SFINCS finalist review: The Re-Emergence

SFINCS finalist review: The Re-Emergence (an Augment Saga novella) by Alan K. Dell

I’ve read this novella for the SFINCS competition as a part of the Team Behind the Musings.

Speculative Fiction Indie Novella Championship aka SFINCS (pronounced “sphinx”), is a yearly competition to recognize, honour, and celebrate the talent and creativity present in the indie community. It’s a sister competition to both SPFBO and SPSFC, and it highlights greatness in the novella format in all areas of speculative fiction (fantasy, science fiction, horror, etc.)

The following is my honest review and all opinions are my own.

Synopsis

A strange probe from a long-forgotten satellite network appears in the P’hori star system. Its message: a dire warning signalling the return of an ancient mythological evil. Imperator Da’kora Corasar and the crew of the Qesh’kal are sent to determine the probe’s origin, and find that the satellite is not as they had expected. Corasar trusts the satellite’s data, but not everyone aboard agrees. Tensions rise and loyalties are tested as they track down the source of the signal. Thrust into conflict, the crew of the Qesh’kal must chase their foe across the galactic arm and save their home from certain destruction.

The Re-Emergence is a prequel novella in the science fiction Augment Saga series. Although I haven’t read From the Grave of the Gods (the first book in the series), the novella can be read without reading the main material of the series and successfully stands on its own.

“My original programming is tingling. Finally, something interesting!”

If I had to describe or pitch this novella to potential readers in the most unhinged/quirkiest way possible this is what I would say:

• sassy sentient space satellite AI
• ancient enemy wandering through space
• space birbs with magnificent plumage
• trust issues and ethical dilemmas
• epic space chase + battle

The Re-Emergence is an outstanding, thought-provoking, fast-paced read. In this (relatively) short science fiction story Dell successfully introduces the reader to a bird-like species that is capable of space travel. Among other things, the author gives us sketches of their culture and history and the characters’ relationships to the history they were taught when they encounter something that contradicts what they already knew. One of the most fascinating themes the author explored was the relationships and reactions between “organics” and (sentient) machines.

“It is more than just that. In tampering with my code after I had entrusted it to you, you violated my person. It may be an unusual concept to you as an organic, but think of it as carrying out genetic editing without my permission.”

The exploration of the above-mentioned themes never comes at the expense of the story and the pace of the exciting space mission that quickly turned into a space chase and then battle. Dell skilfully weaves these themes and his musings on them into the story so the reader never feels like they’re thrown out of the airlock and stranded among the sea of stars.

Bonus content – how I imagined space birb characters (the image of the tropical royal flycatcher taken from Wikipedia)