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Jitterbug
In this twisty and action-packed adventure from the BSFA award-winning author of Descendant Machine and Future’s Edge, a crew of bounty hunters find themselves ensnared in a conspiracy on the very fringes of the devastated solar system. Perfect for fans of James S. A. Corey and Adrian Tchaikovsky.
“On Earth, they depicted justice as blindfolded and impartial, but out here on the frontier, she was red in tooth and claw.”
Jupiter and Saturn are gone, and a mysterious force has built a huge habitable sphere from their ashes. When criminals try to lose themselves on this new frontier, bounty hunters like Copernicus Brown and the crew of his sentient ship Jitterbug get paid to hunt them down.
But when Brown rescues Amber Roth, sole survivor of a pirate attack, the Jitterbug and her crew find themselves the target of powerful political factions who want control of the data chip hidden in Roth’s stomach.
And all the while, something vast and ancient creeps towards them from the depths of space…
“On Earth, they depicted justice as blindfolded and impartial, but out here on the frontier, she was red in tooth and claw.”
Jupiter and Saturn are gone, and a mysterious force has built a huge habitable sphere from their ashes. When criminals try to lose themselves on this new frontier, bounty hunters like Copernicus Brown and the crew of his sentient ship Jitterbug get paid to hunt them down.
But when Brown rescues Amber Roth, sole survivor of a pirate attack, the Jitterbug and her crew find themselves the target of powerful political factions who want control of the data chip hidden in Roth’s stomach.
And all the while, something vast and ancient creeps towards them from the depths of space…
319 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 3, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 153 reviews
June 2, 2026
firstly, thank you to the publisher for an arc!
i don't think i've read a true sci-fi since project hail mary, so i was excited to dive into my arc of jitterbug, with it's crew of bounty hunters that find themselves throw into a conspiracy regarding their devastated solar system.
jitterbug is perfect for those readers who loved marvel’s guardians of the galaxy: found family, intergalactic politics, and exploration of the new frontier: space
i also listened to the audiobook from libby, and the narrator was great!
i don't think i've read a true sci-fi since project hail mary, so i was excited to dive into my arc of jitterbug, with it's crew of bounty hunters that find themselves throw into a conspiracy regarding their devastated solar system.
jitterbug is perfect for those readers who loved marvel’s guardians of the galaxy: found family, intergalactic politics, and exploration of the new frontier: space
i also listened to the audiobook from libby, and the narrator was great!
March 6, 2026
3.0 Stars
This was a light hearted space adventure filled with witty banter and familiar found family trope.
I have read several books by this science fiction author before and found it to be one of his most light hearted books. I would compare this novel to be similar to the works of Becky Chambers and John Scalzi.
Overall this was a fun romp but ultimately not particularly memorable or unique. It was an easy read but not necessarily had lasting power.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
This was a light hearted space adventure filled with witty banter and familiar found family trope.
I have read several books by this science fiction author before and found it to be one of his most light hearted books. I would compare this novel to be similar to the works of Becky Chambers and John Scalzi.
Overall this was a fun romp but ultimately not particularly memorable or unique. It was an easy read but not necessarily had lasting power.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
March 6, 2026
Jitterbug is basically feel-good, cozy science fiction, and not at all what I was expecting from Powell. It bears a few passing similarities to Firefly and The Expanse, but generally feels uninspired and lacks the qualities that made those works so iconic: the wit and energy of the former, and the grit and suspense of the latter. By the time the story eventually starts to pick up momentum, it comes up a day late and a dollar short.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I received a gifted copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via Titan Books.
Jitterbug is a fun sci-fi novel set in the future where humans now live in space after the unmaking of Earth.
Copernicus Brown is a bounty hunter and when his ship take on board a woman hiding in the wreckage of a ship he finds himself with more trouble than ever. The woman he's rescued turns out to be a notorious Pirate Queen and she's hiding something that could get themselves and the human race killed.
This was pretty fast paced and did blag my head a little towards the end but it was overall a fun read and I enjoyed the romance elements which added a nice touch to the story. I loved the quirky cast of characters especially the ship itself and really enjoyed the many themes throughout the book.
Jitterbug is a fun sci-fi novel set in the future where humans now live in space after the unmaking of Earth.
Copernicus Brown is a bounty hunter and when his ship take on board a woman hiding in the wreckage of a ship he finds himself with more trouble than ever. The woman he's rescued turns out to be a notorious Pirate Queen and she's hiding something that could get themselves and the human race killed.
This was pretty fast paced and did blag my head a little towards the end but it was overall a fun read and I enjoyed the romance elements which added a nice touch to the story. I loved the quirky cast of characters especially the ship itself and really enjoyed the many themes throughout the book.
March 10, 2026
I've long been a fan of Gareth Powell ever since following him on Twitter back in the days when it was still Twitter and seeing how gracious he was towards new writers like myself. Then I started reading his work and he's fast become an autobuy author, as his work speaks for itself.
He has some common themes in his work, but he's consistently solid and entertaining while not sticking to surface level tropes. He does space opera from the golden age of sci fi when publishers still thought sci fi was worth publishing. Fun space opera with some science, a quirky cast of characters, and some slightly deeper themes.
Common themes in his work include found family, a cranky ship's mind and AI finding a use beyond what its creators foresaw but not the typical evil robot trope, love against the odds, and logic and science prevailing against colonialism and empire. These themes keep me coming back for more.
This book was cozier than his other works but I still enjoyed it.
Comparisons to Firefly are also often overdone but Jitterbug in particular had a real Firefly feel to it. A bounty hunter and his ragtag crew flies a rust bucket with lots of seafaring metaphors. I loved all the quirky characters in this, though I was glad the ship's mind changed her avatar because the parrot was charming but also annoying.
On a mission to investigate some intel from a bounty, the crew rescues a woman who turns out to be an infamous pirate queen who goes by the name Amber Roth. But they run into deeper trouble with the data crystal she's carrying that she hopes will be her ticket out of piracy. Saving the human race sort of trouble. The ragtag crew rises to the occasion.
I loved the side romance between the ship's captain, Copernicus Brown, and Amber. Bounty hunter and pirate queen? Yes please. I also liked how the romance didn't take over the whole plot. And Copernicus Brown is a great character name.
I found the time travel wormhole stuff somewhat confusing and a little deus ex machina, but intriguing.
The ending was an open one and I almost felt sorry this was a stand alone. I would totally read more in this universe if it turned into a series.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance review copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
He has some common themes in his work, but he's consistently solid and entertaining while not sticking to surface level tropes. He does space opera from the golden age of sci fi when publishers still thought sci fi was worth publishing. Fun space opera with some science, a quirky cast of characters, and some slightly deeper themes.
Common themes in his work include found family, a cranky ship's mind and AI finding a use beyond what its creators foresaw but not the typical evil robot trope, love against the odds, and logic and science prevailing against colonialism and empire. These themes keep me coming back for more.
This book was cozier than his other works but I still enjoyed it.
Comparisons to Firefly are also often overdone but Jitterbug in particular had a real Firefly feel to it. A bounty hunter and his ragtag crew flies a rust bucket with lots of seafaring metaphors. I loved all the quirky characters in this, though I was glad the ship's mind changed her avatar because the parrot was charming but also annoying.
On a mission to investigate some intel from a bounty, the crew rescues a woman who turns out to be an infamous pirate queen who goes by the name Amber Roth. But they run into deeper trouble with the data crystal she's carrying that she hopes will be her ticket out of piracy. Saving the human race sort of trouble. The ragtag crew rises to the occasion.
I loved the side romance between the ship's captain, Copernicus Brown, and Amber. Bounty hunter and pirate queen? Yes please. I also liked how the romance didn't take over the whole plot. And Copernicus Brown is a great character name.
I found the time travel wormhole stuff somewhat confusing and a little deus ex machina, but intriguing.
The ending was an open one and I almost felt sorry this was a stand alone. I would totally read more in this universe if it turned into a series.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance review copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
July 13, 2026
When Jitterbug was chosen for my book club I hadn't heard of it or the author, so was hopeful it would be a fun new discovery. Unfortunately that did not turn out to be the case. I am not suggesting that a large language model wrote Jitterbug, but it is exactly the sort of novel that I would expect an LLM to produce. I found it incredibly derivative. Almost everything in it was familiar to me from other science fiction, yet without any of the context or depth that made those elements interesting originally. A non-exhaustive list of examples:
- Cowboy Beebop (cowboy-esque bounty hunters in a small scrappy spaceship accidentally bring on board a memory device carrying secret data)
- Firefly (Kiki is Kaylee with none of her charm)
- Leviathan Wakes and the rest of the Expanse series (an ambitious middle-aged female politician who swears all the time and is trying to save the solar system joins the crew of a scrappy yet super-fast spaceship, plus several other significant plot developments)
- The Three-Body Problem and sequels (description of the dark forest hypothesis and use of it as a plot point)
- How to Build a Time Machine by Paul C.W. Davies (I swear this is where I read the very same explanation of time travel before)
I'm happy to read new twists on familiar concepts and tropes, but that isn't what I found here. There was nothing new, indeed no real substance at all. The main character even seems to explain why everything is so boring at one point:
I guess the point being made here is that people get accustomed to new circumstances, as indeed they do. That doesn't mean that nothing has changed! The 1920s were very different to the 1910s, for many reasons including the Spanish Flu pandemic. Jitterbug introduces a solar system undergoing gentrification by aliens, with easy interplanetary flight and artificial general intelligence, yet everyone talks like they're a 2015 American sitcom. There is no sign of social or cultural change, no indication that anyone watches movies or TV or listens to music or is aware of celebrities or follows fashion or eats anything other than chips or ramen. One character has anime stickers on her spacesuit helmet, but does anime even exist here? The crew are bored while traveling, so apparently have no hobbies or interests outside work. And why does everybody speak English and drink coffee?
It all seemed so lazy and over-convenient to me. The point of view characters are extremely self-aware and can resolve any traumas from the past. After a single fit of weeping, all healed! Two main characters have sex in triple Earth gravity ('Somehow, we managed...'). Thereafter being deeply in love changes their personalities, presumably because their high-risk fade-to-black sex scene gave them both brain damage. At one point the allegedly super-intelligent ship AI forgets an important task like a human would ('Oh shit. I'd forgotten...') for no reason other it made a later plot development easy. Shouldn't the AI and crew of the ship be concerned about this lapse? They never mention it.
I could go on, but am aware that I'm being extremely critical here. The thing is, I love science fiction and read a lot of it so my standards are pretty high. I don't think they're unreasonable, though. Jitterbug seemed like such a hollow shell of a sci-fi novel that it made me very angry. After finishing it, I immediately began Booker Prize winning Shuggie Bain as a palate cleanser. Looking at the distribution of goodreads ratings, my intense negative reaction puts me in a small minority. I encourage those who rated Jitterbug higher to try Leviathan Wakes, The Three-Body Problem, Children of Time, Ancillary Justice, The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet, Rosewater, All Systems Red, or The Prefect, all recent sci-fi novels that I really enjoyed.
- Cowboy Beebop (cowboy-esque bounty hunters in a small scrappy spaceship accidentally bring on board a memory device carrying secret data)
- Firefly (Kiki is Kaylee with none of her charm)
- Leviathan Wakes and the rest of the Expanse series (an ambitious middle-aged female politician who swears all the time and is trying to save the solar system joins the crew of a scrappy yet super-fast spaceship, plus several other significant plot developments)
- The Three-Body Problem and sequels (description of the dark forest hypothesis and use of it as a plot point)
- How to Build a Time Machine by Paul C.W. Davies (I swear this is where I read the very same explanation of time travel before)
I'm happy to read new twists on familiar concepts and tropes, but that isn't what I found here. There was nothing new, indeed no real substance at all. The main character even seems to explain why everything is so boring at one point:
"For me, it's how quickly we get used to change."
"We do?"
"You can see it all through our history, from the end of the last Ice Age onwards. We've seen empires rise and fall, catastrophic wars and pandemics." She turned her head to look at me. "Did you know that fifty million people died in the Spanish Flu pandemic of 1918 to 1920?"
"I never heard of it."
"Of course you didn't. It was a global pandemic that infected a third of the world's population, and yet nobody really talked about it. They just got on with their lives."
"And that's the strangest thing about people?"
"No matter how great the upheaval, within a generation everybody's acting as if things have always been that way. It makes us resilient, but it also makes us complacent in the face of new threats."
I guess the point being made here is that people get accustomed to new circumstances, as indeed they do. That doesn't mean that nothing has changed! The 1920s were very different to the 1910s, for many reasons including the Spanish Flu pandemic. Jitterbug introduces a solar system undergoing gentrification by aliens, with easy interplanetary flight and artificial general intelligence, yet everyone talks like they're a 2015 American sitcom. There is no sign of social or cultural change, no indication that anyone watches movies or TV or listens to music or is aware of celebrities or follows fashion or eats anything other than chips or ramen. One character has anime stickers on her spacesuit helmet, but does anime even exist here? The crew are bored while traveling, so apparently have no hobbies or interests outside work. And why does everybody speak English and drink coffee?
It all seemed so lazy and over-convenient to me. The point of view characters are extremely self-aware and can resolve any traumas from the past. After a single fit of weeping, all healed! Two main characters have sex in triple Earth gravity ('Somehow, we managed...'). Thereafter being deeply in love changes their personalities, presumably because their high-risk fade-to-black sex scene gave them both brain damage. At one point the allegedly super-intelligent ship AI forgets an important task like a human would ('Oh shit. I'd forgotten...') for no reason other it made a later plot development easy. Shouldn't the AI and crew of the ship be concerned about this lapse? They never mention it.
I could go on, but am aware that I'm being extremely critical here. The thing is, I love science fiction and read a lot of it so my standards are pretty high. I don't think they're unreasonable, though. Jitterbug seemed like such a hollow shell of a sci-fi novel that it made me very angry. After finishing it, I immediately began Booker Prize winning Shuggie Bain as a palate cleanser. Looking at the distribution of goodreads ratings, my intense negative reaction puts me in a small minority. I encourage those who rated Jitterbug higher to try Leviathan Wakes, The Three-Body Problem, Children of Time, Ancillary Justice, The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet, Rosewater, All Systems Red, or The Prefect, all recent sci-fi novels that I really enjoyed.
December 22, 2025
Bounty hunters, space pirates, conspiracies, an unknowable force … what a great standalone sci fi!
I loved the way this was set up, it felt very accessible and easy to get into. The idea of this new frontier and how it came about was really cool. It’s humanity taking baby steps into space exploration, the need for space allowing people to colonising the new edges. Cue space travel in the inner planets and a new frontier filled with pirates and government bounty hunters.
The crew were quirky and fun, Copernicus is just doing his best for his crew and his ship and he’s a good person at heart - which is why he ends up embroiled in a conspiracy, hunted and tasked with the impossible. Plus Jitterbug was a fantastic character - a sentient spaceship with a parrot avatar?! Say less. She even got her own pov chapters so she really can to life on the page and was an essential part of the team.
The other characters were complimentary and there were some high emotion moments when things got heated. (If you’ve read the Expanse, then one of them was very Avasarala coded!)
The story was a fast paced, action filled story that had me speeding through it. I loved how it all unfolded and the ending! I wasn’t expecting how intense and cool it was going to be but I loved it. It linked everything together really well and left the story feeling hopeful and exciting.
It did have a very tiny romance subplot which I’m hesitant to even call it that. It just sort of happened and that was it? Very abrupt and honestly I kind of just ignored it and it made no difference to my reading experience but it’s worth noting.
This book was an enjoyable fast paced read with some interesting sci fi plot. It’s not a grand epic that transcends the stars, it’s short, it’s fun, it’s almost cosy in the way it left me feeling but with some good battles thrown in. It’s you’re looking for a quick sci fi hit that you can get into straight away then this is a good choice!
I loved the way this was set up, it felt very accessible and easy to get into. The idea of this new frontier and how it came about was really cool. It’s humanity taking baby steps into space exploration, the need for space allowing people to colonising the new edges. Cue space travel in the inner planets and a new frontier filled with pirates and government bounty hunters.
The crew were quirky and fun, Copernicus is just doing his best for his crew and his ship and he’s a good person at heart - which is why he ends up embroiled in a conspiracy, hunted and tasked with the impossible. Plus Jitterbug was a fantastic character - a sentient spaceship with a parrot avatar?! Say less. She even got her own pov chapters so she really can to life on the page and was an essential part of the team.
The other characters were complimentary and there were some high emotion moments when things got heated. (If you’ve read the Expanse, then one of them was very Avasarala coded!)
The story was a fast paced, action filled story that had me speeding through it. I loved how it all unfolded and the ending! I wasn’t expecting how intense and cool it was going to be but I loved it. It linked everything together really well and left the story feeling hopeful and exciting.
It did have a very tiny romance subplot which I’m hesitant to even call it that. It just sort of happened and that was it? Very abrupt and honestly I kind of just ignored it and it made no difference to my reading experience but it’s worth noting.
This book was an enjoyable fast paced read with some interesting sci fi plot. It’s not a grand epic that transcends the stars, it’s short, it’s fun, it’s almost cosy in the way it left me feeling but with some good battles thrown in. It’s you’re looking for a quick sci fi hit that you can get into straight away then this is a good choice!
July 15, 2026
Other reviews have called this book cozy and while I was initially not sure about it (on account of a cosmic horror-like background and a pretty gruesome early death) I guess, by the second half, it was pretty accurate. The effect comes from the multiplication of easy, friendly relationships and feel-good resolutions.
My main problem with the book were the dialogues - inner monologues and trains of thoughts are fine but the moment one of the character open their mouth, it becomes painful. Not aided by the audiobook: I wish the narrators had let up with the accents. They were all pretty bad, entirely unwarranted (based solely on how people's names sounded, when the only accents mentioned in the text have nothing to do with being a foreigner to an English speaking country - such as "lunar colony accent") and, maybe most egregiously of all, not consistent! Either the narrators did not agree together about what accent to give what character or they did not check that they were all going to be able to make those accents... I don't know what happened, but this was a mess.
The ending tried to be feel good, and I say "try" because I personally did not find it as hopeful as the author clearly wanted me too, but that's ok. It was weakened by the fact it came about with a longer than average expository (painful as any) dialogue. And while I liked a few themes the book engaged with, such as the fact that wherever we end up is the result of a long chain of coincidences, including exploring the fact that someone's death can be hard to blame on any one person. Unfortunately it fell short of going anywhere interesting with it. In the end, vengeance is dealt anyway on the least hard to hate character and the general message becomes that everything happens for a reason, which I personally find quite intellectually insulting. At the end of the day, this commitment to choose shallow takes and platitudes in favor of creating a feel-good (bordering on Pollyannaish) messaging is really what brands it as cozy, and not in a good way.
My main problem with the book were the dialogues - inner monologues and trains of thoughts are fine but the moment one of the character open their mouth, it becomes painful. Not aided by the audiobook: I wish the narrators had let up with the accents. They were all pretty bad, entirely unwarranted (based solely on how people's names sounded, when the only accents mentioned in the text have nothing to do with being a foreigner to an English speaking country - such as "lunar colony accent") and, maybe most egregiously of all, not consistent! Either the narrators did not agree together about what accent to give what character or they did not check that they were all going to be able to make those accents... I don't know what happened, but this was a mess.
The ending tried to be feel good, and I say "try" because I personally did not find it as hopeful as the author clearly wanted me too, but that's ok. It was weakened by the fact it came about with a longer than average expository (painful as any) dialogue. And while I liked a few themes the book engaged with, such as the fact that wherever we end up is the result of a long chain of coincidences, including exploring the fact that someone's death can be hard to blame on any one person. Unfortunately it fell short of going anywhere interesting with it. In the end, vengeance is dealt anyway on the least hard to hate character and the general message becomes that everything happens for a reason, which I personally find quite intellectually insulting. At the end of the day, this commitment to choose shallow takes and platitudes in favor of creating a feel-good (bordering on Pollyannaish) messaging is really what brands it as cozy, and not in a good way.
March 27, 2026
Jitterbug by Garth L. Powell — ★★★★☆
This was a very enjoyable read—fast, focused, and consistently gripping.
Garth L. Powell drops you straight into a frontier where justice isn’t blind, it’s feral. Jitterbug blends space‑western grit with high‑velocity intrigue, following Copernicus Brown and the crew of his sentient ship as they chase fugitives across a solar system that’s been shattered and rebuilt into something strange and dangerous.
The hook lands early: Jupiter and Saturn are gone, replaced by a massive artificial sphere that’s become a haven for criminals and opportunists. When Brown rescues Amber Roth—sole survivor of a pirate attack—the story tightens into a conspiracy thriller. Everyone wants the data chip hidden inside her, and the Jitterbug crew suddenly finds themselves hunted by political factions with long reach and no patience.
What kept me locked in was the balance of character chemistry, escalating stakes, and that creeping cosmic presence lurking at the edges of the narrative. Powell knows how to keep tension simmering without losing the fun of a good bounty‑hunter romp. The action hits hard, the worldbuilding feels lived‑in, and the Jitterbug herself is a standout—equal parts ship, character, and partner in crime.
If anything holds it back from a full five stars, it’s that some threads feel more teased than explored, especially as the “something vast and ancient” draws closer. But even then, the momentum never falters.
A sharp, twisty, frontier‑in‑space adventure with heart, humor, and a looming cosmic shadow. Solid 4/5.
Happy reading from the Void 🚀🪐📚
This was a very enjoyable read—fast, focused, and consistently gripping.
Garth L. Powell drops you straight into a frontier where justice isn’t blind, it’s feral. Jitterbug blends space‑western grit with high‑velocity intrigue, following Copernicus Brown and the crew of his sentient ship as they chase fugitives across a solar system that’s been shattered and rebuilt into something strange and dangerous.
The hook lands early: Jupiter and Saturn are gone, replaced by a massive artificial sphere that’s become a haven for criminals and opportunists. When Brown rescues Amber Roth—sole survivor of a pirate attack—the story tightens into a conspiracy thriller. Everyone wants the data chip hidden inside her, and the Jitterbug crew suddenly finds themselves hunted by political factions with long reach and no patience.
What kept me locked in was the balance of character chemistry, escalating stakes, and that creeping cosmic presence lurking at the edges of the narrative. Powell knows how to keep tension simmering without losing the fun of a good bounty‑hunter romp. The action hits hard, the worldbuilding feels lived‑in, and the Jitterbug herself is a standout—equal parts ship, character, and partner in crime.
If anything holds it back from a full five stars, it’s that some threads feel more teased than explored, especially as the “something vast and ancient” draws closer. But even then, the momentum never falters.
A sharp, twisty, frontier‑in‑space adventure with heart, humor, and a looming cosmic shadow. Solid 4/5.
Happy reading from the Void 🚀🪐📚
May 17, 2026
I just finished Jitterbug & it was a fast, fun, & imaginative space opera that I did not want to put down. After reading & loving Future’s Edge a couple months ago I knew I had to keep reading books from Powell, & Jitterbug did not disappoint. He drops you immediately into a fascinating reimagined solar system & from the very first pages you get the sense that something genuinely original is being told. The setting alone is worth the journey here & Powell builds this world with confidence, making it feel lived-in almost immediately. The pacing is relentless in the best way & this is a lean 299 page read with short, creative, punchy chapters that keep moving. Powell also sprinkles in enough fresh sci-fi ideas to keep things consistently intriguing. They’re just substantial enough to enhance the novel without slowing it down.
What really won me over was Jitterbug herself, the sentient AI ship at the heart of the story. The kind of creative, offbeat character choice that elevates a book from fun to memorable. Powell also does well to keep the rest of the crew feeling grounded and gives just enough detail and background for our other main character, Copernicus, to make him feel complete.
Look, this book has its pitfalls & criticisms, only some of which I think are fair. Sometimes you just want to take a book in, enjoy the ride, & have a great time with it & that is exactly what I did here. If you are looking for dense hard sci-fi this is not that, although I have some recommendations. But if you simply want a fast, fun, & enjoyable space opera (that still has the occasional hard sci-fi elements sprinkled in), Jitterbug absolutely delivers.
What really won me over was Jitterbug herself, the sentient AI ship at the heart of the story. The kind of creative, offbeat character choice that elevates a book from fun to memorable. Powell also does well to keep the rest of the crew feeling grounded and gives just enough detail and background for our other main character, Copernicus, to make him feel complete.
Look, this book has its pitfalls & criticisms, only some of which I think are fair. Sometimes you just want to take a book in, enjoy the ride, & have a great time with it & that is exactly what I did here. If you are looking for dense hard sci-fi this is not that, although I have some recommendations. But if you simply want a fast, fun, & enjoyable space opera (that still has the occasional hard sci-fi elements sprinkled in), Jitterbug absolutely delivers.
March 11, 2026
(2.25 Stars)
First off... I read the description and it states that the book is "perfect for fans of James S. A. Corey and Adrian Tchaikovsky". I believe... if you are going to make that claim, you best be on your "A" game. The only thing this book has in common with The Expanse is that they feature "Space". And this book has none of the intricate plot complexities that Tchaikovsky is known for. However, I will try and forget that the comparison was made and review this book as if I came into it without expectation.
The premise sounded fun, and I love a good sci-fi book. Unfortunately this book just missed the mark with me. This book is tagged as "Adult Fiction", I can only assume it is because of the one awkward attempt at a sex scene, but the entire book is about the level of "Young Adult" (at best). Don't get me wrong, I am not above reading YA, and I am not saying that as a knock on YA fiction. What I mean is that every character has the emotional maturity of someone much younger than their age. There isn't character growth as much as there is abrupt and unexplainable character change. The world building was illogical and even though it was "explained", it didn't really make sense. And the plot is tied up in the world building.
First off... I read the description and it states that the book is "perfect for fans of James S. A. Corey and Adrian Tchaikovsky". I believe... if you are going to make that claim, you best be on your "A" game. The only thing this book has in common with The Expanse is that they feature "Space". And this book has none of the intricate plot complexities that Tchaikovsky is known for. However, I will try and forget that the comparison was made and review this book as if I came into it without expectation.
The premise sounded fun, and I love a good sci-fi book. Unfortunately this book just missed the mark with me. This book is tagged as "Adult Fiction", I can only assume it is because of the one awkward attempt at a sex scene, but the entire book is about the level of "Young Adult" (at best). Don't get me wrong, I am not above reading YA, and I am not saying that as a knock on YA fiction. What I mean is that every character has the emotional maturity of someone much younger than their age. There isn't character growth as much as there is abrupt and unexplainable character change. The world building was illogical and even though it was "explained", it didn't really make sense. And the plot is tied up in the world building.
March 8, 2026
I don’t think the fusion of rogue ship crew with heart and a big epic space opera take quite is pulled of here - the storylines feel rushed as do the character development: if you don’t think too closely about how it all is supposed to work you can have fun but I needed more
Full review - https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/bl...
Full review - https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/bl...
May 31, 2026
Fun, witty little romp through the solar system. Nothing new here but Powell’s take on traditional sci fi tropes (alternate timelines, evil aliens, Earth in peril) is entertaining and has just the right amount of hard science. And I appreciated that he doesn’t go heavy on the philosophy. Slow start, rushed ending but overall enjoyable. 4/5
April 28, 2026
This is a sexy space romp that’s a whole lot of fun! Powell has a trademark sentient ship, as in many of his sci-fi books, but this one really is my favorite (and not just because of the parrot avatar!). If you like Cowboy Bebop, Firefly, Farscape, and The Fifth Element, you’ll find a kinship with this ragtag crew. Found family and space hijinks make for a great time, and Powell has given us an uplifting book just when we need it.
June 22, 2026
My first sci-fi book. I expected more as I read the back of the book and I looked into the author.
The story didn't have that much of a story and I kept waiting for some good action. The bombing gave that a little but it was rapidly done. Then came the big plot twist of the sudden love story which I didn't expect and frankly got annoyed with.
I did get the ending of the story with the workholes and time travelling but didn't grab me into the story as I would have expected.
For me its a 2 star sadly enough.
The story didn't have that much of a story and I kept waiting for some good action. The bombing gave that a little but it was rapidly done. Then came the big plot twist of the sudden love story which I didn't expect and frankly got annoyed with.
I did get the ending of the story with the workholes and time travelling but didn't grab me into the story as I would have expected.
For me its a 2 star sadly enough.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 15, 2026
3.5 stars is an accurate score of this book.
it's wholesome space book. even though book is in two parts. I'm gonna break it down to act 1,2,3.
act 1, solid foundation to world settings and getting you up to speed. the ship AI personality and interactions I loved. the swirl and the solar system as a whole was very interesting.
act 2. when the event that pulls them all together I enjoyed, a relationship seemed to pull together really quickly, may of been because of the fast intensity of the situation or that there had been small time jumps.
act 3,rushed and confusing at times and things happening seemingly just cause. certain developments of some characters making no sense, new bodies and timey wimey stuff felt out of left field.
this book left me wanting more and maybe a slower burn maybe just another book. introducing the villains better. however I liked the message and meaning behind them. overall 3.5 * for a cosy space book about a found family, won't blow you away but good pallet cleanser book
it's wholesome space book. even though book is in two parts. I'm gonna break it down to act 1,2,3.
act 1, solid foundation to world settings and getting you up to speed. the ship AI personality and interactions I loved. the swirl and the solar system as a whole was very interesting.
act 2. when the event that pulls them all together I enjoyed, a relationship seemed to pull together really quickly, may of been because of the fast intensity of the situation or that there had been small time jumps.
act 3,rushed and confusing at times and things happening seemingly just cause. certain developments of some characters making no sense, new bodies and timey wimey stuff felt out of left field.
this book left me wanting more and maybe a slower burn maybe just another book. introducing the villains better. however I liked the message and meaning behind them. overall 3.5 * for a cosy space book about a found family, won't blow you away but good pallet cleanser book
January 4, 2026
As ever this is a fast-paced and entertaining read from Gareth L Powell. You’re not going to get dense and allusive literary works from him (yet), but straightforward action SF that somehow unlocks the part of me that was once thirteen and reading every SF book in the local library, soaking up this exciting new world. He has an eye for space battles and giant alien objects that is frankly delightful, and to be able to rekindle that sense of wonder in a grizzled mid-50s grump is no small achievement. A caveat though - some elements of his novels risk becoming stale at this point. I wouldn’t mind if he gave the ragtag crews and sentient spaceships a rest for a couple of books. In isolation though this is a lot of fun, and yes I did spot the mandatory Aliens quote.
March 6, 2026
The nitty-gritty: High stakes, big action, political intrigue and humor join forces in Gareth L. Powell’s latest, a fun, fast paced sci-fi adventure with heart.
“Never forget, Copernicus, that just like the rest of us, you are the product of coincidence and luck.”
Gareth L. Powell is one of the most creative writers I’ve had the pleasure to read, and his latest space opera Jitterbug takes that creativity to the next level. And while this didn’t quite hit the highs of some of his previous books, it was so much fun. If you’re a Powell fan you’ll recognize some of his trademark elements, like the found family trope, sentient space ships and plenty of humor. Fans of Firefly will have a blast!
Copernicus Brown is the captain of the Jitterbug, a ship that he inherited from his father Malcolm. Ever since the shocking events surrounding Jupiter and Saturn sixty years ago, when an alien entity disassembled the planets and created a new “planet” out of them called the Swirl, new opportunities for income have arisen. Copernicus is a bounty hunter, going after criminals who often hide out in remote areas of the Swirl, and along with his crew—pilot Kiki, engineer Ulf, and his cousin McKenzie—they scrape by, hoping for the next big job.
One day they are heading to Mars when they answer a distress call. They arrive to find a destroyed freighter and a pirate ship, and lurking in the debris of the freighter is a woman who calls herself Amber Roth. Copernicus brings her aboard only to find out she’s concealing a data crystal with military grade encrypted information. When the data is finally accessed, it’s grim news: something big is headed through space towards the Swirl, and a ticking countdown clock suggests whatever it is will arrive soon.
With the help of his crew, a political advisor named Danielle Lanzo, and the Jitterbug itself (as well as Roth’s ship the Slinky Lynx), Copernicus must figure out a plan to save the world, all while facing the demons in his past.
Let’s talk about the Swirl first, since it’s such a fascinating idea. It’s almost like a manufactured planet, composed of eight segments that surround the sun like sections of an orange peel (at least that’s how the author describes it). There are two sides to each segment, separated by a mile of dense material: the bright inside edge, and the darker, outside edge which is exposed to the stars. It’s so vast that most of it is unoccupied. Powell uses just enough scientific jargon to make it all seem plausible, while allowing readers to easily grasp the concept. It also plays a big part in the final battle, and if you’re wondering who created it, well, you’ll have to read the book to find out!
My other favorite element was the sentient ships, a trope I adore. Jitterbug has a physical avatar in the form of a parrot, which makes it easy for the ship to “accompany” Copernicus anywhere. After the crew intercepts the Slinky Lynx, that ship’s sentience becomes part of the story in a very cool way. Jitterbug and Slinky Lynx even meet in virtual space as their avatars to make plans when things start to go sideways, giving the ships a new way of expressing themselves.
The chapters alternate among several characters’ first person points of view, including Copernicus, Jitterbug, Amber Roth and Danielle Lanzo (who provides an interesting political perspective). We also get lots of backstory for each character—how they ended up here, past secrets and traumas, etc.---although I would have liked more “show” and less “tell” during these sections. I also liked the online message board “ads” at the end of each chapter: “BOUNTY: C134K New Luna Credits for capture of ‘Light-fingered’ Lou De La Fosse. Wanted for embezzlement. Believed to be on Swirl Segments #2 or #3.” They immerse the reader even further into this world, and I thought they were a nice touch.
What didn’t work as well for me was the length of the book. I do love the punchiness of a shorter page count, but sometimes it hurts the story. In this case, there is a surprise twist that happens in the last fifty pages that felt a bit rushed. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a cool, mind-bending twist, but it’s very complex, and the explanations didn’t completely work and left me confused. I think with more time to build the suspense and allow the reader to catch up with the crazy action, it would have been more successful. There’s also a romance between Copernicus and Roth that seems to come out of nowhere, and although it’s a crucial later in the story, it would have been nice to see more development.
But aside from that, Jitterbug is another winner from an author who consistently puts out quality stories. Readers looking for a shorter sci-fi romp will love this.
Big thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy.
“Never forget, Copernicus, that just like the rest of us, you are the product of coincidence and luck.”
Gareth L. Powell is one of the most creative writers I’ve had the pleasure to read, and his latest space opera Jitterbug takes that creativity to the next level. And while this didn’t quite hit the highs of some of his previous books, it was so much fun. If you’re a Powell fan you’ll recognize some of his trademark elements, like the found family trope, sentient space ships and plenty of humor. Fans of Firefly will have a blast!
Copernicus Brown is the captain of the Jitterbug, a ship that he inherited from his father Malcolm. Ever since the shocking events surrounding Jupiter and Saturn sixty years ago, when an alien entity disassembled the planets and created a new “planet” out of them called the Swirl, new opportunities for income have arisen. Copernicus is a bounty hunter, going after criminals who often hide out in remote areas of the Swirl, and along with his crew—pilot Kiki, engineer Ulf, and his cousin McKenzie—they scrape by, hoping for the next big job.
One day they are heading to Mars when they answer a distress call. They arrive to find a destroyed freighter and a pirate ship, and lurking in the debris of the freighter is a woman who calls herself Amber Roth. Copernicus brings her aboard only to find out she’s concealing a data crystal with military grade encrypted information. When the data is finally accessed, it’s grim news: something big is headed through space towards the Swirl, and a ticking countdown clock suggests whatever it is will arrive soon.
With the help of his crew, a political advisor named Danielle Lanzo, and the Jitterbug itself (as well as Roth’s ship the Slinky Lynx), Copernicus must figure out a plan to save the world, all while facing the demons in his past.
Let’s talk about the Swirl first, since it’s such a fascinating idea. It’s almost like a manufactured planet, composed of eight segments that surround the sun like sections of an orange peel (at least that’s how the author describes it). There are two sides to each segment, separated by a mile of dense material: the bright inside edge, and the darker, outside edge which is exposed to the stars. It’s so vast that most of it is unoccupied. Powell uses just enough scientific jargon to make it all seem plausible, while allowing readers to easily grasp the concept. It also plays a big part in the final battle, and if you’re wondering who created it, well, you’ll have to read the book to find out!
My other favorite element was the sentient ships, a trope I adore. Jitterbug has a physical avatar in the form of a parrot, which makes it easy for the ship to “accompany” Copernicus anywhere. After the crew intercepts the Slinky Lynx, that ship’s sentience becomes part of the story in a very cool way. Jitterbug and Slinky Lynx even meet in virtual space as their avatars to make plans when things start to go sideways, giving the ships a new way of expressing themselves.
The chapters alternate among several characters’ first person points of view, including Copernicus, Jitterbug, Amber Roth and Danielle Lanzo (who provides an interesting political perspective). We also get lots of backstory for each character—how they ended up here, past secrets and traumas, etc.---although I would have liked more “show” and less “tell” during these sections. I also liked the online message board “ads” at the end of each chapter: “BOUNTY: C134K New Luna Credits for capture of ‘Light-fingered’ Lou De La Fosse. Wanted for embezzlement. Believed to be on Swirl Segments #2 or #3.” They immerse the reader even further into this world, and I thought they were a nice touch.
What didn’t work as well for me was the length of the book. I do love the punchiness of a shorter page count, but sometimes it hurts the story. In this case, there is a surprise twist that happens in the last fifty pages that felt a bit rushed. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a cool, mind-bending twist, but it’s very complex, and the explanations didn’t completely work and left me confused. I think with more time to build the suspense and allow the reader to catch up with the crazy action, it would have been more successful. There’s also a romance between Copernicus and Roth that seems to come out of nowhere, and although it’s a crucial later in the story, it would have been nice to see more development.
But aside from that, Jitterbug is another winner from an author who consistently puts out quality stories. Readers looking for a shorter sci-fi romp will love this.
Big thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy.
July 16, 2026
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Thank you Simon & Schuster for this book in exchange for an honest review
Witty sci-fi books are honestly becoming one of my favourite new to read. Jitterbug gives me full Guardian of the Galaxy vibes with witty one liner, the action-packed sequences and the adorable rag-tag characters!! Powell delivers a book full of sentient ships, bounty hunters and of course the rag-tag mismatched crew that you will laugh wildly over.
We get introduced to Copernicus Brown, a bounty hunter and the captain of the Jitterbug as their latest job goes spectacularly sideways after they rescue Amber Roth, who is the sole survivor of a pirate attack, only to discover she's carrying information that some very powerful people are willing to kill for. Next minute, the crew is dodging pirates, navigating political intrigue, and facing an ancient threat creeping through the darkness of space.
I cannot say this enough, but we need more sci-fi books out there. I know romantasy is all the rage but sci-fi is such an overlooked genre that belts out banger after banger of books, every single time! Or maybe I am just a sucker for sci-fi in general, especially with Jitterbug herself, clearly being the star of the show!
Bookstagram
Thank you Simon & Schuster for this book in exchange for an honest review
Witty sci-fi books are honestly becoming one of my favourite new to read. Jitterbug gives me full Guardian of the Galaxy vibes with witty one liner, the action-packed sequences and the adorable rag-tag characters!! Powell delivers a book full of sentient ships, bounty hunters and of course the rag-tag mismatched crew that you will laugh wildly over.
We get introduced to Copernicus Brown, a bounty hunter and the captain of the Jitterbug as their latest job goes spectacularly sideways after they rescue Amber Roth, who is the sole survivor of a pirate attack, only to discover she's carrying information that some very powerful people are willing to kill for. Next minute, the crew is dodging pirates, navigating political intrigue, and facing an ancient threat creeping through the darkness of space.
I cannot say this enough, but we need more sci-fi books out there. I know romantasy is all the rage but sci-fi is such an overlooked genre that belts out banger after banger of books, every single time! Or maybe I am just a sucker for sci-fi in general, especially with Jitterbug herself, clearly being the star of the show!
April 10, 2026
*3.5⭐️
never read anything by this author before, but I am curious to check out what he comes up with next!
I enjoyed the characters' sense of humour and sarcasm throughout the book. they felt realistic! each and every one of them was really distinct and didn't feel one dimensional.
I loved the writing style as well. the short chapters were much appreciated, and the different povs gave the maximum insight into what was going on.
the plot itself was quite interesting and felt like it was high stakes, but at the same time, nothing particularly dangerous happened when it came to humanity's survival. by the end, the time travel trope was introduced too, and that's one of my least favourite tropes to read about, so I was kinda bored and confused by that point.
however, I still enjoyed the book and would recommend it if you don't have a problem with the things I mentioned above. it was entertaining!
never read anything by this author before, but I am curious to check out what he comes up with next!
I enjoyed the characters' sense of humour and sarcasm throughout the book. they felt realistic! each and every one of them was really distinct and didn't feel one dimensional.
I loved the writing style as well. the short chapters were much appreciated, and the different povs gave the maximum insight into what was going on.
the plot itself was quite interesting and felt like it was high stakes, but at the same time, nothing particularly dangerous happened when it came to humanity's survival. by the end, the time travel trope was introduced too, and that's one of my least favourite tropes to read about, so I was kinda bored and confused by that point.
however, I still enjoyed the book and would recommend it if you don't have a problem with the things I mentioned above. it was entertaining!
April 21, 2026
I really enjoyed Jitterbug. I don't know what the title or the opening scenes had me expecting, but it certainly wasn't the conclusion I got, and I'm glad of it!
I really liked the Swirl universe, how the Solar System has become partially encapsulated and the frontiers have become the vast inner surfaces of its segments and not the galaxy beyond. I liked how that has shaped society and the characters, with colonisation and trade among the remaining planets and the segments primed for piracy and other crime, and all of it patrolled by the stretched thin Sol Security force, complimented by bounty hunters like the MC, Copernicus.
The characters had good arcs and their histories really fit well within this universe. The twist at the end wasn't at all what I was expecting even halway or more into the book, but it was an exciting concept, and I highly recommend this book.
I really liked the Swirl universe, how the Solar System has become partially encapsulated and the frontiers have become the vast inner surfaces of its segments and not the galaxy beyond. I liked how that has shaped society and the characters, with colonisation and trade among the remaining planets and the segments primed for piracy and other crime, and all of it patrolled by the stretched thin Sol Security force, complimented by bounty hunters like the MC, Copernicus.
The characters had good arcs and their histories really fit well within this universe. The twist at the end wasn't at all what I was expecting even halway or more into the book, but it was an exciting concept, and I highly recommend this book.
March 23, 2026
2.5, meh
May 7, 2026
2.75⭐️
March 19, 2026
the plot was interesting and kept me engaged but didn’t warm to the relationship or writing style. quick and easy read though
got in the illuminate starbright subscription box
got in the illuminate starbright subscription box
March 31, 2026
Very nice and cozy sci-fi, I really enjoyed it! It gave me very Becky Chambers vibes
March 18, 2026
Honestly? I’m not sure I’ll have a fully formed opinion on this book for a while. It’s one of those reads where nothing went horribly wrong, but nothing went particularly great either. It reads as a cosy sci-fi: light, digestible, easy to pick up and put down. Palette cleanser material.
Jitterbug follows Copernicus, a spaceship captain navigating the Swirl (a vast, chaotic version of our solar system) alongside his crew and his sentient ship, Jitterbug. After bouncing between bounty jobs (Copernicus biggest source of income to keep the ship and the crew alive), one day, he encounters a random destroyed ship that will completely change all their life’s. “You’re the product of a coincidence and luck.”
The Swirl genuinely intrigued me. It took a while to wrap my head around it, but once I did, I couldn’t stop thinking about the logistics of it; how big is it exactly? How do people actually live in there? What does daily life look like? It opened so many questions that kept me turning pages, excited to learn more. It’s the kind of worldbuilding that makes you curious, even if (and I’ll get back to this) the book doesn’t always follow through on those questions.
Let me start with Jitterbug herself, because I had genuinely high hopes. A sentient ship is a great concept. But in practice, Jitterbug functions almost entirely as a narrative convenience. She’s there to info-dump exposition, deliver solutions the crew couldn’t logically reach on their own, and move the plot along whenever Powell needs her to. Once I noticed it, I couldn’t stop noticing it. She didn’t feel like a character to me. She felt like a tool.
The same flatness extends to the crew. I was told repeatedly that these people have history, that Ulf has known Copernicus since he was a child, that Jitterbug used to by Copernicus dad’s ship, that they’ve been through things together. But I never felt it. Their relationships read as functional rather than lived-in, and there’s no real explanation for the emotional distance between them. If Copernicus is someone who keeps his crew at arms length, I wanted to understand why. Without that, the their dynamics just feel underdeveloped.
This connects to what I’d call the book’s YA problem. It’s tagged as Adult Fiction, but emotionally it reads younger. Characters make life-altering decisions with a “yeah, sounds fun, let’s go” energy that doesn’t sit right. There’s no real weight to the choices, no sense that anyone is processing the consequences, for themselves or anyone else.
And then there’s the pacing. Nothing absolutely major happens until around the 60% mark. Before that, it was unclear to me what the story was trying to be or where it was headed. I can handle a slow build, but the concepts Powell introduces in the final stretch (which are actually interesting and carry real implications) needed to be rooted much earlier for them to land properly. Instead, they arrive late and underdeveloped, which is a shame, because done in another way, the book would’ve been so much more interesting.
Powell writes in a way that felt accessible to me; there’s enough scientific jargon to feel grounded, but never so much that it becomes overly confusing. If you’re new to sci-fi, this would be a comfortable entry point. That said, there are moments where clarity disappears in ways that frustrated me. The communication between Copernicus and Jitterbug is a good example: early on, it’s never established how they’re speaking to each other. Mind-to-mind? A hidden earpiece? You’re left filling in blanks that should have been answered (at least in my opinion). The Swirl has similar gaps. It’s atmospheric enough to pull you in, but the mechanics are never fully explained.
Jitterbug isn’t a bad book. If you’re in the mood for something low-stakes and easy to move through, it delivers that. Sometimes a palette cleanser is exactly what you need, just know that’s what you’re signing up for.
Jitterbug follows Copernicus, a spaceship captain navigating the Swirl (a vast, chaotic version of our solar system) alongside his crew and his sentient ship, Jitterbug. After bouncing between bounty jobs (Copernicus biggest source of income to keep the ship and the crew alive), one day, he encounters a random destroyed ship that will completely change all their life’s. “You’re the product of a coincidence and luck.”
The Swirl genuinely intrigued me. It took a while to wrap my head around it, but once I did, I couldn’t stop thinking about the logistics of it; how big is it exactly? How do people actually live in there? What does daily life look like? It opened so many questions that kept me turning pages, excited to learn more. It’s the kind of worldbuilding that makes you curious, even if (and I’ll get back to this) the book doesn’t always follow through on those questions.
Let me start with Jitterbug herself, because I had genuinely high hopes. A sentient ship is a great concept. But in practice, Jitterbug functions almost entirely as a narrative convenience. She’s there to info-dump exposition, deliver solutions the crew couldn’t logically reach on their own, and move the plot along whenever Powell needs her to. Once I noticed it, I couldn’t stop noticing it. She didn’t feel like a character to me. She felt like a tool.
The same flatness extends to the crew. I was told repeatedly that these people have history, that Ulf has known Copernicus since he was a child, that Jitterbug used to by Copernicus dad’s ship, that they’ve been through things together. But I never felt it. Their relationships read as functional rather than lived-in, and there’s no real explanation for the emotional distance between them. If Copernicus is someone who keeps his crew at arms length, I wanted to understand why. Without that, the their dynamics just feel underdeveloped.
This connects to what I’d call the book’s YA problem. It’s tagged as Adult Fiction, but emotionally it reads younger. Characters make life-altering decisions with a “yeah, sounds fun, let’s go” energy that doesn’t sit right. There’s no real weight to the choices, no sense that anyone is processing the consequences, for themselves or anyone else.
And then there’s the pacing. Nothing absolutely major happens until around the 60% mark. Before that, it was unclear to me what the story was trying to be or where it was headed. I can handle a slow build, but the concepts Powell introduces in the final stretch (which are actually interesting and carry real implications) needed to be rooted much earlier for them to land properly. Instead, they arrive late and underdeveloped, which is a shame, because done in another way, the book would’ve been so much more interesting.
Powell writes in a way that felt accessible to me; there’s enough scientific jargon to feel grounded, but never so much that it becomes overly confusing. If you’re new to sci-fi, this would be a comfortable entry point. That said, there are moments where clarity disappears in ways that frustrated me. The communication between Copernicus and Jitterbug is a good example: early on, it’s never established how they’re speaking to each other. Mind-to-mind? A hidden earpiece? You’re left filling in blanks that should have been answered (at least in my opinion). The Swirl has similar gaps. It’s atmospheric enough to pull you in, but the mechanics are never fully explained.
Jitterbug isn’t a bad book. If you’re in the mood for something low-stakes and easy to move through, it delivers that. Sometimes a palette cleanser is exactly what you need, just know that’s what you’re signing up for.
January 3, 2026
I like a book where the main character has to say “Recalibrate our course, we need to intercept those incoming missiles or they’ll hit the aliens!” (*not an exact quote, but you get the idea). So, I liked this book.
Two space pirates, a space politician, and a space crew gang up together for a heist-first contact-ish adventure. This is familiar enough, but I was taken in by the landscape—several planets disintegrate, and then a ginormous hollow sphere encloses the remaining solar system, split into segments that have gaps between them and are inhabitable on the interior planes. Neat!
As I’m reflecting, I frankly wasn’t super invested in the plot or (weak) character development, but the visual descriptions were excellent and allowed me to sit back and enjoy the book version a great action movie.
Thanks NetGalley and Titan Books for the advance!
Two space pirates, a space politician, and a space crew gang up together for a heist-first contact-ish adventure. This is familiar enough, but I was taken in by the landscape—several planets disintegrate, and then a ginormous hollow sphere encloses the remaining solar system, split into segments that have gaps between them and are inhabitable on the interior planes. Neat!
As I’m reflecting, I frankly wasn’t super invested in the plot or (weak) character development, but the visual descriptions were excellent and allowed me to sit back and enjoy the book version a great action movie.
Thanks NetGalley and Titan Books for the advance!
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November 7, 2025A big thank you to the publisher for an ARC of the book!
JITTERBUG is a thrilling journey filled with witty banter, unlikely allies and friendships, secrets and sacrifices, and found family, exploring the cyclical nature of both history and the future, and the way our fates are often shaped not just by choice but also by luck and coincidence.
JITTERBUG is a thrilling journey filled with witty banter, unlikely allies and friendships, secrets and sacrifices, and found family, exploring the cyclical nature of both history and the future, and the way our fates are often shaped not just by choice but also by luck and coincidence.
February 21, 2026
An entertaining romp through a novel take on the solar system that could be stronger on the characterization. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!
There are many things to like in "Jitterbug". The setting is a fascinating take on what the appearance of mega structures in the solar system would do to humanity. The lack of stars in the night sky after the creations of the Shards was particularly awesome. I wouldn't call this particularly hard sci-fi, but I really enjoyed the gritty details of flying a spaceship in this world. The spaceships actually handle like spaceships, not planes. The mystery was quite compelling, and Powell does a decent job of linking the mysteries together. For most of the book, nothing feels particularly out of left field.
Unfortunately, the characters were where this really started to crack for me. I did not care about the romance in this book whatsoever. It came from nowhere, and it was between two characters who lacked any kind of romantic chemistry. I understand for plot reasons why it had to happen, but it could have been handled so much better. This was unfortunately enough to drop a star, because I'm tired of men and women in media having to get together because of sheer proximity. If you want me to be even vaguely invested, you have to give me more than this. I also would have liked more interiority from the other crew members of the "Jitterbug". They all seem to have about one personality trait each, and I would have liked them to be a little more fleshed out.
The ending also feels VERY convenient. There are thematic reasons for that, but it just feels a little too neat as it is. It is at least a somewhat hopeful ending, but I think Powell could have made the book a little longer, just to let the characters grapple with the revelations that they have received. Everyone makes a choice with remarkably little angst.
Overall, a very fun, but flawed, read.
There are many things to like in "Jitterbug". The setting is a fascinating take on what the appearance of mega structures in the solar system would do to humanity. The lack of stars in the night sky after the creations of the Shards was particularly awesome. I wouldn't call this particularly hard sci-fi, but I really enjoyed the gritty details of flying a spaceship in this world. The spaceships actually handle like spaceships, not planes. The mystery was quite compelling, and Powell does a decent job of linking the mysteries together. For most of the book, nothing feels particularly out of left field.
Unfortunately, the characters were where this really started to crack for me. I did not care about the romance in this book whatsoever. It came from nowhere, and it was between two characters who lacked any kind of romantic chemistry. I understand for plot reasons why it had to happen, but it could have been handled so much better. This was unfortunately enough to drop a star, because I'm tired of men and women in media having to get together because of sheer proximity. If you want me to be even vaguely invested, you have to give me more than this. I also would have liked more interiority from the other crew members of the "Jitterbug". They all seem to have about one personality trait each, and I would have liked them to be a little more fleshed out.
The ending also feels VERY convenient. There are thematic reasons for that, but it just feels a little too neat as it is. It is at least a somewhat hopeful ending, but I think Powell could have made the book a little longer, just to let the characters grapple with the revelations that they have received. Everyone makes a choice with remarkably little angst.
Overall, a very fun, but flawed, read.
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