Apparently, I really liked starting series or trilogies in 2018. The most recent book from my Reading Challenge was another start to a trilogy - Transcendental (2010), book one in The Transcendental Machine trilogy by James Gunn. It is followed by Transgalactic and Transformation.
Gunn was named a Grand Master by Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America in 2007, and has an impressive resume, bibliography and background in sci-fi. This was the first book of his that I've read, and I can't wait to finish the sequels. He is very skilled at world-building, alien-creating and has an excellent grasp on evolutionary processes. This is shown in the intricacies he writes about on how our "spiral arm" of the galaxy may be populated with life other than our own.
The story follows Riley as he embarks on a pilgrimage aboard the spaceship Geoffrey in search of the key to the new galaxy-sweeping religion of transcendentalism: The Transcendental Machine. He is part of a passenger group full of aliens from all over this spiral arm of the galaxy and only one other human, a female named Asha. Their journey is filled with danger and secrets right from the beginning, and looms over everyone; from the mixed group of aliens, to the human crew and even the captain of their spaceship.
Riley attempts to make alliances, but soon learns that almost none of the aliens will trust a human because of the Galactic Wars. He can't trust anyone but himself. Passenger/crew relations end up spiraling out of control and Riley is chosen, reluctantly, by the galactic aliens to be their representative to the captain. With all the danger already surrounding the pilgrimage, Riley says everyone needs to work together if they're going to survive to reach their destination.
Their journey takes them out into the Great Gulf of barren space between spiral arms of the galaxy. Passengers begin telling their stories, but Riley purposefully hides his own as he is not whom he seems. Every alien has a purpose for seeking the Transcendental Machine; to return their species to glory, redeem them-self to their people, bring their creators back to life or to be an agent for changing the stagnant cycle of the Galactic Council.
Eventually, Riley and Asha connect and she reveals who she is and is aware of Riley's own personal mission. As they reach the other side of the Great Gulf, and an unexplored neighboring spiral arm, Riley and Asha soon learn that they may only be able to trust one another in order to reach the end of the journey. They must find the machine before anyone else does as the aliens' motives start to unfold.
The ending was actually a surprise to me, and I am very interested to see how it continues into the following books. Some of the intricacies of the story are unclear, which makes sense because there are sequels, and I am hoping to follow them up as the rest of the story is completed. I would LOVE to go into more depth on this book; the religion of Transcendentalism, the machine, the relationships between characters, their motives and so much more, but I don't want to give too much away. This is a book very much worth reading.
I only have two weeks left in my reading challenge, so I'm hoping to get one more book done. This book was delayed because I also finished the April book of Book Club before starting it. The Sacred Book of the Werewolf by Victor Pelevin is my last one before my challenge closes at the end of April.
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