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Diving Universe #5
The Falls
Fleet sector bases close as the Fleet moves on. Everyone knows and expects it. But still, the announcement that Sector Base E-2 will close—although still thirty years in the future—breeds a mood of tension and anxiety. So, when Rajivk Agwu finds two pairs of shoes on a trail near Fiskett Falls, but no sign of their occupants, his already heightened senses warn of danger. Those on the base fare no better. Bristol Iannazzi, working on the notoriously delicate anacapa drive for a runabout, also notices something strange, something out of place, something dangerous… Expanding the rich history of Kristine Kathryn Rusch’s captivating Diving universe, The Falls provides an exciting and crucial backstory for future events. “Kristine Kathryn Rusch is best known for her Retrieval Artist series, so maybe you’ve missed her Diving Universe series. If so, it’s high time to remedy that oversight.” —Don Sakers, Analog “The Diving Universe, conceived buy Hugo-Award winning author Kristine [Kathryn] Rusch is a refreshingly new and fleshed out realm of sci-fi action and adventure. And the latest offering…doesn’t disappoint.” —Dave Dickinson, Astroguyz, on Skirmishes “Action-packed and filled with twists yet allowing the reader to understand the motives of the key players, Skirmishes is another intelligent exciting voyage into the Rusch Diving universe.” —Midwest Book Review on Skirmishes
392 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 25, 2016
33 people are currently reading
144 people want to read
About the author
Kristine Kathryn Rusch
1,365 books721 followersKristine Kathryn Rusch is an award-winning mystery, romance, science fiction, and fantasy writer. She has written many novels under various names, including Kristine Grayson for romance, and Kris Nelscott for mystery. Her novels have made the bestseller lists –even in London– and have been published in 14 countries and 13 different languages.
Her awards range from the Ellery Queen Readers Choice Award to the John W. Campbell Award. In the past year, she has been nominated for the Hugo, the Shamus, and the Anthony Award. She is the only person in the history of the science fiction field to have won a Hugo award for editing and a Hugo award for fiction.
In addition, she's written a number of nonfiction articles over the years, with her latest being the book "A Freelancer's Survival Guide".
She has also published as:
Sandy Schofield (collaborations with husband Dean Wesley Smith)
Kristine Grayson - romances
Kathryn Wesley (collaborations with husband Dean Wesley Smith)
Kris Nelscott - mysteries
Kris Rusch - historical fiction
Kris DeLake - romances
Her awards range from the Ellery Queen Readers Choice Award to the John W. Campbell Award. In the past year, she has been nominated for the Hugo, the Shamus, and the Anthony Award. She is the only person in the history of the science fiction field to have won a Hugo award for editing and a Hugo award for fiction.
In addition, she's written a number of nonfiction articles over the years, with her latest being the book "A Freelancer's Survival Guide".
She has also published as:
Sandy Schofield (collaborations with husband Dean Wesley Smith)
Kristine Grayson - romances
Kathryn Wesley (collaborations with husband Dean Wesley Smith)
Kris Nelscott - mysteries
Kris Rusch - historical fiction
Kris DeLake - romances
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
November 2, 2016
For those of us who are fans of the Diving Universe and have read the series from the start The Falls will probably not be what you expect. No Boss in this one. Instead it takes the readers to a Fleet Base that is still active but about to close. There is a mystery that starts with a pair of shoes left at Flisker Falls on the same day that the final closing date for this Fleet Base was announced. While the mystery is center stage for the story it also gives a lot of backstory and world building for the rest of the series.
There are also some great characters and two events that turn out to be connected.
I enjoyed the story and wondered if it would have any tie in to the previous books in the series since this happened many years in the future, not in the time the rest of the story takes place. Listen and look careful for near the end there is something that ties the book to events in the past. Rush says in her comments she started this story to flesh out the Fleet and how it operated but she realized that she had written an entire novel to get all the information in she wanted so decided to publish it for those of us who love the series. I think it would also work as a stand-alone or an introduction to the series.
There are also some great characters and two events that turn out to be connected.
I enjoyed the story and wondered if it would have any tie in to the previous books in the series since this happened many years in the future, not in the time the rest of the story takes place. Listen and look careful for near the end there is something that ties the book to events in the past. Rush says in her comments she started this story to flesh out the Fleet and how it operated but she realized that she had written an entire novel to get all the information in she wanted so decided to publish it for those of us who love the series. I think it would also work as a stand-alone or an introduction to the series.
December 10, 2016
Set tangentially in the Diving universe, this is a very convoluted murder mystery with lots of tension and misdirection. Written from 4 or more perspectives (done well), the various investigations weave and intermingle until they all converge at the end. All of the characters, and there are many, are well developed and their personal quirks add to the story - preconceptions distract, biases interfere, etc. Plus the society of the planet, and the relationship between ground-bound and Fleet, create a complex setting.
Even when the culprit is identified, a huge mystery remains. And then the tension increases as the story morphs from mystery to thriller.
KKR has written a very different kind of book, and it is very well done. Not quite 5-stars due to the climax and resolution not as strong as the build up, with deductions for odd phrasing and repeated adjectives in many places.
Even when the culprit is identified, a huge mystery remains. And then the tension increases as the story morphs from mystery to thriller.
KKR has written a very different kind of book, and it is very well done. Not quite 5-stars due to the climax and resolution not as strong as the build up, with deductions for odd phrasing and repeated adjectives in many places.
February 16, 2020
4.5 rounding down. This was fresh for the series, and tbh I read it right around the same time as Starhawk. For two space archaeology series to both dive into a prequel of sorts at the same time (for me, at least) this is the much better one. Because it’s not about our plucky heroine in her youth, it’s about the culture that’s at the subject of all the, well, archaeology. And a strange mystery where everyone knows who dunnit but the bureaucracy is mostly what gets in the way.
November 26, 2016
This story takes place in Rusch's Diving Universe; however, Boss and her team are not involved. Instead it is a spin-off set many years earlier when The Fleet was active. I was hoping to learn more about The Fleet. But, why it existed, its mission, and what happened to it remain mysteries. Instead Kristine Kathryn Rusch gave us a science fiction who-done-it. Fortunately it is quite a good one. We get a mysterious disappearance, some very high-tech forensics, some bodies, some danger, and a mix of very-focused, hard-headed characters trying to figure it all out.
Interesting story.
Interesting story.
November 21, 2016
Great read.
Loved the characters, the plot, the resolution of the story. Imaginative, and great sci fi even tho it had little to do with the rest of the series.
Loved the characters, the plot, the resolution of the story. Imaginative, and great sci fi even tho it had little to do with the rest of the series.
June 21, 2017
The Falls is a nice change of pace for the Diving Universe series. The Falls is a murder mystery set during the time of the Fleet on a sector base. Early in the book one of the base workers (who happens to be a frequent hiker) hikes up to the massive waterfall (as in The Falls) near the sector base. He sees two pairs of shoes. Like two people decided to commit suicide by jumping into the waterfall. (Or two people were tossed over by a murderer?) He looks down and sees a body. Unfortunately, the waterfall is a major tourist attraction so this happens from time to time. So he alerts the local amateur rescue team. From the top, you can't tell whether that person is still alive and needs rescue or is already dead and just needs recovery.
I especially enjoyed this book because for most of the Diving Universe series, the Fleet is long gone. (It is continually on the move and even closes no-longer-needed sector bases while it is opening sector bases along its projected path.) Boss is the main character in the Diving Universe series. She has a space salvage business where she "dives" into shipwrecks and recovers the entire ship (if she can) or cannibalizes parts she can use on other ships.
Coop is a starship captain whose "anacapa" stardrive malfunctioned and sent him and his crew one thousand years into the future. Coop, of course, is Fleet and would like to figure out where the Fleet has gone so he can rejoin it someday.
So it is nice to have a Fleet novel to get a better sense of Coop's background.
The "anacapa" stardrives have also played a major role throughout this series. As I recall, it is alien technology and sometimes malfunctions in spectacular ways. But the humans want star travel so they put up with the "anacapa"'s faults.
The next Diving Universe series novel again features The Boss and Coop but I can tell from the title that it is a follow-up to this book. So I am very much looking forward to reading The Runabout when it comes out this October!
I especially enjoyed this book because for most of the Diving Universe series, the Fleet is long gone. (It is continually on the move and even closes no-longer-needed sector bases while it is opening sector bases along its projected path.) Boss is the main character in the Diving Universe series. She has a space salvage business where she "dives" into shipwrecks and recovers the entire ship (if she can) or cannibalizes parts she can use on other ships.
Coop is a starship captain whose "anacapa" stardrive malfunctioned and sent him and his crew one thousand years into the future. Coop, of course, is Fleet and would like to figure out where the Fleet has gone so he can rejoin it someday.
So it is nice to have a Fleet novel to get a better sense of Coop's background.
The "anacapa" stardrives have also played a major role throughout this series. As I recall, it is alien technology and sometimes malfunctions in spectacular ways. But the humans want star travel so they put up with the "anacapa"'s faults.
The next Diving Universe series novel again features The Boss and Coop but I can tell from the title that it is a follow-up to this book. So I am very much looking forward to reading The Runabout when it comes out this October!
August 29, 2018
Things are a little slow in places, particularly at the beginning before the reader gets invested in the characters and story. Rusch seems to linger on each individual emotion expressed by characters to a ponderous extent at times. As I grew to care about what was happening I saw less of this, but I don’t know if that’s because the writing settled into rhythm or I just got pulled in enough that I didn’t notice it any more. The mystery is interesting: how many bodies are there? Who’s the killer(s)? What happened to that missing ship? Will justice be served? While many of the characters weren’t made to be particularly likable, they were made sympathetic enough that they also weren’t particularly unlikable.
The setting is interesting. The Fleet originated on Earth (or so the legends say) and as it moves on throughout the universe it keeps several bases going at which it can enact repairs. As it moves on it closes down old bases and opens new ones. This is a slow and gradual process, though, resulting in generations of people living on planets who don’t necessarily even know much about the Fleet or how it works. Sandoveil, the city in which much of this story takes place, largely supports the hidden repair base nearby. It’s known as a dangerous area, but only because the natural wonders–mud flats, mountains, and falls–are dangerous places that claim the lives of careless tourists at a notable rate. It’s an almost innocent area, with little theft or crime of other sorts, until the events of the story cast everything in a new light. A lot of people’s lives are about to change.
I thought the ending was a little bit anti-climactic. That said, it was clever enough that I didn’t particularly mind.
I definitely enjoyed Ms. Rusch’s novel. I’ve read some of her short stories in anthologies before and been impressed with her work, but this is the first novel by her that I’ve read. Certainly after reading The Falls, I’d be happy to read more.
Original review posted on my blog: http://www.errantdreams.com/2018/08/r...
The setting is interesting. The Fleet originated on Earth (or so the legends say) and as it moves on throughout the universe it keeps several bases going at which it can enact repairs. As it moves on it closes down old bases and opens new ones. This is a slow and gradual process, though, resulting in generations of people living on planets who don’t necessarily even know much about the Fleet or how it works. Sandoveil, the city in which much of this story takes place, largely supports the hidden repair base nearby. It’s known as a dangerous area, but only because the natural wonders–mud flats, mountains, and falls–are dangerous places that claim the lives of careless tourists at a notable rate. It’s an almost innocent area, with little theft or crime of other sorts, until the events of the story cast everything in a new light. A lot of people’s lives are about to change.
I thought the ending was a little bit anti-climactic. That said, it was clever enough that I didn’t particularly mind.
I definitely enjoyed Ms. Rusch’s novel. I’ve read some of her short stories in anthologies before and been impressed with her work, but this is the first novel by her that I’ve read. Certainly after reading The Falls, I’d be happy to read more.
Original review posted on my blog: http://www.errantdreams.com/2018/08/r...
January 30, 2019
La serie de Diving Universe viene teniendo una tendencia de cada vez tener menos contenido por cada libro. Cada vez divaga más y hay menos densidad de historia por página. Pero este libro ya llega a un nivel inaceptable. Esto no es una novela, es un cuento corto, estirado al tamaño de una novela. Y como pasaría si estirás un pañuelo al tamaño de una toalla, te queda algo hecho mierda y lleno de agujeros.
La historia es simple: un misterio de asesinato y una nave espacial robada. Dejando de lado la parte de la nave espacial robada, el resto es cero ciencia ficción. La misma trama exactamente la podrías tener si en lugar de haberse ido en una nave espacial se iba en una lancha. Claro, no tenías toda la parte de high tech CSI en la que perdemos páginas y páginas describiendo herramientas de recolección de evidencia que no existen.
En cuanto a conexión con el resto de la serie, es casi nula. En lugar de seguir la histora de Boss y Coop y el conflicto con el Enterran Empire y la búsqueda de naves antiguas, tenemos una historia en el pasado, con la Flota en pleno apogeo, y cero conexión con el resto de la serie. Igualmente, esa supuesta conexión me hizo seguir leyendo a ver si en algún momento nos daban alguna información sobre lo que pasa en el futuro. Si te interesa y no te molestan los spoilers:
Además de todo eso tengo problemas también con el worldbuilding. Miles de años en el futuro, en un planeta re lejos, y es esencialmente cultura occidental siglo 21 IN SPACE. Y los personajes, que no hay ninguno que caiga simpático.
No sé, me saca un poco las ganas de seguir leyendo. Voy a seguir igual, porque el próximo libro vuelve a los personajes de siempre, y capaz que repunta. Pero esa tendencia a estirar un cuento corto al tamaño de una novela es la culminación de algo que ya me venía molestando en los últimos dos libros.
La historia es simple: un misterio de asesinato y una nave espacial robada. Dejando de lado la parte de la nave espacial robada, el resto es cero ciencia ficción. La misma trama exactamente la podrías tener si en lugar de haberse ido en una nave espacial se iba en una lancha. Claro, no tenías toda la parte de high tech CSI en la que perdemos páginas y páginas describiendo herramientas de recolección de evidencia que no existen.
En cuanto a conexión con el resto de la serie, es casi nula. En lugar de seguir la histora de Boss y Coop y el conflicto con el Enterran Empire y la búsqueda de naves antiguas, tenemos una historia en el pasado, con la Flota en pleno apogeo, y cero conexión con el resto de la serie. Igualmente, esa supuesta conexión me hizo seguir leyendo a ver si en algún momento nos daban alguna información sobre lo que pasa en el futuro. Si te interesa y no te molestan los spoilers:
Además de todo eso tengo problemas también con el worldbuilding. Miles de años en el futuro, en un planeta re lejos, y es esencialmente cultura occidental siglo 21 IN SPACE. Y los personajes, que no hay ninguno que caiga simpático.
No sé, me saca un poco las ganas de seguir leyendo. Voy a seguir igual, porque el próximo libro vuelve a los personajes de siempre, y capaz que repunta. Pero esa tendencia a estirar un cuento corto al tamaño de una novela es la culminación de algo que ya me venía molestando en los últimos dos libros.
January 16, 2021
The latest part in the Diving Universe series. This book doesn’t continue the storyline of the earlier books but is a kind of prequel that happens centuries before the events of the earlier installments. A fleet sector base is closing, pretty soon, in a few decades. That will shake the life of the world the base is located in. At the same time, a body of a woman is found floating beside a waterfall. Also at the same time, a shuttle that is being repaired apparently explodes. The technicians first suspect a malfunction of the anacapa drive. This makes near-instantaneous travel possible and is known to be extremely finicky and dangerous. But it turns out that it isn’t so simple.
The book basically is a murder mystery in the Diving Universe, and it has only slight connections to the earlier books of the series. Those connections hint at significant new information and possibilities; although something which was considered to be impossible might be possible after all. The writing was smooth and the book was an enjoyable read, but I did miss the characters from earlier parts of the series.
The book basically is a murder mystery in the Diving Universe, and it has only slight connections to the earlier books of the series. Those connections hint at significant new information and possibilities; although something which was considered to be impossible might be possible after all. The writing was smooth and the book was an enjoyable read, but I did miss the characters from earlier parts of the series.
February 15, 2022
The Diving Universe Reviewed.
I am not doing separate reviews, just some general remarks--this review will appear on all the Diving books starting with Stealth. I read from Stealth forward in the series through Squishy's Teams--still waiting for (and looking forward to) Chase.
So, these are very pleasant engaging reads. The Diving universe is coherent, well-imagined, and intriguing. For serious fans (what I used to call 'fan-boys', but that's too gendered) of Rusch, I recommend reading them all. For less committed readers, it is probably enough to just read the full-length novels and skip the novellas. There is some overlap between the novels and the novellas, but it is often fascinating, as when one gets to see the same incident from two different directions. But the novellas are often short and padded out to printable (sellable) length with previews or other stuff. The novels carry the whole narrative and major characters forward on their own. The novellas can be outtakes of the novels, or fun original stuff.
This is not my usual space opera. The orbital mechanics sometimes don't make sense and so on, but the writing and editing are very good.
Enjoy!
I am not doing separate reviews, just some general remarks--this review will appear on all the Diving books starting with Stealth. I read from Stealth forward in the series through Squishy's Teams--still waiting for (and looking forward to) Chase.
So, these are very pleasant engaging reads. The Diving universe is coherent, well-imagined, and intriguing. For serious fans (what I used to call 'fan-boys', but that's too gendered) of Rusch, I recommend reading them all. For less committed readers, it is probably enough to just read the full-length novels and skip the novellas. There is some overlap between the novels and the novellas, but it is often fascinating, as when one gets to see the same incident from two different directions. But the novellas are often short and padded out to printable (sellable) length with previews or other stuff. The novels carry the whole narrative and major characters forward on their own. The novellas can be outtakes of the novels, or fun original stuff.
This is not my usual space opera. The orbital mechanics sometimes don't make sense and so on, but the writing and editing are very good.
Enjoy!
April 20, 2020
5/10: Finished the book and it was above average.
This is a Diving Universe story, so not a continuation of Boss's story (or so it seems).
It's set on a Sector Base and that alone was interesting, and the mystery of the missing Runabout was somewhat intriguing, tying into the mystery of the dead body floating in a pool of the Falls.
But in all reality, the story was nowhere near as captivating and addictive as Boss's diving stories and I ended up skipping parts to finish it.
I'm still going with three stars and not two, because the Sector Base insight was welcome and this is a Diving Universe book and I love this series. But it could be skipped completely and the reader would not miss anything relevant to Boss's story. In fact, I think it might even take a little of the mystery away from the next book in the series, which is titled The Runabout. See the connection there?
Anyhoo, a 5/10 on the NBRS and I'm onto the next and gonna forget this one even existed.
This is a Diving Universe story, so not a continuation of Boss's story (or so it seems).
It's set on a Sector Base and that alone was interesting, and the mystery of the missing Runabout was somewhat intriguing, tying into the mystery of the dead body floating in a pool of the Falls.
But in all reality, the story was nowhere near as captivating and addictive as Boss's diving stories and I ended up skipping parts to finish it.
I'm still going with three stars and not two, because the Sector Base insight was welcome and this is a Diving Universe book and I love this series. But it could be skipped completely and the reader would not miss anything relevant to Boss's story. In fact, I think it might even take a little of the mystery away from the next book in the series, which is titled The Runabout. See the connection there?
Anyhoo, a 5/10 on the NBRS and I'm onto the next and gonna forget this one even existed.
March 6, 2021
Rusch, Kristine Kathryn. The Falls. Diving Universe No. 5. WMG, 2016.
If you like science fiction police procedurals with strong characters and some intriguing far-future tech, The Falls is what you are looking for. The setting is a small resort town with a space fleet sector base near a scenic waterfall. A body is found in the water at the base of the falls. At the same time, a deep space runabout goes missing from an underground repair facility. Everyone is on edge because the base that has been the main non-tourist industry in the area is shutting down. The investigation is conducted by members of four different organizations, all of which are led by experts who are prickly, often obsessive, demanding, and protective of their own domains. The case is also complicated by the peculiarities of the damaged and untrustworthy star drive on the missing runabout. The Fleet and the quirky technology are familiar from earlier volumes in the series. The characters are new to me, but I would be happy to meet them again in later works.
If you like science fiction police procedurals with strong characters and some intriguing far-future tech, The Falls is what you are looking for. The setting is a small resort town with a space fleet sector base near a scenic waterfall. A body is found in the water at the base of the falls. At the same time, a deep space runabout goes missing from an underground repair facility. Everyone is on edge because the base that has been the main non-tourist industry in the area is shutting down. The investigation is conducted by members of four different organizations, all of which are led by experts who are prickly, often obsessive, demanding, and protective of their own domains. The case is also complicated by the peculiarities of the damaged and untrustworthy star drive on the missing runabout. The Fleet and the quirky technology are familiar from earlier volumes in the series. The characters are new to me, but I would be happy to meet them again in later works.
May 4, 2020
Sci-fi mystery
I enjoyed the mystery part of this book. It was a little hard to get into, given that the main characters were all new and not related in any way to Boss and Coop. Yes, I know there is a minor connection, but it is not a character connection. An object connection, but not a character one. The other part that annoyed me was the constant change in narrator. Maybe some people like that, but I invariably get hooked into one character or plot line and want to follow that one to its conclusion rather than getting pulled elsewhere. That is more of my own reader idiosyncrasy, though.
Overall, I enjoyed it. It was hard to put down, and I liked the mystery.
I enjoyed the mystery part of this book. It was a little hard to get into, given that the main characters were all new and not related in any way to Boss and Coop. Yes, I know there is a minor connection, but it is not a character connection. An object connection, but not a character one. The other part that annoyed me was the constant change in narrator. Maybe some people like that, but I invariably get hooked into one character or plot line and want to follow that one to its conclusion rather than getting pulled elsewhere. That is more of my own reader idiosyncrasy, though.
Overall, I enjoyed it. It was hard to put down, and I liked the mystery.
July 22, 2017
Not the Diving Universe I wanted. But an interesting side step. A murder mystery, all new characters, a thousand “anacopa" mentions, some history of The Fleet, but that is about it. A not difficult murder mystery that would have been a good short story. I think the first 3/4 of the book took place in about 12 hours of time, the whole thing in a day or two. Very slow going and great detail. Not sure if I would recommend as a starting place for the Diving Universe, but is not really required either. More a stand alone, with the Diving Universe as a shadow.
October 3, 2018
I found the Falls difficult to get into, partly because it was characters I didn't know and didn't have an affinity for. My error. I put this book aside, and read Searching for the Fleet when it became available. See review there. I then started The Falls, and realized it filled in some of the gaps from Searching for the Fleet. Both the books can be read as stand alone, but as you go through them, you realize they are part of a much larger picture, taking from different viewpoints. I am intrigued and really looking forward to seeing how the series develops and resolves all the disparate pieces. Well done!
October 4, 2018
Rusch is one of my favorite authors but this work is pretty weak. I view it as a setup for future novels in the series. Also it has too many perspectives - at one point five different ones in successive chapters. That makes the narrative a pain to follow. This has been a progressive "problem" in this series. The initial works were from Boss's perspective. Then Jonathan. Then Elissa was added but that was manageable. This novel went over the top and that's why I'm giving it 2 stars. Oh, and there's no plot, no protagonist, no character that you'd want to spend any time with, and a deus ex machina ending. Sigh!
June 16, 2020
This is set on a planet that is host to a Fleet sector base, far in the past of Boss's time. It gives a look at Fleet life, but is mostly a murder mystery. The main viewpoint characters are a rescue diver (not into spaceships but an actual waterfall), a cop, and a Fleet engineer. They are all relatable to, but the focus is more on plot than character. And of course an anacapa drive is also central There's a small Lost Souls Corp tie-in at the end, and it looks like that will be expanded in the next book, which I will read soon. A very good read.
May 15, 2021
Though not a Diving Universe novel like we're used to reading, this one gives us answers to questions that Boss an her crew might never discover. A murder mystery more than an adventure, and a really great one too. I enjoyed following the investigations in both the private sector and on the Fleet base. I read The Roundabout before this novel so I was not as surprised by some of the findings at the end. Even if you don't care for the Diving Universe novels I highly recommend this one just as a marvelous mystery!
March 4, 2022
I have just read the Diving Series back to back (the 16 books that exist thus far, including novels and novellas) and have to say that I absolutely love this series.
The Falls brings in another new set of characters, situated far in the past compared to the Boss and Coop story arcs we've had thus far. It's (almost) self-contained yet at the same time gives us tonnes of relevant background and insight into the wider storylines, but there is also a fascinating thread that relates to discoveries in the Boneyard. This is a great story!
The Falls brings in another new set of characters, situated far in the past compared to the Boss and Coop story arcs we've had thus far. It's (almost) self-contained yet at the same time gives us tonnes of relevant background and insight into the wider storylines, but there is also a fascinating thread that relates to discoveries in the Boneyard. This is a great story!
November 7, 2024
Stepping back into the "Diving Universe" after a few years away ... this was the WRONG book to leave-off on ... all of the characters I'd remembered from the previous 4 books were missing from this one ... the entire story takes place on a planet / fleet base which is unrelated to Boss and her business. It's also probably 90% murder-mystery, and 10% sci-fi.
I powered through it, but it wasn't my favorite read by far. I'll jump into #6 in the series now and hopefully get back into the groove ... otherwise, I'll just move onto the next books in the to-read list.
I powered through it, but it wasn't my favorite read by far. I'll jump into #6 in the series now and hopefully get back into the groove ... otherwise, I'll just move onto the next books in the to-read list.
December 30, 2017
I would've rather had a story set in the main story line, but this still hit the spot. However if Rusch puts off the main story line much longer I'll have to do a re-listen of the entire series just to remember what's going on.
Rusch's Diving Universe is like anything by Jack McDevitt in that I love it without being able to put my finger on why. It isn't great writing, but it is well woven and in this case excellently narrated. I'm looking forward to the next installation.
Rusch's Diving Universe is like anything by Jack McDevitt in that I love it without being able to put my finger on why. It isn't great writing, but it is well woven and in this case excellently narrated. I'm looking forward to the next installation.
March 24, 2019
This is a detective novel, in a SF setting.
The setting is in Rusch's "Diving" universe in a base from the time of the Fleet (Thousands of years before most of the books).
We follow various characters who are doing separate detective work in various parts of the murders. These people have their own issues, needs, and problems working hard at their jobs. Those make what they are doing and how they are doing it, the center of the story.
The setting is in Rusch's "Diving" universe in a base from the time of the Fleet (Thousands of years before most of the books).
We follow various characters who are doing separate detective work in various parts of the murders. These people have their own issues, needs, and problems working hard at their jobs. Those make what they are doing and how they are doing it, the center of the story.
July 15, 2019
so much stalling! 60% of the chapters could be removed and you would lose nothing at all. not helped by brand new characters in a different setting of our story universe, and the focus of the story, a murderer you never get to meet.... this is a mess. i’m sure it will make sense in the grand scheme of the series eventually, but for now it was a slog of a read with piles of plot holes that made the joy of seeing a real living fleet base in action seem utterly tedious.
November 2, 2018
3 & 1/2 stars. Not my favourite of the Diving Universe novels and probably not an essential read. But as always with KKR a very solid well written story which only tangentially connects to the rest of the novels. No familiar characters but a complex and interesting murder mystery which does give the reader more information about the technology of sector bases and anacapa drives.
May 5, 2021
Science Fiction Mystery
I like science fiction, but when you pair it with a well-told mystery, I like it even more.
A body is found floating in the thunderous and dangerous falls of a colony fleet base. What looks like a straightforward accident soon becomes more and more complex. Told from several viewpoints, the story reveals as much about the various people involved in solving the crime as in the crime itself.
I have read most of the Diving Universe books, so even though this didn’t involve the usual characters, it was enjoyable.
I like science fiction, but when you pair it with a well-told mystery, I like it even more.
A body is found floating in the thunderous and dangerous falls of a colony fleet base. What looks like a straightforward accident soon becomes more and more complex. Told from several viewpoints, the story reveals as much about the various people involved in solving the crime as in the crime itself.
I have read most of the Diving Universe books, so even though this didn’t involve the usual characters, it was enjoyable.
June 3, 2024
An intriguing story which links to the previous book in the series and manages to connect the days of the fleet thousands of years in the past with the current timeframe of the Lost Souls Corporation through the story of a runabout ship. It both answers some questions and raises many new ones for the future books to pursue.
July 9, 2024
Whole new world
New planet, New characters, yet still a part of the Diving Universe. Great murder mystery storyline.
I like how disparate groups come together to work on finding a missing woman. It reveals the strengths and weaknesses of each group, and shows how working together is the best way to get things done.
New planet, New characters, yet still a part of the Diving Universe. Great murder mystery storyline.
I like how disparate groups come together to work on finding a missing woman. It reveals the strengths and weaknesses of each group, and shows how working together is the best way to get things done.
July 15, 2024
I always enjoy The Diving Universe book. However, I far prefer the the ones not set in the past with the Fleet. I prefer the Boss's timeline. This one is a murder-mystery set in the past while the Fleet was in its prime I enjoyed it, but I keep putting down so it took me a very long time to fully read (despite never not liking it).
Looking forward to the next one in the series.
Looking forward to the next one in the series.
December 18, 2017
A wonderful sci fi
A wonderful
Sci fi. Interesting people. Well dev3loped characters. The villain. W a s complex
And interesting sting
a fun read.
A wonderful
Sci fi. Interesting people. Well dev3loped characters. The villain. W a s complex
And interesting sting
a fun read.
January 17, 2018
Trust Rusch to do a bunch of research and thinking about her next work and then realize she can turn her research into a book. Great read!
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