Sleeper Ship

The Rim Confederacy #2

by Jim Rudnick

"As penance for not being honest with his Admiral, Captain Tanner Scott has been sent on a boring routine maintenance mission of checking the RIM boundary buoys one after another and that lets him enjoy his Scotch in peace.Imagine his surprise when a Sleeper ship suddenly arrives on the RIM and he learns that the thousands of alien Sleepers are all children! While making that known has already gotten RIM Confederacy realms fighting, the real hidden problem is the secret that a virus infects the alien Sleepers.Finding out the Sleeper's secret is one thing but the news of what that virus could bring to the RIM and what it might do is the real reason that a powerful RIM Royal realm wants to enslave the alien Sleepers.When Captain Scott realizes that another RIM planetary realm has also learned what the virus could be worth, they too try to take over the Sleeper ship and that means that Tanner can't as per usual self-medicate with Scotch but instead has to overcome the RIM's adversaries and somehow save the alien Sleepers too!"

Genres: Science Fiction, Audiobook, Space Opera

299 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 30, 2015

About the author

"Being a youngster in the 1950's meant that I was a voracious reader in what has been called the Golden Age of Science Fiction. That meant that for me, my heroes were not on the hockey rink or gridiron - but instead in my local Library where at 12 I had a full Adult card (thanks Dad!) and took out more than 5 books a week.

Everyone from Heinlein, Norton, Leiber, Pohl, Anderson, Simak, Asimov, Brackett, Van Vogt and more....I fell in love with and eventually owned Ace Doubles of my own. While I never knew who wrote the Tom Corbett - Space Cadet series, I fell in love with them and they had a place of honor on my own bookcase too!

With that kind of an introduction to Science Fiction, it's no wonder that when got my writing work done, I turned my own fictional side of my brain to writing same. It's one thing I know to write - and a totally different matter to release same to the world - something that I've just started to work on....suffice it to say my own works are rooted in that Golden Age and it's that era that I'd like to one day be known as a teensy contributor to in some small way..."

Reviews

[Richie Lewis · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wasn't paying great attention while reading this, but it felt all over the place and then ended suddenly. I think the chapters got mixed up somewhere between pen and print. Maybe Tanner isn't the only one with a Scotch obsession? I think that's why I like this anthology.. It's just mental.

[Jas · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the first in the Series of Rim Confederacy, although, the Captain Scott’s love affair with Scotch did wear a little thin by the end of the first book.
Things didn’t change on that front in this book – but I have to admit, it was used differently in this book, and wasn’t so intense.
Rudnick has created a wonderful Universe to create his story in, with the Rim Navy, the Royals, and various other Rim players that make up a ‘Council’ as well as the usual Pirates and ‘Alien’ races.
In this book, Scott and his crew are being punished for how things played out at the end of the last story, and are sent to check out all the perimeter buoys. Whilst on this mission, they encounter a Sleeper Ship, a ship full of a race that has left their planet with the aim of finding a new place to claim as a home. The last Sleeper Ship found by the Rim Navy had disastrous consequences, so this time Scott is tasked with resolving things without incident.
This time however, the Sleeper Ship has a secret that will send the Rim into Meltdown (sorry No Spoilers), and between the Barony, the Rim Navy, another Council member and the Sleeper Ship themselves, things get very interesting.
This is a really intriguing and cleverly written story, with lots of different angles, political intrigue and some fascinating interpersonal play between the main Characters.
Rudnick writes some really fascinating Characters, but the best parts of these books are the interplay between Captain Scott and Lady St August. They seem to despise each other, and yet constantly keep getting thrown together for missions, resulting in some often amusing confrontations and conversations.
I was critical of the drinking in the first book as it seemed to dominate a lot of the plot and book without much purpose, but in this book, we start to get a feel that the drinking is a real escape for Scott and a coping mechanism for what he has been through, and as a functioning alcoholic, he needs it to get through his day. However, there are some really clever bits of writing in this book around his drinking that led you a better understanding of what is going on, and it is used very well in the conversations with other characters as well as the plots.
The other great thing in this book, without trying to give too much away, is the Alien Ship. Rudnick has done a wonderful job of creating a race that is unique, but still similar to the rest of the universe. The Sleepers are such a fascinating and creative people, with this amazing background and culture that Rudnick has developed and explores as a part of his story, giving his book so much more depth.
My only complaint about this story, would probably be that I felt that the ending was a little rushed, and felt like it was left with several unanswered questions. However, this is not enough to detract from the overall story.
This was a really great book, and a fantastic sequel to Pirates. If you enjoyed Pirates, you will really enjoy Sleeper Ship.

[Bookwyrm Speaks · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second book in a 6 book series dealing with a space navy Captain named Tanner Scott. A brilliant combat commander, he has severe issues with alcoholism and lingering PTSD from a battle that had accidental deaths he was involved with. In this book, a Sleeper ship carrying aliens is traveling through Rim Space, and the local regional govenment, the Barony, and The Confederacy are all trying to make a play for the aliens to come to them, since they apparently have a disease that makes them effectively immortal.Back room machinations and bullets flying action is in store. Really great characterizations as always, especially Captain Scott and Lady St. August. Their interplay is very well written. The plotting is fast paced, anyou left wanting more when the book is over, always a good sign. Eric Martin does a great job bringing the characters to life, never letting the action flag. Any fans of Jack Campbell or H. Paul Honsinger should enjoy this series.

I was given a review copy of this book free of charge in return for an honest review through Audiobookblast.

[Warren Clay Church III · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once again Jim Rudnick has equalled my high expectations in this second book of the Rim Confederacy. I am happy to give this book five stars, it certainly deserves such a

rating. When I was a kid I enjoyed the Hardy Boys mysteries, it's with that same enthusiasm that I read this series.

[M.L. · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found this book to be a letdown. It seems to be even sparser with action and content, with the book ending at a rather sudden and anti-climactic note. This doesn't even seem to be a complete book in my eyes.

[Caroline · Rating 2 out of 5]

another story that was OK, better than the first book.