Who Will You Save?

by Gareth L. Powell

Action-packed and thought-provoking stories ranging across the dead sands of Mars to the backstreets of Buenos Aires, from the febrile mind of acclaimed science fiction author Gareth L Powell.

Featuring the author's most celebrated stories alongside all new material, sure to be a thrilling experience for established fans and new readers alike.

With settings ranging from the dead sands of Mars to the seedy backstreets of Amsterdam and Buenos Aires, these action-packed tales explore mind-bending ideas through the eyes of unforgettable and all-too-human characters. As their lives implode around them, will they use the moment to save their own skins, or to find a way to make up for past misdeeds?

Who will they save? Who would you save?

This entertaining and thought-provoking collection features work drawn from Powell’s twenty-year career as a writer, including previously unpublished material alongside some of his best-loved stories

Genres: Science Fiction, Short Stories

432 pages, Paperback

Published October 14, 2025

About the author

Novelist

Reviews

[Curtis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to the last story being called "What Would Nicholas Cage Do?", I have now had the song "What Would Brian Boitano Do?" stuck in my head for 24 straight hours.

Solid collection. Fans of Alastair Reynolds short fiction should find lots to love in these tales.

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a big collection, thirty plus stories. It works well as an overview of Powell’s career so far. His Embers of war and Ack Ack Macaque series are both represented, one in a story which was the germ of things to come and the other by a pair of stories written after (during?) the main series and illuminating it in a different way. His familiar themes and obsessions are here, made more obvious by having them reflected thirty two different ways. In many ways it feels like a summing up of the first phase of his career, and it’d be nice to think that it’s both a capstone to that and a foundation for what is to come.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyable collection of short sci-fi stories, full of great ideas. Even the ones so short as to practically be flash-fiction felt like the idea was good enough to to leave me not feeling 'cheated' out of more - although more was always good, and I most liked the ones set in the same universe, giving a sense of a much bigger world/story that we're just sneaking glimpses of.

(Wow, that was a long sentence, sorry!)

Includes 32 stories, 21 (I think) of which have been previous published but possibly 'tidied up' here, and several relating to the author's other series such as Embers of War, and Ack-Ack Macaque.

My longer review is up on my blog, LittleFrogScribbles.

[James Geary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Who Will You Save? is a great anthology. I loved so many of the stories in it, and each had me hungry for the next. Some of my favourites were Entropic Angel, Six Lights Off Green Scar, Apprehension Sands, and What Would Nicolas Cage Do? It was great that some stories are told by different characters in the same universes, and some delivered an immersive setting in a short few pages. Highly recommend and looking forward to the next release, Jitterbug.

[Johan Haneveld · Rating 4 out of 5]

8- A solid collection of SF-stories by an experienced author, who manages to combine the exploration of idea's with the exploration of emotions in a mostly organic manner (something that not all authors in this genre, myself included, always manage to do). The large scale stories and the small scale stories are woven together well - the small scale stories of people trying to cope in a changed landscape often taking the spotlight, but the idea's in the background not being forgotten. They were quite big for 'personal stories' - with the end of time and singularity achieving computers juxtaposed with estranged couples trying to get together. Also, there is quite a bit of (well staged) action in these stories. I like having some good action scenes in my SF-stories, and appreciate it when they're well done, as they were here. They felt even more intense due to the personal stakes in all stories. Yes, they are about agents, or smugglers, or spies sometimes, but the action mostly involves them trying to save the people they care about (see the title of the collection).The worldbuilding in all the stories is expertly done, with great details blending the mundane and recognizeable with outlandish vista's (however, sometimes it got a bit repetitive with all the dead spiderplants ...).
The prose was functional, not flashy or purple, but fitting the fast moving narrative of most stories. However I sometimes thought it a bit simple with some repetition of sentence structure. It could have been taken up a notch. Also, especially in the first half, some stories felt more like fragments and not like full stories. Thematically there was some repetition as well - with many stories involve the aftermat of planet changing events (crashing alien space ships threatening involvement with interplanetary wars, reefs of supercomputers, corporate warfare) and are about people trying to save something from the wrecks: tech or knowledge rescued from radio-active wreckages. Often the stories are about people having to choose between this and to save the person they love (even if they have become estranged). Love turns out to be a more powerful motivation that money for most. As one character says in a story: 'Life's a disaster. We have to salvage what we can.' I'm tempted to read elements of the personal life of the author in here, as I've followed him for years on X and now Bluesky, but it seems to be a large theme for him in general (his best known series is about reclamation ships after a war). I like the sentiment myself, but there could have been some more diversity. Another reviewer on here also finds the stories repetitive a bit: 'The women are generally dead and the men are sad.' On the other hand, the similarities between the stories made this collection feel like a whole, a bit like reading a novel, and there's something to be said to that as well.
Anyway, for readers of modern SF, who like me like action filled stories that have characters dealing with personal situations (often involving love) against the background of large SF-nal idea's, this is heartily recommended.

[Sally · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a solid collection of short stories, the vast majority of which follow a different theme. Some are set in the same universe, or follow on from each other, and have some solid worldbuilding involved. They can be a bit repetitive, the women are generally dead and the men are sad, but the variety does make up for it.

Best story without a doubt is Entropic Galaxy, gutted it’s not part of a larger whole.


Sunsets and Hamburgers - 3.75, this feels like I’ve read it before. Interesting speculative fiction piece but it does leave off before providing anything close to a conclusion.

Ride the Blue Horse - 3.5, snapshot view of an apocalypse aftermath. Interesting but not in-depth worldbuilding

Waiting for God Knows - 4, love a shipmind

Trolley Problem - 3.25, bleak and Childe strikes me as a character I would like

Table of Memory - 3.75, that was an unhinged plot twist at the end

Railroad Angel - 3.25, Interesting take on reincarnation

Fallout - 3.5, boys bands in a post apocalypse is a strange thing to think about

The New Ship - 3.25, Ending saved it, grim

Hot Rain - 3.75, scifi PI vibes

Gonzo - 3.25, don’t quite follow all the stocks and shares things but the vibe is nice

Flotsam - 3, would’ve liked more about the Reefs

The last reef - 3.5, not entirely sure what’s happening but it was interesting

The redoubt - 4, grown up voice for a teenager but that’s really emotional all the same

Distant galaxy - 3, very blunt

Red lights and rain - 3.25, time travelling vampires is a really fun concept

Entropic galaxy - 5, loved it no notes

Pod dreams of - 3.75, dark but interesting. I like the different tech

The bigger the star - 2.5, weird one, what’s up with the ending

No human eye- 3.5, very claustrophobic but the ending ket it down

Eleven minutes - 3.25, funny

Wind through tall grass - 3, like the time passing, felt overly simplistic

Morning star - 3

Six lights - 3, there’s always a dead wife

Line against - 2.5, very very short

Falling apart - 2.75, nothing much happened

Dusk of the dead - 3, interesting premise but short

Ack-ack - 3.75, like the monkey gaining sentience but again with the sad men

Necklace of ivy - 3, manic pixie dream girl vibes

Silver bullet - 3.25, could’ve done with more of a look at the impact or the consequences

Apprehension - 4, angry French man and killer crabs, very fun combo

Movies and bottle beer - 3.5, I like the continuation from an earlier story

Nicholas Cage - 4, surprisingly wholesome

[Courtney · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed Who Will You Save! It was a fun collection of over 30 sci-fi short stories. Some of the stories were also set in worlds from the author's other books.
This was actually my introduction to the author as I've seen their books floating around but I hadn't read any yet.
This was a really good book to read first as now I have a lot of interest in reading their other works including the Embers of War series as I highly enjoyed the stories that were related to it and how could I not be interested in sentient wa rships!

Like most anthologies I have read I greatly enjoyed a good chunk of the stories but sadly some I wasn't a huge fan of.
There really was a huge range of stories included and there is definitely a story in it for everyone.
Some of my favourites from the Table of My Memory I'll Wipe Away All Trivial Fond Records, Entropic Angel, and An Examination of the Trolley Problem Using a Sentient Warship and a Rotating Black Hole.
All in all, this was a good read and I definitely recommend checking it out especially if you are a fan of sci-fi!

[Roger Alix-Gaudreau · Rating 4 out of 5]

Intriguing Ideas Thoughtfully Executed

What if you woke up one day and discovered that you had been resurrected a billion years after the human race had ended? Or what if you were told you were a simulation of a human mind running on an incredibly vast, alien computer? What do you do when a ruthless corporation puts profit and progress ahead of the well-being of you and those you care about? In the critical moment, who do you think about besides yourself?

This collection of stories explores these and similar questions. Some are set in worlds the author has developed in his novels, some seem to stand alone. A few feel a bit incomplete, more snapshots than stories, but most left me with a lingering, aching sense of sadness. Beautifully written, often poignant, these stories demonstrate Gareth L Powell’s talent for simile (he routinely connects ideas through simile in a way I find amazing) and an ability to build compelling settings from carefully selected simple details. A worthy addition to his catalog.

[Simms · Rating 3 out of 5]

An okay collection. There are quite a lot of stories packed into this, meaning most of them are quite short; in many cases, this means that they are over before they really get a chance to get going and in the end have had basically no staying power in my head. The best of the stories often seemed to be linked to others of Powell's works (whether obviously subtitled "A ____ Story" indicating what I assume to be other series or characters, or by the recurrence of certain proper nouns and descriptors that I again assume to be part of a larger universe); I usually felt like I wasn't quite getting all of the story's point, for those, and I wonder if they would hit better for regular readers of Powell. My main takeaway is that I should go check out those series/books themselves, as there was enough hinted at in the wider universe(s) that my curiosity is piqued.

Thanks to Titan Books and NetGalley for the ARC.

[Carolanne Barry · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC.
I really enjoyed dipping into Who Will You Save? Powell's imagination is as bold as ever. The collection jumps between so many fascinating worlds. A few of the stories hit that perfect mix of emotion and big sci-fi ideas that Powell does so well.

That said, the quality does vary. Some stories felt a bit rushed compared to others and some were over before they really even started. Though it should be said this anthology is jam packed so there is plenty to choose from.

Overall, it’s a mixed but worthwhile read, especially if you already love Powell’s compassionate, idea-driven storytelling.

[Fatguyreading · Rating 4 out of 5]

Who Will You Save is a collection of 32 thought provoking, bind bending stories, from the master of Sci-fi, Gareth L. Powell.

Drawn from the author’s previous works, and also some new material, they're tables of being saved, from themselves, from something or someone and range in settings from outer space to our own Earth.

I found each story interesting in it's own way, and particularly enjoyed "Fallout", "Distant Galaxies Colliding" , "The Wind Through Tall Grass" , "Ack-Ack Macaque" and "Apprehension Sands".

4 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 's from me.

[Phillip · Rating 3 out of 5]

A wonderful collection of short stories, 32 in total, many of which take place in the various universes of the author's novels. I can honestly say that I liked each and every story. This collection just makes me try a little harder to track down the author's books I have not read yet.
3.5 Stars

[Fredrik Gustafson · Rating 2 out of 5]

An impressive collection of pointless stories.

[afra · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was such a beautiful book - fast-paced, easy to follow, professionally written, and with a lovely narrative voice. The cover and title were just as impressive. It became one of those special books I shared with my friends on my Bookstagram account.

This is an ARC review. I appreciate receiving this physical copy from publisher and the author in return for an honest review.