Read in The Year’s Best Science Fiction Thirty Fifth Annual Collection (Dozois, 2018).
Flynn is an author who I haven’t read much of in recent years. He was a regular contributor to Analog during the 00s when I was reading the magazine, with just the odd story from him grabbing my attention.
Here he provides a stonking story which I enjoyed immensely. It’s a multi-perspective story, and the multi-perspectives are intriguing. Several characters, none of them human-standard, even though the story is set on contemporary Earth. There are telepaths, androids, chrononauts, bilaterally asymmetric aliens, aliens who have been living amongst us on Earth for centuries, and an immortal. There lives are to be linked, and there are causes for these linkages as the author explains (the author regularly intercedes, introduces and explains).
There is some great tech in there, some interesting characters, some great turns of phrase, a real page-turner (or page-swiper if you’re using a Kindle). A thoroughly enjoyable and entertaining story. And from Analog of all places! And BTW the cover doesn’t do it justice.. (Was it ever thus).
