Rosebud by Paul Cornell

 

A balloon, a goth, a science aristocrat, a ball of hands, and a swarm of insects walk onto a spaceship. Stop me if you've heard this one before. Well, that's unlikely since this premise sprang from the fertile mind of Paul Cornell in Rosebud. 

Five digital beings are on a small spaceship in the outer part of the solar system, surveying rocks and sending useful items back towards the earth when they encounter a mysterious black sphere. Ordinarily, they would receive specific instructions on how to proceed, but communication with the Company has been cut off and they are on their own. 

The crew decides to survey the sphere, which proves to be a little more complicated than anticipated. The sphere changes what they believe about themselves, and perhaps holds secrets about all of humanity.

Rosebud is a short novella with big ideas. The crew is interesting not only in their physical appearance but in their personalities and personal histories. The object they encounter forces them to look deep inside themselves as well as examine all of humanity. The mood shifts from light to dark and back again throughout. The novella is short, but it is not a quick read. The ideas are densely packed and this is a story you won't soon forget.

I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher.