Deep Wheel Orcadia

Unlikely blend of science fiction and prose poetry, with the (complementary) Orcadian Scots and English translation run alongside each other, and a slow accretion of relatively contained poem-chapters building up to a bigger picture, a (fraught) romance intertangling with (what I took to be) a ghost story, and glimpses of an insular, long-isolated community on the brink of sudden, potentially far-reaching change. Enjoyed it a great deal, particularly at a more granular, linguistic and conceptual level. I was initially a bit perplexed by what seemed like an abrupt ending, with insufficient narrative resolution or closure, but, on reflection, have come to terms with this being about my own (genre) expectations (of science fiction), rather than any deficiencies in the text. Would warmly recommend, but I really should have tackled it in fewer sittings, as it clearly benefits from sustained reader immersion.

The sci-fi draws you in, the prose keep you there

This is a beautiful book, and as near to perfect as I can imagine a poem or a science fiction story could be. The English translation is a shimmering lens that draws you into the Orkney text but never overwrites it—a tremendous achievement—and the text of the poem itself is a sonic latticework that rolls and ravishes without demanding a close semantic reading. The story is told through many voices, and the focus on everyday interpersonal moments is a welcome change from the bombastic norm in science fiction. This is a work that feels whole, but not closed, and one that I anticipate returning to again and again.