Something Coming Through by Paul McAuley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was a surprisingly deep and interesting SF novel that is very rich in worldbuilding. The core plot is very much a traditional Noir mystery, but the inclusion of so many great alien elements including 15 gifted planets, a whole wide slew of problems related to invasive, unintentional cultural and biota contaminants, and the usual, normal human cussedness of trying to profit on the whole chaotic mess turns this into one hell of an interesting tale.

As I was reading it, I was thinking fondly of the movie, District 9, and as fondly of Rosewater for much the same reasons.

It's rich, wildly creative, original, and not afraid to go all-out on the strange bits.

I miss this kind of novel. The kind that doesn't constantly re-use the same old plots, doing them all in the same kinds of ways. I like that this goes well beyond the first contact scenario and aims for an uneasy but vast collusion, infection, and contamination. :) And the kinds of aliens? Some made me giggle and others had me put my mind in high-gear trying to figure them out. The Jackaroo and the Eidolons in particular.

I think of John M. Harrison when I think of this novel. I also think of Daniel Suarez.

These are great writers to be compared to. :)

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