A man’s consciousness alternates between two realities: Jeff, a struggling young man in present-day England, and Jezz, a mercenary fighting an alien invasion in a war-torn future, as both identities grapple with questions of sanity, identity, and what is truly real. The story culminates in a twist revealing both lives as possible constructs within a stasis experiment on a space station, leaving the nature of reality and self open to interpretation.

Reader Review Summary

Set across two interwoven realities, the novel follows Jeff, a young man in contemporary England struggling with aimlessness and mental health issues, and Jezz, a mercenary fighting in a brutal war against alien insect invaders known as the Elty'ch. The narrative alternates between Jeff’s mundane life—where he moves in with his stepmother and stepsister and forms a relationship with a woman named Sal—and Jezz’s experiences on the front lines of a devastated future Earth. Both characters experience blackouts and visions of a mysterious Pale Woman, leading to increasing uncertainty about which reality is genuine. The story culminates in a final chapter that shifts perspective to Dr. Soong, a scientist on a space station orbiting an uninhabitable Earth, revealing that the previous narratives may have been dreams or simulations experienced by a stasis-bound woman named Jess, thus reframing the entire plot.

Readers appreciated the book’s thought-provoking exploration of identity and reality, as well as its psychological depth. The alternating perspectives between Jeff and Jezz were seen as engaging, with some readers finding Jeff’s struggles with mental health and his relationships with family and Sal particularly relatable and emotionally resonant. The depiction of Jezz’s guilt over his squad and the emotional stakes in both realities were highlighted as strengths. The narrative’s pacing and the sense of mystery kept several readers invested, and the twist ending, while divisive, was noted as a point of discussion and speculation, especially for book groups. The writing style was described as accessible, and the secondary characters, such as Jeff’s family and Jezz’s squad, were considered well-drawn by some reviewers.

Criticisms centered on the book’s repetitive structure, with multiple readers noting the frequent and formulaic transitions between realities—Jeff/Jezz wakes up, interacts with the Pale Woman, and then shifts worlds—without significant plot progression. The ending, which reveals the events as dreams or simulations, was widely disliked, with some readers feeling it undermined the preceding narrative and left too many questions unanswered. Technical issues were also raised, including numerous typos, awkward phrasing, and formatting problems in the Kindle edition. The prevalence of smoking among characters was seen as excessive and distracting, and some readers found the depiction of relationships, particularly between Jeff and his stepsister, to be uncomfortable. There were also comments that the world-building, especially in Jezz’s war-torn future, was underdeveloped and that the story could have benefited from a deeper exploration of its speculative elements.

The book was published in May 2025 and has received a mixed reception, with an average rating of 3.29 out of 5 from seven reviewers. It is positioned as a science fiction action adventure with psychological and allegorical undertones, drawing comparisons to works like 'The Matrix' and 'The Forever War.' The narrative’s ambiguity regarding reality and identity, as well as its open-ended conclusion, have prompted speculation about potential sequels. The author, James Kinsley, is noted for tackling complex themes, and some readers expressed interest in reading more of his work despite their reservations about this novel.