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Ace, July 2004, 23.95, 368 pp.
ISBN 0441011594
The Escheton, an artificial intelligence, caused the human disappearance on Earth, sending the nine billion people to different planets by opening macroscopic wormholes in space-time. People were warned not to violate causality (time travel) or they would suffer the consequences by the Escheton or its agents. Five years ago, weapons of mass destruction destroyed the planetary system of Moscow though nobody knows who caused it.
Moscow had in orbit four ships that were sent to destroy the 800 million inhabitants of New Dresden who they believed caused the destruction of their planet. There are people who know the codes to abort the attack but an enemy who seems invisible and invinciple is killing them one by one. Rachel Mansour, a black ops agent is sent to New Dresden where two of the people with the codes are staying and hopes to bait a trap to catch the assassin and find out who is behind this tragedy. On New Dresden is Wednesday, a Goth teenage, who works with the Escheton to learn who the enemy is and destroy it. The teen has knowledge that she is not aware of that could solve everyone's dilemma if only if she can figure out what it is.
IRON SUNRISE is innovative science fiction with many subplots leading seamlessly back to the main storyline. The characters are well developed and feel realistic especially Wednesday, whose parents were killed by the same group which was involved in destroying her home world Moscow. Although she is emotionally a mess, she has the brains to be an agent of Escheton even though for much of the book she does not know what its' plans for her are. Charles Stross is a great storyteller and an author who is superstar bound in the science fiction galaxy.
Harriet Klausner"
Harriet Klausner, Resident Charles Stross Scholar
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Overall Review
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Composition of Book Descript. of chases or violence - 10% planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 40% Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 40% Descript. of society, phenomena (tech), places - 10%
Tone of book
- suspenseful (sophisticated fear)
FANTASY or SCIENCE FICTION?
- science fiction story
Coming of age
Yes
Youngster becomes
- an adult (general)
Spying & Investigations
Yes
What is main char. doing?
- unraveling a conspiracy
Is this an adult or child's book?
- Adult or Young Adult Book
Main Character
Identity:
- Female
Profession/status:
- government investigator
Age:
- long lived adults
How sensitive is this character?
- sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- very athletic
Main Adversary
Identity:
- an organization
Age:
- long-lived adults
Profession/status:
- mastermind
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- a moderate amount
How sensitive is this character?
- hard edged
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- very athletic
Setting
A substantial portion of this book takes place on a non-Earth planetary body:
- humans in a futuristic society
Planet outside solar system?
Yes
Style
Person?
- mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death?
- generic/vague references to death/punishment
scientific jargon? (SF only)
- a moderate amount of scientific explanation
How much dialogue?
- significantly more dialog than descript
