The
descendants of Expatria's first colonists from Earth have rejected technology.
When Mathias Hanrahan, heir to the primacy of Newest Delhi, wants to reintroduce
the old ways he is framed for his father's murder and forced to flee.The
descendants of Expatria's first colonists from Earth have rejected technology.
When Mathias Hanrahan, heir to the primacy of Newest Delhi, wants to reintroduce
the old ways he is framed for his father's murder and forced to flee.
Recruited by a research team which is trying to relearn the ancient technologies, he goes to work for them, and against a background of impending war, Mathias discovers that strange messages are coming from space.
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UK hardback, Victor Gollancz, 1991
UK paperback, Corgi, 1992
US trade paperback, Cosmos, March 2001 (ISBN: 1587153319)
chapters 1-4 are available on this website
"Its carefully measured, consciously understated prose eschews any of
the customary cheap stunts used by genre authors in an attempt to keep the reader
whizzing through the pages ... To describe it as gripping would be accurate
but would at the same time mislead: it grips because of the reader's absorption
in the characters and the significance of the events rather than through any
nonstop pulse-racing action. It introduces you to a world which, without your
perhaps consciously realizing it, comes to permeate your mind, so that you have
to shake your head to return yourself to 21st-century Earth ... Brooke's tale-telling
is superb ... a completely absorbing novel."
(John Grant, infinity plus)
"Book of the Month ... The mix of semi-pastoral life and scientific research
is convincingly handled ... The underlying conflict between religion and science
is finely wrought ... an absorbing piece of fiction. Highly recommended."
(Gamesmaster International)
"Books like this are proving that the British can write SF as good as any American...
This is a marvellous book that, despite the sequel ... is a complete novel in
itself. Treat yourself: buy both, and read them over and over."
(Paul Brazier, Nexus)
"Brooke lies somewhere between Peter Dickinson and Barrington J Bayley in his
novels: he tells one story, concentrating on one set of characters, while great
events go on around them that are almost peripheral to their lives, but he does
it with intense concentration and understanding ... Brooke is an author well
worth reading ... I hope some publisher over here makes him available to American
audiences."
(Tom Whitmore, Locus)
"...brought beautifully to life ... I enjoyed this book a great deal and will
definitely buy the sequel."
(David Durant, Critical Wave)