I talked a bit earlier about how much I hate Dan Simmons and his success as an author. I should note that this hatred extends out to new authors receiving acclaim, or just books with lots of buzz. What makes them so special? Their level of talent, most likely, but I choose to disregard that. This is why I haven't read anything yet by Patrick Rothfuss, Joe Abercrombie, Scott Lynch, R. Scott Bakker, and the list goes on and on. David J. Williams's Mirrored Heavens is both a debut and well-received by critics, but I came to read it anyway. And, truthfully, I'm glad I did.
The novel takes place about a century from now, in an Earth that is dominated by war and destruction - and also seems to be a frighteningly plausible future for our planet. A terrorist organization known as Autumn Rain takes credit for an attack on the Phoenix Space Elevator - a form of transportation from Earth to the Moon - and the hunt for them and what may possibly be the true culprit commences.
Jason Marlowe and Claire Haskell are two U.S. agents on this hunt. They may or may not be ex-lovers (whether their memories are legitimate or implanted isn't clear), and the terrorist attack brings them back together. Other characters are Lyle Spencer, a man making a run for the border, and The Operative, an assassin of sorts who is in space during the mayhem. Beyond this, there is a rich and complex history behind many of the behaviors and decisions of certain countries and their politicians. Although this backstory is never explained in the novel's text, there is an appendix detailing the major political events from 2035 to 2110, when the story takes place.
Thorough investigative research has led to me discovering that Williams has a career in video game writing, which is apparent by the pace of the plot. From the first page, this thing races along from one two- or three-page scene to the next, rarely taking a breath or slowing for even a moment. It's the type of book where you say you're going to read one more scene until the sun rises. Despite this rapid pacing, the characters manage to be fully developed and realistic within the world and its situations.
That being said, there is one downside to this ceaseless pacing, and that comes in the way of descriptions. Even a paragraph of description can be a lot in a novel like this one, and that is most likely the reason that Williams abandoned it for the most part. But, this leads to the images of settings and characters (especially Jason's armor), becoming fuzzy and distorted, and sometimes impossible to see.
Other than that, I struggle to find another legitimate flaw in this novel. The characters - as I said - are fantastic, real and well-written, the plot is filled with intrigue and twists, the concept is thought-provoking, and the writing in battle scenes are superb, effortlessly heightening the tension in a scene and raising the stakes.
In such novels, sometimes dialogue can really take a hit, but such is not the case here. (Although it should be noted that I enjoy dialogue in Tarantino films.) The following scene, set just before Jason meets up with Claire, is a great example, and also serves to illustrate the overall style and feel of the novel:
Marlowe's picking up steam. He's out of the worst trouble spots. He's got his thrusters going. He's more than halfway through the city. He's going straight on through till he gets out into country. It's a simple plan. It doesn't need to get complex. Nothing's touching him. Nothing's seeing him. He's got it made.
It's then he gets the call.
"Marlowe," says the voice.
"Yeah.
"We need you to take a little detour."
"Yeah?"
"We've got an asset down near you."
"So?"
"So we need it picked up."
"This suit's taken a beating. You've got no one else who can do it?"
"If we did, I wouldn't be calling. We're coming apart at the seams, Marlowe. We've got a grade-A disaster on our hands."
"Which I'm almost clear of."
"And you'll get clear again. You're hell on wheels, Marlowe. You've got to make all speed. Over and out."
Even as the last words are reaching Marlowe's ears, coordinates flare before him. They show city. They show river. The show the point where he needs to be. They show his own position - his now rapidly changing direction.
This is an entire scene, and it quickly smashes into the Operative and his story, a scene of similar length. The plot moves along at this pace from start to end, making it near impossible to put down.
Often with plots like this the ending is a letdown after all the drama and excitement in the beginning of the novel. Such is certainly not the case here. The last fifty or so pages of the book are easily the best, the plot seeming to be even more enticing as the story stampedes its way towards conclusion.
I'm very glad I picked up Mirrored Heavens. The sequel is currently out, and I plan on picking it up soon. I also plan on reading some other critically acclaimed debut from years past, to see if maybe the hype is worth something there like it is here. This book is highly recommended, and is certainly a book for a rainy day or anybody looking for an adventure.
Grade: 9.5/10
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