I remember Eric Brown from Interzone back in the eighties,
with his short story The Time-Lapsed Man being a particular highlight. Like
many other writers I enjoy now his name stuck in my mind (Alastair Reynolds, Ian
M Banks) but haven’t really read any of his books. So, walking into Waterstones
and seeing his name and this cover I just picked up Necropath and bought it. I’m
glad I did. Here we have the void ships of his short stories, the massive
Bengal Station space port, intrigue, murder, an alien monster and a telepathic
customs official whose outlook reminds some of Silverberg’s Dying Inside –
everything the hardened SF addict wants. Time now for me to a take a look at
all the other books he’s written which, for some inexplicable reason, just
seemed to have passed me by. Recommended.
Glad you enjoyed it Neal - the Bengal Station books are amongst my favourites. Personally I think Xenopath is better, and Cosmopath being one of Eric's best, period. I'll definitely look forward to what you think of his other novels if and when you get around to them!
ReplyDeleteCouple of months ago I read Engineman, loved it and just recently, Kethani, interesting take on alien contact though mostly about people and how they handle the "gift". Very quick read also.
ReplyDeleteI love the cover art. If it wasn't for the neon, I'd think it was Jon Sullivan...
ReplyDeleteJezcentral - It is a Jon Sullivan one :)
ReplyDeletehttp://www.jonsullivanart.com/BengMainpiclrge.html
Hah, I was just about to come on here to comment on that. Caroline commented that she liked the cover and I said. 'It looks like a Sullivan'! That guy gets around - deservedly so.
ReplyDeleteHey, Mark, you should stick up a link here of your review of this book.
ReplyDeleteThanks Neal, here it is:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.walkerofworlds.com/2008/10/necropath-by-eric-brown-solaris-book.html
I won't post reviews to the other two in the series because of spoilers, but the books are well worth reading to anyone that enjoyed this, or just likes a dmaned good psychic detective novel :)
I'll be ordering the next two shortly.
ReplyDeleteIve read a short of his in an anthology and have one novel, Helix, yet to read. He sounds promising!
ReplyDeleteI'm going to be cheeky and post a link to a guide to Eric Brown's work I wrote last year:
ReplyDeletehttp://scotspec.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/guest-post-walker-of-worlds-guides-us.html
Since writing that I've also read Starship Winter (which is just as good as the previous Starship novellas) and the first two Virex books, New York Nights and New York Blues. Those two are set in a futuristic New York and are good sci-fi detective novels, though I'm not sure if they'll appeal to everyone. My purchase of Starship Spring arrived yesterday too, so that's the next book I'm reading!
Thanks for the Jon Sullivan link. I see he even did Balantyne's Penrose covers as well. He gets around!
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteOff to pick this up now - thanks for the recommend!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the pointer, am really enjoying this one. Not sure if you have much say in the issue, but I wish I could get more of your books on my Nook.
ReplyDelete