Sep 12, 2026
Fantastic!
I have read a few anthologies that Page has contributed to. It was time to branch off into her novels. I picked up the first novel in each of her series and literally flipped a coin to determine which to read. This one won out. The description of this volume states: “A Rogue Psyborg A Dead Captain A Transport Gone Terribly Wrong Ross, a psyborg war veteran turned privateer whose very existence is illegal, is hired to retrieve stolen tech from one of the most secure research sites in the Sol system. When everything goes sideways, he finds himself faced with a dilemma: risk exposure or place himself at the center of a conspiracy spanning the length and breadth of Hinterspace. Hinterspace: In the largely lawless region between the belts, the ruthless are happy to take advantage” About the author we are informed: “Page Zaplendam is a long time fan of science fiction everything, dystopian novels, folk lore, fairy tales, and Regency romance. She has been a contributor to several science fiction anthologies and writes occasional articles on her substack, where she also publishes Hinterspace: a podcast for lovers of SFF. Interested parties may find her on facebook, gab or Goodreads. When she's not working on becoming the next SFF bestseller, she's washing dishes and changing diapers.” The chapters in this volume are: Prologue Mission Under Contract Sanita IV Recon Recovery Hidden Upgrade Alone Suspect Savior Doomed Breach Certain Destruction Salvage Undone Freedom This volume was very hard to put down. I do not often highlight when reading fiction but this passage really struck me: “She embraced the reality of the dark, grey bulkheads that surrounded her, the spartan utilitarian simplicity of her quarters aboard the Maverovna, and the relief that came with the knowledge that the Maverovna was hers, finally and totally in all ways her own. It was… freedom.” This was an excellent story. It left me desperate for the second volume and I understand a third that is yet published. The characters are masterfully written. I loved the parallel journeys. Once I pieced some things together, and my mind was blown, I was even more impressed. The world building is wonderful. The two parallel stories, two young women, one raised by her mother, the other by her father. Both are set on a path that could change the universe. Two major corporations, and two small ships stuck in the middle. It really feels like something epic is building. I cannot wait to read more stories in this universe! I greatly appreciate that the story is clean fiction. That it has some Christian and Catholic undertones. The Psiborgs and war between them and the rest of humanity is still fresh in the collective memory. Father Milson really intrigues me and I am looking forward to find out more of his story. It reminds me of some of the science fiction I read and watched 30 years ago. The nanobots make me think of the Borg. Parts of it remind me of Piers Anthony’s Bio of a Space Tyrant. And some of it calls to mind The Stainless Steel Rat stories by Harry Harrison If you average it out I have read about a book a day for the last 10 years. That all being said, this is an excellent read and one I can easily recommend. I have now added everything Zaplendam has written to my ‘to be read’ list. If you love great science fiction or even just great stories, pick this up and give it a try!
