This is one of those rare books that happens to hit upon nearly every niche interest and reading preference I’ve got: first contact stories, futuristic-but-analogous-sci-fi, linguistics, snarky/deadpan humor, characters more jaded than Mesoamerican artefacts, and a thrilling plot that manages to keep you hooked throughout. I’ve had my eye on this book (and its amazing cover) since it first released in 2016, but only just now decided to randomly pick it up. (I’m trying to cut down on my TBR, seriously.) I was immediately enthralled in the unconventional format of interview transcripts and the hints of something otherworldly that permeate the book from its first page.
The characters are all incredibly strong and definitive. The main cast of characters includes a physicist, helicopter pilots, and a linguist, not to mention the mysterious narrator who is interviewing all of them. To what end? I rather enjoyed that Neuvel fleshes out each character’s personality quite distinctly, and that the female protagonists are strong characters who, for the most part, don’t immediately fail the Bechdel test. There is also a romantic subplot thrown in which is integrated quite well into the overall narrative and doesn’t feel like unnecessary fanservice. Over the course of the book, I grew to like and empathize with the characters, which is a rare feat. Some of their personalities were slightly incongruent with stereotypes, but I find that this added to their depth rather than took me out of the story; but I can see how it might not suit everyone. The mysterious narrator also develops as a character throughout the book, which I didn’t expect but quite appreciated; by the end, it was hard not to root for them.
The plot is a straightforward first-contact mystery, suspense, and thriller all rolled into one—or so it seems. The big picture questions of ‘what is this giant robot’ and ‘why are these people being interviewed’ propel you through the first parts of the novel at a blazing speed. This high-octane energy does start to wane a bit towards the end, but since the novel is short, it doesn’t feel onerous. The pacing is solid throughout, with a breakneck start powering you through all the way to a final cliffhanger at the end to keep you reeling. The science and military elements feel realistic, but then again, I know very little on the specific subjects. Neuvel has clearly done his research, at the very least, with the linguistics that lies squarely in his wheelhouse. There are logical steps to the plot that are delightful to unravel and piece together once you get closer to the climax.
Perhaps one of the reasons I enjoyed this so much was due to the investigative, mixed-media format of the book. It comprises interview transcripts, newspaper articles, and personal journal entries—all the while, the reader pieces together from these data a sense of the story and the characters’ motivations. It reminded me of Janice Hallett’s The Appeal in that way, although the stories are very different. Neuvel’s writing style was punchy and captivating without getting lost in the dregs or ridiculously long descriptions. Of course, the limit of the interview format does restrain the narrative and stretches believability at times, but it didn’t manage to disrupt my experience. However, it kept the dialogue and interactions realistic and to-the-point, which I liked; the humor was also subtle but quite distinct.
The novel does dip into philosophical themes at times. I enjoyed the hints of mythmaking, legends, and space colonization we get in the novel. It isn’t anything too deep, since at its core it is a mystery/suspense, but it does entertain some universal questions—humanity and its place in the universe, what we might sacrifice in the name of progress, the nature of/ethical concerns pertaining to global cooperation and government conspiracies, and even disarmament of WMD. (There’s a nice nod to Oppenheimer in the book, which must have been a much more subtle reference pre-July 2023, but having recently come off the Barbenheimer train, I couldn’t help but get excited over it.)
I really didn't think I would be into a mecha story, but it's a rare book that manages to delightfully overturn my expectations. Also, I know I’m repeating myself now, but that cover design is just so brilliant. I’m looking forward to the next books in the series!
Favorite quotes:
※ “Stories are there to entertain, preserve history, or serve a societal purpose of some kind.”
※ “I was smart enough to know it was wrong, but not brave enough to stop them.”
※ “Generally speaking, people tend not to question what they’ve been told was true. Scientists are no different; they’ve just been told a lot more things.”
※ “Those are not my words. In fact, I had to look up the exact quote. Like everyone else, I only knew ‘I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds.’ We tend to romanticize good quotes, and I always imagined Oppenheimer uttering those words while staring at the mushroom cloud of a nuclear explosion. In reality, he spoke those words during an interview for an NBC documentary in 1965. He had had twenty years to think about it.”
