The Restoration Game
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'Sly humour, deftly drawn characters and intricate plotting ... this is a writer at the peak of his powers' SFX 'This is one of the great ironies of contemporary literature: the books that ask the deepest and most profound questions tend to be situated in the most marginalised of genres... Ken MacLeod's [novels] are works of science fiction so worryingly close to reality that he may well be hailed as a prophet' SCOTLAND ON SUNDAY
Book Description
The compelling new near-future thriller from the award-winning author of THE EXECUTION CHANNEL and THE NIGHT SESSIONS.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
I'd never read any of Ken MacLeod's books before so wasn't sure what to expect (and I don't know if this one is typical). But I did find it absorbing, thought provoking and entertaining. I don't want to give away too much of the plot, but it consists of two greatly contrasting elements - one might say universes. Precisely how they are linked,what is real, and what isn't, is hinted at but not made clear until the end (and I'm not sure even then if you can be completely sure).
Most of the book describes Lucy's (a young woman working for a games developer in Edinburgh) experiences as she is sucked into a bizarre conspiracy which combines the politics of the Caucasus (this is in 2008, the year that tension between Russia and Georgia spilled over), family history, smuggling and the CIA. This is a fast moving strand and there is a good contrast drawn between the stoically ordinary Lucy (who has, though, a dramatic past) and a strange gallery of figures (some relatives) who appear to overturn her life. I was reminded a bit of the setup of a John Buchan novel (though the politics are much further Left). Perhaps the only jarring note here is how readily Lucy agrees to drop everything and go off on a quixotic mission in Krassnia, the Caucasian republic at the centre of things. But that may be explained in the denouement (difficult to say more without giving things away). "Restoration", it turns out, is a theme throughout the book, with a number of different levels of meaning.
But this is more than an action thriller. Framing the book is a different perspective, which recurs here and there in the main narrative, not being resolved until the very end. You can then go back and read the opening section with a completely different level of understanding.
It's all very deftly done, and if this is typical of MacLeod's work, I need to do some catching up with his earlier books. I'd be grateful suggestions about where best to start!
Most of the book describes Lucy's (a young woman working for a games developer in Edinburgh) experiences as she is sucked into a bizarre conspiracy which combines the politics of the Caucasus (this is in 2008, the year that tension between Russia and Georgia spilled over), family history, smuggling and the CIA. This is a fast moving strand and there is a good contrast drawn between the stoically ordinary Lucy (who has, though, a dramatic past) and a strange gallery of figures (some relatives) who appear to overturn her life. I was reminded a bit of the setup of a John Buchan novel (though the politics are much further Left). Perhaps the only jarring note here is how readily Lucy agrees to drop everything and go off on a quixotic mission in Krassnia, the Caucasian republic at the centre of things. But that may be explained in the denouement (difficult to say more without giving things away). "Restoration", it turns out, is a theme throughout the book, with a number of different levels of meaning.
But this is more than an action thriller. Framing the book is a different perspective, which recurs here and there in the main narrative, not being resolved until the very end. You can then go back and read the opening section with a completely different level of understanding.
It's all very deftly done, and if this is typical of MacLeod's work, I need to do some catching up with his earlier books. I'd be grateful suggestions about where best to start!
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I really didn't know what to expect from this book. I am a great fan of Ken MacLeod - he manages to write sci-fi in a way that does not get bogged down in too much detail. He does not have to describe/justify every leap of belief, just states it and you go with it. This story is set in the very near future, the distant future and ... at the risk of giving a little bit of the game away ... somewhere else.
Mostly it's a good old fashioned spy story with some very modern twists. I really enjoyed it and so will you if you like your sci-fi populated with real people in real situations and not full of robots and Jedis.
Recommended.
Mostly it's a good old fashioned spy story with some very modern twists. I really enjoyed it and so will you if you like your sci-fi populated with real people in real situations and not full of robots and Jedis.
Recommended.
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I have avidly read all of Ken Macleod's books, and was looking forward to this one greatly. The book is set in the near future and the protagonist Lucy Stone is a likable young woman with an interest in technology and a rather unusual upbringing.
There is a lot of rather complicated soviet era politics in the book, and in that it reminded me of The Star Fraction the start of Ken Macleod's unmissable Fall Revolutions Series. There is a bit of video game development, a bit of romance, and quite a lot of conspiracy.
The book's central idea is one that I found extremely thought provoking. I had to read the start and the end of the book twice before it all made sense!
I'm hoping very much Ken Macleod will use it as an opener for a new series of books tilting off into the future, which will allow him to open the ideas tap even wider.
There is a lot of rather complicated soviet era politics in the book, and in that it reminded me of The Star Fraction the start of Ken Macleod's unmissable Fall Revolutions Series. There is a bit of video game development, a bit of romance, and quite a lot of conspiracy.
The book's central idea is one that I found extremely thought provoking. I had to read the start and the end of the book twice before it all made sense!
I'm hoping very much Ken Macleod will use it as an opener for a new series of books tilting off into the future, which will allow him to open the ideas tap even wider.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
No Sir - I don't like it at all ..
While the over-story of the book is clearly science fiction the actual telling of the tale is not for most of the time. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Paul J. Kulhavy
multi-level
I won't fill in the details of the narrative as many others have already done this.
As i read this book I kept on coming up with questions:
Why the prologue... Read more
As i read this book I kept on coming up with questions:
Why the prologue... Read more
Published 12 months ago by S. Egan
Fun, lots of political conspiracy, but not earth-shaking...
This is a book about conspiracies, one which of which seems to involve me. I bought this novel in the Edinburgh SF bookshop, 'Transreal', mentioned in this novel. Read more
Published 12 months ago by A. J. Poulter
An old idea with new life
I found myself seriously entertaining the idea that the main premise of this book could actually be true. Good read.
Published 13 months ago by Tarom Halec
not his best
The third of Kens "day after to mow" type science fiction books. Its an Ok book but not quite as good as the former to. Read more
Published 18 months ago by stefan
Was OK but a bit long
This would have been a ripping novelette. But I got bored in the middle with all the personal back story of the protagonist and her family. I found myself skipping pages. Read more
Published 21 months ago by Robert
Intircate and entertaining
Ken MacLeod has produced a novel which incorporates post communist era turmoil in Eastern Europe; communist era intrigue, spying and oppression; revolution organisation; computer... Read more
Published 22 months ago by P. McCLEAN
Lesser Ken Macleod Still Equals A Speculative Treat
A new book by Ken Macleod is invariably something to get excited about - few writers are confident enough to set their speculative fiction so close to home as the Scottish author... Read more
Published 22 months ago by Niall Alexander
Reasonable but enters silly territory
Definitely an interesting tale that brings to the fore a whole range of themes that some would perhaps wonder whether or not it would have been best to have left well alone. Read more
Published 22 months ago by Gareth Wilson - Falcata Times Blog
A Russian Doll
What an odd book. It starts at the end, takes a large number of detours, a few history lessons and then ends, Russian doll-like, back at the start. Read more
Published 23 months ago by Diziet
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