Fault Lines

Escape Velocity #1

by Kelly Jennings

Velocity Wrachant, owner and captain of the merchant starship Susan Calvin, is broke and stranded on a Drift station, when she is offered what seems like a simple job: to escort young Brontë Ikeda into Republic space and help her retrieve several bonded-labor children.

While Velocity is tempted by the fee Brontë offers – which is enough to clear her debts – she also knows that Ikeda House, a powerful Combine, just had a major coup; and both she and her crew suspect the story they're being told by the Combine child is not the whole story.

Velocity takes the gig, but it takes her into the heart of Combine territory, a place she fled almost twenty years earlier. What is the price she and her shipmates may end up paying for this job?

Genres: Science Fiction, LGBT

280 pages, Paperback

Published June 11, 2018

Reviews

[Suzi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I seriously don’t understand why this book doesn’t have more reviews, because this is some quality sci-fi right here. It’s got martial arts, complex political systems, genetic engineering, polyamory, bisexuality, AI, racial diversity, and feminism! And high quality writing and plotting besides. I thoroughly enjoyed the ride and hope there will be a sequel. I think my only complaint is about the very first chapter, which plops the reader down in the middle of a somewhat political negotiation with no context. I originally learned of Kelly Jennings through her short story “Velocity’s Ghost” in the excellent anthology, “The Other Half of the Sky.” That short story takes place before this novel, so I went back and reread the short story and it served as a great launching pad for getting into the start of Fault Lines without feeling so in over my head. After the first chapter being a little opaque, it’s smooth sailing though, so don’t let it put you off. I hope this book gets more recognition soon!

Edit: I finished this book last night and was just thinking about how I’m sad it’s over :( Clearly Jennings created a good universe to spend some time in.

[Tansy Roberts · Rating 5 out of 5]

An intense story of spaceships, found family and vicious bio-genetic politics, with characters I wanted to wrap in blankets and provide with mugs of hot soup.

Fans of Lois McMaster Bujold and Kameron Hurley will enjoy Fault Lines: a sharp, character-rich space opera packed with angry, capable women and attractive, vulnerable men. Jennings builds a large, politically complex world of planetary alliances, bonded slaves and business interests... but expresses this through an intimate slice of space opera about one crew, one job... and a client who can't be trusted.

Velocity, Captain of the Susan Calvin, is a compelling protagonist, a hard-edged survivor who knows the value of friendship and mercy... and is willing to risk everything to make sure those who believe in her make it home alive.

[Az Vera · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent space opera that blends intrigue, an interesting political environment, ethics, and polyamoury. Cool bisexual rep, martial arts, wonderfully described settings that create unique environments and stations.

[Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyed this more than I thought I would. Any story that involves space I feel like it’ll be difficult for me to enjoy but I was wrong of course. The characters are so admirable, especially the children and the Dagan. The universe the author created is interesting although sometimes difficult to follow (space is huge so ya, when you have all sorts of planets and different groups of people, it can get confusing for any story I would think). In conclusion: space is confuse but this story good. Thank.

[Woman Who Weaves · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an enjoyable read. Fans of Lois McMaster Bujold could consider the Republic to be a look at what the Cetegandans might have been like starting out. The Piryians, who we don't see much of, are more like CJ Cherryh's Merchanters. Maybe. We don't see very much of them. The world building is interesting and well done. All of the characters feel real. The book has an actual ending while being very clearly intended to be the first in a series.

[Nancy Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I recently reread this excellent book to prime myself for the recently released In the Deep. The characters and cosmos, plotlines and politics that Jennings created hooked me in the beginning of the book, and those hooks just went deeper as the pages turned.

I've since read In the Deep and already look forward to Jenning's next novel.

[Charl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed it. An interesting mystery/thriller story set in a wide-flung human network of stations and planets. Slightly reminiscent of the Honor Harrington mythos, with less combat and more social intrigue. I enjoyed it and I recommend it.

[Eleanor]

I think the essential problem here is that I’m not really connecting to any of the main characters, and I’m also not much of a sci-fi person. I could handle being dropped into a complicated fantasy world without much explanation, but sci-fi is a lot more difficult, so then I end up feeling disengaged from the story because I can’t get a solid grasp of what’s going on. But the fact that I need sci-fi authors to hold my hand a little bit is a me problem, not a Kelly Jennings problem, lol. I would still recommend this (based on the few chapters I read) to people looking for a fun, queer sci-fi story, it just wasn’t the book for me right now. But maybe I’ll come back to it eventually!