Powell is an author I have heard a lot about, but up until now, I’ve never read one of his books. That is going to have to change now.

Having read the blurb, I was confused as to how something so high stakes could be recommended to Becky chambers fans, but somehow, this book managed it.

This book was very well paced, and managed to fit in a lot of character development whilst also delivering a lot of plot. I was initially sceptical of Cris, but the development of her relationship with Ursula felt realistic, and very human.

The Cutters are a really threatening enemy – what do you do when facing someone whose only motivation is to kill. The revelation at the end is a terrifying warning – how do you reconcile that the Cutters actually exist for our own good?

And 29%

The prose here is boring but also, the formating of this arc is terrible. Will try the author again but this one was a miss from me.

The Earth getting destroyed is a constant from Hitchhiker’s Guide to very recently Adrian Tchaikovsky’s Final Architecture series and in these kind of stories it’s not the end of the stories but the beginning. What is humanity without a planet? Do we get better or stay the same when we have no home. Does that perhaps remind us how we tend to think of those without a home? It’s a really interesting concept and Gareth L Powell plays with it again in Future’s Edge a new science fiction novel that is trying in a single story to do a lot and for me while entertaining also feels unusually like we could have enjoyed many more books in this world.

Ursula Morrow is running a bar on a refugee camp many light years from the destroyed Earth she called home once. Two years since she escaped one of a few hundred million humans from a savage merciless race known as the Cutters who are systematically destroying planets across the galaxy and no one can stop them. Ursula was once an archaeologist but that career has no purpose any more and she also accidentally received an alien parasite on a dig giving her immense healing powers. She dreams of her ticket out of there but instead is finding her ex husband has found her and thinks she may be the secret they need to finally fight back. A much bigger adventure awaits.

If you fancy a high speed hiring adventure bouncing through the end days of Earth and a desperate fight for survival with added gangsters and aliens to meet along the way you’ll have fun with with. Powell is always an incredibly inventive author and this story is more aligned to big alien mysteries where secret technology, ancient secrets and a gang of plucky humans have to race across space to try and stop things. Big adventures and fast paced action arrive. Friendly robots, sentient AI ships, ancient secrets and very alien aliens await. That is always fun to delve into!

My issue though is I selfishly felt I needed a lot more. This story is a standalone and we have the destruction of humanity, Ursula’s own mystery and on top of that a giant fight back. We bounce around past and present in the character’s lives and for me it felt very much skimmed through with a focus more on infodumping explanations for why we have AI ships, galactic hyper space paths and it’s a little too frenetic for my tastes. For me the constant movement feels like very little room for characters to breathe and make an impact, when one key character dies I found I struggled to see the impact they made on the characters based on the incredibly brief page time they got. There are huge big SF themes that could be dialled into and this for me unusually needed more pages to explore without slowing down the story. It’s almost like a duology or trilogy trimmed to one single tale but without enough cut from the major tale. For me while fun I felt it could have had a lot more to tempt us with.

I always enjoy a Powell novel and can see a lot to enjoy here but this story for me feels a little overloaded of the size that it is and ideally I’d had loved a sequel or two to really make this story tell us a bigger epic tale. Others though may appreciate the condensed format will work for them.

After discovering interstellar travel – via a phenomenon dubbed ‘tramlines’ – mankind’s diaspora takes on new meaning when Earth is destroyed by the utterly alien ‘Cutters’. Not wholly of our reality, these near-unstoppable killing machines seem to have no goal bar destruction.

Now a last ragtag gathering of humans and other species facing the same troubles is waiting their turn to journey far across the galaxy in the hopes of finding peace. One refugee is a former archaeologist, Ursula Morrow, who only escaped Earth thanks to her boyfriend, a ship’s captain she hasn’t seen since he got her offworld and heading back into the fight. It also doesn’t hurt (pun intended) that she’s nigh-on indestructible follow a bit of a workplace accident… turns out, touching ancient alien artefacts is not really a great idea!

But now, with the war feeling hopeless, Ursula is approached by her ex – and his new ‘wife’, the sentient starship, Crisis Actor. They want to try one last, desperate ploy: to rejoin Ursula with the alien artefact that infected her down to her DNA, which they believe may be a weapon that can destroy the Cutters.

There are no shortage of world-ended, desperate space fights-and-flight novels out there, but this one is definitely worthy of your time. Despite the early tone of desperation – well, y’know, destruction of the planet and all – the story never loses a hopeful edge. The world-building is excellent, as is explanation of how space travel can be possible, but not without some consequences.

Most of all, the characters are compelling. Ursula has been through the mill but is a likeable main viewpoint. I usually cannot stand ‘love triangles’, but the shock of meeting her ex, Jack, and finding him married to his ship works well. And the ship (with synthetic, humanoid form), Cris, is a great character in her own right.

Overall this is just an engrossing, very well-told story. It’s got a great balance between keeping the story ticking along at a good pace, explaining enough but not to the detriment of pacing, and enough personal stories and character development to draw the reader in. But most of all, it’s a really cool idea of a ‘what if’ about the universe.

Recommended!

I've been starved for good sci-fi in recent years in the rise of fantasy; seems we either get dystopian eco-fiction or the robots take over sorts of stories for science fiction these days. Future's Edge is classic sci-fi inspired by the golden age of the genre. A touch of space opera but not pure space opera. I had a thoroughly entertaining time with this.

I've followed the author's career for a long time now, found him to be one of the most approachable authors on social media. I've also followed his real-life romance with a fellow author. I thought this was one of his most personal books yet. I felt more emotionally connected to these characters than I have in past books of his.

This is at its heart a story about unity and survival in the face of an alien invasion that wipes out most life on earth. Ursula Morrow, an archaeologist on a universe that no longer needs her skills, has to give up the life of adventure she had imagined for herself as a naive, idealistic student. She has an instant romantic connection with a soldier, Jack, who helps her escape. On a remote world on an archaeological dig before it all went to hell, she had touched an alien artefact with her bare hands that made her practically invincible.

She winds up running a bar at a refugee camp, holding out hope that Jack will come back for her. He does, but not in the way she imagined. He's now married to his ship, a sentient AI, and he needs her to operate the alien artefact again. They think it could be a weapon to destroy the Cutters. But what if there's something out there scarier than the Cutters?

This was a character-driven thrilling adventure that also put the science back in science fiction. I appreciated how the love story didn't go the love triangle or romantic subplot route and Jack and the Crisis Actor were an established couple. I also appreciated how it was a fresh take on the "evil robot takeover" trope - the robots aren't evil in this but rather sentient beings with complicated feelings.

I also loved Ursula's character, how she struggled with a drinking problem and worked through whether her love for Jack was a childish obsession or true love. She was a very real character who transformed in an inspiring way. File this one under men who write women well. I also appreciated that this wasn't heavy on backstory or info-dumping about worldbuilding, but the worldbuilding in this was interesting.

A fun science fiction adventure with a personal touch. Recommended.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance review copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I would like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read and honestly review an advanced reader’s copy of this book.

Future's Edge by Gareth L. Powell is a fast-paced, modern, universe-expanding adventure. Following the destruction of Earth by the alien Cutters, the story centres on Ursula, who is infected by an alien parasite and running a bar on a refugee planet. Her life is disrupted by the arrival of her ex-husband, who brings with him a plan to defeat the Cutters.

While Future's Edge delivers the action-packed sci-fi adventure one expects, its true strength lies in its exploration of Ursula's complex relationships with the novel's diverse and well-developed cast. The emotional weight of losing Earth and everyone she loved is explored, adding depth to her journey. In particular, Ursula's interactions with her ex-husband and his new wife, Cris, an AI military ship, contribute significantly to the narrative's richness.

Although the ending felt somewhat premature, I thoroughly enjoyed the story and the thought-provoking concepts it explores. If you're a fan of action-packed sci-fi adventures with likeable and fascinating characters, you will likely find Future's Edge a compelling read.

This book follows Ursula an archeaologist living in a refugee camp after the fall of earth. The story is interesting and the writing well done however the plot wasn't always enticing.

This was a brilliant first novel of mine for Gareth Powell and im eager to see what else is in store. I think i'm going to now start the back catalogue

Another wonderful Space Opera by one of the modern British greats. Future's Edge in another stand alone story of alien artifacts, space piracy, and planets spanning chases, Powell's space adventures are pure fun reads

I would like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read and honestly review an advanced reader’s copy of this book.

Future’s Edge is my first experience with Gareth L. Powell’s writing, and I’m sure it won’t be my last. He excels at sci-fi, and I tore through this book faster than the speed of light!

Set after the destruction of Earth by alien forces, humanity is left scattered among the stars. Ursula, our protagonist, barely escapes—thanks to the help of her not-really-ex-husband, Jack. She’s a very compelling character, grappling with the trauma of losing her homeworld and the homesickness that follows. On top of that, she must also face the painful reality that Jack, the man she once loved, is now married to the AI of his warship.

The emotional depth of Future’s Edge makes it more than just a thrilling space adventure. Powell crafts a story that’s both action-packed and deeply human, exploring loss, resilience, and the complexities of love. If you’re a sci-fi fan, this is a must-read!

When you read a lot of science fiction, it can be hard for something to seem unique. Although Future's Edge doesn't always feel completely ground-breaking, there were aspects of the narrative that I found really intriguing. The world presented here does contain some common tropes, but I also would happily read more in this setting, as it felt like there was room for further exploration.
I found the characters to be some of the strongest aspects of Future's Edge - the blurb recommends the book for fans of Becky Chambers and James SA Corey, and I can see the similarities to both. Like Chambers, there is a found family crew which encompasses a variety of sentient races. Even the minor side characters feel well-fleshed out and coherent in their reactions to events. As with James SA Corey, we have an ancient alien existential threat, and a grand scope of events.
Although the ending felt slightly rushed, overall I found Future's Edge to be a really enjoyable, solid four-star read.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I read an eARC of this book on NetGalley so thank you to the author and publisher. However I enjoyed it so much I pre-ordered the physical book as soon as I finished it.

The main character was just so fascinating and she goes through such a huge amount of personal growth in this story. She’s able to put aside personal feelings for the good of others, in a way that would be really difficult for most people. She’s a true survivor. We meet her as she’s working at a bar in a place most humans are trying to escape from after a strange alien species has destroyed the earth. We learn she was infected by an alien artefact which has given her immense healing abilities.

A reconnection sets her on a path to try and help humanity face this enemy that seeks their annihilation. But this will have her facing heartbreak and loss. I was so impressed by the courage shown by the main character in such a natural way. She’s not an obvious hero, she has human emotions, she has fear. She struggles with what she has to do and forgiving people who have hurt her.

This was such fantastic sci-fi writing. It managed to invoke the vibes of big space opera through the scale of the enemy and threat faced, whilst being a very character focussed story which I loved!

Future’s Edge by Gareth Powell is a scifi action adventure novel with a strong focus on the human connection. The story is told from the first person point of view of archaeologist Ursula Morrow. Ursula’s growth as a character and the relationships she develops with the novel's side characters showcase the author’s skill in writing well-thought out characters. The plot is very action and character oriented and the novel is a quick read. However, scenes are often written in a gimmicky way to move the plot forward, and don’t always feel like a natural progression of the story. Also, while this novel centers on a number of science fiction tropes and concepts, those concepts are not explored in any meaningful way.

In this story, the Earth is destroyed by an alien race known as the “Cutters” and the story begins with the aftermath of those who escaped the attack. Ursula barely escaped the moment of the attack and now lives on a backwater world, running a bar in a refugee camp. She also happens to be infected by an alien parasite that gives her the ability to quickly heal and resist damage to her body. It just so happens, that alien parasite might be the key to defeating the Cutters. After waiting for two years for the man she loves, he suddenly shows up in a military ship, seeking her help, and she is thrust into a thrilling adventure through the undervoid involving piracy, space battles, and more.

No doubt, the relationships that develop between Ursula and the other characters are well-written and show a warmth for the human connection. That may be enough for most readers to enjoy this novel, but the story lacks the seriousness and the exploration of scifi concepts. This story has an AI ship that, weirdly, happens to be married to a human. The sentient AI does not feel at all like AI, simply like another human character. The AI part is not examined in any meaningful way. That’s also the case for many other aspects of this novel, such as the archaeology trait for Ursula, the alien parasite, the undervoid, and so on. Future’s Edge is pure action in many respects, opting not to go in depth on the scifi concepts Powell introduces.

Future’s Edge is a quick read and an action oriented novel for those looking not to think too hard about concepts that typically need detailed exploration in a scifi novel. Powell makes up for the surface level look at the concepts with strong characters and the genuine relationships they develop.

I absolutely loved this book and I couldn't put it down! I had to know what was happening next as the anticipation was killing me. I really enjoyed the pacing of this book and it really surprised me the direction the story went. I would highly recommend Future's Edge to any fellow Sci-Fi/Fantasy lover.

This was a pretty fun ride!
Future's Edge is a short but fast-paced sci-fi novel that explores a huge number of themes- from the Fermi Paradox, to artificial intelligence and what it means to be human.
I think the characters were the highlight. While I initially wasn't too sure about the protagonist (she was very impulsive and brash and that normally isn't my sort of thing), she developed really nicely throughout the story. The side characters also each had their own merits and it was really refreshing how they actually talked to each other about their problems in a mature way to find a resolution. I was the antithesis of the miscommunication trope and I need more of that in my books! There was a love triangle in this book of a sort, but the way it was handled maturely and realistically actually made it a pretty great part of the story, whereas they normally want to make me immediately put a book down.
I think the cutters were also a highlight of the book. They were really well described and definitely feel like they could be a real alien species! Very creepy too- though I don't think they were scary enough to warrant the book being marketed as "horror-tinged," that was a little bit misleading and meant I expected something very different to very action-heavy sci-fi that I got.
I also think there was perhaps a bit too much going on for the page count. It meant that some themes and characters felt a bit surface-level and I didn't quite connect to them, so events like character deaths didn't have as much of an impact as they otherwise could have. The exploration of the fermi paradox was super interesting but I just wanted some more! I won't say about specifically what for fear of spoilers but those who've read the book will probably know what I'm talking about. I also wanted to know a lot more about all of the different alien species- we got a glimpse but it was so little!
So yeah, a pretty fun ride with fun characters and exploration of some really interesting themes, even if they were a bit surface-level. Keep an eye out for this one when it comes out if you're interested in action packed and clever sci-fi.

I don't think I've ever actually heart of Gareth L. Powell, despite the fact that he's an award-winning author, but this book has convinced me that I should at least look into his other works. I initially requested it because it said it was horror-tinged, and while I can where they're coming from in saying that I would argue that it's not really. It's a sci-fi, novel for sure, and it poses some strong philosophical questions like a good sci-fi novel should, but if you are looking for a horror novel this isn't it. That being said it was an enjoyable ride. I love a good stand-alone, and this book accomplishes everything that it sets out to do, while also being a fun read that also makes you think. The characters are delightful, and despite a life-or-death plot Powell manages to give them decent development. I think my only complaint here (if I can even call it that) is that things are wrapped up a little too nicely. With a book like this, in such circumstances, I would expect an ending with more consequences, but we don't really get that. Which, like I said, isn't a bad thing, but it does seem a little too neat. I also have a feeling that in a few months I won't really remember much about the book, so while it was enjoyable at the time I don't think it's going to leave a lasting impression. Which, again, isn't a bad thing, but it's definitely a factor in my rating, and why it's a 4 star read and not a 5 star one. Either way I won't hesitate to suggest this to those looking for a good stand-alone sci-fi novel, and I think fans of the Expanse series might find something to enjoy here as well.

Brilliant, punchy, science fiction from Gareth L. Powell; interstellar travel has been made possible through pre-existing technology, but aliens have destroyed life on earth as well as on other planets. Starting on a refugee planet on the outer edges, and eventually becoming a universe-spanning space opera. Really fast-paced, emotionally engaging, and rather entertaining with its “not as far in the future as you might think expect” timeframe - Earth is recognisable “earthy” prior to the oncoming apocalypse - London buses as a unit of size etc.

I think it’s a standalone book but I’d love a sequel beyond Future’s edge.

"When archaeologist Ursula Morrow accidentally infects herself with an alien parasite, she fears she may have jeopardised her career. However, her concerns become irrelevant when Earth is destroyed, billions die, and suddenly no one needs archaeologists anymore…"

This is yet another cracker from Gareth L Powell. I love how he manages to make each of his stories unique and readable, especially his spaceships. I thought the Trouble Dog from Embers of War was going to be my favourite and then along comes Crisis Actor (Even if I really didn't like its name)

Good characters, believable dialogue and a unique world, this is definitely going to become a fan favourite.

What if you were to start a book AFTER the "end of the world?" What if there is a very real reason for the Fermi Paradox? What do you do if after the greatest collective trauma the human race has ever experienced happens - but you survived?

That's sort of where Future's Edge, British author Gareth Powell's decides to jump off his newest stand-alone novel. I've read Powell before - he was a discovery during Covid-19, where I devoured the Embers of War series and then read his back catalog as well. He has a wonderful mind for writing science fiction that seems both very real and very different - his aliens often feel alien in a way that some authors just never pull off. And for someone who I think isn't a big name in the wider world...he's somebody you SHOULD be reading (at least if you're interested in well written and well thought SF). So I squeed just a bit when the approval came down for this book.

What is amazing is that he decides to barely show the "apocalypse/end of the world." We start two years aft

A fantastically enjoyable story. This is top tier science fiction. Recited at a fast and streamlined pace, this story is classic science fiction but told very well, often with oblique references to other science fiction franchises.
A classic tale of good versus evil, but with added context that we discover at the end, rendering it a very fun read. The settings and the dialogue are sometimes ropey and obvious, but this is fine science fiction and something to be read and liked.