''Keeping It Real'' is a

science fiction Science fiction (often shortened to sci-fi or abbreviated SF) is a genre of speculative fiction that deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts. These concepts may include information technology and robotics, biological manipulations, space ...

novel A novel is an extended work of narrative fiction usually written in prose and published as a book. The word derives from the for 'new', 'news', or 'short story (of something new)', itself from the , a singular noun use of the neuter plural of ...

by British writer

Justina Robson Justina Robson (born 11 June 1968 in Leeds, England) is a science fiction author from Leeds, England. Biography and publishing history Justina Robson was born in Leeds on 11 June 1968, and studied philosophy and linguistics at the University o ...

, the first in the Quantum Gravity series.

Synopsis

Agent Lila Black is a

cyborg A cyborg (, a portmanteau of ''cybernetics, cybernetic'' and ''organism'') is a being with both Organic matter, organic and biomechatronic body parts. The term was coined in 1960 by Manfred Clynes and Nathan S. Kline.elves An elf (: elves) is a type of humanoid supernatural being in Germanic folklore. Elves appear especially in North Germanic mythology, being mentioned in the Icelandic ''Poetic Edda'' and the ''Prose Edda''. In medieval Germanic-speakin ...

fairies A fairy (also called fay, fae, fae folk, fey, fair folk, or faerie) is a type of mythical being or legendary creature, generally described as anthropomorphism, anthropomorphic, found in the folklore of multiple European cultures (including Cel ...

demons A demon is a malevolent supernatural entity. Historically, belief in demons, or stories about demons, occurs in folklore, mythology, religion, occultism, and literature; these beliefs are reflected in media including fiction, comics, film, t ...

and other magical creatures access to the Earth. Agent Black is assigned to protect the first Elven rock star, Zal, whose decision to live amongst humans and 'go native' has been met with considerable animosity amongst his own people. Black has to protect Zal from death or capture whilst uncovering secrets that threaten the relationships between the realms.

Reception

Publishers Weekly ''Publishers Weekly'' (''PW'') is an American weekly trade news magazine targeted at publishers, librarians, booksellers, and literary agents. Published continuously since 1872, it has carried the tagline, "The International News Magazine of ...

'' called it "entertaining", with "deft prose".Keeping It Real
reviewed at ''

''; published January 29, 2007; retrieved May 4, 2022 ''

GamesRadar ''GamesRadar+'' (formerly ''GamesRadar'') is an entertainment website for video game-related news, previews, and reviews. It is owned by Future plc. In late 2014, Future Publishing-owned sites ''Total Film'', '' SFX'', '' Edge'' and ''Computer ...

'' described it as "serious fun", emphasizing its "breakneck pace, oneliners and action set-pieces", but also its "deeper themes surrounding identity, sexual politics and the clash of cultures".KEEPING IT REAL - QUANTUM GRAVITY, BOOK ONE REVIEW
reviewed by Jonathan Wright, at ''

''; published September 17, 2006; retrieved May 4, 2022 '' Infinity Plus'' praised its "well-written characters, witty dialogue and, in this case, tons of popcultural references", particularly commending Robson for having addressed "the sheer weight of extensive prosthetics and how it must feel when the servos quit working", but faulted the extent to which "the fast-paced narrative gets muddled by a lot of elven intrigue, which is difficult to follow and which didn't engage he reviewer'sinterest enough to really try."Keeping it Real: Quantum Gravity Book One
reviewed by Jakob Schmidt, at '' Infinity Plus''; published March 31, 2007; retrieved May 4, 2022 At ''

Strange Horizons ''Strange Horizons'' is an online magazine, online speculative fiction magazine. It also features speculative poetry and non-fiction in every issue, including reviews, essays, interviews, and roundtables. History and profile It was launched in S ...

'',

Colin Harvey James Colin Harvey (born 16 November 1944) is an English former professional association football, footballer who is best known for his time as a player, coach and manager with Everton F.C., Everton. Playing career Harvey was born in Liverpool ...

found it to be "the most densely plotted fantasy novel" since

Roger Zelazny Roger Joseph Zelazny (May 13, 1937 – June 14, 1995) was an American fantasy and science fiction writer known for his short stories and novels, best known for '' The Chronicles of Amber''. He won the Nebula Award three times (out of 14 nominatio ...

's ''

The Chronicles of Amber ''The Chronicles of Amber'' is a series of fantasy novels by American writer Roger Zelazny. The main series consists of two story arcs, each five novels in length. Additionally, there are a number of Amber short stories and other works. Whil ...

'', lauding "Robson’s efforts to give magic logical underpinnings", with Lila being a "credible and sympathetic überspy" despite having "a huge backstory for a twenty-one-year-old, perhaps too much to be entirely credible".KEEPING IT REAL BY JUSTINA ROBSON
reviewed by

; published July 17, 2006; retrieved May 4, 2022

References

2006 science fiction novels 2006 British novels Science fantasy novels Victor Gollancz Ltd books {{2000s-sf-novel-stub