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The Devil and the Dark #1
Devil to Pay
In a world of pirates and murderous ghosts, one naval cadet must choose between loyalty and survival.
In the Level's Naval Academy, officer candidate Silas Hunt stumbles across a secret that could get him hanged for treason. The only hope he has to save his own life and to find justice is to join up with a ruthless pirate captain, a woman known as Mad Dog—even if it means sacrificing everything he’s spent his life working for.
The Verity is just a ship of the line, but for Stacks-born Captain Hollis Ives, it's not just her first command. It’s her one chance to prove that a woman from the slums can handle a high-ranking naval position—even if it means accepting a posting that’s likely to be a death sentence.
Treasure Island meets Master and Commander with a science-fiction twist in R.M. Olson’s thrilling new space opera series, The Devil and the Dark.
In the Level's Naval Academy, officer candidate Silas Hunt stumbles across a secret that could get him hanged for treason. The only hope he has to save his own life and to find justice is to join up with a ruthless pirate captain, a woman known as Mad Dog—even if it means sacrificing everything he’s spent his life working for.
The Verity is just a ship of the line, but for Stacks-born Captain Hollis Ives, it's not just her first command. It’s her one chance to prove that a woman from the slums can handle a high-ranking naval position—even if it means accepting a posting that’s likely to be a death sentence.
Treasure Island meets Master and Commander with a science-fiction twist in R.M. Olson’s thrilling new space opera series, The Devil and the Dark.
- GenresScience Fiction
285 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 6, 2023
184 people are currently reading
75 people want to read
About the author
R.M. Olson
32 books57 followersR.M. Olson writes queer, feel-good space opera, featuring diverse casts, found families, and loads of action. R.M. has ridden the Trans Siberian railway, jumped off the highest bungee jump in the world, gone cage-diving with great white sharks, faced down a charging buffalo bull, and knows how to milk a goat. Currently they reside in Alberta, Canada with their four children, three cats, and a dog the size of a small bear. R.M. goes hiking and skiing more often than they probably have time for, eats more chocolate than is probably good for them, and reads more books than is probably prudent.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
November 23, 2024
DNF @ 78%
May 19, 2024
A space opera like none I've ever come across before, "Devil to Pay" is a story that jumps straight into the action, with a variable and diverse set of characters, both as pirates and as navy officers who come to blows against each other and oftentimes, creepy space ghosts, that makes this novel unique and fun.
I read fantasy far more often than I read sci-fi, and generally even my sci-fi that I do read isn't so much of what would be considered a space opera, so reading this novel was new territory for me. I wasn't sure what exactly I was getting into but I am so glad I picked it up. The idea of a paranormal twist of having space ghosts added into the usual sci-fi scene was what piqued my curiosity, and was an element that I thoroughly enjoyed in how it affected the "culture" and environment in this story. It gave this novel a creepy flavouring that brought this story to a new level.
"Devil to Pay" is told through a few character's points of views. Our story begins with Silas, a young navy officer who has uncovered a detrimental secret that the navy he serves in has tried to bury. He attempts to run with this information, relying on his own history of the "Level", and its streets in order to get away from the navy. I loved the geographical and consequently socio-economical contrast between what is known as the "Level" and the "Stacks" that R.M. Olson develops; Silas had grown up on the Level which as I understand it is the surface of the space-port he calls home, and is where those who have higher socio-economical status live. Those who are not of such a high status, live below the surface in tunnels called the "Stacks". This socio-economical divide is what creates a strong sense of contention between those who had grown up on the Level vs. those who had grown up in the stacks, where resources are limited and ghosts range in multitudes. I would have loved to have a stronger foundation of an understanding of what the stacks and the Level are comprised of, as I assumed it was a space port, but it could be argued that the Level and the Stacks were founded on a planet itself. Its not entirely clear, but the lack of further information does not hinder the story.
So, we have a socio-economical divide between the Level and the Stacks, and then our story develops further as Silas flees from the Navy and goes in search of a pirate called, Mad Dog. Thus we are introduced to a further divide of people between the navy, pirates and the merchant class of workmen who are caught in the middle. It is this contention that creates a diverse world of conflicting interests that very quickly grabbed my attention and kept me wanting to read more; to understand a world that felt so incredibly dynamic. As more characters are introduced from various classes in this story, I found myself no longer just rooting for Silas who had made himself an enemy of the navy, but for other characters as well that R.M. Olson had developed. This includes Hollis, a woman from the Stacks who was recently appointed as a captain of a navy vessel. Despite the fact that we are introduced to both Silas and Hollis very briefly before being thrown into the action of the story, Olson cultivates conflicting needs in two characters who I immediately felt I could relate to and yet who's needs could neither be met without the other suffering. This is what makes Olson's writing genius. Olson charges up the ante in their writing and had me flipping through chapters late into the night, worrying that while one character would succeed, the other would fail, and I just couldn't help but feel so frustrated at Olson for that. Who needs more than 4 hours of sleep before a work day, right?
Olson creates great tension between their characters, and while this creates an excellent foundation for conflict, this story didn't just captivate me for its plot-line, but also for its diverse characters. Olson writes a novel that reflects a refreshing array of diversity; there are characters that represent differing sexual representations, gender representations, as well as disabled characters and yet I found that Olson did not stray into a common trope I come across where this representation becomes the character's entire identity. This representation was a facet of a more comprehensive identity for each character that made this novel stand out for its extensive array of human identities. I only wish that with how many characters that are introduced in this novel, that we had more time wherein their history could be better established. It felt as though some character's histories were glossed over for the sake of maintaining the tempo of fast-action.
I found myself up until the sun was starting to rise, reading until the very end of the book, turning pages frantically as the story reached its climax and I could count more times than I have fingers on one hand that I thought these characters were doomed. This novel has a smart and greatly developed plotl-ine with more than a few twists thrown in, (albeit I did see the twist at the end coming, if you're paying attention to some fore-shadowing, you'd be able to guess it), and I finished the book feeling blown away. I had to wait a day or so before even attempting to write a review to let the story marinate, because I cannot praise Olson enough for writing such clever and bad-a$$ characters.
I only wish I could have more time with Olson's characters, as I need more of the people in this story, and more of the universe that was being developed through the events that transpired. I'm only so happy that there are more books in this series and I can't wait to get my hands on them.
Even if you're not a huge sci-fi reader, if you like diverse characters and a fun action-filled plot-line with clever twists, this book is for you. Also, just as another bonus side-point, R.M. Olson is an indie, self-publishing author and I think more than worth following and definitely think their works are worth celebrating and supporting!
I read fantasy far more often than I read sci-fi, and generally even my sci-fi that I do read isn't so much of what would be considered a space opera, so reading this novel was new territory for me. I wasn't sure what exactly I was getting into but I am so glad I picked it up. The idea of a paranormal twist of having space ghosts added into the usual sci-fi scene was what piqued my curiosity, and was an element that I thoroughly enjoyed in how it affected the "culture" and environment in this story. It gave this novel a creepy flavouring that brought this story to a new level.
"Devil to Pay" is told through a few character's points of views. Our story begins with Silas, a young navy officer who has uncovered a detrimental secret that the navy he serves in has tried to bury. He attempts to run with this information, relying on his own history of the "Level", and its streets in order to get away from the navy. I loved the geographical and consequently socio-economical contrast between what is known as the "Level" and the "Stacks" that R.M. Olson develops; Silas had grown up on the Level which as I understand it is the surface of the space-port he calls home, and is where those who have higher socio-economical status live. Those who are not of such a high status, live below the surface in tunnels called the "Stacks". This socio-economical divide is what creates a strong sense of contention between those who had grown up on the Level vs. those who had grown up in the stacks, where resources are limited and ghosts range in multitudes. I would have loved to have a stronger foundation of an understanding of what the stacks and the Level are comprised of, as I assumed it was a space port, but it could be argued that the Level and the Stacks were founded on a planet itself. Its not entirely clear, but the lack of further information does not hinder the story.
So, we have a socio-economical divide between the Level and the Stacks, and then our story develops further as Silas flees from the Navy and goes in search of a pirate called, Mad Dog. Thus we are introduced to a further divide of people between the navy, pirates and the merchant class of workmen who are caught in the middle. It is this contention that creates a diverse world of conflicting interests that very quickly grabbed my attention and kept me wanting to read more; to understand a world that felt so incredibly dynamic. As more characters are introduced from various classes in this story, I found myself no longer just rooting for Silas who had made himself an enemy of the navy, but for other characters as well that R.M. Olson had developed. This includes Hollis, a woman from the Stacks who was recently appointed as a captain of a navy vessel. Despite the fact that we are introduced to both Silas and Hollis very briefly before being thrown into the action of the story, Olson cultivates conflicting needs in two characters who I immediately felt I could relate to and yet who's needs could neither be met without the other suffering. This is what makes Olson's writing genius. Olson charges up the ante in their writing and had me flipping through chapters late into the night, worrying that while one character would succeed, the other would fail, and I just couldn't help but feel so frustrated at Olson for that. Who needs more than 4 hours of sleep before a work day, right?
Olson creates great tension between their characters, and while this creates an excellent foundation for conflict, this story didn't just captivate me for its plot-line, but also for its diverse characters. Olson writes a novel that reflects a refreshing array of diversity; there are characters that represent differing sexual representations, gender representations, as well as disabled characters and yet I found that Olson did not stray into a common trope I come across where this representation becomes the character's entire identity. This representation was a facet of a more comprehensive identity for each character that made this novel stand out for its extensive array of human identities. I only wish that with how many characters that are introduced in this novel, that we had more time wherein their history could be better established. It felt as though some character's histories were glossed over for the sake of maintaining the tempo of fast-action.
I found myself up until the sun was starting to rise, reading until the very end of the book, turning pages frantically as the story reached its climax and I could count more times than I have fingers on one hand that I thought these characters were doomed. This novel has a smart and greatly developed plotl-ine with more than a few twists thrown in, (albeit I did see the twist at the end coming, if you're paying attention to some fore-shadowing, you'd be able to guess it), and I finished the book feeling blown away. I had to wait a day or so before even attempting to write a review to let the story marinate, because I cannot praise Olson enough for writing such clever and bad-a$$ characters.
I only wish I could have more time with Olson's characters, as I need more of the people in this story, and more of the universe that was being developed through the events that transpired. I'm only so happy that there are more books in this series and I can't wait to get my hands on them.
Even if you're not a huge sci-fi reader, if you like diverse characters and a fun action-filled plot-line with clever twists, this book is for you. Also, just as another bonus side-point, R.M. Olson is an indie, self-publishing author and I think more than worth following and definitely think their works are worth celebrating and supporting!
October 5, 2025
I absolutely loved the Dark Between the Stars series and when I found the author had another series set in the same world, I had to read it.
The first book of the series, it introduces the cast while sending them on an adventure of their lifetimes.
Silas, a former naval officer, is on the run, after having stolen classified information. It’s information pertaining to an accident that happened more than a decade ago, an accident where Silas lost his parents. What he discovers is that the accident was due to negligence from the higher ups in the navy who covered it up by blaming it on two officers and their daughter who were all sentenced to death. The daughter escaped and is now the feared pirate captain, Mad Dog.
Silas goes to Blackrock to lay the evidence before Mad Dog, hoping to persuade her to come back and clear her name while bringing down the corrupt officials of the navy. Mad Dog refuses to even look at the evidence and makes him a counter offer. If he sails with her for one mission, she will look at the evidence and listen to what he has to say. Reluctantly, Silas agrees.
Their target is a ship stranded near a black hole, carrying advanced tech and weapons. But the navy has sent Captain Hollis Ives, a newly commissioned captain and the first ever captain from the Stacks to retrieve the ship and its cargo.
Hollis has left her old life behind and needs to prove that a captain from the stacks can do as good as, if not better than, the Level officers with their family names, money, and connections.
What happens when the pirate captain with a bone to pick with the navy and a naval captain who has to prove her right to her position clashes?
Man, I love Silas and Hollis both. I was in that weird situation where I wanted both of them to win. Like before I met Hollis, I was wholeheartedly on Mad Dog’s side because I hated the Level Navy. After meeting Hollis, I still hated the Level Navy, but I wanted Hollis to succeed so she can thumb her nose at the navy that looks down on her.
The perspectives of Gracie, better known as Mad Dog, and Admiral Usher, who is the face of the Level Navy, were both interesting in their own ways. I am completely on Gracie’s side and Admiral Usher can go f**k herself.
The book was so good, I’m off to read the rest of the series.
If you love space opera, underdogs against the system, and complex and real characters you can get behind, you will love this book.
The first book of the series, it introduces the cast while sending them on an adventure of their lifetimes.
Silas, a former naval officer, is on the run, after having stolen classified information. It’s information pertaining to an accident that happened more than a decade ago, an accident where Silas lost his parents. What he discovers is that the accident was due to negligence from the higher ups in the navy who covered it up by blaming it on two officers and their daughter who were all sentenced to death. The daughter escaped and is now the feared pirate captain, Mad Dog.
Silas goes to Blackrock to lay the evidence before Mad Dog, hoping to persuade her to come back and clear her name while bringing down the corrupt officials of the navy. Mad Dog refuses to even look at the evidence and makes him a counter offer. If he sails with her for one mission, she will look at the evidence and listen to what he has to say. Reluctantly, Silas agrees.
Their target is a ship stranded near a black hole, carrying advanced tech and weapons. But the navy has sent Captain Hollis Ives, a newly commissioned captain and the first ever captain from the Stacks to retrieve the ship and its cargo.
Hollis has left her old life behind and needs to prove that a captain from the stacks can do as good as, if not better than, the Level officers with their family names, money, and connections.
What happens when the pirate captain with a bone to pick with the navy and a naval captain who has to prove her right to her position clashes?
Man, I love Silas and Hollis both. I was in that weird situation where I wanted both of them to win. Like before I met Hollis, I was wholeheartedly on Mad Dog’s side because I hated the Level Navy. After meeting Hollis, I still hated the Level Navy, but I wanted Hollis to succeed so she can thumb her nose at the navy that looks down on her.
The perspectives of Gracie, better known as Mad Dog, and Admiral Usher, who is the face of the Level Navy, were both interesting in their own ways. I am completely on Gracie’s side and Admiral Usher can go f**k herself.
The book was so good, I’m off to read the rest of the series.
If you love space opera, underdogs against the system, and complex and real characters you can get behind, you will love this book.
February 12, 2024
I liked the story and the characters, the conflict and the pirates. Who wouldn’t? The pacing was great, but only one thing nagged. I wanted to know more about the world and the setting. First, I love sailing ships and ships-of-the line. I loved the depiction of the “ghosts”. When I was younger, I was obsessed with the British Navy during the Napoleonic Wars and earlier. I loved pirate stories. Much later, my daughter and son-in-law attended the Naval Academy and became commissioned officers in the Navy. So, when there were references to Olson’s Navy and Naval Academy I found myself struggling to put aside reality and embrace the fantasy. I wanted to know how the worlds their characters inhabited worked – like sailors climbing rigging on a vessel that could achieve FTL speed without the vessel actually coming apart or losing sailors.
I was constantly reminding myself that this Naval Academy wasn’t USNA, and the commissioning process was completely different. The personal drama? That was spot on.
I did like it and I would recommend it to all who like military science fiction/fantasy.
I was constantly reminding myself that this Naval Academy wasn’t USNA, and the commissioning process was completely different. The personal drama? That was spot on.
I did like it and I would recommend it to all who like military science fiction/fantasy.
January 19, 2024
Couldn't put it down
I'm not usually a fan of military fiction, but I really enjoyed this. I appreciate how Olson gets us to sympathize with people on both sides of the conflict, which significantly elevates the stakes: I wasn't just rooting for the 'good guys' to win, but for everyone possible to make it through alive. The genre crossover is really fun too. It seamlessly blends elements of historical naval and pirate stories and science fiction. I also appreciate that the main cast includes transgender, non-binary, and disabled characters, demographics that are often not represented in science fiction. Overall I really enjoyed the book and would recommend it to anyone looking for a fun, fast-paced read.
I'm not usually a fan of military fiction, but I really enjoyed this. I appreciate how Olson gets us to sympathize with people on both sides of the conflict, which significantly elevates the stakes: I wasn't just rooting for the 'good guys' to win, but for everyone possible to make it through alive. The genre crossover is really fun too. It seamlessly blends elements of historical naval and pirate stories and science fiction. I also appreciate that the main cast includes transgender, non-binary, and disabled characters, demographics that are often not represented in science fiction. Overall I really enjoyed the book and would recommend it to anyone looking for a fun, fast-paced read.
January 29, 2025
⭐️ - awful, probably DNF
⭐️⭐️- didn’t like but not terrible, actually finished it
⭐️⭐️⭐️ - it was ok, passed the time
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - good story, good writing, entertaining, just not great
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - great, could not put it down, excellent writing and story
Mixed feelings about this book. I would give it 4 stars for the entertaining story, but the writing was a putoff.
They and their are plural terms. But the use of those cords as singular was disconcerting at best and annoying always. I’m not sure what the author was hoping to convey, but good writing was not achieved. Nd so I will decline to follow up with more books from this author.
⭐️⭐️- didn’t like but not terrible, actually finished it
⭐️⭐️⭐️ - it was ok, passed the time
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - good story, good writing, entertaining, just not great
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - great, could not put it down, excellent writing and story
Mixed feelings about this book. I would give it 4 stars for the entertaining story, but the writing was a putoff.
They and their are plural terms. But the use of those cords as singular was disconcerting at best and annoying always. I’m not sure what the author was hoping to convey, but good writing was not achieved. Nd so I will decline to follow up with more books from this author.
June 22, 2024
I had such a fun time with this book. It's Firefly meets Pirates of the Caribbean in all the right ways.
I didn't want to put this book down! It's lighter on the science, with just the right amount of action, but where Devil to Pay really shines is in its characters.
Don't hesitate to pick this one up, I'm really glad I did!
I didn't want to put this book down! It's lighter on the science, with just the right amount of action, but where Devil to Pay really shines is in its characters.
Don't hesitate to pick this one up, I'm really glad I did!
July 8, 2024
LGBTQ+ pirates in space and fighting the system.
Cool concept, diverse cast, pirates in space, and morally grey characters. If you like sci-fi with LGBTQ+ characters, adventure, and swashbuckling this is for you.
R.M. Olson is a must read if you like stories of rag tag groups taking on corrupt governments and taking care of each other.
Cool concept, diverse cast, pirates in space, and morally grey characters. If you like sci-fi with LGBTQ+ characters, adventure, and swashbuckling this is for you.
R.M. Olson is a must read if you like stories of rag tag groups taking on corrupt governments and taking care of each other.
February 2, 2025
Brilliant
What a great story. Gut wrenching thrilling. You managed to make me love both sides and want them to win. I was agonising that only one side would win. In the end you pulled it off big time. Well done. Xx
What a great story. Gut wrenching thrilling. You managed to make me love both sides and want them to win. I was agonising that only one side would win. In the end you pulled it off big time. Well done. Xx
March 10, 2025
Action-packed
Interesting characters, moral dilemmas, twisty action. Very enjoyable. Minor quibbles with the writing. For instance, it's easier to count the pages on which there is no mention of the age at which Silas joined the navy. Butvoverall, lots of fun.
Interesting characters, moral dilemmas, twisty action. Very enjoyable. Minor quibbles with the writing. For instance, it's easier to count the pages on which there is no mention of the age at which Silas joined the navy. Butvoverall, lots of fun.
March 30, 2025
very good story
I'm amazed that this author can write so many fantastic novels, I hope that she never stops writing. Her books are some of the best Entertainment I have read and worth the time to read them. Thank you for a very fun entertaining read.
I'm amazed that this author can write so many fantastic novels, I hope that she never stops writing. Her books are some of the best Entertainment I have read and worth the time to read them. Thank you for a very fun entertaining read.
July 5, 2025
Smooth Interesting Plot with Distinctive Characters
Nicely told space yarn with antagonists fit for the 17th century embroiled in 25th century intrigue. Plot left open for more mysteries.
Nicely told space yarn with antagonists fit for the 17th century embroiled in 25th century intrigue. Plot left open for more mysteries.
March 8, 2025
A lot of filler
For a simple predictable story. Maybe it is just me, but the characters were not really lovable and I don't really care to read the next installment because of it.
For a simple predictable story. Maybe it is just me, but the characters were not really lovable and I don't really care to read the next installment because of it.
December 13, 2023
A Definite Must Read for Science Fiction Lovers
Let me just say WOW! This is the first navel science fiction novel I have read and it did not disappoint. I was engrossed from the beginning to the end. The writing was outstanding, action packed, and the plot twists are perfectly placed with a perfect balance of human emotion.
Let me just say WOW! This is the first navel science fiction novel I have read and it did not disappoint. I was engrossed from the beginning to the end. The writing was outstanding, action packed, and the plot twists are perfectly placed with a perfect balance of human emotion.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews