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Red Dwarf #0.5
Red Dwarf: Titan: The hilarious, instant bestseller from the co-creator of the iconic TV show
The Instant Sunday Times Bestseller!
Before the beginning...
The mining ship Red Dwarf is in orbit around Saturnian moon Titan, and the bulk of the crew is heading down for their shore leave A strangely reluctant hen party; a relaxing cheaty golfing break; a terminally-boring cultural Odessey; a marathon drinking and fighting binge; a stomach-challenging culinary beanfeast and an invigoratingly violent tour of Shore Patrol . . .
Menial chicken soup machine repairmen Dave Lister and Arnold Rimmer have slightly less noble ambitions.
Rimmer is in search of some illicit exam-cheating tech, to land a much-lusted-for promotion, and Lister plans to acquire a cat to smuggle back on board as part of a nefarious scheme to return to Earth. Mainly they just want to get as far away from each other as possible. However, their objectives are scuppered when they receive a cryptic message . . . from the future.
The two feuding crewmen are catapulted into a breakneck race to save not only this, but every other Reality.
Along the way, they'll find themselves united again, for the first time, with some new, but somehow old friends, as they embark on a labyrinthian quest through the seediest, most dangerous underbelly of humankind's furthest outpost, where lurk bizarre off-worldly dangers and one mysterious hidden nemesis with an obscure, yet clearly lethal agenda.
So strap yourself into your Holly Hop Drive, and set your bazookoids to "thrill" - the Dwarfers are taking on TITAN.
'Don't tell my mother I died with my arm up a gorilla's bottom.'
'But sir - it will be on the death certificate.'
Before the beginning...
The mining ship Red Dwarf is in orbit around Saturnian moon Titan, and the bulk of the crew is heading down for their shore leave A strangely reluctant hen party; a relaxing cheaty golfing break; a terminally-boring cultural Odessey; a marathon drinking and fighting binge; a stomach-challenging culinary beanfeast and an invigoratingly violent tour of Shore Patrol . . .
Menial chicken soup machine repairmen Dave Lister and Arnold Rimmer have slightly less noble ambitions.
Rimmer is in search of some illicit exam-cheating tech, to land a much-lusted-for promotion, and Lister plans to acquire a cat to smuggle back on board as part of a nefarious scheme to return to Earth. Mainly they just want to get as far away from each other as possible. However, their objectives are scuppered when they receive a cryptic message . . . from the future.
The two feuding crewmen are catapulted into a breakneck race to save not only this, but every other Reality.
Along the way, they'll find themselves united again, for the first time, with some new, but somehow old friends, as they embark on a labyrinthian quest through the seediest, most dangerous underbelly of humankind's furthest outpost, where lurk bizarre off-worldly dangers and one mysterious hidden nemesis with an obscure, yet clearly lethal agenda.
So strap yourself into your Holly Hop Drive, and set your bazookoids to "thrill" - the Dwarfers are taking on TITAN.
'Don't tell my mother I died with my arm up a gorilla's bottom.'
'But sir - it will be on the death certificate.'
Audible Audio
Published July 16, 2026
About the author
Rob Grant
25 books163 followershttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rob_Grant
Writes under the name Grant Naylor when collaborating with Doug Naylor
Writes under the name Grant Naylor when collaborating with Doug Naylor
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
July 16, 2026
NON-SPOILER REVIEW FOLLOWED BY SPOILERS! I do say when, but I don't think the HTML spoiler function works in-app, so look out.
I'm a Red Dwarf fan to an embarrassing degree. It's one of those sitcoms, along with Bottom, that I can't remember my first time watching, because they've been part of my life from such an early age. I'll spare you my spiel on how you can say any random quote and I'll give you the exact episode, my DVD collection extends even to The Bodysnatcher Collection, despite mostly despising Naylor's solo work on the show I'm a strong defender of Chloë Annett and THAT scene in Blue and the Jane Austen parts of Beyond A Joke, and that I was the brand of teenage girl that took to Wattpad to read and no less write fanfiction regarding THAT scene in Blue, and just tell you that I was very excited upon the announcement of this book.
I've read all the Red Dwarf books a few times, strongly disliking Last Human, wishing Grant would do another solo. And he did!
And then he went and died.
I remember exactly where I was when I found out, I remember crying on the bus home, I remember watching his favourite episodes and raising a cocktail to him when I got home . . .
We miss you, Rob.
My pre-order of Titan arrives (with its hideous cover that I so hoped was a prototype!) as planned on publication day, and I get stuck in.
The dedication to Paul Jackson made me aww.
This is Rob Grant's Red Dwarf at its best. I'm not familiar with Marshall's work so I'm afraid I can't extend much specific credit to him, but I took every delight in Craig Charles and Chris Barrie's mannerisms of Lister and Rimmer being down to a T here. I could really see and hear every conversation.
Little changes are made, like Hollister's first name being Randy, and Krissie coming from Yorkshire (not that I'm complaining!), which may well be to distinguish this book's reality from the show's, or it may well have been this way in the original books that I haven't read for a long time.
This book is essentially a Red Dwarf special, but with a decent writer finally behind it.
Of course this is a prequel, so you're going to grieve that Cat and Kryten are absent - but then you're going to AWWWWWW at the appearance of our beloved Frankenstein, and accept that mechanoid Carzon is essentially what Kryten would have been before his trauma, aging, corrupted files, and humanisation.
Just brace yourself for the fact that they can namedrop things like Amazon now, because Red Dwarf was already set beyond us, before the three-million-year timeskip.
Enjoy!
*
SPOILERY REVIEW:
Thank you, Rob Grant.
I'm a Red Dwarf fan to an embarrassing degree. It's one of those sitcoms, along with Bottom, that I can't remember my first time watching, because they've been part of my life from such an early age. I'll spare you my spiel on how you can say any random quote and I'll give you the exact episode, my DVD collection extends even to The Bodysnatcher Collection, despite mostly despising Naylor's solo work on the show I'm a strong defender of Chloë Annett and THAT scene in Blue and the Jane Austen parts of Beyond A Joke, and that I was the brand of teenage girl that took to Wattpad to read and no less write fanfiction regarding THAT scene in Blue, and just tell you that I was very excited upon the announcement of this book.
I've read all the Red Dwarf books a few times, strongly disliking Last Human, wishing Grant would do another solo. And he did!
And then he went and died.
I remember exactly where I was when I found out, I remember crying on the bus home, I remember watching his favourite episodes and raising a cocktail to him when I got home . . .
We miss you, Rob.
My pre-order of Titan arrives (with its hideous cover that I so hoped was a prototype!) as planned on publication day, and I get stuck in.
The dedication to Paul Jackson made me aww.
This is Rob Grant's Red Dwarf at its best. I'm not familiar with Marshall's work so I'm afraid I can't extend much specific credit to him, but I took every delight in Craig Charles and Chris Barrie's mannerisms of Lister and Rimmer being down to a T here. I could really see and hear every conversation.
Little changes are made, like Hollister's first name being Randy, and Krissie coming from Yorkshire (not that I'm complaining!), which may well be to distinguish this book's reality from the show's, or it may well have been this way in the original books that I haven't read for a long time.
This book is essentially a Red Dwarf special, but with a decent writer finally behind it.
Of course this is a prequel, so you're going to grieve that Cat and Kryten are absent - but then you're going to AWWWWWW at the appearance of our beloved Frankenstein, and accept that mechanoid Carzon is essentially what Kryten would have been before his trauma, aging, corrupted files, and humanisation.
Just brace yourself for the fact that they can namedrop things like Amazon now, because Red Dwarf was already set beyond us, before the three-million-year timeskip.
Enjoy!
*
SPOILERY REVIEW:
Thank you, Rob Grant.
Read
July 16, 2026My boys are meant to be together and this book did nothing to dissuade that sentiment
July 29, 2026
I'm a little biased here.
I love the Red Dwarf books and series and have done since I was a kid. There's a nostalgic pull there that always ensnares me - so I was always going to read this book.
On the other hand, I'm a science fiction snob and tired old tropes seem to annoy me. Also, if a new book came out for a book series I loved and it was a prequel, then I probably wouldn't read it. i hate that for some reason. My linear brain loses interest. I may even like the book if I read it, but I probably would never muster up the enthusiasm to actually read it.
I say this to demonstrate how much I was in two minds about reading the book I was.
But I did anyway. Here's what I thought.
I liked the story. It was a bit haphazard and a bit "I need to get these characters to this point" but I didn't see this as a departure from some of the stories in the show, or indeed, the other books. I think that comes with this book and is very much intentional. To be honest, I ended up kinda liking and appreciating it.
The world building I loved. The society Grant depicted on Titan was superb, with an obvious class structure and a complete disregard for life - totally fitting with the human species of a previous book, who voted for Earth to become a garbage planet.
This story was gripping: you wanted to know what the characters got into next and exactly how they were going to get out of it.
There were a lot of laugh out loud moments and a good number of throwbacks for fans of the show to absolutely love.
I love the Red Dwarf books and series and have done since I was a kid. There's a nostalgic pull there that always ensnares me - so I was always going to read this book.
On the other hand, I'm a science fiction snob and tired old tropes seem to annoy me. Also, if a new book came out for a book series I loved and it was a prequel, then I probably wouldn't read it. i hate that for some reason. My linear brain loses interest. I may even like the book if I read it, but I probably would never muster up the enthusiasm to actually read it.
I say this to demonstrate how much I was in two minds about reading the book I was.
But I did anyway. Here's what I thought.
I liked the story. It was a bit haphazard and a bit "I need to get these characters to this point" but I didn't see this as a departure from some of the stories in the show, or indeed, the other books. I think that comes with this book and is very much intentional. To be honest, I ended up kinda liking and appreciating it.
The world building I loved. The society Grant depicted on Titan was superb, with an obvious class structure and a complete disregard for life - totally fitting with the human species of a previous book, who voted for Earth to become a garbage planet.
This story was gripping: you wanted to know what the characters got into next and exactly how they were going to get out of it.
There were a lot of laugh out loud moments and a good number of throwbacks for fans of the show to absolutely love.
July 22, 2026
With Rob Grant sadly past, this book offers a tantalising look at what a Red Dwarf reboot would have looked like, set in a universe left of the TV shows to explain the modern references, that the Charictors don't look like the cast and why, Chris Barrie, who provided the audio for all the great Red Dwarf novels makes Lister sound like he's from Byker Grove instead of Coronation Street we set off on a new adventure aided by the universe we do know about. No spoilers and its often confusing as the narrative swings between nostalgia references and new things that designed appeal to a new audience will leave you wanting a TV movie to launch the reboot and to dig out your old paperbacks.
July 21, 2026
There is a brilliant prequel to RED DWARF hiding in here, which answers so many questions that lead to the first episode of the series and has buckets of wit and even some of the action of a thriller. I’m not quite sure, then, why so much of TITAN expends its energy trying to give us more links to the modern Dwarf, instead of just embracing what and when it is. Nevertheless, Chris Barrie reading this is an absolute treat, and Rob Grant is so missed. We’ll smoke you a kipper, Rob. Thanks for this last swan song.
July 23, 2026
Bursting with ideas and full of familiar (ish) characters, this is an excellent two-steps-to-the-left prequel to the television version of Red Dwarf. Kochanski finally gets more of a character, and an arc to go with it, and is in some ways the main character of this excellently entertaining story.
It would make a great TV show : )
It would make a great TV show : )
July 26, 2026
A decent story let down by a poor and abrupt ending. It was good to catch up with the characters from the TV series, but overall this one never quite lived up to its potential.
July 23, 2026
I liked this, although it didn't quite live up to my expectations. The cover establishes that this is a prequel in an alternate reality:
"Three million and thirty-nine years ago. And one universe to the side ..."
The premise of the TV series was that Lister got frozen in stasis for 3 million years. This book was published in 2026, so 39 years ago was 1987. The first episode was broadcast in Feb 1998, so the idea is that this story takes place about 1 year earlier.
That reminds me of the "Kelvin timeline" Star Trek movies (starting in 2009), where the basic idea was to keep the existing characters but re-cast them with younger actors. I wonder whether this was originally pitched as a TV series, before it became a book.
There are some reboots where I think that I'm no longer in the target audience. For instance, I recently watched the Smurfs movie from 2025 (where the main selling point seemed to be "Rihanna is Smurfette"). I wasn't very impressed, but it's a kids' movie and so the real question is whether it appeals to modern kids; the "middle aged blokes" demographic is irrelevant.
By contrast, I think that this book is very much aimed at the existing fanbase, and I fall squarely into that category: I started watching the TV series round about season 3 or 4, then caught up on the early series in repeats. I've watched every episode since, and I've bought all the previous tie-in books (as well as Rob Grant's other novels). I bought this book a couple of days after it was published, and read it cover to cover in a single evening, so it definitely held my attention.
The TV series was a comedy, and the early episodes had a lot of genuinely funny scenes. By contrast, I don't think there was anything in this book that made me laugh. There's a light-hearted tone, and the bickering feels familiar (e.g. people referring to each other as "gimboids"), so I'd describe it as comfortable comedy that made me smile.
That's not necessarily a bad thing, but it's something to be aware of. In this case, I'm already invested in the characters, and I'm happy to focus on the plot. Most of this is new (rather than adaptations of TV episodes), although there are a few bits that will feel familiar, e.g. .
The early episodes of Red Dwarf were very much a boys club, i.e. all the characters were male. Kristine Kochanski popped up a couple of times, but she was mainly referred to as Lister's ex-girlfriend. The first two novels did a slightly better job of fleshing out her character, but she mainly stayed "offscreen". Similarly, Backwards wrote her out before the novel started. She had a bigger role in Last Human, but that book adapted plots from TV episodes that she hadn't been in, so she was given lines that were originally spoken by other characters, which made her characterisation a bit of a mess.
This book has 3 prominent female characters: Kochanski, Themis Du Plessis, and Ingrid Byle. That's a nice change. The book establishes that this version of Kochanski is from Yorkshire, and I assume that's a way of "splitting the difference" between the 2 actors who portrayed her: CP Grogan had a Scottish accent, and Chloe Annett had a southern (home counties) accent. Interestingly, the book never describes her physical appearance; there are comments about what she's wearing (e.g. a hoodie or a dressing gown) but not about her body. So, Rob Grant doesn't fall into the cliched pattern of "male writer lusting after female character".
Despite my grumbles, I did like the book. When all's said and done, it was nice to spend time with these characters again.
"Three million and thirty-nine years ago. And one universe to the side ..."
The premise of the TV series was that Lister got frozen in stasis for 3 million years. This book was published in 2026, so 39 years ago was 1987. The first episode was broadcast in Feb 1998, so the idea is that this story takes place about 1 year earlier.
That reminds me of the "Kelvin timeline" Star Trek movies (starting in 2009), where the basic idea was to keep the existing characters but re-cast them with younger actors. I wonder whether this was originally pitched as a TV series, before it became a book.
There are some reboots where I think that I'm no longer in the target audience. For instance, I recently watched the Smurfs movie from 2025 (where the main selling point seemed to be "Rihanna is Smurfette"). I wasn't very impressed, but it's a kids' movie and so the real question is whether it appeals to modern kids; the "middle aged blokes" demographic is irrelevant.
By contrast, I think that this book is very much aimed at the existing fanbase, and I fall squarely into that category: I started watching the TV series round about season 3 or 4, then caught up on the early series in repeats. I've watched every episode since, and I've bought all the previous tie-in books (as well as Rob Grant's other novels). I bought this book a couple of days after it was published, and read it cover to cover in a single evening, so it definitely held my attention.
The TV series was a comedy, and the early episodes had a lot of genuinely funny scenes. By contrast, I don't think there was anything in this book that made me laugh. There's a light-hearted tone, and the bickering feels familiar (e.g. people referring to each other as "gimboids"), so I'd describe it as comfortable comedy that made me smile.
That's not necessarily a bad thing, but it's something to be aware of. In this case, I'm already invested in the characters, and I'm happy to focus on the plot. Most of this is new (rather than adaptations of TV episodes), although there are a few bits that will feel familiar, e.g. .
The early episodes of Red Dwarf were very much a boys club, i.e. all the characters were male. Kristine Kochanski popped up a couple of times, but she was mainly referred to as Lister's ex-girlfriend. The first two novels did a slightly better job of fleshing out her character, but she mainly stayed "offscreen". Similarly, Backwards wrote her out before the novel started. She had a bigger role in Last Human, but that book adapted plots from TV episodes that she hadn't been in, so she was given lines that were originally spoken by other characters, which made her characterisation a bit of a mess.
This book has 3 prominent female characters: Kochanski, Themis Du Plessis, and Ingrid Byle. That's a nice change. The book establishes that this version of Kochanski is from Yorkshire, and I assume that's a way of "splitting the difference" between the 2 actors who portrayed her: CP Grogan had a Scottish accent, and Chloe Annett had a southern (home counties) accent. Interestingly, the book never describes her physical appearance; there are comments about what she's wearing (e.g. a hoodie or a dressing gown) but not about her body. So, Rob Grant doesn't fall into the cliched pattern of "male writer lusting after female character".
Despite my grumbles, I did like the book. When all's said and done, it was nice to spend time with these characters again.
August 4, 2026
Red Dwarf: Titan is the highly anticipated 2026 science fiction comedy novel penned by original series co-creator Rob Grant and his long-time writing partner Andrew Marshall. Arriving thirty years after Grant’s last literary contribution to the franchise, the book stands as a profoundly bittersweet milestone, as Grant unexpectedly passed away just months before its publication, making this hilarious and complex prequel his final creative work. Set shortly before the cataclysmic radiation leak depicted in the television pilot "The End," the novel operates "one universe to the side," seamlessly blending established television lore with elements of the previous book continuity to create a fresh, entirely unpredictable narrative timeline.
The story opens with the colossal, city-sized mining ship Red Dwarf arriving in orbit around Titan, Saturn’s largest moon. The vast majority of the vessel's eleven thousand crew members are enthusiastically preparing to disembark for shore leave on the moon’s bustling, divided settlement of Xanadu. Xanadu is split into two distinct tiers: Uptown, a resplendent, luxurious resort area reserved for the officer class to indulge in cheaty golfing breaks and terminally boring cultural odysseys, and Downtown, a deeply perilous, grimy underbelly where lower-ranking crewmen are literally manacled in pairs just to ensure they survive the local marathon drinking and fighting binges. It is into this chaotic environment that two deeply unmotivated, constantly bickering chicken soup machine repairmen, Dave Lister and Arnold Rimmer, descend.
Naturally, the two bunkmates have wildly divergent goals for their time off, united only by a mutual desire to get as far away from each other as humanly possible. Arnold Rimmer is desperately seeking some highly illegal, black-market exam-cheating technology, hoping to finally land a much-lusted-for promotion to the officer class. Dave Lister, on the other hand, is currently wallowing in a state of profound heartbreak following a painful breakup with navigation officer Kristine Kochanski, who is actively preparing to marry a far more dependable man named Eric. Lister’s grand, self-destructive scheme involves acquiring a stray cat from the streets of Titan and smuggling it back aboard the Red Dwarf. His ultimate goal is to get caught and thrown into the ship’s stasis booths, intending to sleep through his emotional misery until the ship eventually returns to Earth.
However, these relatively mundane, selfish objectives are dramatically scuppered when the crew intercepts a cryptic, urgent message sent from the future. This mysterious transmission catapults Lister, Rimmer, and the rest of the crew into a breakneck, labyrinthine race against time. What begins as a comedic escapade through Titan's seediest districts rapidly devolves into a high-stakes quest to save not only their own timeline but the fabric of every other reality. Along the way, the feuding crewmen are forced to unite, facing bizarre off-world dangers and a mysterious hidden nemesis wielding an apocalyptic agenda. Unlike the earlier Red Dwarf novels, which often hopped across massive timeframes and different universes, Titan unfolds almost entirely in real time as one continuous, relentless story. This narrative structure keeps the pacing incredibly tight as the characters navigate the various factions and threats of the Saturnian moon.
One of the novel’s greatest strengths is its ensemble approach, which shifts the perspective far beyond Lister and Rimmer to explore the inner lives of the wider crew. For the first time, Kristine Kochanski is elevated to the role of a true, independent protagonist rather than simply acting as the object of Lister’s affection. The book dives deep into her personal motivations, her career ambitions on Titan, and the genuine reasons behind her breakup with Lister, providing much-needed closure and emotional depth to their relationship. The narrative also spends significant time inside the head of Captain Hollister, while introducing readers to an era where the ship's computer, Holly, functions as a ubiquitous, commercial AI assistant used throughout the galaxy.
Ultimately, Red Dwarf: Titan is a triumph of comedic science fiction that perfectly balances puerile, laugh-out-loud humor with genuinely intricate character development and high-stakes sci-fi plotting. By exploring the chaotic days immediately preceding the disaster that wiped out the crew, Grant and Marshall deliver an action-packed, poignant love letter to the fans. It answers lingering questions about the crew's origins while spinning an entirely new, dimension-threatening yarn. The novel stands as a deeply satisfying, incredibly funny swansong for Rob Grant, proving that even after decades away from the franchise, his brilliant, cynical, and affectionate grasp on the boys from the Dwarf remained as sharp as ever.
The story opens with the colossal, city-sized mining ship Red Dwarf arriving in orbit around Titan, Saturn’s largest moon. The vast majority of the vessel's eleven thousand crew members are enthusiastically preparing to disembark for shore leave on the moon’s bustling, divided settlement of Xanadu. Xanadu is split into two distinct tiers: Uptown, a resplendent, luxurious resort area reserved for the officer class to indulge in cheaty golfing breaks and terminally boring cultural odysseys, and Downtown, a deeply perilous, grimy underbelly where lower-ranking crewmen are literally manacled in pairs just to ensure they survive the local marathon drinking and fighting binges. It is into this chaotic environment that two deeply unmotivated, constantly bickering chicken soup machine repairmen, Dave Lister and Arnold Rimmer, descend.
Naturally, the two bunkmates have wildly divergent goals for their time off, united only by a mutual desire to get as far away from each other as humanly possible. Arnold Rimmer is desperately seeking some highly illegal, black-market exam-cheating technology, hoping to finally land a much-lusted-for promotion to the officer class. Dave Lister, on the other hand, is currently wallowing in a state of profound heartbreak following a painful breakup with navigation officer Kristine Kochanski, who is actively preparing to marry a far more dependable man named Eric. Lister’s grand, self-destructive scheme involves acquiring a stray cat from the streets of Titan and smuggling it back aboard the Red Dwarf. His ultimate goal is to get caught and thrown into the ship’s stasis booths, intending to sleep through his emotional misery until the ship eventually returns to Earth.
However, these relatively mundane, selfish objectives are dramatically scuppered when the crew intercepts a cryptic, urgent message sent from the future. This mysterious transmission catapults Lister, Rimmer, and the rest of the crew into a breakneck, labyrinthine race against time. What begins as a comedic escapade through Titan's seediest districts rapidly devolves into a high-stakes quest to save not only their own timeline but the fabric of every other reality. Along the way, the feuding crewmen are forced to unite, facing bizarre off-world dangers and a mysterious hidden nemesis wielding an apocalyptic agenda. Unlike the earlier Red Dwarf novels, which often hopped across massive timeframes and different universes, Titan unfolds almost entirely in real time as one continuous, relentless story. This narrative structure keeps the pacing incredibly tight as the characters navigate the various factions and threats of the Saturnian moon.
One of the novel’s greatest strengths is its ensemble approach, which shifts the perspective far beyond Lister and Rimmer to explore the inner lives of the wider crew. For the first time, Kristine Kochanski is elevated to the role of a true, independent protagonist rather than simply acting as the object of Lister’s affection. The book dives deep into her personal motivations, her career ambitions on Titan, and the genuine reasons behind her breakup with Lister, providing much-needed closure and emotional depth to their relationship. The narrative also spends significant time inside the head of Captain Hollister, while introducing readers to an era where the ship's computer, Holly, functions as a ubiquitous, commercial AI assistant used throughout the galaxy.
Ultimately, Red Dwarf: Titan is a triumph of comedic science fiction that perfectly balances puerile, laugh-out-loud humor with genuinely intricate character development and high-stakes sci-fi plotting. By exploring the chaotic days immediately preceding the disaster that wiped out the crew, Grant and Marshall deliver an action-packed, poignant love letter to the fans. It answers lingering questions about the crew's origins while spinning an entirely new, dimension-threatening yarn. The novel stands as a deeply satisfying, incredibly funny swansong for Rob Grant, proving that even after decades away from the franchise, his brilliant, cynical, and affectionate grasp on the boys from the Dwarf remained as sharp as ever.
July 23, 2026
Rob grant and Doug naylor sadly had a falling out years ago, and despite all the legal issues, finally sorted things out enough to get another red dwarf book. Back in the 90s they both had a try - there was Doug’s last human - a much more unique and original story (which I liked better) and backwards by Rob, which stayed in the similar vibe of the tv show. No doubt people enjoyed that one more.
While Doug continues with the show, Rob decided to make a prequel - or is it? Not long starting the book there’s little differences that pop up. You know Rob knows these characters and it doesn’t take long to figure out this is a parallel universe. Enough the same but still different.
I think modern technology gives this future setting a much more interesting take - from human body modification to dna resequencing - this universe is far more out there compared to the tv show. There’s no introduction between lister and rimmer - that’s already happened before - but more a shore leave adventure on one of saturns moons that will change their lives forever. Plus kochanski is no longer just “listers ex”, she gets her own story which ties into lister and rimmers and nearly steals the book.
Probably due to legal issues, everything in this book is original. There’s no bits taken from episodes, and I think that’s good. Rob’s very creative and I like the ideas. I feel the world and the ship and all its people pretty quickly and Rob’s writing style is easy to get into. It’s a fun rollicking yarn you just smile and go along for the ride.
The issues? Well, probably the sad death of Rob himself. The last section seems unusually rushed, you get to a certain point and it could have gone on for ages with the conclusion. I can’t say yes or no but I feel that he may have passed away during the end stages and the co writer finished it off. It’s still a decent ending, but it could have been more. Plus the book ends on a big “more adventures to come!” That we will sadly never see.
Worth a read, but out of all of the books, last human is still my fave.
While Doug continues with the show, Rob decided to make a prequel - or is it? Not long starting the book there’s little differences that pop up. You know Rob knows these characters and it doesn’t take long to figure out this is a parallel universe. Enough the same but still different.
I think modern technology gives this future setting a much more interesting take - from human body modification to dna resequencing - this universe is far more out there compared to the tv show. There’s no introduction between lister and rimmer - that’s already happened before - but more a shore leave adventure on one of saturns moons that will change their lives forever. Plus kochanski is no longer just “listers ex”, she gets her own story which ties into lister and rimmers and nearly steals the book.
Probably due to legal issues, everything in this book is original. There’s no bits taken from episodes, and I think that’s good. Rob’s very creative and I like the ideas. I feel the world and the ship and all its people pretty quickly and Rob’s writing style is easy to get into. It’s a fun rollicking yarn you just smile and go along for the ride.
The issues? Well, probably the sad death of Rob himself. The last section seems unusually rushed, you get to a certain point and it could have gone on for ages with the conclusion. I can’t say yes or no but I feel that he may have passed away during the end stages and the co writer finished it off. It’s still a decent ending, but it could have been more. Plus the book ends on a big “more adventures to come!” That we will sadly never see.
Worth a read, but out of all of the books, last human is still my fave.
July 26, 2026
I'm a massive Red Dwarf fan and was delighted to get more Red Dwarf in any format. I was really hoping to love this but I'd didn't love big parts of the story. Lister and Rimmer are written just like their characters in the TV show which was a joy. I also really like Listers interactions with Kochanski which added a side to their relationship you didn't see in the TV show.
The first big let down for me was the absence of Kryten and the Cat both play a part later in the book but it should have had all boys from the Dwarf from the start.
The overall story arc is great and very much Red Dwarf with Lister and Rimmer having to avoid all universes from being destroyed. But I really disliked the way the book just goes from set piece to set piece with Lister and Rimmer getting out of more and more ridiculous situations. It's in far too much of a rush.
I did enjoy most of the nods to the TV show and how the drive plates become faulty was interesting.
Kochanski was well written but I wasn't interested in her mystery side story. Was nice to see Petersen again at the start of the book but again I just was interested whenever we went back to following his escapades that had nothing to do with the main story.
The new characters added Ingrid and Kapkap again was not interested. Ingrid was a bizzare cross of Rimmers fantasy woman and Ace Rimmer. She was really only used to bail out Rimmer whenever the story required it. An alternative version of Holly being the main bad guy I really didn't like.
The ending does hint at further books but with the sad passing of Rob Grant that seems very unlikely now. It's a shame as Rob can clearly still write Lister, Rimmer, Kryten and Cat really well and with all four back together by the end of the book a sequel with the right story could have been great.
The first big let down for me was the absence of Kryten and the Cat both play a part later in the book but it should have had all boys from the Dwarf from the start.
The overall story arc is great and very much Red Dwarf with Lister and Rimmer having to avoid all universes from being destroyed. But I really disliked the way the book just goes from set piece to set piece with Lister and Rimmer getting out of more and more ridiculous situations. It's in far too much of a rush.
I did enjoy most of the nods to the TV show and how the drive plates become faulty was interesting.
Kochanski was well written but I wasn't interested in her mystery side story. Was nice to see Petersen again at the start of the book but again I just was interested whenever we went back to following his escapades that had nothing to do with the main story.
The new characters added Ingrid and Kapkap again was not interested. Ingrid was a bizzare cross of Rimmers fantasy woman and Ace Rimmer. She was really only used to bail out Rimmer whenever the story required it. An alternative version of Holly being the main bad guy I really didn't like.
The ending does hint at further books but with the sad passing of Rob Grant that seems very unlikely now. It's a shame as Rob can clearly still write Lister, Rimmer, Kryten and Cat really well and with all four back together by the end of the book a sequel with the right story could have been great.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 24, 2026
Spoiler Free
After nearly three decades of dreariness and disappointment with the franchise, "Titan" nails exactly what I loved in early Red Dwarf when it was still a grubby, lo-fi character-led thing that just happened to take place in a science fiction universe. It added more meat to the bones of characters we knew before - and ones we just met - and makes them all fully realised in a comic prequel that becomes equal parts crime thriller and buddy comedy.
As you can tell, I loved this and with Rob Grant's death it makes me sad the story might stop here, although Andrew Marshall's addition to the world of the large rouge one should not be overlooked. Fans of "2 Point 4 Children" will remember how good he was at tricksy yet satisfying plotting and there are some great surprises and turns in here.
Despite my apprehension, Chris Barrie's narration on the audiobook is like an old friend so I recommend it hugely as he cycles through his full array of voices. Although I'm sure the Esperanto version is coming any day now...
After nearly three decades of dreariness and disappointment with the franchise, "Titan" nails exactly what I loved in early Red Dwarf when it was still a grubby, lo-fi character-led thing that just happened to take place in a science fiction universe. It added more meat to the bones of characters we knew before - and ones we just met - and makes them all fully realised in a comic prequel that becomes equal parts crime thriller and buddy comedy.
As you can tell, I loved this and with Rob Grant's death it makes me sad the story might stop here, although Andrew Marshall's addition to the world of the large rouge one should not be overlooked. Fans of "2 Point 4 Children" will remember how good he was at tricksy yet satisfying plotting and there are some great surprises and turns in here.
Despite my apprehension, Chris Barrie's narration on the audiobook is like an old friend so I recommend it hugely as he cycles through his full array of voices. Although I'm sure the Esperanto version is coming any day now...
July 26, 2026
I really wanted to like it- but it just doesn't quite work.
Things to Like
The boys from the Dwarf are back.
The beloved banter between Lister and Rimmer is spot on. Even tho this a prequel, the future characters cleverly slotted it.
Things to not Like
This story came from an attempt to reboot the series, and it shows. The dialogue sparkles, bit it is full of descriptions visual gags. This just doesn't work on the page.
Also, there is an odd lack of pace. There are lots of ideas but sense that they are coming together as a story. The end of the Universe gets as much attention as a hen party.
Things to Like
The boys from the Dwarf are back.
The beloved banter between Lister and Rimmer is spot on. Even tho this a prequel, the future characters cleverly slotted it.
Things to not Like
This story came from an attempt to reboot the series, and it shows. The dialogue sparkles, bit it is full of descriptions visual gags. This just doesn't work on the page.
Also, there is an odd lack of pace. There are lots of ideas but sense that they are coming together as a story. The end of the Universe gets as much attention as a hen party.
July 29, 2026
It's been a while since I read a Red Dwarf novel. Think I just faded out of the interest. But I still love it enough to pick up this when it came out. And it is pretty good. I like how they gave Kochanski an actual plot that isn't her being Lister's love interest, and how she and the others are different slightly. I like how the Cat and Kryten came into the plot and I really liked the idea of the characters rebelling against destiny, thus differentiating themselves from the ones who we got to enjoy in the show. The ending indicates that we were going to get more of them, so it is a shame that Rob is now dead, and will never see the reviews of this novel.
July 29, 2026
The crew of Red Dwarf are heading for shore leave on Titan. Rival bunkmates Dave Lister and Arnold Rimmer arrive on Titan for differing reasons, but find the Universe has other plans for them.
This story is set prior to the disaster which wipes out the Red Dwarf crew, leaving Dave Lister the last remaining human. With the human race in jeopardy, it’s up to the ‘boys from the Dwarf’ to outwit the Destiny Engine and save humanity. This book brings back our favourite characters from the original series and comedic run of mishaps and colourful language expected from a Red Dwarf novel.
This story is set prior to the disaster which wipes out the Red Dwarf crew, leaving Dave Lister the last remaining human. With the human race in jeopardy, it’s up to the ‘boys from the Dwarf’ to outwit the Destiny Engine and save humanity. This book brings back our favourite characters from the original series and comedic run of mishaps and colourful language expected from a Red Dwarf novel.
August 1, 2026
I really wanted to enjoy this more, but much of it didn't land very well. The tone was quite off compared to the former books, the end of all possible universes is far too serious a hook to hang an ending on, and the whole thing just felt like flogging a bit of a dead horse, unfortunately.
I liked it for the attempt, Chris's narration in parts of the audio was pretty funny, and occasionally a glimmering of the humour poked through. But all-told, this felt like an attempt to tap into something that's been and had its fun.
I liked it for the attempt, Chris's narration in parts of the audio was pretty funny, and occasionally a glimmering of the humour poked through. But all-told, this felt like an attempt to tap into something that's been and had its fun.
July 28, 2026
A funny prequel that fans of the Red Dwarf franchise will get a lot from, loyal enough to the source and with well-written characters. Great twists as well. Halfway through, I felt there was too much stuff in this, and it didn't go into depth with what it was meant to be- a product of maybe a messy origin when it was meant to be a full series- but I ended up mostly satisfied with the whole at the end.
July 29, 2026
I still need to read/listen to Backwards and Last Human, granted, but this prequel does not compute. How can we go from where this left off to Infinity?
Don't get me wrong I thoroughly enjoyed the expansion of one of my most beloved universes. The tone was pitch perfect and it's a good story. Not sure what the little side adventure with Peterson and Pears was for though.
Overall, I'm glad I listened to it, it was well performed and I'll always love the boys from the Dwarf.
Don't get me wrong I thoroughly enjoyed the expansion of one of my most beloved universes. The tone was pitch perfect and it's a good story. Not sure what the little side adventure with Peterson and Pears was for though.
Overall, I'm glad I listened to it, it was well performed and I'll always love the boys from the Dwarf.
August 1, 2026
There's so much going on that I did find it a bit confusing at times, but overall, really enjoyed it. The plot was fast paced, it was really interesting seeing what Grant (and Marshall) can conjure up when not held back by a shoestring TV budget, there were a lot of fun callbacks, and even though they didn't actually interact for the majority of the book, I really enjoyed Kochanski and Lister's relationship, it was very sweet.
August 3, 2026
Dnf'd at about 40% - just doesn't hit the same as the show or the books. It feels like fanfiction, which it kinda is. Another reviewer says its AU, which is really the only way this works. There's nothing 'wrong' per se I just don't want to pick it back up and I just dont care. And I don't really feel like the characters have a reason to care, either, this far in. I might come back to it one day but even with Chris Barrie's narration, I'm not into it.
August 1, 2026
A great book for Red Dwarf fans, took me a bit of time to get into the book at the start but loved all the Easter eggs.
To me it felt like the ending left possibilities for more so can only hope Rob Grant & Andrew Marshall discussed what future books may look like so Andrew Marshall may one day write another
To me it felt like the ending left possibilities for more so can only hope Rob Grant & Andrew Marshall discussed what future books may look like so Andrew Marshall may one day write another
Review of advance copy received from Author
I had the pleasure of reading an early edition of this, and as I lifelong fan I was not disappointed. No spoilers from me but Red Dwarf fans are in for a treat.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I can’t really review this now - just know that it’s funny but also kind of broke my shipper heart a little, and now I need to go rewatch The Promised Land and cry.
July 23, 2026
Rob Grant does a grand job as always!
July 25, 2026
"We're the 'Boyz' from the Dwarf”
Smeggin loved it, A funny and brilliant story just a real shame we may never get another book
Smeggin loved it, A funny and brilliant story just a real shame we may never get another book
July 26, 2026
A blast from the past. A good read and some amusing parts. I read the books, but heard the voices in my head! Love the “all dead” scene 😂😂
July 30, 2026
A new Red Dwarf book in 2026?? AMAZING. What a great ride!
July 31, 2026
Pretty good, some good lines, some good laughs, a reasonable story.
August 3, 2026
What can I say, it's the boys from the Dwarf, I loved it. Chris Barrie narrating was fantastic as he can impersonate the crew wonderfully.
August 3, 2026
A sort of alternate universe prequel to the classic show. Still as crazily inventive and imaginatively sarcastic as ever. Rest in peace the great Rob Grant.
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