Galloper’s Quests is an ambitious sci-fi adventure that follows Captain Samuel Galloper, a military scientist who dares to defy his superiors in the pursuit of knowledge and freedom. Using his groundbreaking propulsion system, he escapes Earth’s grasp and journeys across the cosmos, encountering strange worlds, authoritarian societies, and existential dilemmas. His story, smuggled to the reader under mysterious circumstances, reads like a personal journal, a mix of raw emotion, philosophical musings, and gripping narrative. From the military’s relentless pursuit of power to the mind-numbing routines of an alien civilization, the novel explores what it means to think freely in a world determined to control you.

Galloper’s inner conflict is as compelling as the dangers he faces. He’s a man torn between duty and conscience, trapped between the structured obedience of military life and the terrifying unknown of free thought. His encounters with Admiral Rutlaw, a hardened military leader obsessed with weaponizing his discoveries, highlight this tension brilliantly. Rutlaw’s interrogation is chilling because it reveals the military’s single-minded goal: control and dominance. Galloper, however, isn’t willing to be a cog in that machine. His escape isn’t just physical; it’s a moral stand, and that’s what makes his journey so captivating.

Then there’s the planet Burc, a place that at first seems promising but quickly reveals itself as another kind of prison. The Burcs live in a rigid, cyclical society where work is endless, thinking is discouraged, and individuality is stifled. Their robotic sentries enforce order, while their Procs, like the conflicted Lask, bear the mental burden of decision-making so others don’t have to. It’s a fascinating concept, one that feels eerily familiar. When Galloper’s carefully constructed picnic table is destroyed by a robot, it’s a perfect metaphor for the futility of creativity in a society that fears change. Burc’s motto, “More work, less thought,” echoes throughout the book, a warning about the dangers of blind obedience.

But Galloper’s Quests isn’t all grim. There’s an undeniable thrill in its interstellar exploration, and Cileone has a knack for making space travel feel both wondrous and dangerous. The HOPS propulsion system, with its ability to fold space and create wormholes, is fascinating, yet terrifying in its unpredictability. The descriptions of travel bodies stretching, consciousness flickering, reality bending are some of the novel’s most immersive moments. When Galloper arrives on a new world, the awe is palpable, reminding us why we dream of the stars in the first place.

Galloper’s Quests is perfect for fans of thought-provoking sci-fi, especially those who enjoy books that question authority, challenge societal norms, and explore the weight of human choices. If you like stories that mix The Forever War’s military critique with 1984’s oppressive regimes and Star Trek’s exploratory wonder, you’ll find a lot to love here. It’s not a light read, it makes you think, it makes you uncomfortable, and at times, it makes you angry. But that’s the point. It’s a journey worth taking, even if the destination isn’t what you expect.

Pages: 235 | ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0DRTBVDM6