In a future after catastrophic climate change has ravaged Earth, the conservationist ruling families based there declare war on the Outers, the humans who’ve colonised Jupiter and Saturn space with self-sufficient habitats.
More a political thriller and spy story than SF, McAuley manages to depict a deep-space future better than many others. Still, even if the story rattles along in a fair clip there’s something lacking. McAuley doesn’t have Charlie Stross’ effortless nerdic flow, nor Ian McDonald’s fluency in depicting other cultures. For all that though, it’s recommended.
This is the first part of a series, the sequel is Gardens of the Sun.
McAuley is on Twitter as http://twitter.com/UnlikelyWorlds.