Teenager Lennox and grieving mother Heather are being held in New Broom, a makeshift US military base, the subject of experiments, alongside the Enceladons who have been captured by the authorities.
Ava, who has given birth, is awaiting the jury verdict at her trial for the murder of her husband. And MI7 agent Oscar Fellowes, who has been sidelined by the US military, is beginning to think he might be on the wrong side of history.
When alien Sandy makes contact, Lennox and Heather make a plan to escape with Ava. All three of them are heading for a profound confrontation between the worst of humanity and a possible brighter future, as the stakes get higher for the alien Enceladons and the entire human race…
Sequel to the bestselling The Space Between Us, The Collapsing Wave is an exquisite, epic first-contact novel, laced with peril and populated by unforgettable characters, and the awe-inspiring book we all need right now…
I'm so pleased to be hosting the blog tour for The Collapsing Wave by Doug Johnstone today. Many thanks to Orenda Books and Anne Cater from Random Things Tours for inviting me and for my advance copy of the novel.
The Collapsing Wave is the second book in what has now been named the Enceladons trilogy, following last year's The Space Between Us. While a story about aliens will be labelled as science fiction, The Collapsing Wave is a Doug Johnstone book; nobody writes characters quite like Doug and I hope that will encourage people to try reading something which may be outside their comfort zone. Just as he made readers love a teenage criminal in Breakers or a family of funeral directors-cum-private investigators, in his Skelfs series, he imbues Sandy, an empathetic octopus-like alien creature, with so much warmth it's impossible not to fall for them, or to be swept up by this powerful tale which forces us to question who the real monsters are.
In the months since the events in The Space Between US, most of the world has moved on and almost forgotten the astounding sight of alien octopuses and jellyfish descending from the sky, but life has changed beyond all recognition for Lennox and Heather who are imprisoned in New Broom, a US military base in Scotland, and Ava who is on trial for manslaughter. While it's not completely necessary to have read the first book, I would recommend doing so, if possible.
The Collapsing Wave is an acutely perceptive exploration of how humans confront difference, both politically and as individuals. It's inevitable, therefore, for comparisons to be drawn between the treatment of the Enceladons and the discussions which surround immigrants and asylum seekers. The Americans are experimenting on the aliens they have captured and it becomes painfully evident that their attitude towards their captives is derived from fear, as well as a need to exert their dominance over the visitors. They see the Enceladons as a threat that needs to be controlled, whereas others view them as refugees who deserve understanding and help.
As with real life, it's those who hold most of the power who appear most able to control the narrative and their inhumane behaviour towards the aliens is sadly only too believable. However, despite their authority over others, they can't entirely control everybody’s hearts and minds, in spite of their increasingly disturbing attempts to do that. The three characters who formed a bond with Sandy in The Space Between Us, Lennox, Heather and Ava aren't alone, despite being isolated from society and as The Collapsing Wave builds towards its dramatic climax, there's hope as well as despair here.
Doug Johnstone never flinches from his examination of the best and worst of us and the tense, gripping plot is utterly compulsive as our protagonists are thrust from one apparently insurmountable challenge to another. The Collapsing Wave is often a penetrating commentary on the darker aspects of humanity but besides the brutality of ruthless control and callous violence, there is courage, acceptance and cooperation. From Lennox's increasing confidence in himself, amidst his recognition of what he wants from his life, to Heather's poignant memories of her past and acceptance of what is to come, to Ava's incredible bond with her baby daughter Chloe, alongside notable interventions, these human characters are, in their own way, as life-affirming as Sandy and their phenomenal telepathic communication and shared emotions with the other Enceladons.
The Collapsing Wave is a piercingly insightful read and this thoughtful, emotive juxtaposition of tyrannical subjugation and principled freedom is an intelligent, captivating novel which compels us to reflect upon on how we are connected on an intimate and much wider level with those we share our planet (and beyond!) with. I cannot recommend it highly enough.
The Collapsing Wave is published by Orenda Books and can be purchased from their website. Further publishing links can be found here.
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Thanks for the blog tour support x
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