The Photonic Effect

Chen (A Quantum Love Story) shows off his worldbuilding chops in this ingenious 24th-century space opera. Humanity is now in contact with multiple intelligent extraterrestrial life-forms, including the Lumersians, whose bodies are comprised of “planes of pink light” and who have shared their knowledge of photonic energy to help humans harness that volatile power source. Starship Horizon captain Demora Kim was among the first to encounter the Lumersians, and developed a close relationship with one photonic being, whom she nicknamed Chuck and considers a hero. The novel opens with Kim’s exit interview, a part of her forced retirement from the Galactic Cluster Fleet as a result of a decision to disobey orders. The plot then flashes back to explain what happened before the “incident at Base Theta Seven,” including Kim’s struggles to make a photonic engine functional at the request of her superiors, who hope to use it as a weapon in an ongoing war. Chen takes impressive care presenting nonhuman characters, showcasing their often baffled perspectives on humanity. These skillful character portraits make it easy to get sucked into their far-future plight. Readers are sure to be hooked. (Apr.)