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Chasm City

By: Alastair Reynolds
Narrated by: John Lee
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Publisher's Summary

Named one of the best novels of the year by both Locus and Science Fiction Chronicle, Alastair Reynolds's debut Revelation Space redefined the space opera. With Chasm City, Reynolds invites you to reenter the bizarre universe of his imagination as he redefines Hell.

The once-utopian Chasm City - a domed human settlement on an otherwise inhospitable planet - has been overrun by a virus known as the Melding Plague, capable of infecting any body, organic or computerized. Now, with the entire city corrupted---from the people to the very buildings they inhabit---only the most wretched sort of existence remains. For security operative Tanner Mirabel, it is the landscape of nightmares through which he searches for a lowlife postmortal killer. But the stakes are raised when his search brings him face to face with a centuries-old atrocity that history would rather forget.

©2008 Alastair Reynolds (P)2009 Tantor

Critic Reviews

"Consistently startling.... Reynolds remains one of the hottest...SF writers around." ( Publishers Weekly)

What listeners say about Chasm City

Average Customer Ratings
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Great company

A gripping tale with a few twists. Doesn't carry on from the first book, all the characters are new.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

Alastair Reynolds dropped the ball before it was thrown.

This book was so disappointing. Not because it was a terrible story, but because he developed it so well and then copped out at the very last moment. He obviously didn’t realize what he had before he threw his jewel in the bin. I’m surprised that after 700+ pages of good writing he couldn’t think of anything better than a completely absurd deus-ex machina climax.

I also wish he’d had cut the over used tropes and cliches of science fiction. He has a PhD in astrophysics you think he’d be smarter and more original. He takes the horse that’s been beaten to death, revives it with fantastical futuristic technology, and then beats it some more.

On the plus side John Lees performance was superb.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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  • Kai
  • 22-05-2017

Fantastic

This is, while very different in some ways, superior to Revelation Space, the first in the series. It deals with certain themes and character in extremely imaginative and spectacular ways. While not necessarily perfect, or especially close to it, it is more than worth listening to.

And of course, John Lee is still my favourite narrator. I can't fault him.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars

Steam punk

Enjoyable in many ways though the story was ultimately weak. I think the author might be hoping for a film deal; steam punk blade runner. The first book is on another level. I'll read the third in the series to form a better opinion.

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2 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Incredible

What a story - what an imagination- Reynolds draws you into worlds and stories that grip you to the end and beyond

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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  • Dan
  • 09-01-2022

Keeps you hooked the whole way through

Can see why this book won awards when it came out. It should be made into a tv series (possibly suit an animated series).

Also have to say, John Lee is the best narrator in the audiobook business.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
  • Ben
  • 08-10-2016

addictive

Chasm city was a story that had me consistently coming back for more, eager to uncover the next twist. the narration grew on me, and after an hour or so I couldn't have imagined a better voice for it. excellent

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Folds together, just barely.

Reynolds’ disjointed approach is at full swing again: As usual, story figments start lightyears apart, and slowly come closer, and eventually fold into a single continuum... but this time, just barely. This story lacks some of the elegant geometry of its presecessor, Revelation Space. The killing punch comes too late in the telling, and is overshadowed by much else. Still, a solid 4/5 overall. Enjoy, and keep along with the series. Definitely, worth the time invested.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Did listen twice. Had to though!

On second listening i could see the significance of the different bits which seemed unrelated the first time.

The fact i got through it twice prices or was a good book!

A wacky and complex mystery. A mix of harsh scientific realities and circus- like horror for a future space-faring society. Very imaginative and largely makes sense.

I wish the characters had a bit more ... character. I found them largely paper dolls. You could switch any of their names and you wouldn't notice the difference because they don't have distinctive traits or behaviours. But it's OK. It enables the mystery.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Another brilliant book

Chasm City starts so far away from where Reynolds ended Revelation Space that the reader wonders if the two will ever meet. Reynolds doesn't disappoint though, intertwining two story lines to reveal more depth in the protagonist than a linear story could. Reynolds has a great way of not only showing how the protagonist influences those around him to reach a better end, but also how the protagonist himself was influenced, for better or worse. As the story climaxes we are not actually sure if we are meant to empathise with the main character or his antagonist.

Lee's narration is a much more solid performance that Revelation Space, making this book an easier listen as well.

All in all, a great story that will create new fans and engage existing ones.

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