When the mystery was finally unraveled, it was done from the point of view of the killer. The action sequences also mixed in well with the literary and narrative storytelling. But those less interesting moments didn’t last long as the narrative, mystery, and character cast began to expand, showing aspects of the world and story new to me. Which didn’t jibe well with the moments where the writing got dry, or the flashbacks began taking up a lot of the story. That makes for the moments when the prose picks up and becomes poetic to stand out.ĭuring the middle of the book, when the POV started switching back and forth between Shell and Fin, I got lost in whose head I was in because their personalities are so similar. Nothing beautiful or showy, but nothing terrible either, all easing you into a sort of comfort and relaxation. While the language was very point blank and simple, Thompson’s writing and structuring of the novel reminded me of page-turning commercial thrillers. And that’s all I want as a reader: some connection between the story and the elements the author uses to tell it. It was clear through the writing that Thompson put effort and research into making sure each genre felt naturally connected to the story. Far From the Light of Heaven was not one of those books. Sometimes when authors throw a bunch of genres into a novel, each one takes away from the other, and they don’t mix well. In fact, Thompson did it so well that when the horror of the murders was finally shown, it took me by surprise and pushed me further into the story and mystery. I didn’t care too much where I was going, but I loved all the science and space worldbuilding that Thompson weaved in to solidify the science fictional aspects of the story. From the first page, Shell’s voice and the narrative flow of the story grabbed me. As the mystery unravels, Shell and Rasheed Fin, the investigator sent to solve the murders, end up in the crosshairs of the killer, putting everyone on board and below on the colony planet at risk.įar From the Light of Heaven blends horror, mystery, and science fiction to weave an exciting and, for the most part, well-paced story. An investigation begins to figure out who killed the passengers aboard the colony ship. Series: The Tales of Gorlen VizenfirtheĪfter traveling ten years in sleep pods, Michelle Champion (Shell for short), the captain of a colony ship, Ragtime, wakes up to the brutal murder of several sleepers.

Series: From the Lost Travelers’ Tour Guide.

People of Colo(u)r Destroy Science Fiction!.

Tade thompson