Eileen's Promise

After a journey through the depths of space 'Salvor Gupta' returns to homestead for his day to get a lot longer and he isn't alone with his thoughts. Through plenty of description and atmosphere we are introduced to a world beyond our own planet and much like Earth there are those who cannot be trusted while others are trying to make an honest buck.

From the very start we are introduced to 'Merv'; an AI implant providing heads up display, navigation and personality beside Gupta's thoughts giving this space sci-fi tale a unique spin. From what could have been quite a solitary one dimensional affair is instead the complete opposite. With shades of '2001: Space Odyssey' this computer for the most part means well but also has a conflicting history that is discovered providing an interesting dynamic for the main character and his AI counterpart who also feels much like a real person. He can sometimes be funny and literal while also being a saving grace in the long run.

After a brief stay on homestead, revelation and then discovery take us on the path of deception, the unexpected and a kind of race against time - throughout Matthew Villeneuve brings his world to life through practical explanation and first person narration which is the strength of this story.

Eileen's Promise is a fun, original space romp of one salvager and the ever so alive voice in his head as they work together in hunting down a lost resource that may be vital to those in need. If placed in the wrong hands the implications would certainly be disastrous and so the moral dilemma of responsibility sits at the heart of everything. From what has been introduced here could easily make for a wider universe I'd love to see more from.