The Transcendent Tide by Doug Johnstone

 

Eighteen months after escaping the US military, the Enceladons are hiding out in the Arctic. A wealthy entrepreneur has approached Lennox in the hope that he will lead him to them. Lennox is filled with  distrust, however, the billionaire has promised Lennox that his only interest is to see the Enceladons and learn more about them.

This has got to be one of the most difficult reviews I've ever had to write, I've stewed over it for days. I've been eagerly awaiting The Transcendent Tide by Doug Johnstone for two years. What follows is a spoiler-free review (I hope), but the story has left me in such turmoil. To say that I didn't enjoy the book would be wrong; what I didn't enjoy was the direction the story took, an entirely subjective point of view. The mix of emotions I felt as I read reflects how skillfully the author has written, ensuring Sandy, Xander, and a whole host of others have wormed their way into my heart.

The Transcendent Tide is book three in the Enceladons trilogy, a series in which a race of aliens arrives on Earth. If this sounds like science fiction, and that is a genre you shy away from, please don't be discouraged; this is really a story about humanity.

After the events of Camp Broom, the Enceladons have fled to the Arctic. Lennox, Vonnie and Ava are still in Scotland. Ava is raising her daughter, Chloe, and the others are working with a marine research group. All three miss their connection with the Enceladons, particularly Lennox, but realise that allowing them to remain undetected is vitally important. The arrival of a billionaire, adamant that his only motivation is to find out more about the strange alien creatures, throws things into doubt. It is Chloe's sudden illness that persuades them to accept the billionaire's offer to travel to Greenland.

This is a story that holds a mirror up to mankind, reflecting the good and bad in society. The Enceladons strive for a peaceful existence, living in harmony with their surroundings. We see this echoed in the Inuits, who call Greenland their home. Western culture doesn't fare well; greed, xenophobia, and a negative impact on the environment are just a few of the issues that are featured. 

We see how the Enceladons willingly accepted humans into their community and how quickly the Inuit respect the uniqueness of an alien race, unlike the "civilised" world, who care only about self. I was left shocked by the battle between what is essentially good and evil, dismayed at the turn the story took. This is a work of fiction, but echoes the way in which civilisation has expanded for hundreds of years, eradicating cultures and destroying habitats.

With The Transcendent Tide being the final book in the trilogy, I have been left with such mixed emotions. I've loved the series, adore the characters and feel as if I am part of their community; however, I am heartbroken by what mankind is capable of. 

Author Details

Doug Johnstone is the author of Fourteen novels, includingThe Great Silence, the third in the Skelfs series, which has been optioned for  In 2021, The Big Chill, the second in the series, was longlisted for the Theakston’s Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year. In 2020, A Dark Matter, the first in the series, was shortlisted for the McIlvanney Prize for Scottish Crime Novel of the Year and the Capital Crime Amazon Publishing Independent Voice Book of the Year award. Black Hearts (Book four), was published in 2022, with The Opposite of Lonely (book five) out in 2023. Several of his books have been bestsellers and award winners, and his first science fiction novel, The Space Between Us, was a BBC2 Between the Covers pick. He’s taught creative writing, been writer in residence at various institutions, and has been an arts journalist for twenty years. Doug is a songwriter and musician with five albums and three EPs released, and he plays drums for the Fun Lovin’ Crime Writers. He lives in Edinburgh.