Red Star Hustle / Apprehension

by Sam J. Miller, Mary Robinette Kowal

An instant USA Today bestseller!

Two expertly crafted crime stories set in a far-future science fiction universe, from two award-winning authors known for their gripping plots and unforgettable characters—a short novel and a long novella that will thrill fans of space adventures, mystery, and intergalactic intrigue in this Saga Double

Red Star Hustle
Aran, a happy-go-lucky high-class escort, is on the run after he’s framed for the assassination of his famous filmmaker client. The last thing he needs is to fall for the studly and noble clone of a murderous puppet monarch while he’s trying to stay one step ahead of an ace bounty hunter, who is trying to keep a fatal secret from her toxic boss/mom, which means she can’t stop to worry about a little thing like whether her target might actually be innocent. Set within a universe of epic mech battles, and billions of human-made wormholes that make traveling to a distant star as easy as walking through a door or scheduling car service. This science fiction thriller by Nebula Award–winning author Sam J. Miller is a crisscross of heartbreak, addiction struggles, queer messiness, and resisting evil empires, coming together in a space-hopping fight with the whole damn galaxy.

Apprehension
A family vacation arranged by Bonnyjean, a grieving mother, her son-in-law Jax, and her six-year-old grandson Tristan, quickly becomes disastrous as Tristan is kidnapped by a terrorist operation that is hoping to affect the planet’s upcoming elections between rival parties. They believe Bonnyjean was given a secret by the double agent who died in her arms. However, not only is this a deadly misunderstanding, but it’s also a dangerous one as Bonnyjean was last on Nahatanau when she was a special forces operative. Unfortunately, that was over thirty years ago, but she won’t let the years nor her bad hip get in the way of rescuing her grandson. Beloved Hugo Award–winning author Mary Robinette Kowal has crafted an intricate mystery of mistaken identity on an alien planet.

Genres: Science Fiction, Thriller, Fiction, Queer, Adult, Action, Audiobook

416 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 21, 2025

About the author

Sam J. Miller is the last in a long line of butchers, and the Nebula-Award-winning author of THE ART OF STARVING, one of NPR's Best Books of the Year. His second novel, BLACKFISH CITY was a "Must Read" according to Entertainment Weekly and O: The Oprah Magazine, and one of the best books of 2018 according to the Washington Post, Publishers Weekly, and more. He got gay-married in a guerrilla wedding in the shadow of a tyrannosaurus skeleton. He lives in New York City, and at samjmiller.com.

Reviews

[Joshua Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Apprehension, by Mary Robinette Kowal, is long novella/short novel in the sci-fi thriller vein, that is fast-paced and doesn't waste time jumping into the story or lingering too long. But what most impressed me was how effortlessly Kowal informed the reader about the characters and setting, without any overt info dumps that lesser authors would use. The protagonist is a 78-year old woman, on a vacation of sorts on a distant world with her son-in-law and grandson, when they get embroiled in a local political situation. The characterization of the protagonist was very strong, and the nuance in which the author portrayed aspects of this woman - who had served as a soldier in a war decades earlier on this planet - was superb. Additionally, the small bits of culture that informed the world-building were also quite nuanced and brought this alien landscape to life. A fast-paced thriller with a memorable protagonist and fantastic setting.

Thank you to Kaye Publicity for providing me with a physical copy of this book for review.

I have not read Red Star Hustle yet, but will update this review when I do so.

[Dan Trefethen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Remember the old Ace Doubles, where they published two books back-to-back, upside down from each other so each story had a different cover? Saga Press is bringing it back with this inaugural edition featuring two well-known and talented SF writers. Kowal's story involves humans on an alien planet we settled a war with, but a mysterious encounter and a murder lead to possible planet-shaking political trauma. Shades of Alfred Hitchcock! (Which she admits in the afterword.)

Miller's story features a rent boy who is framed for a murder and goes on the run. Who set him up, and how will he get out of it? As is common with Miller's work, there is a focus on queer culture and love (some quite graphic) and reconciling one's place in the world while trying not to be destroyed by it.

Both stories are fast-paced and quick reads. If you are a fan of either of these authors, pick up this book and enjoy them both.

[Karen’s Library · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just finished the Saga Doubles of Apprehension by Mary Robinette Kowal and Red Star Hustle by Sam J. Miller.

I really wish I could review each book on its own. This is actually a tough review to write and rate because I really enjoyed one of the books and not so much the other book.

Apprehension - 5 stars!
I adore Mary Robinette’s books and have been following her ever since her First Lady Astronaut book, The Calculating Stars, published. So when I saw that there was a new Sci-Fi book coming out I had to read it and it was everything I thought it would be. Bonnyjean, an elderly retired special operations agent with a bad hip vacations on an alien planet with her family when her 5 year old grandson is kidnapped.

As always, Mary Robinette’s characters are very loving and very strong willed and you can’t help but fall in love with them. I loved this story and especially Bonnyjean and her son-in-law and grandson.

Red Star Hustle - 2 1/2 stars
In this book, we have another sci-fi, very high tech and futuristic universe. Aran is a high-class “pleasure-boy” who is framed in the homicide of his very famous client. Because Mary Robinette’s books are very clean with no spice, I had no idea the second book in the Double Sagas would be so spicy. It’s not my cup of tea and I would get very uncomfortable with some of the graphic bits. I know there are those who will love the spice scenes, but I’m a closed door fan so I was constantly thrown out of the story. If you enjoy futuristic tech, mechs fighting, and bizarre high tech space scenes, and enjoy M/M spice, this book is for you!

*Thanks so much to Saga Press Paperbooks and to Kaye Publicity for the gifted copy!*

[David Agranoff · Rating 5 out of 5]

>So heads up, my reviews between now and next fall will be a little shorter than normal. I am very, very busy planning the 4th international Philip K. Dick Festival in Fullerton, CA from August 20-23rd. It is going to rule, so join us there if you can. I am also working on a SF novella, and the final edits of the sequel to The Last Night To Kill Nazis. Yeah, that is why the reviews have been a little shorter.<

*

Certain authors just win your loyalty. Once you have been rewarded by following authors to whatever genre they feel comfortable with, then yeah, you’ll keep coming back. My first Sam J. Miller novel was Blackfish City, a winner of the Nebula, but more importantly for me, it was a top read of whatever year it came out. I could look it up, but let's say 2018. Then he did whale ghosts in the unique The Blade Between.

Sam J. Miller is a powerful writer, full of unique worlds and ideas, one I am so glad is here to add to the genre. Red Star Hustle is one I knew a bit about going in. I went to Miller’s reading/ signing here in San Diego. I know that he intended to be a less dark, more entertaining space opera, but he couldn’t help himself, he ended up with a gritty noir space opera about addiction and political intrigue.

RSH is half of a Saga double, and the other half of the novel is written by Mary Robinette Kowal who, I know, has written some pretty big-time SF. I admit I have not read her work yet, I will fix that. Honestly, though I was trying to get to RSH quickly, I will come back to Apprehension. Promise.

This is a far-future crime noir based on the real-life murder and scandal connected to the Italian director of 120 Days of Sodom, Pier Paolo Pasolini. He was murdered in 1975, and there are lots of strange connections to politics, sex workers, and lots of other interesting elements. Great history to make the basis for a crime sci-fi noir novel. It is a case I knew a little bit about, and I think that only adds a layer; you don’t have to know the case to enjoy this.

Aran is a high-class “rent boy,” who is pulled into a mystery and political intrigue when his high-class client - a controversial film director - is found dead. In his role as a rent boy, he is hired by a unique client a monoarch in a political monarchy who is one more than a dozen clones of their dear leader.

I personally enjoyed the world-building and thought this diverse set of worlds connected by wormholes was well thought out. Using the PKD technique of having the world-building expressed by the sub-human (The rent boy) and the upper-class lover, made for subtle details that gave us the details we needed. I love the planet zero dislike, the way Aran is uncomfortable with being on a planet. Once the giant mech battles happened I was totally sold.

This is a super gay book, I say that as a positive, to be clear. It is annoying that Cis books that have lots of horny stuff hardly get called graphic, but this one gets that label all the time. It is a double standard. This is a fun and thoughtful Science Fiction novel.

Red Star Hustle is one of my favorite modern reads of the year.

[Bryan at Postmarked from the Stars · Rating 3 out of 5]

Shout out to Kaye Publicity for sending me an advanced copy. I love Mary Robinette Kowal. Been reading her since The First Lady Astronaut. Her half of this double was a 5/5 for me. Very reminiscent of Elizabeth Moon’s completely slept-on modern sci-fi classic, Remnant Population (in that both stories feature badass seasoned ladies).

I really enjoyed the world building of Miller’s first story. Fresh off of another modern, slept-on sci-fi classic, Cuban sci-fi author Yoss’ A Planet for Rent, they both had similar ‘poor humans tend to descend into sex work in a galactic economy’ vibes. I respected the structure, but just failed to connect with some of the other stuff. I’m sure an LGBTQ+ reader may love this book, and I’m excited because I’m almost certain they’ll love it. Just didn’t land as much for me personally.

[Poetry.Shaman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just read Red Star Hustle by Sam J. Miller and here is what I thought about it.

I picked this up on a whim. I saw the cover, I read the synopsis, and I was in. Not to mention this is the beginning of a launch of two books in one that is a revival of an old physical media move. Fantastic.

Cyberpunk and true space Sci-Fi are on the rise, and this was a perfect way to get me back into the genre. The short novel follows Aran, a sex worker who is on the run after he was framed for his client’s murder. Aran is an addictive, pleasure-seeking man that falls in love too quickly and when he meets an attractive stranger that rescues him from his circumstance, he’s a goner. I was incredibly invested in Aran and Resh’s relationship which was perfectly balanced by several moving political pieces that they are both caught up in against their will.

I just really enjoyed this. There was a pervasive and warm atmosphere that this story created. Often, when I engaged in a space story it is full of clean, futuristic lines and perfect bodies. This story had remnants of that late-80s, early-90s space aesthetic that I am in love with. It is cherry-red spaceships with a screw loose and covered in a layer of dust.

The characters in this book are fantastic. The protagonists, the antagonists, and the supporting cast all felt seamlessly incorporated into the story and none of them fit a troupe or stereotype that felt out of place. All of the characters in this book struggled with addiction, self-hatred, depression: all pieces that shaped their personalities rather than it being a “character trait.” They leaned on their flaws, used them to their benefit, acknowledged they hurt. There was something really beautiful and real about them—despite some of them being all powerful cybernetic clones or fallen mech fighter pilots.

The story the characters are caught in the middle of both felt like their story and also like a story that someone else was telling off screen. I imagine a version of this book that created a great, multipart epic focusing on the politics and the underhanded scheming of a lot of what was happening in the background of Aran and Resh’s love story. I imagine there is a critique of this book of someone wanting that. I never needed to know. This was character driven and everything else was supporting their struggles. Cool shit.

I leave this book wanting to read more from Sam J. Miller. I’m excited to see what he can do with a longer book and with probably pick up Blackfish City next.

5/5 – not a thing I would change

[RachelZ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Characters: 4.25⭐️
Setting: 4.50⭐️
Plot: 4.00⭐️
Themes: 4.50⭐️
Personal enjoyment: 4.00⭐️
Emotional Impact: 3.75⭐️
Overall rating: 4.25⭐️

My first Saga Double features science fiction, high-action crime stories set in a future universe. With a diverse cast of characters and great representation, both Red Star Hustle and Apprehension are quick reads.

Apprehension is a story about a woman who takes her son in law and grandson on vacation after her daughter passes away and the three of them get swept up into a political conspiracy, leaving her grandson kidnapped by a terrorist group. Overall, I enjoyed this story more than Red Star Hustle. I felt more connection to the characters and their depth. I think it was so awesome to have a main character who is much older, but can still kick ass.

Red Start Hustle is a story with two interconnecting POV's with a high class escort who is being charged with murdering a high profile client and a security contractor who is being hunted down by her boss who is her own mother. I enjoyed this story, and there were some topics covered like trauma and addiction, but I didn't feel as connected to the characters.

I think putting both of these stories together was a wonderful idea because it felt episodic that these lived within the same universe.

Would I recommend this book? Yes!

Thank you to Saga Press for sending me a finished copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Abigail Pankau · Rating 3 out of 5]

A novella and a short novel together in one book.

In “Apprehension” - to take her mind off her grief, Bonnyjean is on vacation with her son-in-law and grandson on a planet she hasn’t visited in decades. But then there is murder in front of them and her grandson is kidnapped. Now Bonnyjean has to use the military skills she hasn’t used in decades to track down her grandson and stop an assassination attempt. But can she do it before her hip gives out?

In “Red Star Hustle” - Aran is a high-class escort who has been framed for a client’s death. So he goes on the run, and happens to meet Resh, the studly clone of a power-mad monarch. While Resh has amazing nanobots, he might not be enough to stand against Imadi, the bounty hunter who is after him. But Imadi has her own problems and secrets she’s trying to keep from her own mother. When they work together though, it might be enough to stop whoever is really behind the murder and their galaxy-spanning conspiracy.

These were two very different stories. “Apprehension” is a murder-mystery/espionage sci-fi novella about PTSD and grieving, while “Red Star Hustle” pretends to be a noir murder-mystery but is really a fantastical (and very horny) space opera about addiction and problematic parents. “Apprehension” was excellent: really loved the world-building, the characters are quite relatable and believable, and a good mystery to solve. “Red Star Hustle” was a mess: world-building was badly explained, characters were ridiculous, and the mystery wasn’t solved so much as someone told them the answer before they had a giant mech battle. And this makes rating the book overall hard ‘cause they are such different stories. I really enjoyed “Apprehension” (4 stars) but did not enjoy “Red Star Hustle” (2 stars). So we’re averaging it out to 3 stars, unfortunately.

Content warning: child abduction & POW PTSD (A), drug addiction & parental abuse (RSH)

[Genevieve Grace]

DNF @ approximately 75%.

I read all of Apprehension, and would give it 3.5 stars if I could. Mary Robinette Kowal's story followed a grandmother with a military past on a trip with her grandson and son-in-law. She's returning to the planet where she fought, but that was long ago and it's peaceful now. Mostly, sort of.

When her grandson is kidnapped, she isn't able to leave the past behind her. I did enjoy the adventure of this story, and the interesting dynamic of being an action hero as an old woman. I also liked the "Que Sera Sera" moment where the son-in-law sings in order to find the kidnapped son.

I DNF'd Red Star Hustle about halfway through. It just wasn't for me, due to lots of sexual content.

[Simms · Rating 3 out of 5]

A throwback to the days of the double-publication (with two short novels bound together, with no real connection between them), which is fun, though certainly would be more impactful if I were reading a physical copy and not an ARC. I'll confess, I only finished the Mary Robinette Kowal half, Apprehension, which was a fine if not-especially-memorable sci-fi kidnapping mystery story. I bounced off Sam J. Miller's Blackfish City, for reasons I can no longer remember, and for whatever reason I was not being grabbed my Red Star Hustle so I bailed and considered it good enough for Goodreads-logging work, considering the two books are co-listed here.

Thanks to Saga Press and NetGalley for the ARC.

[Shyan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Open with class, Apprehension:

The thriller, noveau old-fashioned, the wink-and-nudge follow that shady figure easing you into the knife of sincerity “no cruelty like that of a parent to a child” through your back when you take the wrong step. This is the perfect sort of cozy story here, one with depth. The spy thriller and family rescue plot elements blend perfectly, and both Bonnyjean’s competence and limitations make her a very engaging character. Kowal is so good at writing about aging, and the end of this story in particular is very emotional, reminding me a little The Remarkable Retirement of Edna Fisher at its best.

Continue with sass, Red Start Hustle:

“This is her.
This is how she programmed you.
Your mother’s talons are sunk so deep in your flesh you’ll never pry them off.”

Forget about subtlety, revolt against covert passions, the slow building of tension. Pain and trauma are bloodthirsty kaiju rending the seas and clawing through skyscrapers like putty. Dealing with these issues at the level they deserve requires getting your hands dirty. This is the far-flung maximalist space opera rush of adrenaline, the rabid escapism that forgoes groundedness in pursuit of radical liberty.

Miller is so good at slicing to the core of his hurting characters, having them grapple with the big questions of “how trauma keeps on traumatizing you […] Makes you doubt yourself at every turn: What’s real and good and you and what’s the legacy of the harm you’ve survived?” There’s something so campy about lines like

“That’s what they were: two broken things crying out to one another in the endless darkness. That’s what love was.”

but something beautiful and true too. This is a bizarre and moving story, the modern creative blockbuster sparking off from Kowal’s more retro take. Both have their place, both championing the heart, but with different instruments. I highly recommend reading this one after instead of before Apprehension, to appreciate its escalation fully.

“All I had was a flimsy lead […] But still. Something.

I revved my [ship’s] thrusters and started hopping. And maybe I’d never find Trist. And maybe they wouldn’t want my help if I did. That’s okay. You can’t save someone who isn’t ready for saving. I hadn’t been, until I was.”

[Madison Green · Rating 4 out of 5]

Apprehension - 4 stars

Ex special forces grandma, need I say more.

This Sci-fi crime thriller follows grandma Bonnyjean as she takes her grandson and son in law on holiday following the passing of her daughter. Whilst there trouble finds them in the form of the dying words of a spy. Under the assumption she knows something about the spy’s role her grandson is kidnapped for the information but she will fight to get him back. The story touches on deeper topics such as grief and PTSD as a POW which brings more depth and secondary plot to the story to broaden the characters and round out the plot.

It was a great quick read that kept my attention throughout. Great characters throughout but again love the main character is an ex special forces grandma rather than some young girl with no life experience. MRK knows how to write badass mature main characters that are diverse


Red star hustle - 3 stars

Aran is a high-class escort who is framed for the assassination of one of his clients. Luckily for Aran he’s out drinking when it occurs, before he has time to come up with a plan he’s staging a rescue for a blind stranger out is the stranger reciting him? With a bounty hunter after him who only cares about getting the job done how will Aran be able to disappear in an intelligence run world, which might just have a galaxy wide conspiracy imbedded within.

This was an ok book for me. I did enjoy the plot it was different to what I’ve read before and the battles were certainly epic with the use of mechs. However, I didn’t have a great interest in any of the characters and their plot lines. The three main characters all have trauma when it comes to parents, one has an especially bad ‘father’, and they all are addicts somewhere along their healing journey. It all just felt very samey to me with not a lot of unique points to differentiate their paths. I also felt once the main story points had been laid out of the novel would end was very predictable apart from one or two surprises which made it a bit monotonous to finish it.

[The Page Ladies Book Club · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some weeks you just want your sci-fi to grab you by the collar and run! These two books do exactly that each in totally different but equally wild ways!

🌌Red Star Hustle by Sam J. Miller is pure space-noir adrenaline. Aran, a high-class escort with a sunny outlook, goes from glamorous companion to galaxy-wide fugitive when his ambassador client is assassinated. His only hope? Outrun an ace security contractor who’s not only hunting him but also fleeing her own terrifyingly powerful mother/boss. Miller layers heartbreak, addiction, and trauma into a high-speed, planet-hopping thriller. Think Killing Eve meets Blade Runner with more heart and less neon gloom. It’s sexy, messy, and full of “oh no they didn’t” twists that kept me glued to the page!

🪐Apprehension by Mary Robinette Kowal
Where Red Star Hustle is slick and fast, Apprehension is tense and personal. A family vacation goes horribly wrong when six-year-old Tristan is kidnapped by terrorists who think his grandmother Bonnyjean knows a deadly secret. She doesn’t at least, not the one they think. Problem for them? Bonnyjean may be grieving and sporting a bad hip, but she’s also a retired special-forces operative who once knew this planet like the back of her hand. Kowal crafts a taut mystery of mistaken identity, alien politics, and sheer grandmotherly grit. It’s Taken meets The Martian Chronicles intimate stakes, big canvas!

✨️Together, these two books show off why Miller and Kowal are award-winners: fantastic plots, layered characters, and settings you can practically smell and taste. One’s a pulsing space caper, the other a nerve-wracking rescue with emotional heft. Both deliver!

⚡️Thank you Saga Press, Sam J. Miller and Mary Robinette Kowal for sharing this book with me!

[Karen A. Wyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish I could rate these stories separately. I'd give Apprehension 5 stars and Red Star Hustle four.

Apprehension is a beautifully written blend of character study and propulsive plot, with substantial helpings of both grief and PTSD -- and a badass old woman as protagonist. I certainly enjoyed Red Star Hustle also, but I found it harder to keep the players and their machinations straight.

[Dana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Apprehension by Mary Robinette Kowal - 4 stars. MRK knows how to pull a reader into a story, create a believable universe in just a few pages, and tell a good tale. (Also, Math Turtles is a great band name.) I wish this had been the longer story, although it's complete as it is. I figured out early on who was going to kidnap Tristan, but that didn't lessen the tension of Bonnyjean and Jax trying to rescue him. I was here only for this story, and quite honestly I could have only read this one and been satisfied.

Red Star Hustle by Sam J Miller - 2 stars. Same can't be said here. I found the writing uneven, and I still am not sure of the time, setting, or plot. These are supposedly in the same universe, but I think this took place 20,000 years after Apprehension? The only ties I found between the two stories are a passing reference to the Math Turtles and a character named Trist (but is not the little boy in Apprehension), neither of which isn't enough to convince me the stories are related. A murder kicks off the story, but quickly faded into the background of whatever the main story was, and barely got mentioned again.

[Patricia Sullivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A family trip turns into a nightmare in Apprehension, a novel that is fast paced, and fun. Bonnyjean is 78, with a bad hip, but she's now one of my new bada$$ heroes! Listen up bad guys, don't come between a grandma and her grandson. It will be the last thing you ever do.

side note: I did not read Redstar Hustle as it didn't interest me. Maybe I will later.

[Leni · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Apprehension" is truly a masterclass in storytelling AND audiobook narrating. What an absolute delight to start the year with.

[Jamie Steinberg · Rating 2 out of 5]

The double-sided read Red Star Hustle and Apprehension are a pieced together tales set in a far-off future. One tells the story of an escort who is accused of murder and the other involves a search for a kidnapped boy. Sadly, what results is one book glued together with half enjoyable storyline and half a throw away.

Aran is a high-class escort enjoying the company of an older filmmaker. Addicted to alcohol and opiates, Aran leaves his companion sleeping in search of a good time only to find himself framed for the murder of his client and in love with a clone he meets in a bar. On the run from a top-notch bounty hunter, Imadi, well known for her skills as a mech fighter (think Transformer) and addict in recovery, Aran teams up with his new boo, Resh, to clear his name.

Now, I’m no prude, but there was way too much swearing and graphic sex scenes included in Red Star Hustle. With a focus more on Aran’s escape and Resh’s tumultuous relationship with his family and his life as a clone, I would have enjoyed the novella of space adventure a lot more. Yes, author Sam J. Miller does a decent job of making the tale investible; however, the above was a genuine distraction. What I loved most though was that Miller made it known that love knows no class, race, origin story, etc. Although, my favorite part was Imadi’s hidden past and her tumultuous relationship with her mother.

Red Star Hustle is the flip side to Apprehension – the latter being the more enjoyable tale. Flip the book over to learn take on a tale with more depth and heart.

Apprehension tells the short story of a family on a much needed vacation that is upended by a kidnapping and the need to thwart a murder plot. Author Mary Robinette Kowal crafts an investable sci-fi adventure that is infused with heart and the true meaning of family.

Bonnyjean, an elderly neurosurgeon with a bum hip, has taken her son-in-law Jax and her six-year-old grandson Tristan on a sorely needed vacation. All her grieving the loss of Sam – Bonnyjean’s daughter, Jax’s wife and Tristan’s mom (who was also Jax’s partner in the music group Math Turtles). Unfortunately, the moment they step off their ship into the alien world of Namhatanu they find themselves in trouble. Tristan is kidnapped and Bonnyjean throws herself into getting him back and stop a lawmaker from being murdered.

Our heroine Bonnyjean comes with a fascinating backstory, which helped propel Kowal’s storyline and make it investable as she was once a special forces operative held as a POW on Namhatanu! Not content with sitting back and letting the alien police force get her beloved Tristan back, Bonnyjean enters the fray and immerses herself in avoiding her grief over Sam by seeking to save the life of her grandson – at all costs hip be damned.

Apprehension is quite the page turner and heartfelt story of the lengths you go to for the love of family. Readers will put their own hearts into page after page to see if Bonnyjean can thwart the bad guys and bring her beloved Tristan home.

[Graff Fuller · Rating 3 out of 5]

Red Star Hustle / Apprehension by Mary Robinette Kowal, Sam J. Miller

3.5 Stars

dark reflective sad tense

Medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters are a main focus: Yes

This book/story was both surprising and disappointing.

First, I was wanting to start with Mary Robinette Kowal's book, Apprehension...because I was apprehensive to read an author that I knew NOTHING about, but wanted to start with an author that I've read a lot from, and truly enjoyed.

Okay. I've rated the overall book experience as a 3.5 Stars.

The way the book is formatted, the first story was from Sam J. Miller and Red Star Hustle. Ugh. Not what I wanted to read first, but BECAUSE of the way it was formatted, I decided to read his story, first.

In a LOT of ways, that worked out wonderfully.

Finished the first story (Red Star Hustle), out of the duology. It was interesting seeing the world through a seventy-eight year old woman, surgeon and soldier from a planetary war...suffering from PTSD. Loved the story...rating it 4.25 Stars. Now, excited about reading the second story, Apprehension.

Okay, that worked out.

Now, take it away...Mary. Oops. I meant to say...please take this story away. I did NOT like it...at all. I rated the story at 2.75 Stars. The characters were not likeable (which is okay), but I also didn't enjoy the tale she was telling. Too many things about this story just ruffled my feathers.

I like a dual narrative, but I only liked one end of the story, and couldn't wait to get out of the other narrative, to get back to the one that was more interesting.

By the end, the conclusion was "meh", and I felt that I had wasted my time.

If I had read Apprehension, first (like I was planning on doing), I most probably would've DNFd the book...and never had read Red Star Hustle. Thank goodness for the way it was formatted.

I also was hoping for mor connections between the two stories.

Now that I'm finished, I will be looking for other novels written by Sam J. Miller, but that does not mean I will not read any more Mary Robinette Kowal. It was just THIS story, it wasn't for me. It had motivations and characters that didn't work for me. On the other hand, these character may be what everyone else wants...and that is okay. Reading is subjective. What doesn't work for me, may be EXACTLY what works for another (and even MANY others).

Okay...thank you for the eArc, #NetGalley. I hope this is helpful.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

TL;DR: Apprehension was a huge win, Red Star Hustle not so much.
Source: NetGalley & Physical Arc - Thank you to the publisher!!

Plot: Both of these are sci-fi thrillers with a focus on family.
Characters: I adored Apprehensions smaller cast, while Red Star Hustle packed far too many together to get attached.
Setting: Both had a solid setting with a good variety of places to explore.
Science Fiction: Apprehension had a harder, traditional edge of military sci-fi that worked great while Red Star Hustle edged into the science fantasy corner of the genre.

Thoughts:

I think perhaps if this had been just Mary Robinette Kowal’s story I would have given this close to a five star. As it is this is going to be sitting somwhere between a 3 and 3.5 for me. Both stories focus on family in some way. In Apprehension we see a grandmother and her son in law saving their son after stumbling into a political assassination plot. In Red Star Hustle we see a sex worker (very quickly) build a found family of overpowered individuals after being framed for murder.

Apprehension was fantastic. I found it well paced and plotted. Mary Robinette Kowal writes amazingly lovely female characters that I cheer for and love. She gives them depth, in this one Bonnyjean is a grandmother but also a former soldier visting the planet she former served on. Bonnyjean has PTSD, an elderly body, and grief to grapple with and it’s done so well. I had no complaints.

Red Star Hustle on the other hand follows a young man, Aran as he’s framed for murdering his client. The story spirals somewhat out of control as he finds a rogue clone of an Emperor with nearly limitless powers, a fighter mech pilot who was meant to capture him and instead helps him, and more as they become caught up in a plot that doesn’t really get solved? But enough stuff blows up that it does? There was so much constantly being added to this story that we didn’t have a solid grasp on everything we had. At the same time our time skips and jumps made it obvious nothing was truly going to hurt our main characters. I was somewhat bored by the end.

All and all, Apprehension is 100% worth the read here. I don’t know about Red Star Hustle but give it a shot. If nothing else I can say you’ll love at least half this double feature.

[Chesli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two stories in one! Once you finish one tale, you just have to flip the book to find yourself lost in a different one. I have to shout out the packaging on this 2-in-1 book because there's something quite fun about the split cover and flipping the book for a new read.

Now for the content. I've been a fan of Mary Robinette Kowal's work, so I knew what to expect. Sam J. Miller's voice was a new one to find, and I'd be interested to see some of his standalone works.

Apprehension (Mary Robinette Kowal) really worked for me. She has a knack for placing you in the world seamlessly without infodumping; her world-building feels very organic and believable. I mean, introducing a race of aliens with its own language, religion, and cultural norms AND touching on geo-political issues in Namhatanu via a space vacation is no small feat! This, paired with dealing with loss, grief, fear, and PTSD, and culminating in moments of understanding and catharsis, makes it all very human. I'd probably rate this one 4 or 4.25 on its own.

Red Star Hustle (Sam J. Miller) was a read I had to chew on a bit more. We primarily have two points of view that we bounce back and forth between. It starts as an assassination conspiracy/framing wombo-combo with a manhunt for the individual who has been falsely accused; however, it then expands to encompass large company/family strife and political upheaval. There are A LOT of components here that really work for me; however, I feel like we should have had a Saga Double specifically for this story, with one side being Aran's story and the other side being Imadi's. There's so much world-building, magic/science system building, and family struggles being introduced that there almost isn't enough space for it to settle or breathe. As with Apprehension, we do look at some heavier and very human themes amidst the sci-fi backdrop and mech battles; we touch on queer identities and relationships, addiction, trauma, abuse, and familial burdens. I want more! I'd probably rate this one as a 3.5 or 3.75 just for some pacing and world-building issues, but I AM interested to see more from this author.

Between the two books, I would feel like a 3.75-ish would suffice, but we'll round up to a solid 4.

[Oreotalpa]

Really wish I could rate these separately. Listened on audio.

Red Star Hustle: ** (it was okay)

It didn't bore or annoy me into a DNF and it didn't make me angry, but I also don't think it was good. Tens of thousands of years in the future humanity has overcome racism and homophobia (as long as you're in space and not in a backwards planet) and forgotten where Earth is, calling it "Planet Zero"...but they're using very 2020s internet culture slang and referencing Avatar: The Last Airbender?

It also features two tropes I hate: (1) characters "falling in love" to the point of risking their lives for each other within a couple days. Even more improbably, one is a high-class sex worker, although apparently almost all of his clients are lovely people he cares about; he also sells their secrets for corporate espionage purposes. And yet he "falls in love" almost instantly with a guy he meets in a bar, because he's an addict, which brings me to (2), the trope I hate even more than insta-love: the AA view of the world where being an addict is a trait rather than a state, and if you are an addict you will always and forever be an addict and everything is an addiction: drugs, alcohol, mech-fighting, excitement, sex, love, power. I'm sure this resonates with a lot of people and that's great, but it does not resonate with me.

All three POV characters are "addicts." It's exhausting.

That said, it's not a 1-star from me because despite the overstuffed tropiness and the as-you-know-Bob infodumping, there's a moderately interesting plot and I like the characters when they're not navel-gazing about their addictions or being in love with someone they met yesterday.

I did not find it particularly "spicy" or shockingly graphic. If you have ever read a typical romance novel in your life, you'll find this very tame. I was much more bothered by the extremely 2020s internet slang and cultural references in a setting this far in the future.

The audiobook has 3 narrators, one of them Kevin R. Free, who is great for the Murderbot books but kind of unremarkable here. None of them particularly stand out in either a good way or a bad way.

Apprehension: DNF

Objectively, this is a much better novella than Red Star Hustle, and I might have enjoyed it had I read it in print. I did not enjoy the audio performance (particularly the utterly grating voice for the little boy) and it failed to engage me. I can't figure out if I don't like Kowal much as a writer or if I just don't like her as a narrator - I suppose I should give one of her books a go in print before I give up.

[Lorelei · Rating 4 out of 5]

Did you know that Saga Press does a line of "Doubles" books, where they pair two stories on opposite sides of the book? I got this as a digital ARC, but you really need to look up the actual book design, because it looks amazing.

Apprehension, by Mary Robinette Kowal, follows grandmother Bonnyjean as she goes on vacation with her son-in-law and grandson Tristan. In a misunderstanding of monstrous proportions, Tristan is kidnapped by terrorists who think Bonnyjean has learned of their plot. Lucky for us, Bonnyjean was something of a special ops badass when she was younger… if only it weren’t for her pesky hip issues. And occasional flashbacks. And a serious case of overwhelming grief. Still she overcomes and conquers, a realistic, sympathetic, total badass. Liam Neeson, eat your shorts. In all seriousness though, I can't overemphasize the work and talent it takes to flesh out a character so thoroughly in a novella. By the end I felt like I'd spent a full length novel getting to know Bonnyjean.

In Red Star Hustle by Sam J Miller, Aran is a high-class escort with a heart of gold. When his famous client is murdered, he's framed for the crime and goes on the run. It's very sci-fi crime noir. Add in clones, mech fights, and crippling addiction, and you have a crazy, busy, adventurous love story.

Both are crime stories in a sci-fi setting but I think what really makes them stand out is the amazing characterization. Neither of our heroes are stereotypical action superstars. The simple act of climbing the stairs is a serious undertaking for Bonnyjean. Aran is an addict who struggles daily against his own self-sabotaging habits. They both surmount enormous obstacles, physical, emotional, and psychological, in order to save the day, and they don't do it alone.

NetGalley and Saga Press were kind enough to let me read the digital ARC of these stories in exchange for my honest opinions, and I'm grateful. I loved this, and I've already preordered the physical book because I really HAVE to have that awesome dual book design in my hands and on my shelf.

[Anjali · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm finding it odd and somewhat frustrating that there is no way to review these two novellas separately, because my reading experience of Apprehension and Red Star Hustle was rather divided. So, I shall review them separately within this review, and I'm arbitrarily assigning one star rating to them both.

Apprehension - 5 stars. I think most people know what a huge fan I am of Mary Robinette Kowal, and I already knew I was going to love this as soon as I heard her read an excerpt of it at Worldcon this summer. The moment I realized that Apprehension was a science fiction retelling of one of my favorite movies, The Man Who Knew Too Much, I almost squealed out loud with excitement. Kowal takes the bones of that plot and transforms them into the thoroughly engaging story of an old retired soldier, Bonnyjean, visiting the planet where she was once held as a P.O.W., with her bereaved son-in-law and beloved young grandson in tow. Kowal's ability to thoroughly flesh out Bonnyjean's character, create an interesting alien race and planet, and construct an exciting, fast-paced plot all in the space of a novella is remarkable, and I would love to read more about Bonnyjean's past (fingers crossed!).

Red Star Hustle - 2.5 stars. This just wasn't for me. It was well written with interesting world building, but I just couldn't get interested in the plot or characters. I pushed through to finish it, but it was a struggle. I had previously DNF'd Blackfish City, so I think this author just isn't for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Saga Press for a digital review copy.

[Penny lurkykitty · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is the binding together of two unrelated and completely different novellas. A "Double".
Apprehension by Mary Robinette Kowal, is a fast-paced sci-fi thriller which follows Bonnyjean, a 78-year-old neurosurgeon with former military experience, PTSD, and an arthritic hip. When she is on vacation, revisiting the planet of her military service and experience as a POW, with her son-in-law and grandson, a misunderstanding leads to the kidnapping of her grandson. Bonnyjean must use her decades old knowledge of the planet and training to track down her grandson and prevent an assassination. Bonnyjean was an absolutely determined, clever, badass who pushed through her pain to save her family. An admirable strong female protagonist with lots of grit. It's great to see senior characters in scifi as the genre tends to skew young.
Red Star Hustle by Sam J. Miller is also fast paced but also tech heavy and sexy. It primarily follows Aran, a high-class escort who is framed for the murder of a prominent client. He quickly finds himself hunted and in over his head. He also finds unexpected allies, found family and love. This story is pure adrenaline packed with betrayals, intrigue, planet hopping and mech battles. Miller also tackles addiction, trauma and abuse, not an easy task in a novella. I loved the queer rep.
I loved both these stories and ate them up. I am inspired to read more from both these authors.
Thank you to Saga Press, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, for the free copy for review.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Red Star Hustle: 3 stars:
This story is such a chaotic, messy story, and I feel like this is by design, but the way it jumped between perspectives every few pages kept me from getting fully grounded in any character. I did appreciate the care between some of the characters, and the way the book took a deep look at addiction, and I also appreciated that I could see tiny elements of Jewish inspiration threaded through the customs and culture of one group of characters. Ultimately, however, it was hard to get to the end of this one.

Apprehension: 5 stars:
I beta read an earlier version of this story, which makes it hard for me to rate it as I knew a lot of what would happen before I began reading. That having been said, the last parts of this story made me cry, even though I'd read those scenes before. The protagonist is in her 70s, dealing with physical limitations that come with aging - mainly a bad hip - and trying to rescue her grandson from having been kidnapped while also mourning the recent loss of her daughter. I appreciate the presence of an older protagonist who still kicks butt, and also the many threads of this story that the protagonist is working through: grief, past trauma, trying to rescue her grandson, etc. There's a lot packed into this novella sized space. My biggest critique is that I wish it were a little longer so some aspects of the story could have more room to breathe.

[Christopher Gerrib · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a revival of an old format, the "double." It's two short novels bound into one book back-to-back, such that there are two front covers and no back cover. They are both space operas with intergalactic spies and intrigues and both have multiple queer characters. I'll review both separately in the order that I read them.

Apprehension

This is the quieter of the two. Our narrator, Bonnyjean, is 78 and has a bad hip. 40 years ago, she was a soldier at war, and now, with her grieving son-in-law and small grandchild, she's returned to the alien world she fought on. Intrigue and action happen.

I found this engaging because the characters were so well-written. Bonnyjean is very believable, competent without being a superhero, and not all of the villains are actually villains.

Red Star Hustle

This is a full-on Space Opera. We have two point-of-view characters, Aran, a rentboy, and Imadi, who's the daughter / underling of the head of a private security company. There's rather more explicit sex and a lot of exploding spaceships in this one. It's entertaining but a bit cartoony at times. (To be fair, the author winks at this - a fictional cartoon character is used as a mascot.)

They are both well worth your time.

[Theresa Kelsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Saga Press, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, for the free copy for review.

Apprehension: 4 Stars
A queer normative, sci fi, mystery with a badass 78 year old FMC. Absolute yes. At 172 pages, this novella doesn't have a ton of time to explore the world history & politics as deep as I would have liked, but you get enough to enjoy the story. The mystery plot was good, but I was really drawn to the themes of grief, regret, and family. I love a queer normative story. Everyone introduced themselves with their pronouns and no one blinked an eye at the homosexual or even hetero-planetary species couples.

Red Star Hustle: Review to come

Note: I do hate that these are 1 book on Goodreads. They are two separate stories with separate authors just bound together. I will be rating them separately & counting it as 2 books in my reading goal.

Finally, The cover of this book is stunning & super cool. Both sides are unique but go together so well. This is my first dual book I own and I might be obsessed.

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

So far I’ve just read I read Mary Robinette Kowal’s excellent novella Apprehension in this twofer book. The title has double meaning because the first person narrator’s grandson is kidnapped and of course that causes apprehension in the family.
She says it is a bit of a nod to Hitchcock and I can see that. But it is another excellent story of hers that has its own flavor. It seems to be set in the same universe, more or less, as her The Spare Man.
She had read the first chapter to us at one of the panels at Worldcon in Seattle in August! That’s when I knew I had to read it! (The book was just recently released.)
The first person narrator is a former soldier woman who is 78 and has a bad hip! Once again Kowal (as in The Spare Man) does a fantastic job in describing pain! Better than any author I’ve read lately. Also she does a great job describing PTSD.
The plot is well done. The characters are excellently done, particularly the alien, humanoid Herls.
Strongly recommended!

After I read the Sam Miller story backed with Apprehension I will add to this review.

[Joshua Del Toro · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay so here's the thing, I loved Apprehension by Mary Robinette Kowal (5/5), I DNFed Red Star Hustle by Sam J. Miller. So rating this double is a bit difficult. I think I'll do 3/5. The review for both stories is below:

Both stories are crime stories with scifi settings.

Apprehension had an alien species living amongst humans. It's about an older woman, still mourning the loss of her daughter, who goes on vacation with her son in law & grandson and gets swept into a conspiracy they had nothing to do with. The main characters hidden past starts to come to light to her family of what she really went throughout the war. It deals beautifully with what it's like to age and not be able to do what we once use to do. This story got me emotional when I wasn't expecting it.

Red Star Hustle follows an escort who is being framed for murder. Here's the thing - I don't enjoy spicy scenes / explicit things in my books - just a personal preference. So because of that I ended up DNFing this story, though I do think the story seemed/sounds fantastic.