Skyjacked

by Shirley Golden

Separated from his son, only a galaxy stands between him and home... The year is 2154, and Corvus Ranger, space pilot and captain of the Soliton, embarks on a penal run to Jupiter's prison moon, Europa. It should be another routine drop, but a motley band of escaped convicts have other ideas. When Soliton is hijacked, Corvus is forced to set a new destination, one which is far from Earth and his son. Unable to fight (or smooth talk) his way to freedom, Corvus finds himself tied to the plans of the escapees, including their leader Isidore and a gifted young boy who seems to possess strange abilities. Desperate to return to Earth and the son he left behind, Corvus is thrown into the ultimate adventure, a star-strewn odyssey where the greatest enemy in the universe may very well be himself.

Genres: Science Fiction

320 pages, Paperback

First published March 28, 2016

Reviews

[Tracey-anne McCartney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Devoured! Read in a day!

Firstly, I really enjoyed the early prospect of meeting 'other' lifeforms and experiencing the wonder of a new, mysterious planet. The story is written in a way that will not lose or bore a non-sci-fi reader, which shows the talent of this author. It can be extremely difficult to write complex ideas, simply. Shirley Golden has mastered this to a 'T'.

The main character, Corvus, grows on you. His cockiness will resonate with the reader as we all know someone who, in order to cope with the madness of life, adapts a carefree attitude. Initially, he doesn't seem to take anything seriously, apart from his mission to keep a promise and get back to his son on earth, but that changes.

Throughout this book, I loved the humour and found myself giggling often. I could perfectly picture certain situations and characters playing out the scenes in my mind ~ great imaginative writing.

I also really liked how Jan developed as a character. All of the characters had great depth, which brought them to life. You can't help but get drawn in by their stories.

Lupi 9. Hmm, the scent of frangipani. I could definitely spend some time there. :o)

It wasn't my intention to read this book in a day, but the story pulled me in and I didn't want to leave. My fingers just kept on turning the pages! Gravity at it's best. Fabulous!

The ending was a surprise, which I really enjoyed. Not predictable in any way.

Author Beware: If I don't get book two soon, I'm going to go off like an 'aFP' Zelta 4, possibly 5! :o) More please, and very soon.

Highly recommended.

P.S I wonder what my fur babies would make of a Datox? I want one.

[Adrian · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a pleasure to read and like an earlier reviewer I finished it within 24 hours as the story moved along at a quick pace with enough twists to keep me wanting to carry on reading to find out more. Science Fiction it may be but the technology was an enabler to the story rather than and end in itself, something that was reflected in Bryce's attitude to tech, and the book certainly benefited from this as it allowed much more focus on the characters of the main protagonists.
The character development was well handled and always credible even when radical changes took place. This is very much a character driven story with interplanetary travel as its backdrop and as such is much more satisfying to read. Without wishing to reinforce gender stereotypes I think the reader can tell that the author is female and this shines through in the characters and their developing relationships.
I can honestly say that I am very much looking forward to the next installment of Corvus.

[Jo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Corvis Ranger has let almost everyone in his life down. Now after promising to be at his sons birthday party in a week he is skyjacked by a group of convicts and has to fly to the other side of the galaxy. No matter what he does he cannot make it back in time. This is fun space opera with a twist at the end. Pick it up for a fun read.

[Robert Enright · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Sci-fi is good, it's very good. And this is spot on!

Skyjacked, the debut novel by Shirley Golden, is a wonderful, intelligent and down-right enthralling sci-fi epic that, as a big sci-fi fan, hooked me from the get go!

Corvus Ranger, a Han Solo type pilot, finds himself on a quick run to a space prison for some extra cash. Upon a arrival, he is 'skyjacked' by escaping prisoners who are not what they seem. The way Golden merges these characters together into a ship and not lose sight of what their arc's are, is a testament to her writing ability. Every character was different, all of them have a key role to play and all of them are extremely likeable.

The plot has some great moments and the casual use of sci-fi jargon and futuristic technology is not only a wonderful feature of the book, it also shows Golden's confidence in her idea. She isn't just building a world, she is building a universe. I did get a little confused with the space aliens, they seemed a little too similar to each other which I would have liked a little more differentiation.

This book is a real gem and I cannot wait for the series to continue. It's too easy to compare anything 'spacey' to Star Wars and this is it's own story, with it's own lore and worlds. And I hope Golden can continue to expand upon it as this is a contender for one of my best reads this year!

A MUST READ FOR SCI-FI FANS!!

[Wozzey · Rating 5 out of 5]

My first sci-fi read - EVER! Courtesy of Urbane Publications. The main character, Corvus Ranger, reminded me of a long-distance lorry driver, but in space, to which I easily related. Plot twists are great. Never guessed the end either. Well-written. Definitely worth reading. I will be purchasing book two.

[Neil · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free copy via Netgalley in exchange for a honest review.
I thoroughly enjoyed this story. The characters had great depth and interaction with enough of my type of humour.
It a great adventure and cannot wait to read the next in the series.

[Rouchswalwe · Rating 4 out of 5]

A superb space adventure propelled by interesting characters. I'm so glad I picked this up. Please keep writing Ms. Golden! I'm looking forward to further flights.

[John Purvis · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Skyjacked” eBook was published in 2016 and was written by Shirley Golden (http://www.shirleygolden.net). This is Ms. Golden’s first novel.

I received a galley of this novel for review through https://www.netgalley.com. I categorize this novel as ‘PG’ because it contains scenes of Violence and Mature Situations. This novel is set in 2154 when humanity has spread to the stars. The primary character is Corvus Ranger, a pilot with his own ship that operates just on the line between the law and being a criminal.

On a legal run transporting prisoners to the Europa prison colony, Ranger and his ship are taken over by escaping convicts. He is forced to pilot them far from Earth on a mission he does not understand. In addition to Ranger, there are Isidore, Shai, Josh and Bryce, inmates on Europa who are escaping. Warren and Janelle are among those Ranger had been transporting. Now the seven are on the run together.

Ranger is not happy at having his ship taken, but most importantly he is mad at Isidore and the others for keeping him from seeing his 10 year old son on his birthday. He had promised to be there and, for once, he had intended to keep his promise to see his son and estranged girlfriend.

As they encounter a few dangerous situations along their journey, secrets about the various passengers come out. Not all are as they first appeared to be. They also discover secrets that the “Core” (government) has been keeping from its citizens.

I enjoyed the 8+ hour I spent reading this 265 page Science Fiction novel. The characters were an interesting mix that made me think of the crew of “Firefly”. I liked the plot, but was surprised when the authored wrapped it up rather than laying an obvious path to a sequel. The Ranger character was not one of my favorite heroic characters. He would not be a person I would choose to befriend. I give this novel a 4 out of 5.

Further book reviews I have written can be accessed at https://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/.

[Laura Wilkinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

First off, a disclaimer: This is not my usual genre; I have read sci-fi but nowhere near as much as I’ve read other genres. I read Skyjacked because I enjoy and admire Shirley Golden’s short stories. And I’m delighted to report that this, her debut novel, is every bit as excellent as those short stories. Oh boy, did I enjoy the read. Others have summarised the plot, so I won’t do that here. Instead I’ll suggest why you might enjoy this book whether you’re a fan of space operas or not. First off pace: Skyjacked is a cracking adventure that zips along as fast as our hero’s ship, the Soliton, with enough surprises to keep you totally gripped. The future world built within these pages is fully formed and as a result believable. There’s just enough science, gadget and gizmo creation to propel you forward in time, without blinding or confusing you with technology and weird names which, if you’re like me, you’ll struggle to remember, let alone buy into. The writing is taut, lean, and deceptively simple. But, for me, what lifts this book well above ordinary are the characters and themes. Nuanced, complex and compelling, they brought to mind those of the late, great Iain M Banks’ books, Consider Phlebas and The Player of Games. People much like you and me, obsessed, thwarted and dignified by very human concerns. Brilliant. Buy it.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally reviews at West Coast Book Reviews

Skyjacked by Shirley Golden was exactly the read I needed. I'd finished a couple of amazing books and was stumped with what to pick up next and skipped over a ton of books before cracking open Skyjacked. I love the cover; the lone figure contrasted against the alien planet scape. The bold, one-word title fits perfectly.

This SF takes a clever assortment of characters and confines them on Soliton, Corvus' ship. Golden cleanly defines her characters, pointing out the pointy parts of their personalities, and then throws them in together. Skyjacked has constant action and fluid character dynamic as they succeed, fail or find redemption.

I really liked Isidore, Shai and Janelle. The three female leads in the story displayed confidence and strength. I felt Golden nicely setup and supported them, then let them go at it. Their decisions felt genuine and natural.

Corvus' 'lone wolf' thing made me want to elbow him at times but as I came to understand his pieces, I became protective of him though he'd never admit to needing it =)

All together a really enjoyable SF. Recommended!

[Mark Mayes · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this science-fiction novel so much. The main reason, as with most if not all books, was the characters and the relationships between them. I have read hardly any science fiction before, but always loved watching the original Star Trek series as a child, and in Skyjacked there is that same quality of attention towards character development and character depth that made the former so compelling. In Skyjacked, you care about the characters, their plight, their back-story, and their (often conflicting) desires.

Another good reason to read this book is for its humour, which is never forced or farcical, but most deftly gives the story the necessary touches of lightness and warmth to make you care and need to go on reading. The non-human or partially human characters that end up on Corvus’s ship, as part of its motley crew, are utterly sympathetic, and allow another perspective as to what it means to be human.

Shirley Golden takes you on a charming, exciting, and memorable journey, not just through space and strange worlds, but into the hearts, longings, and fears of the characters she has created. Corvus’s pride and joy, the spaceship Soliton, is described in such depth that I feel I’ve been on it. The ending was brilliantly handled, and sets the stage for the next in this series featuring Corvus Ranger.

[Brenda Mcallister · Rating 2 out of 5]

While on a run delivering prisoners to Europa, the Core's prison, Corvus is hijacked by four people on the run. Josh, a young teen, is a mind reader, Shai is an AI construct, Bryce is human and Isidore is an alien. Isidore is the leader and they have just escaped from prison. They are joined by 2 prisoners from Corvus's ship, Janelle and Warren, husband and wife and ex Core employees. Isidore has a destination in mind, a super secret planet populated by people with talents.
Much of this book is totally unbelievable within the setting the author has created. Although the escapees were isolated in prison for years they know all the latest technology. First Bryce read the data then he couldn't read. There's talk of cooking meals on a journey that takes months or years with no source of fresh food. They all have their own rooms on a one man ship that usually carries Corvus, two guards at most and prisoners or cargo in the hold. Amazing how the ship had all the latest gadgets but he had no money. Only Corvus, Janelle and Warren come across as real characters.
Good points are it has action and humor, so if you don't care about logic it might be OK.
The ending created the biggest problem, if as indicated, this was to continue. Corvus would have a completely different life. If he actually changed, he wouldn't be there for them to hijack. If he didn't change, who would want to read about him again?

[Rosie Amber · Rating 4 out of 5]

Skyjacked is an easy read scifi suitable for a wider reading audience. It begins in 2146 with a young boy undergoing experiments for an energy which he emits, and his ability to "read" others.

The book then continues eight years later. We meet Corvus a spaceship pilot. He is about to take some prisoners to a penal colony on Europa, however once arrived he finds a small coup and he and his spaceship are hijacked. Four ex-prisoners take Corvus and two of those he was transporting and set off for an unknown planet.

Needing fuel, they encounter a planet of A1 Robots and Corvus' instincts about one of his captors come true. On another planet when searching for water they are waylaid by pollen from mysterious plants. Attempts to reach out for rescue invite dangerous aliens and the action increases when they set off on a rescue mission.

There's enough action and character relationship developments to keep the pace interesting. The quantity of scifi gizmos and gadgets is enough without it being overwhelming. Overall an enjoyable quick read.

[book_witch84 · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliantly written fantasy sci-fi novel.
The characters are likeable and develop as the storyline goes on and the story is engaging and full of action and adventure
Can't wait to read the next one from Shirley Golden