Heaven’s Queen by Rachel Bach

Science Fiction/Space Opera/Science Fiction Romance

From Goodreads:

From the moment she took a job on Captain Caldswell's doomed ship, Devi Morris' life has been one disaster after another: government conspiracies, two alien races out for her blood, an incurable virus that's eating her alive.

Now, with the captain missing and everyone -- even her own government -- determined to hunt her down, things are going from bad to impossible. The sensible plan would be to hide and wait for things to blow over, but Devi's never been one to shy from a fight, and she's getting mighty sick of running.

It's time to put this crisis on her terms and do what she knows is right. But with all human life hanging on her actions, the price of taking a stand might be more than she can pay.

Heaven’s Queen, book three in the Paradox series starts just like book two.  It just starts where book two stopped.  There is no transition.  The Paradox series is really just one very large book chopped into three parts.  I keep saying this in all of the review but this is really one where you want to start with book one and read in order.

Heaven’s Queen does come a conclusion and brings the series to an end.  All of the characters from the first two books are here in Heaven’s Queen and each plays a big part in the story.  Devi and Rupert are two main characters and they carry the story.  Devi is still trying to free the daughters and Rupert is by her side supporting her.

There a non-stop action.  Just as Devi and Rupert think they are home free another obstacle arrives and puts them in danger.  If you like a lot of action, a unusual universe (look at Devi’s love of her King), and the addition of hard won romance the Paradox series is one you should like.  Start at the beginning for a fun read.

Orbit published Heaven’s Queen by Rachel Bach in 2014.

I received an ARC of Heaven’s Queen from Netgalley.

Fortune’s Pawn (Paradox #1) by Rachel Bach

Science Fiction/Space Opera

What Goodreads says:

Devi Morris isn't your average mercenary. She has plans. Big ones. And a ton of ambition. It's a combination that's going to get her killed one day - but not just yet.

That is, until she just gets a job on a tiny trade ship with a nasty reputation for surprises. The Glorious Fool isn't misnamed: it likes to get into trouble, so much so that one year of security work under its captain is equal to five years everywhere else. With odds like that, Devi knows she's found the perfect way to get the jump on the next part of her Plan. But the Fool doesn't give up its secrets without a fight, and one year on this ship might be more than even Devi can handle.

Fortune’s Pawn is the second book from Orbit that I have read recently.  Ancillary Justice was the first.  Both are Science Fiction and both tell really great stories but the way each author’s tells their story is very different. In Ancillary Justice the main character is the secret and drives the story.  In Fortune’s Pawn there is a secret being kept from the main character and that drives the story.  What they have in common is that both are really good Science Fiction.

Setting:  The book is set on the trade ship Glorious Fool.  The word around the spaceport is that the ship is cursed.

The World Building:  There are two human powers (Earth and Paradox) and four alien races that make up this world.  All of this is very well defined. 

Characters:  Devi Morris is the strong female lead in the story.  She is driven and that drive is what brings her into danger.  Rupert, the ship’s cook, is part of the big secret.  He is almost too good to be true.  Then there are the other characters on the Glorious Fool.  They bring additional tension and some humor to the story.

Plot:  That one is hard to come by.  The Fool has a mission that Devi does not understand.  There is another group that is trying to stop whatever the Fool’s crew is doing.  There are a lot of secrets and stopping Devi from discovering what they are seems to drive the plot.  Look for many twists and turns and even then some of the secrets will not be reveled.  

Writing:  The writing is good.  Rachel Bach does a good job moving the story along.  All of the characters are well drawn and each has an important place in the story.  Fortune’s Pawn is written in the first person and in the active voice. 

This is the first book in a trilogy so don’t expect anything to be solved.  In fact don’t expect to have all the facts about what is going on.  It ends with a big cliff hanger and what I call a Scarlett O’Hara ending.  Honor’s Knight, book two, will be released in February of 2014.

Orbit released Fortune’s Pawn by Rachel Bach in 2013.

I received an ARC of Fortune's Pawn from Netgalley.