Sci-fi is one of my great loves in the world of books. I adore the sheer range of different stories that can be told and the locations that can be imagined. The best kind of sci-fi, however, is that of humanity in the not-too-distant future. Getting to see how we as a species may conquer the known galaxy or just our solar system, breeds a whole plethora of stories and imagination from authors across the globe. I also like when sci-fi explores humanity as a species and how we may either work together or be torn apart trying to explore the known universe.
Dark Space by Rob Hart and Alex Segura is the exact kind of near-future sci-fi novel that intrigues me so much. The book itself is a sci-fi epic blended with a spy thriller and follows two main characters who end up in a galaxy-spanning conspiracy. The story is filled with twists, turns, and deadly conspiracies that drag them both through the darkest corners of government and power and ends with a decision that could destroy humanity as they know it.
Dark Space is a spy thriller/ sci-fi mix
Jose Carriles is a pilot aboard the Mosaic, an interstellar ship that is on its way to a potentially habitable planet for the future of humanity. The ship begins experiencing plenty of mysterious and potentially catastrophic issues that lead Carriles on a mission to find the true reason for the problems.
Meanwhile, on a settlement on a moon known as New Destiny, Corin Timony, an ex-spy, is dragged into a similar mission as she finds the distress call from the Mosaic suddenly deleted. Timony then finds her way into her own deadly conspiracy, which becomes interlinked with Carriles, light-years away.
There is plenty to love about Dark Space for any level of science fiction fan. The mysteries presented to the reader immediately make you want to keep reading the book, and just as you end up coming close to a big clue, the perspective shifts as the next character comes across some new information. Both Hart & Segura bring their styles to this novel beautifully, and their writing works well together as they connect and intertwine the separate mysteries as they become more deadly and far more wide-reaching to the characters than first thought.
I enjoyed the mystery and reveals of this book a lot, and they are interspersed well. A lot of these reveals work very well, but some of them feel rather added on for more elements of surprise that may not fully click with the reader. But once the mysteries start to unravel in this novel, you will not want to put it down.
Both of the main characters in Dark Space are very engaging as well. Carriles and Timony are revealed to be ex-best friends, but something happened that caused them to fall out. Despite this, we often read about the characters thinking about the other, and for better or worse, trying to emulate what they would do in such a situation. Both of them tackle the mysteries and conspiracies laid before them very differently, too, which gives very different ways of getting the answers they seek.
I found the Timony chapters slightly more interesting, as they are where the spy thriller part of the book is brought into full force. Timony is painted as an ex-spy who is an alcoholic and down on her luck, but seeing how she manages to still be one of the best in the business and also gives us a look into the world of espionage of the future. The Carriles chapters prove interesting also, but take a very different turn in the later chapters that may or may not work for every reader.
This new sci-fi novel brings familiar politics into its story
The locations of Dark Space are few, but they are very meaningful for the wider story, New Destiny, where Timony is based is a large settlement on the moon that is filled with people from all the different nations of a now ruined Earth (mainly thanks to climate change as mentioned in the book). The big three countries that have the largest areas in the settlement are the USA, China, and Russia. I liked this aspect of the book a lot as it brings about the politics of today, shows they haven’t changed that much, and then places them in a futuristic but similar setting.
There is plenty of politics in this book, especially amongst the world of espionage and spy craft. This also works its way onto the Mosaic, several light-years away, a ship filled with US and Chinese scientists who teamed up to lead the expedition for the future of humanity. As the book goes on, we get to see different sides to all the major players and how they react to different circumstances they’re put under.
I don’t want to spoil later reveals in this book as they will take you by surprise, but the major theme of Dark Space, at least to me, is about forcing humanity to come together to fix itself for its own good, and for its future survival out in the universe.
Final thoughts on Dark Space by Rob Hart & Alex Segura
As I say, there is only so much I can say about Dark Space without spoiling it too much. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would recommend it if you would like a new sci-fi novel to get stuck into. It is not a book that will blow you away, but the amazing blend of genres really complements each other. Both Hart and Segura’s writing works great together, too.
There is a lot to like about Dark Space, and it is important to read lesser known science fiction stories like this one to keep the genre alive! I would recommend adding this book to your reading list and getting ready for a book you won’t want to put down.
My rating: 8/10
Dark Space by Rob Hart and Alex Segura is now available wherever books are sold. Have you checked this one out already? Let us know what you think on social media @mycosmiccircus!
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