Mind-bending SF combined with a sharp, accurate sense of history are MacDonald hallmarks. In ‘Shaka’ and its sequel ‘Kirinya’, he got east Africa right as a setting for a very strange future. In ‘River of Gods’, he takes on the challenge of ‘Midnight’s Children’ for a 100th birthday festival of a blockbuster. Ever thought of Shiva, Kali & Co as software?

Another fantastic book by Ian McDonald, who’s been on my ``must buy’’ list since his first book, Out on Blue Six appeared as part of the revamped Bantam Spectra Specials series. India. Artificial intelligence. Amazing.

Could easy have been an “oh God, not another Singularity rehash,” but is, fortunately, more like what would happen if William Gibson were Salman Rushdie.