I received a copy of this book for free and am leaving this review voluntarily. The Alcuin Rift is the title of a debut novel from Charleston Lim. It is a hard science fiction space opera that presents readers with something to think about. I enjoyed this
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I received a copy of this book for free and am leaving this review voluntarily.
The Alcuin Rift is the title of a debut novel from Charleston Lim. It is a hard science fiction space opera that presents readers with something to think about. I enjoyed this tale of scientific discovery and a first contact situation, but there are no aliens revealed in this story. It is a fast read. I got through it in three sittings. While I have one reservation, mostly, I found it a solid story and I look forward to reading his next novel. Alcuin Rift is a complete story in itself, but it leaves room for a sequel, should the author choose to write one.
The following is the blurb describing the plot…
“An experiment in quantum reality draws the attention of something vast, unknowable, and indifferent.”
“Dr. Elena Kade spent her life unraveling the mysteries of the universe. But when her experiment sends an unexpected signal into the void, the answer that returns is beyond comprehension—and devastating.”
“Time is running out. If Kade cannot find a way to communicate—to make them understand—then humanity’s reality may cease to exist.”
“The Alcuin Rift is a gripping debut science fiction novel written by a Filipino author exploring hard science, cosmic horror, and first contact. It’s perfect for fans of science fiction books such as The Arrival and The Three-Body Problem.”
The above description greatly simplifies what is between the covers. The story itself is far more complex, but is within the grasp of the average reader.
The only problem I had with this tale is with the characters. They felt one dimensional and stereotypical. There were scientists that included a lead scientist and an ambitious scientist who thought they knew better than the lead and was a little jealous. There were a few military persons who asserted themselves as one might expect commanding officers would. My problem is that I wanted to learn more about the people involved and find at least one character I could care about. For me, I found myself not really caring about what happened to the people in the story.
My favorite point of plot in Alcuin Rift was the science. I’ll be the first to admit, I know very little about quantum physics or the properties of gravity waves. I do know they are phenomena that exist. Author Lim made it obvious he had done his homework to prepare for the writing of the story. I cannot tell where the real science versus made-up science – if there was any made-up – begins and ends. But my hat is off to Lim for his use of either type of science in the story! It made it a fun story to read and added elements of suspense and surprise to the tale.
There are numerous themes woven into the tapestry of this narrative. One that stood out to me is how solving problems on a universal scale must be very carefully thought out before they are executed. Who knows, in the distant future, we may run into some situations presented in Alcuin Rift, and lives, or even the entire existence of the universe as we know it, could be at stake.
My takeaway is to remember that it isn’t a good thing to play around with things we don’t understand. It’s not nice to try to fool Mother Nature!
The Alcuin Rift is a fine, accessible first effort from author Charleston Lim and worth the time to read. I will be watching his future work and am eager to see growth in this writer. I recommend this book to those who enjoy some heavy-duty science content intermixed with high stakes risks in the exploration of the unknown.
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