To some, the word “light” may mean fluorescent or neon illumination. But there are those who perceive “light” as something more, associating it with an epiphany or the knowledge of one’s purpose. And therein lies the beauty of Gary Gibson’s latest work as he creatively meshes cold science, philosophy and spirituality to create a sense of wonder and mystery of the dark oblivion beyond us.

Having written 2 other Science Fiction novels, Angel Stations and Against Gravity, Gibson is no stranger to the genre. He’s an artiste who communicates his ideas through the stars, constantly reminding us of the vastness of space, the frailty of life and the evils of the heart. Gibson has a strange way of making you feel tiny among the magnitude of events that he crafts, almost as if to weave a tinge of despair into the fabric of the text. This, as Gibson has shown, is not entirely a bad thing, for hopelessness can indeed inspire.

Stealing Light happens during the 25th century, when space travel is entirely possible. Humans now have access to “faster than light” technology, enabling us to traverse outer space with ease, time travel however, is sadly still unavailable. Nonetheless, the technology effectively makes the galaxy a neighbourhood pond and Einstein look like an idiot. However, there’s a catch. The technology was not invented nor discovered by humans. Instead, it was conditionally provided to us by a bunch of marine aliens called “The Shoal”.

In return, humans had to promise never to figure out the technology for themselves and to only travel to areas permitted by “The Shoal”. With this, humanity populates many parts of the galaxy and a whole new order begins.

By far the most interesting aspect of the book is its characters, and of these, the protagonist Dakota, stands out. The book is mostly told through her eyes but occasionally drifts to other significant characters’ point of view to let readers have a better understanding of the events unfolding. Dakota is the classic unwilling participant of the novel’s epic happenings. Drawn by fate and against her will, she is dragged kicking and screaming into the flow of circumstance. In this way, Gibson uses Dakota to illustrate the illusion of choice in a world full of evil. This is similar to Frodo in Lord of the Rings where he is “forced” to carry an ultimate evil because he is the only one capable of doing so.

The story unfolds as a group of humans called “The Freehold” discover a “derelict” space ship of non-Shoal origin and they illegally seek to unlock its secrets so as to hijack the technology as their own. Discovering that Dakota possesses the ability to control the ship, they force her to do so. Along the way, the shocking secrets of the Derelict are revealed, together with its implications on not just mankind but on all sentient life.

Space travel has been discussed countless times in this genre and Gibson is certainly no pioneer. However, he does introduce novel traits in his style. For one, past, present and future are mixed throughout. Gibson likes to take the reader on a ride through different times and events, revealing truths only when necessary. There’s also a hint of philosophy in his writing, almost as if he’s sharing his personal beliefs about life, which are both nihilistic and existentialistic.

Description is a strong point in this book. Gibson takes time to accurately express the emotions and events that each character experiences, down to the most minute of details. He describes the hopelessness and despair that Dakota feels effectively. Often, this makes you feel like there’s no God and no one is in control over the universe. However, there are times when he can be long winded, often harping on things that the reader already knows. The events in the book are also presented in great detail, but sometimes you catch yourself just skipping sentences as it gets repetitive. One may even feel that the story was much longer than it should have been.

Staying true to its genre, scientific jargon is present throughout the book. Terms like “Magellan Novae”, “Gravity wheels” and “Artificial intelligence” are frequently mentioned and play big roles in the story. So if you’re a sci-fi fan, this will definitely warm up to your space imaginations. And fortunately for the rest of us, Stealing Light still offers some unique elements through philosophical insights that are enough to keep our attention above all the tech jargon.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Stealing Light is available at all good book stores at $49.49.