Publisher: Pear Tree Publications
Written By: Thorne Moore
RRP: £12.41 / $20.88 (Paperback) | £1.99 / $2.99 (Kindle)
Reviewed by: Sebastian J. Brook
Inside Out by Thorne Moore, is a Science Fiction tale with heart and soul, that takes the reader to the edge of our solar system, the edge of humanity, and, at times, the edge of your seat!
We join the passengers of the ISF Heloise, as they embark on the 11-month journey to Triton Station, Neptune. It's a mixed bag for our seven principal players, but all of them share a common interest in the work ahead of them. Once they complete their seven-year mission, huge rewards potentially await them.
At first glance, this looks like Big Brother in space, but scratch beyond the surface and there's an almost Orwellian, direct style to this story. Despite being set in the future, and in space, this is a story about the people rather than the purpose - and I must say, it makes for a breath of fresh air. Each character is rich, detailed and gets their chance to shine, and by the end, they have each earned your attention and empathy.
Speaking of characters, I think one of the stand out qualities in Moore's work is her use of character dialogue. It's real, and almost tangible in the way it jumps off the page. It doesn't feel scripted or forced, but lived-in, and, more importantly, natural.
There are some shocks and surprises along the way, and without giving too much away, everything from Ganymede Alpha onwards, had me finishing the book in one sitting. Something I don't do very often, for the record.
It's worth noting that Science Fiction is a break in genre for Moore - not that you'd be able to tell, however. What we have here smacks of a seasoned storyteller in the SciFi space, but one who paints in between the cracks to flesh out the characters and bring some reality into the mix. We couldn't help but see the parallel between this style and Russell T. Davies approach when he brought Doctor Who back to our screens in 2005. Mixing the 'out there' elements of SciFi, with the mundanity of real life, somehow works so well; one tempers the other, almost enhancing it like salt in caramel.
There's an almost prophetic ending via the author's afterword, which we refuse to spoil. It is a strong drum beat that will reverberate in your mind for some time to come.
Really hoping that Moore continues this series - there's a lot of road ahead, and we can't wait to clock up some more mileage with this incredibly talented author!
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