BookView Review

In Daedalus, the second installment in Gadeken’s Nabukko Trilogy, a wrongful accusation becomes the catalyst for a deeper exploration of memory, leadership, and survival on an alien world. Following the events of Nabukko, Eff finds herself imprisoned after being accused of murders she could not have committed. Although evidence gradually weakens the case against her, suspicion continues to divide the isolated colony, exposing fractures in its leadership and forcing Captain Merula to reconsider both Eff’s place within the community and the colony’s priorities. As political tensions escalate, Eff joins Keir on an expedition into the northern wilderness in search of answers about the Obliviation, the memory-erasing event that stranded them on an alien world. Their search uncovers increasingly unsettling clues about the planet, the fate of the missing Daedalus, and the forces that brought multiple groups of colonists together.

Rather than presenting the sequel primarily as a murder mystery, Gadeken expands the series into an examination of trust, belonging, and the consequences of leadership under extreme uncertainty. The evolving relationship between Eff and Eoghan explores forgiveness without diminishing the lasting effects of betrayal, while her growing partnership with Keir develops naturally through shared hardship. The novel also broadens its scientific scope, allowing exploration and discovery to shape the worldbuilding rather than relying on exposition. By intertwining interpersonal conflict with unanswered cosmic questions, Gadeken shifts the trilogy from a survival narrative toward a larger investigation of identity, memory, and the fragile foundations on which societies are built. Readers who enjoy character-driven science fiction anchored by mystery, exploration, and moral complexity will find much to appreciate in Gadeken’s evolving saga.

An engrossing science fiction mystery that’s difficult to set aside.

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