DEBUT SOLO NOVEL FROM THE CO-AUTHOR OF DEAD SIX. Air Force weapons expert Mike Kupari, co-author of Dead Six and Swords of Exodus, offers up a science fiction adventure. When privateer Captain Catherine Blackwood is enlisted to rescue her brother from a treacherous warlord, she finds herself on her most dangerous mission yet.
It's been years since Catherine Blackwood left the stodgy, repressive colony world of Avalon. Now the captain of the privateer vessel Andromeda, she is the master of her own destiny. But Catherine soon finds herself back on Avalon after receiving a plea for help from a most unlikely source: her estranged father, esteemed Avalon Council member Augustus Blackwood.
It seems Catherine's brother, the heir to the Blackwood aristocracy, has gone off in search of treasure on the failed, chaotic world of Zanzibar. But Cecil Blackwood's plans have gone very, very wrong, and he has been taken hostage and held for ransom by a fearsome local warlord. Augustus, knowing his daughter is the only one who can be trusted to return his son safely, swallows his pride and hires Catherine to bring her brother home.
Catherine takes the job—but it won't be easy. Just getting to Zanzibar proves treacherous. And once she arrives, things only get worse. If she is to save her brother, Catherine Blackwood must face down danger at every turn and uncover a mystery four million years in the making.
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Product ReviewA fine story. Great characterization and plot. It's got it all--a rescue mission, mercenaries, dead civilizations. archaeological mysteries, aliens, firefights, interesting worlds, and a ship against the dark with a fine captain...and a star to steer her by. I absolutely want to read the next part of the series.
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Product ReviewI hope to god this is a series because I really enjoyed it and want to know what the cause of the A*******N (self censored) going **** was caused by.
Loved Dead Six and loved this as well. MORE PLEASE!Posted on
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Product ReviewA solid start to a series and a universe.
First novels in a new universe face the challenge of adequately defining the rules of the universe and introducing interesting characters to populate it.
Kupari introduces and makes real a surprising number of characters without making it seem like a roll-call operation.
The characters have relationships and conflicts with each other that help establish them in three dimensions.
The universe has its own rules, the limits that prevent the magic techno answer to a plot problem and they are comfortably similar to what have become convention for supraluminal travel and star system operations.
The history of the universe has plenty of opportunities for further story support.
Looking forward to further efforts in this vein.Posted on
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Product ReviewWith all the tempest in a teapot over the Hugos, here is a debut novel with honest-to-Heinlein finned rocketships!
Lost civilizations, lost ships, mercenaries, a desperate rescue mission, and more.
Mike's writing style is clear and concise, without sacrificing detail. His character development and dialogue are fun to read, and his plot lines are interesting. I look forward to buying and reading many more of his novels.Posted on
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Product ReviewA good start to Mr. Kupari's solo writing career.
while its not "SPECTACULAR!!" it's a good solid story that hearkens back to Heinlein without beating you about the head with hard science numbers. I hope to read more stories in this universe, soon.Posted on