Roboteer

  • Alex Lamb
GOLLANCZ: 2015. 432 pp. £14.99

In a not-too-distant future, the human race is dangerously divided. One side has left for the stars, embracing progress and making full use of genetic modification to enhance humankind's chance of survival on barely inhabitable exoplanets. The other side clings to a wrecked home planet, and religion — Earth is their temple, DNA their sacred script. A politically gifted leader has managed to unite all sects by turning on a single enemy: the modified humans who abandoned a depleted Earth and committed the ultimate crime of tampering with God's design for men. The 'mods' — or Galateans, after their new home — have better and faster starships, smarter robots and more powerful weapons. The Earthers have sheer numbers and fanaticism.

This is the war-torn universe of Roboteer, a compelling, action- and technology-packed space saga by debut author Alex Lamb. The title refers to the main character, Will, a Galatean robot handler who has been genetically modified to seamlessly interface with computer systems and robot minds. Originally raised to steer terraforming robots, his talents turn out to be well suited to space combat where he can hook into the on-board computer and inhabit the artificial minds of drones and other weaponry.

Will is part of a crew aboard a soft combat ship on a mission to go straight into the heart of the Earther's military base and gather crucial intelligence. The outcome of this mission may well determine the fate of the Galateans, because the Earthers, who so far always fought with inferior technology, have surprised them with a new weapon that seems to tap into a distant energy source and has limitless power. It is a matter of time before the Earthers deploy this weapon in full and overrun Galatea.

The question is, how does this weapon work and how were the Earthers able to invent this advanced technology without the Galateans noticing? The story is set up well for an exciting adventure to get to the bottom of this mystery. But the answer is given quite early on in the book (three-word spoiler: alien quantum technology) and the focus of the plot shifts to a much bigger challenge. Unexpectedly, Will is burdened with the staggering task of somehow uniting the two warring sides and saving all of humankind from extinction, single-handedly.

This change in gear is slightly unsatisfactory from a narrative point of view. But the writing is fast-paced and in a blink the reader is swept along, together with Will, on this formidable challenge.

It is a rare science-fiction action story that is entirely free of stereotypes and Roboteer is no exception. Will is the underdog, a likeable hero thrown into an impossible mission, but rising to the challenge. He is matched with crewmates who fit into similar familiar moulds, including a female officer — feisty but lovely, the inevitable romantic interest — whose main function seems to be instilling Will with faith in his capabilities.

Fortunately, as a counterweight to this, the story also offers the point of view of a darker and more conflicted character, an Earther general, and scientist, who is caught up in diplomatic and political games with the religious leaders on Earth. He has to fight a fight that may seem familiar: to justify the need for resources and time to carry out adequate scientific research. He is the one character who understands that no technological advance can be a miracle solution and that all new technologies come at a price, which should be carefully assessed before they can be embraced.

He is not as zealous as most of his fellow Earthers, but still firmly detests the Galateans for having chosen the path of uninhibited genetic modification. The Galateans' argument is that it is their only chance for survival. However, even though they are clearly more enlightened than the Earthers, their approach has also bred inequality: it's the poorest, such as Will, who receive state-funded modifications to become roboteers, desperately needed for terraforming, and who are effectively set apart from the rest of society. It is clear there are no easy answers and the story has various examples of science and technology gone wrong, which makes for interesting background themes to the main action.

Back in the foreground is Will, dragging the whole crew along on a thrilling quest to save humankind from extinction. They get caught up in plenty of chases, space manoeuvres and battles. Did I mention the space battles? These are spectacular and science-fiction lovers will be drawn in from the opening scenes in which the Galateans are confronted for the first time with the Earthers' powerful new g-ray blasting weapon. Will is looking through the electronic sensors of drones as though they are his own eyes, and experiences first-hand the artificial thirst of a robotic torpedo to embrace its target in spectacular annihilation. These and many more scenes are full of strategic and technological surprises and enough on their own to recommend Roboteer to anyone who appreciates solid action and visions of future technologies. Fire up the antimatter, ignite the heavy particle trigger field and prepare for warp speed.