Alistair Reynolds has quickly worked his way to top of my 'favorite authors' list and shows no signs of being deposed. Revelation Space is the first book in a set of five* that cover mans first steps into deep space, the evolution of man along varying principles - for example Conjoiners who are a neurally enhanced collective, to Ultra's who opt for cyborg type body enhancement making them more machine than human. It looks at man colanising space and in reaching out further into deep space, the sinister discovery that we are indeed alone in the universe - as every other race of beings has mysteriously died out - or have they been wiped out!
This book is how the good old fashioned space opera should be - Arthur C Clarke style - big space story that will leave you saying "Wow" when you finish it. Believe me you will immediately look for the next books in the series - (* Revelation Space, Chasm City, Redemption Ark, Absolution Gap and The Prefect)
It should be mentioned that Reynold is an astro-physicist by trade and I particularly like the fact that in describing a piece of technology from 300 years into the future, he explains the theory or physics behind the idea that leaves you thinking - 'yeah.. that makes sense'
Can't recommend this book highly enough... read it!