Far From the Light of Heaven

You know when you like something, but there's an element to it that grates? Like finding sand in your ice cream? This book is like that: really good overall, but with annoying elements. That you remember.

Speaking of which, one of the central elements of the story are just that: elements. Exotics, they get called, and they came from asteroids - yet don't get named. They can also kill people, just by leaking out of someone who has been exposed, or accumulated them. Really?? This is completely unnecessary in an otherwise good book: the author could have made them rare earth elements that ARE known, and though they would not have the same effect on bystanders, could certainly kill miners.

Anyway: I liked the characterisations on the whole, although the one AI that causes all the problems seemed a bit high-powered compared to the ship AI that HAD to have been bigger / more complex...but that's a spoiler, so let me just say that the story carries you along in a rollicking way albeit with the minor irritations.

And as someone from Africa, I liked the way that African culture and spirituality was woven into the story - even though it also sits a little awkwardly with the story in some respects, like resurrected Chicago gangsters in Peter Hamilton's Night's Dawn trilogy. I hope Tade Thompson writes some more hard SF: I would read that, because he writes WELL.