• A review of ‘The Salvage Crew’ by Yudhanjaya Wijeratne

Science fiction has always been something that has fascinated readers and viewers alike. People who turn the pages of books written by authors like Isaac Asimov or Arthur C. Clarke turn their imaginations towards what the future would look like and how they would fit into this future. This is the type of imagination one would find in Yudhanjaya Wijeratne’s critically-acclaimed 2020 sci-fi novel, ‘The Salvage Crew’. It is the first installment of a trilogy that includes ‘Pilgrim Machines’ and ‘Choir of Hatred’.

This sci-fi read has drawn a wide audience both in Sri Lanka and across the world due to its unique mix of spirituality with science fiction as well as the audiobook narration done by acclaimed actor Nathan Fillion.

‘The Salvage Crew’

The novel is a first person narrative that instantly draws the reader in as the story opens with a ship owned by the United Nations (UN) crash landing on the planet ‘Urmahon Beta’. Much later, an artificial intelligence (AI) overseer, Amber Rose 348, and a crew consisting of humans arrive on the planet to salvage the starship.

Many readers, including science fiction readers, are familiar with action packed beginnings that make one escape from one’s mundane life and transport one to a world of possibilities. However, what is truly unique about Wijeratne’s novel is the exploration of a very real dilemma: The partnership between human collaboration and AI. This book reminds us of a looming future that many people either look forward to or dread. Parts of the novel itself have been extracted from an open-source AI project, sparking the debate of the use of AI in publishing and creative works at large.

The introduction of a source of AI that is capable of feeling emotions like fear also gripped us and challenged sci-fi narratives of unfeeling, purely logical robots.

Despite the magic of the mission, things soon start to go wrong. The team Amber Rose 348 is set to work and can only be described as being the worst sort of colleagues imaginable; underqualified and undertrained. As expectations of a mundane salvage mission arises, the author builds horror and tension by revealing that the crew is not alone on this inhospitable planet.

Themes explored

The book grapples with themes that are often explored in the science fiction genre such as the future of machinery and surviving in seemingly unlivable environments. However, it was the more human themes such as fear, working together, and the desire to advance in one’s career that soon gripped our attention.

Global themes such as space colonisation and corporate greed also tugged at our minds as the book invited us to debate on the true intentions of corporations, the role of capitalism, and the ethical aspects of exploring other planets. The book explores a world where space exploration is not driven by curiosity but by a craving for profit allocations, even at the expense of human life. 

In a world where capitalism and its merits and demerits are often being questioned, this book affords us a glimpse into the author’s imagination where the future is dictated by profits, not passion.

What the author misses

While the book was a unique exploration into the world of science fiction, we saw little to no character growth or development throughout the novel with many of the scenes being filled with physical conflict instead of internal conflict. It often brings the reader to wonder what makes these characters unique and why we need to root for them.

Further, something unique to Wijeratne’s books is his exploration of philosophy in science fiction. While the exploration of Eastern philosophies such as Buddhism is rarely seen in mainstream genre fiction and brings a fresh twist, there was very little explanation of Buddhist philosophy making certain concepts such as the nuances of rebirth and belief difficult to understand for those who are not of the Buddhist faith. 

Finally, despite a few shortcomings, Wijeratne’s novel is indeed a masterpiece which invites a discussion on capitalism, corporate greed, and a curiosity of religion all interwoven in a simple tale.