Book Review: Slow Space by Lucian Phillips

Luis Briggs comes from a poor immigrant family with an abusive mother. He finds himself, just 11 years old, at the mercy of the powerful Destiny Space Mining Corporation with one dream. To become a ship’s Captain.
Jess Weston finds that events change her life irrevocably but her powerlessness in the face of a corporate future of conquest meets an unlikely ally…the most powerful AI in the world.
Together, these three are tossed rapidly on the winds of change encountering harrowing conflicts and incredible adventure, making a shocking and immeasurable impact on the future of humanity.
Slow Space is a hard science fiction novel that has been hailed a “brilliant concept…riveting futuristic story…and an outstanding read.”

Review

Slow Space by Lucian Phillips is an ambitious, thought-provoking book about a future shaped by corporate dominance, artificial intelligence, and space exploration. At its core, this is a hard science fiction novel that asks big questions—about power, humanity, and what it means to truly be free. And while it leans heavily into its world-building and scientific elements, it never loses sight of the personal struggles of its main characters.

The novel follows three protagonists—Brax Bratton, a socially awkward genius physicist; Luis Briggs, a determined but disadvantaged boy who dreams of captaining a space vessel; and Jess Weston, a woman who finds herself at the mercy of corporate greed but forms an unlikely alliance with an AI. Their stories are interlaced together in a way that feels vast as well as intimate, with each of them facing challenges that ultimately shape the course of human history.

One of the book’s biggest strengths is its ability to balance the technical with the emotional. The science is detailed and well-researched, but it never overshadows the emotional element. Author Phillips does an excellent job of making even the most complex concepts feel accessible, and the philosophical themes, particularly the exploration of AI’s role in human society, are engaging without being overly didactic.

That said, the book does have a tendency to get lost in its own depth at times. Some sections feel a bit drawn out, with long passages of exposition that slow the pacing. Readers who love intricate world-building and scientific accuracy will love these details.

Still, Slow Space is an impressive and rewarding read. It’s the kind of book that lingers in your mind, filled with thought-provoking ideas and richly drawn characters. Fans of hard sci-fi and speculative fiction will find a lot to love here. It may not be for everyone, but for those willing to take the journey, it’s a fascinating ride.

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