A little while ago, I gave a recommendation to this latest sci-fi novel by Gareth L. Powell, Future's Edge. Now I've read the thing in full, I can give a full review for what this platform is worth. This review is based on a copy of the paperback edition, releasing 25 February (I somehow got a copy over a fortnight early). So...is it worth reading?
The story principally follows Ursula Morrow, an archaeologist with two major issues in her life: an alien organism from an artefact that has bonded with her on a molecular level and rendered her invulnerable to injury, and being one of a small number of humans who escape Earth when it is attacked by a hostile alien force dubbed the Cutters. When an old flame turns up, she is drawn into a search for the artefact that infected her, as there is a chance it may be the key to turning the tide against the Cutters before they wipe out both humanity and other interstellar species under threat from a systematic genocide.
The story is neither simple nor overly complex, and is quite pacy. If I'm being blunt, the premise and overall set-up isn't anything truly groundbreaking. I was seeing constant parallels to sci-fi works including Titan A.E. and Dead Space, but the real quality lies in its writing and characters. Ursula is instantly likeable and relatable, and the predicaments she finds herself in are both outlandish and grounded. The supporting cast is also entertaining, from her ship captain ex-lover Jack to "Chris", the AI persona of his ship the Crisis Actor (one of the best-written AI characters in a long time, I might add). The writing also solidly portrays the desperation of a species being hunted to extinction, and other aspects I won't be touching on because spoilers..
I'll also say that this is a great place to jump into Powell's work. I may be wrong, but there don't appear to be any explicit continuity links with earlier sci-fi series, just a commonality of theme. Is it a repeat read? Not immediately, but definitely eventually. I have some issues with its ending, but that's more down to personal taste than overall quality. There are books I read once then never really touch again (Leviathan Wakes and Battle Royale spring to mind), so that I want to re-read this is a mark of its quality. I wouldn't say no to a continuation of this universe and these characters. Especially Ursula, as she is an entertaining protagonist.
8/10
(This has no impact on my score, but the paperback copy I received had some minor printing errors caused by crumpled pages and small typos. These are purely mechanical and do not impact my opinion of the story and writing quality.)
No comments:
Post a Comment