Synopsis:
The starship Horizon’s crew spent ten years trapped across the expanse of space. Now they’re finally home—only it’s not the home they knew. The Cluster, once a peaceful coalition of planets, has fractured in the wake of civil war.
Captain Demora Kim wants nothing more than to protect her surviving crew. It’s what she owes them after years of instability and terror. But in times of war, no one is allowed neutrality.
After an attack on a mining station leaves thousands dead, Demi’s efforts become almost impossible. Every ship is needed on the frontline. Thrust deeper into a conflict she barely understands, Demi considers a bold choice—one that might keep her promises but tip the galaxy further into chaos.
Review:
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Simon & Schuster for the opportunity.
The Photonic Effect is a military sci-fi set on a scientific research vessel studying photonic energy. While the ship’s captain is determined to keep her ship and its crew out of the war, it still bleeds into their lives. There’s tension, politics, subterfuge, high stakes, and an all-around great story featuring some very memorable characters. It hit all the notes I really enjoy from the genre.
The story is split between three primary characters: Demora Kim (Demi), the Horizon’s captain; Tanav, a musician-turned-morale officer from a parallel universe; and Neera, a Dywen engineer from yet another parallel universe. There’s a lot of backstory between the characters and how they all wound up together on the Horizon, but it’s only revealed gradually throughout the book (early on, I thought this might be a sequel to something else, but it’s not. I just needed to be patient; the gaps were eventually filled in.)
Of the three POVs, Tanav’s was my favorite. He sees things in a different light due to his upbringing, seeking peaceful resolution even in some of the most difficult situations. And there were a number of those in the book. The downside to his nature is that he is sometimes unaware of those plotting betrayal. And yes, there is some betrayal that occurs.
The only thing I didn’t like was the conclusion of Tanav’s story arc. There was some set up done for a scene where he’d formally make a very important decision, but we didn’t actually get to see it. There’s a brief statement in the final chapter that covers the decision he made, but I really wish the scene itself had been included. I enjoyed the story otherwise.
If you’re looking for a solid military sci-fi, check out The Photonic Effect.
The Photonic Effect is currently on preorder and will be available on April 21, 2026.
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