Review: Another Word for Magic (Family Law Series Book 6) by Mackey Chandler

Another Word for Magic by Mackey Chandler
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Alliance of Science

This is the sixth book in a continuing series. Without the preceding books, this one wouldn’t be understandable. There is also a connected series of books that shares the universe, history and characters, but you don’t need to read those books to understand the narrative of this series, however, it's best to start with the April Series. A full list of both series and the reading order is given in this post.

The three habitats that used to be in the Solar System are now scattered around the galaxy. They have been dispersed so one is at Derf, one is at Mars and the last is at Fargone. Instead of three habitats that governed themselves together, they are going to be following separate paths. This book mainly follows the inhabitants of Home which was relocated to Derf. In addition to the new embassy staff sent by Central, April and Jeff have become valuable visitors to Derf. Jeff is principally there to supervise the technical work on the jump drive that Lee’s scientists are working on. However, Jeff and April soon become valuable sounding boards and advisers for Lee and her plans for the future.

Jeff manages to talk Heather into offering a complete technical alliance for all gravitational discoveries. Not only is Lee and her team offering something more than equal to the information that Jeff is providing, but she’s also got something extra to add on top, in the balance of technical information.

After Heather destroys USNA’s ability to venture into space any time in the near future the Commission decides to prevent Lee and Gordon from receiving any more payouts for their Claims. Now in breach of contract Lee and Gordon know they have to go and reclaim their discovery.

This book is a story about the meeting of minds, both scientific and political. Lee has to work out what she wants to happen and frame it so that she achieves success. The help that Central keeps giving her is invaluable. Talking through the mistakes they’ve made helps her decide to make her own different errors.

We also get to know the Central characters even better, along with different Derf. Strangelove is becoming one of my favourite characters because of his honesty and humour and Alonso is crankiness personified. These wonderful characters make me smile as I read about their interactions.

It saddens me that there are no more books in this series out yet. It means I have a reason to go back and start with the April series so all the gaps are filled in.

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Review: Who Can Own the Stars? (April Series Book 12) by Mackey Chandler

Who Can Own the Stars? by Mackey Chandler
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Diplomacy

This is the 12th book of a continuing series, which means you need to have read the preceding books to understand this one. The narrative ends at a natural break, but the story definitely continues in future books. There is a connected series, Family Law, which is set in the future with some of the same characters. The reading order across these two series is given in this post.

With the space race to the stars going on, the USNA seems to have decided to pump money into their endeavour, despite not having control over their own country. Whilst Central and Home don’t have a problem with them going to the stars, they do have a problem with them taking serious weaponry with them. It’s up to The Three to stop the Earthies from starting an interstellar war before it even starts, by keeping the weapons inside L1.

This book, as with previous ones in the series, follows multiple storylines. As well as the issue with interstellar ships with weapons, there is also the issue with making money to keep everything moving forward with their own interstellar endeavours, the group of people in Northern California (Vic, Eileen and Alice) and dealing with Martians. It’s a complex juggling act, that I sometimes wish was formatted differently. Jumping between storylines with little demarcation can be confusing at times and the first paragraph may need re-reading once you realise you are dealing with a different group of people. However, despite this challenge, it does make for an entertaining read.

It’s interesting watching April, Jeff and Heather develop in different directions. They’ve always had different interests but their personalities and strengths are diverging and becoming more entrenched. This doesn’t mean they are growing apart, but they have to work to make time together with Heather being on the Moon and Jeff and April being on Home.

I’ve now come to the end of the published books in this series and find myself wanting to read Family Law again now I’ve read this series because I know it would be a different experience reading about the characters from this series set 100 years in the future. The two series have been published alongside each other, alternating in schedule, so I’m not sure which one will come next. It will be fun to see.

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Review: All in Good Time (April Series Book 11) by Mackey Chandler

All in Good Time by Mackey Chandler
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Earth Just Won’t Learn!

This is the 11th book in a continuing series, if you haven’t read the preceding books you won’t understand this one. The narrative ends at a natural break but the story definitely continues in the next book. There is a series, Family Law, that is set in the future and shares some of the same characters. The timeline winds between the two series and the reading order can be found in this post.

With April, Jeff and Heather working to make their plans work, they know in order to get out into the stars on a more permanent basis they need resources. Resources that they need to keep dealing with Earth for. Sadly Earth seems to be filled with people incapable of learning a single lesson in relation to Home and Central. Despite being beaten badly by April, just recently, USNA decides to take advantage of an emergency landing in Florida of a plane that carries Irwin who is a friend and colleague of hers and take him prisoner on trumped-up charges. So what’s a girl with orbital weapons to do?

This book continues to explore the idiocy of Earthies. Though Central and Home do continue to have friends on Earth, they appear to be in the minority. I felt that this book wasn’t the most exciting in the series and it covered a lot of the same ground that previous books, namely that people from Earth just don’t learn and that April is prepared to bomb them back to medieval times if necessary.

I did enjoy the continuation of following Eileen and Vic on Earth, in Northern California. Their story is a result of April’s previous bombardment and is a dystopian tale of hardship and the bonds of a made family. Those characters are interesting because they are very very practical people who find themselves happy because of practical decisions. Vic is much older than Eileen by decades but their emotional and mental connection is very real as they look at things in the same way, as Eileen is intelligent and mature beyond her years. I imagine living through what feels like an apocalypse is very good at making you grow up fast.

Whilst I know that everything comes in time, I’m not sure that some of this book wasn’t filler until enough time has passed until something more useful occurs. I hope the next book’s narrative takes a leap forward into something new.

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Review: Friends in the Stars (Family Law Series Book 5) by Mackey Chandler

Friends in the Stars by Mackey Chandler
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Ratcheting Up The Tension

This is the fifth book in a continuing series. You need to read the preceding books to understand this one and the story continues in the next book, despite the natural break in the narrative at the end of the book. This series is also connected to the Alice Series in terms of shared timeline, history and characters. The reading order of the two series can be found in this post.

Lee is now based on Derfhome. She has a suite in the best hotel in town and finds herself enjoying the service and view. She is trying to get on with creating their rival organisation to the Claims Commission. She’s also developing the jump drive inspired by The Three. Now she’s witnessed that it exists she is determined to get it for herself and her allies.

This book focuses a lot on Derf. There are humans now living in the capital city and they are linked to outside powers. Derf has become very important to lots of people because Earth, in particular USNA, does not want Derf to have any more power.

The tension on Earth is increasing and The Three realise that things are going to come to a head soon. The agreement of Central and Home with Earth, to ask permission for armed ships to transit L1, was always a cease fire rather than a peace treaty. Seeing the way the wind is blowing means Queen Heather has to make some hard choices about her people and about how to handle Earth to prevent their brand of crazy infecting the universe.

This book has a lot more about The Three and I have a feeling that the Alice Series really should have been read in parallel to this series. I can understand that plot, but believe that there are a lot of subtleties I’m missing. However, as there is only one more book in this series, I’m going to read it then go back to the beginning in the Alice Series and try to ignore the spoilers.

Despite feeling like I’m missing something I really enjoyed this book. Lee is coming into her own as a figurehead for something bigger than just her and Gordon. She has stepped into a position of authority and she is trying to embrace it. We saw a lot less of Gordon in this book, which saddened me because he’s an amazing character. I feel if there is going to be a war we may see a lot more of him in a future book. Seeing less of Gordon though meant that Lee took on more responsibility without oversight on more occasions.

We also got to know The Three and some of their people much better in this book. They are stuck right next door to Earth and as they are the front line in dealing with the Earthies. We see more and more that they have a very similar attitude to life and morality as Lee and her allies. I can’t wait to see what they achieve together in the next book.

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Review: A Hop, Skip and a Jump (The Family Law Saga Book 4) by Mackey Chandler

A Hop, Skip and a Jump by Mackey Chandler
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

New Friends

This is the fourth book in a continuing series. The book finishes at a natural break but the story definitely continues. This series also crosses over with another series by this author and has shared history and characters, and the reading order is listed on this post.

Now Lee has been given the gene modifications that most of those who live on Central and Home have, she has to change the way she looks at her life. She will live for hundreds of years and is stronger and faster than she ever could have dreamed of. Her life’s work is something that would take other people generations to accomplish and she will be there to see the results of her endeavours. Knowing you have that much time on your hands changes the way you look at things.

Coming back to Derfhome after their big journey means a different set of challenges to be faced. It seems that the Earthies are a bit reluctant to administer and protect their claims the way they did before because these claims are so far away. This means their teams aren’t getting money from their work any time soon. It also puts pressure on Lee and Gordon to find an alternative way to protect what they have found from claim jumpers.

As so many of their expeditionary forces were from Fargone, they decide to see if they can recruit them to their cause and find themselves spending more time there than anticipated.

Lee has more money than she can ever spend, she had found some fantastic friends and she knows with all the extra time she now has that she must DO something to fix all the problems she can see. Working with both old and new allies she tries to work her way through her difficulties in a way that everyone can live with.

I really enjoyed this book because we once again spend time with the Central characters. I really must read the April series to find out more about them because they are intriguing.

As Lee is getting older she is becoming more independent from Gordon. Gordon is becoming busier as he is recognised as very important to Derfhome in general and the Red Tree Clan specifically. He is a feared adversary on other worlds because of the way he fought in the war and that gives him a position he never expected to have. On top of that, he is wealthy beyond his wildest dreams and though he doesn’t seem to have Lee’s need to ‘fix’ everything, he is more than willing and able to help guide her in her endeavours. He is her mentor as well as her father.

The Mothers also recognise that Lee is growing more able and is given her own tasks by them, something every Derf expects from their Clan Mothers. Behaving like an adult gets you treated like one and Lee has proved herself in numerous ways to the Mothers already. As a member of the Clan, she knows she can’t say no and knuckles down to getting on with her job. This means lots of other things get shunted down the line, but she sets things in motion that have unforeseen consequences.

I love how the plot is really starting to tighten up in this book. Things are coming together and we can see the consequences of previous actions not only on the part of Lee but the other characters and political entities in the story. We also get to know a little more about the culture of the various races in the story, the Humans, Badgers and Derf in particular.

This is a great series and I can’t wait to read the next book, especially as Lee gets older she seems to really be starting to come into her own.

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Review: Secrets in the Stars (The Family Law Series Book 3) by Mackey Chandler

Secrets in the Stars by Mackey Chandler
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Learning To Communicate

This is the third book in a continuing series. You need to have read the previous books to understand this one. The book ends with a natural break, but the story definitely continues. This book also has connections to an associated series that I now want to read because of the crossover of history and characters. The two series intersect and the reading order is listed on this post.

At the end of a long trip into the unknown, it’s now time to be heading back home, especially because they have new allies that need to spend money on weapons to keep themselves safe. The journey home is going to be a bit different to the one on the way there because they want to make sure they find as many resources as possible over the entire trip.

On the way back the members of the expedition are determined to solve the mystery of trying to communicate with the caterpillars. It seems that the desire to communicate is reciprocated.

It’s fascinating to read about the different species trying to work out how the other might think or express their concepts to each other. I particularly enjoyed seeing how the different races worked together to figure things out.

This journey also offers Lee more opportunities to learn about the universe and herself. She matures a lot in this book. I particularly enjoyed the part of the book that crossed over with a different series by the same author. It definitely made me want to read that series as well because the characters are intriguing as is the story that this book’s plot hinted at that’s contained in the other series.

This series continues to impress me in its attention to details surrounding different planets and societies. The universe building is impressive. This can slow down the plot in places, but I’m enjoying the journey so much I can’t grumble too much about that. I can’t wait to get my teeth into the next book. It definitely looks like the adventure’s only really getting started!

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Review: Been There, Done That (April Series Book 10) by Mackey Chandler

Been There, Done That by Mackey Chandler
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Problems With The Martians and The French

This is the 10th book in a continuing series and the preceding books really need to be read in order to understand this story. The narrative ends at a natural break, but the story definitely continues in future books. There is another series, Family Law, that is set in the future and shares some characters in common. A list of the current reading order is available on this post.

Now they have been to another star April, Jeff and Heather have decided to keep their endeavours secret. They know if they let the world know about their scientific advances it will just lead to being attacked by Earth. They plan to slowly advance their technology as they search the galaxy for planets and other bodies of interest, for inhabitation, raw materials or profit. Their technology makes them even less dependent on Earth for resources, especially with how Central is mining the surface of the Moon and growing edibles in the tunnels they have created, kilometres below the surface.

The problem is that the Martians are hiding something to the point of killing people on their base to keep their secret. On the other hand, the French are determined to find out what that secret is. The French seem to be keeping secrets of their own and whilst The Three want to know what’s going on to keep themselves safe, they don’t really care what anyone else thinks of them anymore. Earthies are going to blame them for everything anyway!

I felt like this book moved the story forward in leaps and bounds. Going to the stars is a massive part of any narrative and the way The Three handle it is sensible and matter of fact. For such young people, they are getting a turbocharged political education. I like how they admit they don’t have decades of experience of dealing with foreign powers but they refuse to be told how to do it in any way other than the way they want to do it. They refuse to bend to ‘Earth Think’.

As well as the political giants, we follow the life of a young woman in the area that crumbled in the USNA after April bombed a military base in California. Eileen is young, bright and determined. She won’t bow to the expectations of others and is determined to get into space one day, in particular to Home or Central. This all gives us an insight into the realities of life in the USNA after the political systems start to crumble.

We also follow the activities of people on Home and their personal problems instead of the political enormities that April and Jeff are having to face there. Some of those problems brush up against people April is invested in and she is learning to be more understanding and compassionate as a result. April has always been the voice of compassion and at the same time, she exhibits a fierce protectiveness to those she claims, hence the bombing of California. Understanding people more doesn’t make her any less likely to act in their defence or against them, it just makes her understand their actions more.

Jeff is also learning to be more socially aware through his relationship with Heather and April, particularly April with whom he spends more time, as they both live on Home. He may be very cerebral and focuses his attention on his ideas rather than people, but he is aware of this shortfall and does try to be aware of others.

Now they’ve reached the stars I can’t wait to see what happens next!

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Review: A Sudden Departure (April Series Book 9) by Mackey Chandler

A Sudden Departure by Mackey Chandler
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Star Travel May Be Possible

This is the 9th book in a continuing series and you need to read the previous books in order to understand this one. The book ends at a natural break in the narrative but the story continues in future books. There is also a series that is set in the future of these characters, Family Law. The reading order of these two series are outlined in this post.

Earth is a mess and the spacers are just doing their best to ignore the planet, except for the trading they can do away from their biggest detractors. After April destroyed California, the book follows one family and their endeavours, as they try to survive the lack of government, infrastructure and safety. It’s almost back to frontier living in the west.

When James Weir comes to Home in order to build something at Dave’s workshop, Jeff’s curiosity is piqued. After reading an old academic paper James wrote, Jeff’s own intellect is stimulated and ideas fly out of his brain thick and fast. It could be possible for mankind to reach the stars if all the science works out. But what would happen if humanity reached the stars, would they behave any better than on Earth?

One of the things I like about this series is that it is set at the beginning of humanity’s journey into space. Man has reached the Moon and Mars but hasn’t left the solar system. A lot of Sci-Fi is set in a much more distant future when all the hard work of starting inter-stellar travel has already been sorted out, along with the ethical implications of arriving on a different planet. This series deals with the probable reality of humanity making a mess of the planet and greed takes them into space. It’s an interesting time to look at and raises all sorts of ideas.

I like the way the author takes lots of different strands and weaves them together. All the characters are taking different journeys and at times they bump into each other for short times that produce interesting ideas and movement in the story. This book has quite a lot of interesting ideas and great leaps forward in the story.

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Review: It's Always Something (April Series Book 8) by Mackey Chandler

It's Always Something by Mackey Chandler
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Why Can’t They All Just Get Along?

This is the eighth book in a continuing series and the previous books need to be read in order to understand this one. The narrative ends at a natural break but the story continues in future books. There is a linked series, Family Law, that is set in the future and has some characters in common. A post that outlines the reading order of the two series is available here.

After the ‘flu, Earth seems to be determined to keep itself in the dirt. Both China and USNA have massive internal problems and the people in power don’t seem to care how badly their decisions are affecting their own citizens. There are hundreds of thousands of migrants in USNA all heading south because of lack of power in the north and they can’t face a winter without fuel. There is so much infighting it’s a miracle anything gets done.

Despite these ‘superpowers’ cutting off Home and the Moon, there are other countries in the world who still wish to do business with them. There are things that can only be made in zero-g that those countries still want access to. These smaller countries may be open to negotiation, especially when they have things of value to trade.

This book shows more about life on Earth and how difficult it can be. Kurt used to be a beam dog on Home and returned back to Earth to be with his family. Through his eyes, we are shown what it’s like on the ground for ordinary people. It’s an interesting change of tack and I really enjoyed it. I also like Kurt as a character and we follow him loosely throughout the book. He eventually moves to Central on the Moon and again we get to see what life is like there through his eyes.

There is much trading and politicking done in this book to make Home and the Moon much safer and stable in terms of being able to access all they need from Earth. It’s vital work but needed less and less. If only they had more room on Home to give everyone a proper bed when they arrive. Looks like another job for Jeff and his Ladies.

As always this book was interesting and entertaining. It continues to be fun for this author to show different political systems set in the future from the outside and in doing so pointing at current systems and their potential pitfalls. I really enjoy reading about these characters and the strange environment in which they live, it’s alien and at the same time comforting.

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Review: They Said it would be Easy (April Series Book 7) by Mackey Chandler

They Said it would be Easy by Mackey Chandler
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Earthies Are Nuts

This is the seventh book in a continuing series, and you need to read the preceding books to understand this one. The narrative comes to a natural break at the end, but the story definitely continues in future books. There is also another series that is set in the future, Family Law, that shares some of the characters. The reading order across these two series is given in this post.

Life is getting a bit more comfortable on Home, time has allowed them to work with Heather on Central to get some fresh foods grown in their hydroponics corridors. Poor Heather is still stuck out at Central governing her people and is even forced to rule over Court once a week. She never gets a break.

Though Home is slightly more comfortable there are still a lot of shortages and coffee is practically worth its weight in gold. Beef is very very scarce, but some things like fish are coming up from Papa-San’s old yacht, which is being used to smuggle things up and down from Earth because of Jeff’s lander being able to land and launch from the water.

There’s a lot about economics in this book because Jeff and April are focused on getting their bank properly viable. They sit and watch USNA fall apart at the seams and try to work out what is going to happen next. April gets angry at the damage the North Americans inflict on each other, but Jeff has a calmer head. They are a good influence on each other. April teaches Jeff compassion and emotional intelligence and Jeff helps April think logically through problems that make her emotionally react. They continue to grow wiser together.

There are finite resources on Home, however, Earth is so awful everyone wants to move there. Overcrowding isn’t much fun for anyone and the Home inhabitants have to think creatively.

Once more I was swept along with an enjoyable and entertaining book, with just the right amount of intellect-prodding to keep me thinking too. I’m so sad I’m getting closer to the end of things!

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Review: And What Goes Around (April Series Book 6) by Mackey Chandler

And What Goes Around by Mackey Chandler
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Earth’s Mess

This is the sixth book in a continuing series. You need to read the preceding books for this one to make sense. It ends at a natural break in the narrative but the story goes on in future books. There is another series set in the future of this one, Family Law, that shares some characters. The current reading order for both series is given in this post.

Out at L2 Home is feeling a little better about their distance from Earth. Their supplying costs have increased, but not as much as might be expected from the extra distance, because most costs are associated with just lifting from Earth. Things seem to be progressing and Heather’s work on Central is going slowly but steadily. April has land there along with a tunnel and small space dug out, but she really only uses it for storage and never really visits. Heather comes back to Home infrequently and April misses her. But April is learning to take the long view, as knowing she could live for hundreds of years takes the pressure off to get things done immediately.

Jeff is up to his eyeballs in work, as always, but still tries to make time for April. April has a little more time and is using it to study economics, like Jeff asked, to support their work with their bank. They both are starting to see patterns on Earth that they don’t like. Things are going to be rocky for a while down there and they don’t know how badly it’s going to affect Home.

This book feels less about the emotional side of April’s life and more about the political and economical side, especially how Earth is impacting her and her loved ones. This makes the book feel a little more cerebral than emotional and it moves the plot along quickly.

Barak plays a bigger part in this book than he has previously and he seems to be coming into his own since making his move on April. He’s becoming more assertive and learning who he is and what he wants, even if he is out by Jupiter whilst he’s doing it.

TRIGGER WARNING: There were some eerie predictions of what a pandemic would look like and if you find it difficult to read about the impact of those predictions on the world then you might not enjoy this book.

Despite the weird echoes of pandemic life I still enjoyed this book. Probably because the main characters aren’t stuck in the middle of it, unlike ourselves. Though plot-based, there is still enough about the characters I’ve grown to like to ensure I feel connected to them still, especially April, Jeff and Heather. These three characters are very extraordinary young people, but you can still believe in their existence because they continue to learn and grow in each book.

I’m off to read the next one. I’ll be sad when I run out of these books because I’m enjoying them a lot.

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Review: A Depth of Understanding (April Series Book 5) by Mackey Chandler

A Depth of Understanding by Mackey Chandler
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

War on Earth

This is the fifth book in a continuing series that ends at a natural break but the narrative continues in future books. There is also a series that is set in the future and shares some characters, Family Law. The current reading order is given in this post.

After being attacked by the USNA again, and losing citizens to the action, Home decides they need to move further away from Earth. Thankfully Barak suggested the move some time ago so Jeff had already worked out how to do it and was able to activate the plan on short notice for safety reasons. After their move Home demanded that no armed vessels would be allowed past L1 and would be met with force. Central also supported the statement.

USNA seemed to accept that statement and things were quiet for a very short time when a motion was raised in the UN and China decided to test things leading once more to armed conflict.

As well as all the warfare and political shenanigans in this book we see personal relationships flourish. April, Jeff and Heather seem to have come to an agreement about their personal relationship, but don’t seem to be excluding others. It’s a relaxed attitude to romance that seems to be based on the polyamorous model of relationships. Things on this subject are quite coy and nothing is really explicitly stated but broadly hinted at. It seems a very adult attitude for young people who are probably going to live for centuries. Their intelligence probably has a great deal to do with it as they are able to work their way through the ramification of their actions quite quickly.

Home continues to attract interesting people and I look forward to seeing how things shake out with some of the characters that may initially look suspect, but may prove to be redeemable. I’m also enjoying how the next batch of young people are starting to spread their wings in relation to their own businesses. Jeff, April and Heather are starting to look like elder statesmen despite being under 20!

This has definitely become my comfort reading of late. It’s not too emotionally or mentally challenging, but the characters and plot are interesting enough to engage my mind without overwhelming it. It hits my current personal sweet spot for my reading needs. It happens rarely so I’m grateful when it happens. Now on to the next book!

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Review: A Different Perspective (April Series Book 4) by Mackey Chandler

A Different Perspective by Mackey Chandler
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Right Sort of People

This is the fourth book in a continuing series and you need to read the previous books in order to understand this one. The story ends at a natural break but the narrative continues in the next books. This series also connects up in the future with another series, Family Law. The current reading order for the two series is listed in this post.

After returning from their previous adventures Home feels a little precarious. Everyone seems to be against them and getting the support they need is difficult. This book is mainly about getting the right kind of support and building up their ranks of inhabitants with the skills that they need to make Home safe. It seems in recent times Home has become the go-to place for the disenfranchised to escape to.

There is quite a lot of focus on the new people and them settling in. I like how they show the way they see Home from the outside and in doing so have Home’s ways explained to us as well as them. This has rapidly become an ensemble series with so many different characters that are important to the plot and the ‘feel’ of Home. Expanding onto the moon by Heather has also increased the number of people we meet in this book and enhances the sphere of influence of the three main characters, April, Jeff and Heather.

I really enjoyed this book and it has got me excited to see where the plot goes next. I’m sorry if my reviews are getting repetitive, but I just can’t seem to take a break from this universe!

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Review: The Middle of Nowhere (April Series Book 3) by Mackey Chandler

The Middle of Nowhere by Mackey Chandler
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A Linking Book

This is the third book in a continuing series. The previous two books need to be read in order to understand this book. The story ends at a natural break in the narrative but definitely continues. There is another series, Family Law, which is set in the future but also has these characters in. I would read this series first for clarity and to avoid any spoilers, though these are minimal. The reading order across the two series is listed here.

April is back from Earth and taking time to process the result of her brother’s actions. A lot has happened to her in a short space of time and she’s trying to keep up but the assassination attempts aren’t helping.

There are several people on Earth who are beginning to feel the heat of staying on the ‘SlumBall’ and thinking of how they can extricate themselves from gravity and get up to a safer place on Home, especially after Jeff butts heads with another world power.

Heather is working on her ‘little real estate project’ on the moon which becomes a bit more tricky every day. Being on the same piece of rock as some of Earth’s representatives makes her property more easily accessible than Home.

There are lots of people followed in this book as lots of threads of different stories are pulled together. I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again, in a long series there are often books that don’t reach out and grab you, but they are important to the series as a whole. They give you lots of information that is going to be important to the series as a whole but don’t really make you feel like anything is resolved. You don’t have an opportunity to get into any particular strand because so much is going on and it feels ‘bitty’. This book is one of those. It really needs to be appreciated in context, so I’m not going to dwell on it any more than that. I just want to read the next book so that the context can start clarifying itself!

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Review: Down to Earth (April Series Book 2) by Mackey Chandler

Down to Earth by Mackey Chandler
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

April’s Holiday

This is the second book in a continuing series. Without the first book, you would not understand this book. The narrative ends at a natural break but there is definitely lots more story to tell. There is a related series, ‘Family Law’ that contains the characters from this series much later on and reading that series first didn’t contain too many spoilers for reading this series second. The suggested reading order for both series is listed here.

April is nearly 15 and is definitely coming into her own. She is more confident both physically and mentally. She’s more sure of her abilities and her position in the world. Her friends anchor her and provide her with emotional support and she connects with her grandfather the best out of all her family members. In this book we see more problems with her brother and his drive to be successful at all costs, which isn’t as important to April as it is to Bob.

In the months since USNA surrendered to Home, the station has developed and changed, with new residents and businesses. However when it becomes evident that USNA is preventing people from leaving and coming to Home it is decided that they need reminding that they surrendered and agreed to terms. To prove a point April is sent to Earth ‘on holiday’ to show that someone from Home is allowed to travel freely in the USNA with all her weapons etc. It seems that the USNA doesn’t want to remember she’s entitled to be there.

We met a few new characters in this book, all of which were interesting. Papa-San a retired Japanese spy is fantastic and a complete character. He also provides a lot of really useful support to April on Earth. It’s also fun seeing April out of her usual environment to somewhere she’s a bit of a fish out of water, especially as she is on her own, even if she does have overhead support (thankfully).

This book also left me with an overwhelming urge to visit Hawaii and the Pacific. The descriptions were great and for this Autumned Out Brit, the idea of sunbathing on the deck of a yacht is very appealing!

I think it’s official now, that this series has truly sucked me in. I can’t stop reading. I can’t quantify what is so appealing about it, I just know I enjoy it tremendously and can’t wait to download the next book in the series.

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Review: The Long Voyage of the Little Fleet (Family Law Series Book 2) by Mackey Chandler

The Long Voyage of the Little Fleet by Mackey Chandler
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

New Wonders and New Friends

This is the second book in a continuing series and the first book needs to be read before this book can be appreciated. The story ends at a natural break, however it is not finished at the end of this book and you’ll want to know what happens next, but at least that book is already available. The complete reading order for this series and the connected series 'April' is given here.

Lee wanted to go on a voyage deep into the unknown and thankfully Gordon and enough other people want to join that endeavour. After buying two of the ships Gordon ‘claimed’ in the last war, from the Derf, their now three-strong fleet are going with others who want to benefit from their discoveries. This is a commercial enterprise but both the Fargoers and Red Tree Clan from Derf are sending people who can speak in an official capacity for their governments. Whilst the mission may be principally trading, there will be an opportunity for politics too.

Within a few months, they have managed to score some vastly rich mining areas that will make everyone on the expedition rich beyond belief. Then they meet their first intelligent life and things become a little more tricky.

I am enjoying this series tremendously. Though this book feels less personally and immediately perilous for Lee and Gordon there is a little low-level hum of anxiety about their safety. I love the imagination the author has about what they encounter on their journey, both the places and the species they come up against, along with foreign cultures that they have to understand in order to communicate and trade with.

Lee seems to be growing more mature in this book as she is less naive and a little older at 14 years old. She is becoming more aware of her standing as a woman of great wealth and knowing that with great wealth comes the opportunity to change things in a positive way for others if she can just work out how to do it. She continues to be curious, friendly and open, though she’s considering whether being sneaky ever has merit in certain situations.

Gordon has achieved a great level of respect amongst the members of his ‘Little Fleet’ as it has become known. His accomplishments in the war with USNA have become legendary incredibly fast. Because of his ability to sneak attack and manipulate situations, he is held in a position of respect, along with a healthy dose of fear. He has grown into his position of commander and he reminds me of his father William who we only briefly got to know in the last book.

I love how we get to know lots of new characters in this book. There are those on the journey with them, but also those we meet along the way. I really enjoy how different species find things in common despite their differences, both physical and cultural.

As this series is nowhere near done, I’m really looking forward to reading the next book.

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Review: April (April Series Book 1) by Mackey Chandler

April by Mackey Chandler
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Collapse of North America

This is the first book in a continuing series. The narrative ends at a natural break, but there are future books that continue the story. There is a connected series, Family Law (I actually read this first, though it’s set in a distant future) that contains the same characters in a more supportive role. Though I read the series in the wrong order, I didn’t feel like I’d missed out or spoilt the plot of this book too much, but if I had to do it again, I would start with this book.  The full reading order is detailed in this post.

This book is set around 60 years in our future. There is are several space stations in orbit around Earth along with a base on the moon. On one of those stations live an interesting group of teenagers.

April is 13 years old but still looks pre-pubescent due to life extension therapies. She has other gene mods too, such as an ability to process large amounts of food, enhanced reflexes and strength and increased stamina. She’s also very bright. That intelligence often gets tweaked by unusual occurrences that lead to her general need to know what’s going on. Other people sometimes think that means she’s nosy when in actual fact, she often just wants to help.

One of April’s best friends is Heather who is also incredibly intelligent. Heather often does little ‘technical’ jobs for April by making or enhancing gadgets, or writing programs. All of these things help with her businesses and also the nosiness thing. Heather has an associate and friend, Jeff. Jeff is a genius and a prodigy. He also has a supportive father who encourages his inventive son. Jeff has managed to invent something extraordinary that is going to change the world. Between the three of them, they decide to work together, because the United States of North America believes that they are entitled to everything it wants, including their home.

I really enjoyed reading this book and meeting the teenage version of the characters I met in the Family Law series. There are quite a few echoes between the start of this series and the start of that one, the most important being they are about gifted young people who act like adults in extraordinary circumstances. All three of these teenagers are equally interesting though most of the book is focused on April and her transformation into a warrior.

All three young people come from different families but they all have parents that are open-minded to a certain degree and allow them a much greater level of freedom than most teenagers would be allowed. They also live on a space station, which colours their view of life somewhat.

I really enjoyed the political aspects of this book. There were quite interesting discussions on how a political system could and should work and how they look when they stop working for the people they supposedly represent.

Now I’ve got sucked into this timeline I want to see what happens to these young people next because life isn’t all peaches and cream at the end of this book. I’m glad there are LOTS of books in this series, because this was very entertaining.

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Series List: April & Family Law by Mackey Chandler

This is the listing for the April Series and the Family Law Series by Mackey Chandler. Both series are set in the same universe but have separate timelines, though some of the same characters are in both sets of books. Listed below is the reading order given on the author's website. The website isn't very current, so not all the books are listed, so I've just continued with the reading order based on the order in which they are published at the end of the list given.

Reading Order for April / Family Law Series

April - April Series Book 1
Down to Earth - April Series Book 2
The Middle of Nowhere - April Series Book 3
A Different Perspective - April Series Book 4
A Depth of Understanding - April Series Book 5

And What Goes Around - April Series Book 6
They said it would be Easy - April Series Book 7
It’s Always Something - April Series Book 8
A Sudden Departure - April Series Book 9
Been There Done That - April Series Book 10
Family Law - Family Law Series Book 1
The Long Voyage of the Little Fleet - Family Law Series Book 2

Secrets in the Stars - Family Law Series Book 3
A Hop, Skip and a Jump - Family Law Series Book 4
Friends In The Stars - Family Law Series Book 5
All In Good Time - April Series Book 11
Who Can Own The Stars - April Series Book 12
Another Word For Magic - Family Law Series Book 6

Review: Family Law (Family Law Series Book 1) by Mackey Chandler

Family Law by Mackey Chandler
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

When Two Races Meet

This is the first book in a continuing series, however, the book comes to a natural break and works as a standalone story. There are a few hints about future storylines to lure you into reading the next in the series. After reading this series I realised that there is a connected series that was written before this series, starting with April. I would recommend starting with that book and following that series until Book 10, after which, you should read this book. The full series list and reading order is given in this post.

In the future, there are multiple races that humanity interacts with. Some people are easier with this fact than others. Gordon is a Derf and an equal partner in an exploration expedition, alongside a human husband and wife team. They travel with their 12-year-old daughter, Lee, and Gordon has known her since her birth and has been a big part of her rearing.

The team have struck the biggest score of their lives and found a habitable living world, with plant life and mammals. It can sustain human and other animal life from Earth. This is the biggest claim to have been made in a very long time as finding a living world is unbelievably rare. However, before the final survey can be completed Lee’s parents die in an incident. According to her parent’s wishes, Gordon chooses to raise Lee as his own. Lee cannot imagine going with anyone else as she was born and raised on their exploration vessel. Gordon is her family, despite being 750kg of furry, clawed and fanged alien. To them, this is the most logical thing in the universe, but to others, having a human child being raised by another species is an abomination.

This is a wonderfully captivating book. The universe building is fantastically well realised. The social structures of the different races and even the different societies within each race area are well developed and really drive the story. As well as the different sociological explorations, the geographic and scientific descriptions are vibrant and logical and clearly thought out.

I love Lee’s character. She is very bright, curious and naive about interacting with a larger group of people, no matter their race. She is only used to being around completely trustworthy people, her family. Gordon’s explanations of what people and society are like help round out how we perceive the universe in which this story is set. As well as being naive, Lee knows how to defend herself, speaks three languages and knows how to change filters on a spaceship. She has a strangely diverse and also very specific education. She is logical and forms opinions based on information and facts as well as direct observation. She’s an engaging and interesting protagonist, despite her age.

Gordon is also a wonderful character. He’s essentially a six-limbed grizzly bear who speaks multiple languages and can slaughter his enemies with single strokes of his axe. He sees Lee as his daughter and doesn’t hesitate to take responsibility for her. He willingly ensures she learns from everywhere and all her encounters are made educational. He is intelligent and interested in people and their communities. He is kind and funny and sweet and will do anything to protect Lee. He’s also talented at applying his knowledge to diverse skill sets.

The plot of this book races along so quickly, you barely stop to breathe when you turn each page. Diving around the universe between different races and perspectives makes you desperate to know what happens next to each group of people. The story is gripping as well as intellectually stimulating. The subject matter could have been dry, as some military space operas can be, but the characters are so warm and personable you become emotionally involved as well as mentally.

This wonderful book is the first book in a series and I can’t wait to see what happens to this group of people next, as they are never boring!

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Review: Wave Rider (Verdant String Series Book 5) by Michelle Diener

Wave Rider by Michelle Diener
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Teamwork

I’d probably give this book 4.5 ⭐️ if I could.

This is the fifth book in a series of connected stories told in the same universe in a single timeline. The books all share an overarching plot and each book progresses that plot, but they are about different people though references are made to characters and events in other books. There is no cliffhanger in this book.

Anja is a marine biologist whose research station is 3 days travel on land to the nearest town. She lives alone with only the leviathans she studies for company. When the pod she is studying disappears for several days she worries about the reason and at the same time her daily scheduled call to headquarters is ignored for the first time. When she finally decides something must be wrong she sets off on her little one-person runner for her long and cold trek back to civilisation.

Cal is a wave runner, one of the people who have a symbiotic relationship with the leviathans. A material called druk becomes stuck in their teeth and they get the humans to yank it out. It also happens to be a very very useful material and it’s incredibly sought after. They are close to ‘their’ pods and though they can’t communicate they understand each other to a certain extent by their behaviours. One of Cal’s leviathans is acting strangely and yanks his boat, dragging it to near where Anja’s station is.

When they meet up, they find themselves asking similar questions and decide to stay and work together, when they are attacked. This is the start of trying to escape their attackers and at the same time find out why they are being attacked.

I really enjoyed this book because the main characters were working with others in a team. There was the usual romance, adventure and fantastic world-building. The story sucked me and didn’t let me go until the end. Now it’s the last book in the series and I’m so sad! I hope the author writes another one because it’s kind of been left open-ended so it’s possible for the series to continue

I particularly enjoyed the leviathans who seem to be a cross between the Loch Ness Monster, sea serpents and whales. They were the heroes of the story in my opinion. The author created a beautiful, strange and harsh world that captured my imagination so clearly, I can see images of what it looks like and almost feel the biting cold wind and sleet and bitter ice chill of the sea.

I shall miss this series, it was excellent and you should read it if you like Sci-fi adventures with a touch of romance thrown in.

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