To The Last Page

A return to the Revelation Space universe is always good news for Alastair Reynolds fans. It's a rich universe that always has potential, not least in the existence of the terrifying entities called the Inhibitors, also known as wolves. As pretty much invincible AI technology whose only purpose is to eradicate the human race from every corner of the universe where they can find it, this is almost guarantees a thrilling adventure in every encounter. In Inhibitor Phase , it's more of an undercurrent of threat than an encounter, with humanity now down to a few remote outposts, trying to keep themselves hidden, fearful of what might happen should the wolves be alerted to their presence. That's the case for the small outpost of five thousand souls on Sun Hollow, who since they have no contact with anyone else, might as well be - and could even be - the last remnant of humanity in the universe. So when a ship approaches and risks alerting the wolves, they have no option to destro...

The third part of the wonderful historical medical murder mystery series, A Corruption of Blood operates very much to the high standards of the previous books, but there is also progression here and a slight change of emphasis. There are a few early hints of the medical issues of childbirth and the role the newly discovered anesthetisation through use of chloroform, a suspicious child death an a suspected murder investigation that has the potential to upset the establishment. Inevitably then since it has invested so heavily in the characters of Raven and Sarah, their relationship and the social complications, class divisions and gender create, comes more to the fore in relation to these matters. Again there is a neatness in how the social behaviours, expectations and even twists of fate that conspire to keep Raven and Sarah apart also provide a context for the period drama and the murder mystery developments. Sarah's ambition to go to Europe to meet the famous female doctor Dr Bla...

The characterisation is a bit colourful and somewhat lacking in originality and the plot fairly dubious in places, but Lebel's Sans pitié ni remords , the third book in his Captain Mehrlicht series develops into an entertaining crime police thriller that is never short of incident. All the expected character types are there, the cynical, world-weary police criminal investigator with a colourful team and incompetent bosses. Mehrlicht, a heavy drinker and heavy smoker of Gauloises, does however have good reason to be self-absorbed this time, as he has just buried his best friend. His intention to take a leave of absence is abruptly cancelled however when he is brought in by another division dealing with a long-standing case of missing African artefact. When a diamond belonging to one of the missing artefacts is handed over to Mehrlicht at the reading of Jacques will, the case blows open again, putting Mehrlicht in a lot of trouble. Not as much trouble as the museum employees who unwi...