Axiom's End

This book is the debut novel by video essayist Lindsay Ellis, and it's a stonker. It's been a long time since I read* a first contact story, so I don't have much in my medium-term memory to compare it fairly with, so I'll just talk about my thoughts on it. If you don't find my musing particularly satisfactory here is also an excellent Q & A with the author where she talks at length about things in and around the book.

   Firstly, the aliens themselves. They're pretty darn alien - with wholly different biological, technological and sociocultural norms to humans, which always makes for an interesting read. Ellis has clearly put a lot of thought and effort into developing them as a species and drawing out how and where this conflicts with Earthling sensibility, and as such forms a heavy element of the plot (which for sake of spoilering I will not discuss here).

   Secondly, the main character. While something of an everywoman and thus a highly-engaging perspective through which to be mediated the story and world Ellis has built, I do feel that the narrative would have been a lot more compelling if written in first-person rather than third as it is. That said, and while I stand by the description of Cora as something of an everywoman protagonist - she is not in the typical sense your average main character, showing depths of empathic thoughtfulness that make her relationships with the aliens quite interesting to read as her experience is broadened and challenged. While the prose is perfectly passable I wouldn't go so far as to say it is particularly glitteringly written - but at the same time it is of course well-enough put to page that you don't find yourself rankling at its inadequacy on any front.

   Thirdly and finally, the overarching thematic concern, which (upon my reading of it at least) is the human power structure's tendency toward controlling via secrecy. This theme both helps to drive the plot forward as conspiracies are uncovered and unravelled and gives Cora and the chief alien character a lot to react to and muse upon, making for some pretty provocatively nuanced reflections on the nature of power, security, unity and such, which in the context of alien contact are arguably under-developed concepts in the sci-fi canon.

   So to conclude, I think this is a strong first novel, and while I am excited about the potential for the series to develop in sequels, I'm not tripping over myself to preorder it - but it's 100% the kind of book where when I next see its sequels in charity shops will not hesitate to buy and consume. For anyone who enjoys alien stories and/or political intrigue, and obviously especially the combination of the two, this is a novel I would certainly recommend.

* That said, I technically did write one this year. We seem to have shared idea notes for quite a bit of worldbuilding...