Revelation Space: Difference between revisions

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The book opens in the year 2551, [[Naming Your Colony World|on the planet]] [[Meaningful Name|Resurgam]]. Resurgam is considered a technological backwater on the edge of colonized human space. Founded only decades before, the colony has not yet had time to significantly terraform the planet; thus, the majority of it is still a barren wasteland, devoid of life. Dan Sylveste, an [[Adventurer Archaeologist|archaeologist]], [[Mean Boss|leader of the colony]], and [[Blue Blood|wealthy scion of a prominent scientific family]], leads a team excavating the remains of the Amarantin, a [[Absent Aliens|long-dead primitive civilization]] that once existed on Resurgam over nine hundred thousand years prior. As a violent dust storm threatens to temporarily shut down the excavation, Sylveste discovers new evidence that the Amarantin achieved a [[Advanced Ancient Acropolis|much higher level of technological sophistication]] than was previously known...before they were [[Gotterdammerung|wiped out in a single mysterious cataclysm]].

Due to the time dilation effects of light-speed travel, the novel juxtaposes three different plotlines as happening concurrent with each other, despite being separated by decades. The whole thing is set against the backdrop of Reynold's expansive and complex [[The Verse|universe]], which the novel introduces.

 

* [[Absent Aliens]]: ''Revelation Space'' is littered with examples of this, though the reasons for why are only hinted at towards the end of the novel. The sequels further explore and explain this.

* [[Action Girl]]: Both Ilia Volyova and Ana Khouri, verging at points into [[Back-to-Back Badasses]].

* [[Human Popsicle]]: Most starship passengers, as it's either cryo or spend years or decades awake between stars.

* [[Hunting the Most Dangerous Game]]: Shadowplay, in which the bored, virtually immortal residents of Chasm City are hunted by professional assassins according to pre-agreed rules. The game is set up so most of the clients survive, in order that people will keep paying for the thrill-seeking experience.

** What are these "cryogenics" you speak of? They're called "reefersleep", dammit ! And flying cars are "[[Everything Sounds Sexier in French|volantors]]", get it?

* [[More Than Mind Control]]: When it's not simply driving it's hosts mad, the [[Eldritch Abomination|Sun Stealer]]'s influence on people is implied to be this. For example, {{spoiler|Dan Sylveste's}} urge to go to Resurgam, despite {{spoiler|there being no good reason to go there, let alone found a colony and begin archaelogical digs}}.

** Also implied with {{spoiler|Calvin and Dan's relationship. Dan somehow never seems aware that he is Calvin's clone (he still believes the entire time that he is just Calvin's son), despite all the other important and odd details he knows (such as the fact that Calvin can take over his body like a puppeteer). Also, despite their antogonistic relationship, Calvin seems to have an undue influence on Dan's decisions.}}

* [[Mysterious Antarctica]] / [[Grim Up North]]: Much of Resurgam is like this, due to still being largely unpopulated and partially terraformed.

* [[Nice Job Breaking It, Hero]]: {{spoiler|What Dan Sylveste and the Nostalgia's crew unwillingly put into motion at the end of ''Revelation Space''}}.

* [[Non-Action Guy]]: Dan Sylveste. He is a main character, and is certainly ''around'' a lot of action, but largely avoids most of it himself.

* [[Omnidisciplinary Scientist]] : Dan Sylveste and his father, Calvin.

* [[Projected Man]] : Many of the "entoptic" simulations and personal avatars are presented as this.

* [[Shown Their Work]]: Reynolds is a former astronomer and a former ESA employee.

* [[Spirit Advisor]]: The Mademoiselle's beta-level sim in Ana Khouri's implants. Also, Calvin's simulation to Dan, once Calvin figures out how to get around various safeguards and pop into Dan's visual field whenever he wants to...

* [[Title Drop]]: "Revelation Space" refers to the region of spacetime around a Shroud; the one person who survived a close encounter later describes having alien knowledge downloaded into his brain.

* [[The Everyman]]: Ana Khouri is the most ordinary of the main cast. Unsurprisingly, she's also technically [[The Hero]].

 

[[Category:Science Fiction Literature]]

[[Category:Revelation Space]]