What We Leave Behind By Mark Merrens Blends Science Fiction With Profound Human Depth

On The Table Read Magazine, “the best arts and entertainment magazine UK”, in Mark Merrens’ gripping debut What We Leave Behind, a grieving Navy SEAL and a brilliant alien geneticist navigate trust, neural augmentation, and ancient secrets across three timelines, delivering a soulful science fiction epic that challenges what it means to be human when survival demands profound transformation.

What We Leave Behind

Mark Merrens’ debut novel, What We Leave Behind, arrives as a refreshing and ambitious entry in science fiction. This genre-defying work combines intricate world-building with deeply emotional storytelling, appealing especially to readers who seek more than just interstellar adventures—they want science fiction with soul.

A Multi-Layered Narrative Across Time and Perspectives

Merrens structures the story around multiple timelines and narrators, creating a rich, interwoven tapestry that spans vast distances in both space and time. The primary setting is a near-future Earth on the brink of transformation following first contact with the Hussqa—a race that is genetically human yet possesses far superior technology.

At the center is Ben Sumner, a veteran Navy SEAL still haunted by the death of his wife, Lynn. His grief serves as a personal anchor amid global upheaval. Ben is assigned to guide Mila, a brilliant Hussqa geneticist, as part of an initiative to integrate Hussqa advancements—particularly neural augments—into human society. These implants promise enhanced cognition and communication but raise unsettling questions about identity, control, and what it truly means to be human.

Parallel narratives add depth and mystery. Alys, the centuries-old leader of the Hussqa, carries the weight of countless lifetimes preserved through augmentation. She oversees her people’s assimilation while guarding secrets about the catastrophe that destroyed their homeworld, Hussq, and the looming threat that might follow them to Earth.

Further enriching the story is the perspective of Storm-Dog, a teenager from 13,000 years ago in prehistoric Earth. His encounter with a strange celestial phenomenon subtly suggests ancient connections between humanity and the Hussqa, blurring the boundaries between alien and native.

Opposing these forces is Viridian, a multi-lifespan antagonist tied to the shadowy Octarian Gathering. Driven by a desire for Hussqa dominance, Viridian’s history as a serial killer in both virtual and real realms introduces tension and moral complexity.

Themes of Grief, Legacy, and Human Transformation

Beneath the speculative elements—space travel, advanced bioengineering, neural implants, and interstellar threats—lies an intimate exploration of profoundly human concerns. The novel meditates on grief and healing, as Ben’s personal loss mirrors humanity’s collective reckoning with change. It probes memory, mortality, love, and evolution, asking how our definition of humanity shifts when confronted with the unknown and the possibility of extinction.

As neural augmentation spreads and a distant signal hints at approaching danger, the stakes escalate from personal to existential. Integration becomes not just cooperation but a desperate bid for survival, forcing characters and readers alike to confront the legacies we build in love, culture, and the face of potential oblivion.

The tagline captures the intrigue perfectly: “They came seeking a new home. But beneath their perfection lies a secret that could unravel everything.”

Mark Merrens

Mark Merrens, a retired software engineer, draws on decades of experience architecting complex systems to craft a credible and immersive universe. Having worked in the automotive industry and scalable software development— including time in Los Angeles before returning to London—he lightly wears his technical knowledge, allowing it to support rather than overshadow the human drama.

Now in his late 60s, Merrens turned to fiction after retirement, channeling his fascination with complexity, grief, transformation, and the elusive beauty of being human into stories that embrace nuance and defy easy categorization. When not writing, he appreciates the elegance of clean code and the challenge of narratives that linger long after the last page.

Why This Debut Demands Attention

What We Leave Behind stands out for its refusal to settle into familiar sci-fi tropes. It delivers vivid intergalactic world-building while prioritizing emotional authenticity and philosophical depth. For fans craving thoughtful, character-driven speculative fiction—think works that blend the scale of epic space opera with the intimacy of literary drama—this novel offers a compelling and immersive experience.

In asking what we become when survival demands we redefine humanity, Merrens invites readers to reflect on our own legacies and the fragile architecture that holds us together. This is science fiction that doesn’t just entertain—it resonates, challenges, and stays with you.

Find more from Mark Merrens now:

Kindle: https://amzn.to/4ruFS9N

Paperback: https://amzn.to/4bSTTcv

Hardcover: https://amzn.to/4rDSeN7