Stableford's a great writer and it was a wonderful series. I don't the circumstances behind the delay, only that I wished I'd waited until the final volume came out to start the first one. Then I could have much better enjoyed the continuity of the story. At least Stableford finished the series, which sadly isn't always the case.
So, if you read my review of 'Infoquake' by David Louis Edelman back in the day, and were both smart and cautious, now you can relax and start reading the book, it's sequel, 'MultiReal' and the final volume in the series, 'Geosynchron' (Pyr / Prometheus ; February 9, 2010 ; $16). The Jump 225 trilogy is a tightly-knit story, told over three novels, and it's an odd duck by any measure. But it's just the right kind of odd duck to please a large segment of readers who like their science fiction equally packed with plot and thought.
Edelman had created an wonderfully detailed vision that harks back to the most classic science fiction series. The best science fiction reaches outside of time, and depicts futures that are not reliant on gadgets, but instead on concepts and thought experiments. Edelman has arguably upped the ante here, since his is a multiple vision of reality, of different timelines spun off by different decisions, all accessible by one person. And for all his unique inventiveness, he still manages to populate his worlds with characters we can understand and sympathize with — even though they're often not particularly likable.
Given the complexity of the series and the plotting in the first two novels, it's pretty handy that Edelman includes a synopsis of them among the many appendices he includes. 'Geosynchron' does have a lot of explaining to do, but happily it does so with plot and not exposition. Yes, Natch is still around, faced with the sort of decisions he deserves. Edelman's got a peculiar and entertaining combination of space opera and cyberpunk, with a feel for deep history that gives both aspects of story and depth and dimension that is unusual, in the best possible way.
The publishing history is equally important here. Pyr has done a good job at bringing readers a meaty series in a readable by inexpensive format. They'll look good lined up on the shelf, and more importantly, they'll stay in your mind. This is what you want from science fiction. You want the vision of the writer to inform your vision of your life. You can feel the alternate timelines and sometimes, achingly, wonder what might have happened had you not sent that email. You may not think you can get to those worlds. But novels offer an opportunity to explore the branches of the decision tree. Now you can decide — safely — to enter the world of Edelman's Jump 225 trilogy. At least in this timeline.
New to the Agony Column
02-08-10: Commentary : David Louis Edelman Completes Jump 225 : 'Geosynchron'
02-05-10: Commentary : DC Pierson is 'The Boy Who Couldn't Sleep and Never Had To' : The Insomnia Vibe
Agony Column Podcast News Report : Three Books with Alan Cheuse: Too Much Money, Dominick Dunne; The Privileges, Jonathan Dee; Adam Haslett, Union Atlantic; The Forty Rules of Love, Elif Shafak; Wild Child, T. C. Boyle
02-04-10: Commentary : David Grann and 'The Devil and Sherlock Holmes' : An Obsession with Obsession
Agony Column Podcast News Report : A 2010 Interview with Josh Sundquist : "It was a really amazing testament to the power of small-town America and to the power of organized religion at its best."
02-03-10: Commentary : James Rollins Unleashes 'The Altar of Eden' : Monsters at the Zoo
02-01-10: Commentary : 'He Walked Among Us' : Cassandra, John Titor and Norman Spinrad
Agony Column Podcast News Report : A 2010 Interview with Charlie Huston : "The prospect of things becoming deeply unhinged seemed very, very immediate"
01-29-10: Commentary : Henghis Hapthorn Meets 'Hespira' : Matthew Hughes Devolves the Universe
01-27-10: Commentary : Glen Cook Walks the 'Shadowline' : Every Old (Science Fiction) Thing is New (Space Opera) Again
Agony Column Podcast News Report : An Interview with Jeff Carlson at SF in SF on January 16, 2010 : "The bad guys never consider themselves the bad guys..."
01-19-10: Commentary : Gene Wolfe Moves into 'The Sorcerer's House' : Magical Surrealism
Agony Column Podcast News Report : Three Books with Alan Cheuse : Don Delillo: 'Point Omega,' Robert Stone: 'Fun With Problems,' Douglas Preston: 'Impact'
01-18-10: Commentary : George R. R. Martin and Gardner Dozois Bring On 'Warriors' : An Anthology Waiting to Happen
