Review: 'Calypso' by Oliver K. Langmead

Imagine waking on board a space ship, centuries after entering cryostasis, on the bring of creating a new world. Your role has changed, become mythical, and in your absence, a war has shaken the ship. Meet the Calypso, orbiting a new world about to become home to a new colony. Langmead's novel-in-prose is stunningly innovative, although elements at the end betray its edge. Thanks to Titan Books and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Pub. Date: 02/04/2024
Publisher: Titan Books

Rochelle wakes from cryostasis to take up her role as engineer on the colony ark, Calypso. But she finds the ship has transformed into a forest, populated by the original crew’s descendants, who revere her like a saint. 

She travels the ship with the Calypso’s creator, the enigmatic Sigmund, and Catherine, a bioengineered marvel who can commune with the plants, uncovering a new history of humanity forged while she slept. 

She discovers a legacy of war between  botanists and engineers. A war fought for the right to build a new Earth – a technological paradise, or a new Eden in bloom, untouched by mankind’s past.

And Rochelle, the last to wake, holds the balance of power in her hands.

I have not read many novels-in-verse, but the ones I have read I often found very touching. It is always a bit of a struggle, to calm the prose-focused, information-driven mind to actually take in the melody of verse, its ebbing and flowing. (Look at me waxing lyrical myself!) However, for a novel like Calypso, which very much wants to have a debate about nature and humanity, this format works incredibly well. I was also impressed by the choice to have the verse change format on the page. Each narrator's verse looks different, flows differently, in the layout, which, along with different rhyme schemes, makes each voice incredibly distinct. I'm always here for novels which do something new and interesting, not for the sake of being edgy, but because it serves the story best. And that is true for Calypso. While the verse and layout may prove a hurdle to reading at the beginning, do not let it discourage you. It is the best way for this story to be told, if you open up to it.

Rochelle awakes aboard the Calypso, alone. Stumbling through the enormous ship, she finds Catherine, a bio-engineered, enhanced human who will bring nature to the new planet. Also on the ship is Sigmund, the one who planned all this and who set their course for this new planet. Aboard the ship are also countless other people, who have watched over them, kept the ship in shape, and dreamed of their arrival. But these others will not be the colonists, they will never step foot onto this new Earth. Instead, in bio-wombs, the colonists await their awakening. Each of our three main characters has a task. Sigmund, the creator, Catherine, the natural catalyst, and Rochelle, she who will question Sigmund's master plan. Calypso is told through each of their perspectives, including that of a fourth, the The Herald, a position inherited across centuries by the people aboard the Calypso, who recounts tales and history. Each of their POVs has a different verse format, as explained above. Because of being told in verse, you don't necessarily get the same insight into the characters' interior thoughts as one is used to from prose. Rochelle, of whom we see most, reminisces a lot, and through her memories of Earth, we must puzzle together her thoughts now. Admittedly it was Catherine who I found most interesting, human and yet not, life bringer and sacrifice. Sigmund remains distant, slightly unknowable, throughout. 

As I mentioned above, I was highly impressed with how innovative the form of this novel was, and also of the choices Langmead makes, which separate Calypso from other Sci-Fi I've read lately. The concept of the novel, of a colony ship, the making of a new planet, the conflicts spanning centuries, it was all stunning to me. Once I got used to the format of the verse, I also enjoyed it very much and let myself really sink into it emotionally. Rather than looking for explanations and info, I looked for meaning in the verse, its sounds, and that gave me a very touching experience. One thing I had mild issues with, or perhaps I should say one thing that surprised me, was the rather strong religious tone that came through at the end. Rochelle, as the guiding thread of the novel, is Christian and her faith in an un-altered body is combined with a faith in a benevolent, guiding God. As she finds herself witnessing the birth of a new planet and a new peoples, some metaphors become overtly Christian. Despite being Christian myself, it struck an odd note for me and it might for other readers as well. The struggle becomes one between technology and faith, seemingly, and I didn't know how far I agreed with this opposition. However, I'm still giving this novel four starts for its ingenuity and form, even if its (seeming?) message was not one I fully agreed with.

I give this novel...

4 Universes!

Calypso is a stunning novel-in-verse, an exciting Sci-Fi story that encourages conversations about humanity, nature, and our impact on our surroundings. While I didn't necessarily enjoy the direction it took toward the end, I found it a rewarding read.