Transition

by Ian Patterson

Are you so sure you’re the painter, and not the painting?

Micah has a hangover, a looming deadline, and a very opinionated rat following him around the orbital station. No one else can see it—which is definitely not ideal.

Outside, the wealthy are fleeing Earth on seed ships. Inside, Micah’s team has days to perfect their gene-editing tech, or be left behind. On top of that, Micah’s unsure if reality is taking an extended vacation, or if his brain has finally short-circuited.

Equal parts absurdly funny, sharp-edged, and human, Transition explores the events that started The Narrator Cycle. Long before Nicholas, Dorothy, and Charon, there was Micah, a dying earth, a talkative rat, and a question—is reality such a fixed thing?

Genres: Science Fiction

141 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 31, 2026

About the author

Ian Patterson is many things. Importantly here, he’s the author of The Narrator Cycle. He’s also an engineer, cyclist, foodie, coffee lover, cat dad, human father, and reader of books. Preferably, thick books that deal with strange things and big ideas. He’s dreamed of being an author for decades, but finally began the journey with the birth of his first daughter. This is an objectively terrible time to start work that requires quiet concentration, and he knows it, but he loves the chaos nonetheless. He lives in Colorado with his wonderful family.

Reviews

[Hanna Delaney · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this more than Transference, and Micah is now one of the best characters I've read in a long time. The wit, the scenes with Shi and the commentary from his invisible companion were hilarious.
I'm not much of a hard sci fi reader, and there were times when this verges on hard Sci fi but it didn't ever land in a way that wasn't digestible.
I found the ending poignant, and the novella overall very complementary in the series as a whole.
The talking rat was a standout character for me and the humour throughout kept the plot going even though the subject matter can be considered rather dire.
I really hope this future doesn't come to pass, but I enjoyed the book nonetheless.
I am leaving this view voluntarily after receiving an advance copy from the author.

[Phil · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'll start with a disclaimer that I received an early copy of Transition as a beta reader. Since this book is not yet out, I'll avoid any spoilers and talk about the book in a more general sense.

I loved Transition from the first sentence. There are lots of fun references to find in this one and the comedy knob was turned way up compared to Ian's other books. I found myself laughing through the book, even as things got more dire.

Transition is a mixture of sci-fi, comedy, and existential horror but tied together by the emotional maturation and development of Micah and his new companion. The slow development of the plot and how the quipping between Micah and his rat friend turns from being light hearted and a bit antagonistic to more meaningful and important is very well done. The emotions of this story really resonated with me.

I think Transition works well as a stand alone novella and adds to the universe that Ian's created with his other books without taking anything away from them. It's similar in style to novellas written in the Expanse universe by James S.A. Corey - something that fits in between or before the main stories but could be read along with or independently to them.This book made me wonder a lot about its universe and left me wanting answers to many questions, but in a way that left me excited instead of frustrated.

All in all, a great read that I would definitely recommend to others. I look forward to the next one!

[M. Majeris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book 3?

Transition is technically Book 3 in ’s The Narrator Cycle. If you haven’t read the other two you should probably start with Transference (Book 1) and Transcendence (Book 2). Below are my reviews of the two:

Sequel/prequel/something else?

There are a couple of reasons why I used “technically”.

Reason number one is that stylistically Transition feels like a whole different beast than the two specimens that came before it. And I don’t mean “whoa Ian has really worked on improving his writing” kind. It’s more like “holy shit, aliens kidnapped Ian and completely replaced his brain with that of a big-ass writer”.

I’m not kidding. The level of pretentious verbal acrobatics in Transition is off the charts when comparing to what came before it, which in itself is not a bad thing — I had to control my Substack-induced kneejerk reaction that pushed me to select and “restack”, like, every third sentence before realizing I’m on Kindle.

Another thing that took flight is character development. While Transference and Transcendence had kinda shallow characters, Micah in Transition is very well thought out. You can almost smell the desperation in his hungover breath.

That being said, the gap, or the stylistic jump if you may, makes Transition look like a brainy geek cousin rather than the member of a merry trio.

This brings me to the reason number two: the content. While written elegantly, it didn’t feel like it packed a novel-worth of stuff in it. With all of their shortcomings, the first two books were sci-fi action stuff. The POVs would jump between protagonists, who would run, stumble and fall, get up, and keep pushing, traversing settings, overcoming obstacles, or, speaking in technical terms, shit was happening left and right there.

Transition, in comparison, seemed like an explanatory piece. A well-written commentary, disguised as drama, that tied up and explained a bunch of characters, technologies, and plot unknowns that previously were left to the imagination. A kick-ass bonus content, sure, but I’m not entirely convinced it should’ve been a standalone book.

Get to the fucking point, M! I ain’t got all day.

Chill, ok? I’m getting there.

I enjoyed Transition because it explained stuff. It even made some of the Micah’s — who was just a side character in Transference but lurched into the main act role in Transition — actions make sense. Hell, it even cleared the biggest “huhs?” I had in regards to The Narrator’s behavior.

It grounded magically-sounding technologies in (pseudo) science.

It set the timeline straight.

And it painted the humankind’s tragedy in vivid colors.

Would I be OK without Transition? Yes, I suppose.

Is it worth the price tag? Depends.

If you’re looking for another epic journey, you’re in for a letdown.

That said, if the first two books left you with a kind of a nagging void of stuff unexplained, a few bucks Transition will cost you will surely scratch that itch.

[Ian Barr · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC from the author and snatched it up, eager to get back to The Narrator Cycle, and Mr. Patterson did not disappoint.

Transition serves as a prequel to the main novels (of which I have currently only read Transference) and focusses around the origins of the enigmatic Micah. Or rather, who will become the enigmatic Micah we meet in the main series. Years before, he is less of an intriguing dandy and more of a... hot mess, if you will.

Set on a space station orbiting the dying Earth, Transition leaps feet first into the hard sci-fi setting that I expected from The Narrator Cycle, but what I didn't expect was his bloody funny it would be. There were moments of comedy in Transference but the tone was decidedly more serious than Transition. Micah parades through the various jobs the station has to offer, flouting authority and duty, and his own worst enemy in terms of maintaining employment. Time spent sleazing at the bar, eating fancy ramen in the cafe, or literally anything else aside from participating in any meaningful work seem far better uses of his days. We quickly see the portrait of a tormented soul and even though his glib attitude and dark humour serve as a mask, it doesn't make his sassy attitude any less enjoyable. Especially when it comes to the back and forth he has with the tumorous rat that no one else can see.

The entrance rat is where this novella takes a definitive turn, beginning a steady decline in Micah as he questions not only his own sanity but his grasp on reality. When the tenuous and tense relationship gains momentum and meaning beyond the clever jabs and jeering commentary, Patterson delivers on cerebral twists and high-concept mindfuckery that I came to expect after reading Transference. It leaves you not only questioning your own existence with some of the concepts explored, but also with goosebumps from the healthy dose of cosmic horror mixed in.

Overall this is a great read, fun and games on the surface but surprising depth lurking beneath the sarcastic surface. Prequels can be difficult to pull off as sometimes they only serve to expand upon the main story as something of an afterthought, but that's not the case here. This book is unto its own; it could be read as standalone without prior knowledge of The Narrator Cycle but also works within the confines of the series, where it might be read at any point. You could start with it, read it in the middle as I am, or end with it, gaining a fresh perspective each time. I think that's the real measure of a good prequel.

Solid read. Grab a copy for your own collection.

[Jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Transition was a fast read! I could not stop once I started. Our protagonist, Micah, feels like a real person. Probably someone I went to college with. When you read this book, I think you will feel like that, too.

The story being told here never really slows down for too long, and the chapters go between Micah and Not Micah. I think this is really well done. It keeps things easy to differentiate and the Not Micah chapters build intrigue as you go. I highly recommend this book. My only desire is that it was longer so I could spend more time with some of the characters you meet along the way. Also, I'm here all day for the capitalist dregs that are those vile Nutripaste descriptions.
I would like to also draw special attention to a feature of this book that I really enjoyed and that has me excited about the next two installments: conversation/dialogue. The conversations in this book work so well. Because of the subject matter, there's a hefty amount of dialogue but it never feels like exposition dumping. It feels like two characters reaching rational conclusions through logical discourse. I cannot stress enough how important that is to a successful reading session. The characters responding ways that made sense was done so well.

I love finding uncommon or interesting words while reading so here's a handful I wrote down:
Doldrum, Somnambulist, Gesticulating, Verisimilitude, Miscreant

★★★★☆

[France Pinzon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC of the novella, which allowed me to read it and share my review early.

As a fan of Transference, I equally enjoyed reading this prequel. I usually have reservations about origin stories, mostly because they can feel like an excuse to overexplain the main message—where the reader might otherwise be left alone to grapple with the lingering questions after finishing a story. Despite that, Transition was a justified move by the author. Without spoiling too much, it explores how the world still ends up facing even greater problems in the future, in spite of all its technological advancements, through the dazed eyes of Micah, one of the standout characters in the Duology.

The story is in no way a glimpse into our near future, but our human flaws are already consistent—and in that regard, the author hits the nail right on the head about what or who we should keep an eye on when the shit’s about to hit the fan in this reality.

I wanted to give this five stars, however, (spoiler?) I didn’t like how the story ended for the protagonist. Still, don’t let this personal opinion drive you away from reading it. Transition is equal parts philosophical and humorous—a worthy addition to Ian Patterson’s enigmatic Narrator’s Cycle, confronting us with complicated questions about our right to existence and the rising cost of it.

[Katharine Kapodistria · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to receive an ARC copy of Transition, and it was everything I’ve come to expect from Ian Patterson’s writing. There’s humour, and elements of the bizarre (a talking rat, for instance), but also sharp social commentary and vivid characterisation. Patterson’s writing is very tactile, and it pulls me in every time. The novella follows the story of Micah, my favourite supporting character from the Narrator Cycle, but you don’t need to have read either Transference or Transcendence to dive into this story, as this is a prequel – an origin story, both for the character and the events in the duology. I’d recommend all three books, however. I’m not an avid sci-fi reader, but I’ve really enjoyed exploring this universe. The humour and relatable characters take the edge off the vision of a dystopian future that I can well imagine, if only we had the tech to take our hubris and disregard for human (and rodent!) life to the stars.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

Don’t worry if you haven’t yet read the Narrator Cycle. This book, which works as a prequel to those events works perfectly well on its own but I can guarantee after reading this one you will want to read the rest of them! You won’t be disappointed. They are all equally as good.

This is a relatively short read in itself but packs in so much. There are some interesting ideas at play here but for me it’s Micah who really makes it. He’s a compelling character and I loved spending time inside his head. It’s not often a character stays with you long after finishing the last page, but Micah is one of those people.

There’s a wonderfully surreal feeling to this book, not just the mutant talking rat, but I’ll leave it to you to find out what I’m talking about.

All in all an excellent book which I thoroughly recommend.

[Happy Nielsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

“it’s only loneliness if it comes from the lonely region of France.”

Just one example of dozens of hilarious quotable lines. I found myself grinning or laughing out loud almost the entire read through.

But damn what an absolute treasure of a book. So entertaining but relatable and poignant, with a side of existential dread.

I did read the other books in the series but that isn’t necessary at all for this standalone prequel. Maybe it’s the recency bias, but I think this is my favorite of the three so far.

If you like sci-fi, dystopians, or just sarcastic and funny protagonists, you won’t regret this.

[Derek Kritzberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Transition drew me in despite my personal aversion to some of its themes. Micah’s raw, self-destructive spiral through a decaying orbital station is unflinching and often grim, yet Ian's prose, dark humor, and unflinching honesty kept me turning pages. Unlikely companionships bring surprising warmth to an otherwise bleak and claustrophobic situation.
But what proved most captivating was the masterful buildup to the book's deeper reveal. Every glitch, every impossible detail, tugged at an overarching mystery which. The ending reframed the journey and evoked emotions, contradicting the story's unserious tone.

[Walt Shuler · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was gifted an ARC by the author. While this is technically a prequel story and can be read before Transference, it might make sense to read it as the third book in the series. It's short, but no less impactful for that. I found myself dwelling on it several days after finishing it. It put me in mind somewhat of Frederik Pohl's Heechee Saga. I would definitely recommend it.

[Alex Shifman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I devoured this book in three sittings. Ian’s given us some of the sharpest, weirdest imagery of his career in this one—things I still think about today.
It’s funny, it’s very strange, and truly haunting. I strongly recommend.

[Lorna Johnston · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fabulous Fabulous Fabulous 👌

What a belter of a book in an incredible series.
I'm wholly invested and need more.
Read the first two, then read this.
You won't regret it.