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The Kassa Gambit
enturies after the ecological collapse of Earth, humanity has spread among the stars. Under the governance of the League, our endless need for resources has driven us to colonize hundreds of planets, all of them devoid of other sentient life. Humanity is apparently alone in the universe.
Then comes the sudden, brutal decimation of Kassa, a small farming planet, by a mysterious attacker. The few survivors send out a desperate plea for aid, which is answered by two unlikely rescuers. Prudence Falling is the young captain of a tramp freighter. She and her ragtag crew have been on the run and living job to job for years, eking out a living by making cargo runs that aren’t always entirely legal. Lt. Kyle Daspar is a police officer from the wealthy planet of Altair Prime, working undercover as a double agent against the League. He’s been undercover so long he can't be trusted by anyone—even himself.
While flying rescue missions to extract survivors from the surface of devastated Kassa, they discover what could be the most important artifact in the history of an alien spaceship, crashed and abandoned during the attack.But something tells them there is more to the story. Together, they discover the cruel truth about the destruction of Kassa, and that an imminent alien invasion is the least of humanity’s concerns.
Then comes the sudden, brutal decimation of Kassa, a small farming planet, by a mysterious attacker. The few survivors send out a desperate plea for aid, which is answered by two unlikely rescuers. Prudence Falling is the young captain of a tramp freighter. She and her ragtag crew have been on the run and living job to job for years, eking out a living by making cargo runs that aren’t always entirely legal. Lt. Kyle Daspar is a police officer from the wealthy planet of Altair Prime, working undercover as a double agent against the League. He’s been undercover so long he can't be trusted by anyone—even himself.
While flying rescue missions to extract survivors from the surface of devastated Kassa, they discover what could be the most important artifact in the history of an alien spaceship, crashed and abandoned during the attack.But something tells them there is more to the story. Together, they discover the cruel truth about the destruction of Kassa, and that an imminent alien invasion is the least of humanity’s concerns.
298 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 8, 2013
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327 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 93 reviews
July 20, 2013
M.C Planck debut science fiction novel is a spot on space opera that hearkens back to the early days of science fiction, when story and characters were as important as the science. Its a real find.
Prudence Falling is the captain of a space freighter flying from world to world trading goods. Entering the Kassa system on a regular run, she comes upon a planet that has been attacked from space without warning. The cities are in ruins and the population is decimated. While ferrying help to survivors, she is contacted by Kyle Daspar, who has flown in system on the Lanceston, a naval vessel from Altair Prime. Falling helps Daspar and the Lanceston escape a space mine attack.
Daspar is a police officer, who has a tip there would be trouble on Kassa. He is deep undercover, pretending to be for a criminal enterprise called the League, but working against them. once on planet, Daspar, who is suspicious of Falling's actions, commandeers Falling's ship and they go hunting for clues as to the attack in the Artic, where they discover what looks like an alien vessel. Could Aliens have attacked Kassa? Before they can spread the word about the cause of the attack, another Altair Prime naval ship "coincidentally" enters the system and takes over the investigation.
Daspar reports back to Altair Prime, but wonders how he got a tip about an Alien attack on Kassa before it occurred. After a bomb nearly kills him in bed, he suspects that he may know too much and goes on the run. After a nifty escape, he discovers a possible link between a political official on Altair Prime and the aliens. How deep is this political conspiracy? Who is involved? Worlds could be at stake. Daspar must follow the clues off planet, while on the run from assassins.
Meanwhile Falling, who has her own secrets, and her crew have been warning other worlds of the alien menace, but also tracking clues. They soon find themselves together with Daspar on a closed planet that may hold all the secrets of the alien attack and the conspiracy.
There is political intrigue, space battles, daring escapes and good space mystery here.
Convincing characters and crisp dialogue are an added plus.
Its a winning combination.
Prudence Falling is the captain of a space freighter flying from world to world trading goods. Entering the Kassa system on a regular run, she comes upon a planet that has been attacked from space without warning. The cities are in ruins and the population is decimated. While ferrying help to survivors, she is contacted by Kyle Daspar, who has flown in system on the Lanceston, a naval vessel from Altair Prime. Falling helps Daspar and the Lanceston escape a space mine attack.
Daspar is a police officer, who has a tip there would be trouble on Kassa. He is deep undercover, pretending to be for a criminal enterprise called the League, but working against them. once on planet, Daspar, who is suspicious of Falling's actions, commandeers Falling's ship and they go hunting for clues as to the attack in the Artic, where they discover what looks like an alien vessel. Could Aliens have attacked Kassa? Before they can spread the word about the cause of the attack, another Altair Prime naval ship "coincidentally" enters the system and takes over the investigation.
Daspar reports back to Altair Prime, but wonders how he got a tip about an Alien attack on Kassa before it occurred. After a bomb nearly kills him in bed, he suspects that he may know too much and goes on the run. After a nifty escape, he discovers a possible link between a political official on Altair Prime and the aliens. How deep is this political conspiracy? Who is involved? Worlds could be at stake. Daspar must follow the clues off planet, while on the run from assassins.
Meanwhile Falling, who has her own secrets, and her crew have been warning other worlds of the alien menace, but also tracking clues. They soon find themselves together with Daspar on a closed planet that may hold all the secrets of the alien attack and the conspiracy.
There is political intrigue, space battles, daring escapes and good space mystery here.
Convincing characters and crisp dialogue are an added plus.
Its a winning combination.
April 10, 2013
Very nice space opera, comparable to the best of Elizabeth Moon's. Like many of my favorites it has a strong female captain. She is not military, but is very competent and has a strong suspicious streak. Unlike any other such novel I have read, there is a second main character, a male police lieutenant who is working for a fascist organization, but is secretly a double agent try to defeat them. The book alternates chapters between the two.
If you like space opera with a decent dose of politics, then you'll like this book.
If you like space opera with a decent dose of politics, then you'll like this book.
February 12, 2013
Unsolicited review copies are always a crap-shoot. When The Kassa Gambit arrived, I did what I always do with unfamiliar books that come to my door: looked it up on GR. The reviews I saw were not particularly encouraging, but, hey, it was here, so I figured I might as well read it. Besides, I've had great experiences with Tor books, so benefit of the doubt, right? Well, I'm glad I took the time to read The Kassa Gambit, because I really liked it and I've been meaning to read more traditional science fiction.
Much as I declare myself a science fiction fan, and know that to be true, I really haven't delved into the genre as much as I should have. It's been a while since I read a book set in space and spaceships, unless you count Mothership, but that's a very different kind of book. The descriptions of space and the nodes usable for travel kept me captivated.
Even better, the heroes are a ragtag group trying to make their living in a world ruled by a questionable government. The characters are delightful, and I rooted for them throughout. First of all, I think it's awesome that the captain of the Ulysses is a woman, a young woman at that, Captain Prudence Falling. Not only that, Prudence is a good captain, her only failing being her tendency to sacrifice success to help make life better for others. Can I help but think of Mal from Firefly?
Prudence's crew is small, just her and two officers. Garcia, the communications officer, is an irascible drunk, but a hard-working, kind-hearted one beneath all his bluster. My favorite character is definitely Jorgun, slow of mind, but brilliant at navigation and jigsaw puzzles. He's so caring, funny, and accepting of himself and others.
The crew of the Ulysses meets up with the other main character, Kyle, a League officer secretly working to take the League down. His double agenting is dangerous, and he trusts no one. At the same time, Kyle and Prudence arrive at the planet of Kassa, discovering that it has been decimated by an unknown force, one they believe to be alien. Together, they work to solve the mystery of the attackers.
As much as I liked The Kassa Gambit, and I did, I have two concerns. The first is the instalove-style relationship between Kyle and Prudence. They're as bad as teenagers, and it's ridiculous. And, lordy, do they need to stop making out when they should be trying to freaking escape. The second issue is that the book feels unfinished. I suspect there may be a sequel do out, because the whole thing does not get wrapped up. The ending is epic and dramatic, but, seriously, what happened? Honestly, I hope there's more coming, because if it's just meant to be an open-ended conclusion, it was unsatisfying.
Whether Planck's next book is a continuation of The Kassa Gambit or something else entirely, I'll definitely be checking out more of this author's work. If you like exciting science fiction set in space, check out The Kassa Gambit!
Much as I declare myself a science fiction fan, and know that to be true, I really haven't delved into the genre as much as I should have. It's been a while since I read a book set in space and spaceships, unless you count Mothership, but that's a very different kind of book. The descriptions of space and the nodes usable for travel kept me captivated.
Even better, the heroes are a ragtag group trying to make their living in a world ruled by a questionable government. The characters are delightful, and I rooted for them throughout. First of all, I think it's awesome that the captain of the Ulysses is a woman, a young woman at that, Captain Prudence Falling. Not only that, Prudence is a good captain, her only failing being her tendency to sacrifice success to help make life better for others. Can I help but think of Mal from Firefly?
Prudence's crew is small, just her and two officers. Garcia, the communications officer, is an irascible drunk, but a hard-working, kind-hearted one beneath all his bluster. My favorite character is definitely Jorgun, slow of mind, but brilliant at navigation and jigsaw puzzles. He's so caring, funny, and accepting of himself and others.
The crew of the Ulysses meets up with the other main character, Kyle, a League officer secretly working to take the League down. His double agenting is dangerous, and he trusts no one. At the same time, Kyle and Prudence arrive at the planet of Kassa, discovering that it has been decimated by an unknown force, one they believe to be alien. Together, they work to solve the mystery of the attackers.
As much as I liked The Kassa Gambit, and I did, I have two concerns. The first is the instalove-style relationship between Kyle and Prudence. They're as bad as teenagers, and it's ridiculous. And, lordy, do they need to stop making out when they should be trying to freaking escape. The second issue is that the book feels unfinished. I suspect there may be a sequel do out, because the whole thing does not get wrapped up. The ending is epic and dramatic, but, seriously, what happened? Honestly, I hope there's more coming, because if it's just meant to be an open-ended conclusion, it was unsatisfying.
Whether Planck's next book is a continuation of The Kassa Gambit or something else entirely, I'll definitely be checking out more of this author's work. If you like exciting science fiction set in space, check out The Kassa Gambit!
January 24, 2013
In the future human race has colonized a lot of planets scattered trough the universe. Earth is now just the stuff of legends and distant memory. The humanity enjoys a peaceful although a solitary existence, because it still did not encounter any other intelligent alien life forms. And then - BOOOM! When commercial trading vessel, The Ulysses, delivers goods to planet Kassa, it discovers that there is no radio signal. Whole infrastructure and most of the buildings on planet were destroyed.
Who did this and why? That are the questions that bother Prudence, captain of ship The Ulysses. The same problem is bothering Lieutenant Kyle Daspar, who arrived to Kassa a little bit after her on patrol boat. The story follows them as they go separately on a quest to find out who is behind this mindless, brutal attack.
Prudence and Kyle, both suspicious by nature, suspect everyone and everything even each other. My favorite part about them was their paranoia that everyone is against them. Ok, yes there were right most of the time, but still it was fun. Also I loved the crew of The Ulysses, they were like a big cute dysfunctional family. I am sorry that there was not more room for us to learn even more about them.
Although set in a distant future, on various space-ships and planets, The Kassa Gambit can be best categorized as political thriller novel. And, it was a good mystery that kept me in state of suspense until the big culmination in the end. Who attacked planet Kassa? Why did they destroy everything? Is this just the start of a bigger attack on other planets? I guessed some things but there were enough surprises.
The Kassa Gambit is debut novel by M.C. Planck, so I did not know what to expect. But it surprised me with interesting mystery that kept me guessing what will happen until the end. Also The Kassa Gambit gave me an opportunity to explore a lot of planets in our universe. Yes they were fictional, but fun to visit never-the-less. :)
My rating: 4 solid stars
I recommend this book to fans of: science fiction mysteries or political thrillers set in space, spies, government's plots and intrigues.
Disclaimer: I was given a free eBook by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a honest review. This text is also posted on my blog Bookworm Dreams in a little bit more styled edition.
Who did this and why? That are the questions that bother Prudence, captain of ship The Ulysses. The same problem is bothering Lieutenant Kyle Daspar, who arrived to Kassa a little bit after her on patrol boat. The story follows them as they go separately on a quest to find out who is behind this mindless, brutal attack.
Prudence and Kyle, both suspicious by nature, suspect everyone and everything even each other. My favorite part about them was their paranoia that everyone is against them. Ok, yes there were right most of the time, but still it was fun. Also I loved the crew of The Ulysses, they were like a big cute dysfunctional family. I am sorry that there was not more room for us to learn even more about them.
Although set in a distant future, on various space-ships and planets, The Kassa Gambit can be best categorized as political thriller novel. And, it was a good mystery that kept me in state of suspense until the big culmination in the end. Who attacked planet Kassa? Why did they destroy everything? Is this just the start of a bigger attack on other planets? I guessed some things but there were enough surprises.
The Kassa Gambit is debut novel by M.C. Planck, so I did not know what to expect. But it surprised me with interesting mystery that kept me guessing what will happen until the end. Also The Kassa Gambit gave me an opportunity to explore a lot of planets in our universe. Yes they were fictional, but fun to visit never-the-less. :)
My rating: 4 solid stars
I recommend this book to fans of: science fiction mysteries or political thrillers set in space, spies, government's plots and intrigues.
Disclaimer: I was given a free eBook by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a honest review. This text is also posted on my blog Bookworm Dreams in a little bit more styled edition.
February 22, 2013
3-1/2 stars
Nice space opera. Occasionally there was this vague feeling of ambiguity that bothered me. I can't really put my finger on it. Something about how the characters seemed to know what was going on but it wasn't adequately explained to the reader. On the whole though I really enjoyed it. There were lots of words and phrases that were really fun and descriptive and I just loved the use of English. The characters were interesting and well motivated and there was a bit of a love story going on. Pretty minor and it ran in the background and was more along the lines of two lonely people finding each other. A nice intrigue plot for the characters to solve motivated the story. The sci fi elements were very well done. I liked the emphasis on ship movement and the diaspora element of human settlement of the stars.
Nice space opera. Occasionally there was this vague feeling of ambiguity that bothered me. I can't really put my finger on it. Something about how the characters seemed to know what was going on but it wasn't adequately explained to the reader. On the whole though I really enjoyed it. There were lots of words and phrases that were really fun and descriptive and I just loved the use of English. The characters were interesting and well motivated and there was a bit of a love story going on. Pretty minor and it ran in the background and was more along the lines of two lonely people finding each other. A nice intrigue plot for the characters to solve motivated the story. The sci fi elements were very well done. I liked the emphasis on ship movement and the diaspora element of human settlement of the stars.
December 21, 2014
Beautifully written, "The Kassa Gambit" is something different: stripped-back space opera. You know those plays that only have two characters, but which somehow create an entire milieu of intrigue? This book is a little like that, except with a backdrop of aliens, wormholes and interstellar politics. Two likeable characters at the book's core and a great turn of phrase make this a satisfying and interesting read from beginning to end.
December 29, 2012
Review of The Kassa Gambit by M C Planck 4*
This was an enjoyable romp in space with intrigue & action galore. I really liked the main characters & the way their relationship grew from mutual distrust to backing each other no questions asked.
This was an enjoyable romp in space with intrigue & action galore. I really liked the main characters & the way their relationship grew from mutual distrust to backing each other no questions asked.
March 24, 2017
Technically speaking this is closer to a 3.5 because while the mystery of Kassa drew me in, the writing style left me feeling unenchanted. It was very...stark feeling. Especially in the beginning, it felt as if someone was just reading off the important information. Prudence talks about her crew, crew she will regret seeing go and will miss, very clinically. Kyle sort of behaves in the same manner about the crew he is forced to endure in the beginning, but he has no love for them (nor they for him) so it makes a bit more sense.
This largely goes away around 2/3rds of the way through, but makes an abrupt return sporadically jarring me out of the reading zone.
This also had a very familiar feeling to it and it took me a while to figure out what that feeling was - anyone who has watched Blake's 7 or Farscape or Serenity may experience the same sort of thing. Prue's crew is ragtag and mismatched, all folk trying to duck out on the official Government levels for various reasons (even Kyle to a certain extent) making their way in the universe doing what they can to survive. They run afoul of a deeper conspiracy (Kassa) and feel honor bound, in a weird way, of seeing it through to the end. Though as Planck has listed Firefly as an inspiration for this novel, that's hardly surprising.
I'll give Planck credit however, the science fiction part of this novel doesn't ever delver anywhere I couldn't keep up with, which is rather remarkable once the secret worth killing for rears its ugly (ugly) head. There's also an impressive use of double talk--politically and legally speaking, which was fun to decipher. Its a bit ruined by the fact Kyle kept confusing matters internally, thus breaking up the narrative somewhat, but ignoring his 'I'm so confused by this doublespeak' thoughts helped.
This isn't a very long book--288 pages, which makes this a quick read. Parts get bogged down by sciencey-talk, or political talk and there's even some discussion that transcends the metaphysical, but by in large a reader can breeze through this and not be confused. Until the end, it gets a bit jumbled when Pru and co are racing through the nodes ahead of the Big Bad at one point. And honest to god I kind of felt dejavu because it really does follow an eerily similar plot progression with Serenity at the very end.
The characters are agreeable enough; Pru is slightly inconsistent in how she acts (though it may partially be because Kyle's impression of her vs. how she thought she presented herself were wildly different) and Kyle is a bit manic, but I enjoyed both of them coming up with every paranoid excuse in the book as to how the other one wants them dead. The secondary characters had a bit more life to them--I especially liked Jorgun and Jandi, who both shared a love of Marvin the Martian.
The ending is anticlimatic--more political than anything else and largely dealt with in the epilogue as 'and this is what happened after' fashion. Still the mystery of Kassa kept me engaged until the very end.
This largely goes away around 2/3rds of the way through, but makes an abrupt return sporadically jarring me out of the reading zone.
This also had a very familiar feeling to it and it took me a while to figure out what that feeling was - anyone who has watched Blake's 7 or Farscape or Serenity may experience the same sort of thing. Prue's crew is ragtag and mismatched, all folk trying to duck out on the official Government levels for various reasons (even Kyle to a certain extent) making their way in the universe doing what they can to survive. They run afoul of a deeper conspiracy (Kassa) and feel honor bound, in a weird way, of seeing it through to the end. Though as Planck has listed Firefly as an inspiration for this novel, that's hardly surprising.
I'll give Planck credit however, the science fiction part of this novel doesn't ever delver anywhere I couldn't keep up with, which is rather remarkable once the secret worth killing for rears its ugly (ugly) head. There's also an impressive use of double talk--politically and legally speaking, which was fun to decipher. Its a bit ruined by the fact Kyle kept confusing matters internally, thus breaking up the narrative somewhat, but ignoring his 'I'm so confused by this doublespeak' thoughts helped.
This isn't a very long book--288 pages, which makes this a quick read. Parts get bogged down by sciencey-talk, or political talk and there's even some discussion that transcends the metaphysical, but by in large a reader can breeze through this and not be confused. Until the end, it gets a bit jumbled when Pru and co are racing through the nodes ahead of the Big Bad at one point. And honest to god I kind of felt dejavu because it really does follow an eerily similar plot progression with Serenity at the very end.
The characters are agreeable enough; Pru is slightly inconsistent in how she acts (though it may partially be because Kyle's impression of her vs. how she thought she presented herself were wildly different) and Kyle is a bit manic, but I enjoyed both of them coming up with every paranoid excuse in the book as to how the other one wants them dead. The secondary characters had a bit more life to them--I especially liked Jorgun and Jandi, who both shared a love of Marvin the Martian.
The ending is anticlimatic--more political than anything else and largely dealt with in the epilogue as 'and this is what happened after' fashion. Still the mystery of Kassa kept me engaged until the very end.
November 25, 2012
A mystery sheathed in good sci-fi! Gets very dark just before the happy-ish ending.
February 20, 2018
I picked this book up expecting SF, which it was, but with a very strong undercurrent of romance. Which it signaled early, and stayed the course. It managed to be a reasonable SF novel without the romance being offputting to me. The love interest was a little overdrawn, but, well, I coped. (I'm okay if it's on the side of the plot. But if the relationship is the entire plot? Yeah no, not for me.)
I liked Prudence, there were clever bits at various points, and there are enough hints in the novel about the world that I would read more- although I just checked and it looks like this is the only novel in this world. Alas.
I liked Prudence, there were clever bits at various points, and there are enough hints in the novel about the world that I would read more- although I just checked and it looks like this is the only novel in this world. Alas.
August 22, 2013
Original review by John posted at Layers of Thought.
We also have an author interview here.
John’s quick take: A couple of paranoid loners find themselves in a web of conspiracy in this science fiction thriller.
John’s description: It’s far into the future and humanity has spread itself wide across the universe, seeking out new worlds that can be colonized and exploited for natural resources. In all this time and space, there has been no sign that another sentient species exist. It seems that humans are all alone in the universe.
Then Prudence Falling, a space trader in charge of a freighter and a ragtag crew, alights on Kassa, a farming planet that has been brutally attacked by secret assailants and whose population has been mostly slaughtered. She is soon joined by Kyle Daspar, a policeman who has been put in charge of a military patrol vessel. The space traders live on the edge of the law and naturally distrust everyone so she is suspicious of Daspar. Unbeknown to her Daspar is an undercover agent secretly acting against the powerful League for whom he supposedly works. He has been undercover so long that he is no longer sure who he can trust. The two are attracted to each other but their suspicious minds creates a wall of tension between them.
While trying to help the survivors on Kassa, Falling and Daspar make a shocking discovery - an alien spaceship that crashed during the attack. It is clear that they were not supposed to find the alien craft and yet Daspar had been tipped off in advance that something on the planet needed investigation. They smell big trouble and despite their natural caution soon find themselves entangled in a complex conspiracy where nothing is as it seems. With their lives in constant danger and an alien invasion seemingly imminent, the two loners are eventually drawn to each other.
John’s thoughts: I liked the story Planck has concocted. It’s a good mixture of science fiction, political thriller, and adventure romance. The two central characters are nicely developed and you have that feeling that they will end up together despite the difficulties, which adds a bit of spice to the mix. Also the future that Planck creates is interesting and has been well thought out, and is sufficiently different from the many other sci-fi novels that I’ve read recently – which helped to draw me in and keep me reading. It’s definitely a fast-paced book that can be breezed through quickly, and the plot also has enough twists to keep the reader guessing.
I like the two main characters and found myself rooting for them, though the relationship that develops between them isn’t the strongest part of the novel - it somehow felt a bit thin and unconvincing and not particularly lifelike. The other problem for me was the ending of the story; it was rather rushed and an awful lot was crammed into the final few pages. But beyond that this was a fun and interesting read and I’d rate the book 3.5 stars. It’s a fine first novel that will move me to look out for more work by Planck. If you like your science fiction mixed up with a bit of political conspiracy and a slight romantic element, then this is definitely one for you.
We also have an author interview here.
John’s quick take: A couple of paranoid loners find themselves in a web of conspiracy in this science fiction thriller.
John’s description: It’s far into the future and humanity has spread itself wide across the universe, seeking out new worlds that can be colonized and exploited for natural resources. In all this time and space, there has been no sign that another sentient species exist. It seems that humans are all alone in the universe.
Then Prudence Falling, a space trader in charge of a freighter and a ragtag crew, alights on Kassa, a farming planet that has been brutally attacked by secret assailants and whose population has been mostly slaughtered. She is soon joined by Kyle Daspar, a policeman who has been put in charge of a military patrol vessel. The space traders live on the edge of the law and naturally distrust everyone so she is suspicious of Daspar. Unbeknown to her Daspar is an undercover agent secretly acting against the powerful League for whom he supposedly works. He has been undercover so long that he is no longer sure who he can trust. The two are attracted to each other but their suspicious minds creates a wall of tension between them.
While trying to help the survivors on Kassa, Falling and Daspar make a shocking discovery - an alien spaceship that crashed during the attack. It is clear that they were not supposed to find the alien craft and yet Daspar had been tipped off in advance that something on the planet needed investigation. They smell big trouble and despite their natural caution soon find themselves entangled in a complex conspiracy where nothing is as it seems. With their lives in constant danger and an alien invasion seemingly imminent, the two loners are eventually drawn to each other.
John’s thoughts: I liked the story Planck has concocted. It’s a good mixture of science fiction, political thriller, and adventure romance. The two central characters are nicely developed and you have that feeling that they will end up together despite the difficulties, which adds a bit of spice to the mix. Also the future that Planck creates is interesting and has been well thought out, and is sufficiently different from the many other sci-fi novels that I’ve read recently – which helped to draw me in and keep me reading. It’s definitely a fast-paced book that can be breezed through quickly, and the plot also has enough twists to keep the reader guessing.
I like the two main characters and found myself rooting for them, though the relationship that develops between them isn’t the strongest part of the novel - it somehow felt a bit thin and unconvincing and not particularly lifelike. The other problem for me was the ending of the story; it was rather rushed and an awful lot was crammed into the final few pages. But beyond that this was a fun and interesting read and I’d rate the book 3.5 stars. It’s a fine first novel that will move me to look out for more work by Planck. If you like your science fiction mixed up with a bit of political conspiracy and a slight romantic element, then this is definitely one for you.
January 24, 2013
This novel is fact paced, action-packed, and full of political questions that leave you thinking. The morality of the things it brings into question poses an interesting juxtaposition to the lives of its main characters and how their world falls into place around them.
I would have loved to get even more of Prudence’s back story. The glimpse of it in the novel is fascinating to me and I kept hoping for more. I do appreciate that there are parts of her past (or rather the entirety of her mother’s past) that she does not know. It made me consider all the things I do not, and cannot know about my own parents.
The fact that no time is spent focused on the time it takes to travel through node space in the books was really interesting to me. There is one point where you get a glimpse at what is happening while in one of those hops, but it is brief. It is an interesting, and telling, look at the way the main characters’ relationship develops. The constant desire to never “push” is very clear in the lack of interaction while trapped on a ship for four days with no way out and no outside stimuli.
There are definite moments where I feel the novel was hurt by brevity. Moments when I would have liked to know just a little bit more about where they were, what I was supposed to be seeing. My active imagination filled in those gaps, but it did not change the fact that I would have liked a clearer picture of what M. C. saw when he wrote it.
Overall, I really enjoyed the world and characters Planck created in this novel. It is thought provoking, if brief. Intriguing and fun, if starkly political in its message.
In the interest of full disclosure, I will fully admit that knowing he wrote this novel for Sara may have influenced how I feel about it, but it does not change the fact that it was a fun read.
I would have loved to get even more of Prudence’s back story. The glimpse of it in the novel is fascinating to me and I kept hoping for more. I do appreciate that there are parts of her past (or rather the entirety of her mother’s past) that she does not know. It made me consider all the things I do not, and cannot know about my own parents.
The fact that no time is spent focused on the time it takes to travel through node space in the books was really interesting to me. There is one point where you get a glimpse at what is happening while in one of those hops, but it is brief. It is an interesting, and telling, look at the way the main characters’ relationship develops. The constant desire to never “push” is very clear in the lack of interaction while trapped on a ship for four days with no way out and no outside stimuli.
There are definite moments where I feel the novel was hurt by brevity. Moments when I would have liked to know just a little bit more about where they were, what I was supposed to be seeing. My active imagination filled in those gaps, but it did not change the fact that I would have liked a clearer picture of what M. C. saw when he wrote it.
Overall, I really enjoyed the world and characters Planck created in this novel. It is thought provoking, if brief. Intriguing and fun, if starkly political in its message.
In the interest of full disclosure, I will fully admit that knowing he wrote this novel for Sara may have influenced how I feel about it, but it does not change the fact that it was a fun read.
May 17, 2015
This review was first published on Kurt's Frontier.
Synopsis:
Prudence Falling is a young captain of a tramp freighter. She was an orphan from the dead world of Strattenburg. With a crew of misfits, she transports cargo (not always legal) and distributes the profits in shares. On a cargo run to the world of Kassa, the routine comes apart when she finds the planet has been attacked by mysterious aliens. Captain Falling’s routine is further disrupted when she meets Lt. Kyle Daspar who works as a double agent against a mysterious organization called the League. Thrown together, neither quite trusts the other. Nonetheless, they are strangely attracted to each other.
Flying rescue missions, they discover an abandoned alien fighter, crashed and abandoned during the attack. However, something about it doesn’t add up. As they move to unravel the mystery of the attack on Kassa, they find themselves in the sights of powerful people. Under the threat of alien invasion, is the real enemy far closer to home?
Review:
The Kassa Gambit is, what I would call, a classic space opera. It makes use of the tried and true formula of a free trader coming up against a powerful adversary. The co-protagonists are complex with reason to be highly suspicious of each other. They are also quite attracted to each other. The story unfolds like a mystery, with layers of intrigue as well as action in realistic life or death struggles. The only week point in the story is that when the antagonist is finally revealed, I didn’t find him entirely convincing. This left the ending feeling a little rushed.
Taken together, it was a very enjoyable tale.
Synopsis:
Prudence Falling is a young captain of a tramp freighter. She was an orphan from the dead world of Strattenburg. With a crew of misfits, she transports cargo (not always legal) and distributes the profits in shares. On a cargo run to the world of Kassa, the routine comes apart when she finds the planet has been attacked by mysterious aliens. Captain Falling’s routine is further disrupted when she meets Lt. Kyle Daspar who works as a double agent against a mysterious organization called the League. Thrown together, neither quite trusts the other. Nonetheless, they are strangely attracted to each other.
Flying rescue missions, they discover an abandoned alien fighter, crashed and abandoned during the attack. However, something about it doesn’t add up. As they move to unravel the mystery of the attack on Kassa, they find themselves in the sights of powerful people. Under the threat of alien invasion, is the real enemy far closer to home?
Review:
The Kassa Gambit is, what I would call, a classic space opera. It makes use of the tried and true formula of a free trader coming up against a powerful adversary. The co-protagonists are complex with reason to be highly suspicious of each other. They are also quite attracted to each other. The story unfolds like a mystery, with layers of intrigue as well as action in realistic life or death struggles. The only week point in the story is that when the antagonist is finally revealed, I didn’t find him entirely convincing. This left the ending feeling a little rushed.
Taken together, it was a very enjoyable tale.
March 29, 2014
The best thing I can say about this book is that I wanted it to be longer. Which is a complement this book deserves.
I think I came to The Kassa Gambit after seeing the cover at my local library. It stayed in my mind for years before I ever got around to reading it. But, finally, I have.
The highlight of this book for me was the two main characters Prudence Falling, captain of a rag tag transport vessel, and Kyle Daspar, best described as an agency man. Both these characters are filled with the kind of depth and nuance that makes you really feel with a character. Neither of them are simple in any way and that really comes through in the novel. Even more than that, they are both best when playing off each other.
The low point of The Kassa Gambit for me was the conclusion. Throughout the novel we slowly accrue clues to the central mystery, and we even get a couple twists that surprise, but as we near the end, we get what I like to call the "A Ha!" moment (which is really just the main reveal). Where one character, having seen enough clues, gives a two or three paragraph diatribe about what has happened and what the evildoers are thusly still planning. "It's all so clear now!" The main issue with this is that the author forces some manner of understanding to the reader, and in this case, nothing the evil plotter have done makes any sense.
Again I want to restate that I wish the book was longer. If the reveal of the evil-doers plot came about just a little slower, instead of all at once in a brutal bit of exposition, I think this could have ended up a stronger novel.
I think I came to The Kassa Gambit after seeing the cover at my local library. It stayed in my mind for years before I ever got around to reading it. But, finally, I have.
The highlight of this book for me was the two main characters Prudence Falling, captain of a rag tag transport vessel, and Kyle Daspar, best described as an agency man. Both these characters are filled with the kind of depth and nuance that makes you really feel with a character. Neither of them are simple in any way and that really comes through in the novel. Even more than that, they are both best when playing off each other.
The low point of The Kassa Gambit for me was the conclusion. Throughout the novel we slowly accrue clues to the central mystery, and we even get a couple twists that surprise, but as we near the end, we get what I like to call the "A Ha!" moment (which is really just the main reveal). Where one character, having seen enough clues, gives a two or three paragraph diatribe about what has happened and what the evildoers are thusly still planning. "It's all so clear now!" The main issue with this is that the author forces some manner of understanding to the reader, and in this case, nothing the evil plotter have done makes any sense.
Again I want to restate that I wish the book was longer. If the reveal of the evil-doers plot came about just a little slower, instead of all at once in a brutal bit of exposition, I think this could have ended up a stronger novel.
December 25, 2013
The book starts out great, and has very much a feel of the old TV series, "Firefly." There's a tramp freighter starship that approaches a planet after coming out of a hyperspace node. The ship has unsanctioned weapons mods, and the crew is a rag-tag bunch of quirky characters.
The planet, Kassa, has been bombed by 'someone.' During the rescue mission, the ship discovers what looks like a crashed alien attack ship.
However, the plot then transforms into what seems a lot like the Star Wars movie, "Attack of the Clones." There is lots of political intrigue, and it is unclear whether there really ARE aliens, or if this is a setup so that the government of the rich planet of Altair can use it as an excuse to build up the military and reduce the freedoms of the people. Or, it is possible that there are people allied with aliens, since two ships from Altair are dispatched to the planet BEFORE it was attacked.
As the two main characters hunt down various clues, trying to find out what is going on, they go from planet to planet dodging assassination attempts.
The end comes all of a sudden in the last 10 pages, including some gruesome killings and an attempted rape scene as the heroes rush to save the main fleet from a surprise attack.
I would say the novel started out as a 5 star, when to 4 star, then to 3 stars, so I avereaged it to a 4 star rating.
The planet, Kassa, has been bombed by 'someone.' During the rescue mission, the ship discovers what looks like a crashed alien attack ship.
However, the plot then transforms into what seems a lot like the Star Wars movie, "Attack of the Clones." There is lots of political intrigue, and it is unclear whether there really ARE aliens, or if this is a setup so that the government of the rich planet of Altair can use it as an excuse to build up the military and reduce the freedoms of the people. Or, it is possible that there are people allied with aliens, since two ships from Altair are dispatched to the planet BEFORE it was attacked.
As the two main characters hunt down various clues, trying to find out what is going on, they go from planet to planet dodging assassination attempts.
The end comes all of a sudden in the last 10 pages, including some gruesome killings and an attempted rape scene as the heroes rush to save the main fleet from a surprise attack.
I would say the novel started out as a 5 star, when to 4 star, then to 3 stars, so I avereaged it to a 4 star rating.
June 24, 2013
“The Kassa Gambit” (Tor, $24.99, 288 pages) could have used a bit more plot to bolster its action sequences and familiar love story, but M. C. Planck (a pseudonym if I’ve ever seen one) kept the pages turning in a space opera involving tramp freighters, huge spider-like aliens with a taste for human flesh, and power-hungry humans.
When all was revealed, the pieces of the puzzle didn’t fit together as neatly as they might have, and the bow wrapping things up was a little too neatly tied, but still, “The Kassa Gambit” was a fun read, in an old-fashioned sort of way. It also just might be the first of a series, and if so, there’s promise here if Planck (or whoever he or she is) can turn it up a notch or two in the next volumes.
Finally, I know that people love to read books full of dripping blood, fanged vampires and rotting zombies, and that can be fun, but for me, a little insouciant wit, some clever heroics and a few battle scenes will do just fine. And that’s why I’ve enjoyed Kevin Hearne’s series about earth’s last remaining Druid, Atticus O’Sullivan, so much.
When all was revealed, the pieces of the puzzle didn’t fit together as neatly as they might have, and the bow wrapping things up was a little too neatly tied, but still, “The Kassa Gambit” was a fun read, in an old-fashioned sort of way. It also just might be the first of a series, and if so, there’s promise here if Planck (or whoever he or she is) can turn it up a notch or two in the next volumes.
Finally, I know that people love to read books full of dripping blood, fanged vampires and rotting zombies, and that can be fun, but for me, a little insouciant wit, some clever heroics and a few battle scenes will do just fine. And that’s why I’ve enjoyed Kevin Hearne’s series about earth’s last remaining Druid, Atticus O’Sullivan, so much.
February 4, 2013
The Kassa Gambit has a lot to offer readers who are looking forward to something fun and fast that has the feel of a thriller about it. This book would make a great introduction to space operas or science fiction to those interested in looking into the genre. It’s easy to understand and digest and Planck does a great job presenting complex ides in a simple, easy to understand way. Those tried and true in the genre might miss the inventive, never-done-before feel that most SciFi books have. The characters are a little stilted and unbelievable and the book lacks the complexity that readers might be looking for in a science fiction/space opera style book. That being said, the relentlessly fast, fun plot is worth trying out. While the pros and cons are fairly balanced, The Kassa Gambit is the start of a promising series that is worth keeping an eye on.
Read my full review here:
http://www.bookwormblues.net/2013/02/...
Read my full review here:
http://www.bookwormblues.net/2013/02/...
September 4, 2014
The Kassa Gambit, by M.C. Planck, is a pretty run-of-the-mill space-action book, a debut book that feels like a debut book in many ways. Those issues mostly made the book fall flat for me, though the main character was intriguing enough that I might pick up a second book involving her, were one to come along.
The universe of The Kassa Gambit is one in which humans have long ago left Earth behind (it’s merely a legend now) and spread throughout the galaxies via “nodes,” gates in space that allow for big jumps in short time periods. Nowhere have they run into anything more than basic lifeforms and now humanity has settled into small system populations, with not a lot of travel between systems, especially anything more than a few node “hops” away. Exceptions are traders, and that leads us to one of our two main characters — Prudence Falling, fiercely ... Read More: http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...
The universe of The Kassa Gambit is one in which humans have long ago left Earth behind (it’s merely a legend now) and spread throughout the galaxies via “nodes,” gates in space that allow for big jumps in short time periods. Nowhere have they run into anything more than basic lifeforms and now humanity has settled into small system populations, with not a lot of travel between systems, especially anything more than a few node “hops” away. Exceptions are traders, and that leads us to one of our two main characters — Prudence Falling, fiercely ... Read More: http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...
March 3, 2013
A cross between Star Wars and Firefly... the characters are likeable, although the romance between the two main characters is somewhat tepid. I like the idea of Node travel through space, which is apparently like going through wormholes or something. There were a number of ambiguities in the author's explanations of the workings of the sci-fi galaxy, but I rather liked in the face of so many things which would be difficult to explain scientifically. I don't read many science fiction stories these days, so I can't compare to many others that might be out right now, but this one seemed well put-together, and I would recommend it.
March 31, 2014
Prudence Falling captains the tramp freighter Ulysses to Kassa with a load of farm machinery only to discover Kassa has been attacked and devastated with few survivors. She enounters the wreckage of the attackers' alien spaceship. Fearing retribution from Altair Prime and the representative Kyle Daspar she disengages and flees fast as she can. Altair controls the purse strings so she must agree to another trip to Kassa with the dreaded double agent Kyle onboard. They piece together the truth about Kassa and the Altair leader Dejae Prime who has created a space fleet to conquer the universe.
January 24, 2013
Be warned this book isn't your typical Scifi book, it's more a mystery or a thriller in a scifi setting. Which I think is why it has a lower rating than it really merits on goodreads. People pick it up and it isn't what they expected. There is basically one fight scene in the entire book and there are pretty much no space battles. So if you're expecting a traditional scifi book or military scifi then you'll be disappointed but if you go in with an open mind I think you'll find this book stands very well on it's own merits.
It's worth a read so give it a try.
It's worth a read so give it a try.
October 15, 2014
This was a good start for Planck. The romance part of it was written rather obviously, but I've read plenty of books that have handled it worse. The major thing this book lacked (besides writer experience, which will come with time) is more women in positions of power. This is another main female character surrounded by an all-male cast. However, her role is big enough that I didn't really notice this until the book ended. Partly because I liked her relationships with all of the people around her.
November 17, 2016
This was my first BookCase.Club book!
Overall I really liked this book. I liked the strong female lead, but wish she didn't have to be swooning over a man, but having him swoon more over her was a nice twist.
The world building and space travel science was super interesting and would have LOVED more on that as well as more on the alien species. They seemed rather flat and I would have liked to have learned more about them.
It was a quick fun read and I would recommend it to others. I would pick up the second book in the series to see where it goes.
Overall I really liked this book. I liked the strong female lead, but wish she didn't have to be swooning over a man, but having him swoon more over her was a nice twist.
The world building and space travel science was super interesting and would have LOVED more on that as well as more on the alien species. They seemed rather flat and I would have liked to have learned more about them.
It was a quick fun read and I would recommend it to others. I would pick up the second book in the series to see where it goes.
April 21, 2013
Moves along at a great pace - quickly got to a point where I couldn't put it down. Loved the 'Node space' concept - hyperspace and normal space has been done to death in science fiction, but this book adds an interesting twist to possible faster than light travel. THe Kassa Gambit is a mix of a number of genres, with the romance aspect a bit overdone in my opinion. Overall, though an enjoyable read.
August 7, 2013
I liked the story. It was an entertaining space opera with interesting characters. I finished it in a couple of days because it is a bit short, but it was also an enjoyable read for me. There were some interesting concepts about the space ships and the planets as well as some of the science involved. The story kept me guessing until the end and though a bit abrupt the ending of the story was quite good also.
April 18, 2017
Overall I was well pleased with the book. The flow was good and I found myself looking forward to reading it. The switching between to two main characters was well done letting the reader see the world through the others eyes.
The plot line was well done. Started going down one path, and with just enough foreshadowing and surprises to keep you looking forward. I didn't LOVE the ending, but it was okay and didnt take away from the enjoyment of the book.
The plot line was well done. Started going down one path, and with just enough foreshadowing and surprises to keep you looking forward. I didn't LOVE the ending, but it was okay and didnt take away from the enjoyment of the book.
February 3, 2015
Lots of intrigue. nice to read a book nowadays that's a standalone rather than one of a series. The two main characters spent too much time dissecting the other's motives. Good action scenes. Interesting plot.
April 23, 2016
A really good and fascinating read. I loved Prudence Falling and Kyle Despar, two well developed and interesting characters. I liked the thriller-type-conspiracy narrative, i seriously struggled to put it down.
**I rate based on enjoyment
**I rate based on enjoyment
December 4, 2012
By the numbers sf with nothing not seen before; flattish characters and prose in a very forgettable book
April 9, 2013
Really enjoyed this. Certainly didn't see the twist at the end coming.
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