From Publishers Weekly
Starred Review. As it sails the galaxy, the Great Ship (introduced in 2000's Marrow) meets an opponent worthy of its Jupiter-like size in Reed's taut sequel. Pitted against an entity that has sculpted its own dark cloud nebula called the Inkwell, the Ship's human captains and their nonhuman allies engage in a duel of wits and strength that drains gas giants and turns black holes into weapons. Washen, second in command but first in authority, must prepare the Great Ship for the encounter with the Inkwell. Washen's lover, Pamir, sets off in a streakship to confront the nebula's dominant species, the polyponds. Unraveling the dark nebula's secrets requires Washen to uncover some of the Great Ship's mysteries as well. The infinite depths of space are well matched by the all-too-human depths of Reed's characters, who range from near-deity to damaged fosterling, but must all face the problem of resolving conflicts between individual desires and communal needs. Having body-rebuilding immortality genes only gives them that much more time to debate the issue (as well as catching the unwary reader with quick-cut jumps of decades in a sentence). This literary SF novel works at all levels, from the big action sequences and mind-expanding concepts to the quiet, reflective moments. Agent, Merrilee Heifetz at Writers House. (Apr. 12)
Book Description
In The Well of Stars, Hugo award-nominated author Robert Reed has written a stunning sequel to his acclaimed novel Marrow. The Great Ship, so vast that it contains within its depths a planet that lay undiscovered for generations, has cruised through the universe for untold billions of years. After a disastrous exploration of the planet, Marrow, the Ship's captains face an increasingly restive population aboard their mammoth vessel.
And now, compounding the captains' troubles, the Ship is heading on an irreversible course straight for the Ink Well, a dark, opaque nebula. Washen and Pamir, the captains who saved Marrow from utter destruction, send Mere, whose uncanny ability to adapt to and understand other cultures makes her the only one for the job, to investigate the nebula before they plunge blindly in. While Mere is away, Pamir discovers in the Ink Well the presence of a god-like entity with powers so potentially destructive that it might destroy the ship and its millions.
Faced with an entity that might prevent the Ship from ever leaving the Ink Well, the Ship's only hope now rests in the ingenuity of the vast crew . . . and with Mere, who has not contacted them since she left the Ship...
With the excitement of epic science fiction adventure set against a universe full of wonders, the odyssey of the Ship and its captains will capture the hearts of science fiction readers.
And now, compounding the captains' troubles, the Ship is heading on an irreversible course straight for the Ink Well, a dark, opaque nebula. Washen and Pamir, the captains who saved Marrow from utter destruction, send Mere, whose uncanny ability to adapt to and understand other cultures makes her the only one for the job, to investigate the nebula before they plunge blindly in. While Mere is away, Pamir discovers in the Ink Well the presence of a god-like entity with powers so potentially destructive that it might destroy the ship and its millions.
Faced with an entity that might prevent the Ship from ever leaving the Ink Well, the Ship's only hope now rests in the ingenuity of the vast crew . . . and with Mere, who has not contacted them since she left the Ship...
With the excitement of epic science fiction adventure set against a universe full of wonders, the odyssey of the Ship and its captains will capture the hearts of science fiction readers.
