Review: One Way/No Way (2018/19)
One Way (2018) and No Way (2019) comprise a near future sci-fi duology written by
S. J. Morden, an English sci-fi author who also holds a PhD in Geophysics. Whilst Morden’s narratives do exhibit an analytical bent that pairs well with the hard sci-fi genre, his scientific background belies an evocative pragmatism when it comes to matters of emotion and psyche. Spoilers will follow.
The duology follows Frank Kittridge, a construction worker, father, and murderer who is recruited to construct the first human base on Mars in the late 2040s. The overall narrative is rather predictable, but imaginative in the smaller details. Both books are light reading, with their prose fitting into a typical third-person perspective style that I found effortless to devour; I finished the bulk of One Way whilst flying from Spain to the UK. One small distinguishing feature of the novel’s style is that each chapter opens with an in-world document; these normally detail some context or historical tidbit about the development of the Mars project. These appear at first to simply be for the addition of flavour, but they also foreshadow later events, even across books.
XO, the corporation that sends the convicts to Mars, is fantastically villainous, with believable evil permeating every action it takes. As previously mentioned, this does serve to make the plot of the books a little predictable, especially in One Way, but Morden consistently hammers home the bare-faced evil of corporate greed. On the other side of the power dynamic, he does an excellent job of making us like the convict astronauts, especially Marcy and Alice. It is notable that as the only two women on the team, they are also the first two to die on Mars. Morden comments on this from Frank's perspective in the book, although no solid explanation is offered for the fridging.
Speaking of our protagonist, his characterisation is fantastic, replete with virtues that feed and highlight his flaws. Morden portrays Frank as a hard worker and honest bloke; unfortunately, he also keeps his head down and is overly willing to simply follow orders. He trusts authority too much, leading him to ignore or downplay the warning signs he sees throughout the books’ narrative. Connecting the dots far ahead of Frank was enjoyable, but Morden never strays so far as to make Frank feel stupid: once the threat is revealed, Frank proves himself to be a canny and capable survivor, willing to do whatever it takes.
In the wake of the first book’s finale, No Way starts with a tolerable recap of One Way before wading into a vivid examination of Frank's mental state after the events he endured and losses he suffered. His characterisation feels consistent between the two novels, and the trauma he has suffered is so clearly raw, evocatively portrayed by Morden’s writing. Frank's ignorance, hope, and stupidity play out as expected in the early chapters of this book, keeping a throughline from the mistakes he made in the first novel. That is not to say he hasn’t learned, but Frank’s character flaws do not simply disappear in light of his trauma from the first book.
Regarding the second book’s plot, the big twist of a second base on Mars is predictable in hindsight, set up well by small clues across both books, mostly in the diegetic documents presented at the start of each chapter. The latter half of the book stays pacey, and the story beats all feel well-founded and believable. The interactions between Frank and the NASA crew are notably well written, with Frank’s anxiety at his own necessary deception colouring every social scene. To round it all off, the bloodshed in the final quarter of the book is well-handled, and the narrative does not overstay its welcome once the threat is past. I despise lingering wrap-ups, and Morden avoids that sin.
Overall, these are two solid books, pacey and well written in naturalistic prose. They slot comfortably into the category of light reading, and I'd heartily recommend them for anybody looking for a sci-fi thriller.