Emma Newman: Atlas Alone

Hi everyone

Atlas Alone is the fourth and final book in Emma Newman's Plantefall series. This was my second time reading this book.

"Six months after she left Earth, Dee is struggling to manage her rage toward the people who ordered the nuclear strike that destroyed the world. She's trying to find those responsible, and to understand why the ship is keeping everyone divided into small groups, but she's not getting very far alone.
A dedicated gamer, she throws herself into mersives to escape and is approached by a designer who asks her to play test his new game. It isn't like any game she's played before. Then a character she kills in the climax of the game turns out to bear a striking resemblance to a man who dies suddenly in the real world at exactly the same time. A man she discovers was one of those responsible for the death of millions on Earth.
Disturbed, but thinking it must be a coincidence, Dee pulls back from gaming and continues the hunt for information. But when she finds out the true plans for the future colony, she realizes that to save what is left of humanity, she may have to do something that risks losing her own." 

Emma Newman has a gift for worldbuilding. No matter where the characters are; on a spaceship, a distant planet, or inside a virtual game; I always feel like I’m right there with them. The world is so vivid and immersive that it’s easy to lose yourself in the story.

The writing is amazing, engaging and deeply mindful of mental health which is something I always appreciate in Newman’s work. However, while I felt deeply connected to the MC's in the previous Planetfall novels, I struggled to form the same bond with Dee. Her story felt repetitive at times, particularly with the constant focus on her trauma, the hothousing, and her psychological profile (both hers and Carl’s). The infodumps about gaming also slowed down the pacing, making the story feel bogged down in places.
Unfortunately there's not much to the story to be honest. The plot is very straightforward, focusing on nothing else but Dee's storyline, there's no focus on anything beyond Dee’s personal journey. I would have loved to read more about life on board and the other people living there. Especially as this is the last book in the series. 

While Atlas Alone wasn’t my favorite in the Planetfall series, it still delivered the rich worldbuilding and emotional depth that Emma Newman is known for. It’s a solid conclusion to Dee’s story, even if it felt repetitive and too bit narrow in scope.

Have you read Atlas Alone or any of the other books in the Planetfall series? What did you think? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Happy reading!
Helena