Nophek Gloss
Book one of the Graven
Editor’s Pick Best Science Fiction & Fantasy
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OrderFourteen-year-old mechanic Caiden was raised with a singular purpose, on an isolated planet serving only one function. When his whole colony is sent to slaughter, Caiden alone survives and is thrust into a gigantic, diverse bubble multiverse that he had no idea existed.
Torn by grief and guilt, carrying only trauma and rage from his previous existence, he finds shelter in a unique starship that has a soul of its own, and he finds family in a quarrelsome crew of alien misfits.
Caiden is introduced to worlds of strange species, technologies, and unfathomably powerful foes. He’s forced to grow up too fast physically and emotionally as he struggles toward justice against the slavers who destroyed his world. In the process, he’ll wrestle with his own mysterious origins and discover that the multiverse is much bigger, more advanced, mysterious, and dangerous than he ever imagined.
This science fiction adventure is the first book in a trilogy, but able to be read standalone. Nophek Gloss will appeal to fans of Iain M. Banks and Becky Chambers, as well as Mass Effect and Firefly.
Reviews
Hansen’s marvelous debut is a fast-paced, action-filled ride through the multiverse, introducing a complex found family of gender- and neurodiverse characters. (*Starred Review*)
Essa Hansen’s debut is an intoxicating and thrilling science fiction read. … Hansen creates a vivid, colorful setting that’s full of strange tech, fantastic aliens, and reality-warping spaceships. It’s mind-bending fun.
A revenge plot leads mechanic Caiden across a multiverse populated by a colorful array of humanoid species in Hansen’s wonderfully inventive debut, the first of a space opera trilogy. Space opera fans will be eager for the next installment.
The Graven Trilogy kicks off with heart-rending loss, traumatic memories, fast-paced action, and stunning scientific concepts, with mercantile and political intrigues spanning manifold universes. Fans of Alastair Reynolds and Megan E. O’Keefe will want to try this.
A far-flung kaleidoscope of stunning imagination, superb characters and truly alien aliens, this is a space opera firing on all cylinders, and a must-read.
An exceptional debut-one of the best I’ve read in years. It reminds me of the most imaginative work of C. J. Cherryh. The crew reads like a Becky Chambers novel crossed with Firefly, filled with complex relationships and the love and pain of found family. With her first novel, Essa Hansen establishes herself as a force in the world of science fiction.
Gripping and inventive, Nophek Gloss will delight even as it breaks your heart.
A strong, rollercoaster of a debut.
Hansen’s world is a weird, trippy, dreamy delight, bursting with strange characters and powerful SF action.
Nophek Gloss is a sucker-punch to the senses, a delicious and delirious head-trip into an intricate, vivid and psychedelic cosmos of nested universes, exotic tech and gorgeously strange characters. Best of all, though, it’s wrapped around a killer story with real heart and soul.
It is hard science fiction at its best, flush with rich themes and sharp innovation. If you’re like me—someone who thrives on challenging and imaginative stories that push the boundaries of thought and imagination—then this debut is a can’t-miss.
