There is no such place as Krassnia. Lucy Stone should know - she was born there. In that tiny, troubled region of the former Soviet Union, revolution is brewing. Its organisers need a safe place to meet, and where better than the virtual spaces of an online game? Lucy, who works for a start-up games company in Edinburgh, has a project that almost seems made for the job: a game inspired by The Krassniad, an epic folk tale concocted by Lucy's mother Amanda, who studied there in the 1980s. Lucy knows Amanda is a spook. She knows her great-grandmother Eugenie also visited the country in the '30s, and met the man who originally collected Krassnian folklore, and who perished in Stalin's terror. As Lucy digs up details about her birthplace to slot into the game, she finds the open secrets of her family's past, the darker secrets of Krassnia's past - and hints about the crucial role she is destined to play in The Restoration Game . . .
The Restoration Game
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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 )
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The compelling new near-future thriller from the award-winning author of THE EXECUTION CHANNEL and THE NIGHT SESSIONS.
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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
The Restoration Game
I've dragged myself to page of 189 of 342 waiting for something even vaguely science fiction-y to happen and have now given up.
If I have to read one more mind blowingly tedious homily or rant from the mouth of a cardboard cutout character on the subject of communism and early Soviet Russia I shall scream.
If you want SciFi, truly don't bother. The fact the main cutout works for a games company does not make it science fiction.
If you want to be told what to think on the early Soviet Union, I suppose you might get something out of this book.
I feel I was sold this book under false pretences. I won't be making the same mistake with Ken Macleod again.
I've dragged myself to page of 189 of 342 waiting for something even vaguely science fiction-y to happen and have now given up.
If I have to read one more mind blowingly tedious homily or rant from the mouth of a cardboard cutout character on the subject of communism and early Soviet Russia I shall scream.
If you want SciFi, truly don't bother. The fact the main cutout works for a games company does not make it science fiction.
If you want to be told what to think on the early Soviet Union, I suppose you might get something out of this book.
I feel I was sold this book under false pretences. I won't be making the same mistake with Ken Macleod again.
By Lendrick
VINE™ VOICE
Format:Paperback
This is my fifth Ken Macleod, his early books had great ideas, but the writing and plotting didn't always live up to them. However, I greatly enjoyed The Night Sessions: A Novel so gave this a go. Where The Night Sessions mixed detective and SF, this one takes us into the realms of the political thriller and post soviet politics. In fact for a while it's not clear whether this is an SF novel at all.
Other reviews will give synopsis of the plot, what I'd say is it is well written, with well drawn characters, but dips a bit in the middle. At times there is also a bit too much exposition - there is a lot to explain. But on the whole it's engaging and the ending satisfying, an enjoyable read.
Other reviews will give synopsis of the plot, what I'd say is it is well written, with well drawn characters, but dips a bit in the middle. At times there is also a bit too much exposition - there is a lot to explain. But on the whole it's engaging and the ending satisfying, an enjoyable read.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
The Caucasian Magic Circle??
I suppose it is a sign of the increasing respectability of science fiction amongst literary circles, but there appear to be two new hybrid genres springing up: "serious... Read more
Published 5 months ago by DB
4.0 out of 5 stars
Gamely Restored!
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. Read more
Published 13 months ago by El Gerardo
2.0 out of 5 stars
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 13 months ago by Paul J. Kulhavy
5.0 out of 5 stars
A excellent slice of near future hard SF
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... Read more
Published 23 months ago by Nick Craig-Wood
5.0 out of 5 stars
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 on 22 May 2011 by S. Egan
4.0 out of 5 stars
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 on 15 May 2011 by A. J. Poulter
5.0 out of 5 stars
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 on 2 May 2011 by Tarom Halec
3.0 out of 5 stars
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 on 9 Nov 2010 by stefan
2.0 out of 5 stars
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 on 23 Aug 2010 by Robert
5.0 out of 5 stars
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 on 5 Aug 2010 by P. McCLEAN
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