The Transcendent Tide review: The perfect end to the Enceladons Trilogy

Doug Johnstone’s The Transcendent Tide is a powerful, poignant, and devastating finale to the Enceladons Trilogy, a series that has consistently blurred the lines between sci-fi, eco-thriller, and character-driven drama. This final installment is a gut-punch of a read, serving up a tense, high-stakes plot that’s as emotionally resonant as it is action-packed. It culminates as a bold and heartrending conclusion that resonates with profound themes and leaves an indelible impression.

The story picks up 18 months after the traumatic events of The Collapsing Wave. Our favourite characters are attempting to move on. Lennox and Vonnie are studying marine life in the Scottish Highlands, while Ava and her daughter, Chloe, are living with Ava’s sister, Freya. Meanwhile, Heather has fully embraced her new life, living in the Arctic with the Enceladons — intelligent, telepathic octopus- and jellyfish-like creatures from Saturn’s moon, Enceladus.

This fragile peace is shattered when billionaire Karl Jensen approaches Lennox and Vonnie with a seemingly benevolent offer: to help them make contact with Sandy and the other Enceladons. As with all great thrillers, danger lurks beneath the surface. Johnstone skillfully orchestrates a sense of unease, presenting Jensen as a figure whose motives are ambiguous and whose corporate agenda could spell disaster for everyone.

What makes this trilogy so compelling is its deep focus on the characters and the unbreakable bonds they’ve formed. Lennox, Ava, Heather, and their Enceladon friend, Sandy, have become a found family, their kinship spanning species and planets. The joy of spending time with them makes the inevitable pain and betrayal all the more unbearable.

Johnstone doesn’t shy away from the hard truths. The Transcendent Tide is a searing indictment of human greed and the capitalist landscape. It holds up a mirror to our own world, where refugees are demonised and exploited, and where humanity’s darker side threatens to extinguish even the brightest spirits. The Enceladons are not just alien refugees; they are a tragic symbol of a natural world under siege by our hubris and insatiable need for more.

The Greenland setting is meticulously realised, with its cold, unforgiving seas and the vast, beautiful ice providing a perfect backdrop for the story’s themes. Through the introduction of local Greenlanders, particularly a pivotal character named Niviaq, Johnstone highlights a profound respect for nature that stands in stark contrast to the Western, consumer-driven worldview. This is a story about connection — a theme that has been woven throughout the entire series — and Niviaq’s bond with the land and the animals adds a new layer of hope and complexity.

The novel builds to a breathtaking crescendo, with a final act that is both tragic and magnificent. Johnstone’s writing is fiercely energetic, full of heart-pounding tension and visceral emotion. There are moments of sheer terror, a lot of action, and a finale that is both heartbreaking and inspiring, with a touch of ambiguity that invites continued contemplation.

The Transcendent Tide in the context of the full Enceladon Trilogy, is a masterclass in emotional storytelling. It is a novel that provokes a full spectrum of emotional responses, from fear and anger to a weary acceptance of humanity’s flaws. It’s a story about survival, trust, and the courageous fight for a world where different species can coexist. It is a stunning, deeply moving, and unforgettable conclusion to a remarkable trilogy.

The Transcendent Tide is OUT NOW from Orenda Books

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