The crew of the You Sexy Thing navigates the aftermath of facing down a pirate king and the relationships that they have created with one another in Cat Rambo's action adventure science fiction Rumor Has It, the third book in the Disco Space Opera.
The crew of the You Sexy Thing have laid a course for Coralind Station, hoping the station's famed gardens will provide an opportunity to regroup, recoup, and mourn their losses while while finding a way to track down their enemy, pirate king Tubal Last.
All Niko wants to do is pry their insurance money from the bank and see if an old friend might be able to help them find Last. Unfortunately, old friends and enemies aren't the only unreliable elements awaiting her and the crew at Coralind.
Each will have to face themselves—the good and the bad—in order to come together before they lose everything.
F&SF writer Cat Rambo lives and writes in the Midwest. They have been shortlisted for an Endeavour Award, Locus Award, World Fantasy Award and most recently the Nebula Award. Their debut novel, BEASTS OF TABAT, appeared in 2015 from WordFire Press, the same year she co-edited AD ASTRA: THE SFWA 50TH ANNIVERSARY COOKBOOK. Their most recent book is DEVIL'S GUN (novel, Tor Macmillan). They are a former two-term President of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA) and still volunteers with the organization. They run the popular online writing school focused on fantasy and science fiction, the Rambo Academy for Wayward Writers. (academy.catrambo.com)
3.5 Stars This was another enjoyable sequel in this rompy space adventure series. I appreciate that while this story has lighter, cute elements, it also has a distinct narrative and plot that move forward with each book. Often these kinds of stories suffer from being too episodic but that is not the case here. Instead this one picked up from the events of the second book and moved on from there. I enjoy the characters who are likable. The writing is easy yet polished.
I would recommend this series to fans of cozy science fiction in the vein of The Wayfarer series. You will want to start back at the beginning with You Sexy Thing
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
The loveable, rag-tag, found-family space crew of the You Sexy Thing travel to a space station for trade and Festival, hoping for profit when they find themselves in dire economic straits. This was an enjoyable end to the trilogy, but nothing really earthshattering. It was good to see how Niko and the crew were doing.
This crew is rapidly becoming one of my joys to read whenever we get another installment (and it looks like there's at least one more coming, hell yes!) Rambo balances the intercrew drama with the larger things they're running from towards, and reading the authors notes, it's really fascinating to read this in the light of the reveal that her 25 year marriage was in the process of dissolving while she was writing this (love to her) and seeing how the crew handles endings. On for the next installment and can't wait for more.
I just didn't quite get into this one as much as the previous two. I think it was more me than the book, tho. The relationships here were just great, how people were able to work things out between themselves.
The third book in this series picks up where the second one left off pretty much. I like how the books keep picking up where the other one leaves off; I feel like a lot of series have fairly large time jumps between books, so I'm enjoying how these books are more of a continuous journey. It feels kind of like a TV show in some ways, each book as a new season with some new characters introduced and mini-plots as we work toward the big bad. I also greatly appreciate that each book starts with a short recap of what's happened in the previous books.
I very much liked the setting for this book. Coralind Station sounds like such a cool place to visit; all of these gardens from all of the Known Universe brought together to provide beauty and food and experiences for everyone. That said, I was a little confused about what Festival was actually celebrating and why they were having it. I wanted to see more of the events of Festival; I thought maybe it was something like Carnival but I'm not sure. And that gets to the core of what my main problem with this book was: A lot of really cool and interesting things were introduced, but we jumped over them so quickly I was left feeling unfulfilled. I love this characters; they are so interesting and complicated, and we were given so many new pieces of character hooks, but they weren't developed very far. I know some of them are going to be pursued more fully in the next book, but not all of them. For instance, Skidoo's storyline did not feel as integrated into the rest of the book as the other character's.
All that said, this book was still a lot of fun. The series is a lot of fun. The characters are a lot of fun. If you're looking for a good space-faring romp with great character, I would definitely check out this series. I think you'll have a good time.
I thought of the previous story in this series as "The Continuing Adventures of the Crew of 'You Sexy Thing'". That would make this book "The Still Ongoing Adventures of the Crew of 'You Sexy Thing'". It picks up immediately following the 'To Be Continued' ending of the other book with Captain Niko and crew putting in at Coralind station to regroup, recoup, and plan their next move. There is much pairing off for adventures on the station, many opportunities for self-discovery and growth, some tension about how to keep paying for the crew to stay together, and encounters with new and old antagonists that may help or hinder. And then a few subplots are resolved before we again fade to 'To Be Continued."
As usual, the characters and situations are fun and easy to read about. The story continues to play fast and loose with science fiction and fantasy tropes, untroubled by actual physics or comprehendible magic. It's all lighthearted nonsense with likable characters to root for. I liked the first book of the series more. The plot had more drive. But I'm still on board and enjoying the ride on this sentient spaceship and look forward to the next volume.
Disclosure: Thank you to Netgalley and Tor Books for allowing me to preview this book.
I've reached the point with this now apparently open-ended series that I'm wondering what Rambo's over-arching climax really is. This is after having been set up with a cliff-hanger with a fair amount of menace in "Devil's Gun," only for that threat to kind of fade out in this book.
Most of the folks who seem enthusiastic about these books really like the "found-family" trope and the setting. However, seeing as half as many people apparently read the second book as the first, and that trend is continuing with the third, my sense is that Rambo better have a real good wrap-up in the cards for the fourth book.
This is too bad in that some of the secondary characters, particularly Atlanta (one-time spare royal heir and now paladin starting their quest), are finally starting to have an identifiable arc to follow, but I'm rather doubting that Rambo is going to get to tell that story, at least as a major-imprint series.
Rambo is leaning into the 'found family' motif in this series. Once again she's jumping the POV among the crew members to show their various concerns and secrets. In fact, a lot of the text of this book deals with interactions between and among the crew members (including the sentient ship), almost regardless of the action.
That's one of the issues I had with it.
It's a space opera – it's in the series name. It's set on a spaceship. You expect some roaming around in space and maybe some pew-pew space battles or chases. But this book is almost what they would call a planetary romance, a science fiction story set on another world. In this case, it's a large station called Coralind, full of different types of gardens, which is a marvel to spacers.
Coralind is great, I really appreciated the various types of gardens described and how they benefited the people in space. The descriptions of Coralind may be the best part of the book, and that's part of the problem – it's supposed to be a space opera.
Another thing that bothered me was that for a savvy space trader, Captain Niko is easily fleeced over insurance. She opts for the cheapest policy she can get, then seems bewildered when they won't pay out despite jumping through all their bureaucratic hoops. One consolation is that she knows she screwed up and didn't listen to the advice of her second-in-command.
There are bad guys from the previous books, but there is no active threat that really heats up the plot. Instead there are a few awkward encounters. This biggest physical fight (measured in blood drawn) in the book is between the were-lion Talon and his clone Rebbe, in a training room.
Also, the crew earns its living by setting up and running restaurants in the first two books. While there's some good cooking described here, they never get to run a restaurant in this one.
One subplot involves doubling, including Talon and Rebbe, Rebbe being the illegal clone of Talon's dead twin Thorn, but with his own personality. Talon ached for another Thorn but didn't get him. The sentient ship creates a mobile counterpart of itself that can leave the ship, then frets over the counterpart's independence. The chief bad guy has a clone as well, perhaps more, and the clone has its own agenda. You can read this metaphor as a personality split, or as a parent-child relationship. It spices up the story a bit.
Let's talk about expectations, though. I mentioned some of the promises that didn't have payoffs earlier (lack of fights or battles, no restaurant). I thought this might be the third and final book in a trilogy, but as I got closer to the end and things weren't resolving, I realized that the story wouldn't end here. Without being pitched as a middle book, it suffers some of what is called middle-book syndrome, where things are set up for a final book but can't be resolved yet. The conflicts in this book are wrapped up a little too neatly to get to the end and get ready for the next book; there's a whiff of deus ex machina in how easily her insurance and financial problems are solved. If I'd known this was a middle book I would have had different expectations. How do I know there will be another book? Here are the final few lines:
“And the mysterious Tubal Last?”
“Still out there. But I think he may have miscalculated. If Tubalina was able to make schemes on her own, then all of them can. And that means they'll turn on each other...”
“And when that championship is over, and the winner looks in your direction...?”
She raised her glass and toasted him but did not smile.
“We'll burn that bridge when we come to it,” she said.
If that's not foreshadowing for the next book, I'll eat my chrono-synclastic infundibulum.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Third entry in this series with a visit to a special port with a famous festival. Opportunities abound but old friends and enemies come first. Crisis occur, and several of the crew face personal turning points.
Dabry secretly learns his daughter may have not been killed, Skidoo learns his composite body may be failing, Rebbe has to establish his identity after failing to be a complete clone, and Atlanta has to figure out how to figure out how to become a Paladin.
Oh, and there’s business to take care of as Traders, a murder of an old friend to account for, and the re-appearance of their enemy Tubal Last.
Good stuff and enough cliffhangers to pique interest in the next volume!
I am a huge fan of the Disco Space Opera series and Cat Rambo. I love a good Space Opera and I am really happy to see that there will continue to be more stories following the crew of "You Sexy Thing". I was extremely pleased with this installment. The environment of the garden space station was really intriguing and it felt like we got to take a deeper dive into the individual lives of each of the crew members. This is one of my favorite current series in SF and I cannot wait to see what awaits the intrepid crew in the future.
Ahoy there me mateys! This is the third book of the series and newcomers should not start here. Thing and crew go to Coralind Station. It is festival time and the station and its famous gardens are full of people and trading. The crew is looking to relax and recover after the crazy events of the last book.
Captain Niko holds the brunt of the problems as she tries to get insurance money for the death of the first restaurant and keep the ship in the black. Then there are the old enemies out to get her and the old friends that she is unsure of. But life is not simple for the other characters either. While there is a lot of intrigue going on in the hunt for Tubal Last, the focus is very much on character growth and interpersonal relationships. Some of the issues were a surprise (Dabry's) and the consequences will certainly be dealt with on their next stop.
One highlight for me involved Atlanta. I loved her trading escapades, her viewpoints of high society functions, and her continued exploration of magic. Though the novel deals with the entire crew, it seemed that she had a lot of the focus. I also love whenever Lassite or Jezli makes an appearance. I also am glad a lot of the Talon subplot seems to be moving away from the angst. So that is a relief and I am interested in how it will evolve.
Coralind Station is the other highlight. I wish I could visit all of the famous gardens. Some examples are the underwater garden, the chocolate garden, and the sharp metallic one. Basically the station has food ingredients from everywhere especially because of festival. We did not get enough gardens because the author has to deal with plot.
One of the best things about this series is that each book is a mini-episode that leads to the next. Also love the recaps provided by the author. Apparently this is supposed to be a ten book series. I don't normally like to read series that spread out but these books are light and fun. I read these for the characters and the humor. They may be fluffy but they have heart. And the set up for the next part sounds awesome. Sign me up. Arrr!
I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.
Such high hopes, such excitement for its release, only for more tangled plot with little resolution.
Don't get me wrong, I still love these characters and am even more invested in their lives now. Each of the core crew experienced some kind of character development; I wasn't always a fan of that development, but at least it happened. Some interesting plot points developed (no spoilers here) and provided a level of intrigue that kept me invested.
However, the last 30 pages were extremely rushed. I turn the page after an intense, unfinished scene and find myself in a completely different setting and development. This continues for the remainder of the book (only 30 pages, but still). We spent the entirety of Book 2 hurtling through space in various existential crises, yet we can't delve more into some of the events of the last 30 pages? To have a pretty solid story up to that point left me even more disappointed.
Yes, I will purchase and read the next one. Like I said: I'm invested. But I hope that Rambo manages to find the writing groove and delightful wittiness that characterized the first book and made me fall in love with this crew in the first place.
This ain't your mama's sci-fi – it's a whirlwind of adventure, intrigue, and enough plot twists to make your head spin.
Newcomers, this might not be the best place to jump on the spaceship (head back to novella #1 for liftoff!), but for those who've been rocking with Niko and her crew, prepare for pure satisfaction. Rambo ties up some loose ends from the past while flinging open new mysteries like a cosmic piñata.
We get deeper dives into the wild universe Rambo's built, encountering everything from a space station overflowing with exotic gardens (including a chocolate-lover's paradise called Ganache – yum!) to some truly unforgettable characters. Let's just say, you won't forget your visit anytime soon.
So, if you're craving a quick, action-packed space opera fix with a side of found family vibes, delicious culinary descriptions, and a dash of humor, "Rumor Has It" is your dish. Just be prepared to hold on tight – it's a wild ride!
In this third installment of the series, Captain Niko and the crew of the ship, You Sexy Thing, visit the garden station of Coralind for some R&R, hoping to collect insurance money they are due, and to continue the search for more information on the villainous pirate king, Tubal Last. Each member of the crew has their own agenda, however, making it a challenge for Niko to accomplish anything while trying to wrangle and protect her much-loved found family. These books are pretty much impossible to dislike and even though this is the weakest of the three, it focuses so much on the individual crewmembers who are so endearing, that you can't help but enjoy the ride. The continuing story of Atlanta, now a paladin, was a highlight, and as always, the character of the ship itself, as alive and lively as any member of the crew, was a delight. I'll be keeping an eye out for the next book in the series.
Rumor Has It (hard from Tor) that the crew, who used to run a restaurant, and are now the crew of the AI ship You Sexy Thing (paper) has made it to the garden station of Coralind during their annual festival. All Nico, their captain, wants is to get their insurance company to pay for the loss of her restaurant, and to say hello to Biboban, the brain that had once run a starship, and is now currently running the station. Skidoo is convinced she is dying and wants help, Atlanta is trying to figure out what being a Paragon is. Other crew members also have problems, and there are financial problems. Then Gnarl Gusson, who hates Nico comes to the station and poisons Biboban, making Nico a suspect. The insurance company finds loopholes so they don’t have to pay. Cat Rambo makes everything come up roses on the Garden station. I enjoy this series.
Fun stuff, but, like the previous in the series, the book sort of just...ended? A bit of unexplained magic and all's well, the crew members who weren't getting along are now at least sort of getting along. There were vague intimations that , presumably to be explained in a later book.
I like the world and how she explores it, and I still enjoy the ship's perspective, and it's nice to see the younger crew members mature, but the villains' plottings didn't make a whole lot of sense. -- the latter, again, to be explained later.
So, maybe it's just a problem of a mid-series novel, and subsequent books will make All Come Clear. Well, most of it, anyhow.
(3.75/5) A wholehearted round of applause for this series. Do you want queer found family? space pirates? ~intrigue~? fine dining? Then dive in. Quibbles for this last book as it could have used some tighter editing, it all seemed to be tied up rather quickly at the end, and I was left wondering over details of some fairly major plot points (). Also I would read approximately 5,000 more books about this crew; a trilogy feels like an arbitrary number of books. Honestly I still recommend these books so friggin heartily, it's such a good time.
4.5 If you loved the previous ones you'll enjoy relaxing a bit more in this volume and focus on the characters more than the action or high stakes. The author is setting us up for the next volume extending some of the issues from book two and getting us ready for a big hunt in the next volume. This one reads like a middle book but there are some fun interactions between characters. Whenever Thing is present it makes my day. Looking forward to the audiobook release and then the next volume. This series is an auto-buy for me. Thank you Netgalley and Publisher for the e-copy.
Fun series! I like a space ship with plucky crew of misfits adventure. And I like the cooking sub theme of if we have nothing else to trade we’ll trade a fine meal and a dining experience! It’s a solid hook for the characters. My only regret is there’s no book four listed in Goodreads at this point. And while I was aware of the author before I hadn’t really looked at the author because they’ve done a bunch of short stories and I prefer novels. But after these three books I’ve marked them to follow on Goodreads because if they write another novel I want to read it.
honestly? the story itself is not good. but readable the ending is not good. there should be another book. I hoped they will wrap it up
but the ship. wonderful. the ship internal and very vocal monologue and dialogs still the show. great stuff (copying from my review of the second book) it's even better here. some of the comments made me think of Murderbot internal monologue. don't get me wrong, there are almost no similarities between those two. only thing, they don't understand humans at all. wonderful writing.
I enjoyed book one and skipped over #2 to read this #3 so I can't account for the transition from interesting action in !#1 with almost none in,#3. Rambo has a talent for interesting characters sorting through various life crises and self-images. However the number of characters has almost a doubled so my engagement with each individual decreased frustratingly. There's an obvious sequel coming but I will be surprised if it reverts back to the action and interest of #1.
This series continues to surprise and delight. I love the characters, and they've only been growing more believably complex and rich as the series progresses. I especially loved the setting for this third installment, and the plot was enjoyable even if I feel like I ended the book with more questions than I started. It feels like the series is building towards something big, and I look forward to finding out what that is!
I love this series. I love the characters, each and every one of the people on the Thing. And the Thing! The ship continues to grow and learn and makes me laugh, and I am certain my life will be worse if I don't get to read more about it. There's just so much that's good about this series: found family, cool people and interesting settings, a dastardly foe or two, things that make me think, all the good stuff. Please buy these books so that there may be more!
what i like about cat Rambo is they provide a quick reminder of what happened in the last book because these long gaps between release are tough. but we jump right back into the action here. this book felt short but maybe it just went quick. we saw the familer faces both bad and good.
not as much cooking as prior books tho. would have liked more cooking but I need next book now. good quick read not much world or character building but was nice to dip back into this universe.
More like 3.5 - Maybe the ship should have been named after The Road to Nowhere because that is kinda how it feels this story went. Not that I didn’t love the adventures of the crew and can’t wait to see what happens next, this story just felt like a filler with not a bunch of substance to move the story forward. Did feel like a the most movement was at the end.
This is the third book in the series that began with You Sexy Thing, and I read it because I enjoyed the first two. For some reason, this one didn't land as well for me. I think that the way many of the character's thoughts were presented made them feel young and simple instead of adult and complex. I cared enough about the characters to keep reading, though.
Cozy and endearing as usual. Also I'm loving the covers with the solid common theme of the Thing leaving/going towards an almost abstract-looking body in space. Btw there is no action whatsoever in this installment and it takes place entirely on a single "planet" (which is 10000% okay).