Melt Down

David Jones (author)

Chicken House, UK: 2008; 212pp

ISBN: 9781906427344

Genres: crime, science-fiction

Issues: ethics, friendship, identity

The Prominence is a very unusual spaceship. In fact it's an abbey, carefully recreated at great expense in order to house the monks of the Copernican order as they go about their sacred work, creating incredibly beautiful glazed potteries to be fired by the heat of the Divine Sun itself. An oblate, fourteen year old novice, Bart, is the youngest on board and, as such is set to train with Gary, the pilot of the great vessel that is their home. Gary, the only non-monk on board, does his best to pass on his skills - and not just as a pilot. Bart mostly ignores Gary's attempts to introduce him to ideas beyond those of the Brotherhood although he thrills at flying the great ship. When the Prominence goes to the aid of a stranded space vessel, the arrival of a couple of strangers in mysterious circumstances soon challenges Bart's beliefs - especially as the new arrivals turn out to be space pirates.

A sudden engine failure puts everybody at risk and soon it seems that only a miracle can save the men who have been the only family Bart has known - not to mention the beautiful, if deceitful girl they rescued. But is he prepared to wait for a miracle? Or, like Gary, does he need to make one for himself?

Although only David Jones' second novel, he is an experienced writer of radio plays and non-fiction. His ability to use factual information in a slightly fantastical and highly imaginative way will delight gifted readers. There mere idea of a floating order of monks, their order named after the great mathematician Copernicus would only occur to someone with a wonderfully warped sense of humour. Within the limitations of his stage, Jones has created a very believable cast of varied personalities and relationships and readers should enjoy this space adventure with a difference.