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Project Hanuman
Blending Indian mythology and classic space opera, Project Hanuman is a bold new science-fiction novel from Stewart Hotston, perfect for fans of Adrian Tchaikovsky.
The ship needed to hear voices, to know he was not alone. The pilot thought they were going to fight an enemy, to find someone responsible and mete out justice. The Interlocutor thought they were going to help. The ship only wanted to hear the chaos of life and know he wasn’t alone among the stars.
The Arcology is a pan galactic utopia whose people live entirely online. Tired of paradise, Praveenthi ‘Prab’ Saal had herself printed into the physical world of Sirajah’s Reach, working as an Interlocutor – a go between for the Arcology and the cultures it meets in flesh and blood.
One evening after a call with her family – who are pressuring her to abandon her body and rejoin the Arcology, the city stops. Stops completely – nothing electronic works anymore. Terrified that the Arcology has just up and disappeared, she receives a call for help from a ship in dock whose pilot, Kercher, is a prisoner printed into a body to serve out his sentence in the physical world. Between them they discover it’s not just her planet, but the entire Arcology that’s gone missing. If they don’t find out what’s going on it could be the end of everyone and everything that calls the Arcology home.
Their only resource is their living ship, into which all the knowledge and culture of the Arcology has been downloaded. Asked to be a life raft for the Arcology, the ship, a frigate without a name, is dying – slowly being swallowed whole by the literal universe of information it’s been asked to carry.
Featuring worlds made entirely from gold, an enemy who has no consciousness, allies made of lichen and the grand Ring World of Akhanda – the physical heart of the Arcology. Prab and Kercher will need to put aside their dislike of each other and the Arcology if they’re to help their ship and save anything at all. Can they restore the possibility of hope to their lives?
The ship needed to hear voices, to know he was not alone. The pilot thought they were going to fight an enemy, to find someone responsible and mete out justice. The Interlocutor thought they were going to help. The ship only wanted to hear the chaos of life and know he wasn’t alone among the stars.
The Arcology is a pan galactic utopia whose people live entirely online. Tired of paradise, Praveenthi ‘Prab’ Saal had herself printed into the physical world of Sirajah’s Reach, working as an Interlocutor – a go between for the Arcology and the cultures it meets in flesh and blood.
One evening after a call with her family – who are pressuring her to abandon her body and rejoin the Arcology, the city stops. Stops completely – nothing electronic works anymore. Terrified that the Arcology has just up and disappeared, she receives a call for help from a ship in dock whose pilot, Kercher, is a prisoner printed into a body to serve out his sentence in the physical world. Between them they discover it’s not just her planet, but the entire Arcology that’s gone missing. If they don’t find out what’s going on it could be the end of everyone and everything that calls the Arcology home.
Their only resource is their living ship, into which all the knowledge and culture of the Arcology has been downloaded. Asked to be a life raft for the Arcology, the ship, a frigate without a name, is dying – slowly being swallowed whole by the literal universe of information it’s been asked to carry.
Featuring worlds made entirely from gold, an enemy who has no consciousness, allies made of lichen and the grand Ring World of Akhanda – the physical heart of the Arcology. Prab and Kercher will need to put aside their dislike of each other and the Arcology if they’re to help their ship and save anything at all. Can they restore the possibility of hope to their lives?
352 pages, Paperback
First published November 11, 2025
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October 12, 2025
Project Hanuman by Stewart Hotston
3.35 rounded down to 3 🔮🔮🔮orbs
Pub. Date Nov. 11, 2025
Angry Robot Publishing
In the deepest, darkest recesses of space, in the future, Orb’s Greasy Burger Joint….
💡 Orbs Prologue: ”I would like one galactic fat bomb, with a side of crunchy mealworms, and some ranch,” I say sleepily. After a quick interference comes through the speaker, "That will be 134 ducacoins at the window," the speaker relays. I hover over to the window, my mouth watering. The three-legged robot hands me a polyurethane bag, grease sliding down its side. As I float away, I open my bag and peer at the contents. Fat bomb, check. Mealworms, check. Ranch…unfound! Instead, chunky salsa! No ranch, and anyone who knows anything knows ranch is THE key component to this meal. Now, imagine, dear readers, the restaurant is the novel, and the missing ranch signifies a significant part of my reading experience… Confused? I’ll explain.
🔩 Nuts & Bolts The Arcology, the Excluded, and then all other types of species living in this world crafted by author Stewart Hotston. The Arcology is a virtual world presiding over all, an infrastructure that everyone relies upon for a form of survival. Their networks hold leverage over those of the Excluded, a more physical realm, and one that is treated more like castaways from the more popular Arcology way of life. Why worry about a physical body when one can just live within a matrix-like world? Carefree of harm, the Arcology exists with no equal, and perhaps this arrogance is the canvas on which this story begins. Sirajah’s Reach goes offline. With no way of understanding what has happened, its inhabitants are left in the dark. As ash pummels the ground, it is only a matter of time before the population is snuffed out. A ship, named Hanuman, with its criminal pilot Kercher, has descended to the surface of Sirajah’s Reach to pick up Prab, an Interlocutor, who can help in communications with other unknown species. A swift decision is needed, and Prab is now having to choose between those she can save and the millions left to perish in this dying location. There is a plan in place, a cube that holds instructions, and a path of what to do in case of an imminent war that leaves the Arcology on life support. The Face of Loss becomes a faction, which brings destruction to the Arcology way of life, and soon Hanuman must warp through gates to escape their wrath. Can these three fulfill their destiny, or will their own smugness be the Arcology’s downfall?
👍 Orbs Pros: Creatively, the novel shines. There are some concepts here that were interesting. An online world vs those who wanted something different, a more physical existence, garnering more freedom, yet only to discover that they were truly never free from the Arcology’s umbrella at all, more of a dream-like illusion. There are certain parallels to our own modern-day existence and perhaps an arrogance that we might exude. Are we the only ones in existence? Are there others who have come before us who were more than our equals? Food for thought.
👎 Orbs Cons: As I read this novel, my interest was piqued, only to be dashed by the writing execution. Let it be known that I read the ARC copy, and some of this could be attributed to not being fully edited beforehand. I would find a solid footing before slipping under the weight of sentence structures that drove me bonkers. That, combined with the complexity of jumping from virtual worlds to more live-action realms, left me struggling to finish this story. The book was playing virtual hopscotch in my own mind, and not in a fun way.
Decent read! Respectfully, I commend Stewart Hotston's ambitiousness in this project. The inclusion of Indian mythology, while not doing much for me, might certainly be of more importance to others reading this novel, and that should be acknowledged. If complex sci-fi is your jam, this might be right up your alley.
💡 Orbs Epilogue: I slowly dripped the chunky salsa; thick particles of “something” smothered my worms. Confusion altered my mood; this was 75% pleasant. The burger was nice; the grubs, well, you can guess those were just sustenance, but the non-ranch factor made these worms taste like maggots, and that is precisely what that ranch dressing is for: to drown out the unwanted aftertaste. So, in closing, what is my message? We strive for perfection, and yet life forgets to include that one small container of ranch to offset its inherent flaws.
Many thanks to Angry Robots Publishing for the ARC through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
3.35 rounded down to 3 🔮🔮🔮orbs
Pub. Date Nov. 11, 2025
Angry Robot Publishing
In the deepest, darkest recesses of space, in the future, Orb’s Greasy Burger Joint….
💡 Orbs Prologue: ”I would like one galactic fat bomb, with a side of crunchy mealworms, and some ranch,” I say sleepily. After a quick interference comes through the speaker, "That will be 134 ducacoins at the window," the speaker relays. I hover over to the window, my mouth watering. The three-legged robot hands me a polyurethane bag, grease sliding down its side. As I float away, I open my bag and peer at the contents. Fat bomb, check. Mealworms, check. Ranch…unfound! Instead, chunky salsa! No ranch, and anyone who knows anything knows ranch is THE key component to this meal. Now, imagine, dear readers, the restaurant is the novel, and the missing ranch signifies a significant part of my reading experience… Confused? I’ll explain.
🔩 Nuts & Bolts The Arcology, the Excluded, and then all other types of species living in this world crafted by author Stewart Hotston. The Arcology is a virtual world presiding over all, an infrastructure that everyone relies upon for a form of survival. Their networks hold leverage over those of the Excluded, a more physical realm, and one that is treated more like castaways from the more popular Arcology way of life. Why worry about a physical body when one can just live within a matrix-like world? Carefree of harm, the Arcology exists with no equal, and perhaps this arrogance is the canvas on which this story begins. Sirajah’s Reach goes offline. With no way of understanding what has happened, its inhabitants are left in the dark. As ash pummels the ground, it is only a matter of time before the population is snuffed out. A ship, named Hanuman, with its criminal pilot Kercher, has descended to the surface of Sirajah’s Reach to pick up Prab, an Interlocutor, who can help in communications with other unknown species. A swift decision is needed, and Prab is now having to choose between those she can save and the millions left to perish in this dying location. There is a plan in place, a cube that holds instructions, and a path of what to do in case of an imminent war that leaves the Arcology on life support. The Face of Loss becomes a faction, which brings destruction to the Arcology way of life, and soon Hanuman must warp through gates to escape their wrath. Can these three fulfill their destiny, or will their own smugness be the Arcology’s downfall?
👍 Orbs Pros: Creatively, the novel shines. There are some concepts here that were interesting. An online world vs those who wanted something different, a more physical existence, garnering more freedom, yet only to discover that they were truly never free from the Arcology’s umbrella at all, more of a dream-like illusion. There are certain parallels to our own modern-day existence and perhaps an arrogance that we might exude. Are we the only ones in existence? Are there others who have come before us who were more than our equals? Food for thought.
👎 Orbs Cons: As I read this novel, my interest was piqued, only to be dashed by the writing execution. Let it be known that I read the ARC copy, and some of this could be attributed to not being fully edited beforehand. I would find a solid footing before slipping under the weight of sentence structures that drove me bonkers. That, combined with the complexity of jumping from virtual worlds to more live-action realms, left me struggling to finish this story. The book was playing virtual hopscotch in my own mind, and not in a fun way.
Decent read! Respectfully, I commend Stewart Hotston's ambitiousness in this project. The inclusion of Indian mythology, while not doing much for me, might certainly be of more importance to others reading this novel, and that should be acknowledged. If complex sci-fi is your jam, this might be right up your alley.
💡 Orbs Epilogue: I slowly dripped the chunky salsa; thick particles of “something” smothered my worms. Confusion altered my mood; this was 75% pleasant. The burger was nice; the grubs, well, you can guess those were just sustenance, but the non-ranch factor made these worms taste like maggots, and that is precisely what that ranch dressing is for: to drown out the unwanted aftertaste. So, in closing, what is my message? We strive for perfection, and yet life forgets to include that one small container of ranch to offset its inherent flaws.
Many thanks to Angry Robots Publishing for the ARC through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
September 27, 2025
Stewart Hotston is an excellent writer. Each sentence is crafted with great thought, each word is weighted by it's meaning, and he knows how to turn a phrase.
But he's also an excellent storyteller.
Project Hanuman is fresh. It's science fiction told through hard-won experience and - in the writing world - a unique perspective. Project Hanuman doesn't play things safe but doesn't confuse. It's a world build by a seasoned pro finally allowed to spread his wings on a larger stage and a story told by a writer at the top of his game.
If you're looking for a science-fiction drawn from outside of the usual influences, read Project Hanuman. if you're looking for a story that's equally thought provoking and thrilling, read Project Hanuman. If you're looking for a new favourite science-fiction author, read Project Hanuman.
You won't regret it.
But he's also an excellent storyteller.
Project Hanuman is fresh. It's science fiction told through hard-won experience and - in the writing world - a unique perspective. Project Hanuman doesn't play things safe but doesn't confuse. It's a world build by a seasoned pro finally allowed to spread his wings on a larger stage and a story told by a writer at the top of his game.
If you're looking for a science-fiction drawn from outside of the usual influences, read Project Hanuman. if you're looking for a story that's equally thought provoking and thrilling, read Project Hanuman. If you're looking for a new favourite science-fiction author, read Project Hanuman.
You won't regret it.
November 12, 2025
An excellent extremely fast paced standalone space opera that delivers wonder, scale but also an emotional punch. Very strongly recommended
Full review - https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/bl...
Full review - https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/bl...
January 3, 2026
Review originally on JamReads
Project Hanuman is an ambitious standalone space opera written by Stewart Hotston, published by Angry Robot Books. A novel that plays with the difference of scales between empires and individuals, showing the last day of a vast empire and how the weight of its chance to rebirth falls on the shoulders of three individuals; all to weave an adventure that will not only take us to explore a peculiar universe, but to also explore many notions and ideas about the nature of existence.
The Arcology is the biggest, most advanced empire, covering light years of space and with trillions of inhabitants, taking advantage of being the only group that can manipulate matter itself, information; a galactic utopia where most people live online. Prab is one of those few, printed herself into a physical world, acting as an Interlocutor between the Arcology and those outside.
One evening after a call with her family, she notices all the endless communications and power stopping; her world, Siraja's Reach is silent for the first time. An alert requires her to do her job, finding an Arcology ship and its pilot, Kercher, a prisoner of the Arcology forced to be in a body ready for battle; the Arcology is under attack from a force that seems to have access to the same tools that made them so powerful, and these three are the only way to save what's left of the Arcology.
In comparison with other space operas, I kinda found the characterization to be rather plain; at the end, Prab and Kercher are just playing their role in the novel, representing ideas and ways to interact with reality. They are excellent conduits for driving discussions about notions such as existence, ending and the own nature of those concepts, all while they are trying to find a new place the Arcology can exist, a mission neither of them asked for.
Hanuman's arc is quite a bit more interesting, not only because of the imagery associated but also showing the struggle of the individual to not be homogenized by the pressure of the empire (in this case, the data from the Arcology).
Hotston's worldbuilding is rich and imaginative, using the adventure of our characters to explore really different cultures and ways of living, all while weaving a journey of galactical proportions, full of battles and impressive moments. Even so, it is impossible to forget that this is a book about ideas, discussing notions taken from Indian mythology blended together with classic sci-fi.
The pacing is excellent, fast but not too much, allowing slower moments to take over when the tension is at its highest points, making this a compulsively readable book, as you are invested in the destiny of the characters and the Arcology.
Project Hanuman is a bold and imaginative space opera novel, a perfect read if you are looking for big ideas that envelop a thrilling adventure. I'm sure this won't be the last Stewart Hotston novel I read!
Project Hanuman is an ambitious standalone space opera written by Stewart Hotston, published by Angry Robot Books. A novel that plays with the difference of scales between empires and individuals, showing the last day of a vast empire and how the weight of its chance to rebirth falls on the shoulders of three individuals; all to weave an adventure that will not only take us to explore a peculiar universe, but to also explore many notions and ideas about the nature of existence.
The Arcology is the biggest, most advanced empire, covering light years of space and with trillions of inhabitants, taking advantage of being the only group that can manipulate matter itself, information; a galactic utopia where most people live online. Prab is one of those few, printed herself into a physical world, acting as an Interlocutor between the Arcology and those outside.
One evening after a call with her family, she notices all the endless communications and power stopping; her world, Siraja's Reach is silent for the first time. An alert requires her to do her job, finding an Arcology ship and its pilot, Kercher, a prisoner of the Arcology forced to be in a body ready for battle; the Arcology is under attack from a force that seems to have access to the same tools that made them so powerful, and these three are the only way to save what's left of the Arcology.
In comparison with other space operas, I kinda found the characterization to be rather plain; at the end, Prab and Kercher are just playing their role in the novel, representing ideas and ways to interact with reality. They are excellent conduits for driving discussions about notions such as existence, ending and the own nature of those concepts, all while they are trying to find a new place the Arcology can exist, a mission neither of them asked for.
Hanuman's arc is quite a bit more interesting, not only because of the imagery associated but also showing the struggle of the individual to not be homogenized by the pressure of the empire (in this case, the data from the Arcology).
Hotston's worldbuilding is rich and imaginative, using the adventure of our characters to explore really different cultures and ways of living, all while weaving a journey of galactical proportions, full of battles and impressive moments. Even so, it is impossible to forget that this is a book about ideas, discussing notions taken from Indian mythology blended together with classic sci-fi.
The pacing is excellent, fast but not too much, allowing slower moments to take over when the tension is at its highest points, making this a compulsively readable book, as you are invested in the destiny of the characters and the Arcology.
Project Hanuman is a bold and imaginative space opera novel, a perfect read if you are looking for big ideas that envelop a thrilling adventure. I'm sure this won't be the last Stewart Hotston novel I read!
November 22, 2025
Thank you Angry Robot Books and The Nerd Fam for the gifted ARC!
Add to the top of your TBR if you love:
- Pondering the nature of consciousness
- Fast paced, compelling storytelling
- Reluctant allies to found family
- Intense battle sequences
- Intricate world building
I am not a seasoned Sci-Fi reader by any means, but I am becoming increasingly curious about this genre, and so happy that my journey started with Project Hanuman. The world Stewart Hotston created was richly detailed, wondrous and imaginative. The story is well outlined, fast paced and action packed, while balancing a far reaching plot with deep philosophical topics. I felt that the descriptive storytelling made otherwise intimidating concepts approachable.
All that said, what I liked most about this book were the three unique main characters and how well they worked together to offer different perspectives into what it means to be ‘alive’. Praveenthi ‘Prab’ Saal, a diplomat from the purely digital society of The Arcology, chooses to live her life within a physical body. Her shipmate Kercher is a prisoner from the Arcology, serving his sentence within the ‘prison’ of a physical body. Lastly, we have The Ship ‘Hanuman’, not just a mode of transport, but a living entity with its own thoughts and awareness. This compelling, diverse trio added so much emotion to the narrative and I loved their varied perspectives.
Overall this was a thought provoking, fast paced and interesting read that I would recommend to anyone curious!
Add to the top of your TBR if you love:
- Pondering the nature of consciousness
- Fast paced, compelling storytelling
- Reluctant allies to found family
- Intense battle sequences
- Intricate world building
I am not a seasoned Sci-Fi reader by any means, but I am becoming increasingly curious about this genre, and so happy that my journey started with Project Hanuman. The world Stewart Hotston created was richly detailed, wondrous and imaginative. The story is well outlined, fast paced and action packed, while balancing a far reaching plot with deep philosophical topics. I felt that the descriptive storytelling made otherwise intimidating concepts approachable.
All that said, what I liked most about this book were the three unique main characters and how well they worked together to offer different perspectives into what it means to be ‘alive’. Praveenthi ‘Prab’ Saal, a diplomat from the purely digital society of The Arcology, chooses to live her life within a physical body. Her shipmate Kercher is a prisoner from the Arcology, serving his sentence within the ‘prison’ of a physical body. Lastly, we have The Ship ‘Hanuman’, not just a mode of transport, but a living entity with its own thoughts and awareness. This compelling, diverse trio added so much emotion to the narrative and I loved their varied perspectives.
Overall this was a thought provoking, fast paced and interesting read that I would recommend to anyone curious!
February 8, 2026
Prab lives on a world at the edge of the Arcology, a vast and powerful civilisation, where most of its citizens live in the virtual worlds of information space, working as an Interlocutor with other civilisations. One day, the Arcology goes silent, and Prab is called to a warship that happened to be visiting her world and they leave to find out what happened. What they find is that the Arcology is at war, and, unthinkably, are losing. What is left of the Arcology is compressed down and given to the ship that Prab is on and told to flee, find a safe space to reconstitute the Arcology and find a way to fight back.
This is a cracking book. It moves at a very fast pace, mirroring the panic of Prab, the ship and its pilot, Kercher. The hectic pace is just highlighted on the few occasions that they get a breathing space and a time to think about what's happened and what might happen. Prab's family lived in the Arcology and died in the initial onslaught, leaving Prab, who had been somewhat estranged from them, surprisingly grief-stricken and struggling to cope. Kercher, the pilot, is a heretic, and having a printed body and acting as a pilot for a warship is his punishment, while the ship itself is lost without the Arcology to guide it. We see things from the PoV of all three of these people, and while each may seem strong and resolute to the others, when we see inside their head, each is struggling in their own way.
This book feels like there's more to tell of the Arcology, the Operand and the Face of Loss, but it also feels self-contained enough that if this is the last we see of these characters, it still feels like a satisfying ending. That can be a difficult needle to thread, and Hotston has managed it with panache.
All the way through, I could see the influence of Iain M. Banks, particularly the Culture, something which the author acknowledges at the end. The Arcology is very different to the Culture (not least through the former's Indian-inspired philosophies) but it definitely feels part of its DNA. I found this a very enjoyable and satisfying read, with flawed characters and some great turns of phrase. I'll be looking out for other work by the author.
This is a cracking book. It moves at a very fast pace, mirroring the panic of Prab, the ship and its pilot, Kercher. The hectic pace is just highlighted on the few occasions that they get a breathing space and a time to think about what's happened and what might happen. Prab's family lived in the Arcology and died in the initial onslaught, leaving Prab, who had been somewhat estranged from them, surprisingly grief-stricken and struggling to cope. Kercher, the pilot, is a heretic, and having a printed body and acting as a pilot for a warship is his punishment, while the ship itself is lost without the Arcology to guide it. We see things from the PoV of all three of these people, and while each may seem strong and resolute to the others, when we see inside their head, each is struggling in their own way.
This book feels like there's more to tell of the Arcology, the Operand and the Face of Loss, but it also feels self-contained enough that if this is the last we see of these characters, it still feels like a satisfying ending. That can be a difficult needle to thread, and Hotston has managed it with panache.
All the way through, I could see the influence of Iain M. Banks, particularly the Culture, something which the author acknowledges at the end. The Arcology is very different to the Culture (not least through the former's Indian-inspired philosophies) but it definitely feels part of its DNA. I found this a very enjoyable and satisfying read, with flawed characters and some great turns of phrase. I'll be looking out for other work by the author.
November 8, 2025
Project Hanuman is very much a “slow and steady wins the race” kind of sci-fi it’s one of those books that doesn’t sprint out of the gate but rewards you for settling in and letting the layers build. Once it found its rhythm, I was fully pulled into the mix of space-opera stakes and mythological roots.
The story follows an exiled pilot, an interlocutor, and a sentient ship as they’re forced onto a journey of survival after everything they know is destroyed. The dynamic between the three grows gradually nothing insta-bonded, nothing rushed and that patient development ended up being one of my favorite parts. You can feel the author putting real intention into how trust forms (or doesn’t) under pressure.
I also really enjoyed how the book weaves in Indian mythology, it’s not heavy-handed, but it adds a fresh angle that makes the world feel bigger and more textured. Once the momentum kicks in, the story starts landing emotional beats and big moments that make the earlier slow build feel worth it.
Overall, this is a thoughtful, steady-paced space adventure with unique influences and a cast that sneaks up on you in the best way. If you like sci-fi that takes its time and focuses on character relationships just as much as the action, this one is worth picking up. Thanks to Angry Robot for the gifted ARC.
The story follows an exiled pilot, an interlocutor, and a sentient ship as they’re forced onto a journey of survival after everything they know is destroyed. The dynamic between the three grows gradually nothing insta-bonded, nothing rushed and that patient development ended up being one of my favorite parts. You can feel the author putting real intention into how trust forms (or doesn’t) under pressure.
I also really enjoyed how the book weaves in Indian mythology, it’s not heavy-handed, but it adds a fresh angle that makes the world feel bigger and more textured. Once the momentum kicks in, the story starts landing emotional beats and big moments that make the earlier slow build feel worth it.
Overall, this is a thoughtful, steady-paced space adventure with unique influences and a cast that sneaks up on you in the best way. If you like sci-fi that takes its time and focuses on character relationships just as much as the action, this one is worth picking up. Thanks to Angry Robot for the gifted ARC.
July 25, 2025
Thank you angry robots for the advanced reader copy of this book.
This was very much a slow and steady wins the race kind of read for me which was a nice change.
An exiled pilot, an interlocutor and a sentient ship go on a space journey where they are fleeing for their lives and ultimately are just trying to survive after the mass destruction of their planet. I enjoyed that the trust built between the three in this book wasn’t instantaneous and I loved that you could see the time the author put into writing and creating the development of these relationships.
I would recommend this book to any sci fi lover however would wait if you’re relatively new to sci fi and read this later down the line.
This was very much a slow and steady wins the race kind of read for me which was a nice change.
An exiled pilot, an interlocutor and a sentient ship go on a space journey where they are fleeing for their lives and ultimately are just trying to survive after the mass destruction of their planet. I enjoyed that the trust built between the three in this book wasn’t instantaneous and I loved that you could see the time the author put into writing and creating the development of these relationships.
I would recommend this book to any sci fi lover however would wait if you’re relatively new to sci fi and read this later down the line.
November 22, 2025
I don't think I was ready for such a multilayered story with multifaceted and complex characters! I started reading this book having in mind a classic space opera, but as I went on I realised this was quite an unusual story. I've marked several passages, but I've no doubts that if I were to read it again I'd discover more aspects that eluded me this time.
I loved the characters of Prab, Kercher and Hanuman that through their misadventure discover more about themselves and the universe, in a very interesting arc. What I found fascinating is how these characters evolved literally together, having to find compromises and relying on each other trying to survive another species attack.
I also enjoyed the philosophical dialogues that made me pause and ponder about our trajectory, our fate and future.
All in all, I think this is a great space adventure exploring survival, resilience, collaboration, identity and integration. Science fiction fans will love it!
Thanks to Angry Robot Books for a copy and this is my honest opinion.
I loved the characters of Prab, Kercher and Hanuman that through their misadventure discover more about themselves and the universe, in a very interesting arc. What I found fascinating is how these characters evolved literally together, having to find compromises and relying on each other trying to survive another species attack.
I also enjoyed the philosophical dialogues that made me pause and ponder about our trajectory, our fate and future.
All in all, I think this is a great space adventure exploring survival, resilience, collaboration, identity and integration. Science fiction fans will love it!
Thanks to Angry Robot Books for a copy and this is my honest opinion.
September 12, 2025
Project Hanuman is your classic contemporary space opera, but with an interesting, out of the ordinary, twist. It blends Indian mythology throughout, a subject that until know, I had very little knowledge of. Reading this opened my eyes to the fascinating world of Indian mythology, so much so that I was inspired to read up in the subject, and read an engrossing book on the much revered Hindu deity known as the monkey God.
But anyway, onto the book itself. Space operas really are right up my street, one of my absolute favourite genres, and this really did live up to my high expectations.
Although a little slow to begin with, the story soon started to build great momentum and held the pace to the very end.
The characters were each expertly crafted, deeply formed and constructed, and completely believable.
World building was creative and imaginative. You really do feel drawn into that fantastical world of space and mythology.
4 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 's from me.
But anyway, onto the book itself. Space operas really are right up my street, one of my absolute favourite genres, and this really did live up to my high expectations.
Although a little slow to begin with, the story soon started to build great momentum and held the pace to the very end.
The characters were each expertly crafted, deeply formed and constructed, and completely believable.
World building was creative and imaginative. You really do feel drawn into that fantastical world of space and mythology.
4 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 's from me.
Read
February 5, 2026"Stewart Hotston’s Project Hanuman is an epic story of life and death ripped from Hindu folklore and filtered through the wilds of space opera...at once thoughtful and rollicking."
Read Alex Brown's review at Reactor!
Read Alex Brown's review at Reactor!
Read
January 18, 2026rtc on Grimdark Magazine
November 3, 2025
Project Hanuan starts off interesting. We begin with one of our main characters Praveenthi (Prab) who lives on Sirajah’s Reach (a planet on the outskirts of the Arcology). The Arcology is a society where people live in electronic worlds and never die. People who reject this lifestyle or who are banished are printed physical bodies and are called Excluded. Prab has been living in the physical world for years as an Interlocutor acting as basically a go between for the digital/physical world. One day her city which runs off Arcology tech that keeps the city livable and from being covered in ash goes black she starts scrambling to figure out what’s happened.
This is when we are introduced to the sentient ship Hanuman and his pilot Kercher (a criminal banished from the Arcology). They’ve just arrived on planet and Hanuman wants Prab to get on the ship and go with them to find out what’s happened to the Arcology and that’s how the story starts.
This is also when I started getting aggravated with the characters and having issues with the plot. The world’s ending and they’re fighting over stupid stuff. Prab wants to try and save as many people as possible that will fit on the ship. Kercher says OK you pick who they are then cause I don’t care. I’m only here for you. This bothers her and instead of being an adult and making a decision she proceeds to put the responsibility on him to pick what 200 out of 17m people they should save. He repeats that he does not care and she tells him that she refuses to help him or the ship unless he tells her who she should save. All this while the world’s ending. Finally, he gives her a list just to hurry up the process and she complains about who’s on the list. I was getting very frustrated with her at this point.
They finally leave and go to Akhanda which is a ringworld planet that’s the heart of the Arcology. There, they discover that it’s under attack by some species that they’ve never encountered before. Then for some reason (that’s never explained) out of all the ships and people there, they’re the ones that are given a cube that’s got all the data the Arcology needs to I guess rebuild somewhere else.
At 50% I had to DNF the book. I wasn’t enjoying the characters and nothing was really happening plot wise. It’s really unfortunate cause there were some interesting ideas like the digital/ physical world, sentiment ships, fighting with information, etc but I need more than interesting ideas.
Received from NetGalley
This is when we are introduced to the sentient ship Hanuman and his pilot Kercher (a criminal banished from the Arcology). They’ve just arrived on planet and Hanuman wants Prab to get on the ship and go with them to find out what’s happened to the Arcology and that’s how the story starts.
This is also when I started getting aggravated with the characters and having issues with the plot. The world’s ending and they’re fighting over stupid stuff. Prab wants to try and save as many people as possible that will fit on the ship. Kercher says OK you pick who they are then cause I don’t care. I’m only here for you. This bothers her and instead of being an adult and making a decision she proceeds to put the responsibility on him to pick what 200 out of 17m people they should save. He repeats that he does not care and she tells him that she refuses to help him or the ship unless he tells her who she should save. All this while the world’s ending. Finally, he gives her a list just to hurry up the process and she complains about who’s on the list. I was getting very frustrated with her at this point.
They finally leave and go to Akhanda which is a ringworld planet that’s the heart of the Arcology. There, they discover that it’s under attack by some species that they’ve never encountered before. Then for some reason (that’s never explained) out of all the ships and people there, they’re the ones that are given a cube that’s got all the data the Arcology needs to I guess rebuild somewhere else.
At 50% I had to DNF the book. I wasn’t enjoying the characters and nothing was really happening plot wise. It’s really unfortunate cause there were some interesting ideas like the digital/ physical world, sentiment ships, fighting with information, etc but I need more than interesting ideas.
Received from NetGalley
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 21, 2026
A compelling space-opera of a novel that while I found a bit difficult initially getting into, once the plot had picked up I was hooked until the last page.
This is the book for fans of science fiction that don’t hold your hand when exploring new realities, and don’t hold to typical Euclidean ways of understanding physics or life itself. With a sentient spaceship and millions of people who only exist in an online space, this book takes your understanding of the world and shifts it onto its side and expects you to follow along.
This book is both about a doomsday catastrophic event, fighting an enemy so much more advanced than yourself that you can barely understand it - and the simple refusal to lay down to be defeated. Despite starting with a planet-destroying event, this book’s plot progresses relatively slowly until both us as the readers and the main characters can fully understand what kind of enemy they are facing - and how slim the odds of them winning are. I loved our two main characters - Prab and Kercher - who each have their own histories and backstories while trapped on this doomed enterprise.
I did find the concept of the spaceships themselves being sentient, and trying to understand how all the fighting and science worked a bit confusing, but as the story progressed my understanding grew. I also liked how as the novel progressed the personality of the ship did as well, and how this affected everything going forward.
The concept of this novel is hard to describe, but I almost want to refer to it as some kind of cosmic science fiction, as opposed to cosmic horror. I think going into this book the best thing to know is that nothing in this world works like it does on our own, and the concepts of “self” and “personhood” are no longer locked to a person or someone who has a physical body.
A huge thank you to the author, Netgalley, and Angry Robot for providing me this e-ARC.
This is the book for fans of science fiction that don’t hold your hand when exploring new realities, and don’t hold to typical Euclidean ways of understanding physics or life itself. With a sentient spaceship and millions of people who only exist in an online space, this book takes your understanding of the world and shifts it onto its side and expects you to follow along.
This book is both about a doomsday catastrophic event, fighting an enemy so much more advanced than yourself that you can barely understand it - and the simple refusal to lay down to be defeated. Despite starting with a planet-destroying event, this book’s plot progresses relatively slowly until both us as the readers and the main characters can fully understand what kind of enemy they are facing - and how slim the odds of them winning are. I loved our two main characters - Prab and Kercher - who each have their own histories and backstories while trapped on this doomed enterprise.
I did find the concept of the spaceships themselves being sentient, and trying to understand how all the fighting and science worked a bit confusing, but as the story progressed my understanding grew. I also liked how as the novel progressed the personality of the ship did as well, and how this affected everything going forward.
The concept of this novel is hard to describe, but I almost want to refer to it as some kind of cosmic science fiction, as opposed to cosmic horror. I think going into this book the best thing to know is that nothing in this world works like it does on our own, and the concepts of “self” and “personhood” are no longer locked to a person or someone who has a physical body.
A huge thank you to the author, Netgalley, and Angry Robot for providing me this e-ARC.
August 9, 2025
This was a very interesting read! Sci-fi isn’t what I usually read but I have been known to dabble in the genre time to time! This was a fun read that started off slow but I think that really set the book up to be interesting!
This book involves Indian Mythology that I honestly had to do a deep dive into because I was so interested in learning more then I already had!
A great sci fi read for a cozy weekend in!
4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
February 5, 2026
I've just finished Project Hanuman by Stewart Hotston, and I'm left with that particular flavour of disappointment that comes from reading something that's good but not quite good enough.
This had been on my radar for a while. I'm a sucker for epic space opera, and the comparisons to Iain M. Banks' Culture novels had me excited. People whose taste I trust were enthusiastic about it. So I went in with high expectations, and that's probably part of the problem. It's not a bad book, it's just not the book I wanted it to be.
The setup is compelling: a galaxy-spanning empire run by AIs, humanity having transcended physicality to exist primarily in "information space", a layer of reality beyond the physical. The Arcology - the name of both the empire and the intelligence that runs it - manipulates information itself as its primary mode of existence. Physical existence is a form of exile, whether chosen or punished. When the Arcology is attacked by another culture that can operate in information space - something that should be impossible - the novel becomes a desperate chase across the universe to save civilisation itself.
On paper, this should be exactly my kind of thing. And there are moments where it really works. The science is interesting, the setting is inventive, and there's a richness to the Indian mythology woven through it (though I suspect I missed a lot of the references and philosophy, not being particularly well-versed in that area). Thematically it's dense with ideas about freedom, humanity, colonialism, and the arrogance of empire.
But the execution lets it down in a few key ways. The writing style is exhausting. It's written in that modern staccato rhythm where everything is broken into single sentences, thoughts never allowed to breathe or develop. Just when you think you're settling into an idea, you're yanked into the next one. For a book dealing with high concept sci-fi, where I really need to understand what "information space" actually is, this becomes a real problem. I need the prose to trust me enough to dwell on things. Instead it loops and repeats, circling the same ideas without deepening them. It felt like it would have benefited from another pass of the editor's red pen.
The bigger structural problem is one of stakes. The novel opens with the end of the world, literally. A ringworld is torn apart across multiple dimensions. It's spectacular and epic and... where do you go from there? The rest of the book is a cat-and-mouse chase across space, structurally reminiscent of that Battlestar Galactica episode where the Cylons return every 33 minutes. But when you start at the top, there's nowhere to escalate to. The stakes remain enormous throughout, but they never rise, and that makes everything feel - I hesitate to say flat, because that implies boring, which this isn't. But there's no arc to the tension. We're at maximum threat from page one, and we stay there.
There's a lot to like here. The characters work, the action is well-executed, and it's doing something relatively original. I enjoyed reading it. But I spent a lot of time wishing it was leaning harder into its strengths - the philosophy, the mythology, the science beneath the spectacle. It's definitely good and I enjoyed my time with it, but my expectations were perhaps a little too high.
Read
November 16, 2025I picked this up on a whim because it was by Angry Robot and because the blurb mentioned Indian mythology. This is usually a good strategy, but in this case, didn't quite hit the spot.
Project Hanuman on the whole, is a great science fiction novel about a strange alternate future (maybe far future?), where humans have finally uploaded themselves in the cloud, known as the Arcology. Everyone lives online, and only rebels and prisoners print themselves physical bodies. Great so far. Then the Arcology is attacked and Praveenthi "Prab" Saal (one of the rebels), Kercher (a prisoner pilot) and a sentient ship become the last survivors bringing the remnants of the Arcology and Sirajah's Reach to safety.
Hokay, so this is where my misunderstanding starts. For all that it's a scifi/space opera book, I kinda figured that these Indian mythology figures would come in as Actual Gods. But actually, no. Instead of Hanuman-a-god coming into save the day, one of the characters (I suppose you could guess, but let's avoid spoilers) lives out various events that correlate to Hanuman's experiences. There are a lot of cultural touchstones, references to dharma, samsara, death and rebirth - I would say a very Indian (Hindu?) outlook underpins both Kercher & Prab's view of society. In a way, this is very much a space opera retelling of mythology, but not quite what I expected.
One thing I found interesting was the idea that as much as we think we're rebelling against society, we are in many ways still reliant on it and the support network that it provides. Prab is one of the "Excluded", those who decide to live outside the Arcology, but she comes to realise that even her rebellion is supported by the Arcology itself. I feel like there is a commentary there on Empire and Colonialism and how it still affects our lives in very paternalistic ways, but I'm not going to go there in this review.
Another thing that also comes up, that I feel relates to the present-day AI wars, is that Hotston seems to be saying that for all that this utopia is run by AI, that everything is calculated by the great machine, at the end of the day, you still need humans to save the day. A machine can be smart and have all the facts, but in the end, it is the human experience that matters the most, that makes connections the Arcology could not see or recognise, and takes the leaps of faith where necessary. And as much as we are living in a digital society, physicality and embodiment is still very important.
Not gonna put a star rating on this because I can't quite define how much I liked it or not. On one hand, it was a great, thoughtful read, and I liked a lot of things thematically. On the other, I'm not really a space opera reader so I skimmed a lot of technical details, PLUS Hotston (or his editors) and I seem to have a fundamental difference in where commas should be placed, which made me have to stop and figure out what on earth the sentence meant way too many times.
Note: I received a digital ARC of this book from Angry Robot via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Project Hanuman on the whole, is a great science fiction novel about a strange alternate future (maybe far future?), where humans have finally uploaded themselves in the cloud, known as the Arcology. Everyone lives online, and only rebels and prisoners print themselves physical bodies. Great so far. Then the Arcology is attacked and Praveenthi "Prab" Saal (one of the rebels), Kercher (a prisoner pilot) and a sentient ship become the last survivors bringing the remnants of the Arcology and Sirajah's Reach to safety.
Hokay, so this is where my misunderstanding starts. For all that it's a scifi/space opera book, I kinda figured that these Indian mythology figures would come in as Actual Gods. But actually, no. Instead of Hanuman-a-god coming into save the day, one of the characters (I suppose you could guess, but let's avoid spoilers) lives out various events that correlate to Hanuman's experiences. There are a lot of cultural touchstones, references to dharma, samsara, death and rebirth - I would say a very Indian (Hindu?) outlook underpins both Kercher & Prab's view of society. In a way, this is very much a space opera retelling of mythology, but not quite what I expected.
One thing I found interesting was the idea that as much as we think we're rebelling against society, we are in many ways still reliant on it and the support network that it provides. Prab is one of the "Excluded", those who decide to live outside the Arcology, but she comes to realise that even her rebellion is supported by the Arcology itself. I feel like there is a commentary there on Empire and Colonialism and how it still affects our lives in very paternalistic ways, but I'm not going to go there in this review.
Another thing that also comes up, that I feel relates to the present-day AI wars, is that Hotston seems to be saying that for all that this utopia is run by AI, that everything is calculated by the great machine, at the end of the day, you still need humans to save the day. A machine can be smart and have all the facts, but in the end, it is the human experience that matters the most, that makes connections the Arcology could not see or recognise, and takes the leaps of faith where necessary. And as much as we are living in a digital society, physicality and embodiment is still very important.
Not gonna put a star rating on this because I can't quite define how much I liked it or not. On one hand, it was a great, thoughtful read, and I liked a lot of things thematically. On the other, I'm not really a space opera reader so I skimmed a lot of technical details, PLUS Hotston (or his editors) and I seem to have a fundamental difference in where commas should be placed, which made me have to stop and figure out what on earth the sentence meant way too many times.
Note: I received a digital ARC of this book from Angry Robot via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
November 9, 2025
“The ship only wanted to hear the chaos of life and know it wasn’t alone among the stars.”
There is no other civilisation with technology advanced enough to challenge the Arcology. Until an unknown enemy attack.
The Arcology alone have mastered information space. Until the enemy decimates the Arcology there too.
Trillions of people are living in utopia within the Arcology’s information space. Until they’re severed to try and save what they can. The Arcology’s supremacy has bred complacency. They are completely unprepared for an attack on this scale. Project Hanuman is an exciting space opera blended with elements of Hindu Mythology. A desperate race across space to save a civilisation.
Prab has chosen to live outside of the Arcology in a printed body, working as an interlocutor on their behalf. To reject the Arcology is to choose to be a pariah. Most of the citizens of the Arcology live in a digital utopia in information space.
But when the Arcology goes dark it’s Prab who’s called to the docks by a sentient warship. They leave the dying planet with those in the physical she could save and the criminal forced to be the ships pilot as part of his sentence.
We follow three POV’s: Prab, Kercher the pilot and the sentient ship. Our main characters arrive at Akhanda to find it in ruins, but the enemy hasn’t left. A desperate plan is enacted. The Ship, newly named, Hanuman is entrusted with what’s left of the Arcology and they flee in the hopes of finding a new home to rebuild.
Hanuman wasn’t built to carry the Arcology and as they travel across the universe he is fracturing under the pressure. The enemy are close behind and it seems the Arcology has more opponents than ever before.
Our characters struggle to understand this new threat and plan for a tenuous future. Project Hanuman is epic and action packed, tracking an intergalactic war with an enemy they struggle to comprehend. Expect dramatic, explosive battles across the vast expanse of space, interstellar pursuits and cross-species conspiracies. There’s also a reflection on faith, free will, a meaningful life and death. Both action packed and thought provoking. It also raises interesting questions about how we find meaning in life and how our own bias skews our perception of others. It was difficult to predict how this story would end and there’s questions throughout around who the real enemy is. The characters are fleshed out and their bonds grow organically. I loved them all.
I had a lot of fun reading this and if you like sci-fi or space opera you should give this one a go!
There is no other civilisation with technology advanced enough to challenge the Arcology. Until an unknown enemy attack.
The Arcology alone have mastered information space. Until the enemy decimates the Arcology there too.
Trillions of people are living in utopia within the Arcology’s information space. Until they’re severed to try and save what they can. The Arcology’s supremacy has bred complacency. They are completely unprepared for an attack on this scale. Project Hanuman is an exciting space opera blended with elements of Hindu Mythology. A desperate race across space to save a civilisation.
Prab has chosen to live outside of the Arcology in a printed body, working as an interlocutor on their behalf. To reject the Arcology is to choose to be a pariah. Most of the citizens of the Arcology live in a digital utopia in information space.
But when the Arcology goes dark it’s Prab who’s called to the docks by a sentient warship. They leave the dying planet with those in the physical she could save and the criminal forced to be the ships pilot as part of his sentence.
We follow three POV’s: Prab, Kercher the pilot and the sentient ship. Our main characters arrive at Akhanda to find it in ruins, but the enemy hasn’t left. A desperate plan is enacted. The Ship, newly named, Hanuman is entrusted with what’s left of the Arcology and they flee in the hopes of finding a new home to rebuild.
Hanuman wasn’t built to carry the Arcology and as they travel across the universe he is fracturing under the pressure. The enemy are close behind and it seems the Arcology has more opponents than ever before.
Our characters struggle to understand this new threat and plan for a tenuous future. Project Hanuman is epic and action packed, tracking an intergalactic war with an enemy they struggle to comprehend. Expect dramatic, explosive battles across the vast expanse of space, interstellar pursuits and cross-species conspiracies. There’s also a reflection on faith, free will, a meaningful life and death. Both action packed and thought provoking. It also raises interesting questions about how we find meaning in life and how our own bias skews our perception of others. It was difficult to predict how this story would end and there’s questions throughout around who the real enemy is. The characters are fleshed out and their bonds grow organically. I loved them all.
I had a lot of fun reading this and if you like sci-fi or space opera you should give this one a go!
October 12, 2025
Project Hanuman is a blend of Indian mythology and space opera with a lot of interesting ideas. The story takes place in a universe that is built on "information space" that can be accessed only by sufficiently advanced species. Within this universe is The Arcology, a digital utopia where people live entirely online and can be reprinted into new bodies indefinitely, thus starting the cycle of "reincarnation" without true death. Through this concept the story asks a number of important and deep philosophical questions. Is rebirth truly possible without death and how much does life truly mean when a new body can be reprinted any time? And, if something happens, to the digital world (as we see at the start of the story), what does it truly mean for the digital lives inside of it? Are they considered dead when they weren't "alive" in the way we consider to be truly living? This was definitely a novel of big ideas and concepts that provoke a lot of thought and introspection.
To tell the story, the novel follows three characters, an intrerlocutor, a pilot, and a sentient ship. They are thrown together by the plot in the start of the story and we see their relationship, which starts with some disagreement and animosity, develop over the story as they learn to respect and trust each other. I found them each to be interesting and well-developed and I enjoyed reading their interactions and seeing how they changed over the course of the plot. It was by far my personal favourite part of the book.
Unfortunately, what didn't really work for me was the narrative style. There was a lot of info-dumping and description that I found dense and a bit difficult to get through. Even the action scenes I found to be a bit overly narrated. For that reason, the book dragged and stalled in a lot of places for me. That being said, its clear there was a lot of thought and detail put into the writing so this is obviously just a personal preference in style. This won't apply to all readers so I still recommend giving it a try yourself if you're interested in the description.
Thank you to Angry Robot publishing and netgalley for the Arc!
To tell the story, the novel follows three characters, an intrerlocutor, a pilot, and a sentient ship. They are thrown together by the plot in the start of the story and we see their relationship, which starts with some disagreement and animosity, develop over the story as they learn to respect and trust each other. I found them each to be interesting and well-developed and I enjoyed reading their interactions and seeing how they changed over the course of the plot. It was by far my personal favourite part of the book.
Unfortunately, what didn't really work for me was the narrative style. There was a lot of info-dumping and description that I found dense and a bit difficult to get through. Even the action scenes I found to be a bit overly narrated. For that reason, the book dragged and stalled in a lot of places for me. That being said, its clear there was a lot of thought and detail put into the writing so this is obviously just a personal preference in style. This won't apply to all readers so I still recommend giving it a try yourself if you're interested in the description.
Thank you to Angry Robot publishing and netgalley for the Arc!
November 19, 2025
Project Hanuman is dense, weird, ambitious, and honestly pretty incredible.
The prose takes some getting used to. It wasn’t until about the 100-page mark that the style clicked for me, but once it did, I was fully into it. It did take me a while to be able to picture the universe and really understand what was happening. The story follows three points of view: a female interlocutor named Prab, a non-binary pilot, and the ship itself, who easily became my favourite character. The book is pitched as a space opera mixed with Indian mythology. There are a lot of references and influences throughout, but you do not need to know any of it going in to enjoy the story.
The worldbuilding is huge and intentionally disorienting at first. The Arcology is a virtual reality civilization where trillions of people live as pure consciousness. You can look like anything you want, and you can print a body if you need one in the physical world. Most residents never leave. Outside of it, you see a massive range of alien cultures, many of which are super interesting and non-humanoid, which I really appreciated.
My favourite part of the book is how much it digs into identity. It asks what actually makes you who you are. Is it your body or your mind, or both? If your consciousness lives in virtual reality, are you even alive? Do you have rights? If you upload a perfect copy of yourself with your full memory and personality, is that still you? Makes you think a lot about gender-identity in that sense as well.
The book plays with these questions a lot, along with the idea of how perception shapes our experience.
The whole thing feels like it could be a wild and thoughtful Doctor Who storyline, which is absolutely a compliment.
I loved the ambition and the ideas, and even though it was challenging at times, I ended up giving it four stars and hope to see a sequel.
The prose takes some getting used to. It wasn’t until about the 100-page mark that the style clicked for me, but once it did, I was fully into it. It did take me a while to be able to picture the universe and really understand what was happening. The story follows three points of view: a female interlocutor named Prab, a non-binary pilot, and the ship itself, who easily became my favourite character. The book is pitched as a space opera mixed with Indian mythology. There are a lot of references and influences throughout, but you do not need to know any of it going in to enjoy the story.
The worldbuilding is huge and intentionally disorienting at first. The Arcology is a virtual reality civilization where trillions of people live as pure consciousness. You can look like anything you want, and you can print a body if you need one in the physical world. Most residents never leave. Outside of it, you see a massive range of alien cultures, many of which are super interesting and non-humanoid, which I really appreciated.
My favourite part of the book is how much it digs into identity. It asks what actually makes you who you are. Is it your body or your mind, or both? If your consciousness lives in virtual reality, are you even alive? Do you have rights? If you upload a perfect copy of yourself with your full memory and personality, is that still you? Makes you think a lot about gender-identity in that sense as well.
The book plays with these questions a lot, along with the idea of how perception shapes our experience.
The whole thing feels like it could be a wild and thoughtful Doctor Who storyline, which is absolutely a compliment.
I loved the ambition and the ideas, and even though it was challenging at times, I ended up giving it four stars and hope to see a sequel.
October 1, 2025
Project Hanuman contained some spectacular ideas and trains of thought, but unfortunately stumbled somewhat in the execution. The writing style didn't always click for me - at times it felt clunky and disjointed. I was reading an ARC, so hopefully this can be partially remedied in the final edit. As someone who enjoys a more descriptive style, and character-led narratives, this was an at times frustrating reading experience. I would have liked to see our trio of POV characters expanded a lot more fully - particularly Prab, who was a lot more "human" seeming, but whose thought processes and emotions at times felt obscure.
That said, despite the large amount of action, the ideas contained in Project Hanuman were so intriguing that I found myself invested despite the issues - I actively wanted to find out what happened next. There were also moments of interactions between Kercher and Prab in particular which felt more real and rooted in emotion.
The ending was sadly too vague and inconclusive for me - as far as I'm aware this is a standalone, and so the conclusion was rather unsatisfying. I would have preferred greater exploration of what had happened to Prab in particular. I don't need a full account of what happens next to enjoy a narrative's end, but I would like what has already happened to be clear.
Despite its flaws, I would happily read a continuation of this universe - so many of my issues were of not finding out enough about the characters, and so there's definitely opportunity for this to be explored further.
Thanks to Angry Robot and Netgalley for the ARC.
That said, despite the large amount of action, the ideas contained in Project Hanuman were so intriguing that I found myself invested despite the issues - I actively wanted to find out what happened next. There were also moments of interactions between Kercher and Prab in particular which felt more real and rooted in emotion.
The ending was sadly too vague and inconclusive for me - as far as I'm aware this is a standalone, and so the conclusion was rather unsatisfying. I would have preferred greater exploration of what had happened to Prab in particular. I don't need a full account of what happens next to enjoy a narrative's end, but I would like what has already happened to be clear.
Despite its flaws, I would happily read a continuation of this universe - so many of my issues were of not finding out enough about the characters, and so there's definitely opportunity for this to be explored further.
Thanks to Angry Robot and Netgalley for the ARC.
October 30, 2025
Thank you, Angry Robot, for my ARC for a free and unbiased opinion.
Project Hanuman was one of the best science- fiction books I have read this year. This space opera is epic in scale blending science fiction with Hindu mythology to produce an story that us truly unique.
I loved the world building- the arcology is a world where consciousness has no physical form but controls the physical worlds around them- I loved the ambiguity ( for me anyway) about the Arcology- I was never sure if this space was a form of artificial intelligence or something similar to heaven. But the way the arcology influences the world almost felt religious.
The first few chapters where the arcology fails, are frantic and heart-breaking as people will do anything to survive- and this how Prab ( an sort of liaison between the arcology) and Kersher ( a criminal forced to serve his sentence as a pilot) meet and have to work together to save the universe and their ship- the newly born AI Hanuman
The author skilfully blends Hindu mythology into the story and concepts such as faith,free-will and death are explored. The relationship between the characters builds realistically with a satisfying end.
This isn’t an easy book to read- I can usually finish a book within a day or two but I had to really pay attention to the details to understand the story and concept but strangely the prose itself is easy to read.
Project Hanuman was one of the best science- fiction books I have read this year. This space opera is epic in scale blending science fiction with Hindu mythology to produce an story that us truly unique.
I loved the world building- the arcology is a world where consciousness has no physical form but controls the physical worlds around them- I loved the ambiguity ( for me anyway) about the Arcology- I was never sure if this space was a form of artificial intelligence or something similar to heaven. But the way the arcology influences the world almost felt religious.
The first few chapters where the arcology fails, are frantic and heart-breaking as people will do anything to survive- and this how Prab ( an sort of liaison between the arcology) and Kersher ( a criminal forced to serve his sentence as a pilot) meet and have to work together to save the universe and their ship- the newly born AI Hanuman
The author skilfully blends Hindu mythology into the story and concepts such as faith,free-will and death are explored. The relationship between the characters builds realistically with a satisfying end.
This isn’t an easy book to read- I can usually finish a book within a day or two but I had to really pay attention to the details to understand the story and concept but strangely the prose itself is easy to read.
November 10, 2025
Great premise but disappointing execution.
I had mixed feelings about this one. The world building was great, the author brought to life the different worlds and characters so it was easy to visualise what was going on. I also enjoyed the sarcasm and caustic banter that went on between the three main characters. It made me chuckle quite a bit.
Unfortunately the rest of my feelings are quite negative. I'm assuming this is the beginning of a series or at least a duology, because the ending feels unfinished. Things stop quite abruptly and I was left with many questions. The pacing was odd too: for at least 60% it felt like we were going in circles battling and hiding from the enemy but never getting any further forward in the narrative. It did start to pick up, but it wasn't until the 80% mark that things began to get clearer. Then we went from not much happening to everything happening, with twist upon twist and so many reveals that my head started to spin. If this is the start of something longer then it makes more sense that it was paced like that, but on balance I think I'd have preferred a standalone with less battle scenes and more progression in the narrative.
Those are personal gripes, though, and it wasn't a bad book. I think it just landed in the middle for me. I'd probably try a sequel if there is one as I'd like to know what happens next.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for kindly providing me with an advance copy. All opinions are my own.
I had mixed feelings about this one. The world building was great, the author brought to life the different worlds and characters so it was easy to visualise what was going on. I also enjoyed the sarcasm and caustic banter that went on between the three main characters. It made me chuckle quite a bit.
Unfortunately the rest of my feelings are quite negative. I'm assuming this is the beginning of a series or at least a duology, because the ending feels unfinished. Things stop quite abruptly and I was left with many questions. The pacing was odd too: for at least 60% it felt like we were going in circles battling and hiding from the enemy but never getting any further forward in the narrative. It did start to pick up, but it wasn't until the 80% mark that things began to get clearer. Then we went from not much happening to everything happening, with twist upon twist and so many reveals that my head started to spin. If this is the start of something longer then it makes more sense that it was paced like that, but on balance I think I'd have preferred a standalone with less battle scenes and more progression in the narrative.
Those are personal gripes, though, and it wasn't a bad book. I think it just landed in the middle for me. I'd probably try a sequel if there is one as I'd like to know what happens next.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for kindly providing me with an advance copy. All opinions are my own.
October 4, 2025
3⭐️
I was immediately intrigued by the premise of Project Hanuman, a space opera infused with Indian mythology. While the novel presents many thought-provoking ideas, I ultimately struggled to connect with the story due to limited world-building and characters that were difficult to connect with.
The integration of Indian mythology was the novel’s most compelling aspect. In the Arcology, individuals can be reprinted into new bodies, disrupting the traditional cycle of saṃsāra (reincarnation). The philosophical discussions surrounding this concept were insightful and engaging. I found them compelling enough to inspire my own research into reincarnation. Hotston’s ability to evoke such curiosity is a testament to his intellectual depth as a writer.
Although the Arcology was fascinating in concept, its world-building felt underdeveloped. Details were scattered throughout the narrative, making the setting feel disjointed. I also found the protagonist, Prab, difficult to connect with; her emotional detachment and limited interpersonal warmth made her difficult to connect with.
Overall, Project Hanuman will appeal to readers interested in the intersection of mythology, philosophy, and science fiction. While it did not fully resonate with me, it offers rich ideas for those who enjoy speculative fiction that explores the nature of identity and existence.
I was immediately intrigued by the premise of Project Hanuman, a space opera infused with Indian mythology. While the novel presents many thought-provoking ideas, I ultimately struggled to connect with the story due to limited world-building and characters that were difficult to connect with.
The integration of Indian mythology was the novel’s most compelling aspect. In the Arcology, individuals can be reprinted into new bodies, disrupting the traditional cycle of saṃsāra (reincarnation). The philosophical discussions surrounding this concept were insightful and engaging. I found them compelling enough to inspire my own research into reincarnation. Hotston’s ability to evoke such curiosity is a testament to his intellectual depth as a writer.
Although the Arcology was fascinating in concept, its world-building felt underdeveloped. Details were scattered throughout the narrative, making the setting feel disjointed. I also found the protagonist, Prab, difficult to connect with; her emotional detachment and limited interpersonal warmth made her difficult to connect with.
Overall, Project Hanuman will appeal to readers interested in the intersection of mythology, philosophy, and science fiction. While it did not fully resonate with me, it offers rich ideas for those who enjoy speculative fiction that explores the nature of identity and existence.
October 7, 2025
This is a superlative space opera, a story of big ideas and collisions between them. At the same time, Project Hanuman is a daring, hugely imaginative and often intimate examination of what it means to be human, and what that could look like in the (far?) future. Add to these compelling elements a setting rich in culture (small 'c'), profoundly weird and engaging science, and mind-boggling aliens, and you have just a snapshot of the wonders awaiting you.
Uploaded consciousness, printed bodies, the satisfying presence of living ships; this novel is essential reading for fans of Iain M. Banks's Culture series. Project Hanuman is every bit the equal of Banks's work in its ambitious scope and fearlessness in expounding big ideas with authority: it probably helps that the author was (/is/will be?) a physicist, which brings a richness to story's compelling extrapolations of the human condition.
But Project Hanuman also is a rip-roaring Science Fiction story, chock full of massive space battles, interstellar pursuit, and political intrigue. Jump aboard as we fold our way across the galaxy, translate through information space, and take the battle to a truly confounding enemy. Brilliant stuff.
Uploaded consciousness, printed bodies, the satisfying presence of living ships; this novel is essential reading for fans of Iain M. Banks's Culture series. Project Hanuman is every bit the equal of Banks's work in its ambitious scope and fearlessness in expounding big ideas with authority: it probably helps that the author was (/is/will be?) a physicist, which brings a richness to story's compelling extrapolations of the human condition.
But Project Hanuman also is a rip-roaring Science Fiction story, chock full of massive space battles, interstellar pursuit, and political intrigue. Jump aboard as we fold our way across the galaxy, translate through information space, and take the battle to a truly confounding enemy. Brilliant stuff.
January 22, 2026
Reading the cover notes of this book it promised everything I like about SF, big ideas, big science, mystery and the story of the folk caught up in this drama. I was not disappointed. Not so much gripped from page 1 but gently and seductively led into this story where characters, drama and action increasingly unfold weaving you into the story until you are very much along for the spectacle of this tale. A theme running through the story is that not everyone is happy in or with 'paradise' and this is explored through different viewpoints with the reader challenged to see the central characters worlds through not so sympathetic eyes. The setting is elegantly created giving that otherness feeling you have when you know you are reading good science fiction. The action happens at so many levels from personal to star systems and though the science underlying everything is incredibly complex you are rewarded with truly memorable peril, conflicts victories and defeats. Some passages almost leaving you breathless. Project Hanuman delivers right up to the last page, there are twists and turns but as you read them they make total sense and it delivers right up to the last pages. If you are a fan of Banks, Baxter, McAuley etc. then this book is for you. This is a galaxy with great potential and I can only hope there is a chance to read more stories within it.
November 18, 2025
Project Hanuman is a fascinating blend of Indian mythology and space opera that explores intriguing aspects of humanity. The book offers three distinct perspectives: an exiled pilot, an interlocutor, and a sentient spaceship.
As a sci-fi enthusiast, I always seek out new authors, and this book perfectly aligns with my reading preferences.
The novel’s most captivating aspect, in my opinion, was the integration of Indian mythology. The concept of people living entirely online and being able to reincarnate into new bodies created a compelling cycle of existence without true death.
This book is a great read for any sci-fi fan who enjoys thought provoking space opera. It may be a slow read, but it held my interest from beginning to end.
Now, I’d like to pose a thought provoking question to my fellow readers: Would you willingly trade your physical body for eternal digital life or choose to remain human, even if it means facing death?
This was my first Stewart Hotston book, and I’ll definitely be checking out his other works.
As a sci-fi enthusiast, I always seek out new authors, and this book perfectly aligns with my reading preferences.
The novel’s most captivating aspect, in my opinion, was the integration of Indian mythology. The concept of people living entirely online and being able to reincarnate into new bodies created a compelling cycle of existence without true death.
This book is a great read for any sci-fi fan who enjoys thought provoking space opera. It may be a slow read, but it held my interest from beginning to end.
Now, I’d like to pose a thought provoking question to my fellow readers: Would you willingly trade your physical body for eternal digital life or choose to remain human, even if it means facing death?
This was my first Stewart Hotston book, and I’ll definitely be checking out his other works.
September 16, 2025
The concept of this book is amazing. I love the idea of an entirely virtual world (akin to 'Ready Player One' almost) suddenly vanishing. What if the internet suddenly ceased to work, but on a much bigger scale. Also the connections to Indian society and mythology were really intriguing.
Unfortunately the writing made this a difficult read. The characters were not very relatable, and there were occasional scientific info-dumps that meant the plot slowed to a crawl when it should've been ramping up. The sense of story urgency kept being stymied by narrative overkill, which was really frustrating.
Not a bad book, but I was left wishing that it flowed more easily as a story.
I was kindly sent an early copy of this book by the publisher, but the above opinions are entirely my own.
Unfortunately the writing made this a difficult read. The characters were not very relatable, and there were occasional scientific info-dumps that meant the plot slowed to a crawl when it should've been ramping up. The sense of story urgency kept being stymied by narrative overkill, which was really frustrating.
Not a bad book, but I was left wishing that it flowed more easily as a story.
I was kindly sent an early copy of this book by the publisher, but the above opinions are entirely my own.
October 27, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This book punched me in the face 20 pages in and then I spent the rest of the book trying to recover and figure out what is going on 😩😩
This book has 3 povs an exiled pilot, an interlocutor and a sentient space ship. I think my favorite pov was the space ships, it was interesting seeing how this character evolved through the book.
If you are looking for a thought provoking space opera you are going to want to read this book! This book held my interest in a firm grip throughout my entire read!
Thank you to angry robots and the author for sending me a copy of Project Hanuman in exchange for my honest review!
This book punched me in the face 20 pages in and then I spent the rest of the book trying to recover and figure out what is going on 😩😩
This book has 3 povs an exiled pilot, an interlocutor and a sentient space ship. I think my favorite pov was the space ships, it was interesting seeing how this character evolved through the book.
If you are looking for a thought provoking space opera you are going to want to read this book! This book held my interest in a firm grip throughout my entire read!
Thank you to angry robots and the author for sending me a copy of Project Hanuman in exchange for my honest review!
December 6, 2025
I've met the author at a book event some time ago and he was truly such a nice person, so picking up this book was a no-brainer!
Unfortunately, nothing in this book worked for me. The writing style really confused me. Half of the time I didn't know what was going on, and it constantly felt like the people were in white rooms because descriptions were literally non-existing throughout. I didn't connect with the characters, and the only interesting thing was the ship's POV. I finished the book in the end, but would honestly not read another one.
Thanks to Angry Robot and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.
Unfortunately, nothing in this book worked for me. The writing style really confused me. Half of the time I didn't know what was going on, and it constantly felt like the people were in white rooms because descriptions were literally non-existing throughout. I didn't connect with the characters, and the only interesting thing was the ship's POV. I finished the book in the end, but would honestly not read another one.
Thanks to Angry Robot and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.
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