The colony ship Ragtime docks in the Lagos system, having travelled light years from home to bring one thousand sleeping souls to safety among the stars.
Some of the sleepers, however, will never wake – and a profound and sinister mystery unfolds aboard the gigantic vessel. Its skeleton crew are forced to make decisions that will have repercussions for all of humanity’s settlements – from the scheming politicians of Lagos station, to the colony planet of Bloodroot, to other far flung systems and indeed Earth itself.
Arthur C. Clarke Award winner Tade Thompson makes a triumphant return to science fiction with this unforgettable vision of humanity’s future in the chilling emptiness of space.
My thoughts: this was very good. Inspired by Poe’s The Murder in the Rue Morgue, doctor and author Tade Thompson set out to write a locked room mystery in space. And he definitely succeeded. Trapped on the Ragtime, with passengers in suspended animation, Captain Michelle ‘Shell’ Campion and investigations Fin and Salvo attempt to find out who or what murdered a number of those sleeping travellers. Aided by the arrival of space governor Lawrence, Shell’s Uncle Larry, and his daughter Jokè, they’re in a race against time (and oxygen running out). A blend of traditional science fiction and afrofuturism, this is a clever and innovative novel from an author who is fast becoming a favourite, he’s also great to follow on Twitter.
*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in the blog tour but all opinions remain my own.
ramblingmads 