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Synopsis
After word got out, every disaffected nut or neurotic within walking distance wanted to throw his or her self into the Reef, hoping to be transfigured, hoping to become something better than what they were. Some emergents reported visions of former times and places, of great insight and enlightenment. Others came out as drooling idiots, their brains wiped of knowledge and experience. Some came out fused together; others were splintered into clouds of tiny animals. No two incidents were exactly alike. Gareth L Powell’s first collection of short stories is stuffed with mind-bending ideas and unforgettable characters. Ranging from the day after tomorrow to the far-flung future, these fifteen stories are perfect for anyone with a craving for intelligent and thought-provoking adventure. From noir-ish cops to disaffected space pilots, blind photographers and low-life hackers, everyone here is struggling to find a little peace amid the tumult of the future. ‘Just the way SF should work.’ — Warren Ellis ‘Profound and unforgettable... I wholeheartedly give my highest recommendation’ — sfreader.com
In his introduction to Gareth L. Powell’s The Last Reef, Jetse de Vries says:"When reading (and re-reading) the stories in this collection, it strikes me that most of them are set on the edge of tomorrow—some so close to the here-and-now they could be history in a few short hours..."De Vries goes on to describe Powell’s collected writings as a “tightrope dance” poised upon the cusp of today and tomorrow. These near future tales are neither utopian, nor dystopian, nor anti-utopian. They are reality as it might be just around the corner and the riddled imperfections that might logically ensue. In The Last Reef, Powell holds a cross-section of science, nature, and technology in his quintessential human hand and gives it a roll across the universal table. What turns up is an eclectic mix of possibility, tragedy, and hope—a gamble worth betting on
Rae Bryant
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