Nophek Gloss by Essa Hansen
I would like to thank Nazia from Orbit for a copy of this novel in exchange for a fair and honest review
Publisher – Orbit
Published – Out Now
Price - £8.99 paperback £4.99 Kindle eBook
In this dark, dangerous, roller coaster of a debut, a young man sets out on a single-minded quest for revenge across a breathtaking multiverse filled with aliens, mind-bending tech, and ships beyond his wildest imagining. Essa Hansen's is a bold new voice for the next generation of science fiction readers.
Caiden's planet is destroyed. His family gone. And, his only hope for survival is a crew of misfit aliens and a mysterious ship that seems to have a soul and a universe of its own. Together they will show him that the universe is much bigger, much more advanced, and much more mysterious than Caiden had ever imagined. But the universe hides dangers as well, and soon Caiden has his own plans.
He vows to do anything it takes to get revenge on the slavers who murdered his people and took away his home. To destroy their regime, he must infiltrate and dismantle them from the inside, or die trying.
One of the best things about a genre is the breadth in the types of stories you can have. Science fiction can contain 1984, The Handmaid’s Tale, The Martian, The Expanse and Bill and Ted. All are valid forms of science fiction. Like different chefs let loose in the kitchen despite using similar ingredients we get different tastes and experiences created for us to enjoy. In Essa Hansen’s highly entertaining novel Nophek Gloss we get a exhilarating adventure through space, vast empires and yet balanced with great character beats that will take you by the throat as you want to know more what happens to them and still finish with a smile saying now that was a ride!
Caiden is a 14-year-old boy living on a no mark world who is patiently awaiting for his ordained life to begin as a mechanic on a world where rearing herds of bovine creatures is pretty much the whole economy. His people are controlled by benevolent Overseers who hide behind masks and rarely get seen in public. Then one day the herds all die, and the Overseers summon the entire population to be taken away and secretly murdered. Caiden sees his family and friends destroyed on a strange alien world at the mercy of huge blood crazed animals known as Nophek. Racing for his life he finds an abandoned starship and at the same time a crew of stranded space travellers who need a ship; that plus Caiden accidentally getting his hands on one of the rarest materials in the universe foud inside the Nophek – Gloss. A large piece of Gloss means Caiden has a chance to escape and find out what makes the multiverse he finds himself in so dangerous. Caiden also seeks revenge on his Overseers who he now finds out are known as the Casthen so using his new funds he accelerates his body’s growth, deepens his knowledge and combat training and despite his new crew’s reservation plunges himself into a world of galactic politics and danger.
I would definitely say this has been one of the most fun science fiction reads of the year. Hansen manages the trick of giving a rattling good story mixed with some really interesting characters. In just the first hundred pages we have a battle for survival on an alien world, space station brawls and an overview of the multiverse (an unusual idea of patchy parts of space where in each physics and biology are different that can offer great riches and dangers). This is space opera in the sense of Star Wars and anime fast-moving, full of wonderful spectacles and yet Hansen knows when to slow the pace and give us time for characters to develop. It’s never boring, and we get ideas thrown at us left right and centre from organic ships with their own minds, battling powers, hi tech augmentation and even the ability to age your body and intelligence which Caiden makes use of. Add in Hansen’s very visual style and a writer who is not afraid to make aliens seem alien we get a delight of races, different settings and constant adventure. This is a book with a great cinematic wow factor in abundance.
That would suggest a tale with style but pleasingly we also get substance in the character. Caiden is given an arc and Hansen doesn’t quickly ignore the fact that he is someone who has seen his world destroyed. We get to experience his survivor guilt that very much drives his sometimes-flawed decision making but he’s approachable and practical. In support is the crew/found family he becomes part of a group filled with interesting characters – two standouts for me was the genderfluid and ever changing En who enjoys being a scoundrel and the loyal, friendly but occasionally surprising Taitn who acts a big brother to his charge. They’re all interesting on their own but also, they complement Caiden’s learning to mature even if not always successful. This makes the finale when the stakes are high, and the team is very much in danger really make you worry as to who will survive.
The most interesting character though that Caiden gets involved with is a Casthen known as Threi who becomes a strange constant companion, pain in the neck antagonist, mentor and co-conspirator to Caiden. Smart strong and clearly playing a million chessboards at once every time he appears you’re looking for his agenda and his angles. He’s that interesting mix of someone you want to see do his stuff as is he so competent and on top of things and also you don’t trust him as far as you throw him even when he appears sincere. Caiden and Thiel in the latter half of the book have to learn to work together to take down one of the most dangerous people in the multiverse and the one who may outmatch Thiel for having schemes everywhere which gives the book a challenge. Weirdly Thiel gave me very much a Thanos vibe – clearly one to watch carefully!
My one reservation is in some ways we have seen a special young man take on the universe and discovering his inner powers many times before but damn sometimes you just enjoy watching it done so so well and this really is. Now the ground rules of the universe and characters are set there is room to expand and the final scene sets even more trouble in store. Polished, imaginative, and very much indicating a series and writer to watch I think Nophek Gloss should definitely be getting into your hands. Highly recommended.
