British SF writer Gwyneth Jones has always impressed me when I come across one of her stories in the annual Best Of anthology edited by Gardner Dozois. Usually, if I want to read more by a writer, I have to buy on Amazon, because the “SF” shelves in Waterstones are otherwise occupied by Lord of the Rings, Terry Pratchett, and Star Trek tie-ins.

While some quite respectable writers hack out the occasional tie-in book for Star Trek, Star Wars, or even Doctor Who, I’ve never been so obsessed with a TV show that I wanted to read a book based on it.

So I was somewhat surprised to come across Spirit in the Milton Keynes Waterstones, and in spite of my general policy of not paying Waterstones prices, I couldn’t resist it. How did Spirit manage to sneak past the Waterstones buyer and get onto the shelf with all the Fantasy books?

The answer, I suspect, lies on the front cover, which at first glance has every appearance of a fantasy novel: a young woman in rags in the foreground, carrying an infant, looking over what might be a fantasy landscape.

But this is not a fantasy novel, it’s New Space Opera, but it has the satisfying slow build up, cast of characters, and intrigue of the best fantasy novels. It gives itself away a bit in the blurb by mentioning it that it’s a retelling of The Count of Monte Cristo, but somehow knowing this just adds to the pleasure of reading it.

I’ve never read The Count…, but enjoyed a radio adaptation I once heard. All you need to know is that it’s a corking adventure story with a very satisfying dénoument.

Jones creates excellent aliens who behave in freaky ways. In one of her short stories, a peace envoy from one alien race eats a peace envoy from the other side of a civil war.
As well as properly alien aliens, Jones creates a truly weird form of interstellar travel, which only the hardy dare experience in full consciousness.

If you know The Count of Monte Cristo, you will enjoy this; and if you don’t, you’ll discover a hard SF ripping yarn with an excellent female protagonist who serves her revenge stone cold. Highly recommended.