Hellooo!

Last week I reviewed Descendant Machine by Gareth L Powell a very enjoyable and thoughtful science fiction novel that bridges the gap between classic space opera and our new 2020s way of exploring character based drama and social issues. I was very lucky via Titan to have the chance to ask Gareth some questions on the book.

How do you like to tempt people to read Descendant Machine?

GLP: I perch on their shoulder wearing horns and a red cloak, and whisper into their ear that they should spend their pennies on some thrilling science fiction adventure. And maybe a coffee. And a biscuit. I mean, why not? They’ve earned it.

In this book you further explore the concept of the Continuance? What did you want to do in this book different to Stars and Bones?

GLP: This one doesn’t have the horror elements of the first book. I think you can tell many different types of story against the same background, and explore many genres under the umbrella of science fiction. Like how Alien was horror and Aliens was an action movie, but both are SF. Stars and Bones was influenced by The Thing and Event Horizon, whereas Descendant Machine is more of a core science fiction story looking at our place in the history of the universe.

We have clashing of views with the far more open minded Continuance and others taking place. In particular a group who would not look too out of place in certain parts of the UK government. Did exploring that kind of populist mindset drive this book?

GLP: If Stars and Bones was my COVID novel, Descendant Machine is a lot more focussed on the damage politicians can do to their electorates in the name of personal and populist ambition. And obviously, there are some nods to recent history in the US and the UK. But this isn’t a political novel in the preachy sense. It’s a rip-roaring adventure with some freaky physics and ancient alien technology. There are just these underlying resonances.

We get a Ship’s point of view here as well as a whole new alien race. In much of your work non-human characters always play key roles? What is the key to making a good ‘alien’ and what do you have to be wary of?

GLP: The nature of humanity seems to be a recurring theme in my work. When we’re exploring the boundaries of what it means to be human, it’s always interesting to get a nonhuman perspective. It’s like a mirror in which we can see ourselves. When it comes to making a ‘good’ alien, it’s a balancing act between making them convincingly alien and keeping their thoughts comprehensible enough that the reader can relate to and understand them. An utterly alien point of view would be very difficult to pull off in the context of a story.

This book itself notes that a Big Dumb Object is at the heart of the story? What drew you to this particular Machine?

GLP: The machine plays a similar role to the briefcase in the movie Ronin. Nobody really knows what’s in it, but everybody wants it. And in a way, until it’s actually opened, its contents don’t even matter to the story. It’s like a giant Schrodinger’s Cat experiment. But then when its true nature becomes apparent, you suddenly understand a lot of the other mysteries in the book.

You note this is your tenth novel? How do you think the UK science fiction scene has evolved over that period?

GLP: When I started my first novel, we were at the tail end of the ‘New Space Opera’ thing around the turn of the millennium, with guys like Charles Stross, Alastair Reynolds, M John Harrison, and Stephen Baxter. Now, twenty years later, space opera continues to be the core of science fiction, but we have more diverse voices and perspectives. And that cultural broadening helps keep the genre fresh and exciting.

What else can we look forward to from you in the future and where can we find out more?

GLP: I have a new space opera in the works, so fans of my recent books from Embers of War through to Descendant Machine will be very happy, plus a number of other exciting projects. Watch this space….

What great books have you read recently?

GLP:  I read Adrian Tchaikovsky’s Children of Time and Final Architecture novels, and they’re superb. J. Dianne Dotson’s Shadow Galaxy collection is wonderful. And I’m currently reading Stephen King’s The Stand for the first time.