The Separation by Christopher Priest

The Separation

Christopher Priest

Strange, thoughtful and always engaging, this is a relatively straightforward narrative about a World War 2 pilot and his estranged pacifist brother. However, half way through the story shifts into a series of different realities and possibilities as the characters' decisions affect the world around them.

Extract
For me, the war was the only distraction I had from my private troubles. Now that the heavy affair with Brigit had been taken from me, I gave myself to fighting the war. In doing so I realised the danger in which I had advertently placing my crew. Those man were my closet friends and allies, yet for half the time I had been flying with them my mind had been on Brigit. I changed. I dedicated myself to war.
Parallels
  • Bomber by Len Deighton
  • Man in the Castle by Philip K Dick