Allison’s original review on Goodreads is here. This is a copy of that post.

There is some fascinating worldbuilding in this book. I love that the story takes place on a generation ship many years before the ship will get to its destination, so characters have to deal with existential questions as well as make practical decisions that will impact their ancestors’ futures. The birthing rules and society that has formed aboard the ship are also fascinating.

I also liked the protagonist, who is an archivist uncovering a conspiracy aboard the ship; her introversion, obsession with following the rules, and drive to discover the truth was relatable.

Unfortunately, the pacing is very slow, and as someone who prefers medium- to fast-paced books, that impacted my enjoyment of the story. It is largely character-driven, more interested in exploring ideas, philosophical questions, and futuristic science than action or drama. The dialogue drags and the mystery takes too long to unravel for my taste. The science is neat, though. People who enjoy slow-paced novels with interesting worldbuilding might like this.

I read this as a judge for the Self-Published Science Fiction Competition (SPSFC5). This review is my personal opinion and doesn’t reflect the novel’s place in the contest. Thank you to the author for the e-copy!