From Newsgroup: rec.arts.sf.written

On 7/19/2026 2:44 PM, Tony Nance wrote:

Strangely (to me), I've never read anything of his. Any
recommendations on some works to start with?

Further to this thread, I have now read Shroud. I have not enjoyed his
Fantasy but his Science Fiction has been brilliant.
Shroud is a moon at the back of beyond that is under initial
investigation by a private enterprise ship intent on mining.
Consequently a group of scientists and the protagonist, an HR
specialist, are revived from stasis to solve the problem of how to get
data back from the surface through an atmosphere of thick dangerous
chemicals and a continual bombardment of meaningless radio or
electromagnetic signals throughout the spectrum perhaps masking any
deliberate such activity by unimaginable aliens. That's enough of a teaser.
The protagonist has a heart, but the scientists are true scientists
unable to talk much about science and those further up the spaceship
company ladder were all true corporate suits so not much in human
character development. A wage could only be earned whilst out of stasis
and working so there is a very strong incentive to provide expected
results to superiors who have also to consider the additional out of
stasis costs such as food, watering and sheltering on their budgets.
A plot executed brilliantly with, of course, some things not going
according to plan resulting in tragedy and hardship.
I would probably not have chosen this if I had read about it beforehand.
Oh, no. Not another first contact story. There was almost too much
science for me, the behaviour of the moon in regard to planet and star,
the atmosphere of soup as well, the aliens themselves and other
technical issues, but there was sufficient balance and interest so this
was not a problem. I was fascinated once I got started and somewhere
around the 85% mark, I put the book down to have a serious think about
how this was going to end. I had no idea and could only conjure up disappointing conclusions. Tchaikovsty's was perfect. Four stars.
--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2