Amahle is a Light Chaser - one of a number of explorers, who travel the universe alone (except for their onboard AI), trading trinkets for life stories. But when she listens to the stories sent down through the ages she hears the same voice talking directly to her from different times and on different worlds. She comes to understand that something terrible is happening, and only she is in a position to do anything about it. And it will cost everything to put it right.
For a shorter book, this story packs an incredible punch. Light Chaser comes in at 173 pages, yet it is epic and expansive, taking us through worlds and lifetimes in rapid succession. Rather than feeling rushed or lacking, the prose is razor sharp, carving out exactly what we need to understand the world and the technology while propelling us forward ... This is a book fans will come back to again and again, as each reading offers more details of things we missed or misunderstood. It may be a short story, but there’s no denying that it’s a powerful one.
Despite its short length, Light Chaser plunges into both soul-bound, possibly fated love and universe-spanning conspiracies. Readers who love unique science fiction settings will enjoy how Hamilton and Powell reveal new worlds with each new chapter. Both world building and suspense increase in tandem, complexity and depth building throughout the story while each new reveal amps up the tension. An ideal read for a flight or a cozy afternoon at home, Light Chaser will make an afternoon seem like minutes.
Though the pace is slow, the authors’ engagement with both hypothetical science and reincarnation will hold readers’ interest, and the worldbuilding hints at a vast, fascinating universe. This short but expansive narrative offers plenty to please sci-fi fans.
