Why are you here?

by Emma Volcan

He’s given up on everyone.
He’s given up on himself.
Now guess who got picked to save us all?

A delightfully twisted story of secret connections, unlikely friendships, and the surprising warmth that can creep into even the most reluctant of hearts.

Genres: Fiction

306 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication May 5, 2026

About the author

Emma Volcan writes character-driven fiction that blends mystery, emotional depth, and a playful touch of the unexpected. Her stories explore the quiet wonder of everyday life, the connections that pull people together, and the hidden questions that shape how we see the world.

Emma is the author of Perpetual and the upcoming novel Why Are You Here?.

What she loves most is creating worlds that feel familiar yet a little off-center—where characters can surprise you and nothing is ever exactly what it seems, often leaving readers with a big smile or, sometimes, a tear.

Emma lives in Belgium with her three wonderful kids and her husband, Eric Volcan—her partner in life and writing. Together, they run TheVolcans.com, where you can read about their story and discover their novels.

She loves connecting with her readers! You can reach her via email at emma@thevolcans.com.

Follow Emma on Goodreads for updates on new releases and giveaways.

Reviews

[Bert Willaert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Everybody (and everything) can recover. Heartwarming novel!

[Erik Famaey · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story builds steadily, some bricks are scientific, some are humourous, and many are emotional. An easy, puzzling, and very unique read.

Ever since forever humans have been gazing at the stars searching for a message, only to find their own thinking reflected. Would AI do any better? Quite possibly. And the findings could surprise. Seems planets are much like humans, the book tells us. Planets communicate, gossip, some quarrel or, to cite their space speak, ‘are drifting apart ever since the Big Bang’, some give and some ask for advice. Guess which side Earth is on; it has a global warming problem and billions of ‘little creepy crawlies’ that don’t seem to care much. Does the story smell like science fiction? It is not.

The book is all about a boy whose tragic fate in his youth has made him a social misfit. It has not impaired his academic career as he grew into a highly qualified surgeon. Strangely, it is not for his brainy mind but for his youthtime intuition that an AI powered space agency calls on him to help solve an existential conundrum. The intelligence sourced from space leaves no doubt that urgent action is required to save Earth from demise. It signals red alert, but how to convince, let alone move, an incredulous and careless world?

The way things turn out is as improbable as the task is daunting. A genial plan is devised and tried out on some of the world’s top leaders. But it is only when he reawakens his people skills, opens up to unlikely relationships, and learns to trust and love that the protagonist brings about unexpected outcomes, including relaying a message from humans to the planets.

The book lends hope that all humans have something that powerful institutions, sophisticated high technology, or even AI, can not substitute for.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

From the very beginning, the story caught my attention. With every new detail that came up, more questions appeared, making it surprisingly hard to put the book down. There’s a continuous sense of mystery running through the story — things happen that you need to understand, so you keep reading to connect the dots.

It made me laugh several times and almost drop a tear at some points. The conversations between the characters (and even their inner thoughts) felt so real that I could easily picture the scenes, almost like watching a movie in my head.

Another thing I really liked is how the story brings up important topics in such an original and unexpected way. It would be so cool to send a text to the Earth to ask how we can actually help her… Big issues that we haven’t solved yet, and the book makes you think about them in a different way.

If you’re into intriguing stories with a touch of fiction, I definitely recommend giving this one a try.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Once again the author has managed to come up with an incredibly original story! Like her last book, this is a story that you keep thinking about long after you've finished the book. It will make you question your own behaviour and consumption, and the choices you would have made if you were in Orion's shoes.

I love that this book is a little bit nerdy, and that the romantic developments are only a side-story to the real story.

[Astrid Philippron · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book is a great escaping from daily life. You get very fast cought up in an exciting story, which makes a non-expecting twist somewhere in the middle.
the 2-3 main characters give you a view on their thoughts and beliefs and experiences, which makes it very comprehensive to follow the story

[Joyce · Rating 4 out of 5]

An absolutely intriguing story that hooked me from the start. While the book's genre was initially out of my comfort zone, the compelling plot and my curiosity to see it evolve meant I was never tempted to stop and ended up finishing it fast. The author clearly has an eye for technical detail, which readers with a scientific interest will surely appreciate. However, this never became a hurdle; the book is accessible to all readers, regardless of their background in STEM. Highly recommended!

[Marci Jackson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Why Are You Here by Emma Volcan is a captivating take on a traditional trope of “aliens are watching us”. In this case, a child who is captivated by the stars, then traumatized into retreating from all emotional interaction becomes the focus of an alien observer. The two become, against the odds, allies in trying to save the Earth, and saving humans from themselves. It’s both sobering in its implications and delightful in its optimism, and I think it should be a must-read for EVERYONE. It might even poke a few people toward a more sustainable lifestyle…

[Eric Volcan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Only a handful of authors master the skill of both drawing the reader into the story and making them truly live the emotions of the characters. Emma is definitely one of them, and she proves it again with her marvelous second novel. Not only is it tremendously funny and a more than welcome distraction from the daily bad-news show, but it also offers a rare glimpse into Emma’s head, because it is through her stories, through the art of writing, that she expresses herself best.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This has an inventive premise mixed with cold, hard reality. At first, I wasn't sure I was going to like it, but based on its reviews, I kept going - and am glad I did. Orion was forever changed by a childhood tragedy, but his friendship with an alien opens him up. Will they be able to save the Earth before she harms herself beyond repair? This sounds weird, I know, but it totally works.

Thank you to Goodreads and the Volcans for the ARC.

[Kristl.Speelmans · Rating 5 out of 5]

An out of this world story that tells how earth’s existential problem, unsolvable in the hands of world leaders, is taken up by an improbable friendship and rekindled love.
The problem will probably linger for long, but so will friendship and love.

[Beatriz Dominguez Gonzalez · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story is really captivating, mixing exciting action with strong, believable human relationships. The characters and their connections pull you in just as much as the action does, making it hard to put the book down.

[Tobias Speelmans · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing intro, which made me want to continue reading to puzzle the story together.

While i read the story I could reflect parts of it on my daily life. Altough it is science fiction it could be happening right now ... :)

[Filip Jonkergouw · Rating 5 out of 5]

Why Are You Here is built on a very clever and original concept. It's a real page-turner that had me hooked from the start, eager to see how the story would unfold. I especially enjoyed the sense of humor. Overall, it's an enjoyable read that I would definitely recommend.

[Hannah Tajuddin · Rating 5 out of 5]

i’m so happy i won this book through a goodreads giveaway. i couldn’t put this book down! i’m not one for a slow burn, but i’ll make an exception to this. i enjoyed the characters and the humor in this book. overall this book was written so well.

[Merlijn Erbuer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fast! Funny! Comicbook like action! Enjoyed reading it

[Staci · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it! Such an enjoyable and captivating book!