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Lightspeed Trilogy #2
Beyond the Reach of Earth
Ken MacLeod is back with a stellar interstellar addition to the Lightspeed trilogy!
THE FERMI ARE AWAKE…
The invention of faster-than-light technology has brought great opportunity, but also great danger.
The Black Horizon conspiracy is broken up, but it still has deadly assets beyond the reach of Earth. As the great powers jostle for advantage, the alien minds known as the Fermi have their own ways of dealing with humans meddling in plans vaster and more ancient than anyone can suspect.
After the Venus catastrophe, John Grant’s starship Fighting Chance and the Space Station have reached Apis—but not for long. They barely have time to mourn the dead before they’re chased out of the system. The Station begins exploring the systems Black Horizon warned them against—with good reason, as they soon discover.
On Apis, Alliance agent Marcus Owen has a new to communicate with the alien intelligences in the rocks, and to stop anyone else from getting to them first. Everyone knows he’s a spy, but he’s not going to let that cramp his style. But the scientists investigating the rock find that the Fermi may not be the only alien intelligence on Apis…
Science fiction legend Ken MacLeod returns with book two in the Lightspeed trilogy, a gripping tale of first contact and dark conspiracies set among the stars.
THE FERMI ARE AWAKE…
The invention of faster-than-light technology has brought great opportunity, but also great danger.
The Black Horizon conspiracy is broken up, but it still has deadly assets beyond the reach of Earth. As the great powers jostle for advantage, the alien minds known as the Fermi have their own ways of dealing with humans meddling in plans vaster and more ancient than anyone can suspect.
After the Venus catastrophe, John Grant’s starship Fighting Chance and the Space Station have reached Apis—but not for long. They barely have time to mourn the dead before they’re chased out of the system. The Station begins exploring the systems Black Horizon warned them against—with good reason, as they soon discover.
On Apis, Alliance agent Marcus Owen has a new to communicate with the alien intelligences in the rocks, and to stop anyone else from getting to them first. Everyone knows he’s a spy, but he’s not going to let that cramp his style. But the scientists investigating the rock find that the Fermi may not be the only alien intelligence on Apis…
Science fiction legend Ken MacLeod returns with book two in the Lightspeed trilogy, a gripping tale of first contact and dark conspiracies set among the stars.
336 pages, Paperback
First published March 21, 2023
70 people are currently reading
474 people want to read
About the author
Ken MacLeod
113 books763 followersKen MacLeod is an award-winning Scottish science fiction writer.
His novels have won the Prometheus Award and the BSFA award, and been nominated for the Hugo and Nebula Awards. He lives near Edinburgh, Scotland.
MacLeod graduated from Glasgow University with a degree in zoology and has worked as a computer programmer and written a masters thesis on biomechanics.
His novels often explore socialist, communist and anarchist political ideas, most particularly the variants of Trotskyism and anarcho-capitalism or extreme economic libertarianism.
Technical themes encompass singularities, divergent human cultural evolution and post-human cyborg-resurrection.
His novels have won the Prometheus Award and the BSFA award, and been nominated for the Hugo and Nebula Awards. He lives near Edinburgh, Scotland.
MacLeod graduated from Glasgow University with a degree in zoology and has worked as a computer programmer and written a masters thesis on biomechanics.
His novels often explore socialist, communist and anarchist political ideas, most particularly the variants of Trotskyism and anarcho-capitalism or extreme economic libertarianism.
Technical themes encompass singularities, divergent human cultural evolution and post-human cyborg-resurrection.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
June 21, 2023
It was fine.
It finished the story set up in book 1 without dropping any balls.
Did I like it? Well... It was fine. I will say book 1 was more entertaining. It was funnier and more eloquent, with a few really lovely turns of phrase. The world building was all mostly done in book 1.
Book 2 just tied up all the lose threads. It really wasn't bad or boring or anyhting I just eventually didn't really care anymore.
There were some lovely time travel loops that were quite pleasing. The interactions of the AIs were all well done and entraining. All the ingredients were there for an excellent story. But somehow they didn't quite coalesce.
It finished the story set up in book 1 without dropping any balls.
Did I like it? Well... It was fine. I will say book 1 was more entertaining. It was funnier and more eloquent, with a few really lovely turns of phrase. The world building was all mostly done in book 1.
Book 2 just tied up all the lose threads. It really wasn't bad or boring or anyhting I just eventually didn't really care anymore.
There were some lovely time travel loops that were quite pleasing. The interactions of the AIs were all well done and entraining. All the ingredients were there for an excellent story. But somehow they didn't quite coalesce.
March 3, 2024
It's a middle book, so not much tension or resolution. Still a solid read, if not up to #1. MacLeod is having fun with the time-paradoxes of FTL travel -- one reason why it's likely impossible. I still had fun -- and am looking forward to #3!
For me, 3.5 stars. Don't start here!
For me, 3.5 stars. Don't start here!
August 30, 2024
’They had not yet decided what to do. They were in no hurry. They still had all the time in the world’
Much like its predecessor, Beyond the Reach of Earth was a very enjoyable delve back into this take on our world, FTL travel and some spooky scary aliens.
With just as interesting hard-science, intricate and well-crafted politics and a great prose, I once again had a lot of fun exploring Apis, Earth and a bunch of strange solar-systems, some of which I’ve even heard of (god bless Mass Effect).
The highlights of this book for me were:
1. The exploration of Apis within the new Union settlement - including learning about where the bees came from and what constitutes as the planets own original intelligent life.
2. The really scary but also pretty neat idea of incorporating time-travel and multiple universes. Definitely threw me through a loop.
3. That one planet that was made of only shrooms.
4. The cool politics.
Overall, Beyond the Reach of Earth gets 4/5 stars. Super excited to see how this trilogy ends :)
Much like its predecessor, Beyond the Reach of Earth was a very enjoyable delve back into this take on our world, FTL travel and some spooky scary aliens.
With just as interesting hard-science, intricate and well-crafted politics and a great prose, I once again had a lot of fun exploring Apis, Earth and a bunch of strange solar-systems, some of which I’ve even heard of (god bless Mass Effect).
The highlights of this book for me were:
1. The exploration of Apis within the new Union settlement - including learning about where the bees came from and what constitutes as the planets own original intelligent life.
2. The really scary but also pretty neat idea of incorporating time-travel and multiple universes. Definitely threw me through a loop.
3. That one planet that was made of only shrooms.
4. The cool politics.
Overall, Beyond the Reach of Earth gets 4/5 stars. Super excited to see how this trilogy ends :)
October 27, 2023
Boring. Too many characters. The politics stuff is uninteresting to me. The AIs in the first book were intriguing, but not so much in this one. Will not be following up with #3.
May 10, 2023
I've always liked Ken MacLeod, and after not reading much of his over the last ten years, fell quite hard for the first book in this trilogy, It did a good job at that moment of expansion, when we discover FTL, and had a nice rug pull to show that it had actually been invented in secret fifty years before. Throw that together with the thought that if propulsion and heat shielding don't matter then a submarine makes an excellent spaceship, coupled with the (obviously patriotic Scottish thought) about where they make the best submarines. It was packed, concise, and politically astute in that cuddly communist way I expect from MacLeod.
So I was a little bit disappointed by Beyond The Reach of Earth. Not so much for usual middle-book reasons, though there are moments where balls are thrown way in the air one assumes to catch in the next book - though they are actually some of the best bits. My problem stemmed from quite how well Beyond The Hallowed Sky actually set up its myriad plot strands. And starting this I realised that perhaps it set up too many. The first book was admittedly disparate but had at its heart the scrappy submarine engineers and their pet scientist. That story feels almost over now, they got their spaceship to work, they achieved wonders and are now zipping all over the place. Instead, we shuffle into more of a first-contact mode, and a political drama - though more office politics than the big P politics I expect from MacLeod.
It is still enjoyable and tight. A solution to its bittiness might have been an expansion of the book but I don't think that would have helped. It is a natural effect of the story, characters who I saw as whiny kids in the first book now take centre stage, and there is a machine/artificial intelligence subplot which also feels like one storyline too far. One of the things I enjoyed about the first novel was how it potentially worked as a standalone, yes it set up lots of intriguing storylines but it ended openly but quite naturally with an "all these stars are yours" kind of moment. This has broadened the storylines whilst narrowing the focus, instead of being about the future of humanity, it now seems to be about the future of these characters. I'll come back because I am interested (and there are, as mentioned above) balls to be caught, but it didn't blow me away like the first one.
So I was a little bit disappointed by Beyond The Reach of Earth. Not so much for usual middle-book reasons, though there are moments where balls are thrown way in the air one assumes to catch in the next book - though they are actually some of the best bits. My problem stemmed from quite how well Beyond The Hallowed Sky actually set up its myriad plot strands. And starting this I realised that perhaps it set up too many. The first book was admittedly disparate but had at its heart the scrappy submarine engineers and their pet scientist. That story feels almost over now, they got their spaceship to work, they achieved wonders and are now zipping all over the place. Instead, we shuffle into more of a first-contact mode, and a political drama - though more office politics than the big P politics I expect from MacLeod.
It is still enjoyable and tight. A solution to its bittiness might have been an expansion of the book but I don't think that would have helped. It is a natural effect of the story, characters who I saw as whiny kids in the first book now take centre stage, and there is a machine/artificial intelligence subplot which also feels like one storyline too far. One of the things I enjoyed about the first novel was how it potentially worked as a standalone, yes it set up lots of intriguing storylines but it ended openly but quite naturally with an "all these stars are yours" kind of moment. This has broadened the storylines whilst narrowing the focus, instead of being about the future of humanity, it now seems to be about the future of these characters. I'll come back because I am interested (and there are, as mentioned above) balls to be caught, but it didn't blow me away like the first one.
Read
June 26, 2023Pew pew.
December 29, 2023
Very good, tightly plotted and quite original sci-fi set about 50 years in the future. It features first contact with bizarre alien rocks, faster-than-light travel in submarines, an independent socialist Scotland as part of a socialist European commonwealth, a suave English spy/assassin android, a few incorrigible Inverclyde shipbuilders, a benevolent and powerful AI devoted to helping humanity and a multinational, dark money military/scientific conspiracy. Only Ken Macleod could make this unlikely combination so appealing. Definitely don't start here ... Reading the first book in this series is mandatory to follow this one.
March 6, 2025
A more solid 3 due to a more solid story. Still, barely any character development, making this series much more difficult to connect with.
March 30, 2023
Warning - there are spoilers here for Book 1 in this trilogy, Beyond the Hallowed Sky, which I'd strongly advise you to read first. (If you haven't read it, or are hazy about the details, there is a helpful precis in Book 2, but the first book is so much fun, you really ought to read it).
In a clever sequel to Beyond the Hallowed Sky, MacLeod returns to his near future world (the book is largely set in the 2070s) dominated by three blocs - the Alliance (Anglosphere including rump UK), the Union (ex EU, including Scotland) and the Co-ord (Russia and China). The Union is particularly interesting, embodying a post-Revolution society and therefore viewed with especial suspicion by the other two (this is hilariously illustrated in some spoof tabloid headlines that crop up towards the end of the book).
MacLeod is very good, as we've seen in other books, at plausible just-over-the-horizon politics and societal development - indeed his portrayal of societies and their relationship with their citizens is one of the things I always look forward to. As a subject it's as fascinating and important as the future tech in these books. Or perhaps I should say that unlike many SF writers he appreciates the interplay between both: the societies influenced by the tech, the path of the tech driven by the science, and all deeply enmeshed with strong, relatable characters who just belong in their background.
Above and beyond that, this book has a deeply satisfying, ramified plot involving espionage, slightly scary AI (I really want to know more about Iskander, the universal intercase to the Union's predictive/ assistive AI which attempts to preempt the needs of its citizens - but also, it's hinted, serves other goals besides) and a more than slightly scary robot. For me, all that made Beyond the Reach of Earth very enjoyable to read.
A spirited rendition of The Internationale didn't go amiss either, performed here when some Union settlers arrive on the newly discovered planet Apis, albeit escorted by the perfidious Alliance English who have shuttled them there for obscure reasons in their FTL spacecraft. And indeed the settlers bring their own distinct approach to Apis, refusing to fall into the "homesteader" mode urged by their hosts. Politics are never far beneath the surface here, whether the politics of superpower deterrence, threatened by the discovery of FTL travel and restored by the strangest of means, politics between the constituent entities of the "economic democracy", the Union, which come into play when the state gets its own FTL craft though the ingenuity of a small shipbuilding firm and a causal loop, or the attempts by the various powers to deal with the enigmatic Fermi, aliens of unimaginable power who occupy outcrops of rock on Earth, Venus... and Apis.
And if aliens incarnated in rocks shaping the future of humanity sounds familiar to you, it's an idea that MacLeod himself has fun with, some of his characters spotting the parallel to a certain bestselling SF series of the late 20th century. (This being Book 2 of 3 we don't get to find out how close a parallel that will turn out being).
In summary, this is smart, well-written SF, great fun to read and every bit as good as Beyond the Hallowed Sky. It's a middle volume of a trilogy that builds on the first, rather than just marking time waiting for the conclusion - which nevertheless I'm really looking forward to. I'd recommend.
In a clever sequel to Beyond the Hallowed Sky, MacLeod returns to his near future world (the book is largely set in the 2070s) dominated by three blocs - the Alliance (Anglosphere including rump UK), the Union (ex EU, including Scotland) and the Co-ord (Russia and China). The Union is particularly interesting, embodying a post-Revolution society and therefore viewed with especial suspicion by the other two (this is hilariously illustrated in some spoof tabloid headlines that crop up towards the end of the book).
MacLeod is very good, as we've seen in other books, at plausible just-over-the-horizon politics and societal development - indeed his portrayal of societies and their relationship with their citizens is one of the things I always look forward to. As a subject it's as fascinating and important as the future tech in these books. Or perhaps I should say that unlike many SF writers he appreciates the interplay between both: the societies influenced by the tech, the path of the tech driven by the science, and all deeply enmeshed with strong, relatable characters who just belong in their background.
Above and beyond that, this book has a deeply satisfying, ramified plot involving espionage, slightly scary AI (I really want to know more about Iskander, the universal intercase to the Union's predictive/ assistive AI which attempts to preempt the needs of its citizens - but also, it's hinted, serves other goals besides) and a more than slightly scary robot. For me, all that made Beyond the Reach of Earth very enjoyable to read.
A spirited rendition of The Internationale didn't go amiss either, performed here when some Union settlers arrive on the newly discovered planet Apis, albeit escorted by the perfidious Alliance English who have shuttled them there for obscure reasons in their FTL spacecraft. And indeed the settlers bring their own distinct approach to Apis, refusing to fall into the "homesteader" mode urged by their hosts. Politics are never far beneath the surface here, whether the politics of superpower deterrence, threatened by the discovery of FTL travel and restored by the strangest of means, politics between the constituent entities of the "economic democracy", the Union, which come into play when the state gets its own FTL craft though the ingenuity of a small shipbuilding firm and a causal loop, or the attempts by the various powers to deal with the enigmatic Fermi, aliens of unimaginable power who occupy outcrops of rock on Earth, Venus... and Apis.
And if aliens incarnated in rocks shaping the future of humanity sounds familiar to you, it's an idea that MacLeod himself has fun with, some of his characters spotting the parallel to a certain bestselling SF series of the late 20th century. (This being Book 2 of 3 we don't get to find out how close a parallel that will turn out being).
In summary, this is smart, well-written SF, great fun to read and every bit as good as Beyond the Hallowed Sky. It's a middle volume of a trilogy that builds on the first, rather than just marking time waiting for the conclusion - which nevertheless I'm really looking forward to. I'd recommend.
April 8, 2023
Beyond the Reach of Earth should be everything I love — it felt very like Larry Niven, who I grew up on, but with a communist society in a space opera and the Fermi paradox — but I struggled with it. I’ve given the book 4 stars because I think that might be as much about me as it is the book. I’m very conscious, though, that I was hindered by not having read the first in this series; it took a while to get into, especially with quite so much info in the prequel summary; it was a very dense infodump.
I did, however, enjoy the peeks at the political goings on in Eurocommunist Scotland and the ways in which at least one faction had learned about FTL travel. I also liked the ways in which the storylines were tied up in the end. I’m not sure that I’ll go back and read the prequel, which I would probably have enjoyed more, but I’m more likely to pick up the sequel.
I received an advance copy for free from NetGalley, on the expectation that I would provide an honest review.
I did, however, enjoy the peeks at the political goings on in Eurocommunist Scotland and the ways in which at least one faction had learned about FTL travel. I also liked the ways in which the storylines were tied up in the end. I’m not sure that I’ll go back and read the prequel, which I would probably have enjoyed more, but I’m more likely to pick up the sequel.
I received an advance copy for free from NetGalley, on the expectation that I would provide an honest review.
May 6, 2023
Second book of the Lightspeed hard-ish, science fiction interstellar colonization trilogy with: time travel, a Higher-Tech Species, Artificial Humans, omnipresent AI, and competition for Faster-Than-Light (FTL) Travel between nation states creating a geo-political thriller.
My dead tree paperback was a moderate 334 pages. It had a 2023 UK copyright.
Ken MacLeod is a Scottish author of science fiction. He has published about twenty (20) novels in several series and standalone. In addition, he’s published several short stories. This was the second book in the author’s Lightspeed trilogy. I've read almost all of the author’s novels. The last book being Beyond the Hallowed Sky (Lightspeed #1) (my review).
MacLeod is one of my reliable science fiction authors. His stories are typically grounded in hardish science. However, they also contain a good dollop of both expositional politics and philosophy that keep him out of my first tier of authors.
Its strongly recommended reading Beyond the Hallowed Sky (Lightspeed #1) before starting this book. Without it, this book would be incomprehensible.
This second book, makes-up for the cliff-hanger of Beyond the Hallowed Sky. It brings the trilogy to almost an odd resting place for a middle book. It ties-up a number of stray plot lines, but keeps a scant few open for the final book Beyond the Light Horizon.
The four main plot lines from the previous book taking place in a somewhat near future (2067) still apply, but with some modification:
• Evolution of the International Order
• Self-Fulfilling Prophecy of time travel
• The World Is Not Ready for FTL travel
• Aliens Deep State Government Conspiracy
Earth’s international-order changes as a result of The Union (in which most of the main characters belong) achieving FTL spaceflight.
The Time Travel trope warps into both the time travel and multiverse tropes—which everyone is cool with.
The World Is Not Ready and Aliens Deep State plotlines end.
The six (6) POVs from the previous book continued the narration: Nayak, Grant père, Myles Grant, Owen and Hazeldene. I continued to have a problem with the android 007 character Owen. He was too advanced a technology for 2067. The POV interleaving was technically well-handled. However, as with most books with modest page counts, the character development and pacing suffers with the per chapter character switching. There were too many separate narratives, and not enough pages. MacLeod continued to use a third person POV for the android only,.
The writing was very Scottish. Descriptive prose was better than the dialog. I could find no mistakes in the text. In places it was humorous. The snippets of Scottish dialog were a wee bit hard to read.
There was: no sex, only a small amount of drug usage, and no music in this book of the story. A pity, because all were handled so very well in the previous book.
Violence was physical, and with firearms. Human characters, had perfectly ‘normal’ mortality. (Surprise!) The story was very hard on the synthetic beings and robots. Lots of drones were destroyed. The android Owen continued to have the constitution of a rhinoceros. There was a noticeable lack of gore. Body count was moderate.
Plotting was good, but too busy. The switching between the too many POVs retarded the pacing. The convergence of the plotlines and the ending of some were well handled. However, the first two books should have been merged into a single book to have better served the reader. The Myles Grant plotline which languished in the first book, reached maturity.
This book ended the Deep State of both the Alliance and Co-Ord having kept the existence of the FTL drive a secret for 50-years plot. That had been really hard for me to believe. It required an extreme Suspension of Belief on my part. A conspiracy that large couldn't exist. The solution to it was equally lame. A . I decided I just had to get over it.
World building was a logical progression of the previous book, which was very good. The planet Apis' fauna, flora ecology and geography were exposed in an interesting way. The galaxy spanning Fermi aliens were no longer a menacing mystery. However, the solution to the Fermi Alien Problem niggled. I expect the series has not seen the last of them? Tech-wise, the use of drones felt inspired by the Russian Ukrainian Invasion-- very realistic. However, I still don't understand why all human soldiers had not been superseded by android super-soldiers, like the Owen character, since the tech was so solidly developed?
This wasn’t a great work. However, it made-up for the author’s previous cliffhanger. It brought the second book to the soft landing the first book badly needed. This trilogy should have been a duology with the 1st and 2nd books combined. The author’s abilities shown through. In particular, with his vaguely utopian world building, his riffs on contemporary tech, the geopolitics of the Alliance, Co-Ord and Union, and his humor. However, I was a bit disappointed at the addition of the multiverse trope to the time travel. There were a bit too many popular tropes in this series already. Any one picking-up this series needs to buy the first two books together to have a satisfying experience.
Having written that, I’m looking forward to Beyond the Light Horizon (Lightspeed #3 ending the series.
My dead tree paperback was a moderate 334 pages. It had a 2023 UK copyright.
Ken MacLeod is a Scottish author of science fiction. He has published about twenty (20) novels in several series and standalone. In addition, he’s published several short stories. This was the second book in the author’s Lightspeed trilogy. I've read almost all of the author’s novels. The last book being Beyond the Hallowed Sky (Lightspeed #1) (my review).
MacLeod is one of my reliable science fiction authors. His stories are typically grounded in hardish science. However, they also contain a good dollop of both expositional politics and philosophy that keep him out of my first tier of authors.
Its strongly recommended reading Beyond the Hallowed Sky (Lightspeed #1) before starting this book. Without it, this book would be incomprehensible.
This second book, makes-up for the cliff-hanger of Beyond the Hallowed Sky. It brings the trilogy to almost an odd resting place for a middle book. It ties-up a number of stray plot lines, but keeps a scant few open for the final book Beyond the Light Horizon.
The four main plot lines from the previous book taking place in a somewhat near future (2067) still apply, but with some modification:
• Evolution of the International Order
• Self-Fulfilling Prophecy of time travel
• The World Is Not Ready for FTL travel
• Aliens Deep State Government Conspiracy
Earth’s international-order changes as a result of The Union (in which most of the main characters belong) achieving FTL spaceflight.
The Time Travel trope warps into both the time travel and multiverse tropes—which everyone is cool with.
The World Is Not Ready and Aliens Deep State plotlines end.
The six (6) POVs from the previous book continued the narration: Nayak, Grant père, Myles Grant, Owen and Hazeldene. I continued to have a problem with the android 007 character Owen. He was too advanced a technology for 2067. The POV interleaving was technically well-handled. However, as with most books with modest page counts, the character development and pacing suffers with the per chapter character switching. There were too many separate narratives, and not enough pages. MacLeod continued to use a third person POV for the android only,.
The writing was very Scottish. Descriptive prose was better than the dialog. I could find no mistakes in the text. In places it was humorous. The snippets of Scottish dialog were a wee bit hard to read.
There was: no sex, only a small amount of drug usage, and no music in this book of the story. A pity, because all were handled so very well in the previous book.
Violence was physical, and with firearms. Human characters, had perfectly ‘normal’ mortality. (Surprise!) The story was very hard on the synthetic beings and robots. Lots of drones were destroyed. The android Owen continued to have the constitution of a rhinoceros. There was a noticeable lack of gore. Body count was moderate.
Plotting was good, but too busy. The switching between the too many POVs retarded the pacing. The convergence of the plotlines and the ending of some were well handled. However, the first two books should have been merged into a single book to have better served the reader. The Myles Grant plotline which languished in the first book, reached maturity.
This book ended the Deep State of both the Alliance and Co-Ord having kept the existence of the FTL drive a secret for 50-years plot. That had been really hard for me to believe. It required an extreme Suspension of Belief on my part. A conspiracy that large couldn't exist. The solution to it was equally lame. A . I decided I just had to get over it.
World building was a logical progression of the previous book, which was very good. The planet Apis' fauna, flora ecology and geography were exposed in an interesting way. The galaxy spanning Fermi aliens were no longer a menacing mystery. However, the solution to the Fermi Alien Problem niggled. I expect the series has not seen the last of them? Tech-wise, the use of drones felt inspired by the Russian Ukrainian Invasion-- very realistic. However, I still don't understand why all human soldiers had not been superseded by android super-soldiers, like the Owen character, since the tech was so solidly developed?
This wasn’t a great work. However, it made-up for the author’s previous cliffhanger. It brought the second book to the soft landing the first book badly needed. This trilogy should have been a duology with the 1st and 2nd books combined. The author’s abilities shown through. In particular, with his vaguely utopian world building, his riffs on contemporary tech, the geopolitics of the Alliance, Co-Ord and Union, and his humor. However, I was a bit disappointed at the addition of the multiverse trope to the time travel. There were a bit too many popular tropes in this series already. Any one picking-up this series needs to buy the first two books together to have a satisfying experience.
Having written that, I’m looking forward to Beyond the Light Horizon (Lightspeed #3 ending the series.
April 8, 2023
The fun of reading a space opera by Ken MacLeod is in the details that make you shake your head and chuckle. If the equations for faster-than-light travel imply time travel, why not send yourself a letter in the past with the key equation? If you need to build a pressure hull for a spacecraft, why not adapt a submarine? The ancient, mysterious aliens are called Fermis. Of course they are. And why not have continental drift be the result of alien action? And why not make Scotland a major power in the early interstellar age? MacLeod’s humor is always dry and acerbic. Consider this bit of self-analysis by one of his characters in Beyond the Reach of Earth (Orbit, 2023): “Francesca Malloy. Educated by scientists. Trained by astronauts. Fucked by robots.” ‘Nuf said. 4 stars.
September 16, 2024
Another excellent instalment in this series. Inventive scenarios are populated by convincing, and highly relatable characters, but the central strength of these stories, surely, is how holistically authentic it all feels. From the machinations of the Earthbound sociopolitical entities, to the encounters with alien life, and most especially the actions and reactions - be the driven, defensive, nefarious or dutiful - of the cast. I am very much looking forward to the next book, Beyond the Light Horizon.
Read
January 27, 2023March 23, 2023
Ken Mcleod’s first novel in this series set out a variation of his Caledonian futurism, as ever grounded in politics. An independent Scotland is part of a post-Brexit Europe, England is part of an alliance with America and so on... part one ended with the discovery of alien life, and a FTL drive. Part two (this book) picks up immediately after this, and even though I had read Beyond the Hallowed Sky (part one) the first fifty pages or so are a dense re-immersion in Mcleod’s world. From then on in, the plot takes off: we get to know more about the enigmatic alien lifeforms hidden in rocks, and more about how the FTL drive was kept hidden for decades. Mcleod’s brilliant idea from part one, that submarines could also be spaceships, is further elaborated. There’s more time with the best character, the robotic spy from the British Council. In the middle part of what is a trilogy the emphasis is on elaboration rather than completion, but the second half of the novel melds action and ideas really well while setting up the concluding part. Do read Beyond the Hallowed Sky first, as this will really make no sense unless you have, but it’s a pleasure to spend some time with these characters and worlds.
Arc provided in return for an honest review.
Arc provided in return for an honest review.
March 25, 2023
This book and indeed it's predecessor, Beyond the Hallowed Sky, which I read directly beforehand in preparation, did not resonate with me. That fact is more of a reflection of varying tastes, rather than a criticism. I am very much drawn to character-rich books; Ken MacLeod's writing style, meanwhile, is very much concentrated on plot and world-building. I still don't feel like I "know" the characters. Taking a step back and looking at the book objectively, there is much for readers to enjoy. The plot picks up directly from the end of Beyond the Hallowed Sky (and a highly appreciated summary of book 1 is included as a preface). Here we follow the characters as they fully explore the possibilities of faster than light travel and the new worlds revealed. The world-building is suitably expanded. If you enjoyed book 1 you'll love this. Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review
August 27, 2024
Beyond the Reach of Earth continues the story started in Beyond the Hallowed Sky. Humanity is still trying to understand -- and cope with -- the massive artificial intelligences that have seemingly terraformed numerous planets. Various human factions, now that the existence of an FTL drive is widely known, are struggling with the new reality.
Ken McLeod does a great job of combining hard SF, space adventure, and political and social insight. He sets the current book in three different systems, on four different worlds, and each are well constructed (I include the Earth and the political entities there). He also creates memorable characters, including two very different AIs in addition to the mysterious alien AIs. The book also unravels a bit more of the mystery of what's going on.
Recommended. I plan to start the final volume tomorrow.
Ken McLeod does a great job of combining hard SF, space adventure, and political and social insight. He sets the current book in three different systems, on four different worlds, and each are well constructed (I include the Earth and the political entities there). He also creates memorable characters, including two very different AIs in addition to the mysterious alien AIs. The book also unravels a bit more of the mystery of what's going on.
Recommended. I plan to start the final volume tomorrow.
September 15, 2024
When MacLeod manages to rein in his political proselytising, as he mostly manages to do in this series, he can write very good engaging novels. In this series he imagines a world in which America and Russia discover FTL back in the sixties but manage to keep it a secret from both the wider population and their own governments, which I have to admit is a bit of a stretch as far as suspending my disbelief goes. But that aside the ideas and story crack along at an enjoyably brisk pace with a good cast of well defined characters.
February 3, 2025
So it seems planets were terraformed by the aliens who are/built the rock things. But not for humans. Ooops, big shock here. But the humans, being humans, don't care much except for a few and continue to fight each other (not so violently and more politically and cold war-ish).
More is learned about the FTL drive, some time awkwardness ensures.
The species the planet was terraformed makes an entrance and certain robot spies get upgraded/converted but the Alien and put in charge of the species - spidermonkeys sort of.
Humans move in anyway.
Still pretty good.
More is learned about the FTL drive, some time awkwardness ensures.
The species the planet was terraformed makes an entrance and certain robot spies get upgraded/converted but the Alien and put in charge of the species - spidermonkeys sort of.
Humans move in anyway.
Still pretty good.
July 18, 2023
This book was a bit of a let down in comparison to the first. There was so much that happened in the first it was an idea a minute. This book the story is pretty much in a holding pattern. There's some politicking, some development of the Fermi, a bit of AI shenanigans. But that's about it. I'm hoping it's all build up for a stellar conclusion. This is the weakest book I've read from MacLeod, and I've read most of his books.
September 13, 2024
Very nearly gave up on this. The second half dragged so badly.
It’s a fine story, it just seems so light, and very dialogue heavy. People talk about doing something, we read about them doing it, then we move on.
Going to wait a while before reading the third part, though I have high hopes. I liked the first book, and the second is a nice filler story, but it can’t be another book like this, right?
It’s a fine story, it just seems so light, and very dialogue heavy. People talk about doing something, we read about them doing it, then we move on.
Going to wait a while before reading the third part, though I have high hopes. I liked the first book, and the second is a nice filler story, but it can’t be another book like this, right?
November 2, 2024
The difficult 'middle' volume of a trilogy.
'Beyond the Reach of Earth' comes rather quickly to a seeming resolution of the 'Fermi' problem. But Ken MacLeod manages to slip in the problem of time loops (where an FTL jump reveals worrying changes to an extra=solar system) and a rogue 'robot' intent of following the last orders he received light years away, causing all sorts of trouble for the erstwhile colonists of Apis..
'Beyond the Reach of Earth' comes rather quickly to a seeming resolution of the 'Fermi' problem. But Ken MacLeod manages to slip in the problem of time loops (where an FTL jump reveals worrying changes to an extra=solar system) and a rogue 'robot' intent of following the last orders he received light years away, causing all sorts of trouble for the erstwhile colonists of Apis..
August 25, 2025
Enjoyable part two of a trilogy - have ordered the last part from the library! Having grown up in Scotland I like the (fairly rare) opportunity to read sci fi based there that Macleod offers. In fact in particular some of the Scottish settings are literally the small villages and towns I grew up in. It’s slightly confusing at times (multiple different locations/faster than light time travels and subsequent ‘time loops’ . However overall still good fun.
October 20, 2023
Apologies, no time for a detailed review.
An excellent second in the trilogy. I said everything I needed to say about the author in my review of the first book, and I gave that first book 5 stars.
This is a perfect second in a trilogy - kept the pace going set in the first book and left me wanting more and awaiting the final part, which apparently comes out next May. Can't wait.
An excellent second in the trilogy. I said everything I needed to say about the author in my review of the first book, and I gave that first book 5 stars.
This is a perfect second in a trilogy - kept the pace going set in the first book and left me wanting more and awaiting the final part, which apparently comes out next May. Can't wait.
December 7, 2023
An interesting collection of scenes and ideas. Ultimately, I don't find the characters particularly well-drawn or compelling, and there are a lot of logical gaps between the scenes (and generally in the overall plot). That said, most of the big set piece scenes have some compelling idea or action attached to them. Fun to read, just does not build to much.
June 7, 2024
Not as good as the opening book in the trilogy. The revealed secrets aren't satisfying enough and, while a bunch of stuff happens, I don't think I cared about any of the stories all that much.
Mixed themes, too, e.g. the deterrence idea comes up a bunch in both books but, IMO, is not used effectively or particularly convincingly in this book.
Mixed themes, too, e.g. the deterrence idea comes up a bunch in both books but, IMO, is not used effectively or particularly convincingly in this book.
April 19, 2023
Fun formula
Not a good as his other work. Bit formulaic albeit his formula. Would recommend but try some of the earlier books first as they explore the same ideas with much more energy.
Not a good as his other work. Bit formulaic albeit his formula. Would recommend but try some of the earlier books first as they explore the same ideas with much more energy.
June 16, 2023
The book itself is fine, with some plots that held my interest more than others.
But it has a recap of the first book! I've wished for years that book series would do this, with such long gaps between sequels. That alone, knowing that I won't be lost, will get me back for the conclusion.
But it has a recap of the first book! I've wished for years that book series would do this, with such long gaps between sequels. That alone, knowing that I won't be lost, will get me back for the conclusion.
November 11, 2023
I have loved Ken McLeod's previous novels and trilogies and enjoyed Lightspeed #1. Number 2 was ok but had a lot of strands which I found confusing and partial although I guess they will be resolved in the final episode. I do like his lefty socialist take on things which is fun and refreshing,
February 4, 2024
I listened to an interesting podcast about the importance of pacing recently with Ada Palmer and Jo Walton - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...
This book has trouble with pacing. Things happen, a lot of things, but I just can’t get into it every time I pick it up.
This book has trouble with pacing. Things happen, a lot of things, but I just can’t get into it every time I pick it up.
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