Volatile Memory

By: Seth Haddon

Narrated by: Emily Gibbons Bouchard

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With nothing but a limping ship and an outdated mask to her name, Wylla needs a big pay day.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 realized: 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 before: her ex-husband.

A Macmillan Audio production from Tor.com

©2025 Seth Haddon (P)2025 Macmillan Audio

Critic reviews

A Most Anticipated Book: GoodReads | Literary Hub | BookRiot | Words & Brush Strokes | SheReads | BookTrib | We Are Bookish | New Scientist

"Propulsive, inventive, and delicious, Volatile Memory is a cyberpunk romance with a sweet and vengeful heart."—Alix E. Harrow, New York Times bestselling author of Starling House

"Murderbot meets Firefly in a Thelma & Louise-style, high-tech, thrill-a-minute hunt for freedom, justice, and revenge."—Library Journal

"Haddon combines sapphic romance, fast-paced mystery, and fascinating worldbuilding in his thrilling first sci-fi novel... Packed with combat, intrigue, and budding love, this is an exciting new direction."—Publishers Weekly

queer-cyber-punk-holy-trinity

I enjoyed it throughly. saying it's like This Is How You Lose The Time War and Ex Machina is assuming that's the only way some one would read this novel, and im here to say that's just not true!

A great listen that left me wanting more.

This is a fun sci-fi ride that isn't too long, Fun sci-fi tech concepts, good action, some revenge fantasy, and quick pace. It made my day of otherwise tedious tasks in my workshop go by quick!
It was also thought provoking, and exercised some empathy muscles that I recon needed a nudge.

The narrator absolutely nailed it! 5 bright stars on the performance.

the hawk

hawk is some of the coolest tech I've read about and I understand what it's like to not fit into the idea society think u should or shouldn't be,but live authentically no matter what you do