Interstellar Visitor, Haunted Past: A Novelist’s Brush with Cosmic Forces and Second Acts
A newly discovered interstellar object, 3I/ATLAS, has captured the imagination of astronomers and the public alike, while simultaneously stirring a sense of déjà vu for one novelist reflecting on a film adaptation of his work and a past life steeped in superstition.
Astronomers at the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System first detected the object in July, noting its unprecedented velocity for a purported comet. Described as the third interstellar object ever observed, 3I/ATLAS – potentially ten billion years old – has already sparked a flurry of speculation online. The European Space Agency managed to photograph the luminous, cylindrical object as it passed Mars before “disappearing” behind the sun. While NASA attributes the appearance to an optical illusion, the object’s arrival has prompted contemplation of its potential influence on the human psyche, with some wondering if interstellar objects, like the moon, exert mysterious forces.
This cosmic backdrop coincided with a significant personal event for the author: the gala opening of a film adaptation of his novel, The Ballad of a Small Player, at the Royal Festival Hall in London. The story is set in Hong Kong and Macau, drawing heavily on the author’s experiences as a struggling gambler two decades prior. He recalls a time when escalating losses led him to believe he was battling unfavorable “cosmic forces.” “Cosmic forces cannot be either fair or unfair,” he reflects, “They can only be benevolent or malevolent.” He was captivated by the Chinese belief in luck as a supernatural wind, and found resonance in the ancient I Ching divination text, perceiving it as an interstellar enigma.
Now, spending two weeks in a Marylebone hotel, the author found those old superstitions resurfacing, linked to both the presence of 3I/ATLAS and the anxiety surrounding the film premiere. He confessed to fearing a disastrous reception, imagining a chorus of boos and a hasty retreat.
A reunion with friends from Hong Kong offered a temporary distraction. A visit to Harry’s Bar on South Audley Street, a favorite haunt, led to a rekindling of a previously abandoned alcoholic abstinence. Under the light of a full moon, and after three negronis, the author encountered a familiar face – someone from his Macau gambling days. “It was as possible as it was impossible,” he mused, wondering if the man was a fellow gambler who had found success. The encounter evoked memories of Lord Doyle, the long-suffering protagonist of his novel, who frequently crosses paths with enigmatic figures in casinos and restaurants. The author acknowledged that revisiting his work felt like receiving “messages in bottles coming back from the past.”
The gala itself proved to be a surreal experience. Photographed by a throng of paparazzi who didn’t recognize him, the author enjoyed “the bliss of un-fame” while watching his past come to life on the red carpet. Colin Farrell’s portrayal of a character dressed in the same velvet jackets the author once wore descending the escalators of the Lisboa casino, pocket filled with cash, was particularly striking. He admitted the film was “stupendous in some slightly mystical way,” capturing the supernatural dimension of money and the haunting nature of capitalism. “I’d wanted back then to write a fable, a ghost story about money,” he explained, “And I duly found myself haunted all over again.”
As he left the after-party, the moon remained visible, reminding him of the interstellar visitor hidden behind the sun, as if observing humanity. The nature of 3I/ATLAS remains a subject of debate, with Harvard astronomer Avi Loeb recently suggesting it may not be a comet at all, a perspective the author finds appealing, noting Loeb’s belief in “other worlds.”
