The Prefect

Alastair Reynolds

2007 • 586 pages

Ratings67

Average rating4.1

Critically-acclaimed author Alastair Reynolds creates “a fascinating hybrid of space opera, police procedural and character study”(Publishers Weekly) in this novel in his Revelation Space universe. Tom Dreyfus is a Prefect, a law enforcement officer with the Panoply. His beat is the Glitter Band, that vast swirl of space habitats orbiting the planet Yellowstone, the teeming hub of a human interstellar empire spanning many worlds. His current case: investigating a murderous attack against one of the habitats that leaves nine hundred people dead. But his investigation uncovers something far more serious than mass slaughter—a covert plot by an enigmatic entity who seeks nothing less than total control of the Glitter Band.

Genres

Want to edit this book?Become a Librarian

Series

4 primary books10 released books

#0.1 in Revelation Space

Revelation Space is a 10-book series with 5 released primary works first released in 1999 with contributions by Alastair Reynolds.

#0.1

#0.2

#0.3

#0.5

Featured Series

3 primary books

#1 in Prefect Dreyfus Emergency

Prefect Dreyfus Emergency is a 3-book series with 3 released primary works first released in 2007 with contributions by Alastair Reynolds.

Popular Reviews

Reviews with the most likes.

John

Great story, world building and plot, lots to digest in the first 100 pages but it's worth it

November 9, 2022

William

A great blending of classic detective story, very relevant social commentary, and true thought-provoking science fiction equal to any of the greats of the genre.

The story follows Tom Dreyfus, a policeman who loves two things, tea and democracy. The story takes place in an imagined future in which information technology has allowed referendums to become routine. Dreyfus as a Prefect (a policeman of this society) sees himself as a guardian of democracy who protects the will of the people, an admirable position, except for a one thing: What happens when democracy is wrong?

I strongly recommend this series.

June 5, 2015