Review: Unique Civilian View of Patrolling Space Lanes
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 06 29, 2014
I would give this two stars as the view of an outside observer while a military crew goes about their duties. If there were a comparison, I would describe them as a futuristic version of the U.S. Coast Guard- responding to Mayday calls, offering advice to amateur skippers and searching for smugglers. Certainly a mundane subject if you only look for space battles. On the other hand, the justification for sending a prisons inspector to supervise the rehabilitation of parolees is unique, lending the story a positive note as they reintegrate with existing crew. However, frequent references to public outcry and accusations of conspiracy strained my credibility. I can not see the justification for it.I felt the writing pulls you into shipboard routine, from making friendships to learning about the source of propulsion on the Minnow. Dialogue sometimes tells us enough to create portraits- such as this rescued dilettante pilot:`I'm very sorry to have been such a nuisance.'  They had asked if they could thank the skipper personally and so were brought onto the command deck,  revealed to be a fresh-faced, freckled young man in his early twenties and a young woman with a wifely look of `This is all your fault!'  `I've done lots of trips around Sharfur,' the pilot explained, `but this is the first time I've gone intersystem.'`And the last,' said his wife.  `We are going back by liner.'`But...' her husband protested feebly, `we can't just abandon the yacht, love...' She gave him a Look, making it very clear what he could do with the yacht, and he winced.`All right, I'll go back by liner,' she said, with a steely note.  `And you bring your precious yacht if you want.  But you're never getting me on it again.'MacDonald, S J  (2011-07-23). Mission Zero (Fourth Fleet Irregulars) (pp. 97-98).  . Kindle Edition.Read the rest of their interaction; that deserves a third star. Later, a dramatic detour is fore-shadowed when the observer, Mako becomes too comfortable.See another perspective on smuggling in:A Light In The Dark (Tales from the Deep Dark).