What do you think?
Rate this book
The Flight of the Aphrodite
A thrilling standalone science fiction space adventure from Philip K. Dick award-winning author S.J. Morden
Strange radio signals are coming from Jupiter's largest moons.
A natural phenomenon, or something else?
Commander Mariucci and his hand-picked research team know they will have to muster all of their expertise, creativity and teamwork to survive the very harshest of conditions in orbit around the king of planets. But when they intercept a peculiar radio transmission, they have to investigate. Nothing should work in these impossible conditions, so what is sending the signal . . . and why?
With a degrading ship and crew at breaking point, there's every chance they will tear themselves apart before they ever find the answer to the ultimate question - are we alone in the universe?
And more importantly - what do we do if we aren't?
Strange radio signals are coming from Jupiter's largest moons.
A natural phenomenon, or something else?
Commander Mariucci and his hand-picked research team know they will have to muster all of their expertise, creativity and teamwork to survive the very harshest of conditions in orbit around the king of planets. But when they intercept a peculiar radio transmission, they have to investigate. Nothing should work in these impossible conditions, so what is sending the signal . . . and why?
With a degrading ship and crew at breaking point, there's every chance they will tear themselves apart before they ever find the answer to the ultimate question - are we alone in the universe?
And more importantly - what do we do if we aren't?
400 pages, Paperback
First published March 17, 2022
59 people are currently reading
794 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
May 27, 2022
This was a difficult book for me to review and rate fairly. I was conflicted because the compelling plot and character development were a solid 4 to 5 stars, but other aspects factored into a 2.5-3 star category for me. The author, Dr. S.J. Morden, is a rocket scientist with degrees in rocket science and geology, so I trust he got the scientific content as accurately as possible. I read and enjoyed his two previous books in the Frank Kittridge series and discovered a fourth SciFi book by him that I have already added to my must-read list.
The characters were intriguing, and their personalities, flaws, behaviour, and interactions brought them to life. Here is my major problem. The story is all set within the Aphrodite spaceship, so the 12 astronauts on board were introduced very quickly. Many of their names were uncommon ones, but the author gives a helpful list of their names and duties at the beginning. Referring to the list is problematic on a Kindle. I solved the problem by keeping the character list open on an iPad while reading the book on my Kindle. Members of the space crew were referred to only by their last names but just as frequently by just their first names, which became confusing to follow.
The story was exciting and thought-provoking. Towards the end, it became suspenseful and poignant. It was very heavy in hard science, and dialogue between participants was conducted mainly in techno-speak within a riveting tale. Sometimes I felt as if I was reading a foreign language, but this added to the time, place and atmosphere of the story.
I won't go into details to avoid spoilers. This scientific expedition is to explore Jupiter and its moons from space, and the crew is two years into their mission. Meanwhile, our planet is being destroyed by climate change on earth, including 50-degree temperatures in the subtropics and devastating floods caused by Antarctic ice melt. The crew is doubtful that they can complete their mission or if there will be anything left on earth to come back to. Their mental and emotional capabilities due to radiation are deteriorating. This has affected their behaviour in various ways. The spaceship is failing mechanically bit by bit.
There is conflict, disagreement, deceitful computer hacking, sabotage, death, and even a mutiny on board. Tension is increased by a mind-blowing discovery on Jupiters' moons. The discovery causes ardent believers and deniers to choose sides. The discovery will cause the exploratory expedition an honoured place in history if a scientific community is left on earth to give them the acclaim they deserve. They are hard at work supplying proof of their findings and sending their documents back to earth. With the further decline of their mental faculties, conflict, and increase in mechanical failures on the ship, this is a burdensome task.
They know that all further space travel has been abandoned by Earth, as the dire environmental conditions are the primary concern. The Aphrodite will be the final expedition of its kind.
Recommended for readers who don't mind a heavy dose of scientific jargon in SciFi books. They should find this an intense and gripping story.
The characters were intriguing, and their personalities, flaws, behaviour, and interactions brought them to life. Here is my major problem. The story is all set within the Aphrodite spaceship, so the 12 astronauts on board were introduced very quickly. Many of their names were uncommon ones, but the author gives a helpful list of their names and duties at the beginning. Referring to the list is problematic on a Kindle. I solved the problem by keeping the character list open on an iPad while reading the book on my Kindle. Members of the space crew were referred to only by their last names but just as frequently by just their first names, which became confusing to follow.
The story was exciting and thought-provoking. Towards the end, it became suspenseful and poignant. It was very heavy in hard science, and dialogue between participants was conducted mainly in techno-speak within a riveting tale. Sometimes I felt as if I was reading a foreign language, but this added to the time, place and atmosphere of the story.
I won't go into details to avoid spoilers. This scientific expedition is to explore Jupiter and its moons from space, and the crew is two years into their mission. Meanwhile, our planet is being destroyed by climate change on earth, including 50-degree temperatures in the subtropics and devastating floods caused by Antarctic ice melt. The crew is doubtful that they can complete their mission or if there will be anything left on earth to come back to. Their mental and emotional capabilities due to radiation are deteriorating. This has affected their behaviour in various ways. The spaceship is failing mechanically bit by bit.
There is conflict, disagreement, deceitful computer hacking, sabotage, death, and even a mutiny on board. Tension is increased by a mind-blowing discovery on Jupiters' moons. The discovery causes ardent believers and deniers to choose sides. The discovery will cause the exploratory expedition an honoured place in history if a scientific community is left on earth to give them the acclaim they deserve. They are hard at work supplying proof of their findings and sending their documents back to earth. With the further decline of their mental faculties, conflict, and increase in mechanical failures on the ship, this is a burdensome task.
They know that all further space travel has been abandoned by Earth, as the dire environmental conditions are the primary concern. The Aphrodite will be the final expedition of its kind.
Recommended for readers who don't mind a heavy dose of scientific jargon in SciFi books. They should find this an intense and gripping story.
March 18, 2022
Blah blah, spoilers.
The Flight of the Aphrodite tried to tell two stories at once, and was less for the trying. The first story thread, a crew descending into madness and death in the midst of extreme pressure, was in the vein of Event Horizon. The other thread was a classic alien BDO.
I wish there was more of the latter and less of the former. Mr. Morden has an eye for the hard scientific detail that grounds his stories in excellent ways. It's through the detail that his stories stand out in modern science fiction.
People breaking down and turning on each other in hard situations has been done to death, and honestly exhausting to slog through. I skipped through many of these scenes without losing much sense of the story.
So yeah, wishes: more hard science fiction, more alien coolness, less people going rabid on each other. I get it, people fight. They can also cooperate.
The Flight of the Aphrodite tried to tell two stories at once, and was less for the trying. The first story thread, a crew descending into madness and death in the midst of extreme pressure, was in the vein of Event Horizon. The other thread was a classic alien BDO.
I wish there was more of the latter and less of the former. Mr. Morden has an eye for the hard scientific detail that grounds his stories in excellent ways. It's through the detail that his stories stand out in modern science fiction.
People breaking down and turning on each other in hard situations has been done to death, and honestly exhausting to slog through. I skipped through many of these scenes without losing much sense of the story.
So yeah, wishes: more hard science fiction, more alien coolness, less people going rabid on each other. I get it, people fight. They can also cooperate.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 24, 2022
Three and a half stars.
I had a great time with this novel, it is good to read hard science fiction from time to time.
The Flight of the Aphrodite is a more than correct novel about discovery, although the author focuses as much or more on the characters and especially on the problems of prolonged space travel. I have a question about the plausibility of the argument but I don't know whether to discuss it with an author who is both a rocket scientist and a planetary geologist.
Please, more novels like this one!
I had a great time with this novel, it is good to read hard science fiction from time to time.
The Flight of the Aphrodite is a more than correct novel about discovery, although the author focuses as much or more on the characters and especially on the problems of prolonged space travel. I have a question about the plausibility of the argument but I don't know whether to discuss it with an author who is both a rocket scientist and a planetary geologist.
Please, more novels like this one!
January 10, 2026
Probably one of the first books I’ve read in a long time where I really haven’t wanted it to end. This was sooo good!!!
June 3, 2023
Set in the not-so-distant future, The Flight of the Aphrodite by S J Morden tells the story of a crew aboard the eponymous spacecraft on a mission to investigate Jupiter space. But when they intercept a strange transmission, they’re compelled to investigate.
The mystery unfolds as the crew grapple with the harsh realities of space travel, confront personal demons, and navigate the complexities of their relationships.
Morden’s ability to weave multidimensional characters into what is essentially a hard sci-fi novel makes this a compelling read. Through their interactions, we gain insight into the cost of space travel on the human mind and the resilience of the human spirit in the face of the unknown.
Morden, who by the way is an actual rocket scientist, manages to capture themes reminiscent of Arthur C Clarke’s 2001: A Space Odyssey, and blends fact and fiction to create a believable story that’s grounded in scientific plausibility.
The Flight of the Aphrodite is a paranoid and worthy addition to the hard sci-fi genre with a gripping narrative, vibrant characters, and an enthralling exploration of the human condition.
The mystery unfolds as the crew grapple with the harsh realities of space travel, confront personal demons, and navigate the complexities of their relationships.
Morden’s ability to weave multidimensional characters into what is essentially a hard sci-fi novel makes this a compelling read. Through their interactions, we gain insight into the cost of space travel on the human mind and the resilience of the human spirit in the face of the unknown.
Morden, who by the way is an actual rocket scientist, manages to capture themes reminiscent of Arthur C Clarke’s 2001: A Space Odyssey, and blends fact and fiction to create a believable story that’s grounded in scientific plausibility.
The Flight of the Aphrodite is a paranoid and worthy addition to the hard sci-fi genre with a gripping narrative, vibrant characters, and an enthralling exploration of the human condition.
May 1, 2023
The dialog in this book reads like watching an episode of a very cringey reality TV show about an in-depth scientific mission orbiting Jupiter... SO MUCH DRAMA.
I just couldn't finish this one. The story was interesting enough, I just could not get past the sheer amount of politics in these pages. I know it's a real issue for space travel, but damn. I didn't even get to 50% of this read and all I can say is: That was not much fun. Add on top of the politics, a climate crisis on earth, interdepartmental conflict between the flight and science crews, and the possibility that everyone on board the Aphrodite may be going insane due to exposure to radiation or electromagnets (I did not find out which).
There was so much happening in this book and yet I still found myself bored and unable to continue. So... DNF it is.
I just couldn't finish this one. The story was interesting enough, I just could not get past the sheer amount of politics in these pages. I know it's a real issue for space travel, but damn. I didn't even get to 50% of this read and all I can say is: That was not much fun. Add on top of the politics, a climate crisis on earth, interdepartmental conflict between the flight and science crews, and the possibility that everyone on board the Aphrodite may be going insane due to exposure to radiation or electromagnets (I did not find out which).
There was so much happening in this book and yet I still found myself bored and unable to continue. So... DNF it is.
January 23, 2025
Mariucci, captain of the Aphrodite is well liked by his crew except for the head scientist who thinks he's God's gift to mankind and if you look up the word "arrogant" in the dictionary you will see this scientist's picture. We read from Mariucci's POV for the first half or a little more of the book, then we read from another character's POV. Mariucci is a good captain and he cares for his crew.
When we start the book the Aphrodite, their ship, is already nearing Jupiter's ring of moons. Their schedule is to weave in and out among the moons (they all travel at different speeds) and send probes to gather data for the scientists to analyze. When they pass between two of the moons they discover a signal. The crew believe, at first it is either a corporation or pirates that made it to Jupiter first and landed on one of the moons, something that the space association has outlawed. Later they begin to wonder if it's from an alien installation put there thousands of years ago. The head scientist guy scoffs at them and just dismisses their ideas and says their data is just white noise. Later on they discover something that you'd think would convince anyone but, no, Mr. Asshole I-know=everything scoffs and insults them.
While all this is happening, and as they get closer to the radiation produced by Jupiter and it's moons, weird behaviors start to manifest in some of the crew. One person sees ghosts, another has their memory slipping away. One person thinks that Jupiter is calling her and wants to leap out of the airlock. And even more bizarre behavior manifests.
So the captain had to try to balance continuing to be a captain and making potentially life-changing decisions while dealing with a mental imbalance.
Slight spoiler but I just want to say don't get too attached to any of the characters because, well that's spoiler territory but I think you get my drift.
As some other reviewers have noted the book does spend a lot of time on the characters, their thoughts and emotions and less on the science. I think that's the whole point of the novel. What would a normal crew do faced with a situation where everyone starts developing different psychological symptoms. Actually some of his other novels are kind of the same: how would a guy respond to being sent to Mars with a group where all, except their leader or handler, have committed crimes from stealing money from a company to murder and they're supposed to work together to build a base for the scientists coming later.
Anyway back to this book. It's written in 3rd person. The writing is good, not too much fancy prose and not too many wall of science texts. It was difficult to know which character was being talked about because sometimes their last name is used and sometimes their first name. And they have, to an American reader, strange foreign names that are hard to remember. There is a Dramatis Personae list of characters at the beginning of the novel, which is fine if you're reading a physical copy but not so much for e-books. It didn't bother me too much, I just went with it and by the end I pretty much had everyone's names and jobs connected together in my mind. I hope this author continues to write in this universe because there are some tantalizing things revealed at the end that I want to explore more.
When we start the book the Aphrodite, their ship, is already nearing Jupiter's ring of moons. Their schedule is to weave in and out among the moons (they all travel at different speeds) and send probes to gather data for the scientists to analyze. When they pass between two of the moons they discover a signal. The crew believe, at first it is either a corporation or pirates that made it to Jupiter first and landed on one of the moons, something that the space association has outlawed. Later they begin to wonder if it's from an alien installation put there thousands of years ago. The head scientist guy scoffs at them and just dismisses their ideas and says their data is just white noise. Later on they discover something that you'd think would convince anyone but, no, Mr. Asshole I-know=everything scoffs and insults them.
While all this is happening, and as they get closer to the radiation produced by Jupiter and it's moons, weird behaviors start to manifest in some of the crew. One person sees ghosts, another has their memory slipping away. One person thinks that Jupiter is calling her and wants to leap out of the airlock. And even more bizarre behavior manifests.
So the captain had to try to balance continuing to be a captain and making potentially life-changing decisions while dealing with a mental imbalance.
Slight spoiler but I just want to say don't get too attached to any of the characters because, well that's spoiler territory but I think you get my drift.
As some other reviewers have noted the book does spend a lot of time on the characters, their thoughts and emotions and less on the science. I think that's the whole point of the novel. What would a normal crew do faced with a situation where everyone starts developing different psychological symptoms. Actually some of his other novels are kind of the same: how would a guy respond to being sent to Mars with a group where all, except their leader or handler, have committed crimes from stealing money from a company to murder and they're supposed to work together to build a base for the scientists coming later.
Anyway back to this book. It's written in 3rd person. The writing is good, not too much fancy prose and not too many wall of science texts. It was difficult to know which character was being talked about because sometimes their last name is used and sometimes their first name. And they have, to an American reader, strange foreign names that are hard to remember. There is a Dramatis Personae list of characters at the beginning of the novel, which is fine if you're reading a physical copy but not so much for e-books. It didn't bother me too much, I just went with it and by the end I pretty much had everyone's names and jobs connected together in my mind. I hope this author continues to write in this universe because there are some tantalizing things revealed at the end that I want to explore more.
November 14, 2022
So, there I was, convinced I would never find another writer of hard(ish) SF as bleak as Peter Watts, when along comes S. J. Morden with a massive kick in the old family jewels. This is 2001 meets Dark Star in Jovian orbit, but without the need for a confused AI, just a bunch of confused humans in an untested environment leading to all sorts of tragic shenanigans. It would have a been a clear five-star novel if the main antagonist wasn’t so one-dimensional, and although I do understand it was part of the, ahem, situation that lead him off the rails quite as completely as it has, his behaviour turned a terrible human tragedy into a bit of a moustache-twirling-villain-ish grotesque. Also, twelve people introduced rapid-fire and then referred to intermittently by their first and/or last names and/or post on the ship was hella confusing for all but three or four of the main crew members. But otherwise, a stellar effort at tackling remote crewed space exploration without forgetting that we would be just so much meat in a complicated tin can.
August 10, 2024
Not since the movie Prometheus have I wanted all of the occupants of a ship to get killed off. I just kind of wish it had happened faster.
The premise was interesting and I wanted to see what happened, but there are no heroes here. The closest might be the ship's doctor...but still, she wasn't really terribly sympathetic, either.
It takes a lot for me to DNF a book. I didn't want to let the book win or I might have. I'm giving a star for the idea and for the science...so there's that.
The premise was interesting and I wanted to see what happened, but there are no heroes here. The closest might be the ship's doctor...but still, she wasn't really terribly sympathetic, either.
It takes a lot for me to DNF a book. I didn't want to let the book win or I might have. I'm giving a star for the idea and for the science...so there's that.
July 18, 2023
Le Capitaine Mariucci et son équipage font un voyage compliqué vers Jupiter et ses lunes, après avoir reçu une transmission radio étrange.
Eh bien que voilà un voyage intéressant.
On va pas se mentir, le bon et le moins bon se côtoie dans ce livre ; voire même l’excellent pour toute le dernier tiers - le début du livre, le bon gros premier quart, est cependant trop lent et le nombre de personnages, qui mettent très longtemps à se différencier et se présenter, n’aide pas à l’immersion. Cependant ! L’aspect hard SF bien présent dans l’oeuvre, et les quelques personnages développés rendent l’histoire vraiment engageante passée cela, et une fois ce cap passé j’ai juste pas pu décrocher de l’histoire - on voit que l’auteur a un passif scientifique, c’est plutôt bien tourné et le mystère tient bien en haleine.
En d’autres termes, courage accrochez-vous, le jeu en vaut la chandelle !
Eh bien que voilà un voyage intéressant.
On va pas se mentir, le bon et le moins bon se côtoie dans ce livre ; voire même l’excellent pour toute le dernier tiers - le début du livre, le bon gros premier quart, est cependant trop lent et le nombre de personnages, qui mettent très longtemps à se différencier et se présenter, n’aide pas à l’immersion. Cependant ! L’aspect hard SF bien présent dans l’oeuvre, et les quelques personnages développés rendent l’histoire vraiment engageante passée cela, et une fois ce cap passé j’ai juste pas pu décrocher de l’histoire - on voit que l’auteur a un passif scientifique, c’est plutôt bien tourné et le mystère tient bien en haleine.
En d’autres termes, courage accrochez-vous, le jeu en vaut la chandelle !
April 23, 2022
I pre-ordered The Flight of the Aphrodite by S J Morden based on how much I enjoyed his Frank Kitteridge series (which I highly recommend also.) The premise of the book is that the Aphrodite is in orbit around Jupiter to study the four moons discovered by Galileo. Small things begin to go wrong. The crew, tense already from the problems cropping up, are stunned by a radio signal seeming to emanate from one of the largest moons of Jupiter.
I listened to this over the span of three days. I would have been finished quicker but sleep interfered. The story is wonderful. I cannot speak to scientific accuracy as I do not speak science. The mystery/thriller/suspense is very well done. I seconded guessed every character's motivation at least once, some even twice. The ending when it came left me breathless.
The story is improved by Elliot Fitzpatrick's narration. The crew is composed of members of the European Space Union. The accents for the crew members are well done. I could tell which character was speaking based on the accent. Fitzpatrick's voice never overshadowed the words the author had written. Just excellent.
I listened to this over the span of three days. I would have been finished quicker but sleep interfered. The story is wonderful. I cannot speak to scientific accuracy as I do not speak science. The mystery/thriller/suspense is very well done. I seconded guessed every character's motivation at least once, some even twice. The ending when it came left me breathless.
The story is improved by Elliot Fitzpatrick's narration. The crew is composed of members of the European Space Union. The accents for the crew members are well done. I could tell which character was speaking based on the accent. Fitzpatrick's voice never overshadowed the words the author had written. Just excellent.
September 20, 2023
The story of a ship crew on a multi-year mission to conduct research around Jupiter and its moons. As the story progresses the crew deals with psychological issues, and the reality around them starts to become uncertain. In the midst of all this they make an unusual discovery, and dealing with it shatters the crew altogether. In parallel, on Earth, in the 2080s, climate change ravages society, making the isolation of the crew even more pronounced.
I must say, it's one of the best books I read in the last few years, and perhaps among the best sci fi novels I've ever encountered. It's hard sci-fi for sure, but, more than that, it raises and explores metaphysical and socio-psychological questions I was surprised to find in such a novel.
Naturally, the main question being explored is the impact of prolonged separation from Earth on a crew, and what it might mean for their psychology. While this has been explored previously (e.g., in Event Horizon), and, perhaps better than ever, in Solaris, this book paints a nuanced and sensitive picture of all our protagonists, allowing us glimpses into their personalities, and how these get twisted through years of isolation and pressure. The mostly action-free and dialogue-heavy journey helps the reader appreciate the naivete that some other books exhibit when dealing with similar issues. I also found the gentle nature of the decay of reason, especially with the captain, particularly noteworthy - it was emotive, and the last few scenes were genuinely touching, bringing tears to my eyes.
The other question at the core of the book is that of the tension between what is perceived to be accepted science and new discoveries. Basically, the author brings to life the axiom that the more outrageous the data the more of it is necessary to convince the dominant scientific community of the day. One also is made to ponder whether any data will ever be enough to nudge the establishment away from what they perceive to be holy (even if they call it "science"). This is the part of the book that truly gives rise to anger and frustration, but then, I reminded myself that this is not unrealistic in any way, and felt just sad and disappointed.
Finally, the question of authority and teamwork is also explored, evoking questions on their nature, fragility, fluidity, and necessity.
I recommend to anyone who loves hard sci fi. Anyone who enjoys books similar to The Three-Body Problem, the works of Stanisław Lem, or any other philosophical sci fi, would love this book. Folks who liked the movies Moon, Solaris (the Soviet original, naturally), or 2001: A Space Odyssey would love it too.
I must say, it's one of the best books I read in the last few years, and perhaps among the best sci fi novels I've ever encountered. It's hard sci-fi for sure, but, more than that, it raises and explores metaphysical and socio-psychological questions I was surprised to find in such a novel.
Naturally, the main question being explored is the impact of prolonged separation from Earth on a crew, and what it might mean for their psychology. While this has been explored previously (e.g., in Event Horizon), and, perhaps better than ever, in Solaris, this book paints a nuanced and sensitive picture of all our protagonists, allowing us glimpses into their personalities, and how these get twisted through years of isolation and pressure. The mostly action-free and dialogue-heavy journey helps the reader appreciate the naivete that some other books exhibit when dealing with similar issues. I also found the gentle nature of the decay of reason, especially with the captain, particularly noteworthy - it was emotive, and the last few scenes were genuinely touching, bringing tears to my eyes.
The other question at the core of the book is that of the tension between what is perceived to be accepted science and new discoveries. Basically, the author brings to life the axiom that the more outrageous the data the more of it is necessary to convince the dominant scientific community of the day. One also is made to ponder whether any data will ever be enough to nudge the establishment away from what they perceive to be holy (even if they call it "science"). This is the part of the book that truly gives rise to anger and frustration, but then, I reminded myself that this is not unrealistic in any way, and felt just sad and disappointed.
Finally, the question of authority and teamwork is also explored, evoking questions on their nature, fragility, fluidity, and necessity.
I recommend to anyone who loves hard sci fi. Anyone who enjoys books similar to The Three-Body Problem, the works of Stanisław Lem, or any other philosophical sci fi, would love this book. Folks who liked the movies Moon, Solaris (the Soviet original, naturally), or 2001: A Space Odyssey would love it too.
December 5, 2022
Hard SF set on an expedition to Jupiter and its moons. Major plot spoilers follow.
I like a good hard SF book. This one really tried to be. It's a little slow in parts, but it gradually builds to an almost inevitable ending. It was distressing to read about the gradual failure of function among the crew members. Not every mission has a happy ending.
3.5 stars, marked down a bit because of occasional slowness in the plot.
I like a good hard SF book. This one really tried to be. It's a little slow in parts, but it gradually builds to an almost inevitable ending. It was distressing to read about the gradual failure of function among the crew members. Not every mission has a happy ending.
3.5 stars, marked down a bit because of occasional slowness in the plot.
January 27, 2023
Interesting, but drawn-out.
In theory, I like the idea of never really learning anything definite about the Ziggurat-builders, but in practice, it’s a bit unsatisfying after the amount of bloated back-and-forth the characters have about how important their discovery is.
It’s somewhat confusing to remember each of the characters and their roles at first, but as the story progresses, they unfortunately each become increasingly one-dimensional, so this gets easier. This can be explained by the effect of the magnetic field they’re using as a shield, but…that almost feels like a convenient excuse, even if it technically could be true. Things get a bit more interesting when Forsythe becomes captain, but even this, while compelling, never went to the lengths I had hoped for—the same could almost be said about the novel as a whole.
It’s nice to see restraint when it comes to these types of expedition/first contact narratives, but I think it would’ve been a bit more interesting to see a grander breakdown of everyone’s psyches, as well as the physical condition of the titular Aphrodite, in the face of both the Ziggurats and the inhospitable conditions of Jovian space. Still, it has its moments, and hard sci-fi this bleak isn’t very common. The author does a great job emphasizing the claustrophobia and isolation of the ship and how the disorders of each crew member take center stage in their personalities under the intense strain.
3.5/5, rounded down. Feeling more of a 3 than a 4 on this one.
In theory, I like the idea of never really learning anything definite about the Ziggurat-builders, but in practice, it’s a bit unsatisfying after the amount of bloated back-and-forth the characters have about how important their discovery is.
It’s somewhat confusing to remember each of the characters and their roles at first, but as the story progresses, they unfortunately each become increasingly one-dimensional, so this gets easier. This can be explained by the effect of the magnetic field they’re using as a shield, but…that almost feels like a convenient excuse, even if it technically could be true. Things get a bit more interesting when Forsythe becomes captain, but even this, while compelling, never went to the lengths I had hoped for—the same could almost be said about the novel as a whole.
It’s nice to see restraint when it comes to these types of expedition/first contact narratives, but I think it would’ve been a bit more interesting to see a grander breakdown of everyone’s psyches, as well as the physical condition of the titular Aphrodite, in the face of both the Ziggurats and the inhospitable conditions of Jovian space. Still, it has its moments, and hard sci-fi this bleak isn’t very common. The author does a great job emphasizing the claustrophobia and isolation of the ship and how the disorders of each crew member take center stage in their personalities under the intense strain.
3.5/5, rounded down. Feeling more of a 3 than a 4 on this one.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 16, 2023
Started out slow -- made more demanding because the author chose difficult (for me) character names and the author kept mixing up references to different characters by first or last name in different places.... but I think that's been said elsewhere....
Just about the time I really started to get into it the Forsythe Arc began (trying not to be a spoiler here, so that's what I'm calling it). I'm still struggling on how to make sense out of that entire section of the book, but I think, and I'd have to have a beer or two with the author to know for sure, that whole thing was meant to be funny or sardonic or something -- which I do appreciate in a book, but this nestled the ridiculous nature of itself right in the middle of what I'd consider an otherwise heavy-weight, serious, horrifying set of events. So maybe it wasn't meant to be funny? It's like if someone chose to cast a demented Gilligan in the middle of Jaws (rough analogy, perhaps.)
The plot didn't need it -- you could still have gotten from point A to point B with out the odd notions in the middle. I'm not sure what he was intending. I am sure if you lose a little mental rigidity you'll be rewarded with an overall good read, but I do think the author lost out on an opportunity to make a real horrific, crushing burn by jaunting off into the Forsythe Whimsy in the middle instead of finding another way to push the plot forward that was more consistent with the beginning and the ending. Regardless, I do recommend the book overall.
Just about the time I really started to get into it the Forsythe Arc began (trying not to be a spoiler here, so that's what I'm calling it). I'm still struggling on how to make sense out of that entire section of the book, but I think, and I'd have to have a beer or two with the author to know for sure, that whole thing was meant to be funny or sardonic or something -- which I do appreciate in a book, but this nestled the ridiculous nature of itself right in the middle of what I'd consider an otherwise heavy-weight, serious, horrifying set of events. So maybe it wasn't meant to be funny? It's like if someone chose to cast a demented Gilligan in the middle of Jaws (rough analogy, perhaps.)
The plot didn't need it -- you could still have gotten from point A to point B with out the odd notions in the middle. I'm not sure what he was intending. I am sure if you lose a little mental rigidity you'll be rewarded with an overall good read, but I do think the author lost out on an opportunity to make a real horrific, crushing burn by jaunting off into the Forsythe Whimsy in the middle instead of finding another way to push the plot forward that was more consistent with the beginning and the ending. Regardless, I do recommend the book overall.
December 3, 2023
I ordered this book based purely on the Frank Kittridge series (which I love) and “The Flight of the Aphrodite” is very different but nonetheless compelling. I think it’s more hard sci-fi than the Kittridge series is which can be a bit more challenging to read….but it works. Earth is dying from the effects of climate change and the Aphrodite is the last gasp of space exploration. The crew is deep into its journey to explore Jupiter and its four closest moons….but they are starting to lose their minds. From the effects of the radiation or the ship’s shielding or simply from the extreme psychological pressures of being so isolated from home, they don’t know for sure and not all of them admit to having problems. The ship is starting to break down and then they detect signals between the moons. What happens while they are trying to understand the signals and what is happening to them is a study in the effects of space travel on humans and humanity itself. This story is ultimately sad but also a statement of humanity’s strength and desire to explore and to love. Very good book, much more serious than the Frank Kittridge series, with a lot of characters that sometimes are a bit confusing to follow but so worth it. Top book and another fantastic book by S.J. Morden!
June 18, 2023
Another really strong science fiction novel from Morden. And it's not really a standalone, since Mariucci was featured in his previous novel, Gallowglass. This time out, the Aphrodite has been sent on a voyage to do research on the moons of Jupiter. There is a 12-person crew, all experts/specialists in their fields, including the obnoxious head of science, Rory Forsyth. Things start to go wrong, very slowly (Morden does an excellent job of parceling out hints at what might be happening), and everyone is dealing with one psychological problem or another. When they make an unprecedented discovery that points toward previous extraterrestrial activity, things go from bad to worse. This is another downbeat story, with realistic characters and some very strong science (Morden is very good at not overdoing the science for the average reading public). I really enjoyed this one and will be looking for any further volumes he writes.
May 28, 2025
This is an interesting science fiction novel about an ESA (European Space Agency) expedition to Jupiter and its moons set in the late 21st century. As the crew approach and orbit Jupiter they are bombarded by radiation which the ship shields them from but they all begin to suffer mental health problems which in some cases become severe.
They also discover phenomena which imply that some extraterrestrial life had previously visited the moons.
The description of the ship and its systems is very realistic and convincing but one slight criticism is that there are lot of unusual names to remember. There is a Dramatis Personae list at the start but reading it on a kindle makes it quite difficult having to constantly refer to the list at the start. There is not a lot of difference in the characterisation either which exacerbates this.
However, it is a fun and thought provoking read in the solid science fiction tradition.
They also discover phenomena which imply that some extraterrestrial life had previously visited the moons.
The description of the ship and its systems is very realistic and convincing but one slight criticism is that there are lot of unusual names to remember. There is a Dramatis Personae list at the start but reading it on a kindle makes it quite difficult having to constantly refer to the list at the start. There is not a lot of difference in the characterisation either which exacerbates this.
However, it is a fun and thought provoking read in the solid science fiction tradition.
December 30, 2022
This is another book I expected to enjoy a lot more than I ended up doing. The sequel to Gallowglass, this book tells the story of the first crewed mission to the moons of Jupiter set against the background of human civilisation under strain, where the human presence in space is on the verge of being drastically reduced unless some new goal is found.
The book does a good job of establishing a fascinating mystery which is discovered among the Jovian moons, but then rather than explore this it diverts into the various personal and psychological problems faced by the crew themselves. It does return to the central story of scientific discovery in the final chapters, but to me it was too little, too late - especially as the big discovery was only hinted at and not actually resolved.
My verdict: good in parts, but unsatisfying as a whole.
The book does a good job of establishing a fascinating mystery which is discovered among the Jovian moons, but then rather than explore this it diverts into the various personal and psychological problems faced by the crew themselves. It does return to the central story of scientific discovery in the final chapters, but to me it was too little, too late - especially as the big discovery was only hinted at and not actually resolved.
My verdict: good in parts, but unsatisfying as a whole.
April 16, 2024
I wasn't keen at the beginning of the book, as there were a lot of names and roles to keep track of, made harder by the fact that sometimes people were referred to by first name and sometimes by surname (or sometimes by nickname, eg "Stan" for "Konstantinos"). There was a list in the front of the book which did help, but it was also a bit annoying to keep having to flick back to it. There was also a fair bit of jargon thrown about.
However, once I got past that, I found the book really gripping and hard to put down, with the mixture of human drama and a new discovery.
Hopefully this doesn't spoil the ending, but .
However, once I got past that, I found the book really gripping and hard to put down, with the mixture of human drama and a new discovery.
Hopefully this doesn't spoil the ending, but .
November 27, 2022
Loosely following on from Gallow Glass The Aphrodite is on its official mission following the unplanned maiden voyage. We link back in with some of the crew - but things seem to have gone somewhat awry. You can read them either way round really, Luca returns but is no longer the hero he was … not that he can remember anyway.
A good book that centres on the issues of deep space travel and technology supposed to protect, going wrong and the impact that has. Also you see Hints of A.C Clarke and Rama in a discovery on a Jovian moon. I enjoyed the story but never before have i wanted a particular character to die so much! I really hate that guy! Hopefully you’ll know which one …
A good book that centres on the issues of deep space travel and technology supposed to protect, going wrong and the impact that has. Also you see Hints of A.C Clarke and Rama in a discovery on a Jovian moon. I enjoyed the story but never before have i wanted a particular character to die so much! I really hate that guy! Hopefully you’ll know which one …
July 28, 2023
https://fromtheheartofeurope.eu/the-flight-of-the-aphrodite-by-s-j-morden-brief-note/
A very Clarkean book, very reminiscent of 2010 in that it’s about astronauts investigating strange stuff in the outer solar system in the middle of a massive crisis on Earth. I thought it was very well executed, with two believably flawed viewpoint characters and an intriguingly grim ending. Apparently it is a loose sequel to a previous book, Gallowglass, which I have not read, but I don’t think I missed much by not having read it. I liked this a lot.
A very Clarkean book, very reminiscent of 2010 in that it’s about astronauts investigating strange stuff in the outer solar system in the middle of a massive crisis on Earth. I thought it was very well executed, with two believably flawed viewpoint characters and an intriguingly grim ending. Apparently it is a loose sequel to a previous book, Gallowglass, which I have not read, but I don’t think I missed much by not having read it. I liked this a lot.
July 10, 2022
At page 238 they tell the story of Tiamat and Marduk. It's the climactic centre of the book, locating the heart of it in myth and archetype. And it's what makes this book great rather than merely very good.
Because the dazzling science fiction is excellent, the characters are beautifully drawn, the writing impeccable, clean, and precise, it is a very good SF novel too.
Another reviewer Gareth correctly said that Morden has levelled up. He's right.
Another way to put it is, The Flight of the Aphrodite is Moby Dick in space.
Because the dazzling science fiction is excellent, the characters are beautifully drawn, the writing impeccable, clean, and precise, it is a very good SF novel too.
Another reviewer Gareth correctly said that Morden has levelled up. He's right.
Another way to put it is, The Flight of the Aphrodite is Moby Dick in space.
October 25, 2022
The best thing he has written yet: a 2001 for our times. The Aphrodite is the bestest and most modern spaceship ever, built and outfitted for the first crewed mission to Jupiter and its moons. It’s designed to withstand anything, including protecting the crew from the lethal and mind-shredding levels of radiation in the environment – so why is both the ship and its crew slowly breaking down, mechanically or psychologically, delete as applicable? A deliberately ambiguous ending will infuriate anyone who just wants a nice, simple read but only makes it even more 2001-like.
December 25, 2022
Ambitious mission?
Nice speculative story for a possible scientific mission to the king of planets in the solar system. I just wished as I made progress into the Aphrodite misadventure that the characters weren't so self-absorbed, both personally and environmentally but it's no use to cry over spilled milk. I still enjoyed the overall concept as it is very compelling and probable that would happen to an unassuming mission to the jovian system. 4 stars , I thought some of the characters were too flaky.
Nice speculative story for a possible scientific mission to the king of planets in the solar system. I just wished as I made progress into the Aphrodite misadventure that the characters weren't so self-absorbed, both personally and environmentally but it's no use to cry over spilled milk. I still enjoyed the overall concept as it is very compelling and probable that would happen to an unassuming mission to the jovian system. 4 stars , I thought some of the characters were too flaky.
January 14, 2023
Others have written extensive reviews on this book, so I won't repeat the narrative of the novel. Suffice to say I enjoyed the book. It is a well written, hard SF novel that is both plot and character driven. The main plot twist occurs a bit later in the book and is never fully resolved (at least to me). I could see there being a sequel, but I can also accept that this is a one-off book with an ending that I didn't see coming. Powerful in either case. Worth your time, if a hard SF tale is to your liking.
July 25, 2023
I had this recommended to me as being the closest modern equivalent to Clarke's spectacular 2010, and so it was maybe never going to live up to that. The most obvious issue is that it's space horror, which is a genre Clarke never touched on; the characters are all falling apart mentally throughout the novel, and Earth comes across as a source of background disasters to add to the worry of the team.
The writing makes it clear that it's a sequel to _Gallowglass_, which I acquired but haven't felt excited to read.
The writing makes it clear that it's a sequel to _Gallowglass_, which I acquired but haven't felt excited to read.
September 5, 2023
Yo no es una spring chicken! I have read a lot of SF over the years. I really enjoyed Gallowglass, so Fot Aphrodite sounded like a given. I enjoyed(?) the precept of high magnetic gauss playing with the mind (CT scans anyone?) and the arseholes pushing themselves to the top. Planet in decline and space craft in distress, got it. Interpersonal, got it. Chariots Of The Gods, got it. Overall, I couldn’t put it down. I hope I’m not disappointed following this author.
July 29, 2022
the 1st half is probably a 4* read, and if it had stopped with the 'alien' signals then much better.
sometimes it is good to have unexplained weirdness at the far reaches of the solar system?
the attempt to 'explain' lost *'s and brought the whole thing down, and only 1* down was me being generous.
sometimes it is good to have unexplained weirdness at the far reaches of the solar system?
the attempt to 'explain' lost *'s and brought the whole thing down, and only 1* down was me being generous.
January 8, 2023
Loved the One Way/No Way adventures offered by Morden and was excited to see he had published more. Enjoyed this, but found that it dragged a little more than the others. Was more of a psychological thriller, which isn't what I was needing in the moment. I also didn't realise that Gallowglass came before this so there were some references I missed.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews