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The Endless Vessel
A few years from now, in a world similar to ours, there exists a sort of “depression plague” that people refer to simply as “The Grey.” No one can predict whom it will afflict, or how, but once infected, there’s no coming back.
A young Hong Kong–based scientist, Lily Barnes, is trying to maintain her inner light in an increasingly dark world. The human race is dwindling, and people fighting to push forward are increasingly rare. One day, Lily comes across something that seems to be addressing her directly, calling to her, asking her to follow a path to whatever lies at its end. Is this the Endless Vessel to happiness? She leaves her life behind and sets out through time and space to find out. Charles Soule has channeled history, science and drama to create a story for the ages—a story of hope and love and possibility.
A young Hong Kong–based scientist, Lily Barnes, is trying to maintain her inner light in an increasingly dark world. The human race is dwindling, and people fighting to push forward are increasingly rare. One day, Lily comes across something that seems to be addressing her directly, calling to her, asking her to follow a path to whatever lies at its end. Is this the Endless Vessel to happiness? She leaves her life behind and sets out through time and space to find out. Charles Soule has channeled history, science and drama to create a story for the ages—a story of hope and love and possibility.
456 pages, Hardcover
First published June 6, 2023
163 people are currently reading
24546 people want to read
About the author
Charles Soule
1,519 books1,689 followersCharles Soule is a #1 New York Times-bestselling novelist, comics author, screenwriter, musician, and lapsed attorney. He has written some of the most prominent stories of the last decade for Marvel, DC and Lucasfilm in addition to his own work, such as his comics Curse Words, Letter 44 and Undiscovered Country, and his original novels Light of the Jedi, The Endless Vessel, The Oracle Year and Anyone. He lives in New York.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 470 reviews
June 19, 2023
Endless Vessel was a completely fine novel, if also very inconsistent. Soule splits the story into three parts, with Book I setting the stage for the narrative, Book II jumping backward in time to fill in important context, and Book III bringing the story to a close. But honestly, the set up for this novel is much stronger than the payoff.
The first book is very engaging and creates an interesting premise that pulls the reader in—at least, until the Garbage Man arrives. It’s at that point the story begins to take a bit of a turn toward the overtly fantastical. Book II is fine, but feels very disconnected from Book I, as if they were written for separate stories and brought together. It works, but it is not a particularly interesting answer to the questions set in the first part of the story. I like what’s happening in Book II, but the nested narratives feel very separated in a way that wasn’t particularly enjoyable. Book III is by far the weakest part of the story. While it has interesting bits (the Echolands is a fantastic idea), it is ultimately an underwhelming and unsatisfactory conclusion to a premise that showed a lot of promise. The conclusion feels contrived and heavy handed and the ending is… sudden. Unearned might be the most honest way to describe the way the novel closes. Honestly, the very ending feels as though Soule was afraid of the setup he had created. It’s as though he didn’t have the courage to take the story where it needed to go. So it just sort of ends in a hand waving ambiguity that attempts to feel like a profound commentary on the human condition but is just clumsy and transparent.
There is a lot to like about this novel. There are some really interesting ideas—the grey, the Echolands, Team Joy Joy, advanced technologies held by secret societies, the intercessions—but I came away from this novel with a wish that it had been longer, more well-developed, and just given more space to breathe. Ultimately, the novel is good. I liked it. But with such fantastic premises, I can’t help but feel more than a little disappointed.
The first book is very engaging and creates an interesting premise that pulls the reader in—at least, until the Garbage Man arrives. It’s at that point the story begins to take a bit of a turn toward the overtly fantastical. Book II is fine, but feels very disconnected from Book I, as if they were written for separate stories and brought together. It works, but it is not a particularly interesting answer to the questions set in the first part of the story. I like what’s happening in Book II, but the nested narratives feel very separated in a way that wasn’t particularly enjoyable. Book III is by far the weakest part of the story. While it has interesting bits (the Echolands is a fantastic idea), it is ultimately an underwhelming and unsatisfactory conclusion to a premise that showed a lot of promise. The conclusion feels contrived and heavy handed and the ending is… sudden. Unearned might be the most honest way to describe the way the novel closes. Honestly, the very ending feels as though Soule was afraid of the setup he had created. It’s as though he didn’t have the courage to take the story where it needed to go. So it just sort of ends in a hand waving ambiguity that attempts to feel like a profound commentary on the human condition but is just clumsy and transparent.
There is a lot to like about this novel. There are some really interesting ideas—the grey, the Echolands, Team Joy Joy, advanced technologies held by secret societies, the intercessions—but I came away from this novel with a wish that it had been longer, more well-developed, and just given more space to breathe. Ultimately, the novel is good. I liked it. But with such fantastic premises, I can’t help but feel more than a little disappointed.
April 7, 2023
I am a picky sci-fi reader. I'm a picky reader in general though, as others have been known to tell me. When I received a notification that I won an ARC for The Endless Vessel from a Goodreads Giveaway, I was excited! But I started to feel a little trepidation. I immediately Googled Charles Soule and was happy to learn that he is a Marvel comic book writer and also wrote a Star Wars novel. Off to a good start there! Another reason for my apprehension is that the expectation is to write a Goodreads review for any ARCs that are rewarded. I don't generally write reviews. And I didn't want to be negatively critical in a review. You know, with my pickiness and all.
I kept in mind that I DID enter the Giveaway for a reason. I don't just enter them willy-nilly. The description seemed to call up a world on the brink of dystopia, mostly due to a "depression plague" called The Grey. Some of my favorite books and movies are dystopian. Another plus! It further describes that the main character encounters people from her past and present and also uses the words history, science, hope, and love...And an enchanted forest! All of these ideas normally aren't written about together sci-fi books that I have encountered. So I was intrigued enough to enter and then read it.
The descriptions of the state of the world starting one page one drew me in and kept me reading. Mr. Soule writes the female main character very well- I didn't roll my eyes once! Scientist Lily Barnes, whose specialty is "materials engineer", is living in Hong Kong and works for a company that is working on a device to pull carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. The scientific and technical explanations, which are what usually turn me off from sci-fi books, are written simply and interestingly. Lily ends up get herself in a jam that turns out to be the beginning of her adventure.
The story moves through current Hong Kong and England to 1770s New England. There are innovators, scientists, lovers, liars, mad men and even a rock star! The current state of the human race, social media and climate change are some of the driving themes in the story. Mr. Soule's inventions and devices are fresh ideas. It is not a rewritten version the same old sci-fi story that I see so often.
I am hoping others see The Endless Vessel for the genius that it is. Charles Soule- please continue to write novels!!
I kept in mind that I DID enter the Giveaway for a reason. I don't just enter them willy-nilly. The description seemed to call up a world on the brink of dystopia, mostly due to a "depression plague" called The Grey. Some of my favorite books and movies are dystopian. Another plus! It further describes that the main character encounters people from her past and present and also uses the words history, science, hope, and love...And an enchanted forest! All of these ideas normally aren't written about together sci-fi books that I have encountered. So I was intrigued enough to enter and then read it.
The descriptions of the state of the world starting one page one drew me in and kept me reading. Mr. Soule writes the female main character very well- I didn't roll my eyes once! Scientist Lily Barnes, whose specialty is "materials engineer", is living in Hong Kong and works for a company that is working on a device to pull carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. The scientific and technical explanations, which are what usually turn me off from sci-fi books, are written simply and interestingly. Lily ends up get herself in a jam that turns out to be the beginning of her adventure.
The story moves through current Hong Kong and England to 1770s New England. There are innovators, scientists, lovers, liars, mad men and even a rock star! The current state of the human race, social media and climate change are some of the driving themes in the story. Mr. Soule's inventions and devices are fresh ideas. It is not a rewritten version the same old sci-fi story that I see so often.
I am hoping others see The Endless Vessel for the genius that it is. Charles Soule- please continue to write novels!!
July 6, 2023
2-2.5 stars.
A story told in three parts, where parts 1 and 3 take place in the story's present and we spend time with Lily Barnes, materials scientist, and part 2 provides background on the organization that makes amazing stuff.
Lots of great, fun elements, but I stopped caring well before the 50% mark, mainly because 1) I never cared about Lily, and 2) I didn't like how a mother is yet again wiped from a story in favour of a father who's boring as heck.
A story told in three parts, where parts 1 and 3 take place in the story's present and we spend time with Lily Barnes, materials scientist, and part 2 provides background on the organization that makes amazing stuff.
Lots of great, fun elements, but I stopped caring well before the 50% mark, mainly because 1) I never cared about Lily, and 2) I didn't like how a mother is yet again wiped from a story in favour of a father who's boring as heck.
June 6, 2023
Endless Vessel is my third book of Charles Soule and is my also my third 5 star rating for this author. With that said, his books, for me, just keep getting better and better. He’s definitely an auto-buy author for me and even though I have an advance eGalley, I preordered this book for my library.
Endless Vessel introduces the reader to Lily, an English scientist who lives and works in Hong Kong. The world’s population has become infected with a plague called the Grey. Those that have this infliction become severely depressed and can no longer function.
On the flip side, a variation of the Grey is the Joy Joy, where those who are inflicted experience incredible joy but do so while trying to end the world as we know it.
The premise is so incredibly unique and I was all in! In the second part of the book, the storyline takes the reader into the past during the American Revolution. I was thrown for a bit of a loop here, unsure of what was happening when all of a sudden everything makes sense.
I can’t go into any other details without spoilers, but suffice it to say, the reveals and twists were AMAZING! Charles Soule did it again and once more proved that he’s definitely a favorite author of mine! Can’t wait for my hardback to come in! And that cover! When I read the last word and went back to the cover, it all made sense and I just sat and soaked it in, now knowing all of its secrets.
*Thanks so much to Harper Perennial and NetGalley for the advance copy!* Pub date is 6/6/23.
Endless Vessel introduces the reader to Lily, an English scientist who lives and works in Hong Kong. The world’s population has become infected with a plague called the Grey. Those that have this infliction become severely depressed and can no longer function.
On the flip side, a variation of the Grey is the Joy Joy, where those who are inflicted experience incredible joy but do so while trying to end the world as we know it.
The premise is so incredibly unique and I was all in! In the second part of the book, the storyline takes the reader into the past during the American Revolution. I was thrown for a bit of a loop here, unsure of what was happening when all of a sudden everything makes sense.
I can’t go into any other details without spoilers, but suffice it to say, the reveals and twists were AMAZING! Charles Soule did it again and once more proved that he’s definitely a favorite author of mine! Can’t wait for my hardback to come in! And that cover! When I read the last word and went back to the cover, it all made sense and I just sat and soaked it in, now knowing all of its secrets.
*Thanks so much to Harper Perennial and NetGalley for the advance copy!* Pub date is 6/6/23.
September 16, 2025
"By being alive now, at this time, when there are too many of us, you are part of a great machine that is destroying the world. Every bit of happiness you take, every breath you take, contributes to burning the world. It doesn't matter how you try to change that. You can't. It's too late. It was too late a hundred years ago."
If I could distill all my thoughts and opinions on this book into one single adjective, it would be....inventive. This was undoubtedly a creative take on a worldwide pandemic, a sort of transmissible depression, that takes a couple different forms. The closest analog I can think of was that movie 'The Happening' back earlier in the 2000's, where a biological weapon causes people to commit suicide in wild ways. It was suspenseful, unique, a little bit magical, and well-written.
'The Grey', the appropriately named disease that has plagued the world post COVID, is a seemingly incurable form of depression that takes a few different forms - One of which is a general bleakness and sadness, one of which is more acute and often leads to suicide, and yet another seems to lock people into a manic state, in which they join up with a vigilante crew, determined to burn the world down and essentially hasten the end of civilization.
The Endless Vessel is split into 3 parts, the majority of which focus on Lily, a British materials engineer based in Hong Kong, who works for an environmental startup. She has managed to avoid the plague that has slowed and derailed much of the world, and works diligently towards developing solutions for carbon scrubbing - having an objective or goal is one of the keys in avoiding The Grey, and Lily has it in spades, until her boss comes in with a new piece of technology, seemingly impossible in nature, that revolutionizes the industry, and results in Lily losing her job.
In following the origins of this mysterious device(which she may or may not have pilfered from the facility she was fired from), Lily is led along what is colloquially referred to as 'The Wonder Path', a mysterious organization following an equally mysterious, ethereal series of unaccredited, seemingly superhuman inventions across the centuries that have propelled society forward.
It is here that the novel finds its legs, and we are introduced to other side characters, including her Grey-Afflicted former boyfriend, and Peter Match, a former rockstar who is also following the Wonder Path.
The second part of the book focuses centuries in the past, at a small community built around a mill in Post-Revolution America. This portion took a little bit to get going for me, and felt very disconnected, but the pieces did fall into place in a major way. It invokes a love story, with one Molly Calder going to incredible lengths to reunite with her recently deceased husband, including literally trying to defeat and reverse death, invoking help from characters that include but are not limited to Ben Franklin's former aide, who is a forgery expert, and a seemingly immortal Portuguese man who was touched by a spirit from another dimension. They shift the mill from textiles to inventing, from cloth to conquering the afterlife, enlisting mystics, scientists, doctors, engineers, etc. - right up my alley! Their story culminates in a trip offshore, partially forced, on a technologically advanced boat, where their free-thinking crew are free to continue to culminate their ideas and inventions indefinitely
Part three was the only one I struggled to get into a bit, partly due to jolting back to Lily, Peter, and the Lazarene(inventor-filled megaship) in present day. Without giving away or ruining too too much, there are a number of twists and turns in this portion of the novel that really added to the suspense. Additionally, the Lazarene, in no small part due to Molly's discoveries back in the day, has opened what have essentially been doors to other dimensions, including the Echolands, a seemingly endless forest of trees, that represent the mortality, memories, and relationships of every human on Planet Earth. Only, there is a blight spreading in the forest - The Grey.
There were several things about this book that I really, really enjoyed, and it mainly stems from the intrigue that Soule was able to create. The idea of The Wonder Path, and these interloping inventors, is such a great foil to a worldwide depression disease. Additionally, the books strays juuuust enough into magic/impossibility to keep things sufficiently crazy and weird. I can't say that any of the characters really drew me in, it was more the world-building and intrigue that followed in each story. There was a point in the second and third portions of the novel, which I kinda touched on before, where I had my doubts, but Soule was definitely able to reign things in and tie them together in a satisfying way.
I think of the genres I enjoy, and the types of books that tickle my literary fancy, and this one ticks off quite a few boxes: Eco-thriller, sci-fi, post-apocalyptic/dystopian, a dash of historical fiction, etc. There is a lot of varied reading within these volumes, and by the end, it's even pretty heartwarming! A page turner to be sure.
When I try and list out overarching themes for a book that's primary protagonist is crippling depression, it's hard to think of the positive, but I thought that, despite our afflicted, manic antagonists, the message to be kind and be understanding really shone through, particularly in the third volume. Additionally, the view of death, reunion, and how the author used the Echolands to convey loss was beautiful.
As a whole, I greatly enjoyed this novel, particularly the creative nature of what happened to everyone, and the 'wonder' path that Lily finds herself on. Great suspense, good sci-fi and dystopian vibes, overall an awesome read!
If I could distill all my thoughts and opinions on this book into one single adjective, it would be....inventive. This was undoubtedly a creative take on a worldwide pandemic, a sort of transmissible depression, that takes a couple different forms. The closest analog I can think of was that movie 'The Happening' back earlier in the 2000's, where a biological weapon causes people to commit suicide in wild ways. It was suspenseful, unique, a little bit magical, and well-written.
'The Grey', the appropriately named disease that has plagued the world post COVID, is a seemingly incurable form of depression that takes a few different forms - One of which is a general bleakness and sadness, one of which is more acute and often leads to suicide, and yet another seems to lock people into a manic state, in which they join up with a vigilante crew, determined to burn the world down and essentially hasten the end of civilization.
The Endless Vessel is split into 3 parts, the majority of which focus on Lily, a British materials engineer based in Hong Kong, who works for an environmental startup. She has managed to avoid the plague that has slowed and derailed much of the world, and works diligently towards developing solutions for carbon scrubbing - having an objective or goal is one of the keys in avoiding The Grey, and Lily has it in spades, until her boss comes in with a new piece of technology, seemingly impossible in nature, that revolutionizes the industry, and results in Lily losing her job.
In following the origins of this mysterious device(which she may or may not have pilfered from the facility she was fired from), Lily is led along what is colloquially referred to as 'The Wonder Path', a mysterious organization following an equally mysterious, ethereal series of unaccredited, seemingly superhuman inventions across the centuries that have propelled society forward.
It is here that the novel finds its legs, and we are introduced to other side characters, including her Grey-Afflicted former boyfriend, and Peter Match, a former rockstar who is also following the Wonder Path.
The second part of the book focuses centuries in the past, at a small community built around a mill in Post-Revolution America. This portion took a little bit to get going for me, and felt very disconnected, but the pieces did fall into place in a major way. It invokes a love story, with one Molly Calder going to incredible lengths to reunite with her recently deceased husband, including literally trying to defeat and reverse death, invoking help from characters that include but are not limited to Ben Franklin's former aide, who is a forgery expert, and a seemingly immortal Portuguese man who was touched by a spirit from another dimension. They shift the mill from textiles to inventing, from cloth to conquering the afterlife, enlisting mystics, scientists, doctors, engineers, etc. - right up my alley! Their story culminates in a trip offshore, partially forced, on a technologically advanced boat, where their free-thinking crew are free to continue to culminate their ideas and inventions indefinitely
Part three was the only one I struggled to get into a bit, partly due to jolting back to Lily, Peter, and the Lazarene(inventor-filled megaship) in present day. Without giving away or ruining too too much, there are a number of twists and turns in this portion of the novel that really added to the suspense. Additionally, the Lazarene, in no small part due to Molly's discoveries back in the day, has opened what have essentially been doors to other dimensions, including the Echolands, a seemingly endless forest of trees, that represent the mortality, memories, and relationships of every human on Planet Earth. Only, there is a blight spreading in the forest - The Grey.
There were several things about this book that I really, really enjoyed, and it mainly stems from the intrigue that Soule was able to create. The idea of The Wonder Path, and these interloping inventors, is such a great foil to a worldwide depression disease. Additionally, the books strays juuuust enough into magic/impossibility to keep things sufficiently crazy and weird. I can't say that any of the characters really drew me in, it was more the world-building and intrigue that followed in each story. There was a point in the second and third portions of the novel, which I kinda touched on before, where I had my doubts, but Soule was definitely able to reign things in and tie them together in a satisfying way.
I think of the genres I enjoy, and the types of books that tickle my literary fancy, and this one ticks off quite a few boxes: Eco-thriller, sci-fi, post-apocalyptic/dystopian, a dash of historical fiction, etc. There is a lot of varied reading within these volumes, and by the end, it's even pretty heartwarming! A page turner to be sure.
When I try and list out overarching themes for a book that's primary protagonist is crippling depression, it's hard to think of the positive, but I thought that, despite our afflicted, manic antagonists, the message to be kind and be understanding really shone through, particularly in the third volume. Additionally, the view of death, reunion, and how the author used the Echolands to convey loss was beautiful.
As a whole, I greatly enjoyed this novel, particularly the creative nature of what happened to everyone, and the 'wonder' path that Lily finds herself on. Great suspense, good sci-fi and dystopian vibes, overall an awesome read!
October 13, 2023
Creative and imaginative. Otherwise, I would have given this book a two. The background of the story was so drawn out I had trouble reading it through.
July 4, 2023
1/5 - I don't even hate it, it's just one of the more annoying books I've read
Meet Lily Everyone-But-Myself-Is-Responsible-For-My-Unhappiness Barnes, a materials engineer trying to save the world based in Hong Kong. Lily Barnes talks a lot about her job. Sometimes she tries to dumb it down for people (think of my work as building Legos) and sometimes she gets a little esoteric. She is annoying and long-winded and I did not like reading the book from her point of view, which is unfortunately 60% of the book. A quote to sum her up: "Stop wasting our time. We were tired of you before you even walked into this room." Same, Iggy Overhold, same.
The main character is a good reflection of her author's pacing, which is all over the place. At the start readers are given a veeery slow narrative that details down to what flavors of bread there are in a little bakery in Sham Shui Po on Hai Tan Street and what Lily buys for breakfast (a cup of tea and a sweet bun) from the lovely owner, Charmaine *insert backstory* to... oh yeah, by the way this happened, ok now let's move on. Soule also has a habit of suddenly introducing minor characters in the middle of the book, assigning the spotlight to them for 1-2 chapters and never mentioning them again. The explanation for Calder and Calder was somehow both overly drawn out and simplified at the same time. Ughhhh.
The Endless Vessel is half speculative/dystopian fiction and half historical fiction. The fact that it was inspired by the COVID pandemic is ill-disguised. There are two main problems in the story line, one is a team of homicidal people trying to make the world burn and another is the widespread disease, the Grey. The Grey is Soule spends half of the book inserting tidbits about the Grey until you form a whole picture and then turns around and Like, um, what? That's so unsatisfying and a deus ex machina if I ever read one. It felt like the author ran out of ideas to wrap up the story, which was progressing quite sanely, and just went , The End.
The twist at the end was nicely done, and maybe the only thing I really appreciated about the book.
Meet Lily Everyone-But-Myself-Is-Responsible-For-My-Unhappiness Barnes, a materials engineer trying to save the world based in Hong Kong. Lily Barnes talks a lot about her job. Sometimes she tries to dumb it down for people (think of my work as building Legos) and sometimes she gets a little esoteric. She is annoying and long-winded and I did not like reading the book from her point of view, which is unfortunately 60% of the book. A quote to sum her up: "Stop wasting our time. We were tired of you before you even walked into this room." Same, Iggy Overhold, same.
The main character is a good reflection of her author's pacing, which is all over the place. At the start readers are given a veeery slow narrative that details down to what flavors of bread there are in a little bakery in Sham Shui Po on Hai Tan Street and what Lily buys for breakfast (a cup of tea and a sweet bun) from the lovely owner, Charmaine *insert backstory* to... oh yeah, by the way this happened, ok now let's move on. Soule also has a habit of suddenly introducing minor characters in the middle of the book, assigning the spotlight to them for 1-2 chapters and never mentioning them again. The explanation for Calder and Calder was somehow both overly drawn out and simplified at the same time. Ughhhh.
The Endless Vessel is half speculative/dystopian fiction and half historical fiction. The fact that it was inspired by the COVID pandemic is ill-disguised. There are two main problems in the story line, one is a team of homicidal people trying to make the world burn and another is the widespread disease, the Grey. The Grey is Soule spends half of the book inserting tidbits about the Grey until you form a whole picture and then turns around and Like, um, what? That's so unsatisfying and a deus ex machina if I ever read one. It felt like the author ran out of ideas to wrap up the story, which was progressing quite sanely, and just went , The End.
The twist at the end was nicely done, and maybe the only thing I really appreciated about the book.
October 5, 2023
Actual rating 2.5 rounded up just because of first part of the book!
The story is done in three parts, I really liked the first part, it was engaging, it was interesting and I longed for more, then we get to the second part which happens in the past, tbh at the middle of second part I start to feel disconnected to the story. The narrative is changed and it's way too long.
The third part in the book is by far the weakest. It was such a disappointing and frustrating finish to an idea that had a lot of potential.
The story is done in three parts, I really liked the first part, it was engaging, it was interesting and I longed for more, then we get to the second part which happens in the past, tbh at the middle of second part I start to feel disconnected to the story. The narrative is changed and it's way too long.
The third part in the book is by far the weakest. It was such a disappointing and frustrating finish to an idea that had a lot of potential.
June 5, 2023
Charles Soule has an interesting mind. This one kept me wondering the whole time. It is a bit of a heavy handed commentary on the greediness and misery of humanity, but I loved the unique package it is delivered in. We get two distinct timelines. A slightly future Hong Kong where Lily lives and works as a materials scientist. The world is in decline with most of humanity suffering from a disease called The Grey where all hope is lost. Lily is surprised by when a revolutionary device is demo-ed for her. It will change the world. She is immediately intrigued both by the technology and by a hidden message meant just for her. As she begins to investigate, she learns about a secret advanced society which throws our story back to post-revolutionary America. I'll stop there because anything more would be a spoiler, although there is a fun cameo from Benjamin Franklin!
I was so intrigued by both halves of the story. Lily's backstory is really interesting but I was even more enthralled by Molly's story in the 1700's. It has just enough science to be a wow but not enough where the average reader will be turned off.
Check this one out if you enjoy Blake Crouch or Andy Weir.
Thanks to Harper Perennial for gifted access via Netgalley. All opinions above are my own.
I was so intrigued by both halves of the story. Lily's backstory is really interesting but I was even more enthralled by Molly's story in the 1700's. It has just enough science to be a wow but not enough where the average reader will be turned off.
Check this one out if you enjoy Blake Crouch or Andy Weir.
Thanks to Harper Perennial for gifted access via Netgalley. All opinions above are my own.
July 28, 2024
Rec. by: Previous work, and the newly-minted Holgate branch of Multnomah County Library
Rec. for: Shiny happy people
It's got to be hard to write about a global epidemic of depression—herein known as the Grey—without actually being depressing. But Charles Soule pulls off that difficult trick, in The Endless Vessel. From the very first chapter, in which the curator of paintings at the Louvre performs an astonishing act of public self-sacrifice, Soule's novel made me want to know What Happens Next.
The Grey is one of those nastiest of disorders, the kind that interferes with its own cure. In that it reminded me of a much different novel about a much different plague, Arthur Herzog's 1978 book IQ 83, in which the scientists desperately searching for a cure are made dumber and more irascible by the very virus they're studying.
The Grey is incredibly contagious as well—Soule doesn't make it clear whether the epidemic is a virus or something else entirely. One of the Grey's primary vectors, in fact, is a video called the "Despair Manifesto"—there are a lot of Capitalized Nouns like this in the book, by the way—so whatever it is, the Grey is not just a virus.
And as if that weren't enough, a small but significant percentage of the people affected by the Grey don't just get depressed and give up. A few of them instead acquire a sort of manic nihilism that leads them to spread the Grey—these are the members of Team Joy Joy, who are just about as terrifying as that name implies.
Working against these parallel plagues—the growing apathy of the majority, and the actively destructive minority—is (at least to start with) a single woman, a materials scientist struggling against the Grey herself while working for CarbonGo in Hong Kong. Lily Barnes encounters a device that seems too good to be true, a sleek blue tube that can sequester carbon from the atmosphere quickly and cheaply, potentially solving at least one of humanity's ongoing problems (for the Grey is but one of the crises facing us as a species).
The device, and the way she handles it at first, sets Lily on the "Wonder Path," which I will not describe in detail, but which may in fact lead her to the salvation of the human race.
Charles Soule is, apparently, primarily an author of comic books, and there are certainly elements of that brightly-colored genre in The Endless Vessel. It is a very visual work, with a lot of vivid imagery (as well as those multiple Capitalized Features I mentioned above). But those end up being good things... while this book does take some pretty whacky turns while progressing toward its goal, I did really enjoy its heartening, heartfelt conclusion.
I last read one of Charles Soule's books, The Oracle Year, back in 2018... and while The Endless Vessel is a very different kind of work, I enjoyed it at least as much.
And perhaps you, if you have not sunk too far into the depths of the Grey, will enjoy it too.
Rec. for: Shiny happy people
It's got to be hard to write about a global epidemic of depression—herein known as the Grey—without actually being depressing. But Charles Soule pulls off that difficult trick, in The Endless Vessel. From the very first chapter, in which the curator of paintings at the Louvre performs an astonishing act of public self-sacrifice, Soule's novel made me want to know What Happens Next.
The Grey is one of those nastiest of disorders, the kind that interferes with its own cure. In that it reminded me of a much different novel about a much different plague, Arthur Herzog's 1978 book IQ 83, in which the scientists desperately searching for a cure are made dumber and more irascible by the very virus they're studying.
The Grey is incredibly contagious as well—Soule doesn't make it clear whether the epidemic is a virus or something else entirely. One of the Grey's primary vectors, in fact, is a video called the "Despair Manifesto"—there are a lot of Capitalized Nouns like this in the book, by the way—so whatever it is, the Grey is not just a virus.
And as if that weren't enough, a small but significant percentage of the people affected by the Grey don't just get depressed and give up. A few of them instead acquire a sort of manic nihilism that leads them to spread the Grey—these are the members of Team Joy Joy, who are just about as terrifying as that name implies.
Working against these parallel plagues—the growing apathy of the majority, and the actively destructive minority—is (at least to start with) a single woman, a materials scientist struggling against the Grey herself while working for CarbonGo in Hong Kong. Lily Barnes encounters a device that seems too good to be true, a sleek blue tube that can sequester carbon from the atmosphere quickly and cheaply, potentially solving at least one of humanity's ongoing problems (for the Grey is but one of the crises facing us as a species).
The device, and the way she handles it at first, sets Lily on the "Wonder Path," which I will not describe in detail, but which may in fact lead her to the salvation of the human race.
Charles Soule is, apparently, primarily an author of comic books, and there are certainly elements of that brightly-colored genre in The Endless Vessel. It is a very visual work, with a lot of vivid imagery (as well as those multiple Capitalized Features I mentioned above). But those end up being good things... while this book does take some pretty whacky turns while progressing toward its goal, I did really enjoy its heartening, heartfelt conclusion.
I last read one of Charles Soule's books, The Oracle Year, back in 2018... and while The Endless Vessel is a very different kind of work, I enjoyed it at least as much.
And perhaps you, if you have not sunk too far into the depths of the Grey, will enjoy it too.
June 22, 2023
There is A LOT going on with this book. Part speculative fiction, part dystopian eco-thriller, part sci-fi/fantasy, part pandemic fiction, part historical fiction/alternate history—this book was a strange puzzle to decipher. It explores themes of joy, depression, purpose, science, religion, the meaning of life, the climate crisis, and the impact of technology (including social media) on humanity.
The book reads like a Michael Crichton technothriller (which I personally love), and had vibes of Alix Harrow’s The Ten Thousand Doors of January, Andy Weir’s Project Hail Mary, Emily St. John Mandel’s Sea of Tranquility, and Blake Crouch’s Dark Matter. This made for a very unique and interesting reading experience, unlike anything I’ve read before. It kept me engaged and I honestly flew through it, needing to know what came next. I would recommend this as a quick and quirky read (with some deeply philosophical and urgent themes), that will entertain and appeal to almost any type of reader. If nothing else, it will absolutely get you questioning the world we live in and how human beings exist and interact on this earth.
Positives aside, the structure of this book didn’t entirely work for me. It’s broken down into 2 separate timelines, told in separate 150-page chunks, and then tied together in the final 100 pages. As it stands, the nested storylines are both interesting and engaging enough on their own, but they feel disjointed and disconnected from one another. Part II was a curious place to take the story, and although it provided necessary background, it wasn’t a particularly exciting answer to the questions set forth in Part I. Not to mention, while reading the second section, I found myself missing the characters I had connected with in the first, making the second feel like it dragged on a bit too long. I think a story like this, designed to be a sort of puzzle, could have benefited from a different narrative structure. Perhaps, the author could have given the reader bits and pieces of each story as the book moved along, and allowed the alternating timelines to tie themselves together organically in the end, instead of being wholly juxtaposed and separated. This could have heightened the reader’s anticipation throughout, and made the puzzle-solving aspect of this book more dynamic and enjoyable. But hey, that’s just me. Overall, this wasn’t a massive issue, it just felt like a missed opportunity.
One other thing…
Am I missing something? Everywhere—from the Goodreads tags, to Amazon comments, to reviews in the Library Journal and Publishers Weekly—descriptions of this book mention time travel. (Did I skip a chapter or something?) There is no time travel in this book. Although taking place over many hundreds of years, and utilizing multiple timelines, and dealing with some pretty strange and hypothetical sciences, there is zero on-page time travel that I was able to note. I agree that it FEELS like it should be a book about a time-traveling ship, but it just simply isn’t. This is just one of the many ways I feel this book was misrepresented. The comparisons to Ready Player One and The Midnight Library in all the publisher’s notes feel equally off to me. This book doesn’t strike me as particularly similar to either of those, although (above) I’ve listed 4 other books it does make me think of. Possibly, this wasn’t meant to mislead, but simply that this book is hard to categorize (so much so that even the publisher has trouble doing so). I’m unsure.
At the end of the day, and confusion aside, I would give this book 4 stars. Not perfect by any means, but highly entertaining and compulsively readable. Overall, The Endless Vessel gets points for originality, creativity and BIG ideas, and I’m sure I will be thinking about it for a long time to come.
The book reads like a Michael Crichton technothriller (which I personally love), and had vibes of Alix Harrow’s The Ten Thousand Doors of January, Andy Weir’s Project Hail Mary, Emily St. John Mandel’s Sea of Tranquility, and Blake Crouch’s Dark Matter. This made for a very unique and interesting reading experience, unlike anything I’ve read before. It kept me engaged and I honestly flew through it, needing to know what came next. I would recommend this as a quick and quirky read (with some deeply philosophical and urgent themes), that will entertain and appeal to almost any type of reader. If nothing else, it will absolutely get you questioning the world we live in and how human beings exist and interact on this earth.
Positives aside, the structure of this book didn’t entirely work for me. It’s broken down into 2 separate timelines, told in separate 150-page chunks, and then tied together in the final 100 pages. As it stands, the nested storylines are both interesting and engaging enough on their own, but they feel disjointed and disconnected from one another. Part II was a curious place to take the story, and although it provided necessary background, it wasn’t a particularly exciting answer to the questions set forth in Part I. Not to mention, while reading the second section, I found myself missing the characters I had connected with in the first, making the second feel like it dragged on a bit too long. I think a story like this, designed to be a sort of puzzle, could have benefited from a different narrative structure. Perhaps, the author could have given the reader bits and pieces of each story as the book moved along, and allowed the alternating timelines to tie themselves together organically in the end, instead of being wholly juxtaposed and separated. This could have heightened the reader’s anticipation throughout, and made the puzzle-solving aspect of this book more dynamic and enjoyable. But hey, that’s just me. Overall, this wasn’t a massive issue, it just felt like a missed opportunity.
One other thing…
Am I missing something? Everywhere—from the Goodreads tags, to Amazon comments, to reviews in the Library Journal and Publishers Weekly—descriptions of this book mention time travel. (Did I skip a chapter or something?) There is no time travel in this book. Although taking place over many hundreds of years, and utilizing multiple timelines, and dealing with some pretty strange and hypothetical sciences, there is zero on-page time travel that I was able to note. I agree that it FEELS like it should be a book about a time-traveling ship, but it just simply isn’t. This is just one of the many ways I feel this book was misrepresented. The comparisons to Ready Player One and The Midnight Library in all the publisher’s notes feel equally off to me. This book doesn’t strike me as particularly similar to either of those, although (above) I’ve listed 4 other books it does make me think of. Possibly, this wasn’t meant to mislead, but simply that this book is hard to categorize (so much so that even the publisher has trouble doing so). I’m unsure.
At the end of the day, and confusion aside, I would give this book 4 stars. Not perfect by any means, but highly entertaining and compulsively readable. Overall, The Endless Vessel gets points for originality, creativity and BIG ideas, and I’m sure I will be thinking about it for a long time to come.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 4, 2025
This is one of the most unique dystopian novels I’ve ever read. The imagination behind all of it is so impressive and even though this was a large book, at 452 pages, it flew by. Every single word was imperative to the growth of the story and when it ended I somehow wanted more!
The characters were dynamic and the journey back and forth in timelines kept me fully engaged. I loved this book so much, it’s currently my favorite sci-fi/dystopian of the year! I also did a combo of print and audio and can recommend both.
4.5
The characters were dynamic and the journey back and forth in timelines kept me fully engaged. I loved this book so much, it’s currently my favorite sci-fi/dystopian of the year! I also did a combo of print and audio and can recommend both.
4.5
May 22, 2023
The nitty-gritty: Wonder, whimsey, science and fantasy come together in Charles Soule’s latest, a highly original ode to finding happiness.
Charles Soule comes up with the most unusual ideas for books, and in my opinion he’s outdone himself with The Endless Vessel. This is my third book by the author and my favorite so far. It’s also the most ambitious of his books, a story that spans hundreds of years and takes place all over the world, yet manages to feel intimate as well. If you’re one of those jaded readers who longs to escape the same old tropes and rehashed plots, I highly recommend any of Soule’s books. You won’t be disappointed.
The story takes place in the near future and follows a young woman named Lily Barnes. Lily lives in Hong Kong and works as a materials engineer for a company called CarbonGo which is trying to solve the global warming problem by building a carbon scrubber. At the same time, the world is starting to fall apart in another way, due to a pandemic-level illness called the Grey, which brings about a terrible, life altering depression. Those lost to the Grey will never recover and are sent to institutions for care. Some people who contract the Grey, however, are taken over by a zealous frenzy. These people have banded together under the leadership of a fanatical woman named Aunt Jane, who believes that in order to be happy we must destroy the past and the future. Lily is determined to avoid the Grey herself, and she knows that her job at CarbonGo, a job she loves dearly, gives her a purpose in life and will hopefully keep her safe.
One day at work, Lily’s boss Danny shows her something extraordinary. He’s obtained a futuristic-looking device that, when tested, does exactly what the company has been trying to achieve. And when Lily opens it up to inspect the design, she recognizes the tangle of wires and the way they’re woven together, which reads almost like a signature. Lily immediately sets out on a rather perilous adventure to discover where the device came from, and her investigation eventually leads her to a company called Calder & Calder.
Alongside Lily’s story, Soule jumps back in time to 1789 where we meet Apollo and Molly Calder, who own a textile mill in Massachusetts. When Apollo dies suddenly and Molly is left a widow, she decides to take the fortune her husband left her, sell the company and pursue what will be the driving force for the rest of her life: she wants to find a way to bring Apollo back to life. Molly has the determination—and the money—to employ the world’s brightest scientists and scholars in pursuit of her goal, and over the years, although success remains just out of reach, Molly realizes she has created a family of sorts. As those in her employ begin to make other important discoveries, Molly decides to build a ship and take to the seas, where they can continue their research away from the prying eyes of society. The ship, christened the Lazarene, will become infamous over the years, changing and growing into something almost otherworldly.
Finally, we meet Aunt Jane, the terrifying leader of Team Joy Joy who is convinced that spreading the Grey to every person on the planet is the only way to achieve happiness. All three storylines eventually converge as Lily desperately tries to uncover the truth about the carbon scrubber device and the person who made it.
This is such a tough book to recap, and I really don’t want to give too much away. Just trust me when I say that all three disparate parts are important, and Soule brings them together in some surprising ways. When I got to the end of the first section, I was not happy leaving Lily’s adventures unfinished—after a shocking twist, no less—and then jumping into Molly’s story, which at first didn’t seem to tie into anything. But I should have trusted Soule, because Molly’s adventures are the foundation for the entire story.
Soule’s imagined future isn’t a happy one, although Lily and those on board the Lazarene are certainly intent on bringing happiness back. First, you have the cult-like, ironically named Team Joy Joy, led by crazy Aunt Jane. I was horrified at the destruction she’s able to inflict on the world, as Jane has her fingers in every military and government agency and all the weapons and bombs that go along with them. On top of that, the Grey is steadily encroaching on humanity. Already billions are afflicted, and due to a little video called the Despair Manifesto, insidiously hidden in social media and other online entertainment, more and more people are succumbing to the Grey without even realizing it. Lily’s beloved boyfriend David has already been infected, and her mother as well, so Lily has some very personal reasons for trying to reverse it.
And then there are the wonders of the Lazarene, an almost mythical vessel that has survived for hundreds of years. I won’t spoil its surprises, because it’s much more fun to discover them yourself, but there is a wonderful element involving a magical forest that ties into Molly’s quest to find her husband again. Soule explores life, death, the soul, and meaningful human connections, all without straying too far from his original plot.
Most importantly, Soule’s characters add life to his story. Lily is a fantastic character, a rare optimist in the middle of a terrible disease that causes depression, fiercely loyal to those she loves and determined to solve the mysteries she’s encountered. Molly is almost her counterpart a couple of centuries earlier. Both women refuse to let anyone stand in the way of their goals, and I cheered them on, even when things seemed grim. Soule introduces a host of wonderful side characters as well. We meet a famous rock star named Peter Match who accompanies Lily on her journey; Lily’s boyfriend David, who has moments of clarity even though he has the Grey; and the mysterious Luis Pedrona, a man who knows much more about the world than he lets on.
The last part of the story is a nail-biter, as Team Joy Joy’s plans to end the world seem to be coming to a head, while Lily and the others on the Lazarene try to stop that from happening. The emotional ending gave me goosebumps and brought me to tears, and I couldn’t imagine the story ending any other way. If I could join the crew of the Lazarene myself, I would do it in a heartbeat, but reading The Endless Vessel is the next best thing. Don’t miss it.
Big thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy.
Charles Soule comes up with the most unusual ideas for books, and in my opinion he’s outdone himself with The Endless Vessel. This is my third book by the author and my favorite so far. It’s also the most ambitious of his books, a story that spans hundreds of years and takes place all over the world, yet manages to feel intimate as well. If you’re one of those jaded readers who longs to escape the same old tropes and rehashed plots, I highly recommend any of Soule’s books. You won’t be disappointed.
The story takes place in the near future and follows a young woman named Lily Barnes. Lily lives in Hong Kong and works as a materials engineer for a company called CarbonGo which is trying to solve the global warming problem by building a carbon scrubber. At the same time, the world is starting to fall apart in another way, due to a pandemic-level illness called the Grey, which brings about a terrible, life altering depression. Those lost to the Grey will never recover and are sent to institutions for care. Some people who contract the Grey, however, are taken over by a zealous frenzy. These people have banded together under the leadership of a fanatical woman named Aunt Jane, who believes that in order to be happy we must destroy the past and the future. Lily is determined to avoid the Grey herself, and she knows that her job at CarbonGo, a job she loves dearly, gives her a purpose in life and will hopefully keep her safe.
One day at work, Lily’s boss Danny shows her something extraordinary. He’s obtained a futuristic-looking device that, when tested, does exactly what the company has been trying to achieve. And when Lily opens it up to inspect the design, she recognizes the tangle of wires and the way they’re woven together, which reads almost like a signature. Lily immediately sets out on a rather perilous adventure to discover where the device came from, and her investigation eventually leads her to a company called Calder & Calder.
Alongside Lily’s story, Soule jumps back in time to 1789 where we meet Apollo and Molly Calder, who own a textile mill in Massachusetts. When Apollo dies suddenly and Molly is left a widow, she decides to take the fortune her husband left her, sell the company and pursue what will be the driving force for the rest of her life: she wants to find a way to bring Apollo back to life. Molly has the determination—and the money—to employ the world’s brightest scientists and scholars in pursuit of her goal, and over the years, although success remains just out of reach, Molly realizes she has created a family of sorts. As those in her employ begin to make other important discoveries, Molly decides to build a ship and take to the seas, where they can continue their research away from the prying eyes of society. The ship, christened the Lazarene, will become infamous over the years, changing and growing into something almost otherworldly.
Finally, we meet Aunt Jane, the terrifying leader of Team Joy Joy who is convinced that spreading the Grey to every person on the planet is the only way to achieve happiness. All three storylines eventually converge as Lily desperately tries to uncover the truth about the carbon scrubber device and the person who made it.
This is such a tough book to recap, and I really don’t want to give too much away. Just trust me when I say that all three disparate parts are important, and Soule brings them together in some surprising ways. When I got to the end of the first section, I was not happy leaving Lily’s adventures unfinished—after a shocking twist, no less—and then jumping into Molly’s story, which at first didn’t seem to tie into anything. But I should have trusted Soule, because Molly’s adventures are the foundation for the entire story.
Soule’s imagined future isn’t a happy one, although Lily and those on board the Lazarene are certainly intent on bringing happiness back. First, you have the cult-like, ironically named Team Joy Joy, led by crazy Aunt Jane. I was horrified at the destruction she’s able to inflict on the world, as Jane has her fingers in every military and government agency and all the weapons and bombs that go along with them. On top of that, the Grey is steadily encroaching on humanity. Already billions are afflicted, and due to a little video called the Despair Manifesto, insidiously hidden in social media and other online entertainment, more and more people are succumbing to the Grey without even realizing it. Lily’s beloved boyfriend David has already been infected, and her mother as well, so Lily has some very personal reasons for trying to reverse it.
And then there are the wonders of the Lazarene, an almost mythical vessel that has survived for hundreds of years. I won’t spoil its surprises, because it’s much more fun to discover them yourself, but there is a wonderful element involving a magical forest that ties into Molly’s quest to find her husband again. Soule explores life, death, the soul, and meaningful human connections, all without straying too far from his original plot.
Most importantly, Soule’s characters add life to his story. Lily is a fantastic character, a rare optimist in the middle of a terrible disease that causes depression, fiercely loyal to those she loves and determined to solve the mysteries she’s encountered. Molly is almost her counterpart a couple of centuries earlier. Both women refuse to let anyone stand in the way of their goals, and I cheered them on, even when things seemed grim. Soule introduces a host of wonderful side characters as well. We meet a famous rock star named Peter Match who accompanies Lily on her journey; Lily’s boyfriend David, who has moments of clarity even though he has the Grey; and the mysterious Luis Pedrona, a man who knows much more about the world than he lets on.
The last part of the story is a nail-biter, as Team Joy Joy’s plans to end the world seem to be coming to a head, while Lily and the others on the Lazarene try to stop that from happening. The emotional ending gave me goosebumps and brought me to tears, and I couldn’t imagine the story ending any other way. If I could join the crew of the Lazarene myself, I would do it in a heartbeat, but reading The Endless Vessel is the next best thing. Don’t miss it.
Big thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy.
June 9, 2023
I really enjoyed this book. Scifi, dystopia, all that lovely stuff. A big epic story done right, by focusing on the characters instead of getting bogged down with the world-building (although the titular vessel and its travels certainly would have made for some great expanded reading).
One tiny issue I had: early in the book, people in a bar are watching an Adam Sandler movie called Happy Madison. But that movie doesn't exist. There's Billy Madison and Happy Gilmore, and his production company is called Happy Madison. But... they couldn't have been watching a movie with that title even if it is set in the future (although Sandler has been lazier in the past...). And the scene WAS set in Hong Kong? So maybe a translation issue? Anyway, it wasn't anything that ruined the story for me, just kind of threw me for a loop.
One tiny issue I had: early in the book, people in a bar are watching an Adam Sandler movie called Happy Madison. But that movie doesn't exist. There's Billy Madison and Happy Gilmore, and his production company is called Happy Madison. But... they couldn't have been watching a movie with that title even if it is set in the future (although Sandler has been lazier in the past...). And the scene WAS set in Hong Kong? So maybe a translation issue? Anyway, it wasn't anything that ruined the story for me, just kind of threw me for a loop.
October 19, 2023
All right, I'm done: A DNF at 81% of the story.
I'm just done with this nonsense. At this point, I'd rather not know how this story ends because all the answers will ultimately be unsatisfying. This book just tried too hard to be too many things at the same time and lost me as a result. But the really worst thing about it is that the stories within and the ideas are actually good. Really good! Too good to be handled in a single novel that deserved to be three different stories. By the time I got to the end of Part 1 (which, by the way, goes by without a single mention of vessel), I wanted to know how Lily Barnes was going to defeat the Gray. Because that's what it seemed like the story was building up to. Instead, we get a new, sci-fiey element thrown in, an element which made me ask so many questions.
But Soule chooses instead to take us back, for the whole second half, into a completely different story. I understand that some writers come up with backgrounds for their worlds that they love, but this is pushing it. It's a classic Charles Soule weakness: his inability not to explain things, or reuse his own ideas. So we have to spend a whole third of the novel waiting to find out what will happen to our heroes in the present. And the real shame about that is that Molly Colder's story is exceptional in and of itself. Had it not been used solely to fill in the blanks, it could have been given more time to breathe and some of the moments that were fastracked could have been given more time to grow more organically. But that's another Soule failing: the need to explain everything and then leave you hanging when the story has just started going. He hasn't figured out an appropriate balance between his need to explain and his desire to keep the reader's interest through deduction. That's a shame. Part 2 was very much just as interesting a Part 1, just for different reasons. Which is why they could have been separate novels, or at the very least the history of the vessel could have been told first. There was no need to 'prequelise' it the way Soule and his fellow authors in The High Republic did. In fact, it would have made things easier if he had resisted his inner Nolan and stuck to linear time (the fact that I'm criticising the use of a non-linear structure, something I'm usually a big fan of, is a sign of how much Soule lost me in this book).
But that's hardly the worst. When we get to the end of Part 2, I was expecting that we would be going back to Part 3. Instead, Soule seems to dive head first into fantasy, switching genres almost completely. And that's where I started to realise that I might not want to finish this book. I stuck with, desperately. But even when we got back to Part 3, we find ourself in a flashback to explain something that another character did rather than going back to Lily Barnes. And that last for two full chapters. All the while remembering that there were actual antagonists to deal with from Part 1, and peeling back the layers from the mysteries lingering from the end of both Parts 1 and 2.
At this point, my brain was just going through the motions of reading the book. There was no saving The Endless Vessel from itself. Because, just like Part 1 and Part 2, the ideas used in Part 3 are good. Incredibly good. But why, why use them only at the end of the book when we'll have more questions than answers? Has Charles Soule become so overworked between working on The High Republic, the running Star Wars Marvel comic series, not one, not two, but FOUR crossovers in the time span between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi (and each one of them trying to accomodate every single comic series Star Wars is jugling right now), and countless other comics and projects I know he works on, that he is starting to lose control of his creativity? Not to mention also being a Creative Consultant for Lucasfilm, which must add more responsibilities onto that. Why would he try to fit in an original novel in the middle of that? It's almost criminal how he butchered three incredible stories and tried to mix them together in a single novel.
It just confirms that I am losing interest in Charles Soule as a storyteller. He needs to get out of his own head for a while, realise that he is a gifted author, and figure out where his talent would be best used. Should he stick to comics only (his four Star Wars crossovers show that he starting to lose the plot a bit though, pun intended)? Does he want to reconvert himself completely as a novelist? In that case, he needs to work on a few of his weaknesses, weaknesses I can only explain as being the result of his start in comics. The whole story told in a single frame won't necessarily work the same in a novel.
It's a shame because Soule is the closest we have to a Christopher Nolan novelist. He has never been afraid to be ambitious, tackling complex topics and always trying to imagine different worlds as well as the effects of technology on society. But Nolan, even though he might fire and miss sometimes (looking at you, Tenet), never tries to go too far. He sticks to a single idea for a film and runs with it. Soule is trying to do too much, too fast, all at the same time. And it's just not working for me anymore.
If you've made it to the end of this rant, you're very brave. And I would only say I hope you enjoyed The Endless Vessel more than I did. Or if you're considering reading, best of luck if you still decide to go ahead with it. I'm done.
I'm just done with this nonsense. At this point, I'd rather not know how this story ends because all the answers will ultimately be unsatisfying. This book just tried too hard to be too many things at the same time and lost me as a result. But the really worst thing about it is that the stories within and the ideas are actually good. Really good! Too good to be handled in a single novel that deserved to be three different stories. By the time I got to the end of Part 1 (which, by the way, goes by without a single mention of vessel), I wanted to know how Lily Barnes was going to defeat the Gray. Because that's what it seemed like the story was building up to. Instead, we get a new, sci-fiey element thrown in, an element which made me ask so many questions.
But Soule chooses instead to take us back, for the whole second half, into a completely different story. I understand that some writers come up with backgrounds for their worlds that they love, but this is pushing it. It's a classic Charles Soule weakness: his inability not to explain things, or reuse his own ideas. So we have to spend a whole third of the novel waiting to find out what will happen to our heroes in the present. And the real shame about that is that Molly Colder's story is exceptional in and of itself. Had it not been used solely to fill in the blanks, it could have been given more time to breathe and some of the moments that were fastracked could have been given more time to grow more organically. But that's another Soule failing: the need to explain everything and then leave you hanging when the story has just started going. He hasn't figured out an appropriate balance between his need to explain and his desire to keep the reader's interest through deduction. That's a shame. Part 2 was very much just as interesting a Part 1, just for different reasons. Which is why they could have been separate novels, or at the very least the history of the vessel could have been told first. There was no need to 'prequelise' it the way Soule and his fellow authors in The High Republic did. In fact, it would have made things easier if he had resisted his inner Nolan and stuck to linear time (the fact that I'm criticising the use of a non-linear structure, something I'm usually a big fan of, is a sign of how much Soule lost me in this book).
But that's hardly the worst. When we get to the end of Part 2, I was expecting that we would be going back to Part 3. Instead, Soule seems to dive head first into fantasy, switching genres almost completely. And that's where I started to realise that I might not want to finish this book. I stuck with, desperately. But even when we got back to Part 3, we find ourself in a flashback to explain something that another character did rather than going back to Lily Barnes. And that last for two full chapters. All the while remembering that there were actual antagonists to deal with from Part 1, and peeling back the layers from the mysteries lingering from the end of both Parts 1 and 2.
At this point, my brain was just going through the motions of reading the book. There was no saving The Endless Vessel from itself. Because, just like Part 1 and Part 2, the ideas used in Part 3 are good. Incredibly good. But why, why use them only at the end of the book when we'll have more questions than answers? Has Charles Soule become so overworked between working on The High Republic, the running Star Wars Marvel comic series, not one, not two, but FOUR crossovers in the time span between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi (and each one of them trying to accomodate every single comic series Star Wars is jugling right now), and countless other comics and projects I know he works on, that he is starting to lose control of his creativity? Not to mention also being a Creative Consultant for Lucasfilm, which must add more responsibilities onto that. Why would he try to fit in an original novel in the middle of that? It's almost criminal how he butchered three incredible stories and tried to mix them together in a single novel.
It just confirms that I am losing interest in Charles Soule as a storyteller. He needs to get out of his own head for a while, realise that he is a gifted author, and figure out where his talent would be best used. Should he stick to comics only (his four Star Wars crossovers show that he starting to lose the plot a bit though, pun intended)? Does he want to reconvert himself completely as a novelist? In that case, he needs to work on a few of his weaknesses, weaknesses I can only explain as being the result of his start in comics. The whole story told in a single frame won't necessarily work the same in a novel.
It's a shame because Soule is the closest we have to a Christopher Nolan novelist. He has never been afraid to be ambitious, tackling complex topics and always trying to imagine different worlds as well as the effects of technology on society. But Nolan, even though he might fire and miss sometimes (looking at you, Tenet), never tries to go too far. He sticks to a single idea for a film and runs with it. Soule is trying to do too much, too fast, all at the same time. And it's just not working for me anymore.
If you've made it to the end of this rant, you're very brave. And I would only say I hope you enjoyed The Endless Vessel more than I did. Or if you're considering reading, best of luck if you still decide to go ahead with it. I'm done.
July 18, 2023
In the not so distant future the world is suffering from a crippling affliction known as “The Grey”. Once a person is affected, its outcome is as grim as the sickness itself, confounding medical experts everywhere.
Interestingly, the disease can manifest in different forms. Its most severe cases result in complete withdrawal and often suicidal thoughts. But at the other end of the spectrum, there is the Joy Joy-a dangerous segment of the population that sees the world is ending, and chooses to embrace it fully, no matter the cost.
The story opens by introducing us to Lily Barnes, a young scientist working in Hong Kong. When Lily is suddenly let go from a job that brings her actual joy, she understandably panics, afraid this could cause her to succumb to The Grey herself. But upon closer inspection of the catalyst of her termination, Lily is thrust into an exploration beyond her wildest dreams.
While Lily is the heroine of this story, the book itself is divided into segments- each one explaining the origins of principal players and places that lead the readers to the present day world. A true testament to a wonderful imagination, author Charles Soule manages to create a world that both bemuses and distresses- in part because of the undercurrent of truth needed to foster such an inventive story.
At its core, The Endless Vessel is a character study of human nature and its need to find joy in our daily existence. I believe this would make an excellent series, bringing both terror and timeliness to its audience.
Interestingly, the disease can manifest in different forms. Its most severe cases result in complete withdrawal and often suicidal thoughts. But at the other end of the spectrum, there is the Joy Joy-a dangerous segment of the population that sees the world is ending, and chooses to embrace it fully, no matter the cost.
The story opens by introducing us to Lily Barnes, a young scientist working in Hong Kong. When Lily is suddenly let go from a job that brings her actual joy, she understandably panics, afraid this could cause her to succumb to The Grey herself. But upon closer inspection of the catalyst of her termination, Lily is thrust into an exploration beyond her wildest dreams.
While Lily is the heroine of this story, the book itself is divided into segments- each one explaining the origins of principal players and places that lead the readers to the present day world. A true testament to a wonderful imagination, author Charles Soule manages to create a world that both bemuses and distresses- in part because of the undercurrent of truth needed to foster such an inventive story.
At its core, The Endless Vessel is a character study of human nature and its need to find joy in our daily existence. I believe this would make an excellent series, bringing both terror and timeliness to its audience.
August 4, 2023
As a fan of dystopian tales, I was surprised how much I disliked this book. The premise was intriguing and the opus began on firm footing, but I simply lost interest by the halfway mark. I agree with some armchair critics who suggest the narrative is “all over the place.” I couldn’t connect with the characters, and even by overly-flexible sci-fi standards, the twists were simply too fantastical — and not in a rewarding way. One of the promotional blurbs compares this work with "Midnight Library." Not even remotely close.
April 26, 2023
I've read all of Soule's novels and a great many of his comics, and I have to say this was one of my least favorites. The pacing felt a bit flat to me, the plot was only okay to me, and I felt myself want to rush through it so it'd just be over instead of wanted to enjoy it. With that said this isn't an awful or a bad book just not as good as Anyone or Oracle.
July 4, 2023
I kept waiting for the stuff I read to make sense, but it never did. So many scenes with no point to them. Unless that was the author’s point, that there is no point. But then what is the point of me reading this book?
October 29, 2023
"The Endless Vessel" is wildly imaginative and a definite brain-bender at times. Despite a brief slump in pacing, I enjoyed sinking into the world that Charles Soule (a well-known Marvel comic book writer) has created for us.
We begin the novel following scientist Lily Barnes, a materials engineer who years prior fled her tumultuous childhood in England and is now living in Hong Kong, working on engineering a device that will reduce carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. The world she lives in now has been affected by "The Grey," a pandemic of deep depression with no available cure. Struggling to keep her own happiness despite the loss of many friends and colleagues to this darkness, Lily soon finds herself swept up in a mystery when her employer shows her an unfathomably advanced device that promises to revolutionize climate science.
Soule sets up his novel in three segments: By far, my favorite segment was Book 1, where we meet Lily and learn about the blight on the world. Book 2 goes back in time to the 1700s to learn some context for the mysterious device and Lily's own history. This was a bit of a jarring leap and is where the pacing of the book sags the most. Book 3 brings everything together with a somewhat sudden ending, which may be a tad underwhelming for the build-up that came before. The concept was strong enough, though, that I forgave "The Endless Vessel" for these minor flaws and didn't feel my time was wasted. This is a great choice for those who only flirt with the sci-fi genre, as none of the science included is overly detailed or complex.
We begin the novel following scientist Lily Barnes, a materials engineer who years prior fled her tumultuous childhood in England and is now living in Hong Kong, working on engineering a device that will reduce carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. The world she lives in now has been affected by "The Grey," a pandemic of deep depression with no available cure. Struggling to keep her own happiness despite the loss of many friends and colleagues to this darkness, Lily soon finds herself swept up in a mystery when her employer shows her an unfathomably advanced device that promises to revolutionize climate science.
Soule sets up his novel in three segments: By far, my favorite segment was Book 1, where we meet Lily and learn about the blight on the world. Book 2 goes back in time to the 1700s to learn some context for the mysterious device and Lily's own history. This was a bit of a jarring leap and is where the pacing of the book sags the most. Book 3 brings everything together with a somewhat sudden ending, which may be a tad underwhelming for the build-up that came before. The concept was strong enough, though, that I forgave "The Endless Vessel" for these minor flaws and didn't feel my time was wasted. This is a great choice for those who only flirt with the sci-fi genre, as none of the science included is overly detailed or complex.
June 16, 2023
Everyone says the final third of the book is the best, and it's true. A wild ride and incredibly heartwarming.
June 17, 2023
7.2/10
The Endless Vessel is a science fiction book set in the near future and also has another timeline set in the 1700s. The near future world is being infected by a disease called "The Grey". Once someone is infected with "The Grey" they essentially lose all desire and passion to live life. This book can be scary at times because it does present issues that do not seem entirely too far fetched. The science fiction aspects were very unique and opened up my mind. It was very contemplative.
Overall, I liked this novel. I did have some issues with the pacing. The middle of the book felt like a bit of a slog. However, I loved the message, the idea, and the themes of this story. It's an intricate story that deals with some modern day challenges that we face. The book is never preachy but it deals with things like depression, mental illness/health, loneliness, climate change, reliance on technology, and erasing history. It's truly a story about what it means to be human. Connectedness, love, friendship, the bonds we make. We as humans, all have emotions, fears, and demons. However, we can get through it all together. Relationships and bonds make us stronger. We grow. We persevere.
The Endless Vessel is a science fiction book set in the near future and also has another timeline set in the 1700s. The near future world is being infected by a disease called "The Grey". Once someone is infected with "The Grey" they essentially lose all desire and passion to live life. This book can be scary at times because it does present issues that do not seem entirely too far fetched. The science fiction aspects were very unique and opened up my mind. It was very contemplative.
Overall, I liked this novel. I did have some issues with the pacing. The middle of the book felt like a bit of a slog. However, I loved the message, the idea, and the themes of this story. It's an intricate story that deals with some modern day challenges that we face. The book is never preachy but it deals with things like depression, mental illness/health, loneliness, climate change, reliance on technology, and erasing history. It's truly a story about what it means to be human. Connectedness, love, friendship, the bonds we make. We as humans, all have emotions, fears, and demons. However, we can get through it all together. Relationships and bonds make us stronger. We grow. We persevere.
July 8, 2024
I could not put this book down whenever I got time to read. Imaginative, gripping, emotional and shocking at times, all at once, this novel held me by the throat all the way through, despite its saccharine and perhaps predictable ending. It’s been a while since I was into a world within a book to this degree. I just wish we learned more about the boat and all its wonders. An extra star for two Tolkien references towards the end there, too. I will be recommending it to all sci-fi loving friends.
June 28, 2023
Perhaps the most metaphysical Soule book yet, but not without its charms and definitely a surprising treat for the nautically inclined.
August 23, 2023
On the surface it’s about…
a near future in which a virus that causes suicidal depression or manic joy has humankind on the brink of destruction, but one scientist hopes she can find a solution by tracking down a mysterious group with advanced technology.
But it’s actually about…
how important the relationships between humans are to the mental health of humanity.
It was awesome that…
The big beautiful themes:
-be kind
-it's important that we know each other, try to understand each other
-open-mindedness and acceptance leads to the betterment of all humanity
What this taught me about how to be good is…
being good means trying to understand each other and giving each other hope.
What this taught me about how to die is…
an ending is a change. It might be different for different people, but it's best if it helps others.
Best read…
by people who like suspenseful stories even after the big secret is revealed.
a near future in which a virus that causes suicidal depression or manic joy has humankind on the brink of destruction, but one scientist hopes she can find a solution by tracking down a mysterious group with advanced technology.
But it’s actually about…
how important the relationships between humans are to the mental health of humanity.
It was awesome that…
The big beautiful themes:
-be kind
-it's important that we know each other, try to understand each other
-open-mindedness and acceptance leads to the betterment of all humanity
What this taught me about how to be good is…
being good means trying to understand each other and giving each other hope.
What this taught me about how to die is…
an ending is a change. It might be different for different people, but it's best if it helps others.
Best read…
by people who like suspenseful stories even after the big secret is revealed.
June 21, 2023
2.5 stars
January 24, 2024
this was great!! until it was like … just fine
June 27, 2023
This one gets a lot of points for creativity. Going in, I didn't really have any idea what to expect, but I was pleased and entertained throughout. The characters were different and unique and I thought that really helped drive the story. It has some flaws to my mind but none so big to be worth mentioning here. I definitely recommend this to sci-fi fans and anyone who likes strong female protagonists.
September 20, 2023
I read every book that mentions Cloud Atlas in the blurb and the same is true every time: they are nothing like Cloud Atlas, they are never special, I never learn. This one had potential (to be good, not great), but the story was told poorly.
June 5, 2023
Endless Vessel by Charles Soule exists in the near future.
"Humanity has been stricken with a depression plague, known as the Grey. Once you have it, there's no going back.
A young materials engineer, Lily Barnes, is working in Hong Kong, trying to find some way to bleed the excess carbon from the atmosphere. When her boss shows her a device, Lily is ecstatic that it appears to work. But when she looks inside she makes an odd discovery - and heads out looking for answers.
What she finds is beyond her wildest dreams."
Soule has dreamed up a world that sounds like it could be true. The Grey does not sound that improbable. And Lily's discoveries are amazing.. So many great characters - Molly and Apollo, Aunt Jane, Peter the Rock Star and best of all - the Garbage Man.
This story reminds me of a Neal Stephenson book. There's technology with some history behind it - and a Ben Franklin appearance.. Soule also comments on some societal issues without being preachy. And the ending is certainly apt.
If you like a little character-driven sci-fi or liked his previous books, you should enjoy this book. Great new fiction from Soule.
"Humanity has been stricken with a depression plague, known as the Grey. Once you have it, there's no going back.
A young materials engineer, Lily Barnes, is working in Hong Kong, trying to find some way to bleed the excess carbon from the atmosphere. When her boss shows her a device, Lily is ecstatic that it appears to work. But when she looks inside she makes an odd discovery - and heads out looking for answers.
What she finds is beyond her wildest dreams."
Soule has dreamed up a world that sounds like it could be true. The Grey does not sound that improbable. And Lily's discoveries are amazing.. So many great characters - Molly and Apollo, Aunt Jane, Peter the Rock Star and best of all - the Garbage Man.
This story reminds me of a Neal Stephenson book. There's technology with some history behind it - and a Ben Franklin appearance.. Soule also comments on some societal issues without being preachy. And the ending is certainly apt.
If you like a little character-driven sci-fi or liked his previous books, you should enjoy this book. Great new fiction from Soule.
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