Books like Troika

This terrific novella reminded me of a 21st century cross between Rendezvous with Rama by Arthur C. Clarke and Rogue Moon by Algis Budrys. First, you have the huge mysterious object that enters into our solar system, which no one has done better than Clarke in the first Rama book (IMHO). Second, you have said object being incomprehensible and very deadly to those studying it (until they learn through trial and error what to avoid). NO ONE has ever done that better than Budrys did in Rogue Moon. However, despite incorporating recognizable tropes from some classic SF novels, Reynolds certainly makes this his own story with a well-conceived, very well written story whose story of wonder carries an important central message...WE MUST CONTINUE TO EXPLORE SPACE!! The novella is set in a future in which a 2nd Soviet Socialist Republic is the dominant world power, which I thought was a very interesting setting. Suddenly appearing in our solar system is a MASSIVENORMOUS alien construct (later named Matryoshka). I don’t want to describe or give details about the shape and configuration of Matryoshka because it is so mind-blowing and I don’t want to spoil the wonder. I’ll just say that I thought it was brilliant and the final description regarding the reason for its configuration was superb. I know I sound like a complete plot teaser right now, but it can’t be helped...trust me, it's worth it. Anyway, the story concerns three Russian cosmonauts sent out to investigate Matryoshka. During the mission, they make a discovery that could change...EVERYTHING!! However, no one knows about the discovery because all three of the space jockeys are now under guard at a Soviet “research center” and no information about what happened has been released. One of these cosmonauts escapes from the research center at the beginning of the book and tries to locate a female astronomer who developed a controversial theory regarding the origin of the alien construct. The story of the expedition to Matryoshka is told in a series of flashbacks by the fugitive cosmonaut and it all converges in the final reveal which I found more than worthwhile. Reynolds writing is both crisp where it needs to be and also beautifully descriptive when it needs to be. The balance of these two is impressive. Here is an example of the latter: \ I touched the wall. Knowledge, clean and viridescent, as brittle and endlessly branching as a flower chilled in liquid nitrogen, forced its way into my skull. I felt mental sutures straining under the pressure. I flinched back...The contact could not have lasted more than an instant, but the information that had gushed through was ringing in my skull like the after-chime of God’s own church bell. \ In summary, this is a smart, well-crafted story with some brain-scrambling ideas and a very satisfying ending. 4.0 stars. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!