The novel “Elysium Fire” by Alastair Reynolds was published for the first time in 2018. It’s part of the Revelation Space series and is the sequel to “The Prefect”.

When Prefect Thalia Ng is urgently sent to assist a dying citizen following a completely out-of-the-ordinary collapse, she quickly realizes that something strange is happening. When she brings back the deceased’s head for in-depth examination, she initially receives no explanations about the case but ultimately Supreme Prefect Jane Aumonier reveals that various citizens died due to their neural implants overheating to the point of destroying their brains.

The trust in Panoply, the prefects’ agency, has waned in recent years and demagogues like Devon Garlin are taking advantage of the discontent. The Glitter Band formed by the ten thousand habitats that orbit the planet Yellowstone risks losing unity after some habitats opted for secession. Garlin appears to have access to very confidential information and Prefect Dreyfus thinks he’s hiding something.