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Pirates of the Outrigger Rift

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When the security director of the powerful corporation Nebulaco dies under mysterious circumstances, courier Sai Collins has one last top-secret delivery to make for him. But she has a secret of her own; she's a computer telepath who can connect to the grid without hardware.

It’s a talent she needs when she arrives at the drop point to make the delivery and is ambushed by heavily armed goons, barely escaping with her life. Now, caught in the crosshairs of feuding lords, unrelenting security forces, and dangerous outlaws, she’ll need some help to make it out alive. Enter a pair of unlikely allies also caught in the mix: charming, down-on-his-luck pilot Hank Jensen and jaded PI Mike Chandler. Their mission: take down the ruthless pirate who is bringing the galaxy to its knees with his bloody hijackings of corporate trade routes.

Unfolding at a break-neck pace, Pirates of the Outrigger Rift is the rollicking new sci-fi adventure of corporate espionage and interstellar piracy.

286 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 24, 2013

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369 people want to read

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Gary Jonas

82 books93 followers

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5 stars
49 (15%)
4 stars
100 (31%)
3 stars
124 (38%)
2 stars
37 (11%)
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12 (3%)
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
Profile Image for Montzalee Wittmann.
5,213 reviews2,340 followers
March 10, 2018
Pirates of the Outrigger Rift
By: Gary Jonas, Bill D. Allen
Narrated by: Kate Rudd
This was an action packed, fast paced, science fiction book by one of my favorite authors but it didn't have the zing his others had. It was certainly good and I enjoyed it but it wasn't super awesome like all his others. Worth the read or listen.
Profile Image for Michael.
34 reviews23 followers
February 1, 2014
NOTE: I received this book as a part of a Goodreads First Reads giveaway in exchange for my honest review.

I must say, if I had the time and the bladder control I would have read this book cover to cover in one sitting instead of the couple of weeks I ended up taking to read it. But oh lord was this novel a ride. I loved every word in every single chapter, and this is definitely a book I will likely revisit in a few years just for the pleasure of reading it. As usual I will go with my pros and cons style of review.

PROS:

"A Match Made In Heaven" - Gary and Bill, the authors of this magnificent work of literary art, blended themselves seamlessly in this story. You honestly cannot tell there were two people involved in creating this story as everything seemed to be of one mind. Clearly these two gentlemen work wonderfully together.

"Hank Solo" - Hank Jensen, one of the story's many colorful characters and main companion of our protagonist, bares an uncanny resemblance to Han Solo from the original Star Wars series, mainly in personality and lifestyle. Normally I would have put this under the "Cons" section... but this formula completely went with the story and I cannot picture the story working without Hank having the Han Solo personality. As his character added action and brazen humor into the tale, that would have been missed otherwise. Well done!

"A New Hope" - (Yes, that was another Star Wars reference, deal with it) The main thing that made this story so readable was that, aside from Hank making us picture Harrison Ford making bad jokes and haphazardly firing a blaster, the entire story line was fresh and original. The authors brought to the table an entirely new idea about what a futuristic universe would be like. Blackmail, Corporate Espionage, Wealth, and Poverty are all things that make a futuristic tale such as this all the more believable. If you love Sci-Fi action... you should, without a doubt, grab a copy of this book!

CONS:

"Parting Is Such Sweet Sorrow" - The down side to this book?! It ended... I want more.... make a sequel, like RIGHT NOW! You definitely left a set up for one... fingers crossed!
Profile Image for Charles.
Author 76 books133 followers
January 27, 2014
First Reads Review - Pirates of the Outrigger Rift by Gary Jones

I guess most of what I can say about this book that I won through Goodreads First Reads is that it is what it seems to be. I know that might not seem the most glowing of praise, but there is something to be said about a book that is just as good as it sounds based on the description. Not that it's a great book, but it is certainly a light and entertaining book filled with pirates and space battles and villains and heroes. It has humor and action, some romance, some intrigue. Mostly, though, it is an action story set in space, with characters who are more archetypes than they are real people. Which isn't a bad thing, as the result is still a decent book, but it's not great.

Like I said, though, it is what it seems to be. It is not a book that is promising a great deal of philosophy or deep themes. First published as a serial, the story concentrates instead on quick dialogue, humorous characters, and a healthy dose of explosions and jokes. Not all of it might be the most artfully done, but at least it doesn't take itself too seriously, and I can say that I was entertained throughout the entire thing. Sure, there were times where I was groaning as well from some of the dialogue or ideas, but mostly the emphasis is on fun, and the book delivers.

The title is perhaps a little off the mark, though, because while the pirates might be a part of the story they didn't exactly seem like the most important aspect. Really the pirates were the weakest part of it to me, largely because it is so obvious that they are supposed to be a joke. Every one of the pirates (save Glenn) is an idiot. And while that's good for a light chuckle once or twice, it just seems too ridiculous when one considers that this isn't really a comedy story. Sure, there is humor, but when so much of it comes from just how stupid some people are, I found myself shaking my head whenever the pirates were around.

A bit better done are the main characters, though they do seem like the only intelligent people in a sea of morons. And I didn't really like that the only female main character got paired off despite the fact she seemed the most competent of anyone. It's not terribly done, just not something I really wanted to see and not something I think added all that much to the story. Still, it wasn't as bad as it could have been and that is saying something. And the plot was decent, the action fun to read. The setting is interesting and everything makes sense.

In the end, it's a book that I enjoyed. It was fun and I managed to get through it in a day, so it was a quick read. The characters were interesting enough, the plot complex enough, the setting well defined enough. This was a good book, an unpretentious book. It is not, however, a great book. It struggles with some of its humor and many of the character interactions come off as lifted from other sources rather than organic. It's not bad, but the most I can say about it is that it is what it seems to be.
Profile Image for Robert.
139 reviews10 followers
September 11, 2014
Set in a future where mankind has spread himself across the galaxy, this sci-fi story is very entertaining and gripping. the worlds are ruled by massive Megacorporations, with their own laws, security forces and jurisdictions. Initially published as a Kindle serial, it is written in Episodes, but flows very well.

Sai Collins is a girl with a special talent - she is a computer telepath. Sai works as a courier making special deliveries for rich and secretive clients. Her latest job is to deliver a secret package which contains information on a corrupt corporation. Her information could destroy the whole structure of a corporation called Nebulaco. She must ensure she delivers this package safely so the truth can be told and justice can be dealt.

However, the corporation will stop at nothing to intercept her and get their hands on this info, including teaming up with a group of space-pirates.

Sai also teams up with a down-on-his-luck pilot, Hank Jensen, and a jaded PI, Mike Chandler. This is where the fun really begins. Hank reminds me very much of the Star Wars legend, Han Solo, with his laid back, macho personality and smart humour. Mike is your typical undercover PI, sick of doing the normal infidelity cases, and looking for something more.

I would highly recommend this story.
Profile Image for JHM.
593 reviews66 followers
October 31, 2013
I'm giving this book five stars not because it's a "great novel", but because it's a perfectly executed space opera. There are underdog heroes, a cyber-psi, a sentient spaceship, a damsel in distress, tough guys with hearts of gold, vice-ridden plutocrats, and - of course - pirates. There are also two groups of fantastically incompetent underlings who bring to mind Maleficent's classic utterance of frustration: "Oh, they're hopeless. A disgrace to the forces of evil!" The plot is fast-paced, full of twists and turns, reveals, betrayals, reversals, and how-the-heck-are-they-going-to-get-out-of-*this*-mess moments.

On top of a cracking plot, the writing is very good: simple, clear, fast-paced. It doesn't call attention to itself by trying too hard, nor are there awkward or grammatically questionable passages.

If you're looking for a good time, read this book.
Profile Image for Anne Marie.
464 reviews21 followers
November 18, 2015
This book was a win from Goodreads....

I enjoyed this book very much. One of the characters reminded me of Hans Solo from the original Star Wars. I enjoyed that the main character was a "don't mess with" girl.
109 reviews
January 14, 2014
My Rating: 3.0

I'm just not very good at giving a synopsis. I think I'm just go on to my comments.

The dialog and some of the more technical aspects of the story were okay. But the plot and the interactions of the characters were just too superficial for me. There were also concepts that just didn't make sense given the context.

For example, a big part of the story is that the heroine is forced to act as a courier to carry computer files to one of the Lords of the corporation. But the technology of the times are such that data can be transmitted anywhere in the galaxy in such volume and at such speed that 3D hologram conferences can occur and the quality is so good that you can't tell they're not real just by looking. Why isn't the data just instantly transmitted?

There is also no sense of the time frame. People seem to move in ships from planet to planet on a whim. I can't tell if the movement it taking minutes or months, although given the context of the book it must be somewhere between hours and days. But it's more of a case of first there on one planet and then on the next page they're on another planet.

I know it's science fiction so it sounds ridiculous to say the story didn't seem "real" to me. But even though it's all fiction, I like for things to be consistent within the context of the book an with enough background information given to make it all some plausible.

This is not a book I'll read a second time.
Profile Image for Megan.
1,149 reviews6 followers
June 20, 2015
The cover of this book was what got me. It looks very cool and action-packed. Instead this book was just OK, nothing special or unique. The story was OK, the characters were pretty boring and one dimensional and the writing was also just OK. The story seems to be a little bit a stretch where sensitive information is sent by courier instead of the very advanced communication technology. Of course this is so that the information can be lost later on in the book.
The characters in this book are very boring and cookie-cutter like. Each of the characters are about the same. The men are cocky, arrogant and heroic. The women are feminine yet headstrong and independent. There was nothing to differentiate any of the characters except their names. Even the bad guys were the stereotypical bad guys you would expect in a space opera type book.
Some of the writing was very awkward and in need of some editing, but other than that, it was pretty boring and just got the story to the reader. Nothing special or unique about it, it was just words to convey a story.
The book wasn't bad, but it wasn't amazing either. It was one of those books where the story isn't horribly boring, but it's not really exciting either. I gave it 2.5 out of 5 since I finished it and it wasn't horrible, but it wasn't something that I would read again or recommend buying.
Author 3 books38 followers
July 3, 2015
Pirates, spies, and a conspiracy that has more turns than a maze. Sai Collins is a data thief with one last drop to make for a Nebulaco boss that has been killed. Easy Peasy, or it should be. Suddenly everyone in town wants what Sai has - and they're willing to kill for it.

There's a lot of action and chase scenes as Sai struggles to off-load the data she's carrying. The story is told from a lot of different viewpoints as the characters struggle to stay alive with everything from police, corporate thugs, and pirates after them. A romance that develops between Sai and a pilot she hires, Hank, comes up out of nowhere. The basic plot isn't really all that convoluted once it comes to resolution, but the authors did mirror the confusion felt by Sai, Hank, and P.I. Mike Chandler as the trio comes together fighting for truth and saving the girl.



47 reviews10 followers
January 24, 2014
**I won this book as a Goodreads First Read**

This was a decent book. Fast read.

I was curious to see how a book written by 2 authors would turn out. It was kinda interesting, but I didn't find myself getting caught up in the action, or caring much about the characters, which is why I gave it 3 stars.
125 reviews
February 7, 2014
I actually enjoyed this book more than I thought I would. My husband is a computer IT guy so I know a bit about computers and stuff so this was very interesting. I would love to read more about this universe. I could see some additional stories coming out of this.....

Thank you so much for giving me the chance to read this book. It was Awesome!
40 reviews1 follower
June 26, 2014
I was able to accept the plot holes but what I could barely pay attention to was who is who. you spend so little time with each character you nearly need noted to remember which is which. other than that it was a fun little read. no real commitment. just enough wit to make you smile.
Profile Image for papasteve.
806 reviews15 followers
February 7, 2014
This was kind of a "Pirates of the Caribbean" in outer space type book. But not nearly as well done.
Profile Image for Booknerd Fraser.
469 reviews7 followers
February 3, 2014
Well, it was fun, if a bit predictable. A good rollicking adventure. Writing's a little stiff, but good enough.
Profile Image for Anton.
Author 8 books47 followers
April 7, 2016
Great space pirate SciFi

This was one well-written space pirate SciFi, with great characters and a fun plot. Very enjoyable read overall. Hope for a continuation
75 reviews
February 26, 2016
I liked the storyline and 'investigative' nature, and though some characters were exactly what you'd expect them to be, it kept my attention very well.
Profile Image for Susan.
1,735 reviews39 followers
May 4, 2017
Sai Collins is an efficient courier and she’s on a secret mission to deliver her last package from the recently murdered security director of Nebulaco. Things don’t go as planned. Pretty soon, she’s teaming up with jaded PI Mike Chandler and prickly pilot Hank Jensen. Oh, and there’s pirates.

This was a fun, light read. There’s plenty of action, snarky comebacks, and humor. While this book is pretty entertaining, don’t look for much depth here. Most of the characters are archetypes; beloved archetypes, but still pretty much cookie cutter characters. Mike is your typical private investigator that’s fed up with the system and wants to do something that will make a positive difference for once. Hank doesn’t mind breaking a few rules to make a little extra cash or even just to stick it to some government agency. He’s kind of a cross between Malcolm Reynolds and Han Solo. They’re fun characters, no doubt.

Sai Collins is pretty much the only female character. She’s a great character, having the most uniqueness of the crew. She’s got these psi-tech abilities, which is her big secret and also the thing that saves her more than once. She’s efficient and can make decisions. Yet…. well, do we really have to attach her to a man to satisfy some plot line? Apparently….

The pirates… well, this story isn’t really about them despite the title. It’s about Sai, Hank, and Mike. The pirates do come into it but they aren’t the central aspect nor the main threat. In fact, most of them are just comedic relief and not very good at being pirates.

In short, it’s a fun read. Just don’t expect too much from the characters or plot. The setting was fun and I did enjoy all the ‘big galaxy to explore or hide out in’ stuff. Also, I’m a sucker for a tale that has a small number of individuals going up against a big corporation.

I listened to this audiobook through Kindle Unlimited.

The Narration: Kate Rudd was fantastic as Sai. She really owned that role and she was great with all of Sai’s emotions and humor. She also had distinct male voices for all the guys.
Profile Image for Dave Neuendorf.
Author 2 books22 followers
December 31, 2016
This review applies to both of the first two books in the series. Fun space adventure. The female lead character is a cybersci, who is able to connect mentally to computer networks. Her lover is a drunk free trader pilot. I liked the female, disliked the male. The romance had no buildup, just happened. It was not very believable, because the man is not worthy of the woman. I took off one star because it was unpleasant reading about the pilot.
Profile Image for Billie.
244 reviews23 followers
June 20, 2017
Not too serious. A fun action romp across space with a couple of plot holes, why bother worrying about that when there's silly pirates, sassy aliens and a rediculous plot. It's fun, enjoy it and don't worry.
Profile Image for Douglas Cook.
Author 17 books7 followers
August 7, 2016
First sentences -
Sai Collins adjusted the collar of her jacket as she boarded the public tram. She was still uncomfortable in the standardized Nebulaco suit. The uniform made for first-level execs like her was ill fitting, but it was a badge of respectability. At first it made her feel like she was going places, but she knew better now. This was the last time she would have to wear an exec suit. Her career was over before it had really begun. Six months ago she had been living on the streets of a bustling starport town on planet Raken, earning her living by dubious means.

Jonas, Gary; Allen, Bill D. (2013-09-24). Pirates of the Outrigger Rift (p. 7). 47 North. Kindle Edition.
Profile Image for Sooziemac McLaughlin.
142 reviews1 follower
January 11, 2016
Sad To Say Goodbye

I love the characters in this book. It reminded me of Eighties SciFi in the style of old Westerns.
The characters were lovable, or eminently hate-able as the case may be, and the plot is engaging and keeps you guessing.
I could read another two or three books with Sai, Elsa and what's-his-name? The drunk dude.
No kiddin'.
Gary, start writing.
Honestly, at first, I nearly put it down, because as a general rule, I'm not really fond of SciFi.
Anyway, good job.
Beer for everyone!
Profile Image for Kathy.
121 reviews
January 4, 2016
A fun "noiresque" caper. The writing was a bit choppy, not sure if that is because of the original serial format of the story or that there are 2 authors. The characters are fun, but could use a bit more fleshing out and the plot could be tightened a bit.

Good for some escapism in a Sci-Fi Channel movie of week kind of way.
Profile Image for Diego Pettenò.
Author 1 book3 followers
September 29, 2014
I've read much worse, but the story on this one is not as interesting as it would have felt by the premise. The damsel in distress situation was just boring and the "triangle" was trite.

Nice premise, although also a bit stale with the "big corps", and a bit too fast in changing direction without exploring it further in any direction.

Okay book, but I wouldn't read it again.
Profile Image for Flint Weiss.
41 reviews2 followers
December 25, 2013
This was a -lot- of fun. A popcorn summer movie kind of book. I read this in a day.
Profile Image for Vitalijus Sostak.
138 reviews24 followers
July 8, 2014
Moderately entertaining science-fiction flick. Solid, but nothing exceptional.
Profile Image for Bill Harrison.
141 reviews1 follower
April 9, 2016
Although not a great book, this was a fun read. Pirates, rogueish space captians and shady corporations all make for a great afternoon of reading.
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews

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