My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Although the story quickly took an unexpected turn in this sequel, I was not disappointed at all. It soon came back around to the shiny side of things. It has more action than the first book in the series. It is even more filled with high-tech wizardy. It is also a pull-you-along intrigue-y story that I really enjoyed.
The crew of the clandestine Freeground ship, now renamed First Light, takes it’s first jump to a distant sector, only to find itself immediately in the middle of a space battle. Their intervention helps postpone the inevitable for a small agrarian solar system that is just about to be swallowed up by a large space corporation/conglomerate. One successful trade is all the success they can manage for their mission before the overpowering force returns, ending up with Captain Valent and his away party being captives and their ship unaccounted for in the confusion. But, there are still tricks to be pulled, and Valent and his crew, and his AI Alice, are nothing if not resourceful.
I was thoroughly entertained by this story. The characters are starting to form up nicely, and I’m looking forward to seeing what this crew can do with the technological opportunities that have come into their hands. I give it 3.5 stars and call it an Exciting Read.
Read as part of the Spinward Fringe: Broadcast 0: Origins Omnibus edition.
Words from the Wampuscat 