Persistence: A Novel

by Joel Mitchell

Widowed professor John Weber has spent years teaching theoretical physics and searching for meaning in the machinery of the cosmos. When his university grants him access to LENS, a state-of-the-art quantum computer, he sets out to simulate the birth and evolution of an entire universe. For John, it is the opportunity of a lifetime, a chance to watch creation unfold and perhaps unlock the mystery and meaning he’s been searching for.

As the project launches, the simulation exceeds his expectations, providing a front-row seat to the birth of stars, galaxies, and black holes. But when the system data begins to show strange patterns, he discovers a message hidden within the simulation. As John works to understand who, or what, is on the other end of the signal, the boundary between experiment and reality begins to collapse.

As he falls deeper into the puzzle, and with the simulation’s time running out, John must decide how much he is willing to sacrifice for something no one else knows exists.

Persistence is a grounded near-future science fiction novel about creation, discovery, isolation, and consciousness.

264 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 24, 2026

Reviews

[Richard Stover · Rating 5 out of 5]

★★★★★ The Kind of Science Fiction That Lingers Long After You Finish It

I have a soft spot for near-future science fiction that takes its ideas seriously without drowning the story in exposition, and Persistence by Joel Mitchell hit that balance almost perfectly. This isn't a book chasing spectacle. It's far more interested in sitting with the quiet, unsettling questions that come up when discovery outpaces our ability to fully understand what we've created.

The premise centers on consciousness, and rather than treating that as a gimmick, Mitchell treats it as the emotional core of the entire novel. What does it mean to create something, and what do we owe it once it exists? The book never rushes toward easy answers, and I found myself putting it down a few times just to think through what I'd read, which isn't something I can say about most genre fiction lately.

Isolation is the other thread running through the story, and it's handled with a surprising amount of restraint. Rather than using loneliness as a dramatic device, Mitchell lets it build naturally out of the situation the characters find themselves in, which makes the emotional beats feel earned rather than manufactured for effect.

You can tell Mitchell brings real technical fluency to the page. His background working with complex systems clearly informs how meticulously the science holds together here, and fans of Andy Weir or Greg Egan will feel right at home with how rigorously the ideas are worked through. But unlike some hard sci-fi, this one never sacrifices character for concept. The people in this story feel like people, not vehicles for the author's ideas.

This is a smart, patient read for anyone who wants their science fiction to actually make them think, not just entertain them for a few hours. I finished it and immediately wanted to discuss it with someone, which is about the highest compliment I can give a book like this.

[Ben · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy smokes, this sure was a wild read. Persistence follows physics professor John Weber as he is granted access to his university's quantum computer for the purpose of simulating the entire life cycle of a universe, from its birth to its eventual death. What starts off as a (relatively) straightforward experiment turns into something even more interesting as John continues monitoring the simulation and begins seeing anomalies in the data that he wasn't expecting.

I thought the characters were well written, and the story, itself, was fantastic. I love books that give me something to think about between reading sessions, and much like John, I spent a lot of time thinking about the concepts laid out in this book. The author did a great job exploring some fascinating near-future science fiction concepts, while also giving the story a personal element as John works through his grief and finds a way to move on with his life.

I definitely enjoyed how the story gradually expanded beyond the scope of the initial scientific experiment. What started out as a professor trying to understand the universe becomes an even bigger mystery, and I was seriously invested in seeing how this was all going to turn out; even coming into work a little later than usual one day because I was reading past my bedtime and slept through my alarm.

If you're a fan of slow burn, hard sci-fi, I think you'll really appreciate this one. It definitely gave me some DEVS and Arrival/Story of Your Life vibes, especially in the way it combines big scientific ideas with questions about consciousness, existence, and concepts that are fundamentally different from our understanding of the universe.

This was a really fascinating read, and definitely one that gave me plenty to think about while reading, and after I finished it. I'm looking forward to reading more from Joel Mitchell.

[Megan M · Rating 3 out of 5]

**ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**

As a big sci-fi nerd, I am a sucker for “first contact” stories. For readers that enjoyed Project Hail Mary for the science experiments and good vibes, I highly suggest picking up this book. I am always impressed when books surprise me in a pleasant way.

What I liked:
-John Weber reminded me a lot like Ryland Grace from PHM— not in a way that felt like a knockoff. He is a professor but a researcher at heart. It was great to read his inner thoughts on how he went about each experiment.
-Joel Mitchell obviously knows a lot about science, but he wrote this science-heavy book without making it feel like a textbook. I feel like I learned so much about the universe in such a digestible way.
-the backstory of the aliens that John discovers within the simulation was one of the most unique stories I have ever read. Some of the concepts like the “individual” vs “the One” were so creative that I had to reread a few sections to fully grasp the concept.

What I didn’t like as much:
-The dialogue felt quite juvenile and it took me out of the moment most times. It bothered me every time John cracked an unfunny corny joke and suddenly every character “bursts out laughing” in response. Had the dialogue felt more honest and real, I would have definitely rated this 4 stars.

All in all, I loved this book because of the unique spin on simulation theory. Highly recommend if you love PHM and books by Blake Crouch.

[Abigail · Rating 5 out of 5]

Persistence takes a fascinating scientific premise and follows it to its most unsettling and awe-inspiring conclusions. What begins as a professor’s attempt to simulate the birth of a universe gradually transforms into a mystery that challenges assumptions about reality, intelligence, and the nature of existence itself. The novel balances hard science with a deeply human story. As the clues hidden within the simulation begin to emerge, each revelation raises the stakes and pulls the reader further into the puzzle. For readers who enjoy science fiction that explores big ideas while maintaining a strong sense of wonder, Persistence offers a rewarding journey for true science fiction fans.

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some science fiction novels ask "What if?" Persistence asks "What if we're asking the wrong questions entirely?" I picked this up expecting a story about a scientist running an ambitious experiment, but what kept me turning pages was the growing sense that every discovery opened a much bigger door. John Weber's journey from academic curiosity to something far stranger feels believable because the science never overshadows the human side of the story. Tthis is the kind of novel that will have you staring at the ceiling long after you've finished the last chapter.