Deep Descent

The Lancers #1

by P.R. Adams

Chanda has a particular set of skills.

She needs money, and the only way she can make it is to become a bounty hunter—a freelancer. Lancer for short. And the big money? That’s out in the frontier colonies.

When she takes a job on a remote mining colony, things look promising.

But when she goes after the bounty for some dangerous targets, the trouble is worse than advertised, and the colony’s buried history rises up to threaten everyone.

Now Chanda’s not worried about money; she’s worried about surviving.

400 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 6, 2019

About the author

I was born and raised in Tampa, Florida. I joined the Air Force, and my career took me from coast to coast before depositing me in the St. Louis, Missouri area for several years. After a tour in Korea and a short return to the St. Louis area, I retired and moved to the greater Denver, Colorado metropolitan area.
I write speculative fiction, mostly science fiction and fantasy. My favorite writers over the years have been Robert E. Howard, Philip K. Dick, Roger Zelazny, and Michael Crichton.

Reviews

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chandra has left her life on earth to escape her military career and the horrors that it brought her, along with the scars and the memories. She is making her way to the furthest place she can find to work freelance, as a Lancer.
At her destination she discovers that many others have had the same idea - competition then.
I thought that I had this story figured out about halfway through and was looking forward to seeing how right I was, but interested to see how it was written. And I was really impressed that it wasn't what I thought at all. I didn't think I was into Mil SciFi until I started reading P R Adams, but I am a definite follower now and will be reading the subsequent books in this series for sure.
I recommend this author and his books wholeheartedly.

"She ran for the dormitory, certain she wouldn’t make it. Certain none of them would make it. Death had come for them."

I received a free copy of this novel from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review

[Vivian Walsh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Deep Descent doesn’t just dip its toes into sci fi action it dives headfirst into a gritty, atmospheric world where danger is constant, and trust is a luxury. Chanda is the kind of protagonist we’ve been waiting for: tough without being heartless, resourceful without being invincible. The setting a crumbling mining colony with secrets buried deeper than the tunnels feels as vivid and hostile as any battlefield. The story escalates with masterful pacing, from bounty hunting mission to full blown survival nightmare. Fans of The Expanse and Aliens will feel right at home here. This book grabs you and doesn't let go until the final, breathless page.

[Adrian Chant · Rating 5 out of 5]

This should be a good series

Just finished the first book (Deep Descent) in the Lancers series. It was very good and I will definitely buy and read the rest.

[Mike W. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really love PR Adams stories, and was thrilled to see this latest release. I was home sick from work, and read it all in one sitting.

This appears to take place in the same universe as the Rimes and Elite Response Force novels that came before this. Here we meet Chanda, a young woman who becomes a freelance mercenary after discharging from the military on Earth. She travels to a rugged mining outpost in the hinterlands of space where there are promises of work for Lancer. When she arrives, she finds the only decent paying posting is from the local constable to arrest and bring in a murderous, drug-fueled miner, and there are quite a few applicants for the bounty. Deciding to split the payout, Chanda teams up with a ragtag band of mercs to take the job. It sounds like an easy snatch and grab, but of course, there are complications in both the capture and competition from a rival group of high-skilled, tightly integrated mercenaries - things Chanda’s group are not.

As with all of PR Adams stories, the writing is exciting, with well-crafted, believable characters, living in a world that isn’t that different from ours today. I really enjoyed the plot, pacing and characters.

If you like gritty, action-packed sci-fi with some mystery, you should enjoy this book.

[Betty Park · Rating 5 out of 5]

This isn’t your shiny, utopian space adventure. Deep Descent is raw, intense, and brutally honest about life on the edge of civilization. Chanda is a phenomenal lead she’s got the scars, both literal and emotional, and a moral compass forged by hardship. Every chapter unspools with cinematic tension, and just when you think you’ve figured out the danger, the story plunges even deeper. There’s a claustrophobic, edge of your seat vibe reminiscent of Dead Space, but with more soul and substance. This is sci-fi noir at its finest don’t miss it.

[Christopher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Move over, Ripley there’s a new badass in space. Chanda’s story in Deep Descent is equal parts high octane and emotionally grounded. Her journey from survivalist to reluctant hero feels authentic and earned. The mystery that unravels beneath the surface of the colony is haunting and full of twists I never saw coming. What begins as a bounty-hunting gig turns into a reckoning with the past both personal and planetary. The writing is razor sharp, the characters rich with complexity, and the world building tight and immersive. This is the kind of book you finish and immediately want a sequel to.

[Jasson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Few authors manage to weave atmosphere, action, and character development so seamlessly, but Deep Descent delivers on all fronts. The frontier colony setting is bleak, beautifully detailed, and utterly believable. You can smell the iron dust, feel the pressure of the tunnels, and hear the silence of things that should not be silent. Chanda isn’t a hero she’s a survivor. But watching her navigate betrayals, monstrous threats, and a decaying system is deeply compelling. This is more than a bounty hunter story it’s a survival epic wrapped in mystery and driven by raw human grit.

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Deep Descent is the kind of science fiction thriller that keeps you up late, whispering “just one more chapter” until you realize it’s 3 a.m. The threats Chanda faces aren’t just physical they’re psychological, historical, and even existential. There’s a creeping dread that grows with every page, as the colony’s past begins to unravel in terrifying ways. But through it all, Chanda shines flawed, fierce, and always believable. It’s the best kind of sci fi: one that uses a future setting to explore timeless human struggles. Bold, chilling, and unforgettable.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Deep Descent is a stark, powerful vision of humanity on the edge. The frontier colonies aren’t glamorous they’re cold, broken, and crawling with buried sins. And Chanda? She’s not a chosen one or a legend in the making she’s a woman doing what she must to survive. That authenticity bleeds through every decision she makes. This story hits hard, with moments of raw emotion, nerve shredding danger, and quiet humanity that lingers long after the last chapter. If you want a sci fi book that feels real, where every shot fired and every step taken carries weight this is it.

[Shannom · Rating 5 out of 5]

This isn’t just a bounty hunter tale it’s a descent into a forgotten nightmare. Deep Descent expertly blends the structure of a fast-paced sci-fi mission with the dread and atmosphere of survival horror. You feel the isolation. You fear what’s in the dark. And you root for Chanda every step of the way, because her courage isn’t flashy it’s desperate, necessary, and deeply human. The deeper she goes, the more this story tightens its grip. If you love stories like Annihilation or The Thing, you’ll eat this up. It’s a chilling masterpiece that sticks with you.

[Jeremy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chanda’s past, the colony’s secrets, and the unrelenting dangers of the frontier intertwine beautifully in Deep Descent. This is more than a sci-fi shootout it’s an introspective, layered journey through trauma, justice, and the cost of survival. The action is intense, but it’s the emotional depth that sets this book apart. Chanda is haunted, but never hopeless. She fights for more than herself, even when no one else would. The author balances adrenaline and introspection like a tightrope walker, and the result is something rare: a sci-fi story that feels. Deeply.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Deep Descent is the kind of debut that makes you double-check the author’s name because it reads like a veteran’s best work. The writing is crisp, the world immersive, and the tension unrelenting. From the moment Chanda sets foot on the colony, you know something’s wrong but the way that wrongness unfolds is masterfully done. Every revelation hits like a punch, and the survival stakes are earned, not manufactured. This is what frontier sci-fi should be: dangerous, personal, and packed with meaning. Chanda’s journey isn’t just memorable it’s iconic.

[William Howe · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not for me

I lost my ability to ignore reality about halfway through. The complete lack of structure and legal force was too unrealistic balanced against a functioning colony. There was also a lack of any foe. It seemed more nihilistic than narrative.

What does ‘metacorporation’ even mean? How is order maintained if the constables aren’t allowed or equipped to use force?

There are better things to read.