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Nophek Gloss: The exceptional, thrilling space opera debut (The Graven) Paperback – November 19, 2020
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'AN EXCEPTIONAL DEBUT . . . READS LIKE A BECKY CHAMBERS NOVEL CROSSED WITH FIREFLY' Michael Mammay, author of Planetside
'A SUCKER PUNCH TO THE SENSES . . . A KILLER STORY WITH REAL HEART AND SOUL' Alastair Reynolds
In this dark, dangerous, roller coaster of a debut, a young man sets out on a single-minded quest for revenge across a breathtaking multiverse filled with aliens, mind-bending tech, and ships beyond his wildest imagining. Essa Hansen's is a bold new voice for the next generation of science fiction readers.
Caiden's planet is destroyed. His family gone. And, his only hope for survival is a crew of misfit aliens and a mysterious ship that seems to have a soul and a universe of its own. Together they will show him that the universe is much bigger, much more advanced, and much more mysterious than Caiden had ever imagined. But the universe hides dangers as well, and soon Caiden has his own plans.
He vows to do anything it takes to get revenge on the slavers who murdered his people and took away his home. To destroy their regime, he must infiltrate and dismantle them from the inside, or die trying.
From one of the most exciting new voices in science fiction comes Nophek Gloss - an action-packed space adventure perfect for fans of Star Wars, Children of Time and The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet.
*Finalist for r/Fantasy Stabby Awards for Best Debut!*
One of the most highly praised science fiction debuts of the year:
'Gripping and inventive, Nophek Gloss will delight even as it breaks your heart' Megan E. O'Keefe, award-winning author of Velocity Weapon
'A strong, rollercoaster of a debut' Gareth L. Powell, author of The Embers of War
'Bursting with strange characters and powerful SF action' Rob Boffard, author of Adrift
'This is space opera firing on all cylinders, and a must-read' Jeremy Szal, author of Stormblood
- Print length448 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherOrbit
- Publication dateNovember 19, 2020
- Dimensions4.96 x 1.26 x 7.8 inches
- ISBN-100356515583
- ISBN-13978-0356515588
The chilling story of the abduction of two teenagers, their escape, and the dark secrets that, years later, bring them back to the scene of the crime. | Learn more
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Product details
- Publisher : Orbit
- Publication date : November 19, 2020
- Language : English
- Print length : 448 pages
- ISBN-10 : 0356515583
- ISBN-13 : 978-0356515588
- Item Weight : 9.9 ounces
- Dimensions : 4.96 x 1.26 x 7.8 inches
- Book 1 of 3 : The Graven
- Best Sellers Rank: #5,890,686 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #2,914 in Space Operas
- #4,552 in Genetic Engineering Science Fiction (Books)
- #21,507 in Science Fiction Crime & Mystery
- Customer Reviews:
About the author

Essa Hansen grew up in beautifully wild areas of California, from the coastal foothills to the Sierra Nevada mountains around Yosemite, before migrating north to the Canadian Rocky Mountains. She has ranched bison and sheep, trained horses, practiced Japanese swordsmanship and archery, and is a licensed falconer. She works for Skywalker Sound as a sound designer for science fiction and fantasy feature films such as Big Hero 6, Doctor Strange, Avengers: Endgame, and Pixar’s Onward. Essa lives with her British Shorthair cat Soki in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Customer reviews
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
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Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers praise this science fiction adventure for its good twists and turns, excellent world-building, and beautiful wonder. The book features unparalleled imagination, with one review noting how it cleverly twists classic conventions, and customers appreciate its well-paced narrative and emotional depth. The character development receives mixed reactions, with some customers liking them while others find them unbelievable.
AI Generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers enjoy the science fiction elements of the book, describing it as an exciting adventure with good twists and turns.
"This book was dense yet fun and complex and the plot moved along vary well...." Read more
"...It is a good story and it has all the right ingredients, but there were more than a few times where I had to scan back over the last couple of pages..." Read more
"...though you try to slow your pace and savor each element, her storytelling is addicting: I finished three-quarters of this beauty yesterday...." Read more
"...This was.... beautiful. The worldbuilding was breathtaking...." Read more
Customers find the book captivating and engaging, praising its excellent world-building.
"...Never mind that, it was awesome. I loved it. It’s got as multiverse but went in anyway and wow...." Read more
"...as some of her unique collocations and descriptions, her figurative language, why, they just melt on your tongue, as you proceed to greedily gulp..." Read more
"...It sounded real. It might one day be real. Above all, it was mesmerizing and felt real to me. And the characters...." Read more
"...What is distinctive and descriptive and has points of incredible pathos...." Read more
Customers praise the book's unparalleled imagination, with one customer noting how it cleverly twists classic conventions and another highlighting its unique collocations and descriptions.
"...The book does seem scaled for a YA as it seems to have various theme that fit YA themes...." Read more
"...for anyone, but especially for a writer, as some of her unique collocations and descriptions, her figurative language, why, they just melt on your..." Read more
"...It had LOTS of well-drawn aliens. It did have a bit of a Firefly feel...." Read more
"...What is distinctive and descriptive and has points of incredible pathos...." Read more
Customers enjoy the pacing of the book, finding it well-paced and fun to read.
"This book was dense yet fun and complex and the plot moved along vary well...." Read more
"...And the characters. They were great, three-dimensional, funny and sad and made total sense. Caiden is lovely, his struggles tore at my heart...." Read more
"...The story immediately grabbed my attention and it kept me hooked throughout, I am so excited to read the next book, Azura Ghost!!..." Read more
"...I felt the pace was tuned-in wonderfully and the characters felt authentic, rather than unconventional or unbelievable characters that, in return,..." Read more
Customers appreciate the visual elements of the book, describing it as a beautiful wonder with striking imagery that rocks the senses.
"...This was.... beautiful. The worldbuilding was breathtaking...." Read more
"...my first reading of Gibson’s ‘Neuromancer’, with sights and imagery that rock the senses...." Read more
"...of social relations and political impact - but it's done so well and so subtly that it's not a preachy in-your-face message...." Read more
"SiFi fans, this is it! Amazing scenery. Powerful characters, strong emotions, good and pretentious dynamics. Worlds at every turn...." Read more
Customers appreciate the emotional depth of the book, with one customer describing it as a very dark novel.
"...And the characters. They were great, three-dimensional, funny and sad and made total sense. Caiden is lovely, his struggles tore at my heart...." Read more
"...In addition, there are some serious twists and also heart wrenching moments...." Read more
"SiFi fans, this is it! Amazing scenery. Powerful characters, strong emotions, good and pretentious dynamics. Worlds at every turn...." Read more
"Elegant, electric, impulsive and brutal. The feelings in the first book echo alien culture, diversity of universe, strangeness and beautiful wonder...." Read more
Customers have mixed opinions about the character development in the book, with some enjoying them while others find them unbelievable and weak.
"...And her character development extends beyond humans and aliens, from the pets and lethal beasties, to the striking sentient ship featured on the..." Read more
"...The protagonist is unique and those that seem as if they are truly the antagonist often prove that things are not quite so simple...." Read more
"...Nophek has everything you are looking for: a fantastic cast of characters, found family, phenomenal technology(like really cool space ships), and..." Read more
"...My only complaints were with so many characters I couldn’t keep them all straight. Never mind that, it was awesome. I loved it...." Read more
Customers have mixed opinions about the book's comprehension, with some finding it completely relatable and making sense, while others report it being overly complicated and hard to follow.
"This book was dense yet fun and complex and the plot moved along vary well...." Read more
"...Nothing really makes sense and nothing is described well...." Read more
"...They were great, three-dimensional, funny and sad and made total sense. Caiden is lovely, his struggles tore at my heart...." Read more
"...Then went off the deep end. It got overly complicated and seriously unrealistic. I like my sci-fi to be in the range of feasibility… this ain’t it." Read more
Top reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on February 9, 2025Format: KindleVerified PurchaseThis book was dense yet fun and complex and the plot moved along vary well. My only complaints were with so many characters I couldn’t keep them all straight.
Never mind that, it was awesome. I loved it. It’s got as multiverse but went in anyway and wow. The multiverse—and I’m really tempted to call it a story of multiple ‘verses.’ I say that because I’ve never seen MVs done like this. Here there is a main universe but there were many pocket universes within (in a manner of speaking) the main universe.
Enough about that. I liked the characters, despite being somewhat confused about who was who.
I bought the second one and I’ll certainly will but the third. It’s just that they cost $10. I very rarely pay that much for a novel.
Highly recommended.
- Reviewed in the United States on September 23, 2022Format: KindleVerified PurchaseThe prose is well written. It is confusing with its extended vocabulary seemingly not always correctly used, and the made up words such as Nophek (an animal like a cross between a pit bull and a Bob cat), Gloss (a stone composed of energy), and Graven (an ancient race whose descendants can be identified by their freckles). The made up words flow naturally. The extended vocabulary would be instructive for a young adult. I just never heard of a lock of hair being called a slither. The book does seem scaled for a YA as it seems to have various theme that fit YA themes. We have the 14yo boy who magically goes into a machine and becomes 20. He's also a changeling who was bred to be a super soldier, but was mistakenly sent to a farming community where he became a mechanic. He falls for a girl but becomes separated. No matter that he thinks she's deceased, his motivation is because of her. He escapes a pack of feral animals only to find a magical space ship built by the Graven. He doesn't know how to fix the ship do he gets rescued by a pirate crew made up of a motley group of beings. Some human, and some not so much. The captain is a gruff sort that doesn't let anyone close to him. There's a sensitive warrior that can change from male to female by reason of all sorts of prosthetics. The mechanic rarely speaks but can feel when a machine is out of tune. She's also the ship doctor. The cook can make anything taste gourmet, and has a little pet that acts like a ferret. The cook shows his emotion by color changes to his skin, and won't like you until his pet likes you. Our young man determines that the reason for all his troubles is the leader of the pirate enclave who hides behind an impenetrable barrier, and gives orders that must be obeyed. She rules with an iron fist, and is protected by a loyal army on a hidden planet. Somehow our young man must figure out how to bring about revenge, but don't think his revenge will conclude the story. You need to buy the next book to figure out what comes next.
- Reviewed in the United States on January 17, 2022Format: KindleVerified PurchaseNophek Gloss by Essa Hansen is a genre defying story. It’s science fiction on the surface, but also fantasy, science fantasy, and space opera too. I couldn’t say if any of the technology is grounded in anything remotely close to current models or theories (it’s so fantastical that it can’t be). Yet technology is so incredibly pervasive in Hansen’s world that without it I almost don’t think she has a story. From the main character, Caiden, to his ship, the Azura, to the Cartographers to the nophek to the Casthen, everyone and everything is so intertwined with truly mind-blowing technology that without it I don’t know what would be left. But is this a bad thing? I’ll leave it up to you to decide for yourself.
The story is on an epic scale as is the world, or, rather, I should say the multiverse, since the world of Nophek Gloss is made up of a seemingly infinite number of universes, each with its own characteristics and oddities. All ships are capable of traveling from one universe to another, though only the Azura can create a universe all its own. The Azura is truly unique in this regard, and it’s odd that in such a vast multiverse that Caiden is the one who finds the ship given the the circumstances under which he discovers it. But I was willing to roll with that since it was necessary for the story.
Speaking of Caiden, he’s a likeable enough fourteen year old who is willing to sacrifice nearly everything to right the wrong that befalls him and his family early on. If he has any flaws, it’s his impatience. Time after time he rushes into a situation, comes out the worse for it, and doesn’t seem to learn his lesson. Not the best characteristic for a leading character. I would have liked to have seen him grow more over the course of the book. Instead he literally goes from fourteen to twenty-four in the span of a few pages thanks to an age enhancement process that conveniently also imbues him with ten years of the knowledge he needs to accomplish his goal. It’s a bit of a MacGuffin that was added just to move the story along quickly. Personally, I would have liked to have seen this play out in the normal fashion so we could actually witness the character mature.
The last discussion point I wanted to bring up about Nophek Gloss is the writing, which unfortunately seemed disjointed to me at times. It is a good story and it has all the right ingredients, but there were more than a few times where I had to scan back over the last couple of pages because I couldn’t figure out how a certain character was suddenly in a new place or had something change in their predicament. These brief moments of confusion could have been avoided with a bit more detail here and there. I am happy to say that as I read through the next book in the series, I have not experienced anything like this.
As I started with, this book is genre defying. If you’re looking for straight up science fiction or space opera or military science fiction, this may not be the book for you. But if you’re willing to indulge the author as she weaves a complicated story around some truly amazing technology, then Nophek Gloss may be the book for you.
Top reviews from other countries
- Sarah HortonReviewed in Australia on November 20, 2021
5.0 out of 5 stars Fab sci-fi with heart! Great characters & can't wait for the next instalment.
Its fast paced and gritty but you connect with the characters. Huge diversity and imagination but it all gels together convincingly and the storyline is clearly there for the long haul. Quite cruel and violent at times but also filled with compassion and love. Reminiscent of Firefly, but the 'verse is more sophisticated, alien and high tech.
- Shelly CampbellReviewed in Canada on November 25, 2020
5.0 out of 5 stars Nophek Gloss is a fantastic debut, not to be missed!
Nophek Gloss is a revenge story, but it is so much more than that. It's a stunning debut in so many ways. Hansen weaves plot, emotion, evocative characters and incredibly immersive descriptions as if she's been doing it for a lifetime. Caiden and his found family misfit crew are easy to fall in love with. Azura is an AI ship like no other, and Hansen's bubble multiverse worlds and the creatures inhabiting them evoke the kind of curiosity you'd feel if you were there in person, exploring alongside the Cartographers.
This book is for fans of Space Opera, unique and creative science fiction, found family stories and fiction that allows you to be drawn right in to the characters and care about them like you really known them. That's some powerful Graven magic, right there!
Read this one.
Seriously.
Be one of the first to pick up this book and later on gets to say, 'I read Nophek Gloss before Essa Hansen was all the rage.' That's the kind of momentum this story has, and the kind of skill Essa writes with. I cannot wait to read more from this fantastic author! Loved, loved, loved this read.
- BookishBennyReviewed in the United Kingdom on August 18, 2021
4.0 out of 5 stars A great debut Sci-Fi book with Red Rising & Mass Effect Vibes!
I have a SFF blog at sffoasis.com where I publish reviews and articles around science fiction and fantasy novels.
Nophek Gloss is the debut novel from author Essa Hansen. Released just less than a year ago, it has been very well received by fans with a current Goodreads rating of 3.70 after 680 ratings and 192 reviews.
This is an awesome and captivating story. The story follows a protagonist called Caiden who goes from having the perfect life with his family to being in a nightmare that he can't wake up from. His whole universe is turned upside down and he has to really develop as a being to find the strength within him to get his life back on track. This sounds like a simple story but there are so many more hurdles and walls he needs to jump over and smash through to make it happen.
“You will learn to be vicious to survive. Multiverse has many tastes, and chews us up differently depending on species."
I think the thing that I liked the most about this story is actually the protagonist. Caiden has a very visible arc and as he grows, you feel yourself grow reading his personality. He starts off as a very simple-minded boy who doesn't understand what is happening but after he finds a spaceship and a crew of misfit aliens to run with, he realises that what he thought he knew of life, his family, his own being, isn't true at all and so searches for the truth.
The dynamics between Caiden and the other members of the misfit crew flow really nicely and he gels with some of them and doesn't gel with others. Some will find him a nuisance whereas some feel responsible for him. The story is all told through Caiden but in third person so this allows you to be a part of his story while also getting to see everything going on.
"I wouldn’t recommend trying to fit to others’ expectations. Create who you feel good being. And it’s all right if that changes too.”
As the story progresses Caiden inevitably meets other beings, alien, human and other and finds himself having to tread carefully as he navigates his new surroundings, finding out who he can trust and who he needs to be careful of. I really liked him as a character and I enjoyed the other characters, especially those that fall into the antagonist category, of which there are many.
My jagged edges don’t fit in this puzzle. I keep bouncing around, damaging everything I touch. Maybe like a river stone I’ll be smooth one day after years of tumbling.
Essa does a very good job of showing through her worldbuilding and dialogue that the same things we experience here with gender and diversity, are happening in the stars too. These things are not the focus of the story but do play a part in one of the character's lives. It felt so normal and genuine that it wasn't something I felt was pushed to earn brownie points or tick a box. This was something done really well because it fits naturally.
“Call me ‘she,’ or whatever you’re comfortable with for now, I don’t mind. You’ve had a huge dose of new lately, so don’t overthink it, but get used to fluidity and choice. Those rule the multiverse, if anything does.”
Worldbuilding is tough. I know, I've done it. You have thousands of little ideas and things to include but you can't fit everything in or else it becomes a encyclopedia of SFF and then you confuse readers. It's best to choose a few themes or ideas and make them polished. Essa has some really cool and unique ideas in this book that I loved. I won't spoil it by telling you here but there are numerous ideas which I haven't seen before.
As for the actual worldbuilding of planets and ships and other sci-fi bits, they're great. You have parts of the story in spaceships with enough detail and design explained for you to actually be able to picture the story or to experience the character's feelings as they zip through debris or outrun a bigger ship etc. The story mainly takes part on solid land or space stations of some sort and these are well designed, thought out and fleshed out onto the pages that you can really visualise them. The place referred to as The Den gave me Citadel vibes. This for me is really important. If the worldbuilding in a book isn't good then it becomes hard to stay engaged.
"Multiverse is full of distractions. Fighting, flirting, and . . . En loves all the F’s. Distractions.”
The pacing and action in the story is right on the money. We go from one drama to a tense standoff to a revelation of information back to a standoff and more drama. I really got Red Rising vibes from Caiden and this book. The combat in the book is really well written and believable too, which is really important. If it doesn't sound like it could happen (superpowers aside) then it won't be believable and if you don't believe it you're going to lose interest. Plenty of punches and kicks get you into the gritty action up close and personal with Caiden as he deals with those in his way.
Rating - 4/5 This is a really great debut novel from Essa Hansen. Nophek Gloss makes me excited to read more Sci-Fi. When you read this story, it's like Caiden and you are old friends discovering the universe together. The book flows nicely, builds up problems before building up Caiden and the characters all bring something unique. This has Red Rising and Mass Effect vibes so if you like them, you'll really enjoy this. The sequel, Azura Ghost, book 2 of The Graven is out December 7th (US)/9th (UK) by Orbit and I am really excited to see what happens next with Caiden.
-
Ángel Fernández GarcíaReviewed in Spain on December 10, 2020
5.0 out of 5 stars Extraordinario comienzo.
Format: PaperbackVerified PurchaseSi en algo destaca este libro, es en el fascinante mundo que describe, sorprendiendo una y otra vez con ideas frescas y originales.
Tras muchos años leyendo ciencia ficción, uno llega a pensar que ya lo ha visto todo, y entonces llega una novela como esta, que me recuerda por qué me enamoré del género y de su ilimitado potencial imaginativo.
Una cosa que me llena de ganas de continuar con la trilogía es que la autora ha expresado su intención de hacerla cada vez más expansiva, ampliando el terreno de juego hasta abarcar las implicaciones finales de este Multiverso fascinante y único.
Viendo las ideas desplegadas en este primer volumen, creo que nos espera un viaje increíble, explorando un sinfín de nuevos universos, cada uno poblado por leyes físicas exóticas y criaturas extrañas y memorables.
Sentido de maravilla en estado puro, y un canto a la infinita belleza y potencial de la diversidad, tanto en el Multiverso como en las mentes que lo habitan.
- MaxineReviewed in Australia on December 7, 2020
5.0 out of 5 stars Doesn't disappoint
I loved it. Well written, complex, super sciencey (yes, that's a word now), found family, learning to find yourself and love yourself, full of hope and shady corporations.
This was like a drink that you have to sip slowly and savour every flavour. I paced myself reading it, so I could take it all in.
It was an absolute masterpiece