After the Syzygy by J.D. Sanderson
After the Syzygy by J.D. Sanderson was published on December 4, 2023 and weighs in at 110 pages.
On April 1, I watched in awe as the Artemis II mission launched into space. I’ve loved space travel and science for as long as I can remember, even wanting to be an astronaut in elementary school. I had the chance to visit the Kennedy Space Center again this past summer, too, and totally geeked out. I even went to a Neil deGrasse Tyson event last year! Not to mention, I’ve been a Trekkie for decades! So, it’s no surprise that after the launch I went back to my roots and committed to reading a sci-fi book after I finished the one I’d been reading. I peeked in my TBR and found After the Syzygy, which had been waiting patiently for this moment to arrive. Perfect timing.
We are dropped right into the middle of an intelligence leak resulting in global chaos as the story begins. It drew me in immediately. If I hadn’t started the book at night before bed, I would have finished it in one sitting. The story flowed well, and I was pleasantly surprised by how much time passed and how many characters Sanderson was able to introduce in just 110 pages. I enjoyed the way he laid out the passage of time, and it kept me excited and anxious to see how the world progressed between the dates listed.
One of my favorite things was the inclusiveness of the characters in the story. From the start of the book to the end, I noticed an increasing sense of inclusion and respect as humanity progressed. It gave a bit of a feel good vibe throughout the book, leaning on feelings of hope and the idea of a world where humans value respecting one another. I also enjoyed how the characters’ storylines led me through the book like a trail of intriguing breadcrumbs.
The importance of empathy, creativity, and resilience was the perfect backbone for a story about space travel and human endeavors. After the Syzygy is science fiction but not data heavy. It’s perfect for readers who enjoy sci-fi as well as new sci-fi readers who want to dip their toes in the fictional cosmos to try out the genre. There’s definitely space travel, spaceships, and the lingo you’d expect, but beneath that is a heartbeat of human emotions that keeps the story hurtling forward through time and space.
This book is about more than discovering intelligent alien life in the universe. It’s about humans getting outside of themselves and also rediscovering what it means to be human. It made it a very enjoyable read. And, despite the backdrop of the book’s setting being in space or in spacecraft hangars much of the time, the characters are all relatable in some way for those of us here on Earth.
Yes, there’s a vibe of hope and cooperation in the book, but Sanderson still manages to incorporate suspense, disdain, suspicion, fear, mistrust, and conspiratorial thoughts. I never guessed what was going to happen next, which was refreshing. I even jotted down my own conspiracy theories in my notes as I was reading.
Whether you’re basking in the glow of the moon joy Artemis II has expressed this week or just want a quick and enjoyable science fiction book to read, I urge you to grab a copy of After the Syzygy. It’s the perfect read with the events happening at NASA and the buzz (pun intended for you astronaut fans out there!) around space exploration.
You can read my review of J.D. Sanderson’s short horror collection Around the Dark Dial HERE.
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Get to know J.D. Sanderson
J.D. Sanderson is the author of several indie science fiction books, including Around the Dark Dial, After the Syzygy, and the most recent A Footstep Echo: The Complete Collection. A lifelong fan of science fiction, J.D. lives with his wife, daughter, and mini poodle in the Midwest. His work has also been featured in Remnants: Volume One, published by Fedowar Publishing, and will be featured in two upcoming anthologies in 2026. Follow him on Instagram and Threads @ascifiwriter.
***Taken from J.D. Sanderson’s Amazon Author Page
