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As We Know It
The Opus Starship has launched into space holding humanity’s finest onboard. Earth has been deemed uninhabitable and the search for a new home planet has begun. Lady Vega and the Elite have a vested interest in maintaining the status quo while Peryl (Pearl) Starlight and the Unmarked fight for change. Will humanity fall into the same patterns of self-destruction or create a new way of life, as we know it
242 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 2, 2025
6 people want to read
About the author
Raimo Strangis
3 books49 followersRaimo Strangis is an author, screenwriter, and songwriter from Toronto, Canada. His debut novel, The Kingdom of Grape, was widely praised for its charm, wit, and sense of adventure. His follow-up, With Little Means, further showcased his talent for crafting compelling, emotionally rich stories. His third novel, As We Know It, is slated for release in 2025.
Raimo’s first screenplay, Four Knocks at the Door, has placed in several prestigious competitions, including as a semifinalist in the 2024 Scriptation Showcase and a quarterfinalist at the 2025 Manchester Film Festival. He also served as Executive Producer on the short film, Stuck, a deeply personal story inspired by his experience as a musician facing ostomy surgery. The film premiered at the iconic Chinese Theatre in Hollywood and in New York City, and was graciously supported by Ostomy Canada Society.
Despite living with an ostomy after years of battling ulcerative colitis, Raimo remains committed to his creative journey. He proudly serves as a brand ambassador for both Ostomy Canada Society and Coloplast Canada, using his platform to inspire others facing similar challenges.
Raimo’s first screenplay, Four Knocks at the Door, has placed in several prestigious competitions, including as a semifinalist in the 2024 Scriptation Showcase and a quarterfinalist at the 2025 Manchester Film Festival. He also served as Executive Producer on the short film, Stuck, a deeply personal story inspired by his experience as a musician facing ostomy surgery. The film premiered at the iconic Chinese Theatre in Hollywood and in New York City, and was graciously supported by Ostomy Canada Society.
Despite living with an ostomy after years of battling ulcerative colitis, Raimo remains committed to his creative journey. He proudly serves as a brand ambassador for both Ostomy Canada Society and Coloplast Canada, using his platform to inspire others facing similar challenges.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
November 28, 2025
A brand new voice in Sci-Fi with an interesting take on a post apocalyptic world where earth's survivors branch out into space in search of a new home.
The author does a good job of maintaining pace and tension.
You find yourself wondering who The Elites are and what their motivations are.
As in any group of survivors in search of a new paradise, interactions between the rulers and the ruled are explored in touching but tense moments.
How does law and order work in space? What gets prioritized? Who does what jobs?
I expect that this novel - As We Know It - is the first in a much larger series.
Thematically it resides within the space of other similar shows or books such as the Brazilian dystopian series 3% and Snowpiercer.
Looking forward to hearing more from this author, Raimo Strangis
The author does a good job of maintaining pace and tension.
You find yourself wondering who The Elites are and what their motivations are.
As in any group of survivors in search of a new paradise, interactions between the rulers and the ruled are explored in touching but tense moments.
How does law and order work in space? What gets prioritized? Who does what jobs?
I expect that this novel - As We Know It - is the first in a much larger series.
Thematically it resides within the space of other similar shows or books such as the Brazilian dystopian series 3% and Snowpiercer.
Looking forward to hearing more from this author, Raimo Strangis
November 28, 2025
The story and themes of the book were written well, I just don’t think I was the targeted audience. It’s more of a YA book but I think it’s still a fun listen and the world it builds is interesting.
The flashbacks were done really well. I just wish the “elites” were named something different, it seemed childish every time they were talked about (but again maybe that was the intention).
But overall would recommend if you’re interested in YA sci-fi
The flashbacks were done really well. I just wish the “elites” were named something different, it seemed childish every time they were talked about (but again maybe that was the intention).
But overall would recommend if you’re interested in YA sci-fi
April 1, 2026
I really wanted to like As We Know It by Raimo Strangis, but honestly, I had to slog through it. I groaned my way through large parts of the book.
There are definitely good ideas here, the planet, the War, the ship, the system, and the overall backstory are all interesting and show real potential. But the way the story is told just doesn’t do those ideas justice.
The biggest issue is the writing and structure. We needed stronger character work, the characters never feel real, just puppets saying whatever the author needed to say, and that’s the worst part. Instead, we get very simple, repetitive flashbacks and a lot of exposition. At a certain point, it feels like the flashbacks is doing all the heavy lifting for the story rather than letting the narrative unfold naturally.
It also feels rushed. The book needed more time to breathe. Maybe trimming some elements, leaving parts of the backstory more mysterious, and focusing more on character development would have helped a lot.
Also worth noting: this definitely reads like YA, so keep that in mind if that’s not your thing.
Audiobook Listeners: Lackluster, not recommended.
TL;DR: Great ideas, but weak execution. The author would benefit from reworking this into a larger, more developed series instead of this rushed version. And the themes are clear, you don’t need to spell them out so directly.
There are definitely good ideas here, the planet, the War, the ship, the system, and the overall backstory are all interesting and show real potential. But the way the story is told just doesn’t do those ideas justice.
The biggest issue is the writing and structure. We needed stronger character work, the characters never feel real, just puppets saying whatever the author needed to say, and that’s the worst part. Instead, we get very simple, repetitive flashbacks and a lot of exposition. At a certain point, it feels like the flashbacks is doing all the heavy lifting for the story rather than letting the narrative unfold naturally.
It also feels rushed. The book needed more time to breathe. Maybe trimming some elements, leaving parts of the backstory more mysterious, and focusing more on character development would have helped a lot.
Also worth noting: this definitely reads like YA, so keep that in mind if that’s not your thing.
Audiobook Listeners: Lackluster, not recommended.
TL;DR: Great ideas, but weak execution. The author would benefit from reworking this into a larger, more developed series instead of this rushed version. And the themes are clear, you don’t need to spell them out so directly.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews