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.

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.

This is a fascinating story written by a seasoned Marvel writer! Charles Soule is well known in the field and I will certainly look up other books by him.

In our future, the world is battling a depression plague called the Grey. It's unpredictable and incurable and is caused more and more purposefully by a group called the Joy who feel that hastening the end of the world will bring solace to all. In order for for the non depressed to stay safe, it's important to avoid screens and computers and anything that might host a surprise pop up from the diabolical Joy.

In Hong Kong, we meet Lily Barnes, a materials engineer trying to create a carbon scrubber to save the Earth (and avoid the Grey). When she discovers her boss has a prototype, an astonishing adventure begins.

While following Lily's adventure we travel back in time to the 1700's where half of a couple is consumed with bringing her dead partner back to life. These stories eventually converge with the leader of the Joy and you simply will be speechless by the creativity, the complexity and the insight in this work. #EndlessVessel #CharlesSoule #HarperPerennial

I received this advance reader copy from NetGalley, in exchange for a fair review. This novel was absolutely spelled binding! I fell immediately in love with the storyline. I think Lily Barnes was a fascinating character and distinctly human, full of flaws. I couldn't put this book down! I was fascinated throughout, what an incredible debut novel!

Obviously written during the pandemic, this novel captures the end of the world, "armageddon" feeling that we all may have had during that time. In addition, throw climate change, the mental health crisis, and so many other things on to that burden carried by all of us. I love how the writer successfully blended all these different, difficult challenges together into a current day story.

The only challenge for me was when the author switched our protagonist from Lily to Molly in the middle of the book, which actually makes the story that much richer. But overall it was a bit of a tricky transition for me personally, many other readers may not have this problem. But of course it makes complete sense once you get to the ending.

I encourage anyone interested in a really inspiring and intricately plotted story, filled with fascinating characters, filled with the challenge of being human, to read this incredible novel. 5 Stars!

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.

This is an amazing, unique book, the subjects it touches on, eerily resonate to things today. Living the last few pandemic years, the idea of The Grey & things going on in this fictional world, are painfully relatable. That being said it didn’t bring me down, rather it weaved an entertaining tale that felt very hopeful.

This is the exact kind of science fiction I enjoy. Set in near future with plausible themes & plots, yet still thought provoking & with rich characters. Where the story leads at the half way mark was nothing short of genius & such a surprise. I definitely did not know where the book was going to take me. If you love science fiction, history, fringe science, mysticism & so much more, I highly suggest this book.

4.5/5

Creative as all hell this book is. I am now going to think about it for a while and search for another book that is just as good. That’s going to be really hard to do.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC!

Current DNF... The story didn't really resonate with me, and the characters fell a little flat. Maybe I'll revisit it in the future. The concept was interesting, I need to give it another shot later on.

I was so grateful and excited to get approved for this book because I am a fan of the writer's work in other mediums. Life conspired against me however the moment I downloaded it. I had no time to read except for a 30 minute lunch break three days a week.

This was really hard but it gave me the experience to see how well thought out the pacing of this story was and also appreciate how easily it was to sync back into the adventure.

And this story is a grand adventure. Three women one from a different time, and two living in a world on the edge of destruction are the center of the journey of this story. Each of them are unique for their times and their reaction to a new disease that has raged across an earth that has barely survived a global pandemic. And all are on the path to the Endless Vessel .

There were times in this book where I thought it would be too much for me. So many of us are still raw from the current pandemic. Soule's writing brushes hard against that barely healing wound because it's an experience he has lived through as well. Visiting these themes is essential to the story and to the motivations of Lily' and Jane our present day protagonists.

Through a shift in narrative we learn the origins of the thing Lily seeks and each trial she faces takes us closer to revelations. I really enjoyed the feeling of being guided in this story. While I was conscious of details for this review I was also completely absorbed in the story as each phase of it unfolded. There is such joy in reading something that only requires you to come along, knowing all will be revealed , yet feeling the anticipation of how your guide is going to end the trip. Is the ending what you expected? Where your guesses about the characters fate wrong? Did you guess the ending?
I can happily state no to all of those questions. I didn't want to speculate, I just wanted to read , and learn and KNOW and the finale satisfied me deeply. So join this journey! Avoid spoilers if possible and be prepared to try to find the companion book Charles Soule wrote for this story and successfully funded on kickstarter.

The thriller genre tends to be dominated with guns-blazing knuckle-blustering fast-paced narratives that dabble little in the art of philosophical and fantastical elements. That’s why it’s always a huge delight when I come across books that embody the heart-pumping relentlessness of thrillers with a hearty note of extraordinary scenarios that truly surprise you with the messages they convey. This, in a nutshell, is Endless Vessel.
Charles Soule paints a vivid and scary portrait of our world few years down the line where a large global population has succumbed to a depression plague known as The Grey. It infects indiscriminately, leaving those it infects with a hopelessness in the face of the world. When Lily Barnes, a scientist working in Hong Kong, comes across a mysterious device seemingly aimed at giving the people a better future, she discovers a hidden message meant just for her. As she follows her curiosity, she has no idea the magnitude of storm that’s put in her path. She’s pulled into a mesmerizing interwoven tale of intrigue, danger, philosophy, love, and science in the most unimaginable and creative story that doesn’t just leave you with an experience, but with profound questions you would want to answer for yourself.
Endless Vessel is a journey across nations, time, and worlds with stunning and cinematic action sequences written with a surprisingly great amount of detail to help you visualize the scenes in crisp clarity. From clandestine organizations to rioting rebels, the story encapsulates a grand theme and setting without getting bogged down. The rather extraordinary nature of the narrative makes it so there’s always a new angle for readers to consider and invest themselves in, always another chapter to dive into, and always one more page to read before a good night’s sleep. It’s a slippery slope but the finale is worth it.
Endless Vessel is an excellent break from traditional thrillers and it is sure to appeal to those seeking danger and excitement in the escapes of their books as well as those wishing to embark on a grand adventure unlike anything they’ve read before. It’s a thinker and it’s gonna stay with you for quite a while.

Full review to be posted on https://www.bestthrillerbooks.com/kashif-hussain

A tremendously fun, tremendously powerful adventure tale. Soule's near-future is at once harrowing and hopeful: that it feels so possible is frightening, and yet even from the beginning he teaches you to look for hope. More than that, he pulls off a ripping adventure that might just restore your faith in humanity -- no small feat! This deserves to be a major major hit, and it's perfect for anyone who loved TOMORROW AND TOMORROW AND TOMORROW or THE CARTOGRAPHERS.

Hard to review this book. The premise is fascinating but the image of all of man’s culture going up in flames was really painful. At the same time I was totally engrossed in the book.
On balance I would recommend it with the proviso that it is often upsetting although the ending redeems any negative feelings.

Thank you to NetGalley and the amazing publisher for the ARC of this title! I am so grateful to be auto-approved for this title!
I look forward to reading and reviewing. More to come!

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, a ln 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.

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.

"Combining the wonder of The Midnight Library, the inventiveness of Ready Player One, and the artistry of Cloud Atlas, this novel by the bestselling author of The Oracle Year and Anyone explores the way we're all connected - and what can happen when we lose our capacity for joy.

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.

From its opening heart-stopping scene in the present day at the Louvre in Paris, through the earthly meetings between Lily and her loved ones past and present, to a shocking and satisfying conclusion in a truly enchanted forest, Charles Soule has channeled history, science and drama to create a story for the ages - a story of hope and love and possibility. This is a novel you will not soon forget."

I'm totally banking on Charles Soule to write a book nothing like the three books namechecked in this blurb.

Thank you NetGalley, Charles Soule, and Harper Perennial for allowing me to read an advanced copy of The Endless Vessel.

This was such a beautifully written book. It is broken down into three parts. The first part stops on a cliffhanger and then part two picks up in a different timeline, so you're left wondering when your questions will be answered. Everything does end up tying together well though.

The Grey infects the population like a plague, but there are three versions of how people are affected by it. The description of the Echolands was absolutely mesmerizing. I hope this book gets turned into a movie.

3.75/5 stars! In this dystopian science-fiction novel by author Charles Soule, the reader gets to ask where the line between human connection and human extinction is, even at a subconscious level. The true message of this story is the importance of human connection and never giving up on yourself or those you need. I felt like this story was well written, but didn't grip me as much as I would like. I did find the ending uplifting and inspirational, however.

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

This was a great read! I was a little unsure of it at the beginning, but it hooked my by the 15% mark. I was intrigued by what was going on with the intercessions and the grey plague. I got so into each individual story, that I was disappointed when it switched to a new narrative, but then I fell in love with THAT story. I loved the way that it all tied together. Huge fan!

This is a beautifully written and poignant book with a clear message that we need to connect to other people. People get the grey when they get isolated and loose their joy. Lily wants to find the answer and save humanity. She discovers other worlds and has her eyes open to the truth.

The description of the trees and colors was so vivid and descriptive. I wished I could visit this magical place.