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Pushing Ice by Alastair Reynolds
01/02/2006 . Source: Shaun Green 
pub: Gollancz. 457 page hardback. Price: £14.99 (UK only). ISBN: 0-575-07438-8. Buy from Amazon US - Buy from Amazon UK
nb: US titles may only be available from Amazon US, and UK titles from Amazon UK. check out website: www.orionbooks.co.uk
In the mid-21st century, the economic exploitation of space is underway. Specialised spacecraft and crews shift loose asteroids into Earth orbit in a process colloquially known as 'pushing ice'. These space miners and the supporting crew of scientists, pilots and engineers are a tough bunch. They have a saying that expresses their dedication and focus: 'We push ice. It's what we do.' One such crew is that commanded by Bella Lind, captain of the DeepShaft vessel Rockhopper. Lind is justifiably proud of her crew. In her own words, 'They're good - they're damned good.'
Janus is a tiny, icy planetoid and one of Saturn's moons. It is distinguished only by its unusual orbit, sharing it with another of Saturn's moons, Epidemeus. The Rockhopper is in the early stages of capturing an asteroid when Lind receives a communiqué from Earth, ordering the _Rockhopper_ to intercept Janus. The thing is, Janus is no longer in orbit around Saturn. It has carefully extricated itself and is now in the process of accelerating out of the system. The moon has lived up to its namesake - the two-faced god of beginnings and ends, gateways and doors - and the Rockhopper is the only vessel capable of catching up with it.
So begins a voyage that will take Bella Lind and the crew of the Rockhopper to their limits, testing the strengths of their friendships, ingenuity and understanding.
Reynolds' sixth novel is a departure from the space opera of his Inhibitor sequence, being a far more traditional Science Fiction novel in many ways, although it maintains the baroque stylings and overtones of his earlier work. Unlike his earlier novels, the prime focus of 'Pushing Ice' is not ideas but characters, specifically Bella Lind and her close friend Svetlana Barseghian. The relationship between these two shifts throughout the novel, developing and regressing at points, demonstrating clearly the fine line between emotional polarities that is a part of any close friendship. It's a little sad that in the SF of 2006 this has to be seen as a courageous move, but that it is and it's done well - especially the way the relationship between these individuals is tied up at the end of the book.
Fortunately, there's also plenty to entertain readers who are less interested in human-to-human relationships. Reynolds' brings his considerable scientific knowledge and expertise to bear and in the early section of the book paints one of the most convincing images of a functioning spaceship and crew I've read to date. His imagination also shifts into overdrive with the purpose and destination of Janus. There are aliens, here, some of whom seem very fresh and original indeed. The Musk Dogs in particular are an excellent invention.
It's often possible to guess at what lies ahead, but such guesses only flesh out so much of the story. As a result, there's still a wonderful sense of exploration that echoes the experience of the Rockhopper's crew. In any case, the story is so well-paced that it's preferable to just put your feet up and go along for the ride than to try and second-guess the author.
'Pushing Ice' is a brilliant read and demonstrates that Reynolds is continuing to travel from strength to strength. It comes highly recommended to all readers of SF, no matter their individual predilections.
Shaun Green
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