Review: Brilliant opener in exciting new Universe
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 07 1, 2011
Set in the Scattered Earth series of tales - currently being filled by this author, David Niall Wilson and Steven Savile - this book acts as a founding of the Dread Remora tales to come, the first of which, Crossed Paths, is already available on the Kindle.Set in a Universe that fans of Babylon 5 and Stargate will revel in, the story is a tightly written, tense and action-packed adventure, bristling with energy and excitement as it charts the HMES Remora and her Crew as they bravely venture out from their home planet as the first space pioneers of their race, exploring the Ether after sighting a bright light - the first such contact from beyond their world ever recorded.After the initial shock of reaching the Ether subsides, the Crew quickly have to deal with harsh new realities: pirate raids, an alien environment in which to travel, and new skills to quickly learn. The Author guides the characters through this mix of unexpected and unforeseen events with purpose, as the lead roles begin to develop and mature into their new positions, and loyalties and alliances are tested and strengthened. As the novel develops from bright new shock to gritty survival, so the characters begin to reflect the altered mission and become hardened, more rounded travellers, far removed from the wide-eyed innocence of their initial training and voyage.Skilfully testing both the Ship and Crew, the novel builds to a climax that opens up fresh possibilities for new adventures - as the follow up short story Crossed Paths will detail. It also brings a hard choice to the Crew on their future path and how best to complete their original mission within the violence and unknown of the Ether. In order to survive, they have to decide on courses of action previously unthinkable, and this leads to the Birth of the Dread Remora itself - a clever solution that uses the qualities of the piscine namesake ingeniously.New races are unique and well detailed, with a nice mix of the nasty space pirates and the benevolent explorers along the way. The Crew of the Remora herself are amphibian, a fresh take on space-faring races that is well used at several points in the novel, and gives both the Crew and the story a fresh edge that readers will enjoy.Overall - this is a really enjoyable story that mixes exploration, action and emotional tension with great style and a flowing storyline that will have you anxiously awaiting the next tale of the Dread Remora.