Book Review:: Jitterbug | Gareth Powell

I really need to read more science fiction.

This political space adventure was delightful.

This is a self-contained propulsive novel that felt like the best episodes of Firefly with maybe a bit of Mass Effect (the game) or Halo (yep, the game) mixed in. (Can you tell most of my sci-fi reference is in video games, not fiction?)

The captain of the Jitterbug is Copernicus Brown — Copernicus! He and his crew survive this futuristic landscape as bounty hunters. They’re scrappy, but legit. Until Amber Roth.

While the prose read sometimes a little distant for my usual tastes, I would have really loved some more interiority, this was still such a worthwhile read. It’s a fun adventure with momentous stakes, but it was the personal stories that really got me, and the journey of the ship itself was genuinely moving.

It also tied in some edge-of-our-understanding science that played a huge role in the plot, and while it got a little confusing (by nature), it added an element that just seemed to fit.

I follow Gareth on Threads and he seems like the chillest most generous dude. I can’t begin to describe the relief I felt that I genuinely enjoyed his writing, as well. If I found out he decided to expand this story into a series, I’d be first in line to buy the sequel.

Note:: I received an early copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Details

Title:: Jitterbug
Author:: Gareth L. Powell
Genre:: Science Fiction
Publisher:: Titan Books
Length:: 336 pages
Published:: March 3rd, 2026
The Litertarian Rating:: 5-Stars