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The Prefect (Gollancz S.F.) | 
 enlarge | Author: Alastair Reynolds
Publisher: Gollancz
Category: Book
List Price: £7.99
Buy New: £3.09
You Save: £4.90 (61%)
New (42) Used (14) Collectible (1) from £1.50
Rating:  16 reviews
Sales Rank: 3952
Media: Paperback
Pages: 512
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.8
Dimensions (in): 7.7 x 5 x 1.4
ISBN: 0575082186
EAN: 9780575082182
ASIN: 0575082186
Publication Date: April 10, 2008
Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: FAIRLY PRICED BOOKS DISPATCHED WITHIN 24 HOURS OR THE NEXT WORKING DAY # SECURE WRAPPING AND FAST SERVICE FROM UK SELLER # ALL OF OUR BOOKS ARE EX-SHOP STOCK SO MAY HAVE SOME MINOR SHELF WEAR
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| Customer Reviews: Read 11 more reviews...
 Entertaining but not Reynolds' best August 13, 2008
N. Megahey (Belfast, N Ireland)
Even though it is set in the Revelation Space universe there is a sense in The Prefect that this is Reynolds in sci-fi pulp form rather than the hard literary science-fiction and expansive scale of the other books in the series or of the remarkable Pushing Ice. It does at least mean that the book is certainly more accessible, rarely faltering in pace and managing to hold the reader throughout.
The plot is not an intricate one, although it does initially start out as one kind of police investigation by the Prefect Dreyfus of Panoply (the law-enforcement system or at least the authorities in charge of the upholding of the democratic process of the ten thousand habitats of the Glitter Band), looking into the destruction of one of the habitats and over 900 people and finding that behind it there is a threat on another scale entirely.
With megalomaniacal computer entities, killer robots, invading forces threatening to sweep across the whole of the Glitter Band, internal rivalry, espionage and sabotage, there are plenty of challenges for Drefus and his associate Thalia Ng to face and lots of plot-holes for Reynolds to plug with deus ex-machina devices, but this is still entertaining stuff, if not Reynolds at his best.
 Peerless October 31, 2007
Morat (York)
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
IF you don't like sci-fi, don't like tightly plotted detective fiction, don't like tension, drama and emotion in your books then you should read this anyway and see what you are missing.
You might go back to the Mr Men books afterwards but at least you will have read a masterpiece in your lifetime.
cracking adventure story October 15, 2007
P. G. Harris (Dudley, W Midlands, UK)
If there is a better SF writer than Alastair Reynolds currently working, I'd love to know who it is because he/she must be something extremely special.
This novel is a return to the universe of Revelation Space, and a very welcome return it is too. Reynolds has created a complex, consistent, fascinating background to his stories, richer than that produced by the vast majority of other SF writers.
This story is a cross between a detective novel and a page turning adventure yarn. It starts almost (almost gently) with an investigation of voting fraud (yes, voting fraud) but quickly ramps up into a complex multi-layered tale with potential civil war between factions of humanity, horrific robotic genocide, treachery, and insane artificial intelligences.
So if SF, and definitely hard SF, not fantasy, is your bag, this novel is definitely one for you. Highly recommended.
Space, space glorious space. September 19, 2007
Gareth Wilson
3 out of 4 found this review helpful
A prequel to Alastairs much loved Revelation Space novels and one that will more than satisfy the already established fans. As a novel for the uninitiated it opens the gateway to the later tales and will also present a tale that whilst it seems to repeat many themes from Reynolds other novel, will thrill and excite the reader into forgetting about these errors. As an already established fan I can see how Alastair's writing has changed with each novel produced, as such its always good to see how an author tackles an already established history generating a tale, that whilst we know the outcome, will still keep us guessing as to how things will happen to pass. A sign of a good writer.
If you want to know why you should read Reynolds novels over say Star Trek, well lets face it, Star Trek only has the moral best of humanilty, here you get to see mankind in all his honest glory as he has been throughout history and as he is today, a self serving person who may tow the line because it's the right thing to do but if a better offer comes along well who knows. To sum up this book is probably best thought of as a Space Soap Detective tale blending the best of each genre into one giant book of fun.
Masterful cross-genre from Reynolds August 16, 2007
Big Ben (Bedford, UK)
4 out of 6 found this review helpful
This is another good book set in Alastair Reynolds cleverly detailed universe - the action is mostly within the 'Glitter Band' - and prior knowledge of the series is not needed to enjoy it to its full.
In a casual display of talent, this book brings a well-wrought detective theme to space opera - a little less action intensive than some (but still *lots* of action - check out the very first incident where a whole habitat is torched open - but why?) and then a puzzle within a puzzle to further intrigue the reader as all the while the stakes are rising and the very existence of life in the Glitter Band is at stake.
That and the well-fleshed humanity of the main 'Prefect' protagonist and his colleagues makes for a book that we really enjoyed. Recommended.
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