. Read more
Published 8 months ago by Frank Bierbrauer
3.0 out of 5 stars
OK, but I I expected more
I think I have read most of Reynolds books and have found them to be entertaining, as was this one, but for all its pace, I just felt something was missing. Read more
Published 8 months ago by Christopher
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good solid work from Al!
This book drags a bit at times, but is otherwise sound. It fills in a number of gaps in the other Revelation Space books whilst delivering an absorbing read. Read more
Published 8 months ago by Cat5
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Good Piece of Escapism. Recommended
I found this an entertaining but not challenging read - just how I like it. I buy novels to be entertained and to relax... Read more
Published 11 months ago by Roger Elwell
5.0 out of 5 stars
Seems short...
To have an entire Alastair Reynolds story complete in just one volume first felt a bit short. But then, I reread it...
It's a corker! Read more
It's a corker! Read more
Published 17 months ago by The Big Onion
4.0 out of 5 stars
Enjoyed it
An enjoyable romp typical of Reynolds. I love his concepts and his characters, and the Revelation Space universe is so interesting, with all the disparate groups of humanoids and... Read more
Published 19 months ago by Wisiwig
5.0 out of 5 stars
Platinum-plated five star space opera Eden
When I first searched for Alastair Reynolds' books to read after read the Revelation Space series (Revelation Space, Redemption Ark and Absolution Gap) I mistakenly typed The... Read more
Published 20 months ago by M-I-K-E 2theD
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