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Before the Rocket
Malta, 2064.
The island is being battered by rising waves and scorching heat. The Italian regime has colonised Malta and is using it as a base for their space exploration programme. Following the tragic death of his grandmother and mentor, the famous photographer Rika Dimech, Petrel sets off in search of her roots, initially only planning to spend a couple of weeks on the occupied island. He soon finds himself entwined in its past, present and future, always gravitating towards the same house in the village of Ħaż-Żebbuġ…
Before the Rocket is a masterful work of speculative fiction that launches readers on a gripping journey through time in pursuit of freedom.
The island is being battered by rising waves and scorching heat. The Italian regime has colonised Malta and is using it as a base for their space exploration programme. Following the tragic death of his grandmother and mentor, the famous photographer Rika Dimech, Petrel sets off in search of her roots, initially only planning to spend a couple of weeks on the occupied island. He soon finds himself entwined in its past, present and future, always gravitating towards the same house in the village of Ħaż-Żebbuġ…
Before the Rocket is a masterful work of speculative fiction that launches readers on a gripping journey through time in pursuit of freedom.
423 pages, Paperback
Published September 22, 2025
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108 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
November 23, 2017
With multi-layered storyline and characters, this is a book that will not only keep you hooked but also surprise you with a clever, yet extremely-touching, genre defying odyssey. For me, the book started with a gentle, nostalgia-infused narrative that immediately drew me into a somewhat unusual family life. But, before long, Vella starts to spring the surprises on us. The two 'main' characters, Rika and Petrel, start revealing disconcerting and unexpected traits; new characters are introduced; and suddenly the narrative starts taking twists and turns that I would not have dreamed of in the first chapter. Although falling squarely within the science-fiction genre, what I loved about this book is that it's definitely not your typical sci-fi story with the usual expected tropes. Rokit is about the past, the future, politics, photography, Malta, global warming, space travel and, most of all, it is about love. This is no simple, flat storyline where you speedread and forget all about it the following day. On the contrary, it is an epic tale where each character leaps off the page and you'll find yourself worrying, crying and laughing with them, a tale that speeds to a surprising twist and ending that will probably make you want to reread the book right after, just so you can figure out how come you didn't see that one coming.
September 9, 2018
Rokit ta' Lorrane Vella. Ktieb li tellajtu miegħi meta tlajna xahar inħufu fil-Perù. Ma kontx naf x'inhu jew x'fih, kull ma qgħadt fuq il-kelma ta' bniedem li qalli li għandi naqrah għax tajjeb għal moħħi. Ma bsartx li Petrel se jkun wens għalija. Minn dinja mfissda għal vjaġġar u xokkijiet mentali u kulturali. Rika, Petrel imbagħad Veronica u Benjamin fost ħafna oħrajn, joffru sens ta' wens, storja li taqtgħalek ċertu għatx letterarju, għatx psikoloġiku. Aħna nħufu u l-istorja ta' Vella (Elisabeth) tikber u timxi 'l quddiem. Mal-ħin il-kobba tieħu postha u aħna naqtaw kemm kemm il-kurżità. U r-rokit? Ir-rokit jagħmel xogħlu wkoll.
"Dan hu l-bidu ta' storja ġdida."
"Dan hu l-bidu ta' storja ġdida."
August 2, 2017
A great science fiction page turner from Loranne Vella. Rokit is an amazing read, focused on a dystopian Malta and some amazing characters. I don't want to give out too much but I really enjoyed reading this :)
November 27, 2017
Rokit (bħal Loranne Vella), huwa ħoss fil-Letteratura Maltija li jibqa' uniku.
L-unika raġuni li tajtu 4 mhux 5 kienet għax ħassejtu li fl-aħħar paġni kien qed jgħaġġel ħafna biex jispiċċa. Imma mill-bqija, kien rumanz li għalkemm huwa bbażat fuq diżtopja tal-futur, jtenni sens nostalġiku ta' villaġġi ħelwin, djar Maltin u s-sens qawwi ta' komunita' f'villaġġ ħelu bħal mhu Ħaż-Żebbuġ. Apparti l-idea inkredibbli li l-karattri u l-istejjer huma diskussi a bażi ta' ffukar u sfukar, angoli u perspettivi ta' bniedem li qisu dejjem qed jieħu r-ritratti, anka meta jaħseb.
Manafx hux jien biss, imma Loranne kważi kważi iġġgħelni nixtieq li tiġri xi ħaġa simili f'Malta, biex forsi minjaf, terġa tissaħħaħ u terġa tiġi apprezzata is-sens ta' komunita' u identita', li qed 'jintilfu' x'imkien f'nofs ġungli ta' bini mostruż u żviluppi mħanżrin
L-unika raġuni li tajtu 4 mhux 5 kienet għax ħassejtu li fl-aħħar paġni kien qed jgħaġġel ħafna biex jispiċċa. Imma mill-bqija, kien rumanz li għalkemm huwa bbażat fuq diżtopja tal-futur, jtenni sens nostalġiku ta' villaġġi ħelwin, djar Maltin u s-sens qawwi ta' komunita' f'villaġġ ħelu bħal mhu Ħaż-Żebbuġ. Apparti l-idea inkredibbli li l-karattri u l-istejjer huma diskussi a bażi ta' ffukar u sfukar, angoli u perspettivi ta' bniedem li qisu dejjem qed jieħu r-ritratti, anka meta jaħseb.
Manafx hux jien biss, imma Loranne kważi kważi iġġgħelni nixtieq li tiġri xi ħaġa simili f'Malta, biex forsi minjaf, terġa tissaħħaħ u terġa tiġi apprezzata is-sens ta' komunita' u identita', li qed 'jintilfu' x'imkien f'nofs ġungli ta' bini mostruż u żviluppi mħanżrin
September 28, 2017
Bellezza! Rakkont kaleidoskopiku u intriganti, magħġun b’ħila kbira, li jdaħħlek fih u ma jħallikx toħroġ - imqar biex tieħu nifs - qabel ma tasal fl-aħħar paġna. Għoġobni immens.
January 13, 2019
Ħallini bla nifs, litteralment. Żiffa ġdida fil-letteratura Maltija li tant kellna bżonnha.
April 24, 2020
L-istorja tiżvolġi ma’ kull paġna li teqleb u żżommok imsammar mal-ktieb.
Kont ilni ma naqra bil-Malti żmien twil, u dal-ktieb serva ta’ togħma ħelwa biex inkompli nespandi l-kollezzjoni bil-Malti! Prosit u grazzi lill-awtriċi!
Kont ilni ma naqra bil-Malti żmien twil, u dal-ktieb serva ta’ togħma ħelwa biex inkompli nespandi l-kollezzjoni bil-Malti! Prosit u grazzi lill-awtriċi!
December 6, 2018
Ktieb bellezza li minkejja plotline mhux lineari jibqa' koerenti u mexxej immens. Mhux talli hekk, talli ġibidni fl-istorja u ħadt interess fid-dinja tal-fotografija - tema ċentrali - avolja dinja aljena għalija. Peress li waħda mit-temi hija l-vjaġġar fiż-żmien tibqa' impressjonanti d-dixxiplina li għandha Loranne Vella fuq il-plot minħabba li faċli titlef il-fil u titħabbel il-kobba madankollu mhuwiex il-każ hawn, anzi bil-kontra. Hemm xena partikolari fl-aħħar tal-ktieb li hija waħda mill-isbaħ biċċiet ta' kitba li qatt qrajt u li biha r-rumanz jispiċċa b'mod tajjeb ħafna.
November 28, 2017
Is-suġġett laqatni immens, personalment għandi faxxinu bil-kunċett ta’ ħin. Il-ktieb tani perspettiva ġdida fuq iż-żmien u l-ħin u l-ħajja. Għalkemm in-narrattiva kienet interessanti u li tqanqal kurżita, it-temi filosofiċi huma dawk li baqgħu miegħi ġranet sħaħ wara li spiċċajtu, speċjalment il-ħajja partikolari u ċirkolari ta’ Petrucci.
Ovjament ħadt gost nara elementi żebbuġin fil-ktieb, prosit tar-riċerka estensiva li saret fuq raħal twelidi u grazzi tal-lealta lejn l-ispirtu żebbuġi rivoluzzjonarju u Dun Mikiel Xerrjan.
Kienet interessanti ferm ukoll ir-rabta li għamilt bejn Rokit u x-xogħol preċedenti tieghek, Magna Mater. Dan tal-aħħar qrajtu ftit tax-xhur ilu u ħadt gost immens nerġa nsib karattri minnu f’Rokit.
Xogħol brillanti, u jekk hemm xi ħaġa waħda biss li nista nikkritika, hija li xtaqt iktar dettall fl-aħħar kwart tal-ktieb. Naraf li l-qbiż tax-xeni huwa parallel għal dak li qed jiġri fl-istorja stess, imma bħala qarrejja ħassejtni nixtieq ftit iktar żmien biex nixtarr il-kumplessita li qed tiġi preżentata quddiemi.
Bażikament u litteralment ma xtaqtux jispiċċa .
Ovjament ħadt gost nara elementi żebbuġin fil-ktieb, prosit tar-riċerka estensiva li saret fuq raħal twelidi u grazzi tal-lealta lejn l-ispirtu żebbuġi rivoluzzjonarju u Dun Mikiel Xerrjan.
Kienet interessanti ferm ukoll ir-rabta li għamilt bejn Rokit u x-xogħol preċedenti tieghek, Magna Mater. Dan tal-aħħar qrajtu ftit tax-xhur ilu u ħadt gost immens nerġa nsib karattri minnu f’Rokit.
Xogħol brillanti, u jekk hemm xi ħaġa waħda biss li nista nikkritika, hija li xtaqt iktar dettall fl-aħħar kwart tal-ktieb. Naraf li l-qbiż tax-xeni huwa parallel għal dak li qed jiġri fl-istorja stess, imma bħala qarrejja ħassejtni nixtieq ftit iktar żmien biex nixtarr il-kumplessita li qed tiġi preżentata quddiemi.
Bażikament u litteralment ma xtaqtux jispiċċa .
December 3, 2024
Ninsab daqsxejn imfixxkla għax xtaqt li joġgħobni dan il-ktieb imma fl-aħħar ħassejtni qisu ma ġara xejn. Filwaqt li oġbitni ħafna l-kitba, r-riċerka u l-proċess ta' kif inħolqot l-istorja li naħseb affaxxinanti tara l-proċess warajha, l-karattri fl-istorja qishom ma marru imkien. Ma nafx jekk fiha nnifisha kinitx attwalment l-istorja jew l-istruttura tal-istorja, imma filwaqt li sibt ruħi naqra u nsegwi, spiċċajt għamilt kważi disa' xhur biex nispiċċah dan il-ktieb. Jiena minni slow reader, imma sa ċertu punt ippruvajt nisforza lili nnifsi biex nispiċċah (quite a slow burn għalija).
Apprezzajt ċertu elementi, qbiżt xi ftit oħra għax kont qed insibni nitlef l-interess. Il-karattri kellhom potenzjal li jkunu attivi fl-istorja - infatti meta Petrel mar lura, għedt ejja mexjin. Imma imbagħad ċertu episodji li kienu kruċjali fl-opinjoni tiegħi li mexxew l-istorja 'l quddiem saru f'żewġ paġni, imbagħad qbiżna fuq affarijiet oħra li filwaqt li għalqu l-istorja, difnu x-xogħol kollu li sar fid-dinja li nħolqot.
Xtaqt ħafna li joġobni għax Magna Mater huwa wieħed mill-kotba favoriti tiegħi, imma f'dan il-każ ma stajtx insib dik il-kilba biex inkompli nsegwi l-istorja.
Apprezzajt ċertu elementi, qbiżt xi ftit oħra għax kont qed insibni nitlef l-interess. Il-karattri kellhom potenzjal li jkunu attivi fl-istorja - infatti meta Petrel mar lura, għedt ejja mexjin. Imma imbagħad ċertu episodji li kienu kruċjali fl-opinjoni tiegħi li mexxew l-istorja 'l quddiem saru f'żewġ paġni, imbagħad qbiżna fuq affarijiet oħra li filwaqt li għalqu l-istorja, difnu x-xogħol kollu li sar fid-dinja li nħolqot.
Xtaqt ħafna li joġobni għax Magna Mater huwa wieħed mill-kotba favoriti tiegħi, imma f'dan il-każ ma stajtx insib dik il-kilba biex inkompli nsegwi l-istorja.
July 19, 2021
Sa ċertu punt nissorprendi ruħi kif dan il-ktieb għandhu rating daqshekk għoli. Ktieb li bi sforz kbir irnexxieli nispiċċah. Ktieb li fih ħafna u f’listess ħin, ma fih xejn. Storja li ma tasal mkien ħlief f’ħafna trufijiet b’ebda konklużjoni, u f’ħafna konfużjoni. L-istorja tal-karattri l-aktar importanti mhix spjegata f’biżżejjet dettall, u hija skużata b’djalogu fjakk bejn il-karattri bhal “dak qatt minti ser issir tafu” - u ċerti karattri, bħan narratriċi tal-ktieb, l-istorja tagħhom sempliċiment ma tagħmilx sens.
Jekk għadkom ma qrajtux it-Triloġija tal-Fiddien, morru issa stess u ibdewha minnhu fih. Hemmek tistaw taqraw u taraw il-veru saħħa ta Lorrane Vella.
Jekk għadkom ma qrajtux it-Triloġija tal-Fiddien, morru issa stess u ibdewha minnhu fih. Hemmek tistaw taqraw u taraw il-veru saħħa ta Lorrane Vella.
August 16, 2021
Got conflicting thoughts with this book. It's certainly ambitious and needs to be commended for it, especially when considering the Maltese literary landscape, however I think it tried to be too clever for its own good and ended up somewhat lacking in execution.
January 4, 2026
Rokit was Loranne Vella’s first novel for adults. She had previously received acclaim for It-Triloġija tal-Fiddien, a set of fantasy novels co-written with Simon Bartolo and aimed at older children and teenagers, as well as for Magna Mater, a work of science fiction more specifically targeted at young adults. Vella’s most recent novel, Marta Marta – part philosophical novel, part feminist manifesto – has firmly secured her place as one of Malta’s leading authors and intellectuals.
In this context, and with hindsight, Rokit emerges as a transitional work: one that harnesses the tropes of dystopian speculative fiction, so dominant in the YA market, but reshapes them into a more demanding novel of ideas. It is (sort of…) set in Malta in the near future (2064). With climate change and rising waters wreaking havoc, Italy has colonised the island, turning it into a base for its space exploration programme. The locals are encouraged to emigrate to Italy, while those who remain are ruled with an iron fist: free speech is curtailed, and movement between regions tightly controlled.
Into this world steps Petrel, a young, up-and-coming photographer who travels to Malta to reconnect with his roots after the tragic death of his grandmother and mentor, the celebrated photographer Rika. What was meant to be a brief visit turns into a much longer stay when he unexpectedly settles down with the enigmatic Veronica in Rika’s home village of Ħaż Żebbuġ, by now a shell of its former self and a hotbed of rebellion against Italian rule.
Rokit is an ambitious and layered novel. I loved the way in which photographs and photography are not only central to the plot but also work as a running metaphor throughout, raising questions about time, memory, perception, and causality. There are deft postmodern touches too, such as extracts from (fictional) photography manuals and works of Maltese history interwoven with what appear to be authentic quotations. As the novel progresses, however, it leans more on plot, and unfortunately, some of the twists and turns are not entirely convincing.
This is where my reservations about Rokit lie. Of course, all speculative fiction requires us to suspend disbelief – I get that. But within the world created by the author, there needs to be consistency. Especially towards the end, the novel opens up a flurry of narrative ideas that are certainly intriguing, but not entirely satisfying.
Still, this criticism may be unduly harsh. In combining genre fiction with the scope of the “literary” novel, and in giving it a recognizably local (albeit futuristic) setting, Rokit is, without exaggeration, a groundbreaking work. In September, it will appear in an English edition published by Praspar Press, translated by Kat Storace and retitled Before the Rocket. The novel certainly deserves the wider audience that this translation will expose it to.
4.5*
https://endsoftheword.blogspot.com/20...
In this context, and with hindsight, Rokit emerges as a transitional work: one that harnesses the tropes of dystopian speculative fiction, so dominant in the YA market, but reshapes them into a more demanding novel of ideas. It is (sort of…) set in Malta in the near future (2064). With climate change and rising waters wreaking havoc, Italy has colonised the island, turning it into a base for its space exploration programme. The locals are encouraged to emigrate to Italy, while those who remain are ruled with an iron fist: free speech is curtailed, and movement between regions tightly controlled.
Into this world steps Petrel, a young, up-and-coming photographer who travels to Malta to reconnect with his roots after the tragic death of his grandmother and mentor, the celebrated photographer Rika. What was meant to be a brief visit turns into a much longer stay when he unexpectedly settles down with the enigmatic Veronica in Rika’s home village of Ħaż Żebbuġ, by now a shell of its former self and a hotbed of rebellion against Italian rule.
Rokit is an ambitious and layered novel. I loved the way in which photographs and photography are not only central to the plot but also work as a running metaphor throughout, raising questions about time, memory, perception, and causality. There are deft postmodern touches too, such as extracts from (fictional) photography manuals and works of Maltese history interwoven with what appear to be authentic quotations. As the novel progresses, however, it leans more on plot, and unfortunately, some of the twists and turns are not entirely convincing.
This is where my reservations about Rokit lie. Of course, all speculative fiction requires us to suspend disbelief – I get that. But within the world created by the author, there needs to be consistency. Especially towards the end, the novel opens up a flurry of narrative ideas that are certainly intriguing, but not entirely satisfying.
Still, this criticism may be unduly harsh. In combining genre fiction with the scope of the “literary” novel, and in giving it a recognizably local (albeit futuristic) setting, Rokit is, without exaggeration, a groundbreaking work. In September, it will appear in an English edition published by Praspar Press, translated by Kat Storace and retitled Before the Rocket. The novel certainly deserves the wider audience that this translation will expose it to.
4.5*
https://endsoftheword.blogspot.com/20...
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews