Margins
The Photonic Effect book cover
The Photonic Effect
2026
First Published
4.00
Average Rating
464
Number of Pages

From New York Times bestselling author Mike Chen comes a page-turning space opera in which a starship captain and her crew receive a distress signal and find themselves at odds with various factions of a galactic civil war—for fans of Alastair Reynolds and Adrian Tchaikovsky. After ten years trapped across the expanse of space, Captain Demora Kim and the crew aboard the Horizon are finally home. Only it’s not the home they know. The Cluster, formerly a peaceful cooperative between planets, is on the verge of collapse due to a civil war. A way to end the conflict may lie in the limitless energy that trapped the Horizon crew halfway across the galaxy and the engine they crafted to bring them home. But that means going back to the pocket of space they’ve only just escaped. Demi isn’t sure she’s up for the task. She fulfilled her promise. She brought her crew home. Maybe it’s time to walk away. However, leaving everything behind won’t be as simple as she thinks. Conspiracies are afoot, loyalties will be tested, and Demi’s choices could shake the foundation of the galaxy.

Avg Rating
4.00
Number of Ratings
5
5 STARS
40%
4 STARS
40%
3 STARS
0%
2 STARS
20%
1 STARS
0%
goodreads

Author

Mike Chen
Mike Chen
Author · 12 books
Mike Chen is a critically acclaimed science fiction author based out of the San Francisco Bay Area. His debut novel HERE AND NOW AND THEN was a finalist for the Goodreads Choice, CALIBA Golden Poppy, and Compton Crook awards. His other novels include A BEGINNING AT THE END, WE COULD BE HEROES, LIGHT YEARS FROM HOME, and STAR WARS: BROTHERHOOD. He has also contributed to the STAR WARS: FROM A CERTAIN POINT OF VIEW anthology and covers geek culture for sites like Nerdist, StarTrek.com, and The Mary Sue. In previous lives, Mike worked as a sports journalist covering the NHL, DJ, musician, and aerospace engineer. He lives with his wife, daughter, and many rescue animals. Follow him on Twitter @mikechenwriter.
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