Debatable Space by Philip Palmer

Debatable Space

Philip Palmer

Although the main plot of this long book is very complex, a large proportion is one woman's story of her centuries-old life lived on different planets. The book is very readable and there are great descriptions of amazing technology and exciting planetary battles. There is extreme violence but because the characters don't appear as human, it is hard to feel much empathy for any of the participants.

Extract
The Bugs have covered her entire body now, she is a black mummy with suppurating flesh. They are crowding into her mouth, they are overflowing from her ears. She tries to scream but the Bugs are blocking her throat. I panic, and try to pluck the Bugs from her mouth. But they merely swarm and enter my nostrils, and cover my body too. I feel Bugs forcing open my eyelids, gathering on my eyeballs. I try to brush them off me but they are legion, my body itches. My mind is in state of total panic but I try again and again to focus...
... and focus ...
... and focus ...

Then the itching stops.
Parallels
  • Anything by Charles Stross
  • Prey by Michael Crichton
  • Ringworld by Larry Niven
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Violence
Explicit sexual Content