Esperance: The Science Fiction Crime Thriller That Will Leave You Breathless
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By Adam Oyebanji
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2 reviews
Longlisted for BEST NOVEL by the British Science Fiction Association
Shortlisted for the Wilbur Smith Adventure Writing Prize
Finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize
AN EXTRAORDINARY SPECULATIVE THRILLER BY A MASTER OF THE GENRE
An impossible death: Detective Ethan Krol has been called to the scene of a baffling murder: a man and his son, who appear to have been drowned in sea-water. But the nearest ocean is a thousand miles away.
An improbable story: Hollie Rogers doesn’t want to ask too many questions of her new friend, Abi Eniola. Abi claims to be an ordinary woman from Nigeria, but her high-tech gadgets and extraordinary physical abilities suggest she’s not telling the whole truth.
An incredible quest: As Ethan’s investigation begins to point towards Abi, Hollie’s fears mount. For Abi is very much not who she seems. And it won’t be long before Ethan and Hollie find themselves playing a part in a story that spans cultures, continents . . . and centuries.
PRAISE FOR ESPERANCE:
‘A fast-paced, superbly plotted blend of mystery and science fiction’ GUARDIAN
‘A gripping, intricately plotted mystery which unravels its themes of justice, choices and consequence with huge assurance and flair’ E. J. SWIFT, author of The Coral Bones
‘A tightly wound plot told from two divergent points of view that will keep you guessing in the best ways. If you’re a fan of SF mystery, Esperance merges the best from both genres’ MIKE MAMMAY, author of Planetside
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I thought this book was brilliant. I liked how the author had combined murders with history about the boat Esperance and turned it into a Sci Fi novel. It was quite a page turner. It had our whole book club guessing about the characters. I loved the way Adam Oyebanji had developed the characters. I liked Ethan Krol the detective and Abi who was a really strong and powerful woman who had lots of different technology.
I liked the way the story was structured. It started with a murder in Chicago, the adventures with Abi who had met a young Goth lady named Hollie who goes on this adventure with Abi to find out more about the boat Esperance. I did like the Villan Yemi who like Abi was quite powerful and had lots of wonderful tech. I loved the way they tied in Abi, Hollie and Ethan who all were going after Yemi for different reasons.
Throughout the book I enjoyed discussing with fellow book club members about the characters Abi and Yemi. They were both quite powerful and had technology which made them very strong. Throughout reading this story we were not sure if they were human or not. I loved the way the story ended.
I can see why this book was shortlisted for The Wilbur Smith Prize 2026. It was a wonderful experience to shadow this contest and have a Zoom meeting with the Author. They could turn this story into a brilliant film
I really enjoyed 'Esperance' and found it to be one of those books that it is difficult to categorise. It successfully combines crime, science fiction, history and mystery. It somehow manages to make all of those genres work together seamlessly. The novel opens with a truly baffling mystery when a father and son are found drowned in seawater in a Chicago apartment. Detective Ethan Khrol is assigned to investigate, and from the very beginning I was hooked by the sheer impossibility of the case. As the story unfolds, the mystery becomes increasingly complex, with connections that stretch far beyond what initially seems possible. Alongside Ethan's investigation, we follow Abi, a young woman who arrives in Bristol under mysterious circumstances. Abi was probably my favourite character. She is intelligent, resourceful, and likeable, but there is always a sense that she is not what she seems. Watching her try to adapt to an unfamiliar world while forming friendships and discovering who she can trust was one of the highlights of the book. Ethan is also a strong protagonist. He is determined, compassionate and believable as a detective trying to make sense of events that defy logic. The two story-lines gradually come together , and I enjoyed seeing how the the different characters became connected. What impressed me most was the way the novel tackles serious themes, including slavery, historical injustice and the consequences of human actions across generations without ever feeling preachy. These themes add real depth to what is already a gripping thriller. The science-fiction aspects are imaginative and thought-provoking too, but the story remains character-driven throughout. The plot is ambitious, fast and full of twists and the reader does have to focus so they can keep up with what is happening. This was not an issue for me because the writing style was very accessible and easy to read.
Overall, Esperance is an intelligent , entertaining and a thought provoking novel that offers much more than a standard crime thriller. I highly recommend it.
