Ocean’s Echo by Everina Maxwell is a Sci-fi novel that explores a world of modified humans, complicated relationships, and what it really means to know someone.
Synopsis
Tennalhin Halkana is a reader, a neuromodified human that can read minds. Unable to completely switch off the ability, Tennal drowns himself in all the drugs, parties, and sex he can find on the planet Orshan. After he’s drafted into the military under mysterious circumstances, he is placed under the command of Lieutenant Surit Yeni. The complete opposite of Tennal, Surit is composed, principled, and an architect, another type of neuromodified human that can influence people’s minds.
The two of them are expected to sync. A process that leaves the architect in complete control of the reader. After finding out that Tennal isn’t a willing participant, Surit refuses the sync, opting to help Tennal escape the Orshan system instead. But until the chance to escape comes, they have to fake the sync. Their chance comes on a salvage mission, but among the rubble is a treasure with unimaginable power. One that could reignite a decades-old war. Unable to abandon their world, the only way they can hope to avoid war is to complete the sync they’ve been faking.
Review
I couldn’t put this book down! Every chapter leaves you on the edge of your seat, needing to know what’s going to happen next. I didn’t know it was possible to build tension from the first page, but Everina Maxwell does it and they do it well. From Tennal’s dubious conscription to the salvage mission, everything builds and builds until the climax. Ocean’s Echo will leave you out of breath by the time you reach the last page.
Main Characters
I loved the relationship between Tennal and Surit. Something about them being exact opposites makes the relationship they develop feel so deep. Each of them is able to show the other things they’ve never experienced before. Tennal is chaos and Surit is order, the two sides of the universe, both equally real.
If you’re looking for a fiery, passionate romance, this is not the book for you. Ocean’s Echo is the slowest slow-burn I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading, but it is so, so worth it! The third-person perspective gives insight into Tennal and Surit’s thoughts as they slowly learn to trust each other, and learn more about each other. So, when they finally admit feelings for each other, it feels like a natural next step in their relationship rather than a moment of unfettered passion.
Writing Style
Maxwell paints a beautiful world in this book. Every detail serves to support the characters and their story instead of the characters existing in a complex, but otherwise flat, world. She uses tight spaces to force Tennal and Surit together when all they really want is to be far, far away from the other. And while it doesn’t force them to talk to each other, it does force them to be aware of each other and consider the other’s thoughts.
While it takes place in the same universe as her first novel, Winter’s Orbit, it exists in its own corner, away, but not fully separate from it. The storytelling is wonderfully complex and connected. It’s hard to describe a fully emotional relationship but the use of third-person allows for the thoughts of both characters to be heard. I particularly enjoyed the comparison of the beauty of the universe to the beauty of another's mind.
Overall the world of Ocean’s Echo is tangible, and as a result, I was completely pulled in! Without the balance of worldbuilding, perspectives, and an impactful story, I don’t think the book would have caught my attention the way it did. Hats off to you, Everina Maxwell, I was completely enthralled by this story.
LGBTQIA+ Rep
Now for the important bit. Is Ocean’s Echo a good LGBTQIA+ rep? Short answer? Yes! It’s a fantastic LGBTQIA+ inclusive novel!
Long answer? While the main characters are both MLM (Men loving Men), they’re far from the only rep we get in this book. There’s the non-binary Private Ishtara. A prickly pilot with a soft spot for their crewmate Private Basavi, a muscular girl they met in basic training (and the two side characters I cared most about. I’m a sucker for b-plot romance) Not only that, but there exists a widely used system used to show gender identity. The people of Orshan wear flint to identify feminine, wood for masculine and glass for non-binary. For example, Ishtara wears flint and glass studs on their cuffs, indicating, at least from Tennal’s perspective, that they are non-binary, slightly fem-aligning. It’s a super cool and handy system!
Finally and most importantly, Everina Maxwell themselves is queer! What’s better than a queer book by a queer person? Nothing! Rep from people in the community feels good! It’s even better when the story is as well-crafted as this one.
There is so much to love about Ocean’s Echo. If it’s not on your radar, you should definitely check it out. Doubly so if you love sci-fi. From its developed world to the exploration of emotional intimacy, you won’t be able to put it down. That’s a promise.
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Ocean's Echo is available as a paperback, hardcover, ebook & audiobook.
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