Falling Through Space: A Novella

by Michael L. Stevens

Space is vast, mostly empty, extremely cold, very dangerous, and just generally a rotten place to travel.

But what if a spaceship out there had no passengers? Would it get lonely? Would it go searching for new customers? And what if…it found us?

This is the story of Flynn Hopper, a graduate assistant in astrophysics and a last-minute addition to a team making humanity’s first trip to the outer planets. The expedition is privately funded…it employs a hazardous and technically unexplainable craft…and it may be just a bit illegal.

Who would go on such a thing? (That is, if it weren’t for the cheap tickets and high potential for career-making discoveries.)

What adventures might a young crew member on such a mission fall into?

Who would he have to leave behind?

And what would he find there in outer space—or rather, what would find him?

* * * *
“…a fun mix of soap opera, love story, first contact, and solar-system exploration that pokes fun at bureaucracy, academia, and relationships.”—John E. Stith, author of Manhattan Transfer

“Andy Weir meets Douglas Adams in this spirited space opera from actor/playwright Michael L. Stevens.”—Lianne Downey, author of Perception

“…sharp storytelling with heart and humor.”—Nadine Keaney, Front Row Entertainment

“Much like Becky Chambers’ Monk and Robot and Wayfarers series, and Andy Weir’s Project Hail Mary…provides an engaging imagining of life beyond human experience and the potential for unlikely friendships.”– Sarah K.

126 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 11, 2025

Reviews

[Kelsey L · Rating 4 out of 5]

This short novella was a rollercoaster! It was simultaneously too short and too long for the multiple stories that were in there. I do wish it had been a little longer. Chapter 2 made me super confused with the sci-fi mumbo jumbo, but the story quickly picked up from there. We met so many interesting characters on this short jump through space. Those characters include a colony of robots, spiderbots, an alien, and Oscar. There was a ton of weird almost-sex scenes that didn’t make a total ton of sense, but they were few and far between.

If you like space operas that are short and very fast paced, then this is the book for you. If you like a ton of scenic descriptions and details in general, then I would steer clear of this one.

Thank you to Jolibro Publishing and NetGalley for sending this ARC for me to review.

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick-paced, quick-witted adventure through space, a la Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. I enjoyed Flynn's antics and escapades. I wish it was longer!

[Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

Novellas fall into three categories. There are over-padded short stories, underdeveloped novels, and the occasional rare story that is best told at novella length. I think, on the whole, this is an underdeveloped novel.

Perhaps this is why I couldn't figure out, in at least one scene, what was actually going on, and why I felt that the characters didn't behave like real people on occasion. An alien ship turns up randomly in the solar system, set up for habitation by humans (or, at least, human-sized beings who thrive in an Earth-like atmosphere), staffed by sentient robots, capable of bending the laws of physics to teleport itself and other things/people and decide where it "falls" towards, meaning that it operates without fuel. A bunch of scientists come on board, excited to study... the solar system? Not the ship, its origins, its history, its physics, its robots - about the workings of all of which they show remarkably little curiosity?

It reminded me of Gene Wolfe, which is not a compliment coming from me - not because it had finely-worked prose, because it didn't, but for the reasons I just gave: I sometimes couldn't understand what was going on, or why people were acting the way they were.

The dialog was stiff at times, and overly simplistic. In terms of copy editing, the main fault (in the pre-publication version I had from Netgalley, so it may get fixed before publication) was the frequent occurrence of "let's eat Grandma" - missing comma before a term of address. This is despite the author having a degree in English literature, though in my experience people with English degrees often have much worse mechanics than this. The basic rules of prose writing are not something that's usually taught in English classes at universities, sadly.

What I really disliked, though, is a spoiler. The earth is destroyed at the end. There was no signal that it was that kind of book, and if I'd known that it was, I wouldn't have picked it up. It reminds me of the first Lensman book, which I disliked for similar reasons.

Not a success for me.

[Lianne Downey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This short novella reminded me of a cross between Douglas Adams' wit and Andy Weir's humanity (Project Hail Mary). I loved Flynn, a very likeable main character, and his adventures kept me reading and laughing. He’s an everyman in space, a coming-of-age story unfolding in the most unlikely of situations as the De Profundis “ship” falls from planet to planet on its expedition through the solar system, encountering things I refuse to give away.

The ship itself is a massive wonder, resembling an asteroid (or 31/ATLAS!?) It was “found” by unlikely suspects and put to good use by opportunistic scientists, perhaps illegally. Flynn, however, is tested and tempted and comes out shining (well, maybe not literally) each time. Good deeds are rewarded. Bad deeds…well, we learned why you should never pull a gun in space. Or at least aboard De Profundis.

Five stars for this one! I am hoping for a sequel because I could spend a lot more time reading about Flynn’s adventures. He does seem on the brink of a huge one at the end of this prelude novella. Excellent author debut!

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC copy.

[Molly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes, when reading novellas, I get the sense that the author didn’t have enough material for a full novel but also wasn’t skilled enough at trimming the excess, leaving the story feeling incomplete. Even with a proper ending, there’s often something missing. That is absolutely not the case with Falling Through Space.

Despite its brevity, this novella felt cinematic. The imagery is vivid, the world-building is well-crafted, and the balance of science and storytelling is spot-on. There's just enough scientific detail to make the story feel authentic—especially given its cast of scientists—without ever becoming dense or inaccessible. You don’t need a Ph.D. to follow along.

I found this to be a fantastic read, and I think it would be suitable for middle schoolers, with high schoolers being completely in the clear. If you enjoy science fiction—or know someone who does—this is a terrific choice.

[Aubrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this novella on NetGalley and here is my review:
What a fun space story! It was an exciting read, with a great cast of characters. I wish it had been longer (I get it, novellas are short) in order to get more about the characters themselves and follow more adventures. I hope to read more from the author too!

[Marsha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Space Travel, robots, aliens with tentacles. This book had a lot of potential, and it was fairly fast paced and easy to read. In the end though it just didn't quite work for me.

[Tea · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very classic sci-fi romp with fun characters and interesting situations. I had a fun time with this story.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC