The Collapsing Wave

The Enceladons #2

by Doug Johnstone

Ava, Lennox and Heather make contact with alien Sandy and head for a profound confrontation that could mean a possible brighter future ... or the decimation of the Encedalons and the entire human race. The awe-inspiring, exquisite moving sequel to The Space Between Us, as seen on BBC Two' s Between the Covers.

Six months since the earth-shattering events of The Space Between Us, the revelatory hope of the aliens' visit has turned to dust and the creatures have disappeared into the water off Scotland' s west coast.

Teenager Lennox and grieving mother Heather are being held in New Broom, a makeshift US military base, the subject of experiments, alongside the Enceladons who have been captured by the authorities.

Ava, who has given birth, is awaiting the jury verdict at her trial for the murder of her husband. And MI7 agent Oscar Fellowes, who has been sidelined by the US military, is beginning to think he might be on the wrong side of history.

When alien Sandy makes contact, Lennox and Heather make a plan to escape with Ava. All three of them are heading for a profound confrontation between the worst of humanity and a possible brighter future, as the stakes get higher for the alien Enceladons and the entire human race...

Sequel to the bestselling The Space Between Us, The Collapsing Wave is an exquisite, epic first-contact novel, laced with peril and populated by unforgettable characters, and the awe-inspiring book we all need right now...

Genres: Science Fiction, Fiction, Thriller, Aliens, Fantasy

267 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 14, 2024

About the author

Doug Johnstone is a writer, musician and journalist based in Edinburgh. His fourth novel, Hit & Run, was published by Faber and Faber in 2012. His previous novel, Smokeheads, was published in March 2011, also by Faber. Before that he published two novels with Penguin, Tombstoning (2006) and The Ossians (2008), which received praise from the likes of Irvine Welsh, Ian Rankin and Christopher Brookmyre. Doug is currently writer in residence at the University of Strathclyde. He has had short stories appear in various publications, and since 1999 he has worked as a freelance arts journalist, primarily covering music and literature. He grew up in Arbroath and lives in Portobello, Edinburgh with his wife and two children. He loves drinking malt whisky and playing football, not necessarily at the same time.

Reviews

[Raven · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having read The Space Between Us, the first instalment of what is now going to be a trilogy, I was literally champing at the bit to re-enter this wondrous and thought provoking world of damaged humans and telepathic extra-terrestrial creatures. Yes you read that right, and if you have missed the opportunity to read the first in the series, I would ardently encourage you to do so, as soon as your little feet can carry you to where good books are sold. The Collapsing Wave picks up where the first book finished, and once again, Doug Johnstone immerses us into a disturbing, yet strangely hopeful narrative, with the theme of connection, the human heart under stress, the arrogance inherent in unchecked power, and how exceptionalism can be both a force for evil and good, all being explored through the narrative spine.

As this book is exceedingly difficult to review without spoilers, I can only reveal that Ava has now had her baby, and again there is a different bond between them, going beyond the normal bond of mother and child. Heather is grappling with dark thoughts throughout as something comes to light again from the first book, which impacts on her mindset and personal motivation greatly. Lennox is struggling with the loss of his unique connection with Sandy, and vice versa. The tentative connections made between both Sandy, the first Enceladon and our human protagonists, Lennox, Heather and Ava, in the previous book, allowing them to achieve a feeling of familial ties that have been categorically torn asunder at the opening of this book. Although they are experiencing the pain of separation, Johnstone keeps the theme of family and connection at the absolute forefront of the book throughout, either through their shared telepathy, and most strikingly by the new connections they make with others.

Familial ties in the form of Ava’s sister and Heather’s ex-husband are reignited, and our three protagonists also make an important connection with a small community that establishes itself to protect the Enceladons and protest against the military intrusion. The connection that Lennox makes with Vonnie has a heart-warming innocence to it, as she completely embraces the Enceladon cause, and by extension builds a relationship with Sandy too. This sense of people spurred on to perform acts of goodness permeates the book, which pleasingly spreads its influence to embrace those who have not acted so nobly in the past or the present.

It’s interesting how the author plays with the notion of ‘good’ and ‘bad’ throughout, as most notably the Enceladons have no real grasp of these concepts, as they become less than other, for those who persecute them,

“There was something pure about the Enceladons, they interacted in good faith with the universe around them, unable to lie.”

The Enceladons are relentlessly pursued and tortured by a power crazed American General Ryan Carson (who very much reminded me of Colonel Cathcart in Catch-22) operating out of a U.S. base named New Broom. As several reviewers have commented this is a totalitarian, autonomous base extremely redolent of Guantanamo,

“razor-wire fences and machine guns, military muscle and hatred, hurting for the sake of it.”

Carson exhibits a pathological drive to torment the Enceladons way beyond the boundaries of acceptable scientific research, labelling them as ‘illegals’- the reductive term so commonly used today making a comparison to how displaced peoples, through gender, sexuality, poverty, religion and so on, are labelled by governments desperate to keep the local populace on side and to secure their votes. Focus in on any society or country throughout the globe and these issues will quickly hove into view, causing conflict, separation and distrust. Through this allegorical narrative, Johnstone explores the issue of exceptionalism,

“Human exceptionalism had fucked Earth, it was the reason for climate change, imperialism, wars, slavery, capitalism. Once you think of another being as less than you, you can do whatever you want to them.”

This is very much Carson’s mindset as the Enceladons are captured, incarcerated and tortured ebbing their strength and life force. Notably it is not just the Enceladons who suffer at the hands of his extreme behaviour…

Obviously there is a good old dollop of science stuff permeating the book too, but not to the detriment of the flow of the book, or beyond the realms of understanding. Yes, even I now understand the theory of the collapsing wave of the title, equally the arrogance the human race exhibits in our incredibly meagre existence, and the relatively small knowledge we have in comparison to the as yet, undoubtedly extensive uncharted territory of the universe.

“Reality is not things. It’s the connection between things.”

This again reiterates the central tenet of the book, that to make connections, understand, learn and empathise we need to accept the unquestionable existence of life beyond our understanding, be it on the smaller molecular scale of accepting others, the microcosms of our own experiences, making connections to the planet, or within the larger context of the universe itself.

In common with the previous book, The Collapsing Wave proves to be an extremely moving, enlightening, and absorbing read, which not only explores weighty themes, but extrapolates and expands them to embrace the world, and even the universe itself. Johnstone once again proves his innate talent for exploring the human condition, the best and worst of human behaviour, and the premise that the power and importance of connection lies at the very heart of our small existence, within a still not completely knowable universe. His characters are vibrant, fallible, empathetic and believable, that you cannot help but become completely engaged with them, and I confess to having ‘a little something in my eye’ on a couple of occasions in this one. Like his superb Skelf series, these characters will inhabit your thoughts for some time after reading, and again I was blown away by Johnstone’s uncanny knack for portraying his female characters in particular so perfectly, that I felt every moment of distress, fear, uncertainty and joy in their experiences in particular.

I am hugely curious to see what will happen in the last book of the trilogy, as the ending of this one gave much food for thought.

That’s all I’m saying…

[Chiara Cooper · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a rollercoaster of emotions and action this was! I must admit I loved this second book in the series more than the first and had to hold on tears more than once throughout my reading. But in the end, I couldn't hold them any longer and I both loved and loathed the ending of this book. Loved it for everything that happened, and loathed it because I have to wait for the end of the trilogy!

I am in love with this story and the characters and there are so many themes that are so close to my heart. Above all I wish I could meet the Enceladons!! It was refreshing to see my beliefs and philosophy written down so beautifully that I kept tabbing page after page and quote after quote. One of my favourites is: "At a basic level, things don't exist on their own. Reality is not things, it's the connection between things. We've always been connected."

I was also so happy to see a vegan representation and the critique on speciesism. Why would you treat animals differently? And on that, another quote I loved: "How could you explain the fucked-up nature of humanity to creatures who'd lived in harmony with their environment for millions of years?"
It's not all bad for humans though, as this book also highlights the goodness of humanity and the ability to change if willing to listen, understand and learn.

This is a book I recommend to everyone, as although considered sci-fi, it has so much action, suspense and humanity that anyone can appreciate it despite of the genre attribution. The author's writing is also very direct and easy to read, making it a very enjoyable experience throughout.

Thanks to the author and Orenda Books for a copy and this is my honest opinion.

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Considering this book is undeniably science fiction, a genre I really do not gel with as a rule, I absolutely bloody love these books. I can't really tell you what it is about them that draws me in so completely which is a bit of a problem when writing a review ... Perhaps it is that fact that, looking beyond the fact that, when all is said and done, this is a book about what happens after a colony of aliens decide to take up residency in the waters just off the coast of Ullapool, Doug Johnstone has infused this series with so much more than just conspiracy theories about alien domination and destruction. In fact, that premise couldn't be further from the truth. The Enceladons, the aliens in question, have come in search of peace. They are fleeing persecution and genocide on their home planet. They are refugees, if you like, seeking compassion, friendship and a safe haven. I wonder where on earth he might have got the inspiration from ...

The Collapsing Wave sees us rejoin our protagonists, Lennox, Ava, Heather and alien Sandy, months after the events at the end of The Space Between Us. Lennox and Heather are being held prisoners in a newly built American camp, known as New Broom, their ability to communicate with Sandy and the other aliens being exploited as part of a series of experiments on some of the creatures that the scientists have been able to capture. Ava is back in Edinburgh, on trial for murder. Despite all of their efforts in the first book, their quest to find freedom and to deliver Sandy back to their family, all of them are prisoners of one kind of another. Whilst Sandy enjoys their freedom, their family are being captured and killed in the name of research, and they face an ever present threat from a Government and an Army who would rather kill those who are different, than embrace and try to learn from them.

This book is, at times gut wrenching, at others the kind of story that created great anger in me. So many injustices take place in such a short place of time, least of which is the incarceration of Lennox and Heather, There are scenes which will really pluck at the heart strings, where the author skilfully manipulates our feelings to such a degree that it is hard to contain emotions. I am not a parent, but the scenes in which Ava is separated from her young daughter, Chloe, where experimentation takes on the form of what is arguably, in any other circumstance, torture, is hard to read and if it doesn't leave you seething and completely rooting against the Americans, nothing will. There are few American soldiers we are introduced to who inspire any kind thought, the General, Carson, the most aggressive and loathsome of all, although scarily authentic in personality. That kind of megalomanic personality that we have seen throughout history, who will defy humanitarian treaties in the name of ´national security´.

Throughout the book the author continues the exploration of the need for connection. Not only the psychic connection that now exists between the three friends and Sandy, or the at times overwhelming the maternal bond between Ava and Chloe, but amongst the wider world. There are a group of believers who have taken up camp close to New Broom, people seeking a connection to this new colony, who understand the power that they hold is not a threat, but an opportunity. In amongst them are two very key characters, camp leader of the so called ´Outwithers´, Jodie, and local, Vonnie, a young woman whose presence in Lennox´s life will lead him to the kind of connection he has always found missing. Both are strong women, wonderfully drawn, complimenting the already diverse characters that the author has created. I loved the tender bond that grows between Lennox and Vonnie, one that goes beyond attraction to a much deeper kind of understanding.

Perhaps the most surprising character of all though is Oscar. Very much the antagonist is the first book, his presence in this story is not what you may expect and although he acts as a catalyst for one act of inevitability, it is his desire to learn and understand that shines through. Whether it is enough for him to redeem himself in the readers eyes, you´ll have to decide for yourself, out with the story told from his point of view, along with those of Ava, Heather and Lennox, we certainly get more chance to get to know him, to learn of his past and to experience his regrets.

Doug Johnstone examines the difference between those who welcome the ´refugees´ with open arms, who understand that their story is part of something bigger, and those who see to dominate and destroy them. There is that constant understanding that the majority of the population would rather look away and ignore what is happening right under their noses, the ability of the powers that be to manipulate the narrative in a way that suits the public perception. It is a story with its origins in reality, a story which, aside from the alien influence, could be ripped from our headlines. Echoes of our current refugee situation, of the way in which they are condemned by the media and politicians alike, and where compassion and understanding is in limited supply.

The ending is fitting, almost inevitable, but it does leave us with a sense of hope for the future. You can feel the tension and pace building as Carson's wrath, and feeling of self importance and dominance over everything around him also grows. I actually felt my pulse racing at certain times, and my reading speed pick up, feeling completely shocked and floored by the way in which events evolve. I was so completely absorbed in the action, the sense of injustice, that the escalation of events, the Enceladon's attempts to free their family, seemed to happen in an almost blur. I actually read the scenes twice, just to make sure I hadn't missed anything. It is truly impactful, and there, I have to say, is no pun intended in that statement. And just when you think all is done, when maybe the good guys can win, Doug Johnstone plays one last card, leaving me feeling the same strange kind of unexpected sadness I felt towards the end of book one.

I know I haven´t done the book justice, not really been able to articulate all the ways that this story captures you heart and mind. If you have read and loved The Space Between Us, you will be absolutely swept up in this continuing story of this most unusual group of friends. It will create a myriad emotions, from anger to heartbreak. There are so many scenes that had emotional resonance, scenes that left me somewhat heartbroken and others that simply made me smile. This is a story about the power of acceptance and understanding, about embracing and not fearing differences. About friendship that extends beyond normal boundaries and societal expectations. Most of all, it is a beautifully written, engaging story that lasts in the mind, long after the final page is turned. I shall wait with no small amount of trepidation for the final part of this trilogy as it will be a very sad day when we have to say goodbye. Definitely recommended,

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

“How can you explain the depths of humanity to something like Sandy or Xander? The conspiracies, hatred and anger, the violence, deviousness and dishonesty.”


It’s six months since the events of book one in The Enceladon Trilogy, and things aren’t looking good for Lennox, Ava and Heather. Ava is nervously awaiting the outcome of her trial for murder, while Lennox and Heather are being held in New Broom, a makeshift US military base where they are subjected to experiments alongside Enceladons the authorities have  managed to capture. When Sandy contacts them for the first time in months, they make a plan to escape, leading to a confrontation that will impact the future for all of humanity.


Somehow this was even better than book one! It jumps straight into the action, succinctly catching the reader up on the extraordinary events of book one and filling in the gaps of what’s happened since. After sharing such a profound experience, the bond between Lennox, Heather, and Ava is stronger than ever, as is their bond with Enceladons, and we are taken on an even more remarkable journey alongside them. I wondered how they’d escape from a place that doesn’t officially exist and is run by a man drunk with power. It was terrifying, and my heart shattered as humans and Enceladons were subjected to his barbaric experiments. But what is most frightening is how plausible it all feels, and I was cheering them on while hoping for the downfall of others. 


Doug Johnstone really can do no wrong in my eyes. This storytelling master had me in his thrall and I was completely immersed from the start; devouring the book in under a day. Exquisitely written, multi-layered and fast-paced, danger and tension radiate from every page, and I was on the edge of my seat as I tried to predict what would happen next. But it isn’t only entertaining and really makes you think as Johnstone explores topics such as prejudice, humanity, and the power of connection. Examining how humans treat anything that is new or different, he reminds us that our way might not always be best and that there is much we can still learn. 


Breathtaking, moving, nerve-shredding and addictive, The Collapsing Wave is an outstanding instalment in an unmissable series. The only problem now is I have to wait impatiently for its conclusion.


Rating: ✮✮✮✮.5

[Mary Pimbblet · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think this is probably much better if you've read the first of the series. I stupidly didn't realise that this was the second in a series when I picked it up.
It's fast paced and action packed, definitely an enjoyable read but a bit too predictable with the American military acting as cartoonish villains.

[Graham Bowden · Rating 5 out of 5]

The 2nd book in the series & both books are brilliant reads with 3 great characters which you can really connect with. A real good against evil story, looking forward to book 3!

[Lara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Doug Johnstone and these octopi from Saturn !
I realised I treat his books like a rinsing of my brain after a particularly tough or tedious book, and I’ve read 8 of his novels this year without realising. I started with the Skelfs and I also appreciate his ability to write women so well , and the way he creates his characters across other works of his. Can’t wait for the third part to this lovely series :)

[Monika Armet · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a follow-up to the excellent The Space Between Us (if you haven’t read it, then you simply must!).

The Collapsing Wave is set six months after The Space Between Us.

Lennox and Heather are held in New Broom, a makeshift military base near Ullapool.

Heather’s brain tumour is back – in the first book Sandy, the alien from Enceladon, Saturn’s moon, cured her cancer. However, now Sandy is gone and his healing powers.

Ava’s court hearing is approaching. She’s a domestic abuse survivor and in the first book, she’s killed her abusive husband. After the hearing, she’s captured and taken to the New Broom facility.

Lennox is desperate to establish contact with Sandy. When he does, the trio plan their escape.

However, their lives are in danger…

I just loved this book. I loved The Space Between Us, I found it fresh and captivating.

This book had me gripped right from the start. I was so excited that Sandy was back – my favourite alien, full of empathy and compassion.

The Collapsing Wave truly highlights the ugliness of humanity (I am thinking Carson and his cronies), but at the same time there is a sense of hope, as some characters, like Fellowes try to redeem themselves.

This is such a beautifully told story, I urge everyone to read it.

[Doreen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book in The Enceladon Trilogy; it takes place six months after the end of The Space Between Us.

Ava is awaiting the verdict in her murder trial while Lennox and Heather are prisoners at New Broom, an American military base in Scotland where their ability to telepathically communicate with the Enceladons is being exploited. Enceladons are being captured and subjected to barbaric experiments. When Sandy makes contact, they execute an escape plan which ultimately leads to a confrontation between those who see these beings as a threat and those who understand that they could help create a better future for humanity.

As does the first novel, this one employs a multiple point of view structure. The perspectives of Lennox, Ava, and Heather are given in alternating chapters. The view of a fourth character, Oscar Fellowes, the antagonist of The Space Between Us, is also added. He understands that he was wrong and now wants only to learn from and about the Enceladons, though Ava, Lennox, and Heather are mistrustful of him.

The main villain is General Ryan Carson who is charge of New Broom. He represents all of the worst of humanity, turning “first contact with an alien species into some pest-control exercise,” and insisting that the Enceladons, whom he considers “an existential threat to humanity,” be called illegals. Arrogant and drunk with power, he has no concern for the law or anyone’s welfare. He’s willing to manipulate and ab/use anyone, even an infant, in order to achieve his goal of preventing alien domination. Incarceration and physical and emotional torture are his tools. He clearly states his belief that “’Might is right, that’s all there is to it. Humans were designed to take what we can and exploit it. It’s kill or be killed, eat or be eaten.’”

Ironically, it is the Enceladons who behave humanely. They don’t understand war and are unable to lie. Ava believes they don’t “comprehend how humanity worked. They were too innocent, open and caring.” In many ways, the Enceladons are foils for humans. Oscar points out that humans fear intelligent creatures: “’We hate that something else will see humans for the monsters we really are. Seeing humanity from the outside, what we do to each other and our planet, that’s terrifying.’” Lennox agrees: “Humans were nasty, craven, violent and selfish, and the Enceladons brought that into sharp relief.” But of course the Enceldons are perceived as a threat because “they pointed towards a new way of being, and that was threatening to the status quo.”

In The Space Between Us, the limitations of humans are delineated. In The Collapsing Wave, this idea reappears. Oscar thinks, “Energy all around him that he couldn’t see with his pathetic human senses. Birds navigated by sensing magnetic fields, some fish sent electrical messages, dogs lived in a world of scents. In one way, it wasn’t surprising the Enceladons had telepathy, just another extension of the animal kingdom’s sensory experience. And here he was, stuck with his limited human brain, trying to understand it.”

The novel’s theme is stated clearly. Lennox realizes that “Reality is not things, it’s the connections between things.” Sandy emphasizes that “Communication is connection, life is connection.” And Ava agrees: “Imagine if everyone knew what everyone else was feeling? Surely the world would be better, we would have more empathy.” The implication is that our lack of connection is responsible for the “inequality, violence, poverty, hatred, wars, famine, disease, destruction. Hate, hate, hate, all the way down to the core of what it is to be human.” It is wonderful to see when people, like Lennox and Vonnie, do achieve a special connection. Certainly the Outwithers, camped near New Broom, are drawn to the Enceladons “by some dream, a sense it was vital.” While they wait, they create “a sense of community.”

There are some weaknesses that irritated me. I found it difficult to believe that New Broom was built in six months and is “not subject to British or international law”? If the latter is indeed the case, why is there a court martial and why would Mendoza still have a treason charge hanging over him? Carson with his lack of redeeming qualities comes across as a cartoon-type villain. And the thriller-style standoff struck me as too over-the-top, though I understand its entertainment value.

As I read, I often thought of films I’ve seen and books I’ve read. E.T. the Extraterrestrialcame to mind, but so did The Shape of Water. When reading about Chloe, I was even reminded of Petra in The Chrysalids by John Wyndham, and I wonder whether Chloe will play a pivotal role in the next book. I taught The Chrysalids many times when I was a teacher, and if I were still teaching, I think I’d use The Enceladon Trilogy.

Speculative fiction featuring octopus-like aliens is not my typical genre, but this series is so well-written that I’m definitely a fan. Action-packed with lots of tension because of almost constant danger for the protagonists, it is entertaining. But more than that, it is thought-provoking. It left me agreeing that we do indeed live in “a post-truth world now, full of lies and misinformation,” and thinking about our treatment of “refugees fleeing some kind of climate crisis or invading violence” and how “Human exceptionalism had fucked Earth, it was the reason for climate change, imperialism, wars, slavery, capitalism.”

Like The Space Between Us, The Collapsing Wave is more about human beings than it is about aliens.

Please check out my reader's blog (https://schatjesshelves.blogspot.com/) and follow me on Twitter (https://twitter.com/DCYakabuski).

[Sally Boocock · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an easy 5 stars for me.I loved The Spacwe Between Us so knew I would not be disappointed. It continues the story of Lennox and Heather who are now being held in a US military base and Ava who is awaiting the result of her trial for killing her husband.
Sandy, the Enceladon they all have connections with has disappeared. When they eventually make contact then a plan is made to escape.
Doug Johnstone has the ability to make you believe in the almost unbelievable. He introduces feelings which cut at your heartstrings He makes you fall in love with the most unlikely of creatures and people.. Its a fasrt paced story which picks up to a real crescendo at the end.
I cannot recommend this book highly enough and I look forward to reading the third one. No pressure Doug !

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

6 months after the events of the first book, we are catching up with Sandy and friends.

While Sandy and the other Enceladons have escaped for now, the human members of the gang, Lennox, Ava & Heather, are being held by the American military. With unsettling things going on at the New Broom facility, they are desperate to get back in touch with Sandy so they can help them break out.

This book felt like it had more action than the first and even though the group are separated, their bonds seems stronger than ever. This was another beautifully written story that draws you in with the humanity and ease of connection with the characters, then keeps you hooked with the entertaining yet tense story!

Can't wait for part 3!

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Six months on from the incredible events of The Space Between Us, things are looking bleak for the Enceladons and the humans who made first contact with them. Desperate to hush up the arrival of an alien species, the USA military has taken charge, establishing a secretive base on Scotland's west coast, called New Broom - where middle-aged Heather, teenager Lennox, and captured Enceladons, are being subjected to brutal experiments. Meanwhile, Ava is on trial for the murder of her husband, and faces being separated from her baby.

The Enceladons themselves have disappeared into Loch Broom, and seem oblivious to the threat of danger, but all hope is not lost. Attracted to the shores of the loch, a community of humans has sprung up at Camp Outwith, in response to a mysterious 'call', and MI7 agent Oscar Fellowes is beginning to believe his faith in the powers-that-be has been misplaced. 

When Sandy, the alien that started the whole story, makes contact with Lennox, the chance of escape for him, Heather, Ava, and baby Chloe arises, bringing with it the prospect of a battle with the military might of those driven by hatred and fear... one they may not survive.

Doug Johnstone picks up this story a few months after the gripping climax of The Space Between Us, the first instalment in this cracking speculative trilogy, which left hanging many questions about how humanity would deal with the reality of first contact with an alien species. You must read the first book before embarking on The Collapsing Wave - it is an incredible read, and lays all the groundwork you need to tip you straight into this tense and atmospheric follow-up novel, as our intrepid band of human survivors from the mission to aid Sandy, and the other Enceladons, find themselves the subject of very unwelcome attention from the worst elements of Earth's authorities. 

With beautifully wrought, and all too authentic, threads of sinister cover-ups, egotistical power moves, xenophobia, and disturbing agendas driven by fear of the unknown, Johnstone takes you on an absolute thrill ride in this novel, through the narratives of returning characters, Heather, Lennox, Ava and Fellowes. The complete disregard for any kind of rights, be they human or alien, allows him to spin a plot that is worthy of a block-busting science fiction adventure, with full-on, cinematic scenes to get the blood thumping, as our heroes carry the brand for the good of humanity, and Enceladon, against despicable foes. And like the very best novels of the genre, he off-sets the action with character-led, poignant elements about the bonds of love, family, community, connection, and the sense of belonging, to stir you to the very depth of your emotions. 

"Reality is not things, it's the connection between things..."

My heart was in my mouth for the entire length of this novel. Johnstone takes you to the very edge of your capacity to cope with intense feelings of anger and despair, with a relentlessness that can only be assuaged by the eventual triumph of decency and hope over injustice, cruelty and closed-minds. He has such an ability to examine the darkness that lies in the human heart, and yet, his stories unfailingly manage to balance this beautifully against the yearning for connection that offers us salvation. There is something very striking about how he uses this story to address attitudes to 'refugees', exploring a willingness to accept and embrace 'difference' as a way to become something more, which provides a thought-provoking allegory for modern times too.  

I love everything about this series, right down to the supremely clever titles suffused with meaning, and am excited to see the direction Johnstone will take in the final instalment. It still amazes me that this is his first foray into science fiction writing, because this is powerful and accomplished story-telling, that stands up right beside the very best authors of the genre.

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

A year ago, I reviewed The Space Between Us by Doug Johnstone, the first in his Encedalon Trilogy. That was a book that moved me deeply, whilst I am fan of dystopia and speculative fiction, I have never thought of myself as a science-fiction fan. Doug Johnstone and his amazing characters changed that, I doubt that I'm ever going to dip into the realms of space invaders and purple aliens, but give me a five legged octopus with pulsating lights and I'm absolutely smitten.

It's no secret that I am a huge fan of this author. One of his previous books; Breakers, sits just behind The Handmaid's Tale as my favourite book ever. He writes with a compassion and understanding of human nature that is hard to beat, there's always a touch of humour and in this series, a few tears may be shed too.

It is six months since the end of the previous book. The encedalon that we know as Sandy has disappeared into the water off Scotland along with others that accompanied them. Our human protagonists; Lennox and Heather, Ava and Oscar Fellowes are all in dark places.

Lennox and Heather have been captured and are being held at a purpose built US military base on the shores of Loch Broom, called, ironically and cynically, New Broom. M17 official Oscar Fellowes is also there. An English man amongst American scientists, he's slowly realising that his past actions were wrong and that the constant torture and experimentation headed up by General Carson is wicked and cruel. Any encedelon that they manage to capture is immediately experimented upon, and most of them die.

Ava is now a mother to baby Chloe and recently stood trial for the murder of her abusive husband. Although set free, she and Chloe were immediately captured by Carson's men and hauled off to New Broom - who better to experiment on than a small baby with no preconceptions?

Across from New Broom is an encampment made up of people who are curious about the encedalons, they are interested in them, and mean no harm. Led by a strong woman named Jodie, these are the Outwithers.

When Lennox meets young Vonnie, an outwither, as he strolls along the camp edge, he finds someone who seems to understand and who wants to help. When Sandy then gets in touch, the plans for escape are made.

There are some brutal scenes in this novel, the experiments and physical pain that baby Chloe experiences, in front of her desperate mother are emotionally draining. Heather's realisation that she is ill once again, and that this is part of her and how she is made up, coupled with her memories of her late daughter are heartbreaking at times.

We live in a world of pain, of controlling dictators, of power struggles and of freedoms lost. Whilst of course, the encedelons are fictional, their experiences can be taken straight from the mouths of our news readers today. The illogical treatment of those thought of as 'aliens', the struggle of the refugee to find safety, the constant battle against prejudice and hate, it is all there, all staring at us from the pages of this novel, just as it does from our daily newspapers.

Doug Johnstone excels in creating characters and situations that readers can truly relate to, and he does it with style and also entertains at the same time. This is not all doom and gloom, there's fast paced action, there's beautiful human interaction and there's the joy of the wild and desolate Scottish scenery too.

A book and series that is so hard to review, so hard to do justice to. My advice? Go out, buy a copy and read it. Highly recommended.

[Karen Cole · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Collapsing Wave is the second book in what has now been named the Enceladons trilogy, following last year's The Space Between Us. While a story about aliens will be labelled as science fiction, The Collapsing Wave is a Doug Johnstone book and nobody writes characters quite like Doug. Just as he made readers love a teenage criminal in Breakers or a family of funeral directors-cum-private investigators, in his Skelfs series, he imbues Sandy, an empathetic octopus-like alien creature, with so much warmth it's impossible not to fall for them, or to be swept up by this powerful tale which forces us to question who the real monsters are.
In the months since the events The Space Between US, most of the world has moved on and almost forgotten the astounding sight of alien octopuses and jellyfish descending from the sky but life has changed beyond all recognition for Lennox and Heather who are imprisoned in New Broom, a US military base in Scotland, and Ava who is on trial for manslaughter. While it's not completely necessary to have read the first book, I would recommend doing so, if possible.
The Collapsing Wave is an acutely perceptive exploration of how humans confront difference, both politically and as individuals. It's inevitable, therefore, for comparisons to be drawn between the treatment of the Enceladons and the discussions which surround immigrants and asylum seekers. The Americans are experimenting on the aliens they have captured and it becomes painfully evident that their attitude towards their captives is derived from fear, as well as a need to exert their dominance over the visitors. They see the Enceladons as a threat that needs to be controlled, whereas others view them as refugees who deserve understanding and help.
As with real life, it's those who hold most of the power who appear most able to control the narrative and their inhumane behaviour towards the aliens is sadly only too believable. However, despite their authority over others, they can't entirely control everybody’s hearts and minds, in spite of their increasingly disturbing attempts to do that. The three characters who formed a bond with Sandy in The Space Between Us, Lennox, Heather and Ava aren't alone, despite being isolated from society and as The Collapsing Wave builds towards its dramatic climax, there's hope as well as despair here.
Doug Johnstone never flinches from his examination of the best and worst of us and the tense, gripping plot is utterly compulsive as our protagonists are thrust from one apparently insurmountable challenge to another. The Collapsing Wave is often a penetrating commentary on the darker aspects of humanity but besides the brutality of ruthless control and callous violence, there is courage, acceptance and cooperation. From Lennox's increasing confidence in himself, amidst his recognition of what he wants from his life, to Heather's poignant memories of her past and acceptance of what is to come, to Ava's incredible bond with her baby daughter Chloe, alongside notable interventions, these human characters are, in their own way, as life-affirming as Sandy and their phenomenal telepathic communication and shared emotions with the other Enceladons.
The Collapsing Wave is a piercingly insightful read and this thoughtful, emotive juxtaposition of tyrannical subjugation and principled freedom is an intelligent, captivating novel which compels us to reflect upon on how we are connected on an intimate and much wider level with those we share our planet (and beyond!) with. I cannot recommend it highly enough.

[David Harris · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Collapsing Wave is the sequel to The Space Between Us - the title comes from the quantum mechanical notion of wavefunction collapse, when an observation resolves an experiment into a known state, but it also cleverly alludes to events in the story. It picks up events six months after the end of the previous book, which was hopeful, if ambiguous, but now everything seems to have gone to s***. Ava, who escaped from her controlling, abusive husband, is now on trial for his murder and has been separated from her newborn daughter, Chloe. Lennox and Heather, who also bonded with the alien they called sandy, have been kidnapped and are being held in what I will emphatically state are illegal circumstances at a secret US facility on Loch Broom, where the Enceladons (Sandy's people, refugees from the moon Enceladus) are being studied (read: tortured).

The first half of the story is therefore pretty rage-inducing with the wicked and the venal going about their business pretty much unmolested. It didn't do my blood pressure much good, I can tell you, and I would love to have a few minutes in private with Turner, Gibson or Carson: cowards and bullies all. In contrast, as ever, our heroes are somewhat conflicted, unsure of their best course of action, and hampered by little things like moral scruples, empathy and guilt. ("The best lack all conviction, while the worst/ Are full of passionate intensity").

In a sense it doesn't help that the gifts the Enceladons bring are all about empathy, and sympathy, about a way of being and living that challenges the cult of individuality. They therefore represent a threat, whether the humans know it or not, that is more fundamental and insidious than the "invasion of the little green men form Mars" trope. The example of a better way of being implicitly judges Earth's ways, and shows the current greed-driven model of society, growth and progress to be wanting. In this respect, I find Johnstone's story to be rather like a reverse Gulliver's Travels - just as Jonathan Swift pitilessly highlighted the faults and failings of his own society by taking a specimen of that society and comparing him with various idealised nations, so Johnstone brings a benign, cooperative creature to, ultimately, shame us and our doings.

It won't end well. It can't end well. Our heroes are imprisoned, dark deeds are afoot and the resistance, if I can use that term, painfully weak and fragmented. (One of Johnstone's themes is how supposedly democratic social media simply floods the channels with a deluge of lies, confusion and conspiracy theories, swamping the truth. There is some interest in what's going on in that secret base, with a peace camp of sorts outside, but I can't help feeling that in the high days of activism there'd have been telephone trees and samizdat-style newsletters getting the word out, and successful raise on the base to challenge the authorities).

But.

BUT.

The dark powers we see don't, can't, possibly imagine the strength of an alternative social model. Imposing pathetic labels on things they don't understand (they call the sea creatures from Enceladus "illegals") they fail to understand what they are dealing with, leaving some, slight, margin for a ragtag group of the wise and the just to succeed. Maybe. If the first half of the book was enraging, the second is really, really nail-biting and I will say NOTHING about what goes on here and what might happen in the next book.

I should assure you that The Collapsing Wave isn't just a moral fable, though it is a powerful one. It's a novel of characters too, with each member of the little group an individual who has lived a lifetime and has the knocks to show for it. Even Lennox, who is "only", 16 has been through stuff. You can read this book for the protagonists alone who are, every one, fascinating, quirky, real and loveable.

All in all, a superlative novel with great moral force, an urgent book, I think, in view of world polictis and the state of the planet. A cosmic, world-shaking novel form Johnstone, one I'd strongly recommend.

[Julie Morris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, things really aren’t looking great for the characters from The Space Between Us since we left them six months ago. Lennox and Heather are being held in a secretive military camp and are being used to find out more about the Enceladons. Ava is on trial for the murder of her ex and has been separated from her new baby and the Enceladons have gone to ground (or to sea, more appropriately. We are starting from a dark place after the hope that seemed to be on the horizon as the previous book closed. The prospect of connection and understanding that the Enceladons brought with them has come to nothing and humans are doing what humans always do, viewing anything different to them as a threat and meeting that imagined threat with threats of their own.

The first half of this book is bleak. It shines a light on the absolute worst traits of humanity – suspicion, mistrust, othering, callousness, contempt, stupidity, the list goes on. Honestly, I was absolutely horrified by the inhumanity shown by some of the characters in this book, mostly because it is all too credible. It seems highly likely that humanity, or at least a section of it, would behave exactly like this is we were visited by an alien species. In fact, we don’t even need to imagine that scenario because we can see in the world around us now exactly how human beings who come from other lands and may be slightly different to us are treated in the here and now, Doug’s writing again is a depressing reflection of the things that are actually happening around us and it makes me very sad. I was concerned, all the way through, that this book was not going to end well for the characters we have come to care about, because happy ending are in short supply in the real world these days and I found it hard to bear. I have come to care about these characters so deeply over the course of these books, I wanted them to have that happy ending. I tweeted Doug about half way through and told him I may never forgive him if the book ended badly and I meant it.

But, before you decide not to read the book in case it is relentlessly bleak and depressing, fear not. There are still good people in the world. There is still hope. Miracles do happen and redemption is not impossible, particularly if people are prepared to stand up for what they believe and risk everything for those they care about. All it takes is for people to put surface differences aside and find out what is beneath the surface, because that is what really counts. not superficial similarities or differences that are only skin deep, but what people truly think and feel, their motivations and their beliefs inside are what counts. This books asks us to look beyond the obvious for the truth at the heart of things and make our decisions based on that and on our own consciences. Being true to yourself and practising kindness and love are what will win through in the end.

The fact does all of this whilst not coming across as the least bit preachy or lecturing, and by using a completely weird, alien species to elicit these feelings from the reader if nothing short of miraculous. I tried to explain to my teenage daughter what I was reading and why I was so moved by it and there is no easy way to describe this book without it sounding insane and improbable. You have fallen in love with alien, octopus-like creatures from outer space who have come here as refugees and if they don’t survive and thrive you are going to be heart broken? Maybe you’ve spent too much time living in fictional worlds, Julie! But it’s true, that’s how I felt all the way through and I guarantee you will too if you read these books. The writing and characterisations in these novels are just sublime. The plotting is genius; all the way through I had a real and deep sense of peril for the protagonists, a converse anger and loathing towards the antagonists and a fanatical need to know the outcome. And I don’t want to leave you with the idea that the end is a fairytale, because it isn’t. That’s not how life is and the author has been nothing if not true to how the world actually works (except for the alien bit, obviously.) What the end is, is deeply satisfying to anyone who has gone on this journey with the characters from start to finish and feels true to the story. Who can ask for more than that.

I loved this book as much as the first one and am so happy that I have read this series. They are definitely some of the best book I have read over the past twelve months and, beyond that, I feel like they are the books that the world needs right now. Hyperbole, you may say? I don’t think so. I really want people to read this novels, I have absolutely no doubt you will love them as much as I do and will get a huge amount from them too.

[Jacob Collins · Rating 5 out of 5]

In The Collapsing Wave, Doug Johnstone hits the ground running, and following on from the events in the last book in the series, Lennox, Heather and Ava are in a desperate situation. In the previous book they made contact with Sandy, an alien creature from Saturn’s moon, Enceladus, which has a sub-surface ocean which has the perfect conditions for life to evolve. The Enceladon’s have fled their home world in search of refuge on Earth, only to find now, that they are being met with hostility and their future is now threatened.

This is far from just an ordinary science fiction novel. This is something that is always apparent with whatever genre Doug Johnstone is writing in, and it is always down to his well-rounded characters. Doug Johnstone writes characters with real emotional depth, and we see this in his characters here. You get the sense that there is a real fight about to happen here and that Lennox, Heather and Ava will do anything to help protect Sandy and the Enceladon’s from harm. Although the Enceladon’s are the ones who have come to Earth, Doug Johnstone portrays the human race as the real villains in this story, except those, like Lennox, Heather and Ava.

As Doug Johnstone explored in the last book, Ava, Lennox and Heather, each have their own backstory which helps us to connect to them. The three of them are suffering from their own emotional trauma, and Doug Johnstone makes their feelings feel so real in his writing. He has a real talent for making his character’s leap off the page, and it’s why I always fly through his books as I am always desperate to find out what is going to happen to them. I really liked their connection to Sandy and the Enceladon’s; I could see how much this connection means to them.

The pace does not let up at all throughout the book. I loved how Doug Johnstone kept upping the stakes by adding real threats of imminent danger. This is particularly shown in the scenes when Heather and Lennox are being held in an American military camp, which is also where they are holding captured Enceladon’s. Doug Johnstone does a brilliant job of making the reader feel emotionally connected to the Enceladon’s, particularly through what they are going through when they have been captured. There are some humans on the base who, it is quite clear to see, don’t care about them and about Ava, Lennox, or Heather at all, and this is what makes them so scary.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Collapsing Wave and I am now eagerly awaiting the third book in the series. If you haven’t started reading this series yet, I highly, highly recommend it.

[UKDana · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is six months since the Enceladons arrived on earth and they've all but disappeared. Ava is on trial for her husband's murder. Lennox and Heather are being held captive at a military site and used in experiments to try and communicate with the aliens.

The Collapsing Wave by Doug Johnstone is the second book in The Enceladons trilogy. To get the most out of this wonderful story you really must read the first book in the series, The Space Between Us. Don't let the thought of either of these books being science fiction put you off, they certainly don't come across as typical of the genre. It would be better to think of the books as modern fairy tales or morality tales.

With events taking place six months after the Enceladons descended from the sky it is amazing that there is virtually no public interest. The event has been manipulated by the government and media and passed off as fake news. The only people who have shown any interest are those who feel a connection to the creatures and have set up a camp on the outskirts of the military base on the edge of Loch Broom.

The military sees the aliens as a threat to the status quo, particularly because the different species are able to live together in harmony and pose no threat to humanity, they are simply looking for a new home. By experimenting on Lennox, Heather, Ava and her baby, Chloe, they hope to find out how the Enceladons communicate and track them down since they have gone into hiding.

Thankfully, there are people both inside the base and outside who are willing to help the captives, they realise that "people have power when they work together" and that power is multiplied beyond belief when they work with the Enceladons. I'm trying my hardest to keep this a spoiler-free zone, you really do need to read, and experience, this book for yourself. I read it in a day because I was so invested in all the characters I wanted to know what happened to them.

There is so much to unpack in the novel, this would make an ideal choice for a reading group. As well as the misinformation and media control mentioned at the beginning there is also the plight of refugees, military powers akin to Nazi Germany, animal welfare and the fragility of the human body. These, and so much more, are all wrapped up in a story where the pace never lets up for a moment. And now, it's a case of waiting for the third book in the trilogy to discover what happens next.

If you enjoyed my review please check out my book blog, Reading For Leisure
https://readingforleisure.blogspot.com/

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[Yvonne (It's All About Books) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finished reading: June 12th 2024

“She raised her head and looked around in the room. They didn't understand, not really, and she felt the loneliness of that.”

REVIEW

The first book of what is now confirmed as a trilogy, The Space Between Us, ended up being on my list of 2023 favorites, so it is easy to understand why I was over the moon when I heard about this sequel. I absolutely loved my time with Sandy and the rest of the cast, and I couldn't wait to meet up with them again in The Collapsing Wave. While it's true that I don't exactly read a lot of sci-fi, and definitely not if there are aliens involved, this series is simply so much more than a simple alien sci-fi story. It's an exploration of humanity with all its flaws, and it's scary just how plausible the events happening within New Bloom are. Conspiracies, power abuse, misogyny, torture, betrayal... Basically people fighting against anything that they don't understand with brute force instead of trying to learn from it. The Collapsing Wave is a direct sequel of The Space Between Us, and it is key to read the books in order to understand what is going on. Both books are sublime, so well worth your time in the first place! The plot uses a multiple POV structure, which fits the story very well and helps us show all angles in play. I loved learning more about the alien Enceladon connection; their communication is one of the things that made this story stand out. I already fell in love with the main characters in the first book, and these feelings are only reinforced in this sequel. There is less moving around in this book, but the plot is by no means static and has quite a few tense moments in store. All in all The Collapsing Wave ended up being one of my reading highlights so far this year, and I loved it just as much as the first book. I can already guarantee that it will appear on my list of 2024 favorites!

[Lynsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's always such a joy to pick up a Doug Johnstone book and this one was no exception! I absolutely have taken this series to my heart and Sandy is absolutely brilliant! Could you pick this book up as a standalone? Yes, you could but you would seriously be missing out on an outstanding read in the first book!

‘The Collapsing Wave’ picks up the story six months later and dives straight into an action-packed and thrilling plot! Lennox and Heather are prisoners in New Broom, a US military base on the west coast of Scotland. They are being subjected to experiments, alongside the Enceladons they have managed to capture. Ava is facing trial for the murder of her abusive ex-husband. When Sandy contacts them for the first time since their capture, they attempt a break out of the camp!

I just love everything about this book and its characters, writing and message. The crux of this book is humanity and how we treat our fellow beings. Doug manages to reflect on society’s reactions to refugees and spread the message that we should treat them with the respect and empathy they deserve. Sandy and the Enceladons might be completely alien to us but they show us up completely with their empathy and willingness to trust and help their human companions. We also see how horrendous humanity can be to its fellow man in the actions of some characters from New Broom. I'm definitely team Sandy and the Enceladons.

As well as the characters from the last book we are introduced to a raft of new ones, with Vonnie being my favourite. Lennox meets her on a walk along the border of the camp and instantly forms a tight bond with her. There are also a group of curious people who have formed a camp known as ‘Outwith’ and have an instinct to come to be near the creatures. They are run by the brilliant Jodie and I loved her! Plus, outwith is my favourite word and getting to see it so many times in one book was brilliant. We also see more Oscar the only UK official left standing and thankfully he begins to have a change of heart and I was warming to him as the book went on. Doug manages to create such brilliant characters and you really are rooting for them and feel everything with them!

Thank god this is a trilogy as I don't know if I could cope with knowing that there is no more Sandy coming in my life! This one left me wanting more and I can't wait for the final chapter.

Let me know if you pick this one up!

[Rich B · Rating 4 out of 5]

A hopeful and uplifting book that’s part sci-fi and part commentary on the human condition.

It’s the second part of what I now understand to be a trilogy and follows the aftermath of the events of the first book, where a benign and peaceful species of octopus-like creatures from Encephalon, one of Saturn's moons, land in the sea in Scotland.

The US military has “taken control of the situation” by setting up a base near Ullapool to try and capture the alien creatures to experiment on them. At the base, they also imprison the main characters from the first book - Lennox, Heather and (eventually) Ava. Plus, there’s the reformed scientist, Oscar, who is aghast at the military way of dealing with this alien encounter.

It’s mainly a story of the ruthless and narrow-minded US military machine against the more compassionate and open-minded normal humans and the Encephalons.

I enjoyed the premise, found the characters likeable and relatable (especially Sandy the Encephalon), and the commentary on what matters in life. It’s a heartwarming read.

The plot is fine, if a little predictable / functional - mainly, will they (a) escape the base and (b) stop the military from capturing / killing the aliens. It moves the story along, and there’s a clear set-up for a third book at the end, but it never quite sets the pulse racing.

However, there are so many other things to enjoy about this that it doesn’t matter too much that only a small number of things happen in the book. Plus, there are a lot of dangling plot points that are left unfinished, and you hope will get resolved in a future book. e.g. a journalist who promises to help them get the truth out then doesn’t. Heather’s ex-husband, who reappears to help, then goes away again back to his pregnant wife. Even the family of Ava’s dead husband who threatens revenge on her but then are mostly forgotten by the end.

None of these spoil the book, and it’s an enjoyable and positive read overall, just with a few rough edges here and there. Worth reading if you enjoyed the first one.

[Louise · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Space Between Us, Doug Johnstone's first novel featuring Sandy and the humans who help this alien creature was a triumph - a scifi first contact novel, crime novel and chase thriller all in one, with a powerful message about finding one's place in the world. Now he returns with The Collapsing Wave, billed as the second in The Enceladon Trilogy. Can he produce something as wonderful and engaging as The Space Between Us? What a silly question: of course he can, and he ups the ante to boot.
Six months on from the events of The Space Between Us and things have, rather inevitably, not gone all that well since Sandy and the Enceladons revealed themselves. Lennox and Heather are in a detention centre near Ullapool run by the US military under the unspeakable General Carson, where humanity towards the captives is hard to find and humanity towards the Enceladons they capture in fishing expeditions and experiment on is non-existent. The rest of the cephalopods from across the solar system - who are telepathic, and die when they are forcibly taken from the hive-mind group - are in hiding in deep waters off the Scottish coast. Ava and baby daughter Chloe are soon brought back together with Lennox and Heather, and the action and tension really begin to simmer as they reconnect with Sandy and seek ways to escape their predicament.
Johnstone has never shied away from putting his characters through the wringer, and the reader with them. My heart was in my mouth as the chapters built towards the final moments of action - and then became a lump in my throat as I read the final pages (with the help of several tissues). I felt like I'd been swept up by a huge wave, bashed around underwater, then thrown onto the shore, battered and bereft.
Let Sandy wrap their tentacles around you and be open to a new experience - you may not normally read scifi, but don't think about genre, think about it's a Doug Johnstone novel, which should be recommendation enough.

[futureboy · Rating 3 out of 5]

What is it with the octopus these days? They are cute, they are tasty - and relatively smart. But it looks like authors have become a bit obsessed with the Octopus as a mythical creature: There are uplifted ones in both Stephen Baxter’s Manifold series (1999) and in Alistair Reynolds’s fascinating Children of Time trilogy (2015). In The Mountain in the Sea by Ray Nayler (2022) an intelligent form of the octopus has been on earth for a long time and is only just being discovered by humans. There is My Octopus Teacher on Netflix. And then there’s the octopus from Enceladus in Doug Johnstone’s new trilogy. Well, actually it is a pentapus, but they seem to share many of the same properties.

Although Doug Johnstone has a PhD in physics, before publishing The Space Between Us (and the sequel The Collapsing Wave, with a third book in the series coming out later in 2025) he has previously written crime and thriller stories and this new series is his first foray into speculative (science) fiction. As it stands, Johnstone’s pentapus meets earth story is a solid entry into the genre, but with many known elements at times very much feels like a mash-up of other stories. That is not to say that the books aren’t enjoyable - just don’t expect too much innovation.

The book starts out in today’s England, when across the country an unusually large number of previously mostly healthy people suffer from sudden simultaneous strokes. Only three of them survive and end up waking up in the same hospital room: Lennox, a teenager living in a foster home, pregnant Ava who has been trying to escape her abusive husband, and Heather who suffered her stroke while trying to commit suicide. That same night, our first pentapus appears stranded on a beach, not far from where Heather had tried to kill herself and apparently near where a meteor has entered earth’s atmosphere. Our three stroke survivors quickly form a connection between themselves and then go on to rescue the lonely pentapus, snatching the alien animal away from the government only to be caught up in a game of cat and mouse as the British government has taken a keen interest in whatever appears to have come down from space.

Book two, The Collapsing Wave picks up a few months after the end of the first book. And without giving too much away, things didn’t go well for our three friends as they end up behind bars in a secret military facility. Of course, once the military is involved, things aren’t looking too good for humans and pentapuses alike. But all is not lost as some of the friends they have made in book one and a community of believers that have settled near the facility try to help them from the outside.

Throughout at least the first two books (the third one hasn’t been released yet), Doug Johnstone takes a very positive view of life: Our alien friends mean no harm and against all odds (and the combined power of the US and British military) good people acting together are almost invincible. That’s an uplifting story - but maybe a bit too simplistic and lacking nuance. Simultaneously the treatment of the aliens is clearly also an all too transparent and simplistic analogy of how we react to humans fleeing their home - in both good and bad ways.

None of this diminishes the series - it is genuinely quite fun to read. And yet, it failed to fully convince me. For one, despite this being a first contact story, most of the time it felt like a very human paper chase coupled with a permanent celebration of love and friendship. And, perhaps more importantly, the story was just too predictable at almost every turn. Too often, the Enceladus books felt eerily like a happy clappy rewrite of Noumena - but without any of the interesting backstory about the aliens, with characters who - despite some baggage are all just too good to be real.

For more sci-fi reviews (and to get them before they make their way here), check out my Futureboy Substack where you will find the original version of this review.

[Louise (Bookmarks and Stages blog) Cannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sci-fi isn't often my cup of tea, but as I sat, sipping my tea, reading the book and pondering the review, The Enceladons Trilogy is turning out pretty well. It turned out to be a good thing to return to Lennox, Ava, Heather and alien, Sandy. The fact that it's just 6 months later than the first time we meet them is great for finding out what's going and just enough time has passed by for things to have shifted a bit.

Ava adds a bit of mystery as she is awaiting trial for the murder of her husband.
MI7 is a mysterious government agency and Oscar Fellowes is one very interesting character to read. You think he's one thing, a government diktat and then you wonder that he may have a conscience after all, or is it just because he's been side-lined by the 'powers-at-be?' It's interesting watching someone in such a position, swither whether they are on the right-side of history or not and wonder what direction will be chosen.

The Collapsing Wave is gripping and fast-paced as it weaves and infuses the real world with the alien one. It uses a lot of societal issues, which grounds the novel and allows it to breath with relevancy. For example, there's plenty that reflects society and how some people are welcoming to others, whilst there are those who are not. How some people attempt irreparable harm because power has gone to their head and those who do weird experiments and other are quite the opposite.
It becomes quite a deep, thought-provoking book. One where the sci-fi isn't the main aspect at all, although is far from lost, it just has a lot more to it than alien worlds.
The Collapsing Wave brings some hope and there are strong friendship bonds throughout, giving a bit of the feel-good factor.

[Sarah Benjamin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the first book in this series very much and was pleased to be involved in a blog tour for this book . been a while since I read the first novel and I really needed a comprehensive refresher of the storyline. This novel did provide this.
Collapsing wave of the title refers to the way the extra terrestrial octopi use quantum mechanics to communicate. Yeah I didn’ understand it, but it seemed to make sense in the context of the story so I went with it.
I think you really needed to have read the first book to enjoy this one. It probably doesn’t stand too well on its own. However, as a sequel it answered questions that were left hanging at the end of the first book and continued the adventure which is just what I wanted from it ,this book doesn’t really add too many new concepts, as far as the science-fiction elements goes, but continues the adventure of the extraterrestrial octopi and their human friends.
There were one or two elements which I wasn’t so sure about, for example, the Americans being in charge on British soil seemed odd it didn’t sit right with me as did the summary court marshall and execution notice.
There were some exciting scenes, particularly the final battle which was highly visual and enjoyable.
As I read the novel, I couldn’t help thinking that it would make a great film the underwater sequences particularly could be spectacular.
I was sent an electronic copy of the novel for review as part of a book blog tour. This review will appear on Goodreads and my book blog, bionicsarahSbooks.wordpress.com
Nova established in the UK on the 14th of March 2024 by Oranda books

[Helen French · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Collapsing Wave is a sequel to The Space Between Us, and I really would recommend reading them in order if at all possible.

This is a compelling page-turner playing with an often used, but somehow here still fresh, science fiction idea - what would we do if aliens came to Earth? Would we want to connect with them, or would some of us try to destroy them at any cost?

Ava, Lennox and Heather - a new mum, a teen, and a terminally older woman - have previously connected with the octo-like aliens and feel a deep need to protect them. US military figures, on the other hand, have built a station in Scotland to investigate what's happening. They begin by taking Lennox and Heather prisoner and then try to trap as many alien beings as they can. For them, fear takes precedence over acting ethically. Soon Ava and her new daughter are pulled into the same situation. The only way out is if they can work together with the aliens to find a solution.

This was an engaging continuation of the story from The Space Between Us. I enjoyed spending longer with each character and seeing them change and develop over the course of the plotline. I don't know if this is the final book or if any more are planned, but I felt this was a satisfying ending for the time being. I know enough about each character's current position to feel happy with where the story went, but also I can imagine their lives continuing and changing (so wouldn't be too surprised if there was another book one day!). Would certainly return to this author.

[Lynda · Rating 5 out of 5]

The follow up to The Space Between Us and the second in The Enceladon Trilogy this is a brilliant read. It’s six months since the last book and Lennox and Heather are imprisoned in New Broom a US military base where they are experimenting on them and on captured Enceladon’s. Meanwhile, Ava is in prison, awaiting the verdict in her trial for murdering her husband, and her baby Chloe is being looked after by her sister. OMG this is so good. I couldn’t put it down once I started it so thank goodness it wasn’t a massively long read. Well written and I’m guessing a lot of research has gone into this unless the author is a physicist!

Briefly, after walking free Ava and Chloe are snatched and taken to New Broom. Reunited with Lennox and Heather they are desperate to escape and their chance comes when Sandy makes contact again…

I hated two of the characters in this book so much, my skin crawled when they were mentioned, and what I really hate is there are going to be people like this who would act this way in a similar situation, narcissistic, aggressive and manipulative - you’re right, not nice! The experiments were barbaric, heartbreaking that gentle, non violent creatures are treated in this way and as for the treatment of Chloe I might have had leaking eyes. I loved the first book but I think this was even better and I can’t wait for book 2. A fast paced, enthralling read that made me despair of humanity. It’s a fabulous book, just fabulous. Oh and if like me you don’t read sci-fi then just put that to one side and read this!

[Alice · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Collapsing Wave, by Doug Johnstone, picks up a few months after the events of The Space Between Us.

Following their life-changing extraterrestrial encounter, Lennox and Heather are being held by US soldiers at a hastily thrown-together facility near Loch Broom, where the Enceladons were last sighted, and are soon joined by Ava and baby Chloe, too.

The military’s brief is a simple one: find the Enceladons, and eliminate them. By experimenting on their captives – human and cephalopod – they aim to discover how they can achieve this.

Once again, it’s up to Lennox, Heather, and Ava – and some old and new friends they pick up along the way – to escape the authorities and help the interplanetary refugees they’ve come to know and love.

Like its predecessor, The Collapsing Wave is a highly imaginative, stirring story that packs in wonder and big truths while moving at breakneck pace.

It was great to be reunited with Lennox, Heather, and Ava. They’ve been through – are still going through – a lot, and it’s realistic that all three continue to be scarred from their past traumas despite their extraordinary experiences. At the same time, they manage to access reserves of strength, determination, and hope they didn’t know they had.

Of course, I got the most joy from the reappearance of Enceladon Sandy, who is just as endearing as before. I loved seeing them reconnect with the trio, especially young Lennox.

These sweet and wholesome elements are well-balanced by the heartless cruelties of the staff at the military base, many of whom are unable to perceive the aliens as anything other than a threat, quick to use violence, and unmoved even when they cause distress to Chloe in the course of their “experiments”.

This adds further weight to a big question implicit in The Space Between Us: if aliens really did invade, would the dominant reaction be curiosity or violence? I have a horrible feeling the latter would win out.

I like to think I’d be one of the curious ones, though. I’ve said it before, but I love how I always learn new, fascinating things from Johnstone’s books – he has a real knack for seamlessly incorporating relatively simple explanations of novel and complex things into his stories.

I got a real feeling of wonder about all the phenomena out there that I (and humanity more generally) don’t even know about yet. It cuts both ways: our heroes struggle to get the peaceful, plural Enceladons to understand the concept of evil, and that each human is an individual entity.

In fact, the Enceladons’ plurality particularly drew my attention this time, having recently read Akwaeke Emezi’s Freshwater, and Ada Hoffmann’s The Fallen and The Infinite, which also address the topic of plurality – albeit in humans in very different settings and circumstances. Like these authors, Johnstone succeeds in explaining this concept in a creative and digestible way.

The Collapsing Wave is stirring, tense, and full of wonder.

[Angi Plant · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second novel in the new trilogy by Doug Johnstone. Here we pick up six months on from the ending of The Space Between Us and the first question in my mind was what would we, the humans, have learned. The Enceladons are an advanced species who understand only empathy and togetherness, and tolerance of differences. They are refugees from a far off place who need help and understanding, yet seem only to receive mistrust, mistreatment and even destruction. This novel is a story with a massive learning curve if you are willing to listen.
I found myself in tears at the treatment these creatures received just for being different. It’s a massive story about othering and the lengths most people will go to to be shown something different, and about fear of the unknown becoming aggression.
During this novel I felt angry, I cried at the injustice and at certain characters fates. And this is the beauty of any of Doug Johnstone novel I pick up. The people, their relatability and things that make you say ‘I get that’ and this was no different. Throughout, I cheered the humans who welcomed and helped the Enceladons. The humans who saw different beings but accepted them as they were.
Am I a sci-fi geek you may ask? No. Not at all. I am however looking more at speculative fiction and sci-fi such as this because it gives hope in our often troubled world.
With thanks to Anne Cater, the publisher and the author for the advanced reading copy of this book.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A follow-up to The Space Between Us, this picks up on the continuing fortunes of the Enceladons that have arrived on Earth from one of Saturn’s many moons, forced to leave their homeland by aggressive invaders. The strange octopus-like creatures that are both individual and a cohesive group (you need a physics degree to understand this – just go with the flow) are still in grave danger.
But really it is humanity that is on the brink as the authorities show their inhumanity to our alien visitors and the people who want to protect them. The Enceladons are so peaceful that they do not understand aggression, and their ability to allow their sympathisers into their collective consciousness doesn’t always work to their advantage, as the authorities have a powerful weapon up their sleeve …
What follows is a cruel, almost vicious read at times, with distressing scenes of torture, but is balanced by the kindness and warmth of Lennox, Heather and Ava from the first book, and the new champions they find in their battle to save Sandy and his fellow Enceladons.
This tense exciting story works on a deeper level as moral questions are raised about how we react to creatures that are different to us. Creatures who look to us for help and support and don’t always get it.
It’s sci-fi on one level, but also an allegory for our times, and I can see this trilogy (there’s one still to come) becoming a modern classic.