Flashpoint

Hellgate #5

by Mel Keegan

With the frontier worlds going down before the Zunshu and the DeepSky Fleet headed out with orders to extinguish the Colonial Wars, the board is set, the pieces are positioned. Neil Travers and Curtis Marin are in Freespace, hunting for old enemies. The rogue industrialist behind the near destruction of Omaru is hiding on Halfway in the fortified heights of a lawless space city where anything goes, from the dark, violent underbelly to a dazzling place called Xanadu. The data trail leading to Zwerner takes Richard VaurienÕs crew through the muck trodden by slave dealers. TheyÕre after the survivors of the super-carrier Shanghai who made it through the Battle of Ulrand only to be snatched by unscrupulous traders, sold in hellish colonies on the wrong side of the frontier. Harrison Shapiro wants them back, and the trail sends the Wastrel to an open-pit mine of a world. The slaves are just part of the treasure that might be seized Ð and perhaps another clue to the secrets of the Zunshu will be uncovered.

Genres: Science Fiction

576 pages, ebook

First published November 6, 2011

About the author

A self-confessed science fiction and fantasy devotee, Keegan is known for novels across a wide range of subjects, from the historical to the future action-adventure. Mel lives in South Australia with an eccentric family and a variety of pets.

Every Mel Keegan book is strong on gay or bisexual heroes (also, often, on gay villains), and some of these heroes are the most delicious in fiction: Jarrat and Stone from the NARC series, Bill Ryan and Jim Hale from The Deceivers, Neil Travers and Curtis Marin from Hellgate, and many more unforgettable characters. Because Mel's books feature the same sex relationships, the partnership at the core of each book is integral: this is the relationship driving the story, and it can be very powerful indeed.

Reviews

[Lady*M · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

The Freespacers have had their first victories - against Confederation and against Zunshu automata. The moment of final showdown with Zunshu is approaching, but they will have to brave the Hellgate and transspace first. Some of the things I suspected have come true and made me very happy. Now, I have my suspicion about Zunshu and it is sheer luck I decided to finish the series at this time because the final book - Event Horizon - will be released on December 16th and it will be 302,000 words long!

This is incredibly complex story, with great characters and incredible scientific and speculative details. Now to take a little break before the final adventure!

[Michael Joseph · Rating 3 out of 5]

You'll find my full review of “Flashpoint” at my web site.