This was the final entry in the “Far Reaches” collection, and what a brilliant note to end on. It was my first story by Nnedi Okorafor, but it definitely won’t be my last.

„Tornado Onwubiko is one of seven people on Earth paired with sentient ships to explore and research the cosmos for twenty million euros. A decade of solitary life for a lifetime of wealth. Five years into the ten-year mission of total isolation comes a consolation: a temporary meetup among fellow travelers. A lot can happen in a week. For Tornado, who left a normal life behind, a little company can be life-changing.“

Blurb

The writing style stood out right away. It was calm, yet completely engaging. Okorafor has a way of making you care deeply about the characters with just a few strokes of the pen. There’s a quiet intensity to her prose that draws you in without shouting for your attention. I found myself fully immersed, not just in the plot, but in the emotional undercurrents running through the story.

I especially loved the descriptions of the various ships and their unique traits. There was so much creativity packed into this short story that I found myself wishing for more of this world, more of its history, more of its people. It’s one of those stories where you finish it and immediately wish there were a full-length novel set in the same universe. I’d buy it without hesitation.

The characters, though only briefly introduced, felt vivid and memorable. Each had their own voice, and even in the limited space, they left a strong impression. I genuinely liked them all, even when their actions were morally ambiguous. One character in particular does something questionable, and yet another still falls in love with them. That part felt a bit sudden and perhaps a little hard to believe, but in the end, I could look past it because the payoff was worth it.

The ending took me by surprise, it was both heartbreaking and sweet, a delicate balance that very few short stories manage to pull off. It stayed with me long after I finished listening.

This story was a standout, not just within the collection, but as a piece of sci-fi writing in general. I was thoroughly impressed by the authors storytelling and am glad to have discovered her work through this story. A 5-star read for me.

PS: I wholeheartedly recommend the audiobook version. Délé Ogundiran’s narration is excellent, her Nigerian accent and her voice in general added a whole new dimension to the experience. It truly brought the story to life and pulled me even deeper into Okorafor’s world.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️