I don’t know how it’s possible, but this book was just as good as its predecessor. No signs of middle book slump in this trilogy!

Zara continues to be capable and kickass, but I do love the comment about halfway through this book that the ship Nadim is starting to pick up more of her brash traits and Zara is becoming calmer through Nadim’s influence. Their relationship continues to be beautiful, and the way their connective moments are described is easy to imagine and much more frequent than in the last book.

As well the continuation of Zara and Bea becoming closer takes place here.

At the same time, the Phage continue to be a big concern for the living Leviathan ships. This book picks up immediately where Honor Among Thieves left off. They are in the middle of the mass graveyard that the Phage have left.

And they are also quite close to the system of the Sliver, which is where the majority of the plot for this book takes place.

Meanwhile, on Earth, there’s this dude that’s pretty upset with the mess Zara left behind her and through the course of the novel, he sends Zara’s ex-boyfriend into space to intercept her. I expect we’ll see a lot more of that, as well as the conclusion of the Phage and their leader, in the final book.