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The Halcyon Years by Alistair Reynolds (Gollancz, £25)
Yuri Gagarin, the Russian cosmonaut who was the first man in space, is reborn as a private eye aboard the spacecraft Halcyon as it approaches the end of a centuries-long voyage. Yuri knows that he first died in the 1960s, long before the technology needed to launch such advanced spaceships existed, but he believes his remains have been preserved and stored for future resurrections. Life on the ship is modeled after a classic 1940s crime noir: men wearing berets, smoking cigarettes and whiskey, with no futuristic technology other than some annoying, deformed robots. As he doggedly seeks to learn the truth about the seemingly unrelated deaths of two teenagers from the most powerful families on the ship, Yuri gradually learns about himself. There’s a conspiracy that reaches back generations in this clever and entertaining mix of crime and space opera.
Paris Fantastic by Nicolas Royle (Convengo, £).9.50)
The third collection after London Gothic and Manchester Uncanny captures the reality and mysteries of contemporary life in Paris in 14 short stories, 11 of which are published here for the first time. Rewell is a genius at mixing the mundane with the bizarre, and his stories range from overt displays of surrealism to sinister psychological mysteries that play out as suspensefully as Highsmith or Hitchcock. It is an unforgettable and unsettling journey through the streets, lanes and suburbs of Paris, and a masterclass in writing evocative short stories.
All Tomorrows: The Myriad Species and the Mixed Fortunes of Man by C. M. Kosmin (Wilton Square, £18.99)
Inspired by science fiction art by Wayne Barlow, and by writers from Olaf Stapledon to Larry Niven, this book began as a teenage project, formulating his ideas about the various extreme ways in which humans could evolve over millions of years – whether by genetic manipulation, by the necessity of adaptation or by slow natural processes. An earlier edition appeared online in 2006, but this is the first print edition in English, including new material and notes explaining the origins of chimeric species including Spacers, Astromorphs, Swimmers, Symbiotes, Tool Breeders, and Bug Facers. A brilliant and terrifying work of fiction: beautiful, complex and surreal.
Oracle of Salt by Lauren Wilson (Solaris, £18.99).)
Set in the same post-Internet fantasy world as the author’s previous novel We’re All Ghosts in the Woods, this standalone novel is set at sea. We’re on the Bellwether, a ship that serves as a university outpost. Scientists study a strange girl known as the Oracle and record her cryptic words, which may provide vital information for maritime traffic that previously relied on weather satellites, GPS, and other now-useless technology. But it’s dangerous to spend too much time near the Oracle, because it attracts digital ghosts into the air around it. These parts appear in the form of parts of old films or excerpts from audio broadcasts. Despite their insubstantial appearance, simply coming into contact with someone can leave a person “ghostly”, a degenerative condition worse than death. The story is told through three different points of view, one of which is the traumatized Oracle. Involving murder, conspiracy, academic rivalries and a misunderstanding that drives two longing lovers apart, it may be a bit complicated, but this is a strange, rich and ultimately rewarding journey.
The Witching Hour by Various Authors (Sphere, £18.99)
Here, 13 original ghostly tales that take as their starting point any kind of supernatural event that might occur in the hour after midnight. All but one are set in the past – from Massachusetts in 1718 to Paris in the 1770s to Antarctica in the 1920s – with most taking place somewhere in 19th-century Britain. It’s old-fashioned novels in the best sense, with the classic virtues of a satisfyingly surprising, shuddering story. Highlights for me include the entries by Elizabeth MacNeil, Catriona Ward, and Natasha Polley, but there’s not much that fails. Great picks for these dark winter nights.
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