Ranking everything in the Revelation Space universe. Spoilers hidden.
I have now read everything in the Revelation Space universe upon finishing Inhibitor Phase. Ever since first picking up Chasm City on a whim a few years ago, I have become more and more immersed in the lore and it's actually quite sad that it's over.
Here is my personal ranking of every novel (N), novella (Na) and short story (SS) with a few short comments. If you rank something higher or lower than where I do, that is absolutely valid. I also ask that you hide spoilers if you want to discuss something specific - you won't spoil it for me, but you could for other people.
Open and Shut (SS) - A short story bridging Aurora Rising and Elysium Fire. Nothing of note actually happens here other than a reflective conversation about the past. >!Jane Aumonier gives an update on her recovery after her ordeal in Aurora Rising.!<
Weather (Na) - A survival story in which pirates attack a lighthugger whose crew enlists the help of a conjoiner to repair the damage, which is more complicated than first thought.
Glacial (Na) - A mystery story in which the characters investigate what looks like a catastrophe at a colony station. When the letters >!in the ice were recalled a few times, it was easy to guess where the story was going!<. At the end, the concept of the >!chemicals on the worms affecting direction of movement through the tunnels and implying a degree of sentience!< was quite interesting.
Absolution Gap (N) - Inhibitor Sequence #3. The Hela subplot (>!a single human looking for riches ends up founding a colony and a religion!<) is a welcome difference to what readers of the RS universe are accustomed to. A few other instances such as the introduction of >!the shadows!< and the >!Clavain/Skade/Scorpio standoff!< were very well done. However, the ending >!was very anti-climatic and ultimately amounted to nothing from a stakes/payoff point of view.!< But from a continuity point of view, it was probably for the best.
Plague Music (SS) - The latest of three short stories set around the emergence of the melding plague. The 'music' refers to the sounds made by infected architecture. I wonder if the title is a small nod to Blood Music by Greg Bear. This story strikes me as a filler, like Open and Shut.
Aurora Rising (The Prefect) (N) - Prefect Dreyfus Emergency #1. This is set before the Melding Plague so it sets a different tone to the other main works in the universe. It dives right into the world building starting with Panoply's role in society. Other than loose connections to other stories, I think the plot in AR is the weakest of the trilogy.
Night Passage (SS) - A subplot in Revelation Space involves contact >!with the Shrouders!< and this short story explains how >!humanity came to discover their existence!<. It ties up loose ends set around that time pretty nicely.
Monkey Suit (SS) - The second story set around the Melding Plague. It explores closure for a fallen comrade, with a more hopeful tone.
Turquoise Days (Na) - I thought this story took longer than it needed to to get going properly. It shares similar devices to A Spy in Europa, namely >!visitors coming to sabotage the operations of a research entity!<. In this story, however, the immediate repercussions are not applicable to >!just one person!<. If you're wondering why I rank this story lower in that regard, I'll come to that. Overall, a very engaging story that shows there are bad apples everywhere.
Great Wall of Mars (Na) - The first story in the universe chronology. It highlights the mutual struggle between those who have achieved the early stages of transhumanism and those who find such a thing unethical. Another theme is whether it is just to halt an uneasy peace in the name of a higher cause.
Elysium Fire (N) - Prefect Dreyfus Emergency #2. If comments on subreddits are to go by, people would probably rank this lower than Aurora Rising. I rank it accordingly for two reasons: 1. The threat become more and more chaotic over time. 2. We delve into the affairs of a Demarchist family that isn't featured in other works.
Dilation Sleep (SS) - The very first story, published in 1990, that birthed the RS universe. Set aboard a ship fleeing the Melding Plague. A very short story, but rather spooky.
Grafenwalder's Bestiary (Na) - I liked how this story is where the stories >!A Spy in Europa!< and >!Diamond Dogs!< are linked from different directions. I see it as a story highlighting animal exploitation and punishing those responsible.
Machine Vendetta (N) - Prefect Dreyfus Emergency #3. This seemed to be closer to a cop story than the other two entries. I really enjoyed it, but >!Aurora setting civilians onto Panoply and leaving the latter with little choice other than armed retaliation, and then Aurora only standing down after being yelled at!< was a big flaw. The ending for Dreyfus' personal story, however, was perfect and I wouldn't have written it any other way.
Inhibitor Phase (N) - Inhibitor Sequence #4. I finished this book today and I do have a few questions which I could probably find the answers to elsewhere. The beginning was promising, set in a hidden colony which enforces strict rules against what could threaten its survival. I liked how the 'dream' arc was essentially >!Great Wall of Mars!< from >!Warren Clavain's!< point of view which I thought was suitable, sort of bringing the saga full circle.
Galactic North (SS) - This story spans the largest time frame of any story in the RS universe. I think because of this, Alastair Reynolds had to take extra care to avoid continuity errors for future works, as this was originally published in 1999. That would at least explain how >!Inhibitor Phase!< couldn't directly involve the >!Greenfly Machines!< like in the epilogue of >!Absolution Gap!<, albeit as an implication.
As for the story itself, it shows another level of bleakness if you read the other major books before it.
Nightingale (Na) - This story is very underrated and isn't the subject of discussion as much as it should be. The gist of the story is if one fixes something only for it to be broken time and time again, what is the point of their existence? And the final message to be taken from the story is basically be careful what you wish for.
Diamond Dogs (Na) - A brilliant character vs environment story of a similar nature to the movie 'The Cube', which is actually indirectly referenced in the story, funnily enough.
A Spy in Europa (SS) - A truly remarkable story. It lives up to its name with numerous twists that get better and better. At one point, I even grinned. The main reason why I rank this higher than Turquoise Days is because the manipulation in this story is present from the first word. The only bad thing about this story is its short length.
The Last Log of the Lachrimosa (SS) - This story is creepy. The plot is suspenseful throughout, but the most interesting thing is the format in which it is written. It alternates between the story proper and a one-way conversation in second person providing the foreshadowing for what comes next. I wonder if the ending was inspired by >!Saw!<.
Revelation Space (N) - Inhibitor Sequence #1. I had to read this one in smaller sittings compared to its sequels. It might because I was fairly new to the universe's lore at the time. I enjoyed reading the subplots from either side of the Melding Plague and was satisfied with the way they converged.
Chasm City (N) - Standalone. It was hard to pick between 1st and 2nd place. A book exploring revenge, identity and the moral compass in three separate plots... >!About the same person!<. I would read Redemption Ark after this to better understand the section in RA set around Yellowstone.
Redemption Ark (N) - Inhibitor Sequence #2. In my opinion, the strongest book in the series. This delves deep into Conjoiner society. I thought the >!Night Council being a facade and was just the Madamoiselle playing Skade like a violin!< was incredibly thought out. In this book, we see the destructive power of the Inhibitor machines for the first time.
Thank you for taking the time to read this list. If there is something you'd change, I'd be interested to know. Don't forget to hide spoilers!