Marin Morse Wooster, of the Washington Post, calls Ian McDonald “one of the best sf novelists of our time” in his review of River of Gods:
“…a bold, brave look at India on the eve of its centennial, 41 years from now. MacDonald has become increasingly popular in recent years, and it’s easy to see why in this novel, his first to earn him a Hugo nomination. …MacDonald takes his readers from India’s darkest depths to its most opulent heights, from rioting mobs and the devastated poor to high-level politicians and lavish parties. He handles his complex plot with flair and confidence and deftly shows how technological advances and social changes have subtly changed lives. River of Gods is a major achievement from a writer who is becoming one of the best sf novelists of our time.”