The Voided Man
By Anthony Dean (Indie author, 2026)
Genre: Fiction – Science Fiction/Adventure/Fantasy/Family
Pages (Print): 302
Via: Author request
Note: We received a complimentary copy of this book for honest review.
Goodbye Joe, me gotta go, me oh, my oh
Me gotta go pole the pirogue down the Bayou
My Yvonne, the sweetest one, me oh, my oh
Son of a gun we’ll have big fun on the bayou…
Kimber: Mom has finally lost it. Well, I’m not so sure she had it in the first place. But after reading this new sci book thingy by Anthony Dean and my best new bud, Space Dog, Mom’s skipping around the house belting out this Hank Williams tune. Methinks a community-wide warning may be appropriate.
Now, you’re probably wondering what Her Royal Momness bursting into song has to do with a book set in the waaaaay distant future (we’re talking hundreds of millions of years here and more crispy bacon than I can count!)? Good question, Cookie. I’ll get to that in a min. So kindly keep your hair on, okay?
The Basics
First things first. With the basics. Like this:
When a fella we meet as “the Candidate” gets chucked into prison following a kangaroo court trial on “treason” charges – he was starting to worry the seven-term presidential incumbent – he finds himself sentenced to exile in the “Local Void.” As in, not exactly an all-expense paid round trip to Tahiti, if ya get our drift.
Located nearly 150 million light years from earth after travelling like, forever in a “hibernation pod,” said dude wakes up to discover he is “Prisoner Number One.” It’s now April 7, 288 million and change.
Lost to his wife, to Earth, to everything, Prisoner Number One – whom we affectionately dub “#1” – has a couple of “Ship AIs and an asteroid for companions.” He christens the asteroid “The Potato.” (Without giving too much away too soon, just keep an eye on the potato. Hold the butter and sour cream.)
Well. It’s a major bumner being that far away ftom everything. At least the food aboard ship is good. And for the love of filet mignon, #1 also has -ta da! – a world-class reading room aboard his space ship. Stocked with some of our favorites. Dickens. Dumas. Bronte. F. Scott Fitzgerald (nobody’s perfect).
Lonely, #1 finally orders his AI to “Clone the dog.” Kimber: Thought he’d never ask. Duh. The result is a sweet Golden Retriever puppy promptly dubbed “Space Dog.” Kimber: I was thinking’ “Harold.” But whatevs.
After about ten years in exile, #1 starts going downhill. He feels numb. Hopeless. He’s been doing “life extension treatments” (EXTs) forever. So his life span is… about forever. That’s a long time to be in exile, bub.
Then a supernova explodifies. Number 1 perks up. Is energized. His appetite returns. Cuz this super nova thing is something new. Finally. And #1 starts to wonder. What’ll happen if he launches a new “crisis protocol” to communicate with sleeping drones outside the ship? Could the drones be activated so he can reconnect with humanity?
There’s also the Thirty Families, Universal Credits, and life extension treatments controlled by said families. What could possibly go wrong?
Well, for one thing, the families rule a universe with no individuality. Just “homogeneous sheep, baaa-ing about on fifteen million worlds.” So #1 begins to wonder again: Is he the prisoner, or are they? And what if….? Oh, wait. You’ll have to read the book to find out what happens next.
There’s also “Void chips.” Root beer (who knew?). The Hindenburg code. “Yes, Captain.” Mercedes (Not the car. Just sayin’. You’ll get that if you know your Dumas.)
And of course, “Cucumber, baby.” (You’ll get that if you read the book, Cupcake.)
Like, Totally!
We Totally Loveified this book! Read it cover-to-cover in two days! (When Mom wasn’t busy doing that skipping/singing thing. So annoying.) We especially loved the emphasis on family ties and True Love. And how maybe, just maybe, #1 hasn’t really been “voided” at all…
The plot has more twists than a slinky on an escalator. Additionally, we appreciated how the author took the time to develop a multi-layered main character, making the story feel much more immersive and resonant as he elevates #1’s internal monologue beyond a continuous loop of the word “Treat?” (Hello, Space Dog!) In fact, watching #1 grow and learn and develop felt less like a plot point and more like witnessing someone unroll in slo mo.
Strong and Superb
Strong writing and superb storytelling skills made our reader brains do a happy dance. Kimber: Speaking of brains – sort of – I think #1 has been living in Mom’s head rent-free since Chapter 2.
Indeed, The Voided Man is a place where love meets adventure and the plot never sleeps. A rich and flavorful mix of heart, hope, and imagination, The Voided Man is a jambalaya of warmth, whimsy, and wit. Fans of The Martian, Somewhere In Time, and Interstellar will love it! You will, too.
It’s Big Fun! And since one of us thinks “the bayou” and “local void” are pretty much flip sides of the same shrimp: Two, three, four…
Dress in style and go hog wild, me oh, my oh
Son of a gun, we’ll have big fun on the bayou…
Kimber: I’ll let you know when Mom stops with the adventures in jambalaya thing. The skipping around the house? That may take a little longer. Cuz ya know, Mom. Doo wop, doo wop, doo wop…
