Book Review: Theft of Fire by Devon Eriksen
If you pay attention to what happens in the indie SFF world you’ve probably heard of this book. I am pleased to say that it more than lives up to the hype.
Some books arrive with a whisper. Theft of Fire by Devon Eriksen arrives like a rocket burn at full thrust—fast, exhilarating, and impossible to ignore. The first in the Orbital Space trilogy, this novel is a relentless, snarky, and utterly gripping plunge into a future where humanity has spread across the solar system but hasn’t quite left its worst tendencies behind.
At its core, Theft of Fire is a space opera with the heart of a cyberpunk thriller. It follows Marcus Warnoc, a down-on-his-luck asteroid miner turned reluctant space pirate, who finds himself blackmailed into a job by an enigmatic, genetically engineered aristocrat with a disturbing lack of scruples. She’s bought out his debts, hijacked his ship, and now holds his future in a vice grip—forcing him into a high-stakes mission that will take them beyond the edge of known space.
From the first chapter, Eriksen’s prose crackles with energy, wit, and an undeniable Belter grit. Marcus is the perfect protagonist for this kind of hard-boiled space noir—cynical, resourceful, and just desperate enough to get himself into deeper trouble. The dialogue is razor-sharp, the world-building immersive without ever feeling like an exposition dump, and the pacing is relentless.
The heart of the novel, however, lies in its characters. The dynamic between Marcus and his captor/employer is a fascinating push-and-pull of distrust, verbal sparring, and reluctant cooperation. She’s infuriatingly smug, impossibly well-connected, and frustratingly competent—everything Marcus is not. Their tension is deliciously fun to read, punctuated by moments of genuine intrigue and simmering hostility.
But what truly sets Theft of Fire apart is its setting. Eriksen doesn’t just give us a future of asteroid miners, rogue AI, and interstellar conspiracies—he makes it feel lived-in, from the bureaucratic nightmare of corporate space law to the grim realities of life on the fringes of legality. There are echoes of The Expanse, Firefly, and Neuromancer, but Theft of Fire carves out its own identity with a distinct voice and a deep appreciation for the complexity of human (and post-human) existence in the void.
And then there’s Sedna.
Without spoiling too much, let’s just say the novel’s second half introduces a major shift—one that taps into one of sci-fi’s most enduring mysteries. It’s the kind of twist that makes you rethink everything that came before while setting the stage for something even bigger in the sequels.
Eriksen’s writing style is slick, engaging, and packed with personality. There’s a wonderful balance of tension and humour, with Marcus delivering some of the best deadpan narration I’ve read in a long time. The novel is also refreshingly self-aware—poking fun at genre tropes while fully embracing them in the best way possible.
If you’re a fan of space opera with a cyberpunk edge, morally grey characters, and a breakneck plot filled with twists, betrayals, and high-stakes heists, Theft of Fire is an absolute must-read. Eriksen has crafted a universe that feels both fresh and familiar, and I, for one, can’t wait to see where the next books take us.
Highly recommended for fans of The Expanse, Altered Carbon, and anyone who loves their sci-fi with a side of snark and scheming.
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