Enter the Cosmic Spiral. A book review.

A brilliantly told sci-fi novel with non-stop action, dry humour, relatable characters, and some kick-ass world-building. Highly recommend.

Book Cover of Enter The Cosmic Spiral

Enter the Cosmic Spiral seemed like a promising new novel, and boy, did it deliver. With 633 pages (on my Boox Go 7), it kept me busy for a good number of hours.

Mitch, after a night out with his friends, is abducted by an alien and left to fight for his life in deep space aboard a spaceship on the brink of falling apart. What follows are some serious space fights, alien encounters, and internal struggles, as he and the beings he meets along the way try to stay alive so their respective species can survive the next cosmic apocalypse. The best thing: this Great Game they’re playing has been gamified, making Enter the Cosmic Spiral very much No Man’s Sky meets Guardians of the Galaxy.

This book review was first published on Reedsy Discovery.

I have nothing but praise for Enter the Cosmic Spiral. Mauldin created a magnificent world with multiple alien species, planets, trading hubs, and Substrate abilities, which all come together perfectly. So if you're into space and gaming, I recommend giving this book a go.

Alongside the amazing world-building and natural dialogue, Mauldin manages to get people thinking of the bigger questions: Do we really need to wage war constantly?

Why were humans so freaking stupid? We had all the resources, all the ability, all the intelligence, and yet we played stupid games like this? Why couldn't we just get along?

Also, did I mention it was witty? There was so much sarcasm in this book that I was reading chapter after chapter, wanting more of what this crazy new world was giving me: a solid mix of action, drama, and comedy.

We dropped out of the Substrate lane into our first names system, Zarvon, Nathan and I squinching our butt holes so tight we could press coal into diamonds.

There was no paragraph that didn't belong in this novel. Every scene was entertaining and added to the plot seamlessly. What I appreciated most of all is that the characters were 'real' people with real flaws. They weren't a group of 'perfect' people who you couldn't relate to. I think we all know a Mitch, Nathan, or Molly, and as such, I was rooting for their success even more.

The only question I have now is when Book 2 will be published, because I would love to know what happens next!

You can find Enter the Cosmic Spiral here.

Loved It!