House of Suns

Alastair Reynolds' "House of Suns" is an epic space opera that unfurls across six million years of galactic history, focusing on the extraordinary Gentian Line. Conceived at the dawn of interstellar travel by Abigail Gentian, these 'shatterlings' are a thousand male and female clones, each dispatched into the cosmos to observe and meticulously document the rise and fall of countless human civilizations. Their ancient tradition mandates a grand Gathering every two hundred thousand years, a momentous occasion where they reconvene to exchange accumulated memories and knowledge. However, the latest scheduled Gathering never materializes. A shadowy, relentless force has begun systematically eliminating the Gentian Line, threatening to erase their unique, millennia-spanning legacy. Amidst this existential crisis, two shatterlings, Campion and Purslane – who have dared to defy the strictures of their lineage by falling in love and sharing forbidden experiences – find themselves inextricably caught in the heart of this galaxy-spanning mystery. They must embark on a desperate quest, navigating ancient secrets and unimaginable distances, to uncover the identity of their enemy before their entire immortal lineage is irrevocably wiped from existence.