This sounded hugely exciting, and although it lacked something to start with, it grew on me. The professional, polished nature of the writing allowed me to instantly get inside the Beta’s heads, sometimes to feel as they felt. And so when it became obvious that the action sequences were to be quite muted, I found myself enjoying the interpersonal relationships in place of high-octane thrills, particularly the twins and of course Jesse.

Comparisons to Becky Chambers are well-founded, although her view is wider and deeper, Temi has clearly demonstrated she can capture emotion, spin a story and engage us. I’d love to read further stories, perhaps set earlier in time and see how and when her London has diverged from ours, or revisit our Beta, grown, and see where things have gone. Whatever Temi does next, I certainly want to read it.