TBR Pile Review: Ocean’s Echo, by Everina Maxwell

Paperback, 480 pages

Published November 3rd 2022

by Orbit 

ISBN13: 9780356515892

Ocean’s Echo is a stand-alone, romantic space adventure, set in the same universe as Everina Maxwell’s hit debut, Winter’s Orbit.

When Tennal—a rich socialite, inveterate flirt, and walking disaster—is caught using his telepathic powers for illegal activities, the military decides to bind his mind to someone with coercive powers strong enough to control him.

Enter Lieutenant Surit, the child of a disgraced general. Out of a desperate need to restore a pension to his other parent, Lieutenant Surit agrees to be bound to Tennal and keep him conscripted in the army, a task that seems impossible even for someone with Surit’s ability to control minds.

Tennal just wants to escape, but Surit isn’t all that he seems. And their bond may just be the key to their freedom.

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My Review

I have an Illumicrate hardback special edition on order, but I couldn’t wait for it to arrive, and I don’t like bending the spine of my hardbacks, so I ordered a paperback copy from Amazon, which was delivered yesterday (5th November – it distracted me from the fireworks exploding everywhere). I got back from a meal with some of the games group yesterday evening, and immediately sat down to read it.

Actually, that’s not strictly correct. I read the excerpt for August Kitko and the Mechas from Space by Alex White at the back first. I ordered that book (it arrived this afternoon, with Ten Low, by Stark Holborn) and then started reading Ocean’s Echo. I stayed up until 1:08am and got to page 374 before I forced myself to go to be. I got up this morning and finished the last 108 pages. This is not a short book! And obviously it didn’t spend any time on the TBR pile.

I really enjoyed it. The plot as complex enough to keep me reading even when I should have been sleeping, and the characterisation of Tennal and Surit was sparkling. The title makes absolute sense when you read the book; Maxwell’s descriptions of Tennal’s mind expanding into the universe was just perfect, in context.

I love the subtle tension between Tennal and Surit, as it become very unsubtle. I was gripped by the political intrigues going on around them and their discovery of the ways they’ve been manipulated. I adored the way their personal realisations led to right actions and their determination to be together after their initial unwillingness.

I identified with Surit’s need for order and his slow realisation that people are taking advantage of him, and his underestimation of himself. I also felt deeply for Tennal, a messed up young man if I ever read one. He has really low self-esteem and has allowed himself to be used because he doesn’t think he’s worth better. Learning that Surit, and then his aunt actually do think he’s worth something triggers his journey to self-awareness. He is walking chaos and disappointment, in his mind. He can’t do anything right, he enjoys the chaos he causes but can’t cope with the noise in his head and does reckless things to shut it up. Honestly, he shouts ADHD to me, while Surit has Autistic traits. Considering they’re the children of neuromodified soldiers, it’s hardly surprising they come across as neurodivergent.

The world building is fab. If you’ve read Winter’s Orbit, you’ll be familiar with things like remnants and The Resolution, and there are vague references to events in Winter’s Orbit, but none of the characters overlap. This is Maxwell extending her universe. I love it. I love the idea of using the series to explore different civilisations in the Galaxy, united only by the Links that allow travel. All the different social conventions and structures and the way people can mess up spectacularly. We also learn more about the ‘remnants’, the aliens they come from, and why the Resolution like to collect them and lock them up in deep freeze.

The romance is subtle and barely touched. The development of the relationship between Tennal and Surit is an important part of the plot, driving their later actions, but there isn’t anything graphic. I think they kiss a couple of times. The building of trust between the main characters is mirrored by the building of trust between them and the rankers of Retrieval Two, especially Istara and Basavi, who have their own secrets.

Got to recommend this novel, I have stacks of books on the go right now, only one for a blog tour, but I was transfixed reading this new book rather than carrying on with books I’d already started.

As a final note, the cover design is just amazing. It tells you all about the story without saying a word!