Customer Reviews

Eclipse

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

World War III started but no one used the big nukes. While the USA and the New Soviets agreed to fight on European battlegrounds (and on a space station halfway between Earth and Moon), fascist fundamentalist Christian forces - under the name Second Alliance - are gaining in influence worldwide. Only the New Resistance sees the destructive power of the Fascists and starts a bitter and seemingly hopeless fight.
As this is only the first part of the recently reissued trilogy, I don't know yet the outcome of the War, but one thing is for sure: John Shirley wrote one of the most intense future histories I have ever come across. The plot is based in the year 2029, and as this is a revised edition (the original version was released about 15 years ago), a lot of the historical background is real and does not only paint an imaginative dark future, but also shows the frightening doings of some actual American congressmen (Trent Lott and the racist Council of Conservative Citizens).
Shirley apparently has a strong dislike for WASPs (understandably), and together with the malleability of people's minds, he paints us a visionary picture of the future that could happen only just too easily.
Very graphic violence (nothing for the faint hearted), strong language and a shockingly surreal glimpse into the future will make sure that this book will have an everlasting imprint to your neurons.
Only one small point of criticism: for a "revised and updated" version, there were awfully many typos and especially misplaced periods and commas, but that doesn't take away one ounce of the intensity of this groundbreaking novel.

After discovering John Shirley through his short horror fiction, I bought a copy of Eclipse and sat motionless for days to read it. In other words, I could not put it down. While this would be shelved in a store's science fiction section, it really is more than typical spaceships and lasergun fare. It falls more towards cyberpunk but exceeds it with a focus on characters instead of technology.

The basic premise of the rise of a neo-fascist "security" corporation during the starts of a limited nuclear war between the USA and Russia sets the background for the very believable characters, each with distinct personalities and flaws that come to life from the printed page. Mr. Shirley weaves a complex and intertwined tale of guerilla mercenaries, fading rock stars, and fasicst powermongers that would stand proudly with the great works on science fiction. If not for any other reason, his interpretation of developing cultural trends is at the same time illuminating and frightening.

Having only read the first book*, I am anticipating no less enjoyment from Penumbra and Corona, the second and third works in the series.

I recommend this book to anyone that enjoys a complicated read where each page yields a small reward.

* Sometimes I do need to spend a little time reading my college textbooks, too.

I was a street punk the first time I read eclipse, and it changed my life. Smart and hard edged the eclipse series is the ultimate dark future tale, but does contain hope, and gritty realism!

I've bought the second part of this trilogy from a bookstand at a street market. I've hunted down the third in a dusty "second hand"-shelf in a forgotten bookstore. And currently I'm trying to seduce an old, ugly hag of a public library manager into selling me the first one, which started this hunt a couple of years ago. This one is a must-have for all who enjoy good sci-fi, and also a helluva read for everyone else. A mesmerizing dark future setting, a really coherent intrigue, heavy-duty warfare and lots of characters you care for (which the author doesn't really do, the way they get kicked around:-) will keep you awake at night. Agreeing with my precedessors: mail the publisher. Buy them, if you are Rockefeller, or intimidate them, if you are with the CIA. Help them if you're a brain surgeon- they need their heads fixed, for this one is a potential bestseller.

The song called Youth is played by Rick Rickenharp. This book is powerful. My message is simply to any sci-fan fan who was fortunate to stumble upon this book. READ IT. Just start and let Shirley do the rest.

"...a multinational corporation for hire by those nations who require extra policing power, is gaining prominence in Europe as NATO and the new Russian war machine approach the hard battle line drawn at the former USSR's borders. SA steps into the vacuum and gradually, through a campaign of media propaganda, misinformation, infiltration, and ultimately coup, plans to impose a New World Order. But the idea is an old one. Pure Fascism. For the SA is nothing less than a Racist Army, and their CEO, an evangelical Christian Fundamentalist, envisions a world of "genetic purity...." "...a brilliant political writer/speechmaker with memories of torture, an American student caught behind the lines in Amsterdam, a video editor who's mind has been "robbed" by SA agents, a young "Admin" daughter of FirStep's chief designer, a driven ex-Mossad agent, a rock'n'roll classicist caught in the dangerous pull of a synthetic designer drug and a loyal corvid named Richard Pryor. They are a band of rebels called the New Resistance (NR), and everybody is looking for them." "_Eclipse_ does not know the meaning of "slow." The book is a mélange of poetic language, vibrant description, and vivid characterization. Considered a crucial work in the nascence of cyberpunk fiction, _Eclipse_ is among the very best Earth-based speculations in science fiction history."

Shirley hits the ground running on this 1st novel of the series. You have great action, good plot, and some nice twist- all set in a future that looks scary close to the present world what more could you ask for!?! Love all the little details that make up the future - the desolve depression which has recently whipped out key banking info from a EMP burst causing a run on banks and ruining the American economy, to the worship of the Grid (internet), the rise of a new militant Russia who has started conventional warfare to solve its resource issue, and throw into that a new nationalist/fascist movement that is way more powerful than anyone realizes and you have the makings for a great series. Since I am waiting on the 2nd and 3rd book I have no idea if Shirley will carry this thru but all seems to start GREAT! Few critiques- where is China?!? With all heck breaking lose you think a superpower like China would be more involved- maybe he will touch on this in future books or I missed the explanation in this book? Shirley tends to almost write in "cliffnote" fashion giving you just enough brushed in character information to briefly understand many different people in his stories. Sometimes it works sometimes you have to remember who this character is and what their motivations are. But these are minor issues- get these books and have a BLAST! Also check out some of the other Shirley books- his Horror stuff is almost as good :)

I've not got the patience to write a long, coherent review, so I will state only that fond readers of cyberpunk will enjoy -Eclipse-. Although the World War III setting makes -Eclipse- seem very dated (as speculative fiction, this book fails completely), the story is always exciting and very enjoyable. Worth spending an afternoon reading, if only as a light amusement.

The Eclipse trilogy by John Shirley is perhaps one of the finest examples of cyberpunk "war" novels available - a classic us vs them series. Guaranteed to keep you up till all hours of the night, this series has been placed on "Permanent Out Of Stock" status by it's publisher, which usually means they are in a tussle with the author and will not print the book, but will not release the rights back to the author so it can be printed elsewhere. Your best bet is to seek out a good used bookstore or sf con - a set is usually available. This is a must read for hardcore sci-fi genre addicts, along the lines of Necrom and Armageddon Rag (if you don't know them, find them). And it never hurts to complain to the publisher, Popular Library Questar division about their stance re this series. Find it. Buy it. Read it.

John Shirley, the man who introduced William Gibson to Bruce Sterling, never really achieved the fame that his two friends did. Certainly, he isn't lacking for talent. One can't really talk about cyberpunk science fiction without mentioning this book. If you're partial to cyberpunk writing, then you have no choice but to read this book. Me, I'm praying to the publishing gods that the other two books in the series are reprinted, as I still haven't been able to find them...