Atmospheric, introspective, and richly imaginative…
An alien world of dazzling hues challenges a perceptive investigator in Verson’s philosophical sci-fi debut in The Strange Planets We Settle series. A human settler on the color-shifting planet of Prism has died mysteriously, and the solution may lie not in science or force, but in the ability to truly observe. Vernon Vining, a quiet investigator for the Extraterrestrial Settlement Commission, approaches problems by listening to nature. Paired with his analytical partner Sam, he’s sent to Prism—a world where everything flickers and pulses with changing hues, where native lifeforms “speak” in bioluminescent patterns rather than sound. Their mission is to determine whether the planet is dangerous, or simply misunderstood.
Verson writes with a quiet intensity, favoring close observation over action. As the protagonists move through Prism’s world, the focus stays on how they see, feel, and interpret what surrounds them. Rather than over-explaining Prism’s oddities, the book lets them stand, strange and unresolved. That ambiguity is part of its charm. Time itself bends: travel takes 52 years but arrives overnight, mirroring the disorienting blend of immediacy and distance that defines the pair’s work.
The novel’s emotional center lies in the bond between Vernon and Sam. Their partnership anchors the story, proving that understanding can arise from listening as much as analysis. The novel resists genre convention. There are no battles, no villains. Only the question of whether humans can comprehend a world that doesn’t speak their language. In doing so, Verson delivers a patient, thought-provoking meditation on what it means to see, to know, and to coexist.
A gently thrilling, idea-rich story where survival hinges not on strength, but perception.
Pub date September 6, 2023
ISBN 979-8860489929
Price $18.95 (USD) Hardcover, $11.99 Paperback, $4.99 Kindle edition
Genre: Science Fiction / Speculative Fiction / First Contact
