Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

He de reconocer que cuando salió anunciada la portada de este libro coincidió con alguna otra de «astronautas tropezando en el espacio» y es por esta razón tan tonta que le presté algo de atención. Cuando me he puesto a leerlo me he encontrado con una novela con algo más de ciencia que de ficción, en la que lo más interesante es el tratamiento de la mecánica orbital de los asteroides, algo que puede resultar atractivo pero probablemente más en un ensayo que en una novela.


Y es que la premisa en la que se basan todas las decisiones del protagonista resulta demasiado difícil de creer. Jack es el hijo de unos multibillonarios interesados en el transhumanismo, lo que implica necesariamente que va a mantener su posición de heredero pero no acceder a nada más durante un periodo de tiempo indefinido. Se supone que por esta causa, o por el cambio climático, o vaya usted a saber por qué esta rebeldía de juventud, decide huir de su cárcel de oro embarcándose en una huida hacia el espacio, el único lugar en el que cree que los contactos y el inacabable caudal de dinero de sus padres no podrá obligarle a volver.

Hablo del cambio climático porque es la entrada de cada capítulo del libro, aunque realmente tiene poca o nula influencia en el desarrollo de la novela. No entiendo por qué está insistencia machacona del autor con el tema, que no digo que no sea relevante, pero no en este contexto.

El libro está dividido en tres partes, la primera es la huida de su vida anterior, ayudado por unos amigos virtuales que tampoco se sabe muy bien de dónde han salido, porque esto de encontrarse hackers por todas partes no debe ser difícil para los muy muy ricos, lo mismo puso una nota en Milanuncios. En la segunda parte, Jack y la tripulación de la nave espacial en la que se embarca intentar recuperar un asteroide para llevarlo a la órbita de la Tierra y poder explotarlo. Y en la tercera ha de afrontar las consecuencias de los actos de la primera y la segunda.

Dejando aparte lo difícil que resulta creer en el idealismo del protagonista, capaz de renunciar a la inmortalidad por sus principios y del martilleo de datos sobre el cambio climático que están metidos con calzador, la novela se desarrolla prácticamente como un thriller, ya que de ciencia ficción hay más bien poco. Está situada en un futuro tan cercano muy verosímil con la única diferencia con la actualidad de los viajes espaciales establecidos y la explotación de colonias lunares y orbitales.

Es difícil empatizar con los personajes porque son egoístas y un poco disfuncionales en sus relaciones humanas, capaces de mandar por la escotilla en un viaje sin retorno a cualquiera que ponga en peligro la misión. A lo mejor esta frialdad es necesaria para la supervivencia, pero cuando el número de personas en la nave espacial comienza a reducirse drásticamente sin que el viaje se vea afectado también se puede pensar que a lo mejor hacían más bien poco perteneciendo a la tripulación desde el principio.

Gallowglass me parece un libro bastante prescindible.

3.5 / 5 ✪

https://arefugefromlife.wordpress.com/2020/12/21/gallowglass-by-s-j-morden-review/

I often complain about science fiction that’s all fiction and no science, that I like more science with my fiction. Gallowglass certainly tested this. There’s a heavy dose of science in this scifi adventure—some might say too much, others too little.

Jaap van der Veerden lives the life of the ultra-wealthy; all his needs and wants are met instantly, he exists surrounded by servants that he never sees, his parents are even exploring the prospect of eternal life. But Jaap doesn’t share his family’s transhumanism desires. All he wants—all he’s ever wanted—is to live his own life, outside of his family’s influence, outside of the bubble of wealth surrounding him. And so Jaap concocts a plan to escape his family, knowing that even if he does succeed, he’ll be hunted as a fugitive for the rest of his natural life.

But once he escapes, what then?

Jaap (now known as Jack) accepts a berth on the only ship that will take him, the only one that cares nothing for his past nor the reach of his family, a ship and crew he knows nothing about with heading nor mission unknown. But Jack seeks only escape—it doesn’t matter where it is.

That is, until it does.

For when Jack discovers the goal of the expedition is an elusive asteroid, and that the team of misfits he’s joined are all as desperate as he is, he might just come to regret his choices to leave his big, comfy mansion and eternal life within. For there is more than just a big rock at the end of their voyage, but the prospect of death, a million euros, and a second chance.

Gallowglass features some very in-depth science throughout. Not gonna lie—I LOVED this. There’re discussions about plotting and vectors and orbits and math and data and science and… well, at times the repetitive parts of data and plotting do get a little old. But even during those times I loved that the book was so heavily chock full of science. There are a few points where the technology itself is suspect, however. Like, we’re mining and commandeering asteroids. We’ve developed artificial gravity (at least kinda). Diamond tethers and filaments are a thing. And yet the spacesuits are still as fragile as a teddybear in a razorblade factory. Even the tiniest bit of debris can be a death sentence. We’ve developed lines that’ll never break, but not armored any suits? Seems ridiculous to me.

So, for the longest time I thought this story was about Jack. But then, no, it must be a tale of redemption. Oh no wait, it’s about the asteroid. No, maybe it was about Jack. Jack remains the POV throughout, but…

And then by the end… what is this about? (The ending is really lame, FYI.) The official blurb—which I didn’t quote—would have you believe this is a book about climate change. But… it’s really not. There are quotes about climate change at the start of every chapter. These are pretty much worthless (adding nothing nor relating to the story in any way) and I started ignoring a little ways in. They ARE about climate change, at least. Which, for the longest time, nothing else is. Eventually it’s alluded to, but the story never really BECOMES about climate change. It’s only really dwelt on at the end, and by that point I wasn’t sure why I should care about it. I mean, climate change is bad. Okay? It is. Just when it suddenly becomes the all-encompassing reason right at the end—I didn’t buy it.

Then what is Gallowglass about? Well, “gallowglass” would argue that it’s a book about people. About a certain kind of people (a “gallowglass” is mercenary or some special type of soldier) (yes, I had to look it up). And that’s… difficult, as no single person gets any kind of gratifying resolution at the end. So, maybe it’s a book about the gallowglass lifestyle? I mean… maybe, but. During no time when I was actually reading it did I have any real idea of what the focus of the book was.

While I enjoyed the characters of Gallowglass itself—particularly Jack and his arc and the way his character develops—it was the story that really kept me reading. Even when I had NO IDEA what the heck the story was about. Even with my issues with the tech, the pace, the way the story randomly skips ahead at times. Even up through the 99% mark, where the ending was bombing. Even with all this, I do not regret the time I spent reading this. I legitimately and thoroughly enjoyed this book. For Gallowglass, it’s not about the destination—it’s the journey to it that matters. And while that journey may be a immersive, complex and ofttimes directionless masterpiece, it’s still a great read.

TL;DR

I was definitely torn on Gallowglass. It’s an immersive wonder. It features absolutely no resolution for anyone. Jack shows wonderful character development, age, and progression. None of the other characters shine, and few are even memorable. The story is a really good one, considering… I mean, what this book is even about is a matter of constant bother. Even now, I’m not sure. There were times I wanted to stop reading Gallowglass, but never could bring myself to. The destination was a no-show, but I’m still thankful for the journey. It’s not going to get my highest rating, but it still gets a full recommendation.

Despite the shiny versions of the future that we get through science fiction franchises like Star Trek and Star Wars, space is unforgiving and dangerous. And there is plenty of new, harder science fiction around to remind us of that. From the breathless, grasping survivalism of Gravity through the potato-led self-rescue of The Martian to Ian Macdonald’s Luna series where even breathable air has a price and characters (and readers) are constantly reminded that there are “a thousand ways to die on the Moon”. Simon Morden delved into this corner of the genre recently with his two Mars-based survival novels One Way and No Way. Gallowglass takes these ideas up a notch.
It is the late twenty first century and Jaap “Jack” Van der Veerden has been effectively imprisoned in a luxury estate in Holland by his obscenely wealthy parents who intend for all three to live for ever. Jack, in his twenties, is not keen on this plan and organises an escape, in a fantastic opening sequence, to space. But when he arrives at a waypoint to the Moon he finds that the job he was heading for no longer exists, his parents having bankrupted the company he was to work for. Desperate not to return home Jack joins a scratch crew of desperate outcasts as a navigator on a secret mission that promises to make them all rich. That mission is to fly to an asteroid, rescue its claimant (called the “Gallowglass”) who is hibernating on the surface and use a laser to steer the rock back to Lunar orbit for resource extraction.
The rest can be summed up as: space is a harsh mistress, space ship crews are out to protect themselves and nothing ever goes according to plan. Morden, through Jack, explores the lives of a crew, millions of kilometres from help, dealing with unexpected challenges, with death around every corner. Much of the narrative is concerned with the solution of technological and engineering problems while dealing with a fragile social contract between strangers stretched to psychological breaking point. And the last third of the book manages to up the stakes around these problems considerably.
The only strange note in this book is in the chapter epigraphs. They start with statements from climate change deniers in early chapters and pass through the scientific consensus to highlight major climate change issues. While there is a climate change angle to the book (the asteroid’s claimant, Cat, is doing so to earn money to save her the drowning community of St Ann), these quotes do nothing to enhance the narrative and if anything are a distraction from the plot.
Morden manages to capture the enervating exhaustion of living in partial gravity, the desperation that comes with knowing you have to earn enough money just to be able to breath and the tenuous social contract on a ship where a crewmembers who steps out of line could be voted off and pushed out of the airlock. And he does this through an engaging, if not particularly likeable main character, and in the context of an extremely believable future impacted by climate change. All of which serve Gallowglass is an effective space survival narrative.

Gallowglass is a fascinating piece of writing.

I frequently find that a good place to begin in assembling my thoughts for a review is to think about the book's genre and its place within that genre. Sometimes there's not a lot to say, but sometimes this can really cast a light on the book. Gallowglass is a case in point. It's - obviously - science fiction (a book about chasing asteroids? Or course it is!) and it's obviously also got cli-fi overtones (the book is set a few decades hence when the effects of global warming are really biting, and Morden begins every chapter with a quote - a real quote - highlighting either the reality of climate change, or the squirming of denialists seeking to obfuscate the debate).

BUT

There is something else going on here, and when I worked it out I just cackled in delight.

Consider. Our hero Jaap van der Veerden (Jack to his few friends) is a scion of a fabulously wealth shipping family. He's sheltered and protected from the ravages of climate change, living in a fortified compound with high fences and ditches to keep out the indigent and HVAC to keep out the rising temperatures. But there's a price. Jack's parent want to live forever, and they may have the money to achieve that. And they want the same for their son. Jack, though, wants out of this cloistered existence. So he decides to run away - not a trivial thing to do given his parents' power and influence, but he has laid his plans well and has allies.

The sequence describing this escape is tautly written and never lets up. It also allows Morden to highlight some of the effects of climate change - the refugee camps and the constant threat of flooding, alongside the privileged life of the few. But it also leads into the heart of this book, as Jack, frustrated by his parents' long reach, falls in with a plan, both morally and legally dubious, to capture an asteroid and nudge it back towards Earth so that it can be mined for resources. It's a cut-throat, free-for-all business in which desperate recruits from growing nations are set against each other to do what's necessary in the darkness. Fantastic riches are on offer - riches that could save a nation or boost an individual into the ranks of the 1%, outclassing even Jack's parents.

With so much at stake, with so much desperation, anything is possible once a crew is out there on its own. Jack soon finds himself in fear not just for his future as a free man but for his very life. There is no margin in space for error, malice or miscommunication and he's on a ship with crew who mistrust this privileged young man from the outset. But the others have secrets and pasts too. Can they bond, learn to work together, "be Crew"? Can they, in short survive?

So, to return to my genre discussion above - welcome, readers, to Treasure Island for the 21st century.

In painstaking detail with enough hard science to convince that this might all work, Morden shows us how, with technology already nearly close, such an expedition might be mounted.

In painstaking detail with a heft of emotional truth to convince that this is how humans really would behave, Morden shows how what each member of the crew brings to that dark, far frontier, far from civilisation, will determine what part they play and whether the crew as a whole will survive.

It is a nuanced, intelligent study of human nature - Morden is NOT saying "look what happens when people throw off civilisation!" It is civilisation that has brought them to the edge of ruin (those chapter quotes keep reminding us) and this is emphatically not a crew descending into "savagery". Part of the cleverness of this book is the subtle picking out of motivations, often laudable, noble motivations which nevertheless lead to terrible actions - or rational individual decision that collectively lead to catastrophe. In that, of course, the whole story of anthropogenic climate change is encapsulated.

What is at stake here eventually proves to be enormous - even more than that fabulous wealth for an individual or a nation - and the deadly habitat of Asteroid KU2 becomes both an area for the best, and worst of human nature but for a kind of deadly game theory which Jack and his colleagues need to negotiate if they are going to salvage anything.

It's an absorbing story on so many levels. There's the detailed scientific base of the story, which pays appropriate respect to orbital dynamics, the problems of a low-G environment, the grim inevitability of Newton's Laws. There's the emotionally complex bonding (and fracturing) of the crew, a handful of humans in a deeply alien place. There's the moral dimension (or lack of). And there's that whole question of humanity and its ultimate fate, threatened by global heating and apparently unable to address that.

I loved this book for all this, and more. I would recommend it without reservation. Get it on your Christmas list now, or buy as a crafty present to yourself for the festive season. Don't miss this one.

In recent years S. J. Morden has been really delving into humanity’s near-future space capabilities through fascinating narratives. The most prominent being his One Way series which sees convict Frank on our first mission to Mars to establish Mars Base One. As soon as I saw Gallowglass I was ecstatic! I was instantly curious about what kind of story S. J. Morden could be crafting next. I wasn’t expecting a story about a young man attempting to escaping his parents suffocating grasp by fleeing in the deep perilous void of space. Joining a rag-tag crew to get as far from earth (as well as his parents money and influence) as possible and becoming embroiled in a disastrous undertaking that leads him down a path of humiliation, fear and untold consequences. Seeing that same young man evolve over the course of three distinctive acts that all feel unique yet tie together. Thus creating an ambitious, satisfying and thought-provoking tale of wealth, climate change, desperation and courage in the face of adversity. All fleshed out with S. J. Morden’s effortless and superbly refined science-fiction that is a pleasure to read. Even in the heavily technical sections. SJM loves detail but in an organic way that adds depth to characters experience, usually in their panic, distress or (sometimes) wonderment. He doesn’t just reel off jargon and expect the reader to pick it up with ease. SJM writes in an intuitive way that allows the reader to participate in an almost plausible space adventure that is full of surprises. But even if you aren’t that fussed about the technical aspects of existing in space then Morden provides more than enough danger and interesting human interactions to keep the reader engaged and increasingly nervous. SJM loves to zero in on one character and really elaborate on their perspective on the world, or void, around them. Jack Van Der Veerden is no exception to this rule. There are plenty of other cast members that range from scary to admirable, with many flavours in between, but Jack is the main event. And his journey is a harsh one. Seeing him evolve from a naïve rich kid to a hardened astronaut is definitely compelling. As he spends more and more time away from earth, interacting with all manner of human beings, it is easy to invest in his journey. There is also a (sort of) minor character who is the most significant, in my opinion, to the story. Cat Gallowglass beat the odds, did some terrible things and managed to stake claim to enormous wealth to try to save her country from being swallowed by the advancing oceans encouraged by climate change. I thought a lot of her character over the course of the novel. Jack and Cat’s plot is a cautionary tale about how independence is important but the grass is not always greener on the other side. Well, if grass existed in space that is. Climate change is a huge theme in this book. SJM examines the effects of global warming over the course of the novel both in the narrative and out of it. That leads me to my one and only complaint about Gallowglass. Before each chapter there is a quote in support or denial of the facts of climate change and the ensuing consequences. Some people might see this as an interesting and vital debate on the matter (which is an important one) but I found it too jarring. Each quote took me far out of my immersion in the story and by about halfway through I stopped reading them all together. That was a personal choice but it really helped my reading experience flow without them. SJM is constantly pushing the boundaries of realistic science-fiction accounts of humanity’s progression towards the stars and bringing some excellent characters to life in the process. I feel like Gallowglass is the perfect example of how much great story-telling, whether it be daring, fearsome or heartfelt, means to SJM and how much vivid and captivating detail he brings to the table. SJM writes about space exploration with so much passion it’s easy to get caught up in the excitement, and risks, of our future as a species. I am glad to be recommending Gallowglass to you all in this review. Invest some time in S. J. Morden’s work whether it be Gallowglass or One Way and see what I mean.

Synopsis: Jack is a young adult, the son of multi-billionaires who want him to undergo a gene-treaty for eternal youth. Just, that he doesn’t want it. Nowhere on Earth would he get out of reach of his manipulative parents. With a couple of highly skilled internet friends, he devised a plan to flee from the house, its security advisor, and go up to the Moon.
Astonishingly, the reckless flight really led him out of Earth orbit - just not to his employer on the Moon who „suddenly“ went bankrupt. But into a last minute engagement as a navigator for a spaceship - he trained the last years to get the certificate.

The spaceship‘s mission was to dock on an huge asteroid rich with valuable resources. And then move it to the L4 position nearby Moon where it would be harvested. The whole crew would become rich and famous.

Of course, a few things went differently than Jack expected.

Review: This novel is a breathless rollercoaster from start to end with only a few relaxed meters to ride in between.
Multiple plot twists led the narration in unpredictable directions - suffice it to say, that we see a lot of detailed descriptions of EVAs on said asteroid but also on the Moon.
Jack is a naive noob in space, but a relatable one with his ethics and charms. The other crew members were interesting characters, just not nice ones. So, don’t expect a Becky Chambers fluffy crew here, because space is unforgiving and a long journey breaks through the best false masquerade.
Sometimes, the takeoff procedures or those initiating EVAs were too detailed, and flooded the page with unnecessary info dumps. On the other hand, they were times to relax and ease the otherwise high tension.

The novel had two endings, and the last end was too abrupt for my taste - more like the open ending of a short story. Morden built up extreme high tension and didn’t release it. This cost the novel one star.

Also, the chapters‘ epigraphs with (real world) citations concerning climate change didn’t really fit the narration and were a thing of its own. I was totally confused with the first occurrences of climate change deniers and they hindered immersion into the story’s natural flow.

Recommended for readers of Near Future SF searching a thriller in the solar system.

Once again Simon Morden knocks it out of the park. I must add as a disclaimer that I have been a Simon Morden fan for quite a few years, initially discovering his Metrozone books (seriously, you must read these, too), and his taut thrillers set on Mars.
This book is no exception: it is tightly paced and very difficult to put down. In a genre encompassing "competency porn" it shines clear and bright that this book contains people who can get their shit done. Just, they might not all be the nicest of folks.
I recommend this book very highly indeed, if you are of a mind to sample some extremely well written, tense, near future fiction, with engaging and lively characters, and quite a novel setup.
The only thing I found difficult was the quotes at the beginning of each chapter - not because they were wrong, or disagreeable, just that they reflect distinctly poorly on us as a species and society.

"Gallowglass" is a real rollercoaster of a story. It's exciting, it's tense, and right from the first chapter it was hard to put down. The writing is very fluid, making it a fast read. The characters were interesting... I didn't like any of them very much, but they're written so well it was hard not to care about them despite that. I can easily see S. J. Morden becoming one of my favourite authors.

My thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley. This review was written voluntarily and is entirely my own, unbiased, opinion.