Advertisement
Books

Far From the Light of Heaven review: Wrongfoots the reader at every turn

The new novel by science-fiction master Tade Thompson boggles the mind, writes Doug Johnstone.

People read fiction for all sorts of reasons, but one of the main reasons I love doing so is to get a glimpse of the wild and weird imagined worlds of the authors.

Far From the Light of Heaven by Tade Thompson is wonderfully bonkers. The British author is best known for his multi-award winning Wormwood trilogy, books that have set a benchmark for modern science fiction.

Far From the Light of Heaven shows an equal breadth of vision to its predecessors, and perfectly balances inspired universe building with both high-octane action and emotional depth.

The story focuses on the colony spaceship Ragtime, which has travelled light years from Earth to orbit around the colony planet of Bloodroot.

When first mate Shell Campion wakes up from hyper-sleep after 10 years, she finds that 31 of the 1,000 people sleeping on board are dead. Calling on assistance from the planet below, she is sent Rasheed Fin to investigate the murders, with repercussions that are both extensive and deadly.

What starts as a locked-room mystery eventually escalates into something like an apocalyptic disaster story, as the Ragtime’s controlling AI thwarts the humans, robots and aliens trying to both solve the murders and find a way to stay alive on a ship seemingly hell-bent on destroying them.

Advertisement
Advertisement

Thompson is wonderful at narrative pace and tension, channelling some of the old noir crime genre greats into a superbly original setting. He fleshes out both his wider universe and his diverse cast of characters with real skill, never at the expense of a plot that just keeps wrongfooting the reader at every turn.

Outside the ship, political and commercial forces are closing in, as Shell and Fin make a last-ditch attempt to save themselves and their passengers. Smart and propulsive in equal measure, this is top-class science fiction.

Far From the Light of Heaven by Tade Thompson is out now (Orbit, £8.99)

@doug_johnstone

This article is taken from the latest edition of The Big Issue magazine. If you cannot reach local your vendor, you can still click HERE to subscribe to The Big Issue today or give a gift subscription to a friend or family member. You can also purchase one-off issues from The Big Issue Shop or The Big Issue app, available now from the App Store or Google Play.

Advertisement

Become a Big Issue member

3.8 million people in the UK live in extreme poverty. Turn your anger into action - become a Big Issue member and give us the power to take poverty to zero.

Recommended for you

Read All
Every family has a secret. By uncovering mine, I liberated my grandmother's sorrowful story
Family secrets

Every family has a secret. By uncovering mine, I liberated my grandmother's sorrowful story

Top 5 revolutionary books, chosen by historian and author Alice Hunt
Books

Top 5 revolutionary books, chosen by historian and author Alice Hunt

The Most by Jessica Anthony review – cracks just beneath the surface of an all-American family
Books

The Most by Jessica Anthony review – cracks just beneath the surface of an all-American family

Top 5 Desi books – chosen by Indi Deol, founder of British Asian magazine DESIblitz
Books

Top 5 Desi books – chosen by Indi Deol, founder of British Asian magazine DESIblitz

Most Popular

Read All
Renters pay their landlords' buy-to-let mortgages, so they should get a share of the profits
Renters: A mortgage lender's window advertising buy-to-let products
1.

Renters pay their landlords' buy-to-let mortgages, so they should get a share of the profits

Exclusive: Disabled people are 'set up to fail' by the DWP in target-driven disability benefits system, whistleblowers reveal
Pound coins on a piece of paper with disability living allowancve
2.

Exclusive: Disabled people are 'set up to fail' by the DWP in target-driven disability benefits system, whistleblowers reveal

Cost of living payment 2024: Where to get help now the scheme is over
next dwp cost of living payment 2023
3.

Cost of living payment 2024: Where to get help now the scheme is over

Citroën Ami: the tiny electric vehicle driving change with The Big Issue
4.

Citroën Ami: the tiny electric vehicle driving change with The Big Issue