If We Cannot Go at the Speed of Light
by Kim Choyeop
translated by Anton Hur
ARC Review
Pub Date: April 28, 2026
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
I read this on my way to Tokyo, and now that a few days have passed since I finished it, what stays with me are not the technical parts but the people. The sci-fi framework has faded into the background and what remains are the stories and emotions at the center of each one.
This is a short story collection, and while some of the concepts went over my head, it did not matter. I am not a big science fiction reader, so I treated the technical details the way I would in a movie: I just accepted what was happening and let the story carry me. The people at the heart of the stories were always clear.
The one that hit me hardest was the title story, If We Cannot Go at the Speed of Light. An elderly woman stranded on a space station tells her story as she waits for a vessel that may never come. That story, and many others, pushed past the sci-fi setting and into something human and deeply moving.
Some of the pieces felt more cerebral, others struck right at the heart. Together they gave me a feeling that even with cyborgs, nanobots, or immortal aliens, what matters most is still human.
Would I Recommend It?
Yes. If you already love science fiction, you will find a lot to appreciate here. This collection is thoughtful and surprising. And if, like me, you are not usually a sci-fi reader, there is still plenty to connect with, because at the center it is always about what it means to be human. Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the ARC.
Available for preorder:
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Set the Mood for If We Cannot Go at the Speed of Light
These stories are sharp, cerebral, and full of heart. Set the mood with things that feel a little otherworldly but still grounded in the everyday:
Star projector lamp - to give your room that soft, cosmic glow
Minimalist black-and-silver pen - for notes and reflections while you read
Japanese tea sampler - grounding while you travel galaxies in your mind
A simple, geometric bookmark - futuristic but practical
Noise-cancelling headphones - for when you want to disappear into space
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