Sparks (and electrons) fly against an entertainingly retro space-opera canvas.
In Stevens’ SF novel, a cutting-edge synthetic humanoid is paired with a tainted starship captain on a three-year mission to test the boundaries of artificial intelligence.
In the 22nd century, humankind regularly travels at faster-than-light speeds between the stars in a universe beset by pirates and other unforeseen dangers. Artificial intelligence is still being debated: When does a manufactured humanoid (the term robot is considered pejorative) cross the line into true sentience? “Seraphina Sowers” is an android woman of formidable physical and mental strength, a breakthrough model (“Frontier Tested. Fleet Approved. Empathy Installed”) from the IntelleX Corporation. She’s been unboxed as the sole crew member under the command of Cpt. Don Sawyer aboard the starship Starling in a project to “study the effects of long-term isolation in deep space.” Sawyer, his career damaged by a recent court-martial, cannot turn down what he perceives as a three-year punitive mission; with his history, Sawyer has reasons to be wary of AIs going rogue. But Sera’s unfailing professional demeanor, brilliance under pressure, physical attractiveness, and built-in “Companion mode” win admiration—and more—from the captain. Sera, for her part, evolves emotions and true feelings for her mortal commander. It’s no secret that androids in companion mode are tempting sex toys—is it beyond the acceptable operation parameters to actually fall in love? Stevens’ setting is very much a man’s world (or universe); male characters and attitudes dominate in roles of authority in a slightly throwback SF milieu (with shades of Gene Roddenberry). Where are the male androids? In any event, the well-engineered, episodic narrative holds the reader’s attention. The author keeps one gravity boot planted firmly in space adventures while navigating romance tropes, which makes for an agreeable approach. Seasoned genre fans will see comparisons to Lester del Rey’s milestone robot love story Helen O’Loy (1938).
Sparks (and electrons) fly against an entertainingly retro space-opera canvas.Pub Date: March 13, 2026
ISBN: 9798994753101
Page Count: 338
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: May 20, 2026
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
Suspenseful, frightening, and sometimes poignant—provided the reader has a generously willing suspension of disbelief.
A man walks out of a bar and his life becomes a kaleidoscope of altered states in this science-fiction thriller.
Crouch opens on a family in a warm, resonant domestic moment with three well-developed characters. At home in Chicago’s Logan Square, Jason Dessen dices an onion while his wife, Daniela, sips wine and chats on the phone. Their son, Charlie, an appealing 15-year-old, sketches on a pad. Still, an undertone of regret hovers over the couple, a preoccupation with roads not taken, a theme the book will literally explore, in multifarious ways. To start, both Jason and Daniela abandoned careers that might have soared, Jason as a physicist, Daniela as an artist. When Charlie was born, he suffered a major illness. Jason was forced to abandon promising research to teach undergraduates at a small college. Daniela turned from having gallery shows to teaching private art lessons to middle school students. On this bracing October evening, Jason visits a local bar to pay homage to Ryan Holder, a former college roommate who just received a major award for his work in neuroscience, an honor that rankles Jason, who, Ryan says, gave up on his career. Smarting from the comment, Jason suffers “a sucker punch” as he heads home that leaves him “standing on the precipice.” From behind Jason, a man with a “ghost white” face, “red, pursed lips," and "horrifying eyes” points a gun at Jason and forces him to drive an SUV, following preset navigational directions. At their destination, the abductor forces Jason to strip naked, beats him, then leads him into a vast, abandoned power plant. Here, Jason meets men and women who insist they want to help him. Attempting to escape, Jason opens a door that leads him into a series of dark, strange, yet eerily familiar encounters that sometimes strain credibility, especially in the tale's final moments.
Suspenseful, frightening, and sometimes poignant—provided the reader has a generously willing suspension of disbelief.Pub Date: July 26, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-101-90422-0
Page Count: 352
Publisher: Crown
Review Posted Online: May 3, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2016
PROFILES
BOOK TO SCREEN
BOOK TO SCREEN
Buckle up—fans of page-turning SF may find themselves binge-reading this novel in one butt-numbing marathon session.
Like a truck with no brakes speeding down a steep mountain road, Islington’s latest is an adrenaline-fueled SF thrill ride that follows a biomechanically enhanced assassin as he tries to understand his mysterious origins.
The chaotic opening scene gives readers a clear indication of what they’re in for: Contract killer Azure, attempting to complete a mission, is involved in a life-or-death battle with a multieyed biomachine called an Argos. “The thing’s bipedal but has six gorilla-like arms that end in half-metre-long claws,” he complains. After Azure barely dispatches the monster and kills his target, his AI assistant, Atti, informs him of his next job: protecting an elderly—and incredibly rich—woman living in a sprawling underground bunker in the middle of nowhere. “Old Woman,” as Azure calls her, isn’t forthcoming with personal details; all Azure can suss out is that she may be the target of a powerful organized crime syndicate—the same organization that employs him! Is Azure’s ultimate goal to save her or kill her? Although the worldbuilding could’ve been more comprehensive, Islington’s editing choices are brilliant—he strips away the insignificant narrative content to create a streamlined, action-packed adventure with seemingly one goal: to keep the reader furiously turning pages. The various mysteries—Azure’s murky beginnings, the tragic death of his best friend years earlier, Old Woman’s true identity, etc.—maintain the momentum and intensity. The takeaway here is the narrative potential of the characters as well as the plethora of subjects that could be explored more deeply, like immortality for the rich, cloning, and the potential to create bioengineered nightmares for “security.” Islington leaves the conclusion tantalizingly ambiguous. This novel could be the jumping-off point for a memorable series.
Buckle up—fans of page-turning SF may find themselves binge-reading this novel in one butt-numbing marathon session.Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2026
ISBN: 9781668239247
Page Count: 240
Publisher: Saga/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Aug. 3, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2026
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