The galaxy of Yokkun’s Depth is only the surface layer of reality’s torn fabric, lying above countless stacked Phaslairs – other universes accessible only as a one-way trip, until now. Word has reached the surface that an ancient evil has discovered a way to travel upwards, intent on ripping the multiverse apart.
I loved that deep time has filled every galactic niche to overflowing, life existing atop accreted layers of older civilisations, technology, and knowledge: “nearly every rock formation, lake, forest and lonely mountain road had already been named, forgotten and renamed a hundred times already”. There is no frontier in Yokkun’s Depth – the galaxy is packed to bursting, swimming in civilisational detritus.
Geon’s imagination cannot be faulted – each chapter introduces fresh aliens and bizarre societies, feeling at times like it was conjured from a late-night pub brainstorming session. The downside of this fecundity is that we don’t spend long enough with any reality to deeply connect; instead, a superficial carnival atmosphere pervades the novel as we gawk at the parade of grotesque and macabre. More Douglas Adams than Iain M. Banks, the alien overload is nonetheless great fun.
Like Delany’s Nova, it’s messy and chaotic: the laissez-faire citizens are free to behave almost primally, protected by the backstop of godlike technology. In places, this leads to a few Deus ex Machina moments – a language ‘Pattern’ that makes all speech intelligible, nanobots that can make anything out of thin air, and body swapping to match the new reality as you drop between Phaslairs. It’s verging on too much Marvel-magic to merit the hard SF label its high concepts demand.
The biggest weakness of the story is the perceived threat. Whilst the antagonist is undeniably villainous, we’re never shown why he’s a galaxy-level existential threat worthy of such extreme measures. That being said, I can forgive the plot holes, and the magic, and simply enjoy the spectacle. This is an enjoyable, fast-paced read with well-crafted characters and big-screen action - it’s what space opera was born to be.
