Oh, yes. Riviting all the way through, Ryland Grace joins Kevin Brooks, David Teller and Mike Erikson in my hall of high school teachers who totally kick ass. I confess I had my doubts: an alien life form eating the sun? What’s this, a Saturday morning cartoon? Where’s the scientific exposition? The chemical formulae? The soul searching through peril? But of course, they’re all there.

I loved the Martian. I enjoyed Artemis, although felt it was “good” rather than “superb”. But this kept me on the edge of my seat. I feel totally inadiquat as a scientific Human being now; if I woke up and felt something was slightly off, I’d hardly be able to work out what with a tape measure and a test tube. But all the way through, Grace felt like someone I could really enjoy watching. The backstory reveals were fascinating and solid, the jeopardy to both Humanity as a whole and Grace himself felt very real and tangible, Rocky was a delight, and the ending was sublimely satisfying. Another absolute corker of a read, one to pick up again and again I am sure. What a rush.