Book review
Written by Eric Brown
Solaris Paperback
Release date 1 April 2011

In the years before the Second World War an oddball trio have a close encounter that changes their lives, while at the turn of the millennium a reclusive writer faces his own demons...

Apparently Eric Brown has been working on The Kings of Eternity for a decade. Starting out with a short story that’s now been worked into the novel, Brown has written, re-written and edited the material, making this a very personal labour of love for the space opera author. It’s also a very different book from Brown’s regular science fiction material.

Told primarily in two time zones, 1935 and 1999, the book follows the adventures of authors Jonathon Langham and his descendant Daniel Langham, a recluse living on a Greek island. Jonathon, his fellow author Edward Vaughan and their agent Jasper Carnegie have a close encounter of the extra-terrestrial kind that dramatically alters their lives forever. Meanwhile, Daniel is embarking on a new romance — the first for a long time (and the reasons for his reticence are central to the novel).

Brown has created a concoction of H.G. Wells and Highlander, punctuated by ruminations on writing and creativity (Daniel’s love interest is a painter), while simultaneously charting a very traditional space opera story in the background of his more grounded Earth-bound tale.

It’s all good stuff, and if there is a complaint it would be that the final third of the book (consisting of the second half of the story) could have been expanded. There’s a little too much ‘telling’ of events, rather than ‘showing’. That’s a minor issue, though, and Kings of Eternity is a thoroughly entertaining tale that’s by turns humorous and serious, but always thought-provoking. Brian J. Robb

VERDICT: 8/10
A thoroughly enjoyable detour from Brown’s usual space opera.