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I’ve been
meaning to give Lawrence Watt-Evans a try for a long time. Last
week the stars finally conjoined in such a way that I found
myself with a copy of NIGHTSIDE CITY clenched between my fists.
One sleepless
night later the novel had been devoured and I had come to one
simple conclusion:
NIGHTSIDE CITY
is an unsung masterpiece.
This book stands
somewhere between NEUROMANCER and SNOW CRASH, and deserves to be
as well-known as both. Lawrence Watt-Evans crafts a riveting
tale which is one-half cyberpunk and one-half detective noir,
with strong dashes of hard SF sensibility, insightful
characterization, and tight plotting thrown in to spice the mix.
The world in
which the novel takes place is not only immediately memorable
for its unique conception (a city in a crater on the dark side
of a planet, slowly revolving into the devastatingly deadly rays
of the sun), but also deeply immersive as a result of the loving
detail Watt-Evans flawlessly weaves throughout the story.
The plot is a
tight, fast-paced mystery told with all the style and aplomb of
a Chandler – although I’d recommend skipping the back cover
text on this one (my edition calmly summarizes the first half of
the plot and removes most of the mystery).
In case I haven’t made myself clear, this one comes
highly recommended. GRADE:
A |
