Iron Sunrise

Rating:
Summary: Good, but not as good as Singularity Sky
Review: This is a sequel to Singularity Sky, though that previous novel stands by itself.

It is not as good as Singularity Sky, but it is still enjoyable reading. I would give it 3 and a half stars. There are moments of tasty Stross brilliance, but they can be lost amongst the rest of the book.

The end of the book, while closing out the story, leaves room for more sequels. A comic relief plot element which was not funny to me in the first place is apparently going to be the springboard for future adventures. I'd rather see him start an entirely new story with new characters, as this one seems to be degenerating a bit, but of course the man has to earn a living and sequels make more money.

Rating:
Summary: A step up from Singularity Sky
Review: While some of the same characters remain from SS, the story has a much different feel. The addition of Wednesday added a whole new dimension, because she's someone we can identify with. Frank the Nose presents another cynical galaxy weary character that I especially identified with. The ReMastered are great villians and remind me of Stirling's Drakon. The plot's a good one that has the characters racing against a deadline to save a billion people. The humor is there although this is a more serious story that Singularuty. A great read and another great English Sci-Fi writer. Is there something in the water over there or maybe the beer?