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Future's Edge
A gripping and heartfelt horror-tinged space adventure from the BSFA award-winning author of Stars and Bones and Embers of War. Readers of James S.A. Corey and Becky Chambers will love this fast-paced story of space piracy, deadly alien artifacts and a race to save what is left of humanity.
When archaeologist Ursula Morrow accidentally infects herself with an alien parasite, she fears she may have jeopardised her career. However, her concerns become irrelevant when Earth is destroyed, billions die, and suddenly no one needs archaeologists anymore…
Two years later, she’s plucked from a refugee camp on a backwater world and tasked with retrieving the artefact that infected her, as it just might hold the key to humanity’s survival. With time running short, and the planet housing the weapon now situated in hostile territory, she realises she’s going to have to commit an act of desperate piracy if she’s going to achieve her objective before the enemy’s final onslaught.
A thrilling, page-turning journey into deep space, where the fights are brutal and the relationships are complicated, from the BSFA award-winning author of Stars and Bones and Embers of War.
When archaeologist Ursula Morrow accidentally infects herself with an alien parasite, she fears she may have jeopardised her career. However, her concerns become irrelevant when Earth is destroyed, billions die, and suddenly no one needs archaeologists anymore…
Two years later, she’s plucked from a refugee camp on a backwater world and tasked with retrieving the artefact that infected her, as it just might hold the key to humanity’s survival. With time running short, and the planet housing the weapon now situated in hostile territory, she realises she’s going to have to commit an act of desperate piracy if she’s going to achieve her objective before the enemy’s final onslaught.
A thrilling, page-turning journey into deep space, where the fights are brutal and the relationships are complicated, from the BSFA award-winning author of Stars and Bones and Embers of War.
319 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 25, 2025
114 people are currently reading
4360 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 159 reviews
January 6, 2025
3.5 Stars
I have previously read and enjoyed several novels by this author so I was eager to read this one.
As a science fiction new release, I see lots of elements that I like and want to see more in modern publishing. This author has written an intelligent novel, exploring various science fiction ideas.
Yet while I appreciate the attempt, I found this one tried to do too much in the number of pages it had. I wish the author had dug a bit deeper because I felt the ideas or themes were not explored enough to create a satisfying read.
This is still one of the better new science fiction novels I have read in 2025. I may revisit it and see if it grows on me with a second read.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
I have previously read and enjoyed several novels by this author so I was eager to read this one.
As a science fiction new release, I see lots of elements that I like and want to see more in modern publishing. This author has written an intelligent novel, exploring various science fiction ideas.
Yet while I appreciate the attempt, I found this one tried to do too much in the number of pages it had. I wish the author had dug a bit deeper because I felt the ideas or themes were not explored enough to create a satisfying read.
This is still one of the better new science fiction novels I have read in 2025. I may revisit it and see if it grows on me with a second read.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
April 23, 2025
A nice read
February 27, 2025
Very competently written epic space opera that is billed, quite correctly I think, as appealing to fans of James S.A. Corey and Becky Chambers, i.e. a nice balance between epic and thrilling and also intimate and poignant. I appreciated the many nods to works of classic sci-fi, but didn't think any components of the storyline were particularly novel or groundbreaking. Yet the characters and relationships are well portrayed and the ancient galactic mysteries intriguing enough to make a compelling story. Towards the end some of the pieces fell into place rather quickly and didn't always quite add up, but that didn't detract too much from what was generally a gripping experience. I liked this more than Powell's Embers of War but maybe not quite as much as his Descendant Machine, which bears more than a few similarities in style and particulars.
March 2, 2025
When I found Gareth L. Powell a few years ago, I was excited. More space opera, just as I was starting to bend back towards the subgenre! Yet the two books I read by him, while they have become fonder memories in my mind, didn’t stay with me the way I thought they might. Future’s Edge seems doomed to repeat this fate, for it has all the makings of an excellent space opera without any of the heat or edge that would make it truly great. Thanks to NetGalley and Titan Books for the eARC.
Ursula Morrow is an archaeologist. However, a mishap with a dormant device from an alien species ships her back to Earth. Altered at a genetic level, Ursula endures prodding and poking before finally being released on her own recognizance—only for mysterious, implacable aliens to destroy Earth that very day. Bad luck! Now living on a backwater refugee planet, Ursula tends bar and ponders what the future might hold. Then a man from her past arrives in town claiming she holds the key to humanity’s—nay, sentient life in this arm of the galaxy’s—salvation.
Future’s Edge feels like it’s riffing, intentionally or otherwise, on so many other science-fiction stories. Titan A.E.: Earth being destroyed, humanity scattered, ragtag band of misfits looking for a weapon that can turn the tide against a mysterious alien enemy. Revelation Space: the Cutters are basically the Inhibitors. Andromeda, Wayfarers, or any number of ship AI-embodied-as-gynoids stories: Crissy. And yes, fundamentally, most science fiction is a remix of old tropes because nothing is original … yet Future’s Edge feels like that, even more so. Powell even has Ursula hang a lampshade on being the namesake of Ursula K. Le Guin!
Whether this annoys or delights you (or, frustratingly, both in my case) is up to your sensibilities. I found this book charming, if somewhat predictable and unsatisfying in the neat and tidy way everything gets wrapped up. There was precisely one moment of devastating emotional attachment me for me (if you read the book, I think it’ll be obvious what I am referring to, but basically it involves one character sacrificing themself for another)—yet I honestly don’t enjoy how the final act alters that sacrifice.
If I had to pinpoint a particular highlight of the story, it’s a sequence where Ursula gets to hang out with Crissy’s avatar and they bond. She’s Jack’s ex; Crissy is Jack’s wife, and Powell plays everything exactly the way you would expect—delightful, yet also part of the book’s problem.
Put simply, this book is too safe. Powell doesn’t take any risks here with his storytelling. From the Cutters to the mysterious alien weapon at the heart of the book’s climax (the Crucible from Mass Effect anyone?) to Ursula’s own ambivalence about her alien alterations, this is a story steeped in science-fictional tropes yet unmoored from any particularly compelling logic of its own design. It’s paint by numbers.
Now, paint by numbers can be satisfying! I really don’t want to damn this book with faint praise, because I think it’s good and well worth your attention if you like space opera with a hint of melodrama. At the same time, I struggle to string together any superlatives about this book. It’s fine, good even. But it’s safe, unassuming, and doesn’t ask you to think too hard about anything. Comfort food? I guess. A tasty snack, yet one that has me looking around for a more substantial meal.
Originally posted on Kara.Reviews.
Ursula Morrow is an archaeologist. However, a mishap with a dormant device from an alien species ships her back to Earth. Altered at a genetic level, Ursula endures prodding and poking before finally being released on her own recognizance—only for mysterious, implacable aliens to destroy Earth that very day. Bad luck! Now living on a backwater refugee planet, Ursula tends bar and ponders what the future might hold. Then a man from her past arrives in town claiming she holds the key to humanity’s—nay, sentient life in this arm of the galaxy’s—salvation.
Future’s Edge feels like it’s riffing, intentionally or otherwise, on so many other science-fiction stories. Titan A.E.: Earth being destroyed, humanity scattered, ragtag band of misfits looking for a weapon that can turn the tide against a mysterious alien enemy. Revelation Space: the Cutters are basically the Inhibitors. Andromeda, Wayfarers, or any number of ship AI-embodied-as-gynoids stories: Crissy. And yes, fundamentally, most science fiction is a remix of old tropes because nothing is original … yet Future’s Edge feels like that, even more so. Powell even has Ursula hang a lampshade on being the namesake of Ursula K. Le Guin!
Whether this annoys or delights you (or, frustratingly, both in my case) is up to your sensibilities. I found this book charming, if somewhat predictable and unsatisfying in the neat and tidy way everything gets wrapped up. There was precisely one moment of devastating emotional attachment me for me (if you read the book, I think it’ll be obvious what I am referring to, but basically it involves one character sacrificing themself for another)—yet I honestly don’t enjoy how the final act alters that sacrifice.
If I had to pinpoint a particular highlight of the story, it’s a sequence where Ursula gets to hang out with Crissy’s avatar and they bond. She’s Jack’s ex; Crissy is Jack’s wife, and Powell plays everything exactly the way you would expect—delightful, yet also part of the book’s problem.
Put simply, this book is too safe. Powell doesn’t take any risks here with his storytelling. From the Cutters to the mysterious alien weapon at the heart of the book’s climax (the Crucible from Mass Effect anyone?) to Ursula’s own ambivalence about her alien alterations, this is a story steeped in science-fictional tropes yet unmoored from any particularly compelling logic of its own design. It’s paint by numbers.
Now, paint by numbers can be satisfying! I really don’t want to damn this book with faint praise, because I think it’s good and well worth your attention if you like space opera with a hint of melodrama. At the same time, I struggle to string together any superlatives about this book. It’s fine, good even. But it’s safe, unassuming, and doesn’t ask you to think too hard about anything. Comfort food? I guess. A tasty snack, yet one that has me looking around for a more substantial meal.
Originally posted on Kara.Reviews.
October 4, 2025
The Earth has been destroyed by inter-dimensional aliens called Cutters. Ursula is a former archeologist who had an encounter with an alien artifact that has somehow infected her, and she's also a refugee from the Cutter attack on Earth. She's been eking out an existence as a bar-owner on a refugee planet with other victims of the Cutters, human and alien. And then her ex-boyfriend turns up with a mission and his new wife: a starship name Crisis Actor. Ursula, Jack (the ex) and Cris (short for Crisis Actor) need to work out how to work together and Ursula has to step up and maybe save what's left of civilised life in our spiral arm.
The main characters have an interesting dynamic, with Jack having moved on and Ursula never really having done so. Jack and Cris are military, and devoted to the fight against the Cutters. Ursula has some growing to do before she's ready to get into that fight.
This was entertaining, and I really liked the world-building and revelations as to what's going on. But other than that I thought this was a little soulless. Interesting SF, but only vaguely interesting inter-personal stuff, particularly with how human-like Cris actually is.
3.5 rounded up to 4.
The main characters have an interesting dynamic, with Jack having moved on and Ursula never really having done so. Jack and Cris are military, and devoted to the fight against the Cutters. Ursula has some growing to do before she's ready to get into that fight.
This was entertaining, and I really liked the world-building and revelations as to what's going on. But other than that I thought this was a little soulless. Interesting SF, but only vaguely interesting inter-personal stuff, particularly with how human-like Cris actually is.
3.5 rounded up to 4.
February 24, 2025
The nitty-gritty: Epic in scope but somehow intimate as well, Future’s Edge is an end-of-the-world tale with heart and hope.
Gareth L. Powell is one of those writers who never disappoints. He’s consistently good at what he does, writing stories with intricate worldbuilding, plenty of humor, well developed characters and thoughtful insights into the human condition. Future’s Edge has all that and more and is a thoroughly entertaining romp through space.
Two years ago, the world nearly ended when a destructive alien species called the Cutters arrived on Earth and decimated most of humanity. Billions died with only a handful of humans and other aliens spared. Those with the resources to hop on a ship and leave the planet have managed to eke out a life in refugee camps, never knowing if and when the Cutters will find them.
Ursula Morrow was lucky enough to have friends in high places, and her military boyfriend Jack made arrangements for her to escape. But Jack decided to keep fighting and left Ursula by herself on a backwoods planet, where’s she’s managed to survive despite the uncertainty of the Cutters’ invasion. Ursula is also dealing with a mistake she made on an archeological dig just before the Cutters arrived. She was infected by an alien artifact after touching it with her bare hand and has acquired superhuman healing powers. Doctors determined that whatever happened to her isn’t contagious, so she’s allowed to live a fairly normal life. But still, she wonders about long term repercussions.
Ursula hasn’t seen or heard from Jack in two years, but then one day he shows up on her doorstep. Jack has been fighting the Cutters and has a crazy idea: he believes that the alien artifact that infected Ursula might be a weapon they can use against the Cutters, but testing it out means returning to Void’s Edge, the far away planet where Ursula found the artifact, and hooking her up to the device to see if she can activate it.
And so begins a treacherous journey, as Ursula and her companion Siegfried join Jack and his crew aboard Jack’s ship the Crisis Actor. Outrunning the Cutters is just one obstacle on their way to find the artifact and potentially save the world.
Powell begins his story after a few major things have happened—the Cutters’ invasion and Ursula’s infection at the dig site—and I think one of the signs of good writing is knowing when to start your story. He could have easily made the invasion the main focus, but in my opinion it wouldn’t have been nearly as entertaining. In this story, we get to see what happens next, which is a thrilling adventure with plenty of danger and suspense, as the crew of the Crisis Actor dodges the Cutters (who are still around), hoping to make it to the artifact before they are killed.
There’s a lot packed into this story, which is just over three hundred pages. Powell uses every word in service of his story without any unnecessary filler, creating a vast universe with many different kinds of alien beings coexisting (more or less) on different planets. Each planet is linked to the next by a tramline network in the undervoid, a sort of tunnel between star systems that allows fast travel from one to the next. Unfortunately, the Cutters also use this system, so traveling it can be extremely dangerous. There is so much cool worldbuilding in this story, like the huge foam ships used to take survivors to another galaxy, and the Precursors, the ancient race who created the artifact that infected Ursula. Powell has managed to create a highly entertaining and believable story that not only explores the future of space travel, but goes back millions of years to the time of the dinosaurs and makes a fascinating connection between them and the Precursors.
And while all this worldbuilding is going on, Powell’s characters are front and center. Ursula has been hardened by her experience with the Cutters and the artifact and has turned to alcohol for comfort, but she’s also vulnerable, in love with Jack and unable to let him go, even though she understands on some level he’s moved on. I particularly loved Siegfried, her part alien, part android companion who goes along with Ursula to find the artifact, and Mouse, Ursula’s best friend from college who also joins the crew.
Jack and his ship the Crisis Actor, or Cris as he calls her, were one of the strangest couples I’ve ever read about. Yes, I said “couples.” (Cris has a humanoid projection that can walk around and interface with people separate from the actual ship.) Ursula is jealous at first, but later she and Cris bond during a heart-to-heart, which was sweet and emotional. We also get alternating chapters from Cris’s perspective in the form of a ship's log, which I loved.
And I can’t forget the Cutters, who are one of the weirdest and most lethal aliens I’ve come across in fiction. Ursula describes them as looking like a Kandinsky painting, made up of overlapping glass shards and maybe existing in more than one dimension. I was fascinated by these creatures and terrified as well. Powell doesn’t give them any human qualities at all—they are killers through and through.
Powell infuses his story with lots of emotional moments as well. Ursula and the others are mourning the loss of “Old Earth,” and there’s a feeling of nostalgia as they remember everything they’ve lost. The Cutters are a constant threat and you never know which character is going to be their next victim. He also brings up interesting ideas about the vastness of the universe and how humans are nothing more than blips on the timeline. I felt very small after reading Future’s Edge, and Powell gives readers a lot to ponder, especially at the end when we learn more about where the Cutters came from and why they are killing off civilizations.
Despite some of the terrible things that happen to the characters, Powell ends his story on a hopeful note and gives readers a happily-ever-after ending. I believe this is a standalone at the moment, but there is certainly room to expand into other books, and frankly, I hate the idea of never seeing these characters again. Future’s Edge promises to be one of the best science fiction books of the year, don’t miss it.
Big thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy.
Gareth L. Powell is one of those writers who never disappoints. He’s consistently good at what he does, writing stories with intricate worldbuilding, plenty of humor, well developed characters and thoughtful insights into the human condition. Future’s Edge has all that and more and is a thoroughly entertaining romp through space.
Two years ago, the world nearly ended when a destructive alien species called the Cutters arrived on Earth and decimated most of humanity. Billions died with only a handful of humans and other aliens spared. Those with the resources to hop on a ship and leave the planet have managed to eke out a life in refugee camps, never knowing if and when the Cutters will find them.
Ursula Morrow was lucky enough to have friends in high places, and her military boyfriend Jack made arrangements for her to escape. But Jack decided to keep fighting and left Ursula by herself on a backwoods planet, where’s she’s managed to survive despite the uncertainty of the Cutters’ invasion. Ursula is also dealing with a mistake she made on an archeological dig just before the Cutters arrived. She was infected by an alien artifact after touching it with her bare hand and has acquired superhuman healing powers. Doctors determined that whatever happened to her isn’t contagious, so she’s allowed to live a fairly normal life. But still, she wonders about long term repercussions.
Ursula hasn’t seen or heard from Jack in two years, but then one day he shows up on her doorstep. Jack has been fighting the Cutters and has a crazy idea: he believes that the alien artifact that infected Ursula might be a weapon they can use against the Cutters, but testing it out means returning to Void’s Edge, the far away planet where Ursula found the artifact, and hooking her up to the device to see if she can activate it.
And so begins a treacherous journey, as Ursula and her companion Siegfried join Jack and his crew aboard Jack’s ship the Crisis Actor. Outrunning the Cutters is just one obstacle on their way to find the artifact and potentially save the world.
Powell begins his story after a few major things have happened—the Cutters’ invasion and Ursula’s infection at the dig site—and I think one of the signs of good writing is knowing when to start your story. He could have easily made the invasion the main focus, but in my opinion it wouldn’t have been nearly as entertaining. In this story, we get to see what happens next, which is a thrilling adventure with plenty of danger and suspense, as the crew of the Crisis Actor dodges the Cutters (who are still around), hoping to make it to the artifact before they are killed.
There’s a lot packed into this story, which is just over three hundred pages. Powell uses every word in service of his story without any unnecessary filler, creating a vast universe with many different kinds of alien beings coexisting (more or less) on different planets. Each planet is linked to the next by a tramline network in the undervoid, a sort of tunnel between star systems that allows fast travel from one to the next. Unfortunately, the Cutters also use this system, so traveling it can be extremely dangerous. There is so much cool worldbuilding in this story, like the huge foam ships used to take survivors to another galaxy, and the Precursors, the ancient race who created the artifact that infected Ursula. Powell has managed to create a highly entertaining and believable story that not only explores the future of space travel, but goes back millions of years to the time of the dinosaurs and makes a fascinating connection between them and the Precursors.
And while all this worldbuilding is going on, Powell’s characters are front and center. Ursula has been hardened by her experience with the Cutters and the artifact and has turned to alcohol for comfort, but she’s also vulnerable, in love with Jack and unable to let him go, even though she understands on some level he’s moved on. I particularly loved Siegfried, her part alien, part android companion who goes along with Ursula to find the artifact, and Mouse, Ursula’s best friend from college who also joins the crew.
Jack and his ship the Crisis Actor, or Cris as he calls her, were one of the strangest couples I’ve ever read about. Yes, I said “couples.” (Cris has a humanoid projection that can walk around and interface with people separate from the actual ship.) Ursula is jealous at first, but later she and Cris bond during a heart-to-heart, which was sweet and emotional. We also get alternating chapters from Cris’s perspective in the form of a ship's log, which I loved.
And I can’t forget the Cutters, who are one of the weirdest and most lethal aliens I’ve come across in fiction. Ursula describes them as looking like a Kandinsky painting, made up of overlapping glass shards and maybe existing in more than one dimension. I was fascinated by these creatures and terrified as well. Powell doesn’t give them any human qualities at all—they are killers through and through.
Powell infuses his story with lots of emotional moments as well. Ursula and the others are mourning the loss of “Old Earth,” and there’s a feeling of nostalgia as they remember everything they’ve lost. The Cutters are a constant threat and you never know which character is going to be their next victim. He also brings up interesting ideas about the vastness of the universe and how humans are nothing more than blips on the timeline. I felt very small after reading Future’s Edge, and Powell gives readers a lot to ponder, especially at the end when we learn more about where the Cutters came from and why they are killing off civilizations.
Despite some of the terrible things that happen to the characters, Powell ends his story on a hopeful note and gives readers a happily-ever-after ending. I believe this is a standalone at the moment, but there is certainly room to expand into other books, and frankly, I hate the idea of never seeing these characters again. Future’s Edge promises to be one of the best science fiction books of the year, don’t miss it.
Big thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy.
February 24, 2025
Fun fast paced adventure with lots of ideas but for me this feels like it’s trying to do several books worth of plot in 350 pages and doesn’t fit so well to allow us to explore the world or its characters
Full review - https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/bl...
Full review - https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/bl...
July 4, 2025
Gareth L. Powell’s Future’s Edge is a space opera in the manner of Peter S. Hamilton and Alastair Reynolds. A galactic civilization linked by an ancient tramline that permits fast, energy-cheap travel between star systems is being destroyed by a vicious race of predators appropriately called Cutters. Earth has been destroyed, and the remnants of humanity live in refugee camps, helping to build foam ships, which are much slower than the old tramline.
Our heroine, Ursula, was working as an xeno-archeologist when she was infected by an alien nano-virus that has made her “very, very hard to kill.” She and a multi-limbed alien named Siegfried are running a bar near one of the camps when her ex-lover, Jack, shows up to recruit them into a search for a weapon to defeat the Cutters. The catch—Jack is now married to the Android avatar of his spacecraft.
I have now read about half a dozen of Powell’s novels, and Future’s Edge is the best of the lot. It is a standalone story with inventive world-building and a fast pace—just what we want from space opera.
Our heroine, Ursula, was working as an xeno-archeologist when she was infected by an alien nano-virus that has made her “very, very hard to kill.” She and a multi-limbed alien named Siegfried are running a bar near one of the camps when her ex-lover, Jack, shows up to recruit them into a search for a weapon to defeat the Cutters. The catch—Jack is now married to the Android avatar of his spacecraft.
I have now read about half a dozen of Powell’s novels, and Future’s Edge is the best of the lot. It is a standalone story with inventive world-building and a fast pace—just what we want from space opera.
January 21, 2025
Future’s Edge by Gareth Powell is a scifi action adventure novel with a strong focus on the human connection. The story is told from the first person point of view of archaeologist Ursula Morrow. Ursula’s growth as a character and the relationships she develops with the novel's side characters showcase the author’s skill in writing well-thought out characters. The plot is very action and character oriented and the novel is a quick read. However, scenes are often written in a gimmicky way to move the plot forward, and don’t always feel like a natural progression of the story. Also, while this novel centers on a number of science fiction tropes and concepts, those concepts are not explored in any meaningful way.
In this story, the Earth is destroyed by an alien race known as the “Cutters” and the story begins with the aftermath of those who escaped the attack. Ursula barely escaped the moment of the attack and now lives on a backwater world, running a bar in a refugee camp. She also happens to be infected by an alien parasite that gives her the ability to quickly heal and resist damage to her body. It just so happens, that alien parasite might be the key to defeating the Cutters. After waiting for two years for the man she loves, he suddenly shows up in a military ship, seeking her help, and she is thrust into a thrilling adventure through the undervoid involving piracy, space battles, and more.
No doubt, the relationships that develop between Ursula and the other characters are well-written and show a warmth for the human connection. That may be enough for most readers to enjoy this novel, but the story lacks the seriousness and the exploration of scifi concepts. This story has an AI ship that, weirdly, happens to be married to a human. The sentient AI does not feel at all like AI, simply like another human character. The AI part is not examined in any meaningful way. That’s also the case for many other aspects of this novel, such as the archaeology trait for Ursula, the alien parasite, the undervoid, and so on. Future’s Edge is pure action in many respects, opting not to go in depth on the scifi concepts Powell introduces.
Future’s Edge is a quick read and an action oriented novel for those looking not to think too hard about concepts that typically need detailed exploration in a scifi novel. Powell makes up for the surface level look at the concepts with strong characters and the genuine relationships they develop.
(ARC from NetGalley)
In this story, the Earth is destroyed by an alien race known as the “Cutters” and the story begins with the aftermath of those who escaped the attack. Ursula barely escaped the moment of the attack and now lives on a backwater world, running a bar in a refugee camp. She also happens to be infected by an alien parasite that gives her the ability to quickly heal and resist damage to her body. It just so happens, that alien parasite might be the key to defeating the Cutters. After waiting for two years for the man she loves, he suddenly shows up in a military ship, seeking her help, and she is thrust into a thrilling adventure through the undervoid involving piracy, space battles, and more.
No doubt, the relationships that develop between Ursula and the other characters are well-written and show a warmth for the human connection. That may be enough for most readers to enjoy this novel, but the story lacks the seriousness and the exploration of scifi concepts. This story has an AI ship that, weirdly, happens to be married to a human. The sentient AI does not feel at all like AI, simply like another human character. The AI part is not examined in any meaningful way. That’s also the case for many other aspects of this novel, such as the archaeology trait for Ursula, the alien parasite, the undervoid, and so on. Future’s Edge is pure action in many respects, opting not to go in depth on the scifi concepts Powell introduces.
Future’s Edge is a quick read and an action oriented novel for those looking not to think too hard about concepts that typically need detailed exploration in a scifi novel. Powell makes up for the surface level look at the concepts with strong characters and the genuine relationships they develop.
(ARC from NetGalley)
July 4, 2025
For people who liked To Sleep In Sea of Stars….
A character heavy story that follows Ursula, a woman infected by alien parasite right after the fall of Earth… and now her ex is on her doorstop asking her to save the humanity.
This story was an easy read, fast paced character centric… but also a little fluffy and a story I’ve read before.
A character heavy story that follows Ursula, a woman infected by alien parasite right after the fall of Earth… and now her ex is on her doorstop asking her to save the humanity.
This story was an easy read, fast paced character centric… but also a little fluffy and a story I’ve read before.
February 27, 2025
Future's Edge by Gareth L. Powell - currently a standalone Science Fiction story
This book is adventurous and challenging, building tension into the cataclism that happens at the beginning, but maintains throughout the book. There are also times which are funny and lighthearted. Since this is a Science Fiction story, the author has built a universe that is well developed and informative (makes sense/logical). I felt story had a mysterious element, too. I was constantly trying to figure out what would happen next. Now that I've finished this book, I see myself being reflective and feel that I will be pondering this story for a LONG time.
Medium-paced
This book explores a powerful plot driven story, which is diverse and unique in scope.
This also allows for well developed character growth, using impactful experiences through the plot, to in turn effect each character's storyarcs in unexpected ways (at least for me).
I fell in love with Ursula, Jack and Cris (a unique love triangle). The characters were widely diverse, which pulled the reader in (whoever you are). The character flaws of each of the main characters (stated above) move the plot, though at times...I wished they could could just stay put...and live out there (whever THERE was, at the time).
4.25 Stars
I've read a number of this author's works. With each book I pick up and read...he finds a way to speak on another level, giving diversity to his catalog of books/adventures.
This story has "world ending" events, time travel, sentiant AI, good characters...that go on personal arcs, without losing sight of the worldbuilding and plot points...making this story enticing and pulling the reader to keep reading.
I was given this book to read as an eArc by Net Galley...for a fair and honest review.
Sadly, I was reading another book for review...and in that book, it just wasn't hitting. So when I picked this book up, it was refreshing and intoxicating...and I couldn't put it down. A great experience to go through, indeed.
Our first introduction to this story is through the eyes of Claws (a name given to a woman touched by "something" related to the villains of this story...Cutters). Her real name is Ursula, and her story hits hard. Great introduction IMO.
Then we are introduced to Jack, and how he's associated with Ursula, and how he impacts her life...then...
Well, you'll just have to read it. It is both a cool story, but also a sad story. We want to keep Jack and Ursula together, but come to understand...that Cris has stood in the breach, and THAT relationship is incredibly powerful for all their futures.
The growth of each of the main characters, Ursula, Jack and Cris are needed. This is still a plot centered story, but not at the expense of the character arcs, that pull the reader in..and keep the readers engaged, as the storyline moves forward.
This is solitary story (not part of a series...at the moment), but I can see how he could possibly write more from this part of the universe and expand this with other stories.
This author has such a way to write stories that are connected, but still allowing the readers to approach his works in different orders...other than the published order. That's talent.
The ideas explored in this story are going to stick with me...for a while. I t believe I will be pondering what could/should happen next, and how this or that could happen. I will be approaching this story for a while, and that's a great feeling.
This book is adventurous and challenging, building tension into the cataclism that happens at the beginning, but maintains throughout the book. There are also times which are funny and lighthearted. Since this is a Science Fiction story, the author has built a universe that is well developed and informative (makes sense/logical). I felt story had a mysterious element, too. I was constantly trying to figure out what would happen next. Now that I've finished this book, I see myself being reflective and feel that I will be pondering this story for a LONG time.
Medium-paced
This book explores a powerful plot driven story, which is diverse and unique in scope.
This also allows for well developed character growth, using impactful experiences through the plot, to in turn effect each character's storyarcs in unexpected ways (at least for me).
I fell in love with Ursula, Jack and Cris (a unique love triangle). The characters were widely diverse, which pulled the reader in (whoever you are). The character flaws of each of the main characters (stated above) move the plot, though at times...I wished they could could just stay put...and live out there (whever THERE was, at the time).
4.25 Stars
I've read a number of this author's works. With each book I pick up and read...he finds a way to speak on another level, giving diversity to his catalog of books/adventures.
This story has "world ending" events, time travel, sentiant AI, good characters...that go on personal arcs, without losing sight of the worldbuilding and plot points...making this story enticing and pulling the reader to keep reading.
I was given this book to read as an eArc by Net Galley...for a fair and honest review.
Sadly, I was reading another book for review...and in that book, it just wasn't hitting. So when I picked this book up, it was refreshing and intoxicating...and I couldn't put it down. A great experience to go through, indeed.
Our first introduction to this story is through the eyes of Claws (a name given to a woman touched by "something" related to the villains of this story...Cutters). Her real name is Ursula, and her story hits hard. Great introduction IMO.
Then we are introduced to Jack, and how he's associated with Ursula, and how he impacts her life...then...
Well, you'll just have to read it. It is both a cool story, but also a sad story. We want to keep Jack and Ursula together, but come to understand...that Cris has stood in the breach, and THAT relationship is incredibly powerful for all their futures.
The growth of each of the main characters, Ursula, Jack and Cris are needed. This is still a plot centered story, but not at the expense of the character arcs, that pull the reader in..and keep the readers engaged, as the storyline moves forward.
This is solitary story (not part of a series...at the moment), but I can see how he could possibly write more from this part of the universe and expand this with other stories.
This author has such a way to write stories that are connected, but still allowing the readers to approach his works in different orders...other than the published order. That's talent.
The ideas explored in this story are going to stick with me...for a while. I t believe I will be pondering what could/should happen next, and how this or that could happen. I will be approaching this story for a while, and that's a great feeling.
February 17, 2025
I've been starved for good sci-fi in recent years in the rise of fantasy; seems we either get dystopian eco-fiction or the robots take over sorts of stories for science fiction these days. Future's Edge is classic sci-fi inspired by the golden age of the genre. A touch of space opera but not pure space opera. I had a thoroughly entertaining time with this.
I've followed the author's career for a long time now, found him to be one of the most approachable authors on social media. I've also followed his real-life romance with a fellow author. I thought this was one of his most personal books yet. I felt more emotionally connected to these characters than I have in past books of his.
This is at its heart a story about unity and survival in the face of an alien invasion that wipes out most life on earth. Ursula Morrow, an archaeologist on a universe that no longer needs her skills, has to give up the life of adventure she had imagined for herself as a naive, idealistic student. She has an instant romantic connection with a soldier, Jack, who helps her escape. On a remote world on an archaeological dig before it all went to hell, she had touched an alien artefact with her bare hands that made her practically invincible.
She winds up running a bar at a refugee camp, holding out hope that Jack will come back for her. He does, but not in the way she imagined. He's now married to his ship, a sentient AI, and he needs her to operate the alien artefact again. They think it could be a weapon to destroy the Cutters. But what if there's something out there scarier than the Cutters?
This was a character-driven thrilling adventure that also put the science back in science fiction. I appreciated how the love story didn't go the love triangle or romantic subplot route and Jack and the Crisis Actor were an established couple. I also appreciated how it was a fresh take on the "evil robot takeover" trope - the robots aren't evil in this but rather sentient beings with complicated feelings.
I also loved Ursula's character, how she struggled with a drinking problem and worked through whether her love for Jack was a childish obsession or true love. She was a very real character who transformed in an inspiring way. File this one under men who write women well. I also appreciated that this wasn't heavy on backstory or info-dumping about worldbuilding, but the worldbuilding in this was interesting.
A fun science fiction adventure with a personal touch. Recommended.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance review copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I've followed the author's career for a long time now, found him to be one of the most approachable authors on social media. I've also followed his real-life romance with a fellow author. I thought this was one of his most personal books yet. I felt more emotionally connected to these characters than I have in past books of his.
This is at its heart a story about unity and survival in the face of an alien invasion that wipes out most life on earth. Ursula Morrow, an archaeologist on a universe that no longer needs her skills, has to give up the life of adventure she had imagined for herself as a naive, idealistic student. She has an instant romantic connection with a soldier, Jack, who helps her escape. On a remote world on an archaeological dig before it all went to hell, she had touched an alien artefact with her bare hands that made her practically invincible.
She winds up running a bar at a refugee camp, holding out hope that Jack will come back for her. He does, but not in the way she imagined. He's now married to his ship, a sentient AI, and he needs her to operate the alien artefact again. They think it could be a weapon to destroy the Cutters. But what if there's something out there scarier than the Cutters?
This was a character-driven thrilling adventure that also put the science back in science fiction. I appreciated how the love story didn't go the love triangle or romantic subplot route and Jack and the Crisis Actor were an established couple. I also appreciated how it was a fresh take on the "evil robot takeover" trope - the robots aren't evil in this but rather sentient beings with complicated feelings.
I also loved Ursula's character, how she struggled with a drinking problem and worked through whether her love for Jack was a childish obsession or true love. She was a very real character who transformed in an inspiring way. File this one under men who write women well. I also appreciated that this wasn't heavy on backstory or info-dumping about worldbuilding, but the worldbuilding in this was interesting.
A fun science fiction adventure with a personal touch. Recommended.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance review copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
January 6, 2025
What if you were to start a book AFTER the “end of the world?” What if there is a very real reason for the Fermi Paradox? What do you do if after the greatest collective trauma the human race has ever experienced happens – but you survived?
That’s sort of where Future’s Edge, British author Gareth Powell’s decides to jump off his newest stand-alone novel. I’ve read Powell before – he was a discovery during Covid-19, where I devoured the Embers of War series and then read his back catalog as well. He has a wonderful mind for writing science fiction that seems both very real and very different – his aliens often feel alien in a way that some authors just never pull off. And for someone who I think isn’t a big name in the wider world…he’s somebody you SHOULD be reading (at least if you’re interested in well written and well thought SF). So I squeed just a bit when the approval came down for this book.
What is amazing is that he decides to barely show the “apocalypse/end of the world.” We start two years after an alien invasion more or less wiped out most of humanity (nearly everyone on Earth)(this isn’t a spoiler – it’s on the blurb), amongst the surviving refugees of that event, struggling to survive and trying to get away. Other authors might have been tempted to spend a lengthy prologue describing the invasion of Earth – here Powell only uses that event to setup the past a bit and establish what has gone down, as well as to push that humanity is on the edge of extinction and now has a collective trauma that is discussed at length in other portions of the novel.
But this book is not about “end of the world porn.” This is about AFTER. About what you do when the world ends and there is very little hope that it will ever come back to what it was. This isn’t even a novel about “fighting back” – I mean…it is…but it also really really isn’t. And that’s something I loved about it.
The book blurb does a good job of laying out the plot. Ursula Morrow, interstellar archeologist student cum bar owner in a refugee camp, may have the key inside her to a weapon that could help the reeling ‘Commonality’ of species, fighting a losing war against the “Cutters” (more on them in a bit). There’s a bit of getting the gang back together, some pictures of what a mess the galaxy is in and a ton of action to get things where they’re going. Like I said, the blurb covers it really well (and my reviews are never about recapping the plot). We get a picture of a broken universe at once very modern seeming and endlessly old.
I enjoyed the setting and the characters – I’ve always thought Powell’s read on AI was pretty solid and I like that it is very different here than it is in his prior books (Cris grew on me – but you aren’t supposed to love “her” at first, I think). I loved the relationship between Ursula and Mouse. I absolutely LOVED that we had a “love triangle” (only sorta) and the characters resolved it by f*cking TALKING TO ONE ANOTHER. I thought it was going to go a different way and I was thrilled when it didn’t.
The “Cutters” are awesome. A very cool concept and execution – I loved that I felt Powell described them very well and I could picture them in my mind…AND YET…you could read this novel and picture them somewhat differently. And that would be okay! They sort of preclude easy explanation or description…two people could describe them very differently, I feel and I feel safe saying there isn’t anything quite like them in SF.
The marketing calls this “science fiction horror” and I think that’s a real disservice to what is actually going on here. The “Cutters” are not xenomorphs in any way/shape/form other than they are un-interested in anything but killing us (they at least have a reason other than instinct – read and find out!). But, if you wanted to compare them to xenomorphs…this is “Aliens” not “Alien.” This isn’t about horror – there’s nothing in the novel that is inherently “scary” that’ll keep you up at night (obviously, YMMV) and I’m chalking that up as a good thing. This is science fiction action with some big ideas behind it. This isn’t existential horror.
That’s an excellent seque to what I didn’t like as much. Some of the dialogue was too “you da ant” – very much steeped in OUR modern day and age (I really question whether someone in the future would use the phrase “f*ck around and find out” but maybe I’m wrong!). There are several overt “Aliens” references including a few direct quotes that REALLY took me out of the page – I get why authors want to shout out influences and the like, but you don’t have to directly quote them. It really took me out of the immersion of the world. I’m sure there are some who REALLY dig them. I just wasn’t one.
I liked the ending – but I think some might think it wraps up too easily and too quickly. We have a few characters who are setup for future things only to seem them more or less go away off page. And for all of that…I think this is JUST short of a five star for me. A solid 4.25. It is very very very good and I’m once again sitting here wondering if I’m being too much of a “hard grader.” But…that’s me. I think this is a 5-star read for a lot of people. And there is no shame in 4. Highly recommended. Out February 25th from Titan Books. You can preorder here.
Thank you to NetGalley and Titan Books for the advance reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
That’s sort of where Future’s Edge, British author Gareth Powell’s decides to jump off his newest stand-alone novel. I’ve read Powell before – he was a discovery during Covid-19, where I devoured the Embers of War series and then read his back catalog as well. He has a wonderful mind for writing science fiction that seems both very real and very different – his aliens often feel alien in a way that some authors just never pull off. And for someone who I think isn’t a big name in the wider world…he’s somebody you SHOULD be reading (at least if you’re interested in well written and well thought SF). So I squeed just a bit when the approval came down for this book.
What is amazing is that he decides to barely show the “apocalypse/end of the world.” We start two years after an alien invasion more or less wiped out most of humanity (nearly everyone on Earth)(this isn’t a spoiler – it’s on the blurb), amongst the surviving refugees of that event, struggling to survive and trying to get away. Other authors might have been tempted to spend a lengthy prologue describing the invasion of Earth – here Powell only uses that event to setup the past a bit and establish what has gone down, as well as to push that humanity is on the edge of extinction and now has a collective trauma that is discussed at length in other portions of the novel.
But this book is not about “end of the world porn.” This is about AFTER. About what you do when the world ends and there is very little hope that it will ever come back to what it was. This isn’t even a novel about “fighting back” – I mean…it is…but it also really really isn’t. And that’s something I loved about it.
The book blurb does a good job of laying out the plot. Ursula Morrow, interstellar archeologist student cum bar owner in a refugee camp, may have the key inside her to a weapon that could help the reeling ‘Commonality’ of species, fighting a losing war against the “Cutters” (more on them in a bit). There’s a bit of getting the gang back together, some pictures of what a mess the galaxy is in and a ton of action to get things where they’re going. Like I said, the blurb covers it really well (and my reviews are never about recapping the plot). We get a picture of a broken universe at once very modern seeming and endlessly old.
I enjoyed the setting and the characters – I’ve always thought Powell’s read on AI was pretty solid and I like that it is very different here than it is in his prior books (Cris grew on me – but you aren’t supposed to love “her” at first, I think). I loved the relationship between Ursula and Mouse. I absolutely LOVED that we had a “love triangle” (only sorta) and the characters resolved it by f*cking TALKING TO ONE ANOTHER. I thought it was going to go a different way and I was thrilled when it didn’t.
The “Cutters” are awesome. A very cool concept and execution – I loved that I felt Powell described them very well and I could picture them in my mind…AND YET…you could read this novel and picture them somewhat differently. And that would be okay! They sort of preclude easy explanation or description…two people could describe them very differently, I feel and I feel safe saying there isn’t anything quite like them in SF.
The marketing calls this “science fiction horror” and I think that’s a real disservice to what is actually going on here. The “Cutters” are not xenomorphs in any way/shape/form other than they are un-interested in anything but killing us (they at least have a reason other than instinct – read and find out!). But, if you wanted to compare them to xenomorphs…this is “Aliens” not “Alien.” This isn’t about horror – there’s nothing in the novel that is inherently “scary” that’ll keep you up at night (obviously, YMMV) and I’m chalking that up as a good thing. This is science fiction action with some big ideas behind it. This isn’t existential horror.
That’s an excellent seque to what I didn’t like as much. Some of the dialogue was too “you da ant” – very much steeped in OUR modern day and age (I really question whether someone in the future would use the phrase “f*ck around and find out” but maybe I’m wrong!). There are several overt “Aliens” references including a few direct quotes that REALLY took me out of the page – I get why authors want to shout out influences and the like, but you don’t have to directly quote them. It really took me out of the immersion of the world. I’m sure there are some who REALLY dig them. I just wasn’t one.
I liked the ending – but I think some might think it wraps up too easily and too quickly. We have a few characters who are setup for future things only to seem them more or less go away off page. And for all of that…I think this is JUST short of a five star for me. A solid 4.25. It is very very very good and I’m once again sitting here wondering if I’m being too much of a “hard grader.” But…that’s me. I think this is a 5-star read for a lot of people. And there is no shame in 4. Highly recommended. Out February 25th from Titan Books. You can preorder here.
Thank you to NetGalley and Titan Books for the advance reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
February 28, 2025
This book was fun but the characters were all too nice. I'd have preferred if Future's Edge had been Future's Edgelords.
March 6, 2025
With the highest stakes (extinction), Gareth L. Powell’s latest is a fast-paced space opera with an interesting set of characters, banter, action, and friendship.
Ursula Morrow has been biding her time, managing a bar, on a planet where everyone is a refugee. Humans and aliens alike fled here ahead of monstrous, extremely hard to kill beings from another dimension suddenly appeared at multiple planets connected by tramlines (wormholes) and began eradicating all sentient life.
Ursula had been on Earth just prior to its destruction, and only barely made it to a ship leaving orbit, thanks to Jack, the man she had been involved with during her time at an archaeological dig. A dig that resulted in mishap and a huge health scare—Ursula had accidentally touched an alien artifact, which put her in a coma. Doctors on Earth (Jack rushed her back home) submitted her to every test but other than some physical changes, and a weird ability to repair and heal her body) Ursula was fine and eventually released. Which is when the planetary attack started with Jack getting her off planet and him rushing off to fight aboard a warship, the Crisis Actor.
Some years later, Jack arrives in her bar, and says, come with me so we can kill the Cutters, and we’ll do that by retrieving that alien artifact you touched —we think it’s a weapon.
There are mad dashes, fights, theft, and terrifying encounters with the Cutters, and some heart-to-hearts with the Crisis Actor.
I was entertained throughout, and liked Ursula as she navigates the frightening situation, and works through her grief for her lost family, planet, and life before her accident. Her best friend, and cyborg, Siegfried and Crisis Actor, the warship, are wonderful characters who play integral roles in the plot.
Ursula matures over the course of the story, and finds a way to protect countless others as a result. The plot is compelling, but it was Ursula and her friends who made the book for me.
Thank you to NetGalley and to Titan Books for this ARC in exchange for my review.
Ursula Morrow has been biding her time, managing a bar, on a planet where everyone is a refugee. Humans and aliens alike fled here ahead of monstrous, extremely hard to kill beings from another dimension suddenly appeared at multiple planets connected by tramlines (wormholes) and began eradicating all sentient life.
Ursula had been on Earth just prior to its destruction, and only barely made it to a ship leaving orbit, thanks to Jack, the man she had been involved with during her time at an archaeological dig. A dig that resulted in mishap and a huge health scare—Ursula had accidentally touched an alien artifact, which put her in a coma. Doctors on Earth (Jack rushed her back home) submitted her to every test but other than some physical changes, and a weird ability to repair and heal her body) Ursula was fine and eventually released. Which is when the planetary attack started with Jack getting her off planet and him rushing off to fight aboard a warship, the Crisis Actor.
Some years later, Jack arrives in her bar, and says, come with me so we can kill the Cutters, and we’ll do that by retrieving that alien artifact you touched —we think it’s a weapon.
There are mad dashes, fights, theft, and terrifying encounters with the Cutters, and some heart-to-hearts with the Crisis Actor.
I was entertained throughout, and liked Ursula as she navigates the frightening situation, and works through her grief for her lost family, planet, and life before her accident. Her best friend, and cyborg, Siegfried and Crisis Actor, the warship, are wonderful characters who play integral roles in the plot.
Ursula matures over the course of the story, and finds a way to protect countless others as a result. The plot is compelling, but it was Ursula and her friends who made the book for me.
Thank you to NetGalley and to Titan Books for this ARC in exchange for my review.
February 26, 2025
4.5*
I quite enjoyed this one, and I must say, it was far more heartfelt than I'd imagined going in! I think I presumed it would be pretty much all action all the time, but I was pleasantly surprised by the wonderful character development and introspection. You cannot help but root for Ursula. She's found herself on some backwater planet, all alone, having lost literally everything and everyone when Earth was destroyed. Also, she's probably infected with some alien junk, and she just found out that her former love, the one who saved her from doom on Earth, is back. Only now he's married to his space ship and Ursula can't help but feel like it's just one more thing (in a very long line of things) she's lost.
I loved that there is a ton of conversation surrounding trauma and grief, and that the characters have to actually face it, even while they're trying to save the universe. The side characters were also great, and I loved that they brought some found family into Ursula's life. The adventure to figure out what the alien stuff infecting Ursula is and how she can be of use to stop the mass destruction is of course incredibly high stakes, compelling, and ultimately quite thought provoking. The ending did confuse me a little, but overall I was quite satisfied with the story and absolutely loved the characters!
Bottom Line: So wonderfully emotive and thought provoking, all while still providing the promised high stakes space adventures!
You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight
I quite enjoyed this one, and I must say, it was far more heartfelt than I'd imagined going in! I think I presumed it would be pretty much all action all the time, but I was pleasantly surprised by the wonderful character development and introspection. You cannot help but root for Ursula. She's found herself on some backwater planet, all alone, having lost literally everything and everyone when Earth was destroyed. Also, she's probably infected with some alien junk, and she just found out that her former love, the one who saved her from doom on Earth, is back. Only now he's married to his space ship and Ursula can't help but feel like it's just one more thing (in a very long line of things) she's lost.
"That’s the thing about trauma; it becomes part of you. If you’re not careful, it can become all of you."
I loved that there is a ton of conversation surrounding trauma and grief, and that the characters have to actually face it, even while they're trying to save the universe. The side characters were also great, and I loved that they brought some found family into Ursula's life. The adventure to figure out what the alien stuff infecting Ursula is and how she can be of use to stop the mass destruction is of course incredibly high stakes, compelling, and ultimately quite thought provoking. The ending did confuse me a little, but overall I was quite satisfied with the story and absolutely loved the characters!
Bottom Line: So wonderfully emotive and thought provoking, all while still providing the promised high stakes space adventures!
You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight
June 13, 2025
On paper this has everything I want, but somehow I felt a little disconnected to the characters, so 4 stars.
December 1, 2024
It was always going to be hard not to give five stars to a book that features at least two Aliens quotes, but fortunately Powell backs them up with another of his trademark rollicking space operas. His usual focus on warmth and human connection is here (even if not all the leads are strictly human), but it’s juggled with maybe the nastiest and most chilling villains he has come up with yet. There’s no tonal whiplash though, just an emphasising of what’s at stake if we lose. It’s a thoroughly modern book, but still manages to evoke the sense of wonder that attracted me to the genre when I was a kid trawling the local library for classic SF.
August 19, 2025
I hated this!!!! so much!!!!
October 18, 2025
A very cool sci-fi story with likable characters and great pacing. If you like ancient alien relics, sentient spaceships and terrifying aliens, you will love this story.
January 28, 2025
I would like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read and honestly review an advanced reader’s copy of this book.
Future’s Edge is my first experience with Gareth L. Powell’s writing, and I’m sure it won’t be my last. He excels at sci-fi, and I tore through this book faster than the speed of light!
Set after the destruction of Earth by alien forces, humanity is left scattered among the stars. Ursula, our protagonist, barely escapes—thanks to the help of her not-really-ex-husband, Jack. She’s a very compelling character, grappling with the trauma of losing her homeworld and the homesickness that follows. On top of that, she must also face the painful reality that Jack, the man she once loved, is now married to the AI of his warship.
The emotional depth of Future’s Edge makes it more than just a thrilling space adventure. Powell crafts a story that’s both action-packed and deeply human, exploring loss, resilience, and the complexities of love. If you’re a sci-fi fan, this is a must-read!
Future’s Edge is my first experience with Gareth L. Powell’s writing, and I’m sure it won’t be my last. He excels at sci-fi, and I tore through this book faster than the speed of light!
Set after the destruction of Earth by alien forces, humanity is left scattered among the stars. Ursula, our protagonist, barely escapes—thanks to the help of her not-really-ex-husband, Jack. She’s a very compelling character, grappling with the trauma of losing her homeworld and the homesickness that follows. On top of that, she must also face the painful reality that Jack, the man she once loved, is now married to the AI of his warship.
The emotional depth of Future’s Edge makes it more than just a thrilling space adventure. Powell crafts a story that’s both action-packed and deeply human, exploring loss, resilience, and the complexities of love. If you’re a sci-fi fan, this is a must-read!
February 23, 2025
It left a strangely sour taste in my mouth after finishing.
Hard going the first few chapters and then very readable until the 3rd act. Then it felt rushed and unsatisfactory.
The author had built a very interesting world until this point full of new ideas which could have been very interesting to explore but instead ended it very suddenly without answering many of the questions it had opened.
I could compare it to either sci-fi greats like Rendezvous with Rama, similar to the point where the reader isn’t meant to understand or know the secrets of the world that was built. But then this felt like too much explanation of the world to compare, with too many opportunities for the characters to ask questions and understand. Rather the characters just ran from scene to scene which did express urgency but was boring when it ended.
3/5 due to its readability, but lost marks on its poor ending and lack of body horror that could have been employed.
Hard going the first few chapters and then very readable until the 3rd act. Then it felt rushed and unsatisfactory.
The author had built a very interesting world until this point full of new ideas which could have been very interesting to explore but instead ended it very suddenly without answering many of the questions it had opened.
I could compare it to either sci-fi greats like Rendezvous with Rama, similar to the point where the reader isn’t meant to understand or know the secrets of the world that was built. But then this felt like too much explanation of the world to compare, with too many opportunities for the characters to ask questions and understand. Rather the characters just ran from scene to scene which did express urgency but was boring when it ended.
3/5 due to its readability, but lost marks on its poor ending and lack of body horror that could have been employed.
March 5, 2025
I found a lot to enjoy about this story. I don’t need space opera to reinvent the wheel and I wasn’t upset that the book coasted on evergreen ideas that I’ve seen elsewhere.
However, what “Future’s Edge” made me realize, is that some genres just require more room to function. MAYBE this story could have worked as a single volume if it had been triple the size we got. However, in its current shape everything - from the worldbuilding to the characters - felt barely sketched out and rushed through. The story lacked the pathos a near-extinction space opera should have and the stakes never really felt real because every plot point and character beat was galloped through with breakneck speed.
Overall, a perfectly decent premise that for me didn’t work because of its brevity. I imagine there is a way to write an epic space opera in this page count, but this book wasn’t it, and the ending was such a whimper that all I was left with was disappointment.
However, what “Future’s Edge” made me realize, is that some genres just require more room to function. MAYBE this story could have worked as a single volume if it had been triple the size we got. However, in its current shape everything - from the worldbuilding to the characters - felt barely sketched out and rushed through. The story lacked the pathos a near-extinction space opera should have and the stakes never really felt real because every plot point and character beat was galloped through with breakneck speed.
Overall, a perfectly decent premise that for me didn’t work because of its brevity. I imagine there is a way to write an epic space opera in this page count, but this book wasn’t it, and the ending was such a whimper that all I was left with was disappointment.
October 15, 2025
Theoretically, this is a bite-sized space opera, with a wide range of settings, species, and characters. In practice, it’s just bite-sized. The settings? Either bland or...no, just bland. The species? Functionally human or the big bad alien threat. The characters? Really, there’s exactly one character in this book, and Ursula only claims that title by default (and by “as an archeologist”/sentence). I will say that this book was a quick, coherent read and that Ursula's introductory scene is nice.
February 15, 2026
Fast pased Space Opera is something new to me. Usually I read those mammoths in 600+ pages, I also must admit I missed a lot of background story, world building etc. But besides all that, Future's Edge is a really entertaining read and I enjoyed the story line alot. Also I must admit that the ending caught me a bit by surprice. Not that it was a genuine plot-twist, it just seemed organic yet surpricing.
I would recommmend this book for anyone who are interested in reading space opera, but lack the will to devour a large sized novel that probably begins a three-volume series.
Also I hope that Powell finds the inspiration to continue with sequels thate are more stand-alone stories, but with a metastory involving the main characters.
I would recommmend this book for anyone who are interested in reading space opera, but lack the will to devour a large sized novel that probably begins a three-volume series.
Also I hope that Powell finds the inspiration to continue with sequels thate are more stand-alone stories, but with a metastory involving the main characters.
February 10, 2025
I would like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read and honestly review an advanced reader’s copy of this book.
Future's Edge by Gareth L. Powell is a fast-paced, modern, universe-expanding adventure. Following the destruction of Earth by the alien Cutters, the story centres on Ursula, who is infected by an alien parasite and running a bar on a refugee planet. Her life is disrupted by the arrival of her ex-husband, who brings with him a plan to defeat the Cutters.
While Future's Edge delivers the action-packed sci-fi adventure one expects, its true strength lies in its exploration of Ursula's complex relationships with the novel's diverse and well-developed cast. The emotional weight of losing Earth and everyone she loved is explored, adding depth to her journey. In particular, Ursula's interactions with her ex-husband and his new wife, Cris, an AI military ship, contribute significantly to the narrative's richness.
Although the ending felt somewhat premature, I thoroughly enjoyed the story and the thought-provoking concepts it explores. If you're a fan of action-packed sci-fi adventures with likeable and fascinating characters, you will likely find Future's Edge a compelling read.
Future's Edge by Gareth L. Powell is a fast-paced, modern, universe-expanding adventure. Following the destruction of Earth by the alien Cutters, the story centres on Ursula, who is infected by an alien parasite and running a bar on a refugee planet. Her life is disrupted by the arrival of her ex-husband, who brings with him a plan to defeat the Cutters.
While Future's Edge delivers the action-packed sci-fi adventure one expects, its true strength lies in its exploration of Ursula's complex relationships with the novel's diverse and well-developed cast. The emotional weight of losing Earth and everyone she loved is explored, adding depth to her journey. In particular, Ursula's interactions with her ex-husband and his new wife, Cris, an AI military ship, contribute significantly to the narrative's richness.
Although the ending felt somewhat premature, I thoroughly enjoyed the story and the thought-provoking concepts it explores. If you're a fan of action-packed sci-fi adventures with likeable and fascinating characters, you will likely find Future's Edge a compelling read.
July 19, 2025
Two years after an alien attack essentially destroys civilization on Earth, archaeologist Ursula now tends bar at a refugee camp on another planet. However, things get complicated when her former partner, Jack, shows up looking for her help. Oh, and he's now married... to his ship's AI avatar, Crissy. Yeah, things couldn't get much worse. Until she's told the mysterious substance that fused with her prior to the attack on Earth might be part of a weapon that can defeat the Dalek-like alien threat.
It's a decent story with a lot of things going on. Honestly, I enjoyed reading it but had some questions when I reached the end. Characters deemed important end up doing very little. Things they were working toward just never happen and instead are resolved in unsatisfying and random ways.
Verdict
A cool concept, but I wasn't so sure this was worth the read by the end. There was an overload of characters and just too much happening.
It's a decent story with a lot of things going on. Honestly, I enjoyed reading it but had some questions when I reached the end. Characters deemed important end up doing very little. Things they were working toward just never happen and instead are resolved in unsatisfying and random ways.
Verdict
A cool concept, but I wasn't so sure this was worth the read by the end. There was an overload of characters and just too much happening.
November 24, 2025
I really enjoyed this book. It was very Mass Effect-ish. The end was a bit too easy and cleaned its hands off without really exploring all the possibilities. Overall, the book was very short. The pacing was find and the writing was fine as well. This is not a hard sci-fi book so you don't need to worry about feeling lost in jargon. Not a fan of first person because everyone always sounds exactly the same but I still enjoyed it. I want to check out more of this authors books.
Want to read
July 18, 2025Copy on hand via Kindle for libraries Thanks to SLO Libraries f0r the loan! Look forward to it.
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