Axis (Spin Book 2)

Axis is entertaining and expands on Spin's novel idea, but seems incomplete. By the time it really starts to pickup and get interesting, it ends rather abrubtly. It doesn't exactly leave at a cliffhanger but it doesn't exactly answer all of my questions either. Good thing wikipedia shows a sequel in the works, Vortex, so I know we'll still have more to look forward to.As always, Wilson writes good characters. The main character, Lise, actually seemed a tad underdeveloped, but her companion Turk was definitely interesting. One of my favorite aspects of Wilson's writing is that he always takes the time to focus on the characters and how they mould to the events that take place around them. His books always read like character dramas where the theme happens to be sci-fi. In my opinion, that is a trait of a good writer. Care about your characters first and make your reader care about them and the events and plot that surrounds them will seem more believable and engrossing. The characters here didn't quite have the depth that they did in Spin, but that could be becaue the book is shorter than Spin and focuses on more characters. Still, that's a definite strong point here.I do wonder, however, whether we may have been better off waiting until this story was complete, with Axis and the next installment simply as one book, even it it were a lenghty read. I don't want to get into any spoilers, but the events that happened at the end of this book didn't quite seem... monumental enough to warrant writing an entire book about it. Wilson definitely shows us a new and bizarre aspect of the hypotheticals, but not much has really changed by knowing this. At least not yet. it felt like a pit-stop on the way to an even greater revelation that we've yet to know about. I'm sure that'll be revealed in Vortex, but who knows when that'll be out?Also, seeing as how the book takes place entirely on Equatoria (the newly colonized world given to humans by the Hypotheticals), we don't really learn that much about the planet. It almost seems... boring really. A group of the characters lived in the desert on this planet, but the environment isn't described for any of the other characters with the exception of the major city, Port Magellan. Are there large plains areas or large forests or rivers or anything like that? Because of this, I pictured the entire planet to look like a large, mostly-empty desert. I'd also love to hear if there was any wildlife native to the planet that they'd discovered or if wildlife from Earth had been brought there and how they'd adapted. These little things aren't necessary to the story, but would help to make this new world believable and interesting.Also, concepts of the story that seem important and pretty interesting are barely touched on at all. Like the arches. Not only is there an arch leading folk from Earth into Equatoria, but there's another arch on Equatoria that leads to yet another world and one from that world to another and so on. It's explained briefly that there are expeditions into the other world but it's just a barren rock. So there's not much there, but after several decades wouldn't they have found something? Doesn't anyone wonder why this barren planet was linked to theirs? These are things that I'd like to hear more about.Another thing that bothered me was a character from Spin that makes an appearance. I won't say who, but this almost seemed cheap, like an added attempt to keep us interested in the story. The character makes a cameo at first and I liked that; just a nice reference to Spin to remind us that we're reading about the same world. But then the character becomes a major player and I didn't feel that the character was very distinguishable from many of the others in the book and I wasn't entirely convinced. Just one more thing that could've been expanded on to make the book fell more complete.I did enjoy this book, for all I complained about it. The ashfall scenes were creepy and Wilson instills a sense of realism, even with something so strange as ash and decaying machinery dumping from the sky. He does a great job of making you feel like you are there. The ending of the book isn't bad. It's definitely interesting, but still I left wanting so much more. Granted, Spin is a hard act to follow and is also one of my favorite books of any genre, so maybe that's why I'm being so picky here. I'll still be buying Vortex as soon as it's out.

This is a story of discovery and redemption, driven by mysteries that span the personal through to the galactic, and navigated by the power of self-delusion.It is also the second of a trilogy, and I recommend that you read "Spin" first, but "Axis" it is not the direct 'next chapter' with regards the players, so can be picked up standalone.I am not going to go into much detail regarding the plot, because like many of Wilson's novels, it is detailed and delicate.But if you have read Wilson's other work, you will recognize his style here. If not, understand that Wilson focuses on the personalities of his players, their foibles and their reactions to events large and small. Unlike many authors, he manages to flesh out even minor characters without straying into stereotypes or caricatures. The science behind many aspects of this future Human universe remain opaque to the players (and to us) but that is the galactic mystery that underpins this trilogy and triggers the narrative arcs.There are aliens afoot, the enigmatic and non-communicative Hypotheticals. Their actions are a continual background noise of `why?' and they are as immune to our entreaties for answers as the wind is for reasons to blow. Still, "Axis" chips away at this mystery, step by step, as our protagonist, Lise Adams, searches for answers to the disappearance - abandonment? - of her father a decade ago. This is a quest for Lise and it consumes her being, her relationships and perhaps her very existence, as she dives headlong into the fanatical fantasy of one of the "Fourths", a clandestine cabal who have taken proscribed Martian pharmaceuticals that extend their lives.What we don't get with Wilson's aliens are spaceships and warp drive and firefights and the petty politics of interspecies interactions.The Hypotheticals are called that because they are assumed from events, conjectured from outcomes. Nobody has seen one that we know of, and those who may have communicated with them appear to die from the experience. Clearly they exist, but their motives and motivations are hints and shadows and supposition, not answers writ in the stars.When the aliens do arrive, it as sulfurous grit or unstable analogs of biologicals such as flowers and trees, none of which provide the clear, unambiguous answers that the characters expect or are seeking and the circumstances of these abstruse revelations merely clouds the issues of the who, what and why of the Hypotheticals. And the effort to elicit even this response from what are essentially Gods, exposes human nature at it most self-serving, venal worst.So, who might be interested in "Axis"? Clearly, if you've read Wilson before, you are a candidate. I feel "Axis" is as good as "Spin" but note that it is a different book in style and approach (as other reviewers have noted in detail). If you enjoy character-led science fiction where inscrutable aliens trigger visceral responses that are then explored in detail, "Axis" is worth reading.

While not quite reaching the heights of its predecessor, which had the core mystery of the dark sky to sustain it through the first part of the book, this is still high quality science fiction. If you wanted to n ow more about the aged universe of the Hypotheticals then this is the place to come.

I really enjoyed this book, it did tie up a few ends from Spin and of course set up more entertainment in book 3.Yet again RCW develops characters with ease and quickly too. But its all sent against the backdrop of the fact something we understand so little of is controlling our destinies and to what end and do they even realise or care Great stuff!

Product as described

SPOILER WARNING !!!!If you happen to be inclined towards road and travel adventures, you will be served nicely. In addition there is a very convincing and also aesthetically pleasing idea how the hypotheticals transfer the information they gathered. Furthermore you learn that the hypothetical ecology accepts individual "uploads". However, do not start to dig deeper into the novel because you will find that- the two informations about the hypotheticals cited above are the only new insight for the reader and it is doubtful that this merits a whole 350 page novel,- it is absolutely ridiculous that humanity would choose not to investigate on the hypotheticals (and even issue a ban effectively penalised by death on such activities) and thus it will be up to slightly deranged sects to organise such efforts,- the persons which carry the novel are as unconvincing as in SPIN, especially the protagonists Turk and Liese for whom no credible motive for their behaviour is presented.

Spin was a fantastic novel, well written with complex interesting characters and above all, a fantastic story. Spin also left open a question into the nature of The Hypotheticals and what they wanted with humanity. This book tries to answer that question. Axis too is well written and the characters are interesting, but they are not a well filled out as the Spin ones. Some of the charters seem to have little point in the story, Brian especially so. But the main issue is the story isn't as good or as well thought out and the end seems rushed and unsatisfactory.This is a good book, but it suffers from following a truly great book. If you haven't read Spin, do so because it is a great story. If you have read Spin, then it is worth reading Axis, just don't expect too much of it.