Prompt Excursion

by Lewis S. Kingston

An injured officer awakes on a heavily damaged military spaceship. Her memory is impaired. No one answers her calls. The ship is out of control. Adrift and dying, she senses the chance of rescue shrinking by the second.

Clinging to the few positive memories she can recall, she fights to survive, to restore order, to bring the ship to safety. But should she?

Step aboard the Prompt Excursion and discover what’s at stake in this slow-burning hard science fiction thriller that’s packed with knife-edged tension, technical detail, psychological suspense, mystery, and adventure.

We all make choices. Hers might kill you.

Genres: Science Fiction

488 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 25, 2023

About the author

Lewis Kingston was born in 1986. His early introduction to the world of science fiction came in the form of a taped version of the original radio broadcast of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy and, before long, he had consumed all of the books, the BBC TV series, and the radio script itself.

By the age of eight, he had moved on to titles such as The Player of Games by Iain M. Banks, only later his parents remembering what they contained, but, despite a voracious appetite for reading and writing, the thought of working in the field never crossed his mind. He subsequently studied Motorsport Engineering at Coventry, and graduated with a good qualification, but deemed himself not much of an engineer and sought work in other fields.

A chance interaction online in 2010 then led to work experience at Parkers, the new and used car guide, which spiralled into a multi-award-winning career in automotive journalism. He still works in the industry but, in 2022, he realised that, having never thought it possible to get into automotive journalism and ending up in it anyway, he should think it never possible to write a novel and subsequently ended up writing one anyway.

He has since decided to think it never possible to write more and is now working on a direct sequel to Prompt Excursion.

Reviews

[Rachel (TheShadesofOrange) · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 Stars
This is very much a case where I liked the idea of the story more than the execution. I love the person lost without their memory trope. I always pick up books and movies with this setup. I should have been easy to please.

Unfortunately this one just failed to deliver the sense of suspense and mystery I was expecting. Instead I found myself struggling to connect and care. This was disappointing because I really wanted to love it.

Disclaimer I received a copy for review as a judge for the SFSPC.

[Terry · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book as a judge on the Wayward Stars team in the SPSFC3 (third annual, self-published science-fiction competition), in the semi-finals round. This is my own personal review and does not represent the views of the team or any other individuals other than myself.

The description of this one, "An injured officer awakes on a heavily damaged military spaceship. Her memory is impaired. No one answers her calls. The ship is out of control. They are dying, adrift, the chance of rescue shrinking by the second." sounded so intriguing. I was definitely looking forward to this one and was not disappointed. I ended up rating it 4.25/5.0 stars, and really enjoyed my time here.

There were three primary things I enjoyed. First, I really liked our primary protagonist and antagonist (although I'm still questioning, was she really an antagonist...?). I saw the perspective of both so well, and at different times, felt for both of them. Second, I really enjoyed the setting. The ship, the Prompt Excursion, really becomes like a character in itself. I drew parallels to the movie Event Horizon, where I just kept wondering what we would run into next, always with a feeling of dark dread and ominousness (which I really liked). And finally, I liked the resolution. I kind of figured out what was going to happen, but still was on-board with it when it went down.

I really liked this and am looking very forward to reading another book by this author (which would hopefully be a follow-up to this one!).

[Ian · Rating 4 out of 5]

An officer regains consciousness aboard a damaged space ship, she can’t remember what happened and why she’s there, but her first priority is survival. Okay, so it’s sci-fi, it’s also a first novel from a self-published author – a combination sure to send many a discerning reader running screaming in the opposite direction. There’s an exception to every rule, however, and this is actually pretty good.

The plot is compelling, it’s well written and there are no more than a handful of minor errors. That’s not to say it’s perfect, it feels a bit over described in places which makes the pace seem sluggish, the unravelling of what has happened to the ship gets you through, however.

Overall an enjoyable read and well worth a look.

[ash |]

Read for spsfc3- rtc

[Richard · Rating 5 out of 5]

DISCLAIMER - I received a free copy of this book to review for the 2023 Self-Published Science Fiction Competition (SPSFC).

I cannot stress enough how much I enjoyed this novel. Lewis Kingston has created an edge of your seat suspense story that all takes place in less than twenty-four hours.

The story begins with our protagonist, Johansson, regaining consciousness and thinking WherethefuckamIandwhatisgoingonandamIdying? I just love that sentence as it conveys the everything all at once one gets in a crisis.

Johansson is on a spaceship that is drifting, dead in space, having been attacked by forces unknown. She is alone, injured, has a concussion, and has no idea how she got there. As she says, it is one giant FUBAR.

As our story progresses, Johansson works to get the ship running again, heal some of her injuries, and attempt to get the ship back to a spaceport. Along the way she, slowly, recovers some of her memories about who she is and her life up to the point she got onto the ship.

I cannot tell more than that without giving away too much of the storyline. Trust me when I say there is a lot of action, space science, mystery, discovery, and plot twists. If you like great science fiction, you need to read this book.

[Robert Hunter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting but overlong

The concept is excellent. A heavily damaged ship and one crew trying to get the huge vessel to work. However the ship was incomprehensible in shape and size. A lot of time was spent covering the fictional lifts, transport hubs, reactors and wiring. It got a little tedious. I still cannot tell what the bits did. But it is well written and congratulations on a self published book

[Literary Reviewer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lewis S. Kingston’s debut novel, Prompt Excursion, seamlessly intertwines elements of psychology and science fiction. Set aboard a critically damaged military spacecraft, the narrative introduces us to Weapons Systems Officer Johansson, who finds herself in a disorienting and perilous situation. Waking up amidst a scene of devastation with no memory of her identity or purpose, Johansson’s instinct for survival kicks in as she endeavors to restore the starship’s operations while facing an unknown adversary.

The story’s setting and atmosphere bear a resemblance to the iconic film ‘Alien,’ particularly in its portrayal of Johansson, a character reminiscent of Ripley in her strength, resourcefulness, and vulnerability. Kingston, however, distinguishes his narrative with a unique approach. The first-person, real-time storytelling heightens the tension and offers an intimate glimpse into Johansson’s psyche, effectively capturing her initial confusion and terror.

Kingston’s skill in world-building is evident. His hard sci-fi lens ensures a plausible yet futuristic setting, and his detailed yet concise descriptions vividly animate the spacecraft without overwhelming the reader. The novel skillfully balances technical authenticity with accessibility, a testament to Kingston’s narrative acumen. A subtle yet compelling psychological dimension runs through the novel, adding depth to Johansson’s journey. The story deftly navigates elements of suspense and mystery, as Johansson grapples with trust issues and memory loss, adding layers of complexity to the unfolding conspiracy aboard the ship.

Prompt Excursion stands out for its dynamic blend of hard science fiction and psychological exploration. The pacing is expertly managed, oscillating between high-octane sequences and more reflective moments. Kingston’s exploration of genre conventions is both thoughtful and inventive, making Johansson a protagonist whom readers will find compelling and relatable.

[CJ Hubbard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding first novel if you like hard sci-fi and suspense

This is a first novel, self-published and sci-fi - words to put dread into many a reader. But Prompt Excursion is not your proto-typical alien shoot em up. Instead it's a slow-burning, highly-technical suspense novel set on a dying space ship. Among the remarkable achievements here being that for a large part of it just one character is involved...

I don't want to give too much away here, but if you find the first few chapters slow going, stick with it. I'm not much of a hard sci-fi reader - if that's the right term - but Kingston manages to pick a careful path between seemingly very plausible highly technical details (the man has clearly designed and built this ship in his head) and maintaining a pace that keeps you turning pages trying to figure out what the hell is going on. It's not as obscure as Gibson can be, but you won't be given all the info you need right away. Fortunately, the lead character is intriguing enough to keep at least this reader's interest.

It reminds me of The Martian and Gravity, if that gives you a clue. But what really comes across is just how much effort Kingston has put into crafting the physical reality of how a space ship of this type might function. Lots for smarter people than me to get their head around here.

One slight criticism. In a few very minor places the dialogue is a touch too focused on getting a point across or explaining something than sounding realistic. But this really only caught my mind a couple of times in the whole thing. Once again, as a first, self-published novel, this is something to behold, and easily stands up against many established writers.

Very much looking forward to the next one. Give it a go.

[Alex Bree · Rating 4 out of 5]

A murder-mystery in space or a who-dun-it with some well-placed horror elements.

The prose, while well-done, did not get in the way of the action. While the opening was a tad slow, once the story picked up, it raced all the way to the end. Tons of reveals that I didn't see coming kept throwing me for loops in the best way. I felt like I knew both main characters well, and they were unique. I loved their banter, distrust, and forced reliance on one another. It made for some of my favorite moments!

[Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Prompt Excursion has really excellent pacing across the novel. There were some sections before the encounter with the missile where I felt bored but that was swiftly remedied. I also thought it was a brilliant idea to place the setting in a near contemporary setting. I haven’t seen many of these in the Sci Fi genre to date and it was a prophetic political commentary whenever the characters would discuss the history of their universe.

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Plodding

First half is a woman waking nearly frozen on the damaged bridge of a space ship and goes in repetitive detail through the similar damages in other parts of the ship. For the second half she meets another woman claiming to be the executive officer who claims to be trying to save the ship.

[Bruce · Rating 3 out of 5]

A plodding first half with a woman waking nearly frozen on the badly damaged bridge of a space ship then going through the vessel repetitively reviewing damage. The second half is marginally better when she meets a woman claiming to be the executive officer of the vessel. Their interplay is not that exciting. Though there are a few exciting pages most of the book is not.

[Kathy Baker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read

I have loved sci-fi since I was in Jr high. This is a very interesting read and a lot of scientific what-ifs to contemplate. Since I am a retired engineer, was very entertained by this book.

[Tamer Sadek · Rating 4 out of 5]

Weird one to review. I never *felt* gripped and yet the pages flew smoothly by, I didn't feel bored at any point and it was an enjoyable read.

[Dominic · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent locked room type mystery.

[Tina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book as a judge in the SPSFC3 where it's a quarter-finalist.

An absolutely captivating hard sci-fi thriller with wonderful twists and turns, Prompt Excursion keeps you guessing. It’s like reading an escape room! One that will kill you if you fail!

The book is wonderful. Johannson is a rich and likable character because she feels very real. She’s stuck in a career she doesn’t like but does it for her family, has issues with said family but nothing traumatic (which was nice, as while trauma stories are important, but it seems you can’t get a character without some tragic backstory nowadays), and she’s determined, strong, and capable, as well as gets scared, makes dumb mistakes (as we all would in the situation), and is stubborn. She was immensely likeable, and I loved that she was middle-aged, a mother, and a woman in both STEM and the military. She does human things too - she starts to personify her suit - patting it and talking to it (like a lot of us do with inanimate objects that we’re around a lot), she talks to herself, and she takes time to eat and drink (which a lot of books seem to forget when they are go-go-go all the time).

I thought Law was fantastic as a foil/villain. Like Johannson is, you are initially put off by her, but then she kind of grows on you, and you start to sympathize with her, and then she turns into a batshit crazy bad guy. That was awesome - she kept me guessing, and her hard-ass, obsessive personality was just enough mad-scientist-gone-too-far. I loved their dynamic.

The setting is wonderful. Not only the derelict or damaged ship but there are references here and there to the world and how capitalism and climate are causing the need to expand into the universe, how things are still kind of dystopian, regarding stuff like ads and wealth inequality and employment, etc. I could have used a lot more on the life-back-on-earth aspects, I will admit, but the ship itself was great.

The book is a mix of thriller, a smattering of horror, and hard sci-fi. There are some excellent references to Alien thrown in, as the book does retain that feel at times. The book also never forgets that the ship is in vacuum, so the physics around that are really well-done. I’m not an expert by any means, but from what I could tell, it was realistic and logical.

There were quite a few amazing moments too, where I was like, “WOW, that’s really clever,” both on the part of Johannson and the author, the former because she’s a smart woman but the latter because things that just seem “cool sci-fi stuff” are extremely relevant to the plot in later moments. This book is intricately plotted.

In terms of the writing, the book uses "myriad" properly (but then tends to overuse it), and it does get bogged down a bit in the technical language. For engineers or space-ship enthusiasts, you’ll likely really enjoy this, but I did find my attention drifting somewhat when the tech stuff became a bit too heavy. I’ll gladly read about alien social structures until the cows come home, but when it comes to spaceships, which do I find interesting, I’m not like, “Ooh tell me exactly how the fusion reactor works.” Yet, as soon as this started to become a bit much, the book moves away from it, so I was never like wanting to skip ahead. It never became tedious

Tied to this, the pacing is fantastic. Right when you think - okay, where is this going? Something changes. It’s almost perfectly timed. As soon as I thought I’d figured it out or wondered if it was going to start meandering, it took a new turns. And damn, there are a few twists at the end that I didn’t see coming. And it takes a lot to surprise me in a book. And gah, the last paragraph of the book is AWESOME.

Highly recommend this novel to anyone who likes realistic sci-fi and spaceships.