Must-Read of the week: The Space Traveller's Lover by Omara Williams

The Space Traveller's Lover by Omara Williams is a fast-paced, emotionally charged science fiction novel that questions just how far someone will go for love. 

By Gwyneth Rees

We’re all seeking that next book to fall madly in love with, and The Space Traveller's Lover by debut novelist Omara Williams could well be the ‘one’ for you.

A suspenseful and fast-paced work, it artfully blends science fiction with romance to deliver an inspirational read that will stay with you long after you’ve reached the final page.

Set in a bleak future Earth beset by irreversible climate change, it considers how humankind would act if a more advanced alien civilisation invaded with the sole intention to exact revenge.

At the heart of the novel is young female protagonist Erin. Beautiful, strong and independent, she has an unshakable feeling that she doesn’t quite fit in with her surroundings, living with her adoptive parents on the tropical island of Tinian where she helps out with their thriving tuna farm.

Though clearly gifted and different to everyone else, with stunning purple eyes, she lives a remarkably ordinary life and prefers to spend her free time swimming in the ocean rather than interacting with others.

Still, she enjoys the company of her best friend Sam and looks set to settle into a pleasant if pedestrian existence until a planned romantic escapade with him takes an unexpected turn.

Erin has been having a recurring dream about a mysterious man dressed as a soldier watching her from afar as she runs through endless corridors and, then, the strong wind lifts her over a strange multi-coloured ocean.

His soft voice seems soothing, though she cannot discern what he is saying, but each time she tries to reach him, he vanishes behind a dark cloud.

When she is lured to a dangerous cave while out with Sam, intrigued by a mysterious orange light emanating from within, she finally comes face-to-face with the man of her dreams.

An elite space traveller by the name of Rothwen, he reveals that he is a member of the Rom-Ghenshar, a genetically engineered, immortal alien race that is smarter and stronger than humankind. His people have an ancient grudge with humanity, having failed to conquer Earth 10,000 years before.

This time, they have vowed to finish the job.

Like all of his kind, the ruthless Rothwen seems not to have emotions or the capacity for love, yet at the same time he finds himself irresistibly drawn to Erin, despite the Rom-Ghenshars’ hatred of humanity.

Fascinated by her, and having long waited for her arrival, he vows to keep Erin by his side, even if it means changing the invasion plans to do so. She, for her part, is equally mesmerised by Rothwen and is happy to stay.

In Rothwen’s company, Erin meets with other members of his race, with them giving her the new name of ‘Shaillah’, and explaining she has a unique ancestry—finally confirming to Erin why has always felt different to those around her.

She is wooed on two sides—by the domineering yet pleasing Rothwen, and by the attraction of her special heritage, journeying to the Rom-Ghenshar home world as her body is transformed to bring out her full powers.

Rothwen wants Erin to abandon all thoughts and connections to the human race, but coming to doubt the Rom-Ghenshars’ professed claims of seeking peaceful co-existence with humankind, she is hesitant to do so.

And this reluctance, despite a deep yearning to be with her new alien beau, could be humanity’s saving grace, as Earth’s ultimate fate may well depend on Erin/Shaillah being able to keep her human emotions intact.

The Space Traveller's Lover is centred on the complex relationship and power-play between Erin and Rothwen.

Though the Rom-Ghenshar supress their emotions, author Omara Williams has no difficulty in charging the story with emotional impact. Take, for example, this passage that conveys the instant attraction of Erin towards the space soldier.

He keeps perfectly still and allows Erin to inspect him for as longs as she wants. She is intrigued by his exotic looks, puzzled by his magnetic aura. His thick dark eyebrows join together over the long thin nose. When he momentarily blinks, the glow from his pupils flashes through lush dark eyelashes. His slick silver hair flows over his thick neck and falls over his forehead in a jagged fringe. Her fingers play with his hair as she strokes his face, pressing hard on his cheeks and jawbones. Oh, he is real!

Then there are the love-related dilemmas that we all experience, albeit not with literally world-changing consequences. Erin’s competing desires to be with Rothwen and to protect the planet she has called home all these years have a profound effect on her.

There are also other loyalties making things complicated for Erin, such as towards Sam, as well as the uncertainty over her intoxicating lover’s true intentions towards her. Will he ever be able to truly love her, or is this passion so alien to his species that it is just a passing phase?

Given the cosmic gulf between our star-crossed lovers, the angst and drama on display is all the more spectacular.

Closely associated with love is the theme of identity. Erin, in the process of becoming part of the Rom-Ghenshar, wrestles constantly with this problem, wondering if it is either freedom from a dull life or the worst decision she will ever make.

You could view the narrative, in a sense, as a coming-of-age story, packed with the heart-ache and excitement that comes with self-discovery.

It also ventures into the realm of eco-fiction (stories that consider the impact of humankind on the environment). Certainly, one of the questions raised is whether the Earth is actually worth saving, given how badly we have cared for it.

Other big ideas investigated by Williams include whether humanity is capable of redemption, what is the true nature of humanity, and whether it simply nature’s law for those more powerful to exploit and exterminate weaker lifeforms.

These are neatly wrapped within a winning storyline and vivid world full of fascinating sights and compelling characters.

YA readers are the primary audience, but anyone with a taste for soft sci-fi or romance will want to jump aboard this rollercoaster ride, which has many twists and turns to keep your interest.

As a bonus, The Space Traveller’s Lover also features appealing black and white illustrations between chapters, similar to those found in graphic novels. While Williams’ prose is perfectly descriptive in itself, these illustrative additions only help enhance the immersive experience.

Clever and timely, the book is the first in a planned series, and lends itself perfectly to cinematic adaptation.

In conclusion, sci-fi author Omara Williams’ debut novel is a remarkable tour de force. If there is one YA book to read in 2022, this is it.

The Space Traveller’s Lover by Omara Williams is out now on Amazon in hardcover, paperback and eBook formats, priced at £27.99, £13.95 and £2.99 respectively. For more information visit www.omarawilliamsbooks.com. You can also follow Omara Williams on Twitter @williams_omara, and on Facebook or Instagram at @OmyWilliams.

Interview With Author Omara Williams

Originally from Cuba but now based in Cambridge, England, Omara Williams grew up with twin loves of classic adventure stories and science. She would go on to study nuclear engineering and computing, and has enjoyed a distinguished career as an award-winning manager. She has drawn upon her scientific and technical knowledge for her debut novel, The Space Traveller’s Lover, and in this interview she tells us more about the book, her belief in the power of love, and her admiration for with Dame Joan Collins, among other things.

Q: What attracted you to writing a sci-fi romance, and why do you think readers will fall in love with it?