Shadow of the Endless

By: Stephen Gaskell

Narrated by: Penelope Rawlins

While her starfaring people are being hunted by an implacable enemy, a young caver discovers a traitor in their ranks and must undertake a transformative journey across the galaxy to save everything she has ever known.

Persecuted for their worship of the Endless—an ancient, galactic-spanning race of god-like power, who disappeared long ago—the Pilgrims escaped the world of Raia almost a century ago, fleeing the despotic rule of the United Empire in a dozen space-faring fleets. The Pilgrims of the Horizon of Light fleet have spent two long years being hunted by an especially determined Empire foe. Now though, it appears they've finally caught a break, laying low on a non-descript comet that's hurtling into deep space.

Young Pilgrim Sewa Eze wants to become a caver—and head into the depths on deserted moons, asteroids, and worlds to secure whatever the fleet needs: precious resources, Endless relics, even Dust. However, a strange device is discovered deep in the ice of the comet they shelter on—suggesting dark forces are afoot—and Sewa is instead selected for a leadership role at the Ceremony of Duties and must reassess her life, beginning with finding the traitor in their ranks who threatens her entire fleet's existence.

The course of Sewa's life changes forever as she is forced to confront treachery, discover the secrets of the ancient past and travel to the very heart of the tyrannical United Empire.

©2024 Stephen Gaskell (P)2024 W. F. Howes Ltd

Good Book.

Great story delving a bit deeper into the Endless Universe. Makes you want to go play the games to get more of the Worlds lore. I hope a second book is in the works.

Contrived

There are a lot of weird jarring moments, Some one described it being a power fantasy. A lot of things felt, "contrived." Change would happen in an instant rather than organically between characters many times.

And the voice actor... I'm really not sure she's every heard a man speak in her life. When she tried to voice male characters she would do this weird goofy raspy low tone thing with her voice. Maybe like a bedtime story thing, or when some one is imitating another in a caricaturized way.

I really wanted to enjoy this. I did make it all the way through, but it definitely wasn't the sort of well thought out hard sci-fi or fantasy I most often enjoy. It just felt silly overall.