The Ganymedan is dark sci-fi thriller novel, written by R.T. Ester, published by Solaris. A story that balances together a deeply philosophical and interrogative arc with the own tension of a race to escape, while a range of flashbacks reveal the events that lead towards the point we are on.

Our story follows Verden Dotnet (V-Dot), a mixologist who kills his trillionaire, powerful boss (LP), going on the run; a race to escape from the Martian justice with evidence that would prove his boss was a psychopath. As part of his journey, he gets the help of an antiquated sentient ship, TR-8901, the last of their class, most of whom acted out of a suicide pact after finding themselves bewildered with finding purpose; TR will turn to the authorities V-Dot as long as he figures if he did the crime, no matter the motive.

Verden Dotnet's character is built through many flashbacks and snippets: his childhood growing on a rebel planet, how he was recruited to work with LP by LP's ambitious niece, and the time spent with LP. He's full of nuances and complex, and at the end, you can understand why he took the decision of eliminating LP. In comparison, I found LP to be a bit more plain as a villain, kinda lacking a stronger motive to act.

The worldbuilding is quite interesting, despite it can become confusing at moments; we get to explore a big chunk of the solar system, as TR and V-Dot move from station to station looking for V-Dot's mother to deliver the secret. The distinction between sentients and technology that appears sentient also helps to spark a philosophical discussion about the own nature of conscience and thought.
The pacing is a bit slow for my taste, but it suits well with the general tone of the book, inviting to think alongside the read.

The Ganymedan is a great sci-fi novel, a book that I recommend if you prefer thought-provoking stories with a side of mystery; an interesting proposal by R.T. Ester!