FORMAT: Paperback, DIGITAL | RELEASE DATE: Out Now
Author Lindsay Ellis is better known for her long and interesting pop-culture video essays. Her work on YouTube has been nominated for Hugo Awards and her insight into all things media related is highly regarded, so it was with some excitement that we approached her debut sci-fi novel, Axiom’s End.
It’s a first contact sci-fi set in a slightly more hopeful version of 2007. We follow Cora, a slightly unlikeable and self-reliant young lady. Her father is famous for blowing the whistle on a Government conspiracy to hide the existence of alien life on Earth. Cora does her best to distance herself from her father and his legacy, mostly in an attempt to avoid the unwanted fame and scrutiny. Everything is going fine until she finds herself embroiled in a plot to rescue the aliens illegally detained on Earth.
The characterisation is very well done and Cora’s abductor, the alien called Ampersand is cleverly portrayed. Pacing is steady if a little by the numbers; the story structure is so solid that it’s obvious and that’s not a great feature for a thriller. However it makes up for this by being extremely accessible and readable. This is a heavily character driven piece of sci-fi and though it doesn’t break new ground, it is a strong and engaging thriller. Ellis’s take on the alien is cleverly done and yes, this book is filled with relevant social commentary on how to treat outsiders. Which is entirely the point of good sci-fi.
A solid debut and worth a look.
