Detour by Jeff Rake and Rob Hart is a quirky science fiction story in which a group of astronauts travels around Jupiter’s moon, Titan, to drop off a satellite. When they return to Earth, the people in their lives are all different. The crew must figure out what went wrong. The idea for this book is a great one. Once I heard the plot, I knew I had to read it. It reminded me of the TV show Sliders mixed with the Netflix series Another Life.

The book is a little clunky at times, and some of the pieces do not fit together smoothly. It works against itself in terms of character development because it focuses more on defining traits than fully formed personalities. When the scenario flips, the reader can easily spot the changes, which I did. Each character is defined by one major trait, such as being an alcoholic. There is a way to handle this effectively, but here it prevented me from truly getting to know them. The story is told from ten perspectives, along with news reports, which initially felt overwhelming and added to the disjointed feeling. The multiple perspectives work better toward the end.

The book shines once the group begins working together and their personalities start to take shape. By that point, I found myself liking most of the characters, but the beginning was rough.

The pacing is decent overall, though the central event takes too long to occur. The group reaches Titan around the halfway point, and they do not return to Earth until about 65 percent into the book. That is when the story really takes off.

Detour is intended to be the first in a series, so the ending leaves you with a cliffhanger. One major reveal changes how you view some of what came before. The purpose of the ending is clearly to make you want to continue, and now that the early clunkiness is out of the way, I would read the next book.

Detour was first published on January 13, 2026, by Random House Worlds.

Why Did I Read Detour by Jeff Rake and Rob Hart?

I had previously read and reviewed Rob Hart’s The Paradox Hotel and enjoyed it, so I wanted to read more of his work. Jeff Rake is the creator of the TV show Manifest on Netflix, which I have watched and liked. When I learned the premise and saw who was involved, I knew I wanted to read this book. I requested and received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and Random House Worlds for providing an early copy for review.

Plot Summary:

In the year 2031, the Thwaites Glacier has collapsed and starts raising sea levels to an alarming degree. John Ward, a wealthy billionaire running for president, agrees to help fund a NASA mission to Titan, one of Jupiter’s moons. Titan is believed to possibly host life, and the goal is to deploy a satellite to study it and eventually prepare for colonization. The two-year mission includes three astronauts, a scientist who proposed the Titan project, a contest winner, and a police officer. They travel to Titan and return to Earth, only to discover that everything has changed. Now they must figure out why and how to fix it.

What I Liked:

The scene in which the crew finally learns how to work together was easily my favorite. That is when their personalities truly came through, and the setting made it especially fun.

The overall concept is very smart. The premise of Detour is what drew me in, and it remains the book’s strongest element.

Mike Seaver was my favorite character. His arc in the altered world is compelling, and I liked the idea that he will continue struggling with his demons throughout the series. I also enjoyed the dynamic between Mike and Stich.

The ending shows a lot of promise. The final reveal made me rethink parts of what I had read and consider where the series might go next. While I would have liked more answers, I am intrigued enough to continue.

What I Disliked:

The opening could have been much stronger. It jumps around too much and does not give the reader enough time to connect with the characters. The second chapter was far more effective, and I found myself more drawn to the astronaut characters because of it.

Although the pacing feels fast, key plot developments take too long. It is frustrating that the crew does not reach the alternate reality until around the 65 percent mark.

There are too many perspectives. Ten is excessive, especially when some only appear once or twice. I think the story would have worked better with seven viewpoints, focusing on the flight crew and John Ward.

Recommendation:

Detour by Jeff Rake and Rob Hart is a fun and quirky science fiction novel. It feels like the first two episodes of a television series, with more potential than payoff so far. I wanted stronger character development, but by the end, I felt connected to the core six members of the crew. I would cautiously recommend this book, more for what the series might become than for Detour on its own.

Rating:

Detour by Jeff Rake and Rob Hart. I rated it 3 out of 5 stars.