The Planets We Become

by Nathaniel Luscombe

Originally published in 'All the Vacant Places'.
I was sent here to find a voice box. I am one of many who have tried and failed, hunting this planet for something that does not belong to us. My people long to conquer, I long to be free. 
Their death gives me freedom, but it comes at a cost I did not anticipate. Left on my own, I may become something more dangerous, something more wild. This planet is alive and it's calling my name. 

Genres: Science Fiction, Fiction, Fantasy

52 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 12, 2022

About the author

When Nathaniel Luscombe isn’t writing about spaceships and far off planets, he's reading an unhealthy amount of books and recharging for his next project. He grew up in Ontario, between flat fields and square patches of forest, and has been a writer for as long as he’s been a reader. Outside of his full-time job, he runs Dragon Bone Publishing with Effie Joe Stock. He is best known for Moon Soul and Human Scars on Planet Skin. He has also published some poetry collections, and has been featured in several anthologies.

You can follow him on Instagram @nathaniel.luscombe and TikTok/Substack @hecticreadinglife.

Reviews

[Nathaniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's my absolute honour to announce that Dragon Bone Publishing has contracted a rewritten and expanded version of The Planets We Become. This story has always meant a lot to me. It's the first story I wrote that shocked me. It's the first story that made me feel like I could be a writer of strange, explorative fiction.

This rewritten and expanded version is very important to me. When I sat down to make this story better, I was able to take my older work and put in the skills I've learned to enhance the story. I am very proud of this new edition. It's the final version, the one that was waiting to be written, and I hope that if you read the old edition and enjoyed it (or didn't enjoy it), you will take the time to try out the new edition.

Thank you to everyone who has supported me. You all mean the world to me.

[Alissa J. Zavalianos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Endorsement:

Captivating with its own unique twist, The Planets We Become if full of immersive language and an other-worldly history just waiting to be explored. Reminiscent of Star Wars, this story is perfect for those who seek depth and beauty amid a dystopian and foreign world.

4.5 ⭐️

Review:

What a captivating short story! I had no idea what to expect, but it was beautiful! While I wish there could have been even more world-building to this interesting planet, this story almost read like a long prologue, setting up more to come—a backstory of sorts for another installment.

I’m not much of a sci-fi/dystopian reader, though that’s quickly changing, and as a lover of Star Wars, the setting and prose reminded me so much of life on Tatooine or scenes from the Mandalorian.

I also found the concept of interacting with nature so compelling, and I’m curious to see what Luscombe does to expand this world and bring readers even deeper.

Well done!!

[Cheyenne Langevelde · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wasn't sure what to expect with this story. Sci-fi isn't my typical genre to read, but I enjoyed this one a lot. The imagery, the story concept, plot, and execution, and the character(s) were well done. I was sad it was over when I reached the last page. If anything, I wished there had been more to the story than just what there was. Definitely a fun, deserty read. (And...a bit sad).

Endorsement:
Introspective and nearly lyrical in prose style, this is a lovely short sci-fi piece. The setting is evocative, the character real, and the twists haunting in a way that's not done enough in the sci-fi genre. Well done!

[Megan McCullough · Rating 5 out of 5]

Endorsement: "The Planets We Become’s ethereal and contemplative prose will draw you into its heartbreakingly beautiful pages. Nathaniel Luscombe captures the soul-wrenching weight of loss, immortality, and longing in a way that will have you begging for more."

A beautifully written, contemplative short story. It will also rip your heart out. The world building is vast and magical, though it's a sci fi setting. The characters are so deep. Also the circular plot is *chef's kiss*

I was given a free copy in exchange for an honest review

[Sara Jesus · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unique story about a girl that overcome her insecurities and have the power of the desert.

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Y’ALL 🤩

I want to start by saying how incredibly proud of Nathaniel Luscombe I am 🥹 every time I read a new story of his it’s even better than before, and this was no exception!!

The Planets We Become is a unique take on sci-fi classics, bending the “chosen-one” ideology with mythology and vivid imagery. I enjoyed seeing so much growth from the main character, as that can be rare in short stories!!

This is a beautiful story about hope and forgiveness and not repeating mistakes of the past ❤️🪐 and is definitely worth reading!!

[Abigail McKenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bite-sized little myth-like story, I enjoyed this! I don't think I understood... most of it, but that's on me and my brain that's often as scattered and vacant as the desert in this book, lol. There were several moments that felt like allegory (though I don't think they were supposed to be, but I felt it, hahaha)
While this story wasn't super for me, I did really enjoy Luscombe's writing style, and I'm very intrigued to read more from him! 4 stars from me!

**I received a copy of this book from the author. A positive review was not required. All opinions are my own.**

[Anne J. Hill · Rating 5 out of 5]

This sci-fi short story is beautifully written with an in-depth plotline. The character arc is astounding. I highly recommend this story!

[Effie Stock · Rating 5 out of 5]

IM SO IN LOVE. I was honored to be given a copy of this to provide an endorsement so here it is...

Chaotic, heart wrenching, picturesque: The Planets We Become is a masterpiece to be devoured by anyone who longs to be a part of something greater than themselves, something that transcends time, space, and earthly limitations. Nathaniel Luscombe is no stranger to deep, rolling emotion that drives deep within the reader’s heart and The Planets We Become is no exception. With sandy landscapes and advanced technology, mystery in the driving plot, and poetry in the very words themselves, The Planets We Become brings a new twist to the sci-fi genre and won’t be a story you easily forget.

GO READ THIS. it's a novella so it's only gonna take a split second for you to read but GUYS this lil is gonna stay with you a long time 🖤

[Daphne Paige · Rating 5 out of 5]

5/5 ⭐
This was so enjoyable. Very clean, polished writing. A millennium written in under 100 pages. I've read Moon Soul and The Ones With Gilded Bones by Nathaniel Luscombe, and his writing style really shines through. It's simple but eloquent, and it makes for quick reads with lovely storytelling. Highly recommend this novella!

[Cat Bowser · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a free ARC of this book and am leaving a review voluntarily.

I think I’ve found me a new favorite author. I have a bunch in the fantasy genre but it’s harder to find stories that call to me in the scj fi or science fantasy genre so I’m so glad to have stumbled across these stories!

The atmosphere here is a beautiful piece of work. Not just in terms of description of the desert landscape—though, make no mistake, that is indeed lovely— but rather the way the writer describes the passage and weight of time. The way it changes perspective, changes emotions, and helps carve you into someone new. I love it.

The prospect of the voice box is brilliant and I loved finding out it was something entirely different and yet not so different than expected. As always, it’s the characters’ experiences that paint all the wonder here.

I can’t wait to see what else the author has in store for the future.

[By Book and Bone (Sally) · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I didn't love this quite as much as the author's other work, The Planets We Become is still a great little sci-fi. I loved the premise and thought the execution of the voice box was good. I liked the MC and thought the book started in a great spot for the reader to quickly become attached to her.

I do think this needed to be more than a novella to really have as much impact as was intended. I don't think much more was needed. Just a little bit about life on the ship (maybe through memory) and a longer section of life as the voice box. Also... the name 'voice box' doesn't make much sense for the concept.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[alittlebitbookish · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Planets We Become is a uniquely beautiful and fascinating story. I have always loved sci-fi stories, and this one is a favorite of mine🥹🫶🏻 read The Planets We Become and the book that the story is in, All The Vacant Places. You won’t wanna miss it

[Miguel Jr. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good!

It was quite interesting to see the main character's progression from something mortal into something more. Sadly, her life was ruined by tragedy and loneliness. Nonetheless, she chose good over evil as displayed by her thoughts and actions.

The book cover is unique and it makes more sense after reading this story. The color is like the sand blowing in the wind, and the flowers... you can feel the main character's power emanating from the book toward you. To me, the black stripes represent death on the horizon. Overall, the book cover is excellent and one of the book's most important aspects.

Originally, this short story was part of an anthology from another book, but since Nathaniel decided to breathe new life into it, he should have bonus content featuring the main character's successor. While the freebies at the end of the book are great, there is always the chance that this will not benefit book lovers who have read his other works.

I wish the author would have given the main character a name. The ending felt rather abrupt, which is why I craved more. I also found myself feeling somewhat ambivalent, as the ending painted the picture that immortality is both a gift and a curse. The only reason I did not give this a five-star rating is that I desired the bonus content to give us insight into the main character's successor, as well as his protégé.

Please note: I do suspect that the author's style ranges within the word count of short stories, but in the future, I hope he chooses to break his limits and expand into novelette and novella territory.

[Katja Labonté · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars. I've said this before, but I've hardly ever read sci-fi, and what I did read has always been along the lines of Angie Thompson's One in a Galaxy —just about humans who live on other planets on space pods and stuff. I've never read really fantastical science fantasy, until I read this. Honestly, I'm not exactly sure what to think. It was... interesting. I wasn't sure how to take the fact that the MC and the man were, like, types of gods... but not gods because they mentioned 'the gods' once or twice... Basically they were like immortal superhumans, I guess? That part just didn't interest me much. But I really liked the messages about care and sympathy and gentleness and controlling anger and all that.

Will I try this type of sci-fi again? I don’t know. But I will definitely try Nathaniel Luscombe's stories again.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book for promotional purposes. I was not required to write a positive review. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.*

[Mariella Taylor · Rating 2 out of 5]

After reading “Moon Soul,” I came to this book with high expectations. And while I was certainly attracted by the concept, I found the execution rather lacking. It was very clear to me that despite the rerelease of this story with additions and edits, it lacks the strength that I was expecting after reading “Moon Soul.”

One of my biggest issues with this story is the main character. From what I understand, she’s been sent by her people to find a “voice box” to help her control this planet. Which is all well and good. But my problem with her is that she feels immensely flat and directionless from beginning to end in this story. And by the time she’s starting to want to find herself, more than halfway through the story, I just didn’t care anymore. I had nothing to connect me to the character or make me want to get to know her and see her accomplish her goal/s. And at many parts in the story it’s very unclear what her goals even are.

A major problem I had with this is that there’s a lack of feeling and connection in the book. Because of the nature of how it’s written, we spend a lot of time being told “oh she thinks this” or “oh you feels this”, but I’m never EXPERIENCING it as a reader so I’m not connecting to the emotions. Which means when major events happen or major character arcs are achieve, as a reader I’m outside the moment.

This book feels like it’s written by someone else. If you’d put this book and “Moon Soul” in front of me and had me read both without ever seeing a name I wouldn’t have been able to tell it was the same person. Which is good for “Moon Soul,” but just means that this story ends up lacking a lot of what I loved about this author’s writing.

Overall, a short, skimable read.

[William Hoyle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a stunning, heartfelt story. Like many tales with grand scopes, time leaps from moment-by-moment across decades in a few paragraphs, and it is well done. There were a couple moments where word choice disrupted my immersion, or I'd have given five stars. If this is your first opportunity to read something by Nathaniel Luscombe, as it was mine, don't miss it. It doesn't disappoint. I look forward to the next opportunity.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up to 4
Very interesting story. The landscape is described well. I wish more was written concerning the inhabitants of the planet - did they not understand the bond between the planet and the voice box? why could one of the inhabitants not be the voice box? Also, the idea that the woman lived for millennia waiting for the next voice box was incredible.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Amber Kirkpatrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

In The Planets We Become, Luscombe delivers a stunning exploration on the meaning of community vs. solitude, nature vs humanity, and all the things that flow in-between. Man was not meant to live alone, and people are not meant to live outside of nature. We must strive toward compassion in all things, for “cold, heartless places produced cold, heartless people.”

[Brooke J Katz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful. Nathaniel sweeps you away with the sands of the planet taking you on a journey of loss and purpose. Rich and in Depth for such a quick read. I can still feel the sand in my hands and the pain in my heart ... yet, there's hope and wisdom gained. I am glad I own this special piece of science fiction.

[ankteckningar · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a short and sweet science fiction novella that packs a nice punch. I felt like there were very few wasted words. It got to the point quick and told the story. The prose flowed effortlessly. Some novellas tries to hard to say to much, The planets we become is a story that understands it's size. I would recommend this to someone who enjoys the humanity in sci-fi.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Books and Roller Coasters · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a quick and interesting scifi story! While the writingstyle was not fully my thing, the plot, the setting and the underlying themes kept me reading. Finished it on almost one sitting.
I'm very interested in what this author can do with a bigger story, so I'm off to read Moon Soul right away.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such an amazing story. sci-fi isn't usually my genre, but i can not help but devourer everything Nathaniel Luscombe writes. it is so beautiful and descriptive. He has officially become one of my instant buy authors

[Erik Tucsok · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novella starts so strong, giving a clear and powerful description of where the story is coming from and going. That being said, I was taken aback by the elongated timeline of the narrative, and emotional punch at the end. A story well worth reading, bravo!

[Hazel Vale · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don’t like short stories—and this one is no exception. An author gets the joy of creating an entire world (or universe in this case)—give everything within the story symbolism and meaning and depth and then walk away leaving the reader with just a glimpse and a feeling. While it being a complete story, I want to know more. I think if readers had their way, they would compel authors of short stories to write, at the very least, a duology to follow. That being said, I really did enjoy reading this and recommend whether you enjoy short stories or not because it was very good. Instead of being angry there’s not more, perhaps I should be grateful the author gave us a glimpse at all. Well done.

[MJ Anthony]

Mixed feelings. I want to really mull over this version of this story before giving it a star rating, because I'm not fully sure how to feel.

[Kelly Dowswell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the atmosphere that Nathaniel created in this story. I really felt like I a was in the story with the characters. My only wish was that it was longer.
Either way, a nice, cozy story.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really just beautiful. Absolutely love Nathaniel’s writing, his short stories are just so full and always leave me wanting more!

[Jessica Erdmann · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Rage coursed through me like wildfire, but there was nothing for me to burn" - The Planets We Become

I was very excited to read this one, since it has been on my reading list for quite a while already! And I must admit, it did not disappoint me. I rather felt drawn into Nathaniel's desert planet from the very first line 🤌🏻

I am a big fan of his style of writing. He created a great atmosphere of loneliness and beauty at the same time. The use of dialog was chosen very wise as well. In my opinion, dialog is the most difficult and important thing to master in short stories, but he did a very good job here. No word was wasted.

However, for a few paragraphs, I personally felt a tiny bit over explained, but that did not disturb the flow of the story. It was more an aspect of telling what he had already shown.

All in all, I can say that Nathaniel really knows how to set up a sifi world. There was nothing I was unsatisfied with. A few questions about the background, how everything ended up where we start the story, were left unexplained, what I think is reasonable for a short story. It was also a good way to leave me wondering about the world after I had left it.

From my side: A total recommendation to read this! 🙌🏻

[Andreea · Rating 5 out of 5]

I went into The Planets We Become knowing absolutely nothing about the plot, because I really enjoyed Nathaniel Luscombe's other book, Moon Soul. It's a novella, so it didn't take me a lot to read, but so much happens that you don't feel like the short format takes away from the story or character development.

I won't go into a lot of details about the story because it's one you'll have to discover for yourself, but it's so good. What I really enjoyed was the excellent world building, that the pacing was perfect for a story this size, and that the characters were well built and interesting to follow. You can read this for the story itself, or you can look for the insightful subtext, but either way it's a lovely short read and I'm becoming a big fan of the author's style!

If you're also a fan of light, narrative sci-fi that's compelling without having to reinvent the laws of physics or overcomplicate things, definitely give this one a go.

✨ Disclaimer ✨ I received a free copy of this book and this is my honest review.