Warbird

by Jilly Paddock, Adam Shaw (Illustrator), Jim Pitts (Illustrator)

Vienna–a new class of ship with an innovative drive that can take her through voidspace, faster and further than any other vessel the Terran Space Corps has.Quinn Gresham–a controversial choice for the Captain’s chair. He didn’t expect to get the job and a lot of people wish he hadn’t.Rachel Murray–his second-in-command, another surprise. The military wing of the Corps objects to having a woman in the post they’d earmarked for one of their favoured candidates.Warbird–the AI that controls the Vienna, an exasperating lump of circuitry that is the eyes, ears and heart of the ship. It swears it doesn’t have a sense of humour–it lies.All goes well for the first few weeks of their maiden voyage, then they rescue three members of an unknown alien race from a wrecked spacecraft. First contact is initially successful, then they receive an urgent order to return to known space.A human colony has been attacked, leaving thousands dead, and the Vienna’s crew find themselves on the wrong side of an interstellar war. Both races have weapons that can devastate planets, so Quinn, Rachel and their three inhuman allies must try to stop the conflict before their homeworlds are destroyed, not an easy task when they're declared traitors, the aliens are outlaws, and everyone wants to kill them.

592 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 29, 2019

About the author

I've been writing for a long time, mostly in the science-fiction and fantasy genres. After a career spent working in medical research (briefly) and then in an NHS microbiology lab, I've now taken early retirement and have time to spare for writing and publishing my work.
I like poetry, particularly Yeats and Walter de la Mare, the art of Alphonse Mucha and the Pre-Raphaelites, and folk music, particularly long ballads about sex, death and the supernatural. I dabble in many kinds of crafts, including cross stitch and beading, and collect press-moulded and British studio glass, especially Okra, and tarot cards. All of the above may flavour and influence my work.
I live in the UK with an avid collector of books and CDs.
My partner and I run Cathaven Press which publishes some of my books plus several other authors. We also produce Occult Detective Magazine.
I've left Twitter because it's a hell site, but GR won't let me delete it from my profile. Find me on Mastodon instead - @jillypaddock@mastodon.social

Reviews

[Dr susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant science fiction adventure

Reviewed in the United States on December 17, 2019

Warbird is everything I want in science fiction but so seldom find. This book will join Lee and Miller's Liaden series, Madill's Borealis series, and Sonderby's Xandri Corelel series on my favorites shelf and bring me great joy to read over and over. The worldbuilding is phenomenal. The aliens are believable but intricately fantastic. The story is riveting; I wanted to read faster, but I didn't want to finish. I cannot recommend Warbird highly enough.