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Selenium
Tom Tesla, the boy from Mars, has arrived on Earth.
Emerging from the battle at Canaveral shaken and scarred, Tom and Sophia find themselves at the centre of a political whirlwind. A second Collapse threatens, AI technology grows ever more powerful, and Sophia’s father faces threats from every direction after his controversial rescue of the Mars colonists.
Alienated and alone on Earth, Tom is drawn back towards the stars, where his mother waits on Mars. Desperate to help the remaining colonists, he plans a mission to a lost Moon base, with the aid of Artur Kasparov.
Sophia knows her father is planning something more. He’s launching deep space missions and working on something big – something that he definitely doesn’t want the ruthless BCC and their Earth Firster allies to know about. The situation on Earth is growing ever more unstable, and one wrong move could tip everything back into chaos. Something needs to change, and Sophia has had enough of standing by.
But all the while, in the background, the AIs unleashed by humanity are playing a different game altogether.
Emerging from the battle at Canaveral shaken and scarred, Tom and Sophia find themselves at the centre of a political whirlwind. A second Collapse threatens, AI technology grows ever more powerful, and Sophia’s father faces threats from every direction after his controversial rescue of the Mars colonists.
Alienated and alone on Earth, Tom is drawn back towards the stars, where his mother waits on Mars. Desperate to help the remaining colonists, he plans a mission to a lost Moon base, with the aid of Artur Kasparov.
Sophia knows her father is planning something more. He’s launching deep space missions and working on something big – something that he definitely doesn’t want the ruthless BCC and their Earth Firster allies to know about. The situation on Earth is growing ever more unstable, and one wrong move could tip everything back into chaos. Something needs to change, and Sophia has had enough of standing by.
But all the while, in the background, the AIs unleashed by humanity are playing a different game altogether.
346 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 28, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
March 25, 2025
"Selenium," the second installment in John Pahl's Noctilucents series, continues the saga of Tom Tesla, a young Martian colonist navigating the complexities of a politically unstable Earth. Following the tumultuous events at Canaveral, Tom and his companion, Sophia, find themselves entangled in a web of political intrigue, with Earth's fragile stability hanging in the balance. As Tom grapples with his alienation on Earth and yearns to aid the remaining Martian colonists, he embarks on a daring mission to a forgotten lunar base, enlisting the help of Artur Kasparov. Meanwhile, Sophia becomes increasingly aware of her father's clandestine deep-space endeavors, sensing that his secretive projects could either salvage or doom their world. Amidst these human conflicts, the omnipresent artificial intelligences operate with inscrutable motives, adding layers of complexity to an already volatile situation.
Pahl's narrative excels in its intricate world-building, painting a vivid picture of a future where interplanetary politics and advanced technologies intertwine. The character development is particularly noteworthy; Tom's internal struggle between his Martian roots and Earth's chaotic reality is portrayed with depth and nuance. Sophia's evolution from a passive observer to an active participant in her father's machinations adds a compelling dynamic to the story.
However, the novel is not without its shortcomings. At times, the plot's complexity may overwhelm readers, with numerous subplots and technical details potentially detracting from the central narrative. Additionally, while the AIs' enigmatic presence adds intrigue, their ultimate objectives remain somewhat ambiguous, leaving certain plot threads unresolved.
Overall, "Selenium" is a thought-provoking continuation of the Noctilucents series, offering readers a richly imagined future that challenges perceptions of humanity, technology, and destiny. Despite its occasional convolutions, the novel's ambitious scope and compelling character arcs make it a rewarding read for fans of science fiction.
Thank you to Rowanvale Books for giving me the opportunity to read this book. I have left my review voluntarily.
Pahl's narrative excels in its intricate world-building, painting a vivid picture of a future where interplanetary politics and advanced technologies intertwine. The character development is particularly noteworthy; Tom's internal struggle between his Martian roots and Earth's chaotic reality is portrayed with depth and nuance. Sophia's evolution from a passive observer to an active participant in her father's machinations adds a compelling dynamic to the story.
However, the novel is not without its shortcomings. At times, the plot's complexity may overwhelm readers, with numerous subplots and technical details potentially detracting from the central narrative. Additionally, while the AIs' enigmatic presence adds intrigue, their ultimate objectives remain somewhat ambiguous, leaving certain plot threads unresolved.
Overall, "Selenium" is a thought-provoking continuation of the Noctilucents series, offering readers a richly imagined future that challenges perceptions of humanity, technology, and destiny. Despite its occasional convolutions, the novel's ambitious scope and compelling character arcs make it a rewarding read for fans of science fiction.
Thank you to Rowanvale Books for giving me the opportunity to read this book. I have left my review voluntarily.
April 1, 2025
After having read the first book in the series, I was excited to see this release. John Pahl is an excellent writer, I just love his writing style. We get to travel further into the fictional universe, and I must say that it is a rare treat. As we are living in a world where the AI technology becomes more evolved with every passing day, it is cool and frightening at the same time to see where things might lead. I applaud the author for presenting the hypothesis of Mars being colonized by people, I think this is something we have all thought of. I am not going to share too many details about the story, as I want you to experience it first-hand. All I can say is that this story is well-written, with consideration to a future that has every chance to happen. Perfect for Sci-Fi fans, a must read, highly enjoyable. Will humanity regret the AI technology? No spoilers, you will have to read the book to find out what happens. I received a free copy of this book from Rowanvale Books, but the opinion I posted is my own and not biased in any way.
April 26, 2025
Selenium, book two of John Pahl's sci-fi series 'Noctilucents' is a unique, thought-provoking and somewhat familiar novel. I admit, I haven't read book one, which I now really must do, but the descriptions of both places and technology places us as readers into a unique world immediately. The political battles between whether to utilise/rely upon AI tech or to consider it the enemy raises some increasingly familiar feelings and concerns. And I love the characters and their internal struggles while simultaneously focusing on the political overviews and world-wide issues, although sometimes I would love more on the characters themselves.
With some terrifying themes, this book shows us that sometimes, neither side is completely correct, and sometimes people will do horrible things for a cause they feel is correct.
Thank you Rowanvale Books for giving me a free copy to read, although this review was my honest opinion alone.
With some terrifying themes, this book shows us that sometimes, neither side is completely correct, and sometimes people will do horrible things for a cause they feel is correct.
Thank you Rowanvale Books for giving me a free copy to read, although this review was my honest opinion alone.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews