Wow! This story focuses on a richly detailed series of new worlds and interconnected life forms, wrapped up with beautiful prose and sentiment. There are multiple main characters, each with an enjoyable depth of personality. These characters exist between parallel worlds and have unique perspectives on what constitutes a living being, the value of living organisms in an ecosystem, and how they survive their specific world(s). Without divulging too much, the story lines weave together slowly and culminate in an epic cliffhanger (the one downside is now you have to wait for the rest of the story!). I found this book very well thought out and executed, and an enjoyable read that left me wanting more.

Thanks orbit and NetGalley for the eARC of Infinity Gate!

“Hadiz Tanbuwal saw Armageddon coming from a long way off.”

Hadiz is a scientist looking for a way to fix her world’s environmental collapse. She enlists the help of an AI and they discover a multidimensional travel. It follows the stories of three characters (Hadiz being one of them), and interconnects them all throughout their stories.

To me, there was a lot of information to get through before I could enjoy the story. I feel like it was a bit long but interesting. Also, 500+ pages for it to end on a cliffhanger was kind of disappointing. I really enjoy Carey’s writing though so it’s still a good read for me- just have to get through a lot of info dumping. 3.5 stars.

I still remember reading my first M.R. Carey book. It was The Girl with All the Gifts and tit ook me by surprise, completely flipping my view on the zombie genre. But besides taking me by surprise it instantly made me a fan of Carey. Then he came out with his own unique spin on the post apocalyptic genre. And now with Infinity Gate, the first book in his new Pandominion series, M.R. Carey is putting his own unique spin on a popular sci-fi genre, specifically the exploration of the multiverse. And while plenty of the alternate universes are similar to our own, there are many where things are quite different, where human’s aren’t even the dominate species…as seen by the fact that one of the major characters is an intelligent rabbit. While the discovery of the multiverse might be new for our world, there are those that have been stepping through the multiverse, consolidating power for a long time, and things aren’t exactly totally calm out there. Yes, we are talking impending war of the multiverses. This wonderfully complex story is just the tip of the iceberg and I can’t wait to see what M.R. Carey has in store for our intrepid band of heroes in the next volume. I’d like to thank Orbit Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an eARC of Infinity Gate.

This is a very exposition heavy multiple universes story. Die hard fans of hard science fiction may enjoy parts and aspects of the story but most of the science is heavily hand-waved and some of the story lacks consistency. The writing has a distance to the main characters that makes it hard to empathize with them and their fates whether they are human, non-human or machine.

Oof, Infinity Gate has left me with some FEELINGS. I find myself struggling to rate this properly. On the one hand, I throughly enjoyed this. I found myself finding any excuse to pick the book back up, even if it was only for 5 mins. The characters we are introduced to are all great - well rounded in that they all of their strengths, flaws, and regrets. The overall world is not too complex or heady in scientific jargon, but built just right for the reader to understand. This is one of the parts I appreciated the most because when you have a story that involves multiple parallel universes, its easy to become quickly confusing or overly complicated.

Now on the other hand, that ending... is what makes this book difficult to review. There is so much build up, but no climatic pay off. I don't mind cliff hangers, but I also need to feel some level of conclusion/satisfaction within a story (especially when that story is almost 500 pages) and at the end I feel like we are given nothing more but more questions. Will I be reading the sequel? Yes... but I almost feel disgruntled about it, haha.

3.75/5

Thank you NetGalley and Orbit for the ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

3.5 stars
This is a tricky one to review, because though I had an awfully good time reading it, I came away with some mixed feelings. I'll start with what worked.

First sentence: "Hadiz Tambuwal saw Armageddon coming from a long way off."
(That is a SOLID open.)

This is a story of parallel worlds, told in 3rd person omnicient that slips occasionally into first-person, and the reader picks up in pieces here and there that the story is being recounted after (perhaps long after) the events described by an unnamed narrator. Due to this POV, there's not exactly a main character so much as a cast of major players.

The story is set in Lagos (many variants of it), which is incredibly neat. One of the first characters we meet is... well, she's very interesting; and while perhaps not terribly
sympathetic, she is very much herself. Hadiz Tambuwal, physicist, is a well-rendered character--and on the subject of writing full, believable characters, I still find I'm impressed in spite of myself when cis male writers
write women who notice the things that are part of the annoying background radiation of sexism in the world that fall under a lot of radars (like the problematic ubiquity of giving machines, AI, automated personal assistants female voices).

This is my first time reading Carey, and on the whole his writing works very well for me. There was a little bit of clunky hand-waving science: "Rolling up her sleeves, she went in to take a closer look at the subatomic level"--I'm sure it's supposed to be metaphorical and make whatever she's doing seem a little more accessible, but it's hard for the brain not to trip up over the thought of anyone "rolling up their sleeves" to take a closer look at something imperceptible by human senses.

I appreciated a low-key Star Trek reference tucked in; a mention of transparent aluminum.

Tongue-in-cheek and humor have to be done carefully, in my opinion, to keep from distancing the reader from the story. Carey's prose walks a fine line at times between cute and cutesy that mostly nails it and occasionally wobbles.
"For this to work she would have to deform the QEI field into a cylinder, which proved much more fiddly than she had imagined," felt like it was teetering on that line, but this passage made me chuckle: "There was pain, but fortunately it was unbearable so she didn’t have to bear it. Her nervous system, seeing what was coming, handed in its notice and walked out of the building."

More often, though, Carey's prose ranges from wry and astute:
<i>"The phrase, in a long-obsolete Uti language, means 'wise people' – another near-universal. Sentients on every world have this moment when they think intelligence is what separates them from the rest of creation. It takes them a lot longer to figure out that they’re arguing from the very heart of survivor bias, and therefore underestimating the importance of blind, brute chance."</i>
--to startlingly lovely:
<i>"Moreover, and beyond that, all self-organising and self-replicating patterns are rare and valuable in their own right. Life is a movement that makes itself within the great unmaking that is the entropic universe.”</i>

So why the mixed feelings? Just as the reader is heading into the final climactic confrontation (and hopefully to discover the identity of our narrator), the book ends. The reader is encouraged to look for the next book to find out what happens next.

There is an implied contract between writer and reader; it's one thing to resolve <i>some</i> big questions, have a climactic victory or defeat, and then set in a hook by leaving some <i>part</i> of the plot unresolved or by introducing a new and urgent question right at the end (I'm looking at you, Scholomance)--but the reader does reasonably expect to have a fair amount settled first, not to feel things are building to the most tense final confrontation only to find that there's no more book left. I will absolutely read the next book, because I enjoyed this and want to find out what happens next, but I'm also annoyed and was left feeling the author hadn't quite played fair with the reader.

I was provided an ARC by Netgalley and Orbit Books in exchange for an unbiased review.

I requested a digital copy in order to sample the prose on my phone (since I don't have a eReader) before requesting a physical copy for review. My review will be based on the physical ARC I read (if I qualify)

I received this eARC from Orbit Books/NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I freaking love the idea of multiverse and will consume anything that explores the idea. Carey has a clean way of writing that I really liked. We follow along with Hadiz and other characters from other Earths and I had a blast. I did feel the book was a little science heavy for the first 20%, but after that we pick up with more layman language and it is a great ride. I can't wait for the next installment!

I do hope the author explores the world-building a little bit more because I was left wanting. Also, I wish the author wrote separate chapters for separate POVs because I kept getting constant whiplash with the quick changes.

This was an incredible read! I've loved this author for a long time, but this one blew me away. It's a very clever use of the multiple dimensions trope in a novel, and involves a lot of themes that are really timely (such as the potential motivations behind autonomous AI systems, the nature of existence, and the ways in which different factors might lead to different sets of evolutionary outcomes on a different version of our own planet). I was very, very glad to see that it's got a sequel coming, because I was really immersed in the book and its world-building across thousands and thousands of worlds. You need to read this book. I'm so happy I got the chance!

My thanks to both NetGalley and the publisher Orbit Books for an advanced copy of this science fiction novel about multiple earths, errant AI's and people struggling to survive.

The idea of a multiverse, a million million squared worlds, each one different from the other in sometimes subtle, sometimes in huge ways is kind of comforting to me. I like the idea that somewhere out there a different me is living a life, that maybe I never had the courage to try here. Or that another me is enjoying better sequels to movies, or books by authors who never had the opportunity to publish or even better politics. Of course it is real hubris to think that I matter and that I would even be on a million million worlds, or that I would be happier or more successful on those world. But why not. Humans always think the grass if greener on the other side. The other side just happens to be behind a dimensional wall. However behind that wall maybe things are not as green, but far more dangerous. Infinity Gate is the first in a new series by best selling author M. R. Carey about the millions of Earths that exist, the power that controls them, and the enemies that might be waiting out first steps in the multiverse.

The Earth that Hadiz Tambuwal knows is slowly dying. Resources have been stretched, weather is turning and of course humans are killing themselves over what is left. Hadiz is trapped in the University that Hadiz teaches at, the last instructor with plenty of food, water, fuel and an Artifical Intelligence to help Hadiz with her work, a work that is all she has left. Hadiz has found a way of travelling to other Earths, Earths that still have resources that can help her Earth. Hadiz hopes to find intelligent life to find permanent solutions for their problems, but all of Hadiz's explorations have triggered alarms through the different Earths. For these Earths are overseen by the Pandominion, which has a few problems of its own. One of which is a war. Soon Hadiz will find others a decisions will have to be made on what side to take, and what is best for the many different worlds.

This is a big hard science fiction book that reads sort of like a fantasy quest story. There is a lot of world building which makes sense but even though the story is almost 500 pages there is no real ending just a cliffhanger for the next book. Again like a fantasy novel. There are three storylines that play one after the other, but all meet near the end, and make sense. I've enjoyed Carey's previous books, and his comic book work and this has everything I enjoy in his writing. The characters are fresh and different and fully sketched out, with a solid sense of who they are and why they are doing what they are doing. The science was nerdy fun, with lots of terminology that sold what was happening. The ideas are really good, and one can't help but get sucked into the story, I just wish there was a bit of an ending instead of having to wait for the next book. Which I will definitely read. There is a lot of potential here, and a lot of places for the story to go and I look forward to see what Carey decides.

Recommended for fans of Carey, and for readers who miss those big old hard science fiction novels that readers in the 1980's and 1990's grew up on, from authors like Gregory Benford, or Robert L. Forward. There is a quite a lot going on in the book, I can't wait to read more.

There's a lot going on here, and I like that as well as the creative plot and solid writing. While not perfect, the author does so many things right, which add up to a fun read. I look forward to the next in the series.

Thanks very much for the free ARC for review!!

I am writing this review thanks to the ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I do think that th is a good SF book and I recommend it but I believe this is MR Carey's first hard-SF opera, and, that however, shows.

The book is fun but does follow standard tropes (dystopic future leading to discovery of multiverse where it's a slightly different dystopia, evil authorities, alien AI, fish out of water but gets turned into space merc) and it's not particularly unique, particularly after reading Doors of Eden and Spaces Between Worlds. Spaces Between Worlds is going to be compared to this book a LOT because of the Afro-centrism. I do think it was a good idea to have Tade Thompson provide his input on the Lagos chapters as it feels EXTREMELY authentic and is probably the best West Africa has ever been depicted in Western SF.

But the main issue that I suspect people will have with this book is that it is 400+ pages of exposition, world building (and it's less of world building and more about developing the two major entities), and moving characters around so that they can meet up later. It's mostly just a write-up of the three main character's histories and an overview of the two major entities that are the main power centers for this world. Iain Banks was able to do all of the above AND have a mostly unique plot AND make a compelling critique about some world issue. This book is just a info dump.

I do think that the second and third books will be better and I will await their release.

Thank you to Orbit Books and Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Infinity Gate is a multiverse scifi novel that centers the Pandominion, a coalition of worlds on the brink of falling apart. It is told from the perspectives of multiple people that all converge towards the end of the book.

This book is science-heavy in a way I found really enjoyable. The way the physics of Stepping (interdimensional travel) was written was both understandable to the average reader while also feeling realistic. It reminded me of The Martian.

I enjoyed the characters more and more as the book went on. The growth Hadiz goes through in the books was outstanding and I loved how she evolved from a rather dull character to a very interesting one.

I enjoyed all the AIs in the book and the Ansurrection in particular was a very clever entity. It becomes more terrifying as you learn more.

There were parts of the book that really dragged and I felt the pacing was a bit off at times. I also found it difficult to really root for anyone or attach to the characters. The first chapter of the book tells you that the Pandominion is going to fall, which I didn't love and almost felt like it spoiled things. I would rather not know that.

Overall, the book is enjoyable but not for everyone. I'd recommend it to people to like the more science-heavy scifi.

Loved almost everything about this book. The world building, setting up each character so you care about them, the concept itself. In most ways , this is a science fiction book that I've been waiting for.
The only drawback was the ending. To literally leave it all as just the setup for the 2nd book. It would have been nice to have just a little resolution.
This will not stop me from picking up book 2 , but I'll read reviews first.

In a lot of ways, this felt like two books. The first half or so is about one scientist’s discovery of inter-dimensional travel while the second half is more about the pandominion’s fears of AI and the fight that pulls in a young girl. While I was pretty invested in the later half, the first part was pretty draggy for me. As a whole, it is necessary set up and does pull in a good sense of discovery that is satisfying to witness. Overall, this is a good book and a good start of a series, but be aware of the tone shift that takes place. There’s people who will love one part or the other, but will have a hard time sticking it out for both.

Note: arc provided in exchange for honest review
3.5 rounded to 4 stars

An interesting twist on the multiverse concept. Infinity Gate builds a large world full of different characters and sets up a story that continues to hold your interest along the way. Definitely looking forward to more novels in this series.

This was great. I always like M. R. Carey and this one has a huge setting that we only see part of, plus a few intriguing characters who all come together for the end of the book (but certainly not the series). Lots of mega-scale space opera level tech and clever technobabble, plus some neat 'local' colour for scenes set in Lagos (or close to it anyway).

This book started out quite interesting ... and grew less-so as it moved along. I probably won't read the next in sequence - read on to see why (not).

Infinity Gate is a classic Sci-Fi book in the usual ways; it posits some interesting environments where the characters live that aren't currently available to us. It then puts characters like us - and others not-so-much like us - in those environments, and stirs the pot.

Often this "interesting environment" is outer space - that 3-dimensional world off of the Earth. Not this book; instead, the book asks us to use the concept of the (quantum-derived) multiverse to believe there is (effectively) a massive number of universes, all of which arise from various moments when a universe splits into two as a result of a decision, or change, that causes one universe to follow one path of development based on that choice, and another that follows the other choice. This isn't necessarily new; see the film Sliding Doors, some Doctor Who episodes, and more.

But in this book, travel between them becomes possible, repeatedly, controllably. And the story revolves around the experiences of the characters that do so. This turns out to be well-done in the early part of the book. The discovery of the transport method, the early exploration across universes, the different ways Earth has developed - all very interesting stuff.

Then, some of the "beings" (in the broad sense of the word) encountered by travelers also start to feature large. And these are inventive explorations; interesting ideas in what "might have developed" over the same Earth time but in massively different paths through that time.

And as-is likely to be the case in this kind of story, artificial intelligences feature large. They must, for something needs to assist in making all the above happen smoothly. Since I'm trying to minimize spoilers I won't belabor what the contribution of the AIs are to the story; read & find out.

However, after about half of the book, the novel ideas are all out on the table, and from here, the story becomes a fairly standard action book - who is running from whom, the plotting of various heroic deeds, or escapes, etc. And this section of the book? Well, it becomes ... long. And then keeps the story going. Probably. A. Bit. Too. Long. (IMO).

So, I finally tired of all the escaping, and the running, and the fighting, and all the action stuff that could / should have been edited down. I ended up powering-through the last 1/3 of the book.

And finally, I've grown to greatly dislike books that intentionally set themselves up for a multi-book series by not completing an entire story in a single book - instead making one book merely a cliffhanger for the next book. I now hate this, and down-score a book at least one full point if it does this.

There are plenty of examples of how to build multi-book empires that do NOT do this. Consider Iain M. Banks' Culture series. Each book was a full story; yet, each was set in the Culture universe, with consistent technologies, conflicts, and ideas. Or, the Murderbot series by Martha Wells. The Murderbot and a few other characters, ships, and ideas are preserved; but the stories in each book are unique, and completed in each book.

Please, authors, don't do the 500-page cliffhanger. If I hear in advance that you're doing this, I will not read your first book; if I do inadvertently read it, I'm marking you down. Time for the industry to change.

3.25 stars based on the following rating scale:
- Five stars is when you read a book to the end, put it down, take a deep breath, pick it up and start reading it all over again - or you would if you weren't so anxious to read the next book in a multi-book series. Or, it's simply really good.
- Four stars is when you tell yourself : ”This is good, this is well-written, this is full of interesting ideas/characters/plot points”, but you know you will never read it again.
- Three stars is when you read it to the end, put it down and proceed to forget all about it in the next instant.
- Two stars when it's so bad that it makes you laugh, or sigh, and want to write a review, but you can't remember the name of the book or dislike it so much that you don't.
- One star when you can't read past chapter 3, even as penance for your sins.
- One star demerit if you write a long book that is obviously a cliffhanger setup to make you read a subsequent book to "finish" the story the first book sets up.

Disclosure: I received an advance copy of this book at now cost. I commit to you, reader, not to let "free" generate a falsely-positive review.

So, this book did take a bit to get going. First introducing Hadiz and then once I was into her story, it stopped and started up Essien. And I was like "okay where is this going" .. then it starts up a third time with Paz. But then after their stories came together the book flew by and I couldn't put it down. I will be impatiently waiting for the next book.

I just reviewed Infinity Gate by M. R. Carey. #NetGalley

I love a good multiverse story and this did not disappoint. Throws in some military sci fi and ruminations on sapience for good measure. Does a good job of tying up the immediate storyline while leaving me wanting more, so can't wait to see where the rest of the series takes us.