Top positive review
4.0 out of 5 starsThe best of both worlds
Reviewed in Australia on 17 November 2019
Riddle caps off his previous 2 parter- and just keeps going. The Lost Colony is the (true) ending to the The Long Winter trilogy that in true Riddle fashion touches on everything from quantum physics, existentialism, creationism all wrapped up in a captivating land before time.
As a Chrisitan, one interesting thing to note is that Riddle can do all this and comes so very close to a complete realisation for the universe without once mentioning God, The Bible or religion.
Which is both a testament to the type of writing he produces but also a little sad. There is so much of the author's own ideas, wants longings and desires wrapped up in this book that it can be a little dissapointing that the ultimate realisation is, Black holes/time travel and the rebirth of time adnorsium.
The Lost Colony was pitched as a novella and the story seemingly ends about 50% of the way through before launching into a well thought out Matrix style denouncement of everything that has been going on. Riddle doesn't stop writing though until the full details and all the loose ends are tied up which is really the reward for sticking through it.
Parts of the book are circular on purpose, there are reparative parts to this book and again, the first 50% feels like padding from the 2nd book as people literally run in circles and it can get a bit tedious.
Gerry ultimately pitches 2 AI as "the angel and the demon" sitting on the shoulders of the universe arguing over the creation of humans and their right to exist. He uses a well-known self help philosophy book as a his "Bible" and even comes around to the foundations of what is essentially establishing the first Church.
If you liked the ending of Lost, Battlestar and you liked the quantum physics in Interstellar there is a LOT to chew on here. Classic Riddle, always pondering if our world is even real or not, I read this in a weekend and would recommend it to everyone.
