Absolution Gap
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First edition cover
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| Author | Alastair Reynolds |
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| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Series | Revelation Space |
| Genre | Science fiction |
| Publisher | Gollancz |
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Publication date
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27 November 2003 |
| Media type | Print (Hardcover & Paperback) |
| Pages | 565 pp (Hardcover) |
| ISBN | |
| OCLC | 52785111 |
| 823.914 21 | |
| LC Class | PR6068.E95 A623 2003 |
| Preceded by | Redemption Ark |
| Followed by | The Prefect |
Absolution Gap is a 2003 space opera novel written by Welsh author Alastair Reynolds. It takes place in the Revelation Space universe and is a direct sequel to Redemption Ark.
The plot of the novel takes place in four separate time periods. The bulk of the novel is contained in the 2675 and 2727 sections.
Queen Jasmina of the lighthugger Gnostic Ascension wakes Quaiche, a member of her crew, from Reefersleep. She is disappointed with him; despite his promises that he would improve the crew's fortunes, he has not done so. In fact, many of the systems he has explored were filled with extremely valuable artifacts which he failed to detect and were picked up by other ships. As such, she gives him one last chance.
Jasmina sends him to explore the star 107 Piscium and its planets. His lover, Morwenna, is sent with him in the scrimshaw suit, a sensory deprivation device which paralyzes and blinds its wearer until they remove it. On one of the moons of a gas giant he names Haldora (which also seems to disappear every so often for a few fractions of a second), he discovers an alien bridge, whose automated defense system attacks him. He crashes and finds he does not have enough oxygen to survive until his shuttle returns from the other side of Haldora. However, Haldora vanishes and his radio signal reaches the shuttle, which races to save him at maximum acceleration, killing Morwenna.
On Ararat, 23 years after the events of Redemption Ark, Scorpio, a hyperpig, seeks out Nevil Clavain, who has left mainstream society, leaving Scorpio in charge. Scorpio seeks his aid in opening a capsule which has come down from space. Also with him is Vasko, a reasonably competent but naïve young man. They open the capsule and discover Ana Khouri. Khouri informs the colony that humanity is now at war with the Inhibitors. They are getting the relevant technology from Aura, Khouri's daughter, who has been modified by the Hades Matrix, an alien data repository. However, Skade has kidnapped her from Khouri's womb. Clavain and Scorpio lead a team who discover Skade in her crashed ship, which has been attacked by the Inhibitors, causing its Cryo-Arithmetic Engines to malfunction and cover the ship in ice. Skade agrees to give the colony Aura in return for Clavain's being tortured to death. Clavain agrees, but tells Scorpio to throw his corpse into the sea (where the Pattern Jugglers absorb him and reunite him with Galiana and Felka). The survivors are attacked by Inhibitor machinery, but Remontoire, a Conjoiner leading the war, protects them from space.
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