After Earth has been abandoned, all that remains of humanity now inhabits an industrialised asteroid known as the Station.
Jack was born and bred here; his childhood was spent exploring the Docklands, while his adult life found him in the midst of a great war. After the war, and after being labelled a traitor, Jack returns home with his new constant companion, Hugo Fist.
Hugo Fist – a virtual puppet that’s been implanted into Jack’s mind – is what really gets the story going. Designed to destroy the Totality, Station’s enemy, Fist is perhaps the most terrifying AI to set foot on the Station. It’s not just the Totality that’s destined to succumb to this charismatic character.
It’s a pretty disheartening story, and with such a lot of complex elements, Crashing Heaven demands a lot of its readers. It’s impossible to step lightly into this novel, and you really do have to drag yourself through the opening pages before you find yourself engaging with the story.
Once you’ve overcome the initial hurdle, the prose flows eloquently, and the interaction between Jack and Fist is engaging. It’s this unique relationship that really makes Robertson’s story stand out.
If you’re looking for an easy-to-read, pick-up, put-down kind of book, this isn’t for you. With an intense, evolving plot and deep, complex characters, Robertson’s novel is an unavoidable commitment until the very end.
