“What happens to survivors at the end of an interstellar war? In the latest from Reynolds ("Revelation Space" series), refugees, soldiers, and criminals are loaded aboard the same vessel and plunged into cryo-suspension. When Scur wakes in her capsule, she's confused, as it seems far too soon and no one is in charge. With the ship's computer in terminal decline and the only stable source of information the slow bullets injected into their bodies, Scur and the other passengers must decide what's more important, their personal lives or the larger fate of humanity. VERDICT While shorter than Reynolds's usual fare, this is no less ambitious in covering vast scopes of space and time while addressing big questions. Suggest to fans of Ian MacDonald or Kim Stanley Robinson, particularly those who liked Aurora.”
—Library Journal, starred review

“Reynolds does his usual fine job of creating a compelling narrative out of the classic materials of space opera as viewed through a modern sensibility and an awareness of the real science of space travel. Recommended.”
—Asimov’s

A Buzzfeed June pick

“This is not military science fiction, this is war opera. Recommended!”
—Bewildering Stories

“Alastair Reynolds’ new novella Slow Bullets has the scope of a much longer work (Edward Gibbon’s The Rise and Fall of the Roman Empires, say), the literary speed of the most rapidly hurtling bullet, and so many provocative scientific and / or philosophical ideas that even Steven Hawking’s head might well spin with them. Moreover, Reynolds artfully compresses all these disparate elements into a portable trade paperback or a weightless e-file, the better to accommodate our busy reading habits and the more fully to entertain us.

“Let me also note that Slow Bullets posits a far-future situation akin to the one that we confront on planet Earth today, but leavens his fictional crisis with a hard-won grasp of human psychology and a down-to-the-ground optimism that bestows on its readers reasons for supposing our ‘dammed human race’ nimble enough to overcome our demanding real-world crisis du jour. A fine example of the true science fictionist’s art . . . ‘with a bullet,’ as the editors at Billboard Magazine used to say.”
—Michael Bishop, author of A Funeral for the Eyes of Fire, And Strange at Ecbatan the Trees, and Transfigurations

“Alastair Reynolds is the world's best writer of space opera. If you have any doubts, then read Slow Bullets.”
—Allen Steele, author of Coyote and Spindrift

“The writing is tight, the characters are well developed, and the story itself moves along at a cracking pace.”
—Science Fiction & Fantasy Book Corner

“Slow Bullets is classic science fiction, a space opera, a puzzle story, a character study, visionary science fiction, and a prayer for peace. I see no reason why you should not love it.”
—Michael Swanwick, author of Tales of Old Earth and Dancing with Bears

“Alastair Reynolds weaves a tapestry of dark, dystopian societies in a tense, colorful narrative.”
—New York Journal of Books

“Slow Bullets is a huge leap forward for Alastair Reynolds”
—Strange Horizons

“a great introduction to Reynolds’ style and skill.”
—Fantasy Literature

“...his writing mixes spartan style, provocative ideas, and flashes of dark humor.... Reynolds excels at weaving different threads together....”
—Los Angeles Review of Books

“It’s a more intimate vision than what I encountered until now in Reynolds’ books, but for this very reason it felt more profound and poignant than any other I read so far, and it gave me a new level of interpretation for this author, and a key to a new way of reading his stories. Highly recommended, both for Reynolds' admirers and as an introduction to this author.”
—Space and Sorcery

“...eminently worthwhile...”
—Green Man Review

“Slow Bullets captured my attention and did not let up until the ride was over.... Highly recommended.”
—SFFWorld

“Highly recommended”
—Best Science Fiction Books

“...a captivating first-person narrative...”
—Wales Arts Review

“Slow Bullets, the new novella by Alastair Reynolds is space opera condensed into one of its most potent forms. Mystery, conflict, crisis, strange aliens and a story of interstellar scope - you’ll find it all...”
—Worlds in Ink

“Fantastic little piece of space noir. It's not often a short novella will congruously go places the reader could not even guess in the first few pages, but this story does so flawlessly. As always, Reynolds writes excellent female protagonists, who get to have identities not at all anchored to their gender.
—Fat Robot

“Stylistically this is a masterpiece to behold. Slick and polished, Slow Bullets will please the palette of any reader of any genre, not just science fiction.”
—Open Book Society

“...effortlessly genius and impossible for me to put down.”
—Little Red Reviewer

“Slow Bullets is a confident read from Reynolds that will please fans and newcomers alike, and hopefully it will draw in new readers and encourage them to explore more of the writer’s work. Highly Recommended.”
—The Fictional Hangout

“Reynolds is good at any length, but really shines with novellas like this one.”
—SF Signal

“The story that Slow Bul­lets became had me enthralled. . . . If sci­ence fic­tion, mystery, and polit­i­cal thrillers intrigue you, I highly recommend Slow Bul­lets.”

—The Warbler