''The Pillars of Eternity'' is the tenth novel by the science fiction author

Barrington J. Bayley Barrington J. Bayley (9 April 1937 – 14 October 2008) was an English science fiction writer. Biography Bayley was born in Birmingham, England, and educated in Newport, Shropshire. He worked a number of jobs before joining the Royal Air Forc ...

Background

The protagonist is deformed space pilot Joachim Boaz, rescued from his homeworld by the Collonadist philosophers who replace his skeleton with a regenerating artificial endoskeleton and teach that all events are destined to repeat themselves throughout time. After suffering a major accident, kept alive by the endoskeleton, he has become confined to a spacesuit and seeks vengeance on the collonadists by attempting to alter the future, disproving their philosophy. His chance is granted when the Meirjain the Wanderer is rediscovered, a lost planet where gemstones capable of altering the flow of time can be found.

Literary significance and reception

Rhys Hughes Rhys Henry Hughes (born 1966, Cardiff, Wales) is a Welsh fantasy writer and essayist. Career Born in Cardiff, Hughes has written in a variety of forms, from short stories to novels. His long novel ''Engelbrecht Again!'' is a sequel to Maur ...

reviewed '' Star Winds'' and ''The Pillars of Eternity'' as "offbeat" but ultimately reworkings of earlier material.

John Clute John Frederick Clute (born 12 September 1940) is a Canadian-born author and critic specializing in science fiction and fantasy literature who has lived in both England and the United States since 1969. He has been described as "an integral part ...

characterised Bayley's later novels as taking "an orrery joy in the galaxies," adding that though Bayley's fans were never great in number, they remained loyal throughout his career.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pillars of Eternity 1982 British novels 1982 science fiction novels Space opera novels British science fiction novels Novels by Barrington J. Bayley DAW Books books