Rating: 
Summary: Great concepts, dud ending
Review: Reynolds certainly has the talent to play in the hard SF field, but this is another author that has succumbed to the "milk it" mentality (ie. Orson Scott Card, et al). The ending was purposefully left nebulous and open to allow yet another trist in his universe...in addition to Chasm City. As another reviewer stated below, what has happened to the days when authors could give us 200-300 page works of art instead of bloated prose that allows publishers to eat up entire rows of shelf space with "Yet another rousing tale from the Blah universe!" Now, once again, I will be force to load down my bookshelf to find out what happens to Volyova, Khouri, and the Captain when it should have been closed in this novel.
Rating:
Summary: Great concepts, dud ending
Review: Reynolds certainly has the talent to play in the hard SF field, but this is another author that has succumbed to the "milk it" mentality (ie. Orson Scott Card, et al). The ending was purposefully left nebulous and open to allow yet another trist in his universe...in addition to Chasm City. As another reviewer stated below, what has happened to the days when authors could give us 200-300 page works of art instead of bloated prose that allows publishers to eat up entire rows of shelf space with "Yet another rousing tale from the Blah universe!" Now, once again, I will be force to load down my bookshelf to find out what happens to Volyova, Khouri, and the Captain when it should have been closed in this novel.
Rating: 
Summary: none
Review: Reynolds is a writer to watch, his reputation and novels are fast joining the ranks of classic Baxter, Clarke, Brin, and Benford, but wildly original. A wholly new and exciting voice in SF. Gary S. Potter Author/Poet
Rating: 
Summary: Reynolds does it again!
Review: Since the other reviews have already said what this book is, I'll tell you what it isn't. This is not a follow-up or a sequel to Revelation Space, but in fact a standalone story with totally different characters set in a time just before the main events of Revelation Space. It is not a prequel though, but this story serves to flesh out the worlds of Yellowstone and Sky's Edge, which were hardly touched upon before, in great detail going back to the war-torn history of Sky's Edge and the events that twisted Chasm City into it's current form.This story follows one man from his perspective, although it appears to drift at times into the memories of others who may or may not be the same person. The characters are very well done and feature depth, although not as much is revealed about the supporting characters in thos story as we don't get to often see from their point of view. While this story does not feature any of the characters from Revelation Space (although I do believe that the unnamed woman Tanner speaks to at the end is Anna Khouri), a few familiar names are mentioned at times, mainly those of the Sylveste family. I would recommend reading Revelation Space first however, as a few mysteries are somewhat solved in this book that could dampen the effect of those in the first book. I thank Reynolds again for his second masterpiece, although I will not be truly satiated until we get a sequel to Revelation Space.
Rating:
Summary: 100 pages in, I already know this is a winner...
Review: So, is it fair to "review" a book only 100 pages into it? When it's this good, sure, why not! Reynolds' previous book "Revelation Space" was, to me, an underdog hit of 2001. I didn't see much press on it, which was disappointing as it really took "space opera" in a new and exciting direction... Maybe something like "space goth" or "space house" if you catch my drift, it was just that much different, refreshing, and enjoyable...Reynolds deserved more exposure for a fantastic first novel, hopefully his second offering will put him in front of a wider audience. "Chasm City" is not so much a follow-up, as a follow-on. It's got some familiar locations, and is based in the same story-world, but it's a stand-alone novel, you can jump right in without any previous knowledge. So far all I can say is that this is probably the most fun I've had reading a SF yarn this year. Reynolds' sophomore effort has such fluid writing, creative settings and vivid characterization that it's hard to believe this is only his second novel. Trust me, I'm a harsh critic, I won't rate higher than 4 stars unless a book truely rates it. In this case, I don't think I'm overstating, it's so hard not to be excited by this novel, it's just that damn good. As I said, I'm only 100 pages in, but if Reynolds stays consistent for the remainder, I have no doubt that this one will garner some awards come end of the year. We all know the big names of sci-fi from the 20th century. I have no doubt that Reynolds will be joining them in short order as a quickly emerging master of the craft in the 21st century (along with China Mieville, another one to watch). He and this book get my highest recommendation...
Rating:
Summary: Slow
Review: Somehow "Chasm City" does not do it for me. I expected Reynolds to pick up the concept of the plague in "Chasm City" earlier. I expected him to do more with it, creating some kind of dark doom-gloom world encapsuled in Chasm City.
Instead the first 300 pages tur out to deliver a mediocre story with only the "Sky Haussmann" parts moving above the ordinary. The weapons (smart bullets for instance) could have worked if Reynold had written a parody. The lead character could have been someone to like if he would have been less flat. If you introduce someone falling from one stupid mistake into another, at least give hem (or her) some characteristics with which you enjoy even the most stupid decisions made. The main character has neither sense of humour, wit, charm or anything else. Reynolds does nothing new or amazing here. It is as if he picks up some great ideas, but never deliveres. The story--to me--is slow. Why a manhunt when you can explore the city? Why make technology so damn unpractical, unless you want to parody fellow writers? Why use "revenge" as a leading motive? Why is this "revenge" part so superficially presented? Etcetera. I still am curious to what extends the promises of weirdness--not delivered--in "Chasm City" could lead. Maybe Reynolds could visit that area again, while dropping the "need" to present "a story". With the elements he introduces but "does not use", the story could write itself.
Rating: 
Summary: Someone might like this book
Review: That someone won't be me, but they must exist somewhere. There are several bad aspects to Chasm City. I'll spare you and limit myself to only two. Number one, most people will be coming to this book from Revelation Space, which reads as if it were written by another person altogether, a person who is somewhat cold and uncomfortable with emotionality but knows how to pack rich characters and exotic environments in a meandering plot and give good value at the end. Come to think of it, maybe it was written by the same person as this time the characters and their emotional lives are delved into deeply and, I for one, just didn't give a damn. The book is wrecked, by cliche. Reynolds is just fine when he sticks to his coruscating surfaces and leaves the human heart alone. The second missed opportunity of Chasm City is that you get no real feeling for this rich decadent city at all. The sense of place is astoundingly barren and you fall back on the characters which are also hollow men and women. You should get a medal for finishing this lurching, tedious, melodrama.
Rating:
Summary: A step back from Revelation Space
Review: There are writers who are good at writing but lousy on the science: they write average books. There are writers who are superb at the science but not very good at the writing: they write average books. This one falls in the latter category. Reynolds is indeed extremely good at the science, but he does not add enough of it into this book to sustain his few moments of brilliant thought. The book will end up being forgettable and exert little influence on the genre itself. In the end, it will be derivative of Revelation Space and interesting only to fans that read and enjoyed that work.
WHY YOU SHOULD READ THIS:
If you were very intrigued by Revelation Space and want to hear more about Sky's Edge, Yellowstone, and some the effects of the melding plague, then you will be delighted by this book and should not pass it up. Other readers who deeply enjoy mystery novels and would like to read one done passably well that is set in space will enjoy this book as well.
WHY YOU SHOULD PASS:
While the novel can be read independently, it should not be. If you haven't read Revelation Space first, then you should probably pass. For those of you who were not terribly interested in the science of Reynolds' earlier novel and were irritated by the lack of characterization, you will find some advancement in Chasm City, but not enough to warrant you picking up and reading this book. This sort of book has been done and done better by other authors.
READ THE ENTIRE REVIEW AT INCHOATUS.COM
Rating:
Summary: One of the best SF books I have read in the last year
Review: This book has everything I am looking for in science fiction - interesting setting, three-dimensional characters (although most of them were not fully developed, but the main one was really well done), lack of ridiculous scientific concepts -it is obvious the author knows what he is writing about, a complex plot that makes the books very hard to put down, some interesting ideas. The only downside was the ending but nevertheless the book deserves a lot of praise.
Rating:
Summary: Dashiel Hammett in space!
Review: This book is a gem. It's like a Dashiell Hammett novel, whit all his devious goons whit their shady deals in disreputable places and their ruthless crimes. In plus we have the gothic richness of Alastair Reynold's writings, whit his disturbing visions of dark cities and terrible biotech mishaps. A must read!
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