The sequel to the BSFA Award-winning novel Embers of War, Gareth L. Powell’s Fleet of Knives picks up where its predecessor left off and delivers another slice of wildly imaginative, character-driven space opera. After the climactic battle at the Gallery and the discovery of the Marble Armada, the Trouble Dog and her crew are on sabbatical trying to come to terms with recent events, while Ona Sendak languishes on death row. An urgent distress call sets Sal Konstanz and the Trouble Dog back in motion, however, while the Marble Armada is about to reveal its true purpose to the wider galaxy.
If Embers of War felt instantly familiar with its Banksian sentient ships and relatable characters then this feels like reuniting with old friends, but it’s not simply more of the same. The top-level plot isn’t dissimilar to Embers, revolving around a rescue mission with unforeseen consequences and the crew of the Trouble Dog finding themselves caught up in the lingering after-effects of war, but this time the stakes are higher and the tone growing darker. The Marble Armada – the titular Fleet of Knives – adds a new layer of complexity (both physical and moral) as its intentions become clear, and as Powell digs down into the wider implications of human conflict, and the consequences of power, he starts to expand upon the scope of both the setting (including some grisly non-human enemies) and the overall story arc.
That darker tone continues with the chance to spend more time with these battered and world-weary characters – as well as meet a few new ones in the shape of the starship Lucy’s Ghost and her ill-fated crew, led by ‘Lucky’ Johnny Schulz – and dig a little deeper into their histories, their relationships and motivations. Each of them running from something and struggling to connect to their situation or their peers, these are characters who are broken and damaged in ways that feel powerfully lifelike and relatable, and trying to find ways to pull together despite their differences. There’s a sense of hope visible throughout which balances things out a little, but Powell certainly pulls no punches as he really puts Konstanz, Schulz and the rest (including the ships) through the wringer both physically and emotionally.
For all that this leans into the darkness, Powell’s writing is so engaging and engrossing that it never feels overbearingly grim. With the familiar structure of short chapters cycling through different viewpoints (once again including the Trouble Dog and – occasionally – her enigmatic engineer Nod) it maintains a compulsive, page-turning pace, and beneath all of the grand space opera stylings this is at heart an adventure story. There’s something wonderfully entertaining about seeing sentient ships, epic space battles and desperate races through alien architecture balancing out against the human challenges of ordinary people. It’s a natural, satisfying extension of Embers of War which gives its characters room to develop while pushing on with the series’ overall narrative, and if you enjoyed the first book then you’ll find lots to appreciate here. If you’re new to the series but fancy a bit of modern British space opera, then you’re in the right place.
