I love a good novella, and I’m a big fan of Gareth L. Powell, so picking up his new novella Downdraught was a bit of a no-brainer. It’s set in the same world as his short stories The Last Reef, Hot Rain and Flotsam – all of which are collected in The Last Reef and Other Stories – although unlike those other stories, this one is for the most part rather more down to earth (literally and figuratively). It’s labelled as a ‘science fiction horror novella’, and while the book is as much a small-scale character drama as anything else, it proves to be a good example of how closely linked those two genres are – and how both SF and horror can sit comfortably in grounded, human stories.
At its heart this is a story of two friends – Lee and Kerri – who grew up together in a quiet little Welsh town, a pair of misfits whose friendship ebbs and flows over the years but remains an important link between them regardless of what happens between them, and what they each develop into. Of the two, Lee is the main protagonist and viewpoint character, and the story follows the ups and downs of his life from his youthful awkwardness through into adulthood, his changing relationship with Kerri as she moves in and out of his orbit, and the decisions he makes over a lifetime of good intentions which lead to troubling outcomes. The first third of the book is a gently-paced exploration of the two characters, their roots and dreams and the dynamic between them, after which time skips ahead to show essentially a series of vignettes over the course of a number of years.
So far so not very SF or horror, but those elements are introduced as it becomes clear that Lee’s youthful interest in stargazing leads him to a high-flying career in science and technology, which – without giving away spoilers – seems to directly lead to the outbreak of a sort of techno-organic contagion. The resulting singularities – known as Reefs – have wide-reaching consequences for Lee’s career, his life, his relationships and the ongoing state of the world itself, which we see glimpses of as the narrative moves through the various points of time. This combination of the danger posed by sinister alien techno-organisms and the personal drama of Lee and Kerri’s relationship works nicely, lending the story a sense of tension and recognisable, relatable stakes.
It’s undoubtedly an interesting story, one that’s very readable and full of great ideas and a great sense of atmosphere. I felt engaged with Lee and Kerri’s friendship right from the off, I like the themes of life not turning out as expected and characters’ pasts shaping their futures, and there’s all sorts of interesting things going on with the SF elements of the story – the Reefs and their implications. As it’s a novella, however, as opposed to a longer novel, there’s inevitably a feeling of slight compromise for a story with so much going on. I have a pretty high tolerance for ambiguity in fiction, but for all that I enjoyed this, I still felt that a few elements didn’t fully resolve, and it’s certainly a story that leaves as many questions as it answers.
Powell’s choice to flit quickly through multiple points in time was a smart one in allowing him to fit lots of plot into a relatively short story, and definitely the right choice I think given the length. It works, and there’s lots to enjoy here, but it’s hard not to feel that this is a story which could have been expanded out into something longer and more satisfying. Alongside the aforementioned short stories (which loosely tie into the setting, rather than being directly connected to this narrative) there’s loads of potential here, so it’s definitely worth checking out – especially if you’re a Powell fan – but in an ideal world this is something that deserves being developed further to really get the most out of it.
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