The Alien Stars: and Other Novellas (ARC) by Tim Pratt

Thank you so much to Angry Robot for the early digital copy of The Alien Stars: And Other Novellas! This is AR’s first novella collection, and seeing as I had recently read and enjoyed Doors of Sleep by the same author, I was definitely interested!

Pratt’s Axiom trilogy wrapped up in 2019 and there were a few side characters that he wanted to spend a little more time with, so these novellas (also readable as standalones) are a re entry into that world.

Bookish Facts:

• Title: The Alien Stars
• Series: Axiom (can read as standalone)
• Author: Tim Pratt
• Publisher & Release: Angry Robot, 4/27/21
• Length: 237 pg
• Rate & Recommend: 🌟🌟🌟🌟 for sci-fi fans!

Here is the synopsis from GoodReads:

In this collection of previously unpublished novellas, Hugo Award-winner Tim Pratt returns to the acclaimed sci-fi universe of his Axiom trilogy.

Each of these three stories takes fans and new readers alike deeper into the rich world of the Axiom than ever before, revisiting the crewmembers of the White Raven as they strike out on new and enthralling adventures.

Delilah Mears joins the crew of the Golden Spider, as its cyborg captain Ashok leads them deep into space to investigate a mysterious cosmic anomaly, leading to an encounter with a truly unusual band of space pirates; AI (and Trans-Neptunian Alliance President) Shall receives a strange summons from a past version of himself to help defeat an existential threat to the entire universe; And intrepid alien truth-teller Lantern journeys home to confront the monsters of her past, and the deepest secrets of her heart (or the closest thing she has in her circulatory system to a heart).

I always find it really hard to talk about novellas, but I enjoyed reading these.  It is definitely not necessary to read the Axiom trilogy, although I wonder if it will provide series spoilers (who lives, who dies, who marries who, etc) to those who decide to read the books. I added them to my TBR; it’s hard not to be drawn into the world of these characters with their dynamic personalities, taste for adventure, and snarky banter.

Each novella has a clear starting point, action filled middle, and clear ending.  A good novella contains an entire story in fewer pages and Pratt definitely did that.

The AI ethics and societal implications were my favorite part. Ashok and Shall are both really interesting characters and explore my favorite sci-fi topic, Robots/AI autonomy! I didn’t like the third story as much as the others because it’s heavily character based, and I just don’t know the characters well enough to care about their background together.  

The space pirates and rebel clone in the first two novellas were great reads though, and the final novella did have some wonderfully clueless aliens going for it.

Totally recommend for fans of sci-fi, banter for days, and short fiction!

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About Tim Pratt: (from Amazon)

Tim Pratt was born in Goldsboro, NC, and grew up in various places in the American South. He relocated to Northern California in 2001. His fiction has won a Hugo Award, and he’s been a finalist for Sturgeon, Stoker, World Fantasy, Mythopoeic, World Fantasy, Scribe, and Nebula Awards, among others. His other books include three short story collections; a volume of poems; contemporary fantasy novels The Strange Adventures of Rangergirl and Briarpatch; gonzo historical The Constantine Affliction under the name T. Aaron Payton; fantasy roleplaying game tie-ins; and, as T.A. Pratt, eight books (and counting) about sorcerer Marla Mason. He occasionally edits anthologies, including the Rags and Bones anthology co-edited with Melissa Marr. He works as a senior editor for Locus magazine, and lives in Berkeley, CA, with his wife Heather and their son River.