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Volatile Memory
This is How You Lose the Time War
meets
Ex Machina
: Seth Haddon's science fiction debut,
Volatile Memory
, is a sapphic sci-fi action adventure novella.
"A gorgeously tender exploration of human connection in a post-human universe."— The Washington Post
“ Providing growing confidence to Wylla's voice and depth to Sable's, narrator Bouchard makes this interstellar romance a gripping listen. ”—AudioFile
An Amazon Editor's Best Sci-Fi & Fantasy Pick
With nothing but a limping ship and an outdated mask to her name, Wylla needs a big pay day. When the alert goes out that a lucrative piece of tech lies hidden on a nearby planet, she calls on all the swiftness of her prey-animal instincts to beat other hunters to it.
What you found wasn’t your ticket out—it was my corpse wearing an AI mask. When you touched the mask, you heard my voice. A consciousness spinning through metal and circuits, a bodiless mind, spun to life in the HAWK’s temporary storage. I crystallized and I was alive.
Masks aren't supposed to retain memory, much less identity, but the woman inside the MARK I HAWK is real, and she sees Wylla in a way no one ever has. Sees her, and doesn’t find her wanting or unwhole.
Armed with military-grade tech and a lifetime of staying one step ahead of the hunters, Wylla and HAWK set off to get answers from the man who discarded HAWK once her ex-husband.
A Macmillan Audio production from Tor.com
"A gorgeously tender exploration of human connection in a post-human universe."— The Washington Post
“ Providing growing confidence to Wylla's voice and depth to Sable's, narrator Bouchard makes this interstellar romance a gripping listen. ”—AudioFile
An Amazon Editor's Best Sci-Fi & Fantasy Pick
With nothing but a limping ship and an outdated mask to her name, Wylla needs a big pay day. When the alert goes out that a lucrative piece of tech lies hidden on a nearby planet, she calls on all the swiftness of her prey-animal instincts to beat other hunters to it.
What you found wasn’t your ticket out—it was my corpse wearing an AI mask. When you touched the mask, you heard my voice. A consciousness spinning through metal and circuits, a bodiless mind, spun to life in the HAWK’s temporary storage. I crystallized and I was alive.
Masks aren't supposed to retain memory, much less identity, but the woman inside the MARK I HAWK is real, and she sees Wylla in a way no one ever has. Sees her, and doesn’t find her wanting or unwhole.
Armed with military-grade tech and a lifetime of staying one step ahead of the hunters, Wylla and HAWK set off to get answers from the man who discarded HAWK once her ex-husband.
A Macmillan Audio production from Tor.com
5 pages, Audible Audio
First published July 22, 2025
76 people are currently reading
11393 people want to read
About the author
Seth Haddon
7 books543 followersSeth Haddon is a queer Australian writer of fantasy. He is a video game designer and producer, has a degree in Ancient History, and previously worked with cats. Some of his previous adventures include exploring Pompeii with a famous archaeologist and being chased through a train station by a nun.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 255 reviews
July 5, 2025
This was a fast-paced and gripping sci-fi novella - assertive, bleak, haunting, intense, philosophical, and utterly action-packed. And I enjoyed it immensely! Despite its brevity, it was able to explore some fascinating themes while keeping the suspense high and the emotional stakes engaging.
The world-building and advanced technology were especially unique and fascinating, with high-tech masks based on animals that impart their primary instinct or skill (like an ox for strength, a mouse for hyper awareness of threats, and so on). The concept is imaginative and rich with possibilities, and I would absolutely read a full-length novel or even a series utilizing this technology and expanding upon it (so I suppose it’s a good thing there’s a second novella coming eventually!)
The story also tackles some serious ideas from trafficking, to misogyny and bodily autonomy, to the question of what it means to be human and what makes an individual themselves. There’s also a significant amount of violence (pretty damn violent at times, fair warning!) which I felt fit the world Haddon built and was a match for the raw emotion of the story.
Wylla was a standout character and fantastic protagonist - I found her extremely likable from the very first scene! As for Sable, I’m not entirely sure how to feel about her or where I land on the central debate surrounding her identity, but that ambiguity raised some additional philosophical questions that I enjoyed contemplating, such as whether memory is what makes us who we are, or if it’s our body, or a combination, or neither! “What makes us human” is one of my favourite classic sci-fi questions, and this novella did not disappoint in the way it engaged with it.
Overall, this was a compelling and thought-provoking read. It packs a lot into a small package, and I’d love to spend more time in this world with these characters! I felt the ending was a bit abrupt, but this was great and I’d highly recommend checking it out. I’m excited for the sequel!
Representation: trans, lesbian, and asexual characters
Trigger/Content Warnings: murder, violence, gore, body horror, trafficking, sexual assault, forced medical procedures, medical experimentation, transphobia, infertility
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Thank you to Netgalley and Tor for the advanced copy for review!
The world-building and advanced technology were especially unique and fascinating, with high-tech masks based on animals that impart their primary instinct or skill (like an ox for strength, a mouse for hyper awareness of threats, and so on). The concept is imaginative and rich with possibilities, and I would absolutely read a full-length novel or even a series utilizing this technology and expanding upon it (so I suppose it’s a good thing there’s a second novella coming eventually!)
The story also tackles some serious ideas from trafficking, to misogyny and bodily autonomy, to the question of what it means to be human and what makes an individual themselves. There’s also a significant amount of violence (pretty damn violent at times, fair warning!) which I felt fit the world Haddon built and was a match for the raw emotion of the story.
Wylla was a standout character and fantastic protagonist - I found her extremely likable from the very first scene! As for Sable, I’m not entirely sure how to feel about her or where I land on the central debate surrounding her identity, but that ambiguity raised some additional philosophical questions that I enjoyed contemplating, such as whether memory is what makes us who we are, or if it’s our body, or a combination, or neither! “What makes us human” is one of my favourite classic sci-fi questions, and this novella did not disappoint in the way it engaged with it.
Overall, this was a compelling and thought-provoking read. It packs a lot into a small package, and I’d love to spend more time in this world with these characters! I felt the ending was a bit abrupt, but this was great and I’d highly recommend checking it out. I’m excited for the sequel!
Representation: trans, lesbian, and asexual characters
Trigger/Content Warnings: murder, violence, gore, body horror, trafficking, sexual assault, forced medical procedures, medical experimentation, transphobia, infertility
You can find me on...
Youtube | Instagram | TikTok
You can join our book club over on Patreon...
PBB Book Club
Thank you to Netgalley and Tor for the advanced copy for review!
August 9, 2025
3.5 Stars
As per the blurb, an irresistible message is sent out into the deep depths of space, enticing scavengers from all around with an ungettable get. This prize not only hones your senses but gives the wearer valuable survival skills where milliseconds count. What heroine Wylla doesn’t expect is something beyond comprehension with uncharted abilities, and imagine her shock when the tech comes with its very own impossible sentience whose creator wants back.
As Wylla and the embedded intelligence Sable are prudently forced to get to know and trust each other (and fast), they find solace and empowerment in shared past experiences where their autonomy mattered little to those in power. Thus they decide on a path of vindication and revenge as they investigate the hows and whys of Sable’s existence.
Perhaps as a warning, this is told in first person POV alternating with a second person narrative, lending an unique presentation style as one doesn’t see this often. What this does very well is the actual outer space setting along with interspersed intense action scenes that fully immerses the reader in its science fiction roots while showcasing a burgeoning sapphic romance and an apt commentary on identity.
This ends on the limitless potential of Wylla and Sable’s partnership. Good thing this is going to be a duology so we can see what else is in store for these two!
Thank you to the author and Tor Publishing Group via NetGalley for an e-copy to review honestly
As per the blurb, an irresistible message is sent out into the deep depths of space, enticing scavengers from all around with an ungettable get. This prize not only hones your senses but gives the wearer valuable survival skills where milliseconds count. What heroine Wylla doesn’t expect is something beyond comprehension with uncharted abilities, and imagine her shock when the tech comes with its very own impossible sentience whose creator wants back.
As Wylla and the embedded intelligence Sable are prudently forced to get to know and trust each other (and fast), they find solace and empowerment in shared past experiences where their autonomy mattered little to those in power. Thus they decide on a path of vindication and revenge as they investigate the hows and whys of Sable’s existence.
Perhaps as a warning, this is told in first person POV alternating with a second person narrative, lending an unique presentation style as one doesn’t see this often. What this does very well is the actual outer space setting along with interspersed intense action scenes that fully immerses the reader in its science fiction roots while showcasing a burgeoning sapphic romance and an apt commentary on identity.
This ends on the limitless potential of Wylla and Sable’s partnership. Good thing this is going to be a duology so we can see what else is in store for these two!
Thank you to the author and Tor Publishing Group via NetGalley for an e-copy to review honestly
June 2, 2025
4.5 Stars
Now this is the kind of new science fiction that we need to see consistently getting published today. This felt smart and innovative with a clear intent behind the writing.
I really enjoyed this smart little novella that packed a memorable story into a short number of pages. Told in a second person perspective, this one has a distinct narration style that will get divisive among readers. In my opinion, this choice completely works here and fits the narrative. I appreciated the conversation on personhood that was woven into the story in a complex, nuanced manner. It felt reminiscent of Ancillary Justice, which is high praise in my book.
I highly recommend this novella to any science fiction reader looking for a smart new release worthy of your time and attention.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
Now this is the kind of new science fiction that we need to see consistently getting published today. This felt smart and innovative with a clear intent behind the writing.
I really enjoyed this smart little novella that packed a memorable story into a short number of pages. Told in a second person perspective, this one has a distinct narration style that will get divisive among readers. In my opinion, this choice completely works here and fits the narrative. I appreciated the conversation on personhood that was woven into the story in a complex, nuanced manner. It felt reminiscent of Ancillary Justice, which is high praise in my book.
I highly recommend this novella to any science fiction reader looking for a smart new release worthy of your time and attention.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
April 13, 2025
what I thought I was getting when I requested this arc: a cool sci-fi novella with a sleek concept, a gorgeous cover, and queer protagonists.
what I actually got (in under 200 pages, mind you): a blistering, lyrical exploration of feminine rage, queer identity, and the weight—and liberation—of saying no to a world that demands we define ourselves for its comfort. and a sapphic romance powerful enough to rattle constellations.
volatile memory is the kind of book that sneaks up on you. beneath its novella-length shell lies a densely packed, emotionally devastating narrative. the prose is almost poetic in rhythm, and it’s written entirely in second person, which initially threw me for a loop, but once wylla and sable come face to face, the choice becomes very clear, and very smart. both of them are fully-realized, ferociously human characters navigating a world that deems their humanity—especially their autonomy—unacceptable. i could’ve easily devoured 500 pages of just them talking, scheming, being soft and furious in turn, but part of what makes this book work is how it embraces its brevity. no sentence is ever forgettable.
overall this is a beautiful, bold, unapologetically queer story. even if you're not a sci-fi reader, i still think this one could surprise you. it's that good. also, that gideon comp? yess. not because the tone is similar (it’s actually not), but the vibes are all there.
thank you to netgalley and tor publishing for the arc!
what I actually got (in under 200 pages, mind you): a blistering, lyrical exploration of feminine rage, queer identity, and the weight—and liberation—of saying no to a world that demands we define ourselves for its comfort. and a sapphic romance powerful enough to rattle constellations.
volatile memory is the kind of book that sneaks up on you. beneath its novella-length shell lies a densely packed, emotionally devastating narrative. the prose is almost poetic in rhythm, and it’s written entirely in second person, which initially threw me for a loop, but once wylla and sable come face to face, the choice becomes very clear, and very smart. both of them are fully-realized, ferociously human characters navigating a world that deems their humanity—especially their autonomy—unacceptable. i could’ve easily devoured 500 pages of just them talking, scheming, being soft and furious in turn, but part of what makes this book work is how it embraces its brevity. no sentence is ever forgettable.
overall this is a beautiful, bold, unapologetically queer story. even if you're not a sci-fi reader, i still think this one could surprise you. it's that good. also, that gideon comp? yess. not because the tone is similar (it’s actually not), but the vibes are all there.
thank you to netgalley and tor publishing for the arc!
July 6, 2025
⋆.˚✮ 3.75 stars ✮˚.⋆
⤿ Thank you to Tordotcom for the advanced physical arc in exchange for an honest review!
I've gotten very lucky to be sent so many amazing novellas by Tordotcom that I was really excited for what sounded like a unique sounding science fiction. I can be very picky about my science fiction books and what I want from them, at least in terms of adventure and technology, but this one was super interesting! I know it's a novella so it's bound to be a little less detailed, but I really wish there was even more exploration of the world and society in this novel. I have heard it's going to be a duology though, and that ending made it feel like there would be even more exploration of how these societies work. There were some commentaries on current issues in our world though, so that was interesting to see be spun in a new light for science fiction.
This is definitely for fans of This is How You Lose the Time War, which wasn't a book that I absolutely loved, but thought was unique. This book gives similar vibes because of the situation that the main characters find themselves in, and the connection they make together even if one of them is stuck in the AI-mask. It was really interesting reading about this and learning about all the technology and how Hawk/Sable is so different from other models. I loved this technology and how it was used for survival, appraising, weaponry, and more by lots of people, especially with how it was linked to animals and their abilities.
Overall, this was a very interesting science fiction novella that I am looking forward to hopefully, getting even more of. The technology was fun and it left me feeling interested in the connection between the two main characters!
↬ trigger warnings: death of family members, dismemberment, mentions of torture, depictions of grief and mental health
⤿ Thank you to Tordotcom for the advanced physical arc in exchange for an honest review!
I've gotten very lucky to be sent so many amazing novellas by Tordotcom that I was really excited for what sounded like a unique sounding science fiction. I can be very picky about my science fiction books and what I want from them, at least in terms of adventure and technology, but this one was super interesting! I know it's a novella so it's bound to be a little less detailed, but I really wish there was even more exploration of the world and society in this novel. I have heard it's going to be a duology though, and that ending made it feel like there would be even more exploration of how these societies work. There were some commentaries on current issues in our world though, so that was interesting to see be spun in a new light for science fiction.
This is definitely for fans of This is How You Lose the Time War, which wasn't a book that I absolutely loved, but thought was unique. This book gives similar vibes because of the situation that the main characters find themselves in, and the connection they make together even if one of them is stuck in the AI-mask. It was really interesting reading about this and learning about all the technology and how Hawk/Sable is so different from other models. I loved this technology and how it was used for survival, appraising, weaponry, and more by lots of people, especially with how it was linked to animals and their abilities.
Overall, this was a very interesting science fiction novella that I am looking forward to hopefully, getting even more of. The technology was fun and it left me feeling interested in the connection between the two main characters!
↬ trigger warnings: death of family members, dismemberment, mentions of torture, depictions of grief and mental health
Want to read
February 3, 2025gideon and time war comps???? i am SAT.
August 20, 2025
A righteous, tightly-written story that takes full advantage of its length. Haddon’s writing is electric and jittery, tonally similar to Metal From Heaven. A woman finds a sentient mask harboring the spirit of the dead woman it once belonged to, and Volatile Memory spins out as a revenge story from there.
A few things I really liked: The mirroring of Sable as a woman without a body and Wylla as a woman who forged her body, and how that creates different relationships to gender and self-actualization. The fact that the human character is asexual and the incorporeal character is not! How both of these women can be nasty and cruel in different ways, and the book embraces that fully. Haddon’s frenetic energy here also translates really well to action sequences.
I think the moments leaning into a powerful emotional connection between Sable and Wylla lost me a bit. They’re both desperate and angry and traumatized, but the buy-in for their trust and codependency isn’t as frictionless as I think this book writes it to be. The beginning is also weaker; I grew up in the same swamps as Seth Haddon (tumblr) and I can recognize when the book is quoting from text posts, so declarations of self-love and repeated assertions that The Cruelty Is The Point don’t feel earned so early on. These fall away after a while but your mileage may vary.
The ending is strong and I’m looking forward to the sequel and how Haddon plans to take down a corporation between two people. Overall, recommended for the right reader and for a solid, boiling sci-fi novella.
Please note that I work for Macmillan but opinions are my own. I am not involved in book production.
A few things I really liked: The mirroring of Sable as a woman without a body and Wylla as a woman who forged her body, and how that creates different relationships to gender and self-actualization. The fact that the human character is asexual and the incorporeal character is not! How both of these women can be nasty and cruel in different ways, and the book embraces that fully. Haddon’s frenetic energy here also translates really well to action sequences.
I think the moments leaning into a powerful emotional connection between Sable and Wylla lost me a bit. They’re both desperate and angry and traumatized, but the buy-in for their trust and codependency isn’t as frictionless as I think this book writes it to be. The beginning is also weaker; I grew up in the same swamps as Seth Haddon (tumblr) and I can recognize when the book is quoting from text posts, so declarations of self-love and repeated assertions that The Cruelty Is The Point don’t feel earned so early on. These fall away after a while but your mileage may vary.
The ending is strong and I’m looking forward to the sequel and how Haddon plans to take down a corporation between two people. Overall, recommended for the right reader and for a solid, boiling sci-fi novella.
Please note that I work for Macmillan but opinions are my own. I am not involved in book production.
August 17, 2025
☆arc review☆
i have never read anything like this. volatile memory played like a movie in my head. it was fast paced, full of action and the yearning!!!!! omg. i loved the main characters. i really enjoyed this little sci-fi novella.
second person narrative is always hard for me to get into but once it clicks!!!! the writing flowed nicely, the world building was simple yet powerful, the political intrigue and the romance was really well done. i highly recommend listening to the audiobook. i listened while following along with my arc and it was an immersive experience.
☆sci-fi // cyberpunk novella
☆2nd person narrative
☆book 1 of 2
☆trans rep
☆sapphic
☆a.i. masks with animals capabilities
☆forced proximity
☆1 body; 2 minds
☆revenge plot
☆capitalist dystopia
quotes i like:
╰┈❥We were open to each other now like a dam had been breached, and even if we were to patch that hole, parts of us had already run into each other. A part of you was in me, and I knew that I was in you.
╰┈❥Put me on, I thought, and you did. And when you did, when our vision collided, and your heartbeat became ours, I thought to you: This is the closest we will ever get. And also: This is closer than anyone can ever get. Because in truth, we were one person when we were like this. A fusion. And if I could not kiss you, or hold you, or fuck you, I could still experience you. We could still be together.
╰┈❥We sat together for a while as this one being. Existing close to you, your warmth on me and in me, our shared heartbeat and organs and limbs, was divine. A holy thing. An evolution. We were something new.
╰┈❥But I wanted to be inside you, cradled in the safety of your rib cage, close to that heart of yours. I wanted to eat it, I wanted to be it. I wanted to get so close to you we wouldn’t be able to see the seams.
╰┈❥ Is the body that important to you? I almost said— and didn’t, because yes, of course, the body was important to you. You had spent your life reshaping yours. Turning flesh into art , owning wholeheartedly the body that contained your mind. You had made a home of your body— you had torn shame from your insides, confronted every aching, rotten part until you could recognize yourself.
╰┈❥ "You worried that the mask tech allowed others to know too much about you. With the right amount of money, with the right tech, perhaps they could squint and find the seams in your stitching. Perhaps they would decide that you were unreal. But in truth, it wouldn’t matter. With the right amount of money, with the right tech—you could be seamless and they would find fault in you regardless. Some people simply hated people like you. Remember? The cruelty is the point.
╰┈❥ "You dimmed the vessel lights. A tinny tune reverberated around us. Some AI-generated salesperson popped into existence. He looked like an amalgamate of every race, unrecognizable and statistically average—which wasn’t done for representation, mind you, but to appeal to as many people as possible. Just another Corporate Federation workaround; they couldn’t even hire a real person for this.
♡thank you so much netgalley, seth haddon + tor publishing group for an arc
i have never read anything like this. volatile memory played like a movie in my head. it was fast paced, full of action and the yearning!!!!! omg. i loved the main characters. i really enjoyed this little sci-fi novella.
second person narrative is always hard for me to get into but once it clicks!!!! the writing flowed nicely, the world building was simple yet powerful, the political intrigue and the romance was really well done. i highly recommend listening to the audiobook. i listened while following along with my arc and it was an immersive experience.
☆sci-fi // cyberpunk novella
☆2nd person narrative
☆book 1 of 2
☆trans rep
☆sapphic
☆a.i. masks with animals capabilities
☆forced proximity
☆1 body; 2 minds
☆revenge plot
☆capitalist dystopia
quotes i like:
╰┈❥We were open to each other now like a dam had been breached, and even if we were to patch that hole, parts of us had already run into each other. A part of you was in me, and I knew that I was in you.
╰┈❥Put me on, I thought, and you did. And when you did, when our vision collided, and your heartbeat became ours, I thought to you: This is the closest we will ever get. And also: This is closer than anyone can ever get. Because in truth, we were one person when we were like this. A fusion. And if I could not kiss you, or hold you, or fuck you, I could still experience you. We could still be together.
╰┈❥We sat together for a while as this one being. Existing close to you, your warmth on me and in me, our shared heartbeat and organs and limbs, was divine. A holy thing. An evolution. We were something new.
╰┈❥But I wanted to be inside you, cradled in the safety of your rib cage, close to that heart of yours. I wanted to eat it, I wanted to be it. I wanted to get so close to you we wouldn’t be able to see the seams.
╰┈❥ Is the body that important to you? I almost said— and didn’t, because yes, of course, the body was important to you. You had spent your life reshaping yours. Turning flesh into art , owning wholeheartedly the body that contained your mind. You had made a home of your body— you had torn shame from your insides, confronted every aching, rotten part until you could recognize yourself.
╰┈❥ "You worried that the mask tech allowed others to know too much about you. With the right amount of money, with the right tech, perhaps they could squint and find the seams in your stitching. Perhaps they would decide that you were unreal. But in truth, it wouldn’t matter. With the right amount of money, with the right tech—you could be seamless and they would find fault in you regardless. Some people simply hated people like you. Remember? The cruelty is the point.
╰┈❥ "You dimmed the vessel lights. A tinny tune reverberated around us. Some AI-generated salesperson popped into existence. He looked like an amalgamate of every race, unrecognizable and statistically average—which wasn’t done for representation, mind you, but to appeal to as many people as possible. Just another Corporate Federation workaround; they couldn’t even hire a real person for this.
♡thank you so much netgalley, seth haddon + tor publishing group for an arc
July 18, 2025
firstly, thank you to the publisher for an arc and an alc!
4.5 stars — this is a sci-fi but felt more like a horror/sci-fi novel omg!
volatile memory had an insane amount of social commentary revolving around bodies — specifically conducting harmful science experiments regarding implementing AI into human bodies; infertility; and trans-bodies.
i was completely blown away by the genius writing and progression of the plot.
as for the audio, the narration did a fantastic job!
i’m definitely going to look into the author’s backlist!
4.5 stars — this is a sci-fi but felt more like a horror/sci-fi novel omg!
volatile memory had an insane amount of social commentary revolving around bodies — specifically conducting harmful science experiments regarding implementing AI into human bodies; infertility; and trans-bodies.
i was completely blown away by the genius writing and progression of the plot.
as for the audio, the narration did a fantastic job!
i’m definitely going to look into the author’s backlist!
May 10, 2025
An interesting take on a sci-fi novella! Written in second person, which I know not everyone loves, but I do think it makes sense for this book. Volatile Memory is set in a dystopian future in space where people use animal-shaped masks to imbue them with superhuman abilities. It follows a trans woman scavenger who follows a signal to find a new, high-tech mask and gets more than she bargains for along the way...
It's a sapphic novella that explores gender and embodiment and what it means to be a person. It deals with systemic transphobia at the intersection of capitalism, and comes with a side of feminine revenge. I think a lot of people will like it if they aren't thrown by the use of perspective! Note that it also deals with domestic abuse. I received a copy of this book for review via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.
It's a sapphic novella that explores gender and embodiment and what it means to be a person. It deals with systemic transphobia at the intersection of capitalism, and comes with a side of feminine revenge. I think a lot of people will like it if they aren't thrown by the use of perspective! Note that it also deals with domestic abuse. I received a copy of this book for review via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.
May 21, 2025
Bright and vicious and occasionally brutal, this is a story that’s as much about the nature of consciousness and personhood under capitalism as it is about its interstellar manhunt. The worldbuilding was fascinating and unique and the sapphic romance was shockingly tender, but more than anything, this is a feral scream of a book: it’s about queerness and gender and feminine rage, about autonomy, and about bloody, merciless revenge. I did feel like by the end its themes started to feel too aggressively overstated and spelled out for my own personal taste, but I still really enjoyed this story in spite of that.
Two words of warning: firstly, this is not a queernorm setting, as the current slate of queer sci-fi tends to favor. The trans MC faces significant transphobia. I thought the exploration of transness was perfectly married with the book’s worldbuilding, which hinges so heavily on body alteration and the struggle to hold onto any sort of freedom or self-actualization under a system that wants to grind you down into a perfect tool to perform labor.
Secondly, this is not a standalone. It doesn’t exactly end on a cliffhanger, but the story is definitely not finished. Be prepared!
Thanks to Tor and Netgalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Two words of warning: firstly, this is not a queernorm setting, as the current slate of queer sci-fi tends to favor. The trans MC faces significant transphobia. I thought the exploration of transness was perfectly married with the book’s worldbuilding, which hinges so heavily on body alteration and the struggle to hold onto any sort of freedom or self-actualization under a system that wants to grind you down into a perfect tool to perform labor.
Secondly, this is not a standalone. It doesn’t exactly end on a cliffhanger, but the story is definitely not finished. Be prepared!
Thanks to Tor and Netgalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
September 5, 2025
2.5/5
Was soooo looking forward to Volatile Memory and even preordered the audiobook. The stunning cover art initially caught my eye and seeing that it’s queer sci-fi with trans rep I was like fine, just take my money already!
This little novella focuses on a powerful tech mask that lends its user special powers and abilities. The coveted mask is stolen by Wylla who discovers it contains echoes of memories from the previous wearer. Seems like a uniquely interesting concept, right? It was….when I read it first in Marina Lostetter’s The Helm of Midnight.
I was so shook by how similar the theme of a mask imbued with someone’s memory is to Helm that I couldn’t stop thinking about it. Add to that the off-putting use of second-person perspective along with choppy prose and I was left underwhelmed. I find second-person perspective works best when used in conjunction with alternating sections of first-person point of view. Otherwise the story can feel jarringly unnatural, as it does here.
Was soooo looking forward to Volatile Memory and even preordered the audiobook. The stunning cover art initially caught my eye and seeing that it’s queer sci-fi with trans rep I was like fine, just take my money already!
This little novella focuses on a powerful tech mask that lends its user special powers and abilities. The coveted mask is stolen by Wylla who discovers it contains echoes of memories from the previous wearer. Seems like a uniquely interesting concept, right? It was….when I read it first in Marina Lostetter’s The Helm of Midnight.
I was so shook by how similar the theme of a mask imbued with someone’s memory is to Helm that I couldn’t stop thinking about it. Add to that the off-putting use of second-person perspective along with choppy prose and I was left underwhelmed. I find second-person perspective works best when used in conjunction with alternating sections of first-person point of view. Otherwise the story can feel jarringly unnatural, as it does here.
Read
July 29, 2025DNF @ 23%
I'm sure this is actually great but I cannot do 2nd person POV right now. It's completely divorcing me emotionally from the story. Not rating. Marking as not providing feedback on NetGalley.
I'm sure this is actually great but I cannot do 2nd person POV right now. It's completely divorcing me emotionally from the story. Not rating. Marking as not providing feedback on NetGalley.
August 17, 2025
this to me is what time war is to others
June 23, 2025
Volatile Memory by Seth Haddon is a powerful and poignant sci-fi novella that completely drew me in. Set in a gritty, tech-saturated world where people use masks to enhance their abilities, this story was both refreshingly unique and deeply thought-provoking.
At its core, this is a story about identity—about learning to know and accept yourself in a society built on rigid class systems, conformity, and corruption. It explores themes of transphobia and queerness with such care and depth, and the queer romance at the heart of it all was beautifully done.
I’m always here for stories with feminine rage and vengeance, and Volatile Memory delivers that in spades. It’s the kind of book that lingers in your mind long after the final page. I’ll be thinking about this one for a while.
I recently Received the ALC from Macmillan audio. I absolutely loved the narration of this book! The narrator really brought the characters alive! I enjoyed listening to this book. It’s a quick listen because it’s a short book and I did it in one day! So good. I highly recommend doing immersion reading in this one.
Highly recommend picking this one up when it releases in July! Huge thanks to NetGalley and Tor Publishing for the gifted ARC.
At its core, this is a story about identity—about learning to know and accept yourself in a society built on rigid class systems, conformity, and corruption. It explores themes of transphobia and queerness with such care and depth, and the queer romance at the heart of it all was beautifully done.
I’m always here for stories with feminine rage and vengeance, and Volatile Memory delivers that in spades. It’s the kind of book that lingers in your mind long after the final page. I’ll be thinking about this one for a while.
I recently Received the ALC from Macmillan audio. I absolutely loved the narration of this book! The narrator really brought the characters alive! I enjoyed listening to this book. It’s a quick listen because it’s a short book and I did it in one day! So good. I highly recommend doing immersion reading in this one.
Highly recommend picking this one up when it releases in July! Huge thanks to NetGalley and Tor Publishing for the gifted ARC.
August 15, 2025
3.5 stars, for concept and emotional intensity and a quite acceptable use of the second person.
First of all, and this is a neutral statement you must follow to your own taste’s conclusions, this is a book written in the soup of leckie, Becky chambers and Martha wells. Especially Martha wells. I truly don’t think this book would exist without murderbot (Seth Haddon feel free to hop on here and say no no I have never heard of murderbot). Far future sci fi in a corporate society where intelligent technology takes the perspective and gender is key is this soup, the occasional gore mixed with tenderness that might sometimes get out of hand.
Second of all the protagonists are wonderful. The story is told by a sentient super powerful technological mask in a setting where masks are carriers of everything from essentially superpowers to IDs to bank cards. Very interesting consolidation of privacy and possession in a way that extrapolates from the present day in a compelling fashion. This mask is also a fatal prototype that contains the digital memory of a dead woman.
She, mind linked to the yearning, clever, brave and terrified wylla, is able to convey the depth of wylla’s experiences credibly and through a lens of instant adoration and respect. Wylla is a trans woman in a future that violently rejects this and her experiences of self determination are poignant and fully fleshed. Sable is the ghost of a woman who has been used horribly and lost her life just as horribly. Both of them are emotionally raw and complete. While their romance (it’s in the blurb, no spoiler) comes on quickly I suppose a soul-deep connection and a shared agony and a need for urgent survival could easily kick attraction and affection into instant high gear.
The weaknesses are things that an editor paying attention could have fixed up: the far future doesn’t need moral memes like “the cruelty is the point” to literally appear on page. The influences are a little too clear. The progression of the story, unlike its emotional arc, can feel somewhat rote. The reason this tech has been created is budgetarily and logistically ridiculous. You can tell that the mask and the queer exploration are where haddon’s heart is because some elements hang limply off of them. Those things are great, the grit toothed battle of the discarded against the machine (although not literally the machine bc the machine is a love interest). So, it’s an interesting concept, heartfelt and cleverly written (as long as you don’t shoot second person narration on sight), and while it feels unfinished in some ways I appreciated its strengths.
First of all, and this is a neutral statement you must follow to your own taste’s conclusions, this is a book written in the soup of leckie, Becky chambers and Martha wells. Especially Martha wells. I truly don’t think this book would exist without murderbot (Seth Haddon feel free to hop on here and say no no I have never heard of murderbot). Far future sci fi in a corporate society where intelligent technology takes the perspective and gender is key is this soup, the occasional gore mixed with tenderness that might sometimes get out of hand.
Second of all the protagonists are wonderful. The story is told by a sentient super powerful technological mask in a setting where masks are carriers of everything from essentially superpowers to IDs to bank cards. Very interesting consolidation of privacy and possession in a way that extrapolates from the present day in a compelling fashion. This mask is also a fatal prototype that contains the digital memory of a dead woman.
She, mind linked to the yearning, clever, brave and terrified wylla, is able to convey the depth of wylla’s experiences credibly and through a lens of instant adoration and respect. Wylla is a trans woman in a future that violently rejects this and her experiences of self determination are poignant and fully fleshed. Sable is the ghost of a woman who has been used horribly and lost her life just as horribly. Both of them are emotionally raw and complete. While their romance (it’s in the blurb, no spoiler) comes on quickly I suppose a soul-deep connection and a shared agony and a need for urgent survival could easily kick attraction and affection into instant high gear.
The weaknesses are things that an editor paying attention could have fixed up: the far future doesn’t need moral memes like “the cruelty is the point” to literally appear on page. The influences are a little too clear. The progression of the story, unlike its emotional arc, can feel somewhat rote. The reason this tech has been created is budgetarily and logistically ridiculous. You can tell that the mask and the queer exploration are where haddon’s heart is because some elements hang limply off of them. Those things are great, the grit toothed battle of the discarded against the machine (although not literally the machine bc the machine is a love interest). So, it’s an interesting concept, heartfelt and cleverly written (as long as you don’t shoot second person narration on sight), and while it feels unfinished in some ways I appreciated its strengths.
June 30, 2025
2.75 ⭐️
i thought i was getting gideon the ninth x this is how you lose the time war with these sapphics but instead i got confusion
thank you to netgalley and macmillan audio for the alc
i thought i was getting gideon the ninth x this is how you lose the time war with these sapphics but instead i got confusion
thank you to netgalley and macmillan audio for the alc
August 17, 2025
Received from the publisher, thanks!
This book was weird and I really liked it. It's very short, but I think the author did a great job of packing a lot into every single word.
I'm not going to say much about it, as it is short and I don't want to spoil anything, but it is a sapphic story that involves one MC's conscience being trapped in a mask. There is also a lot of feminine rage. Like, A LOT. And I'm totally here for it.
This book was weird and I really liked it. It's very short, but I think the author did a great job of packing a lot into every single word.
I'm not going to say much about it, as it is short and I don't want to spoil anything, but it is a sapphic story that involves one MC's conscience being trapped in a mask. There is also a lot of feminine rage. Like, A LOT. And I'm totally here for it.
April 3, 2024
A beautiful novella about the intersections of humanity, technology and identity, with characters who are different but complementary and make us love them from word one. Formally interesting, thematically deep, and full of cool, unique tech. Highly recommend.
August 18, 2025
2025 reads: 216/300
i received a complimentary review copy from the publisher as part of their influencer program. i am leaving this review voluntarily.
with nothing but a limping ship and an outdated mask to her name, wylla is in desperate need of a big pay day. when she catches wind of a lucrative piece of tech on a nearby planet, she beats other hunters to it—but is surprised to find hawk, a corpse wearing an AI mask. masks aren’t supposed to retain memory or identity, but this one does, and she sees wylla in a way no one else has. together, they set off to find hawk’s ex-husband, who discarded her in the first place, for answers about her existence.
somehow, i went into this unaware that it was written from a second person point of view! this was a welcome surprise, as second person povs are hard to come by, and i thought seth haddon did a great job exploring this narrative. it was also really interesting how wylla and hawk essentially had to share a body. i loved seeing how this unfurled. i read the audiobook, narrated by emily gibbons bouchard, and i think this was the perfect format for me. i highly recommend this audiobook to anyone looking for an adult sci-fi!
i received a complimentary review copy from the publisher as part of their influencer program. i am leaving this review voluntarily.
with nothing but a limping ship and an outdated mask to her name, wylla is in desperate need of a big pay day. when she catches wind of a lucrative piece of tech on a nearby planet, she beats other hunters to it—but is surprised to find hawk, a corpse wearing an AI mask. masks aren’t supposed to retain memory or identity, but this one does, and she sees wylla in a way no one else has. together, they set off to find hawk’s ex-husband, who discarded her in the first place, for answers about her existence.
somehow, i went into this unaware that it was written from a second person point of view! this was a welcome surprise, as second person povs are hard to come by, and i thought seth haddon did a great job exploring this narrative. it was also really interesting how wylla and hawk essentially had to share a body. i loved seeing how this unfurled. i read the audiobook, narrated by emily gibbons bouchard, and i think this was the perfect format for me. i highly recommend this audiobook to anyone looking for an adult sci-fi!
September 2, 2025
Wylla is a scavenger and hacker with little but a small spaceship and an outdated AI mask called RABBIT. Needing a lucky break Wylla answers a beacon to find a dead body with an advanced AI mask in the shape of a hawk. When she comes into contact with HAWK it becomes clear that this AI mask is special and contains the personality of a dead woman. But Wylla isn't the only one who's answering the beacon and HAWK is more special than anyone knows.
There's a whole lot going on here. Wylla is a transwoman in a society where that's not legal (feels awfully relevant right now) and the acceptance from Sable, the woman in the mask, is transformative in an almost greater way than the powers of the mask itself. There's also a strong element of rage against injustice on the part of both women and in a lot of ways, this is a revenge story, or at least the beginning of one.
Finally, this is mostly told in second person, from Sable to Wylla, and that's a very clever technique for a romantic story. I get the comparison to This Is How You Lose the Time War, but I think the concept of assistant AI masks and two minds in one body reminded me a lot of Ninefox Gambit.
There's a whole lot going on here. Wylla is a transwoman in a society where that's not legal (feels awfully relevant right now) and the acceptance from Sable, the woman in the mask, is transformative in an almost greater way than the powers of the mask itself. There's also a strong element of rage against injustice on the part of both women and in a lot of ways, this is a revenge story, or at least the beginning of one.
Finally, this is mostly told in second person, from Sable to Wylla, and that's a very clever technique for a romantic story. I get the comparison to This Is How You Lose the Time War, but I think the concept of assistant AI masks and two minds in one body reminded me a lot of Ninefox Gambit.
July 25, 2025
4.25/5 stars
desperately need more of them
desperately need more of them
August 9, 2025
“life hurt as much without a body as with one.”
wylla is a scavenger in a dystopian space future where civilization is controlled by massive corporations. when a signal goes out offering up a rare piece of tech, she answers the call, but instead of an easy payday she finds something that shouldn’t exist: the consciousness of a dead woman inside a mask.
i’m so bummed about this one! i enjoyed the world-building and the concept of animal masks that lend their wearers specific skills and abilities, as well as the exploration of how trans identity challenges a society that demands conformity. unfortunately, that’s about all i liked.
my overall complaint is that volatile memory seems to prioritize style over substance. seth haddon’s writing style (at least based on this novella) doesn’t appeal to me, so i couldn’t even sit back and enjoy the vibes. i’m generally not a fan of second person narratives, and i don’t think the use of second person did this story any favors. it distanced me from wylla when i would have appreciated more insight into her as a character.
for a “vengeful” story, most of the novella is frustratingly toothless. wylla’s goodness—which HAWK mentions again and again, lest we somehow forget—often reads more as naïveté (to a degree that didn’t make sense given the world she exists in), and the emphasis on her goodness makes her sudden embrace of HAWK’s tactics feel even more abrupt. i wanted more rage and revenge.
the romance didn’t work for me on any level. the writing implies that this is a relationship the readers should root for, but it reads as more of a toxic dynamic. HAWK’s instalove borders on obsession, perhaps as a side effect of existing as a mask instead of a woman, and there are scenes that made me distinctly uncomfortable for wylla. i’m not at all opposed to an “i can make her worse” type love story, one character corrupting another, even an exploration of the abused becoming the abuser, but this book is marketed as a “heart-filled, vengeful sapphic sci-fi action adventure” and that’s what i went into it expecting. the dynamic between wylla and HAWK is not that.
volatile memory has an audience, but that audience clearly is not me and i doubt i’ll be picking up any future seth haddon releases.
arc provided by netgalley and tor in exchange for an honest review.
rating: 2.0/5.0 stars
July 21, 2025
This was an interesting and captivating speculative novella! Wylla is a scavenger looking for her next pay day when she intercepts a call about a lucrative piece of tech. She finds that it’s a very unique prototype of an AI mask MARK I HAWK and a voice that speaks to her. Unable to part with the mask, she chooses to run, knowing there will be other scavengers and the Corporate Federation trailing her every step.
The world building was truly cool and fascinating. I loved the concept of these technologically advanced masks with animal faces and the qualities of the animals. The predator/prey characteristics of this tech added a smart layer to each character.
I enjoyed the commentary on a misogynistic government and themes surrounding gender identity and body autonomy. Particularly the female rage bits were very effective.
The sapphic romance (or AI to person) felt very real and emotional. With the use of a second person narrative, it created a different vibe to the story, which I ended up liking quite a lot. Very curious to continue if this becomes a series.
Narration by Emily Gibbons Bouchard was fantastic. I really enjoyed her voice and range of emotion, it felt very personable and added an otherworldly atmosphere to the story. Recommending to fans of speculative sci-fi.
Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the free audiobook to review.
The world building was truly cool and fascinating. I loved the concept of these technologically advanced masks with animal faces and the qualities of the animals. The predator/prey characteristics of this tech added a smart layer to each character.
I enjoyed the commentary on a misogynistic government and themes surrounding gender identity and body autonomy. Particularly the female rage bits were very effective.
The sapphic romance (or AI to person) felt very real and emotional. With the use of a second person narrative, it created a different vibe to the story, which I ended up liking quite a lot. Very curious to continue if this becomes a series.
Narration by Emily Gibbons Bouchard was fantastic. I really enjoyed her voice and range of emotion, it felt very personable and added an otherworldly atmosphere to the story. Recommending to fans of speculative sci-fi.
Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the free audiobook to review.
August 18, 2025
This was so unique & such a cool world! I loved our characters and I’m always a sucker for a sentient AI trope. Also, can’t wait for the next installment to watch my ladies take down all the fucking terrible men in the world!!
August 30, 2025
love me some toxic revenge driven yuri
August 13, 2025
Amazing premise! I loved loved LOVED the high-tech animal masks. I'd happily read a companion book that's just a lore dump on all the different types. Sci-fi isn't my top read genre so I have no idea how unique the idea was but the masks felt worth mentioning because it's what drew me to the novella in the first place.
As for the plot... idk. I'm torn? The parts I enjoyed stuck with me. But I struggled to finish Volatile Memory and I'm still poking at why. My best guess is the narrator, Sable, is quite exhausting.
Is there a little bit of sapphic romance or is this a psychological horror story? Because I gotta say... it lands more on the latter side for me. The relationship between Wylla and Sable is obsessive, codependent, and almost creepy. And that wouldn't be a problem! I love messy characters and relationships that are kinda toxic! But Wylla doesn't fight back enough to make it fun. She feels spineless at times. I know she's not. I know it's empathy (at least in the beginning) and that whole "making yourself too small" thing that a lot of people do. I just think she's a prime target for someone like Sable to seriously ruin. And!!!! Being in Sable's head so much became off-putting in a way that I'm not sure Seth Haddon was going for. Like I'm not personally rooting for this couple but idk if that was Seth's goal? Volatile Memory is less than 180 pages and yet it took me multiple days to finish it due to how tiring it became to read.
I really love Seth's writing style. This won't be my last book of his that I read. I think he has cool ideas and important things to say. But, somehow, in Volatile Memory, it felt both too shallow and too much because, imo, he needed more space to explore these themes.
As for the plot... idk. I'm torn? The parts I enjoyed stuck with me. But I struggled to finish Volatile Memory and I'm still poking at why. My best guess is the narrator, Sable, is quite exhausting.
Is there a little bit of sapphic romance or is this a psychological horror story? Because I gotta say... it lands more on the latter side for me. The relationship between Wylla and Sable is obsessive, codependent, and almost creepy. And that wouldn't be a problem! I love messy characters and relationships that are kinda toxic! But Wylla doesn't fight back enough to make it fun. She feels spineless at times. I know she's not. I know it's empathy (at least in the beginning) and that whole "making yourself too small" thing that a lot of people do. I just think she's a prime target for someone like Sable to seriously ruin. And!!!! Being in Sable's head so much became off-putting in a way that I'm not sure Seth Haddon was going for. Like I'm not personally rooting for this couple but idk if that was Seth's goal? Volatile Memory is less than 180 pages and yet it took me multiple days to finish it due to how tiring it became to read.
I really love Seth's writing style. This won't be my last book of his that I read. I think he has cool ideas and important things to say. But, somehow, in Volatile Memory, it felt both too shallow and too much because, imo, he needed more space to explore these themes.
March 13, 2025
This was just stunning. If you like me love Murderbot and the Locked Tomb Series I think this will be right up your alley. Specifically if you loved Harrow the Ninth’s second person POV then I think you’ll like this. The exploration of what it means to be human through this sentient AI character was so interesting. I loved the connection between Hawk and Wylla. Their messy burn the world down attitude just felt raw and resonant. This book just gives you a lot of ideas to chew on; it’s a great addition to Tor’s collection of queer sci-fi stories.
CW: Murder, suicide, transphobia, and torture
Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a free e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.
CW: Murder, suicide, transphobia, and torture
Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a free e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.
January 30, 2025
(4.5)
thought i was in for some cool scifi concepts, ended up finding the gayest thing i've read in a very long time. everything about this was so weird and introspective and fun and i hope that we get to see more from wylla and sable and the world they're making a mess of. if you love the pain of yearning, this will be there for you when it comes out in july.
thought i was in for some cool scifi concepts, ended up finding the gayest thing i've read in a very long time. everything about this was so weird and introspective and fun and i hope that we get to see more from wylla and sable and the world they're making a mess of. if you love the pain of yearning, this will be there for you when it comes out in july.
April 22, 2025
this is a very strange, vengeful little book. <3 some of the most unique world building I’ve read in a while. best enjoyed in one sitting.
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