TThis is a old school space romance in the finest sense of that meaning. The posthuman Alphas are effectively immortal and indestructible, their few thousands share an entire virgin replica of Earth that the old guard of brilliant scientists are just putting the finishing touches on. But not all is aright; the Prince is away on an odyssey, his old advisers have sunk into isolation and petty grievances, the young are restless and confused, the biosphere is breaking down, the sun collapsing, and the next-generation starship Magellan refuses to turn on.

The writing is lyrical, and while the plot sags a little in the middle, I finished the book in a single sitting. Atkinson sketches a big question, "when everything is possible, what is worthwhile?" without answering it, but for all their power, the Alphans are recognizably people, sunk in nostalgia and their personality flaws. And by romantic, I mean that this is a book that takes the power of personality seriously. Skilled hackers can reprogram machine code in minutes, power comes from sheer genius, villains get their just desserts, and love triumphs over all (especially if it's between a perfect princess and a deserving commoner). This is not a book for those who prefer their SF with grit and moral ambiguity, but it delivers more than its share of joy.

(And for disclosure purposes, I met Bill, and he's a great guy, so take that for what you will.)