Starbase Human (A Retrieval Artist Universe Novel: Book Seven of the Anniversary Day Saga) by Kristine Kathryn Rusch

Science Fiction

From WGN Publishing:

Can the fate of a forgotten starbase hold the key to the Moon’s survival?

Long before the Anniversary Day bombings brought the Moon to its knees, a far-flung starbase became the testing ground for a diabolical plan: the annihilation of every human inhabitant by an army of clones.

Every lead to the masterminds behind the bombings uncovered by criminal kingpin Luc Deshin dead ended in an Earth Alliance connection.

Undercover operative Iniko Zagrando refused to play patsy for the Earth Alliance Military Division Intelligence Service, and now he’s fleeing for his life from his old bosses.

And Frontier Marshall Judita Gomez puts her own life and the lives of her team on the line when her search for the origins of the Anniversary Day assassins leads to an Earth Alliance cloning factory.

From the quiet courage of a Disappeared who struggles to decide whether to come out of hiding to the potent fury of a master criminal who puts a plan in motion to strike back at an overwhelming enemy, Starbase Human brings readers one step closer to the exciting conclusion of the Anniversary Day saga.

Starbase Human takes us closer to the end of the Anniversary Day Saga.  Once again we visit the past and proceed to the present.  Each part brings moves closer to the end of the series and everything points to a truly explosive ending.  More pieces of  the puzzle are in place.  There are some new characters as well as some from previous books.  Each has a part in finding out who has targeted the Moon.  Like previous books there are several different stories featuring different characters.  Each story is very well-developed and each contained a hint about what is to come.

I love the series and recommend it to anyone who loves Science Fiction mixed with a mystery.   I have Masterminds on pre-order and it will go to the top of my TBR list as soon as it comes out.

I do need to add that this is a series that needs to be read in order. 

WMG Publishing released Starbase Human by Kristine Kathryn Rusch in 2015.

Vigilantes: A Retrieval Artist Novel #6 by Kristine Kathryn Rusch

Science Fiction

What Goodreads Says:

A shocking act of violence...
The looming threat of another attack spurs the Moon's chief security officer, Noelle DeRicci, to uncover the identity of the masterminds behind the Anniversary Day bombings before they strike again. Armed with information uncovered by Retrieval Artist Miles Flint and Detective Bartholomew Nyquist, DeRicci lets herself hope she can put an end to the violence against the Moon.
But then a brutal murder changes everything.
DeRicci must risk everything to launch a secret investigation into the very heart of the Earth Alliance.

Can the next attack be stopped?

I have to start with the same warning that Kris put at the beginning of each book in the Anniversary Day Saga.  Unlike most of the books in the Retrieval Artist series the books in this saga do not stand alone.  You need to start at the beginning and read in order.

Plot:  complex, complex, complex – More is exposed but much is still unknown – There are flashbacks that give a glimp into how things started to develop  that add to the development of the plot.

Characters:  There are the characters from the Retrieval Artist series  but this plot requires a large cast of characters.  None are side characters all play a big part in the development of the story.  With this many important characters their development could be shorted.  That does not happen.  Each has the development that adds to the story and plot.

World Building – The series is set in the world developed for the Retrieval series but the Anniversary Day Saga requires quite a bit of addition development.  That development continues in Vigilantes and adds to the plot development.

Writing:  Rusch is a experienced writer and it shows in this  book and the series.  Everything flows in a way that keeps the story and plot moving.  

There is another very nice thing about the series.  Each month a new book with another part of the story is released.  There is just a one month wait for the next part and I have the next one on pre-order. 

WMG Publishing, Inc published Vigilantes by Kristine Kathryn Rusch in 2015.

A Murder of Clones (Retrieval Artist #10) by Kristine Kathryn Rusch

Science Fiction

From Goodreads:

A deadly conspiracy…

The Anniversary Day bombings on the Moon sent shockwaves throughout the Earth Alliance. No one knows who created the clones responsible and turned them into ruthless killers. No one knows where or when they’ll strike next.

The bombings compel Earth Alliance Frontier Marshall Judita Gomez to launch an unauthorized investigation into a case from her past involving the murder of clones. An investigation that might cost Judita not only her career but the lives of her crew.

This third book of the Anniversary Day Saga sheds further light on the Anniversary Day events, and introduces several new key characters.

A Murder of Clones introduces a whole new series of characters in the Retrieval Artist series.  Those of us who are long time fans of the series get to add a new layer to story.  What we will not get is an appearance from Miles Flint.  Don’t be disappointed.  It is a great story.  Rusch does say that this is a Retrieval artist Universe Novel as the main characters in the previous novels do not make an appearance here.

Everything plays off of the Anniversary Day bombings on the moon.  Part is set in the past and part in the present.  This is a very complex story tha sets up future action.  While not exactly a cliff hanger ending it does leave everyone with more than one problem.  There are five more books in this saga and they will come out one a month for the next five months.  You can start here as the story will stand alone but it is better if you have read the pervious books in the series.

WNG Publishing, Inc. published A Murder of Clones by Kristine Kathryn Rusch in 2015.

Interview with Kristine Kathryn Rusch (Kris)

I emailed Kristine Kathryn Rusch (Kris) two weeks ago and asked if she had time for a short interview.  She was in the middle of a project and asked if I had a specific time line to reply.  I told her I was retired and very flexible and to get back to me when she had time. She got back to me today and here is her interview:

Kris:  I finally had a chance to answer your questions.  Here goes:

Jo:  I am fascinated by the craft of writing and the different approaches authors take.  How do you structure your writing and what is you typical writing day like?

Kris:  I write at least 3,000 new words per day, six days per week.  I used to work seven, but that leads to burnout even when you enjoy your job.  I get up, check the e-mail, write, exercise, have lunch, then repeat until dinner, after which I write some more, then read and watch an hour’s worth of something with a plot.  Then I repeat as the week progresses.

 Jo:  I just read Killer Advice in the January issue of Asimov’s Science Fiction and loved it.  It looked like it had lots of hooks for future stories.  Do you have more planned and if so do you know when and where they will be published?

Kris:  A previous story came out in the Best New Space Opera 2, and Misha will show up as the hero of a romance novel, Assassins in Love, published next fall under my Kris DeLake pen name.  I’m sure there will be more stories as well.

 Jo:  On a totally different subject, I recommended The Disappeared for our Science Fiction Book club last year and was surprised to find out it was out of print.  We did read and discuss it but had to buy used copies.  Do you have any plans to publish it as an ebook?  I know there is a new book coming out this year.  Who is publishing that book?

Kris:  The Disappeared has been reissued by WMG Publishing in both trade and e-book.  You can also get an audio version from Audible.com.  The next Retrieval Artist novel, Anniversary Day, will appear exclusively through Audible.com in late September, early October.  Then WMG Publishing will publish the e-book and the trade paper in December.  Another new Retrieval Artist novel, as yet untitled, will go through the same pattern next year.

Thanks for asking!

And thanks for asking me to participate in the blog.

All the best,

Kris

A Big Thank You to Kris for responding to my interview request.  I have put Assassin in Love and Anniversary Day on my list of books to be ordered .  I also have to go find Best New Space Opera 2 to read the story published there.  You can learn more about Kris at her web site http://www.kristinekathrynrusch.com/.