Caiden’s planet is destroyed. His family gone. And, his only hope for survival is a crew of misfit aliens and a mysterious ship that seems to have a soul and a universe of its own. Together they will show him that the universe is much bigger, much more advanced, and much more mysterious than Caiden had ever imagined. But the universe hides dangers as well, and soon Caiden has his own plans.

He vows to do anything it takes to get revenge on the slavers who murdered his people and took away his home. To destroy their regime, he must infiltrate and dismantle them from the inside, or die trying.

It’s been awhile since I read NOPHEK GLOSS, the debut novel by Essa Hansen, and the first book in her series, THE GRAVEN. I think it was late August/early September, and it was a buddy read with my friend Delara, one of the best people you could hope to know! We both loved it, and in the spirit of doing something different on the blog to celebrate its release, I asked Delara if I could post their review of the book here, and they agreed! So, without further interference, here’s the first-ever guest review on the blog!

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And so, I review Nophek Gloss

by Delara Adams (They/Them)

It was a late summer evening, and the sun had already begun setting when I picked up NOPHEK GLOSS, tucked under a blanket on my reading chair. Having recently seen the author, Essa Hansen, at an online event, I learned that Essa, by trade, is a sound designer for feature films, science fiction, in fact, so I was looking forward to three things: an imaginative cinematic world, a tightly executed plot, and unique prose from the mind of a new, exciting voice. Of these, NOPHEK GLOSS did not disappoint.

Actually, let me drop the fancy words and lay it out for you: I was not disappointed at all. What a fucking ride! That’s right; I’m now sitting on the edge of my comfy reading chair, ready to lob this book at adult space opera fans everywhere. Yes, you! I bet you’ll dig if you love ANCILLARY JUSTICE and THE EXPANSE, two heavy hitters with big-ass universes. Nophek Gloss has style. It’s the classy older kid you have always wanted to befriend with the rad AF hair, does math in their head, and cracks jokes about astrophysics you’re not entirely sure you understand but, yeah, they are so damn cool. That, to me, is Nophek Gloss.

So, what is the book about? Glad you asked. There’s this boy, Caiden. Caiden is shipped off his about-to-be-destroyed planet to another with his adoptive parents. When they arrive at their shiny new promised life, well, everything goes to actual hell. Monsters attack. Monsters who rip Caiden’s family apart. Monsters who have these gem-like stones in their brains. These monsters are the Nophek, and the gems are Gloss—a highly prized energy source in the multiverse, fought over by factions and governments. The boy survives and hides on a ship that can create its own bubble universe, which comes in handy later. While there, a ragtag misfit crew of diverse aliens find him, and they all fly away and live happily ever after.

Wait—

That’s not at all how it happens, and you know it, but you’ll have to pick up the book to find out more. The writing is exceptional; the manner in which Hansen describes the technology makes it feel like magic to me. No word is wasted, and there is a glossary in the back for any terms that trip you up. The found family trope permeates each page like a hug as the group find themselves feeling responsible for Caiden, and they imprint upon him, too, even when he suspects it might not be genuine. His grief is palpable, and the lengths he’ll go to get revenge are…well…ethically questionable at best and come with a painful cost to his body and his mind.

It will come as no surprise that my favorite character is the genderfluid En, a mercenary-type who is physically augmented and can change their outward appearance to whatever gender they choose. She shifts to He within the same chapter seamlessly. I feel this gender fluidity in my bones, aka it was badass as hell. The crew also boasts a neurodivergent character, and Caiden is written as ace-spec.

What else?

Every new setting is a visceral feast for the senses, the action is non-stop, often bloody and unforgiving, and the technology is out of this world. NOPHEK GLOSS is a book packed with multiverses, adorable color-changing creatures, vicious monsters, creative species with advanced telepathic abilities, delectable alien foods, and a ship that can basically do a Vulcan mind-meld with its pilot. I’m here for the complex world, gender scoundrels, rad sentences, and good time. I’m here for NOPHEK GLOSS.

Endless thanks to Orbit Books for the advanced copy.

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Huge thanks to Delara for the review! They also posted some additional thoughts about NOPHEK GLOSS over on Bookstagram! Additionally, you can catch up with Delara on their website or on Twitter!