On a run to pick up agricultural produce from Umbai V, Captain Nia
Imani, witnesses the destruction of a spaceship. The only survivor is
a young boy, Ahro. He is unable to speak and bears the scars of
abuse. He has one talent, he produces haunting melodies from a flute
that once belonged to Nia. The crew on Nia’s ship wants to put the
boy into care, but Nia can’t bear to do it. She takes the
mysterious boy with her and there begins a loving relationship.
The background of
the story is pure science fiction with time travel, spaceships that
journey through pockets in space, and ultra modern civilizations that
contrast with backward agricultural planets. However, the heart of
the story is the development of the relationship between Nia and
Ahro. The characters are well developed and grow throughout the
story. It’s a delight to read a science fiction book with real
characters that you can relate to.
The author’s prose
is moving and lyrical. It draws you in and keeps you moving through
the story. In addition to the story of Nia and Ahro, other characters
are developed. The chapters on Fumiko Nakajima,
who developed Pelican Station, are engrossing and add another
dimension to the story. This is science fiction that makes you think.
I received this book
from Penguin Random House for this review.
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