Review: Fractal Noise by Christopher Paolini

I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.

Fractal Noise by Christopher Paolini

Mogsy’s Rating: 3 of 5 stars

Genre: Science Fiction

Series: Book 0 of Fractalverse

Publisher: Tor |Macmillan Audio (May 16, 2023)

Length: 304 pages | 9 hrs and 57 mins

Author Information: Website | Twitter

Audiobook Narrated by Jennifer Hale

While Fractal Noise has been framed as sort of a prequel to To Sleep in a Sea of Stars, for those wondering if you can read it as a standalone, the answer is absolutely yes. In fact, it was so far removed from the first book and added so little to the overall Fractalverse that it left me a little disappointed.

As the story opens, we’re introduced to protagonist xenobiologist Alex who is still deep in the throes of grief for his wife Layla, killed in an accident when they were both colonists on the planet Eidolon. Dealing with the guilt of not being there to protect her is also a constant distraction from his current work aboard the Adamura, an exploration vessel on a survey assignment. Then, the crew’s cartographer picks up something strange on an uncharted planet called Talos VII, which is supposedly devoid of any life. So, what could have possibly made the huge, perfectly circular hole on the planet’s surface?

After much discussion on what they should do, the crew eventually decides to put together a team to investigate the crater. Alex finds himself on the mission together with team leader Talia and fellow scientists Chen and Pushkin, but while each member brings along invaluable expertise in their respective knowledge areas, tempers also run hot as different personalities and ideologies clash. It doesn’t take long for things to go south as the group makes its way towards their destination, an alien artifact that might just prove less dangerous than the simmering tensions building between the human crew members.

For a story mainly focused on character relationships, it was surprisingly difficult for me to care about or even connect to any of them. Most of them feel like caricatures, simplistic and embodying a single trait—Talia and her religious fervor, Pushkin and his over-the-top aggression, and Chen was simply the dude who got himself injured. Then there was our main character Alex, whose overwhelming grief was something we were constantly reminded of, to the point where he became completely defined by it. As a result, none of the conflicts or dialogue between the team members felt truly organic, instead coming across as manufactured and repetitive.

Fortunately, the story fared better, especially with regards to the mystery surrounding alien phenomena. The ominous sights and sounds were described vividly, building up to an atmosphere that was positively claustrophobic. If you are a fan of “doomed expedition” tales, I think you will be very happy with the deep immersion of the setting and overall mood of paranoia and fear.

Heck, I’d even say Fractal Noise was a pretty decent story of first contact. That said, if you are looking for more of the intrigue and action that we got from To Sleep in a Sea of Stars, I’m sorry to say it but you won’t find it here. Admittedly, had it been more like the first book, I probably would have enjoyed this one a lot more. However, the lack of connection to the characters really put a damper on things, not to mention the frustration of not having a clear resolution or making any headway on the greater mystery.

Ultimately, I feel as though Christopher Paolini set out to write this as a character-oriented novel but somehow fumbled the actual characterization—you know, the important part—making most of the book feel like a slog because so much was centered around the team’s interactions which did not interest me. It’s a shame too, because the actual premise is quite good, and with a more engaging and fully fleshed out cast, Fractal Noise could have easily surpassed the original. Despite its prequel status, I wouldn’t recommend starting with this one if you’re in any way curious about the Fractalverse, but it’s probably worth reading if you’re already invested in the series. For the most part though, I feel it missed the mark with me.

More on The BiblioSanctum:
Review of To Sleep in a Sea of Stars