Greg Bear used to be one of my favourite SF authors, signifying a guarantee of quality. Eon (1985), Darwin’s Radio (1999) and Blood Music (1985) are in my all-time favourites list. However, 2008’s City at the End of Time left me cold and disappointed. I picked up Bear’s latest with low expectations, especially as the blurb informed me the novel was “edge of your seat thriller”. I can’t imagine why the publisher’s thought that would appeal to Bear’s fans, or hard SF fans in general. Maybe they thought they might mislead a more contemporary readership into picking up the book.

The trope is a familiar one. A protagonist wakes up in a mystery location with no memory of who he is or how he came to be there. This time, however, the man is in a space shape apparently lost and damaged. He is torn from a dream of a newly colonised planet. He is naked, wet and freezing. The purpose and destination of the ship are unknown. The design of the vessel is curious at best and the remaining crew are a mixed bag of creatures and people, none of whom appear to have any answers. There are even monsters roaming the corridors. Throughout the course of the novel, our protagonist must discover who he is, and the purpose of the mission. He must make alliances with characters who are not all they initially appear to be. He must decode the meaning of the dream he recalls more and more.

The best thing about Hull Zero Three is that at its heart, it is a character based piece with the subtext of trying to understand oneself and one’s place in the universe. This is back to the earlier style of Bear’s work, where people matter more than the ideas. As the main character, who learns that he’s a Teacher, discovers more about himself, and the language he slowly remembers, so the reader is exposed to more clues to solve the mystery. I wouldn’t say the conclusion is fairly obvious, but it was a bit of a letdown. I won’t say anymore as to not ruin it for others. However, the revelations during the journey are the main draw, and for that it is worth turning each page. The atmosphere Bear creates is what really keeps you engrossed. You want to find out why the characters have their specific motivations. You want to find out what went wrong with the ship. You want to know who the woman in the dream was. The slow reveal highlights Bear’s skill with prose. The weight of the idea behind the ship and the purpose of the mission doesn’t detract from the unfolding story. Even the denouement doesn’t detract too much.

Hull Zero Three isn’t a full return to form for Bear, in my opinion. Nor is it a thriller, by the edge of your seat or any other type. It is a slow burning mystery set in a well-crafted dramatic atmosphere, with a satisfying central character. Well worth a read.

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