Fearless

Fractal #1

by Allen Stroud

AD 2118. Humanity has colonised the Moon, Mars, Ceres and Europa. Captain Ellisa Shann commands Khidr, a search and rescue ship with a crew of twenty-five, tasked to assist the vast commercial freighters that supply the different solar system colonies.

Shann has no legs and has taken to life in zero-g partly as a result. She is a talented tactician who has a tendency to take too much on her own shoulders. Now, while on a regular six-month patrol through the solar system, Khidr picks up a distress call from the freighter Hercules…

FLAME TREE PRESS is the new fiction imprint of Flame Tree Publishing. Launched in 2018 the list brings together brilliant new authors and the more established; the award winners, and exciting, original voices.

Genres: Science Fiction, Space Opera, Fiction, Fantasy, Hard Science Fiction, Space

446 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 8, 2020

About the author

I am Assistant Professor (Research) Defence and Security Futures in the Centre for Peace and Security at Coventry University.

I was Chair of the British Science Fiction Association between 2019 and 2025.

In 2017, I completed my Ph. D. in "Worldbuilding Techniques and Writing Structures in Science Fiction and Fantasy".

My Official Elite: Dangerous novel, Elite: Lave Revolution was published in May 2014. I am also the official novelist for Julian Gollop's new game 'Chaos Reborn', released in 2016. I also wrote 'The Last Tank Commander', which was first published by Newcon Press and went on to be included in 'The Year's Best Military SF and Adventure Stories 2016' by Baen Books.

In 2017, Luna Press published my novel, 'The Forever Man', a weird fiction/urban fantasy. In 2018, I was featured in the Clarke Award/Newcon Press anthology celebrating 100 years since the birth of Arthur C. Clarke.

I was also the co-lead writer for the computer game, Phoenix Point which was published in 2019. You can find a collection of the short stories here - https://phoenixpoint.info/archives/

In 2020, Flame Tree Press published my Science Fiction novel, Fearless.

“Stroud raises fascinating questions about the politics of space exploration.”- Publisher’s Weekly

“Rigorous hard SF with a powerful but flawed protagonist and a fascinating historical background, Fearless is a treat for just about any Analog reader.” AnalogSF

“Fast-paced, gripping hard SF with death in hard vacuum waiting at every turn.” Adrian Tchaikovsky

After Fearless, we have the sequel, Resilient (2022) then the episodes: Europa (2023), Ceres (2023) Lagrange Point (2023), Terra (2023), Luna (2024) and Jezero (2024). Also, the third novel, Vigilance came out in 2024.

Reviews

[Daniel Villines · Rating 4 out of 5]

The science fiction writer’s love affair with the sequel has to stop! Here we have a near perfect science fiction novel in every way: the characters are memorable as individuals, the science rests in our near future reality where magic does not reside, and the plot roots itself in our current predicament where space exploration is a commercial/public endeavor. And yet this book lacks severely for its want of an ending, of any sort. Beware, readers, this is half a book! And I just might, out of spite, never ever view Allen Stroud’s complete vision of the future, and in doing so, deprive Amazon of $6.99 in the process.

[Andreas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Human colonies on Moon, Mars, Ceres, and Europa need to be supported by the Fleet. Captain Shann and her crew patrol the space traffic to provide roadside assistance in case of emergencies. During the acceleration on the way to a freighter's distress signal, one of crew dies, and a mystery story begins: Was it an accident or murder? Soon after they arrive at the helpless freighter, they battle against a human created superior battleship. A race to the safety of nearby Mars moon Phobos starts. The crew fights not only against this exterior enemy but also against their fears, suspicions, treason, end even mutiny. 

This juicy space opera leads you breathlessly through mystery and action scenes. It is one of the highest sugar calory popcorn stories that I ever read, and I couldn't put it down. Great characterization of multiple point of views, engaging space tactics, innovative problem solving feed that special urge of SF nerds. Don't read this for relaxation but for entertainment. The tension arc holds up to the last page, and while providing a very satisfying ending it leaves enough trails for followup novels. Highly recommended. 

[Vigasia · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is good enough space opera with a lot of action, but there were some things that iritated me:
1. We have a mystery and the crew from wchich everyone can be a suspect. But with the investigaiton it's like : 'We're not sure if we can trust you, because (something). And then the accused says: "But I'm telling you thath you can trust me." And then interrogators: "All right, so if you can say that we can trust you, we are sure we can trust you." - it wasn't literally like that, but close enough.

2. The motives of some people are not concvincing enough.

3. Bad guys and traitors are revealed from nowhere. You don't think about who could do this, because youu don't really know people of the crew. They are here and then, but you can't know their motivations, whar urges them and so you can't predict who could be responsible of some thing.

4. Sometimes I think that the captain gets no respect. Her crew is constantly disobeying orders without even consulting their ideas with her (maybve she would say yes ever think of that?)

I think that while the plot is interesting, this novel suffers with characterization. There is so many potentially interesting characters that could be developed much more. The only one I catually liked was our rotagonist captain Shann, because she is the only one developed enough to like.

Rating: something between 2,5 and 3 stars.

[Liviu · Rating 5 out of 5]

A mostly hard-sf mixture of adventure and mystery set on a patrol spaceship that receives a rescue signal from a freighter transporting goods from Earth to the solar system colonies; while quite interesting and promising more in the next installments, the novel has one main issue that keeps it from being as good as the storyline/universe/characters would allow, namely the pov rotation lacks balance and on occasion even continuity, leading to narrative momentum loss; this is especially noticeable in the first part where the Captain (with a fascinating backstory of a girl born without legs and finding her vocation in space and zero g) dominates the narrative, which if continued would have been fine (though of course the novel would have had to go somewhat differently), but then a few of her crew get more and more pov time so to speak and while by the end a good balance is achieved, the road there is rough and kept me a few times across the several months or so since I got a copy, from continuing with the novel despite its other qualities.

When I finally passed the slow and confusing part, the pages really turned by themselves and the last half or so it's been a one-sitting read

Overall quite good and definitely worth persevering through the slower and more confusing part from about a third to a half of the book

[Caitlyn Lynch · Rating 5 out of 5]

A hundred years into the future, humanity has colonised the solar system, but all the habitats and space stations are still dependent on regular resupply from Earth. The Fleet operates several search and rescue ships which ply the space lanes on a regular schedule to lend assistance to the vast space freighters without which the colonies are cut off. Captain Elissa Shann and her crew of twenty-five man the Khidr, inbound to Phobos when they pick up a distress signal from the freighter Hercules.

Things turn critical even before they arrive at the rendezvous with the freighter, with a crew member murdered. Uneasy with the knowledge she has a killer aboard, Shann is unprepared to be attacked by a ship nobody on the Khidr had any idea was present - a ship that doesn’t exist on any spaceship register, something that’s not supposed to be possible. Nobody has ever even fought a battle in space; the Khidr’s laser and torpedoes are meant for fending off stray asteroids, not attacking ships! But Shann’s no quitter. Born without legs, she went into space because zero-g meant her disability actually became an asset. She’s getting out alive, and she’s bringing as many of her people with her as she can. No matter what it takes.

There are a lot of threads here that don’t get tied off, starting from the mystery of the strange sounds heard by Apollo 10 astronauts back in the early days of space exploration. Shann and her crew find - and have to abandon - several artifacts they can’t identify, and there are at least two players on the board whose backers are unidentified, so there’s a much bigger game at play they don’t fully understand. Yes, there’s a fairly satisfying ending given here with Shann and (a few of) her crew winning the day and headed for safety (content warnings for lots of deaths, some fairly gruesome, and serious injuries). It does seem obvious that this is the first of a series; to me it has echoes of David Weber’s fabulous Honor Harrington series. I’m not sure if it will go that long, but there’s at least a trilogy here, and I’d love to read more of it.

Shann as a heroine with a disability who is absolutely not defined by it - at one point it even works for her because she requires less oxygen than other crewmembers who have complete bodies to fuel - is really great to read. She’s also not the only one; talented, ambitious young office Johansson is missing a hand, though she uses a prosthetic. Shann uses prosthetic legs under sufferance and avoids gravity unless she must.

The story is told in first person and primarily in Shann’s head, though we also get to see the perspective of others at different times, which helps to make the crew feel ‘real’ and not just a bunch of redshirts. April Johansson is brilliant and fiercely ambitious, at the beginning thinking only of how to impress her captain, her eyes always on climbing the Fleet rank ladder, but by the end, she is ready to sacrifice herself to give the rest of the crew a chance at survival. Engineer Sellis is a likable enough sort, a skilled repair technician… with a serious gambling problem and debts across the solar system which leave him vulnerable to blackmail.

While there’s a mystery to solve and an unexpected battle to fight, it’s the characters who make this story so intriguing, led by Shann. I thought she was a fascinating heroine and I ended the book really wanting to know how things turned out for her, wondering what reception she’d get from Fleet. A well-written page-turner, the fact that I’d have happily gone straight out and bought the second book in the series if it was available mean this deserves nothing less than five stars.

Disclaimer: I received a review copy of this title via NetGalley.

[Icy-Cobwebs-Crossing-SpaceTime · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read FEARLESS in one day, heart-in-throat breathless, because there is not a moment of rest in this thrilling, intense, Space Opera. The characters don't rest, the reader can't rest. Compelled to read to conclusion, I was a roiling mass of wonder, shock, suspense, compassion, and fear. FEARLESS is tremendously exciting, featuring a unique protagonist and a diverse cast, not to mention Space Travel and futuristic philosophical considerations [shades of Arthur C. Clarke]. I'm stunningly eager to read more from author Allen Stroud.

[Tej Turner · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the biggest challenges a space-based science fiction will face – in my opinion – is whether the author has done their homework and performed enough research into the realities surrounding humans inhabiting space.

I am happy to say that this book has achieved this very well.

Within just the first few pages of reading Fearless, it was clear to me that Allen Stroud has not only done his homework in terms of the ‘science’ part of such a story, but also the ‘fiction’; he has filled his futuristic vision of our world with a whole timeline of events which transpired between our present day, all the way up to the beginning of his story (which takes place just shy of one hundred years into the future), and it made for a compelling and believable mise en scene.

This book is described as a military SF, but it doesn’t get too bogged down with the ‘military’ side of that – as in, it doesn’t focus too much on spaceships monotonously shooting endless rockets and lasers at each other, as some books can. Instead, much of the tension of the story lies in the moments that the characters find themselves vulnerable to the vacuum of space, by either their equipment being compromised or their ship. Throughout these moments, Allen often draws out the tension by weaving in backstory about the characters – as they reflect on their past experiences and their knowledge to better make crucial judgements. This not only lends the story much more nuance, but it also allows its most nail-biting moments to hang whilst simultaneously giving the world and its characters more depth.

The narrative style is first-person, and there are three characters whose perspective we shift between throughout the story. These transitions are not jarring at all (as can sometimes be when an author attempts this), and each of them has a distinct voice.

The only criticism I have is that I did occasionally find myself having trouble remembering who all the secondary characters were. Although, I must also confess that I am one of those readers who naturally absorbs fewer details of a story my first time round than many others do, so I suspect not everyone would experience this problem. It was not something which stopped me enjoying the story, and I always found myself feeling familiar with these characters whenever they were introduced to me again.

There are some interesting twists and turns along the way, and everything about the story – from its characters to the scientific themes, and the events which unfold – feels real enough pull you into its narrative. I will not give any spoilers, but it does seem very much that this novel ended with a nod to a possible sequel which I am looking forward to reading when it comes out.

One last thing I would like to say is that Allen has an admirably diverse cast. And not in a way which feels at all forced; it makes perfect sense that a ship which trawls the solar system a hundred years into the future would have an international crew. Something else that he touches on – which I had never even considered before – is that zero-g environment is one which could one day be attractive to people who are physically impaired (for one does not necessarily need to walk on a spaceship, after all). Many authors in the past have used technology as a miracle ‘cure’ for disabilities, and that can sometimes be problematic, so it is refreshing to see that Stroud has steered well away from this trope. Instead, he has speculated a future where technology can certainly improve the lives of those with disabilities but, more importantly, the people who have them can live full and rewarding lives around them. This is something I suspect will resonate with many readers.

[Tina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fearless is an immersive and compelling story about the bonds of a crew and the perils of working in space.

The three shifting perspectives provide both a broader view to the events as well as allowing the mystery to deepen. We’re shown why people would spend their lives in space (Shann, due to a disability that anti-gravity makes easier to live with, Johannson due to ambition, and Sellis from escaping his debts). Each character has different, often conflicting, motivations. While they have different personalities from one another, we could have gotten a lot more backstory on them. They do have their own arcs to contend with, but we don’t learn a lot about why these arcs exist in the first place. The rest of the crew are hardly afforded any exposition, making it hard to remember who people were at times and to understand why they made the choices they did. But, it’s possible we have to sacrifice deeper characters for the amount of technical realism the book provides.

I liked that while Shann’s disability does define her in terms of determination and fortitude, her arc is not about this but making tough command decisions. It’s not often a person with a disability is the main character, and even less often does their arc focus on anything other than “overcoming” their physical differences.

The action and space maneuvering scenes were very well-described and the novel definitely keeps you on the edge of your seat. There are space battles, threads of mutiny, EVA excursions, and lots of blood floating in space. There is an interesting mystery too. It often felt like an old sea tale but with no oxygen instead of waves. I very much enjoyed it and would definitely entertain a sequel.

Just a note: the title is very lackluster and kind of melodramatic. I mean, I get it, the crew had to be fearless to survive, but it’s very generic.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Humanity has spread into space. There are colonies on the moon, Mars....even Europa. To protect the outposts, resupply ships and travellers, there is a fleet that patrols space. Their job is to patrol, offer help to space freighters, conduct search & rescue missions when needed, and give aid to stranded or damaged ships. It's an important job -- without the resupply ships, the outposts would be completely cut off. Most of the time the work is routine.....until it isn't. When Captain Shann and her crew respond to a distress signal, things get dicey. One of her crew is murdered, and then the ship is attacked.... Their job just got very non-routine quite quickly!

This book has some awesome action scenes and definitely kept my attention. I love Captain Shann as a main character...she is intelligent and incredibly capable. The story is told from multiple points of view. Normally, I really don't care for that sort of plot -- but for this Space Opera, it worked perfectly. I can't wait until this comes out in audio format -- this is the perfect sci-fi novel to listen to! I loved reading it -- but I think I will enjoy it even more in audio!

This is the first book by Allen Stroud that I've read. I'm definitely going to be reading more. Best Sci-Fi adventure I've read in quite awhile! I love the front cover art for this book....so awesome!

**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from Flame Tree Press. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

[Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stroud, Allen. Fearless. Flame Tree P, 2020.
Allen Stroud, a young English lecturer, has written a near-future space opera that shows real promise. The Khidr is a search and rescue ship in a solar system with a handful of permanent, though not self-sufficient, colonies, stretching from Luna to the gas giant moons. Typical travel time from Earth to Mars has been cut from six months to two. Propulsion and navigation technologies are treated realistically, and the characters of the crew are nuanced and well-developed, though occasionally given to unnecessary psychobabble. The plot involves a ship-to-ship rescue that is hampered by third ship of pirates with complex political motives. Action and suspense are tense. So far so good. But. Someone needs to tell Stroud that it might be OK to begin a story in medias res, but it is not so OK to end it that way. No sequel has been announced, but one would hope that is an oversight. If there is a sequel, I would also hope it will be given a less off-the-shelf title.

[Ralph Blackburn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fearless by Allen Stroud- This is SPACE OPERA writ LARGE! What starts out as a fairly typical space rescue procedural quickly becomes a non-stop roller coaster ride of treachery, deceit, mutiny. Each chapter is told in first person by different crew members with tensions mounting as loyalties are questioned and paranoia reigns free. There are no lulls for regrouping, just breakneck twists and turns that keep those pages turning furiously. Quite an accomplishment that I recommend highly. Thanks NetGalley for this great ARC.

[Peter Tillman]

This one, a library special purchase at my request, didn't work for me. Read some of the 2-star reviews to see why. Not horrible but disjointed. I'd try something else by him.

I'd write a bit more but I'm headed to the library to return it in a few minutes . . .

[Bryan Jarrett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unstoppable page turner

I really enjoyed this book. Once I started I have a difficult time putting it down. Excellent character development and easily believable action kept it in my mind whether or not I was reading it at the time. Highly recommended.

[Frank Kelso · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great military sci-fi

A military ship on patrol to help disabled ships encounters strange messages. They attempt to rescue a disabled ship and find their own crew infiltrated with traitors. Who to trust? Who to believe?

[Kodeir Ralford · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fearless is a violently kinetic and captivating hard science-fiction. It swiftly invites the audience to appreciate an almost obscured level of fastidious design and research, while simultaneously aiding readers to surrender themselves to Fearless’ breakneck pace and engaging protagonists. Events unfold in what becomes an energetic space-thriller, carrying readers through blistering space battles as each of three character perspectives illuminate the harrowing mysteries and fierce action developing between chapters. But perhaps most importantly, Fearless is a book about humanity in the near future and the trials which will inevitably be faced by our dauntless pioneers.

The book's author, Allen Stroud, takes little time to accelerate Fearless’ plot by way of a gruesome yet seemingly accidental horror. The Khidr, a military rescue ship of just twenty-five personnel and led by the story’s main protagonist, Captain Ellisa Shaan, has left the safety of Phobos station to investigate a distress signal from a nearby supply ship - the Hercules. With communications dark, any number of scenarios play out in the minds of the Khidr’s crew as they approach the silent hulk found adrift in the darkness of space. To make matters worse, while in transit to their destination, an incident leaves a terrifying and ineradicable trauma on the minds of the book's heroic rescuers.

This mystery plays a critical role in opening the reader's view into the anxieties, capabilities, insecurities, and personal histories of the crew. As we deepen our connection to these characters, Stroud’s frenetic and exhilarating pacing puts them at a constant precipice of danger. As one threat unfolds, another constantly looms in the back of each character’s mind ratcheting up the paranoia and dread felt.

Captain Ellisa Shaan is the stand-out and fresh voice of Fearless, and her capacities are on full display as she navigates an ever-intensifying danger. Everything from her personality to her physicality is a product of a lived universe, a representation of how greatness is born from tenacity, loyalty, compassion, intelligence, and are the foremost qualities of those who do good - not the random conditions we are born to. She believes in her crew and leans into her friends. She listens. She engages. Glimpsing her moments of uncertainty isn’t a revelation of timidity, but of the real fear that grips those confronted with saving lives and preserving those they crew with.

The other two voices of this story contrast Captain Shaan’s well, each playing an integral part in understanding the conflict and state-of-mind of those on the Khidr. Through its cast, Fearless carries a unique tone filled with ceaseless adrenaline and feels organically accessible for near any reader. Some character thoughts or actions may feel confounding or ill-placed, but upon careful consideration, they blatantly ring true to reality. This is the crowning achievement of this novel, to feel effortlessly believable while still performing a blockbuster level of engagement.

Final Thoughts:
+ Great and accessible content for teen and adult readers.
+ Action-packed but not gratuitous with its depictions of violence.
+ Sets the stage for an engrossing and plausible hard sci-fi series of books.
+ Smartly written when explaining the technical components of its world-building. Never feels bogged down or interrupted.
+/- Absent of any definitively quotable dialogue or strikingly embellished descriptions, but offers a consistent and expertly handled narrative that never feels poorer for the absence of indulgent prose.

4 1/2 stars, read this book!

[Simon Woolcott · Rating 5 out of 5]

This became my bedtime book for a couple of weeks. I like Scalzi and Jeffrey Deaver and Dean Koontz, and now I like Stroud. Shame we are at the early stage of his definitely-going-to-be-special career and have to be trickle fed books. Well until printing his books is the same as printing money. I look forward to the next book in this series.

If you are still reading this you have wasted some time were you could have just read the words in the book. Do that instead, you idiot.

I hate opinions, including my own, but here I indulge myself anyway:
Unlike all the other Sci-fi I have read, this universe is fragile. The characters were not simply living in space, they had to endure it. The book really drives home how delicate the human body is in the grand scale of things. The pacing was great with only a few slow moments. During the more actiony or tense moments, I found myself skipping some of the background building paragraphs, 'yeah yeah, as a kid blah blah, I need to get to the 'is everything ok' bit so I can put this down and go to sleep. I did this twice, which is pretty darn good for me. Dean Koontz I tend to skip 5 or 6 times per book. But some people like background over action so make your own mind up.

There's a little bit of repetition of ideas in this book, such as speed of a ship is irrelevant and only noticeable when there is another object to observe (Einstein's theory of irrelativity). Jeffrey Deaver's elastic bands and 2-way forensics principals is the worst example of what I allude to here. This might help drive these concepts home to people who have never contemplated such matters but it slows the pace for me as it feels like a backwards direction for that sentence or two.

I really enjoyed jumping from one persons perspective to the next. Having the chapter title being the name keeps it easy to keep track. At one point I felt I had uncovered a huge plot hole, but nope, it was addressed perfectly later on.

Unlike the other space based fiction, this does not feel like an unachievable future. No food duplicators, no fancy weapons, and even the silence of space is real. This keeps it all relatable. I would go as far to say that this future is pretty much inevitable.

If this did not have a follow up book coming the ending would suck. As it stands I think it was the perfect place to end. The questions left hanging at the end are merely consequences of the main story line and not loose ends. I felt satisfied that the hardships I had to endure alongside the characters (in my head) were rewarded at the end with no magical space mumbo jumbo like we grew a new Spork or tiny teddy bears with sticks defeated your laser clad army. I also won't need to worry about remembering anything to move on to the next book, an issue I do have with some Scalzi when I have to wait for a sequel. I forgot so much about the interdependency that I almost gave up on Scalzi's last book. This ending leaves me with only 2 questions I need answered and intrigue about a few other things. The perfect balance to sell the next book.

Every night it kept me up longer that I had hoped for, so to me, that's the mark of a good book. A lot happens and it was a lot longer than I first estimated. Like my review.

Seriously read the book and not some bollocks review based on other readers opinions.

[Peter Baran · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like The Expanse series, Fearless sits in one of those limbo part of science fiction timelines which are often glossed over. Humanity is tentatively in space, there are bases on Mars, Ceres and Europa - and asteroid mining is taking off. Most space travel is still regulated by governmental organisations in private partnerships. More important spaceships are blocky, functional things with skeleton crews and limited fuel and manoeuvrability. So the moment in time is where the first bit of space piracy or warfare take place and the costs of working in space are being felt on Earth, Into this comes our fleet spaceship the Khidr as space cops, trying to make the trading routes and miners safe, between legal enforcement and a lifeboat. And we get to see how difficult, disastrous and fraught actual combat with an unknown agenda is when your comms are out and you don't really know what is going on.

I enjoyed Fearless a lot (its bland title notwithstanding), as it quickly gets to ground its multiple conflicts in very human emotions. The story is told from a number of viewpoints, all crew, and from different positions on the conflict all with a bundle of issues. Some of this issues are a little "motivation 101", troubled gamblers need not apply, but at least the book works through their psychological arcs as the actual tension ramps up. Stroud does not always elegantly dump his info (his intro to our main character who was born without legs is not subtle - but the work put into that characterisation pays off near the end). And whilst there is some solid mystery behind why this conflict happens (in some areas unsolved one assumes for a sequel), there is also a political moment being described where perhaps our captain and her actions are the wrong ones. All the protagonists are flawed, and all have to reckon with it.

Whilst I mentioned there are plenty of loose ends for a sequel, it does work well as a standalone - and I liked its commitment to a consistent set of science handwaves (who knows if these lasers or missiles would work but the shortfalls of combat manoeuvring certainly makes sense). Again like the Expanse there is also a hint of a first contact moment on display, and by not showing his whole hand, Stroud has intrigued me.

[Pamela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Captain Ellisa Shann and the crew of the Khidr are at the start of a six-month patrolling assignment. They will criss-cross a large sector of space to maintain the peace of the shipping lanes between the colonies on Earth’s Moon, Mars, Ceres, and Europa. When they receive a faint SOS, they prepare to go to the disabled freighter, Hercules, but as they come out of a burn to make course adjustments, one of the crew is found dead. Is it an accident? If so, how could it possibly have happened. When they reach the Hercules, they are not prepared for what they find. No one on the Khidr has any experience dealing with the disaster on the Hercules, including Captain Shann.

Stroud has written a fast-paced, action-filled space opera. He tells the story from the viewpoint of multiple crew members, but mainly from the Captain’s perspective that lets us know she’s following the protocols dictated for her from the Fleet’s people on Earth. The reader gets quickly caught up in the goings on while Stroud ramps up and maintains a taut line on the action as things rapidly spin out of the control of Shann and her crew.

The well-drawn characters who occupy the seats on the bridge deck, especially Captain Shann, are engaging and readers will hope that none of them are traitors. The plot line will capture any SciFi fan’s imagination while the writing is such that the tension continues to build and will keep you reading into the wee hours of the morning.

If you like space operas, then this is the book for you. It deserves to be at, or near, the top of your to-be-read list.

My thanks to Flame Tree Press and NetGalley for an eARC.

[Joana (Miss Known) · Rating 3 out of 5]

What seems like a simple rescue mission to a distress call, it becomes something much bigger then Captain Shann could ever imagine. There is murder, an unknown enemy, a lot of questions and barely any answers.

It’s a hard sci-fi story filled with all the technology, science, and details the genre requires while having loads of action to leave you up all night turning page after page. The book is told in three different perspectives, showing different approaches, motivations, troubles, and conflict each of the characters go through.

One of the things that I enjoyed a lot was the connection to our Earth, the version of it that we know. And while the book is set 100 years in the future and humans are colonizing the solar system, there are a few references to our time making the story closer to home, more recognizable.

Another high note was how Captain Shann’s disability isn’t a pity card or a defined characteristic of the character. Her disability is something that she has, not something that she is. And while she expresses her difficulties in the past and the present, and even the barriers that she needs to overcome because of her disability, it’s not the focal point of the story or the character. I enjoyed how badass she was portrait while still not having both legs.

Bottom line, there are still some loose ends and plot points that could be explored even further in a possible sequel. *fingers crossed* Although I must say that this book works as a standalone since it has an end to the mystery, it would just be a shame to stop there. *winky face emoji*

I received an e-ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Mark Parnell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Take a deep breath before you start reading this book. In fact, if you are claustrophobic put the book down and walk away. I love a good mystery but there is something infinitely more appealing when said mystery takes place on a space ship in which the only escape is into the vacuum of space. In the early stages of colonizing our galaxy, Ellisa Shann and hew crew of the Khidr travel the vastness of space as a search and rescue ship. Fearless begins with the Khidr receiving a distress signal from Hercules. Obligated to respond, the Khidr arrives to discover that the Hercules has been attacked thus beginning the mystery of who is responsible. The frenetically paced action is equally matched by the depth and growth of the characters over the course of the novel. What I really loved about Fearless is that the decisions made by characters have an immediate impact on their already fragile psyche and while its easy to question the decisions some characters make, you would be hard pressed to make a different decision if it was you that had to make the choice. While Fearless answers some questions, it opens up a world that I look forward to exploring.

[Nanci White · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hi order military thriller with superb science and excellent characterization

While collections of misfits in space is almost de rigueur for interplanetary storytelling ,they usually don’t include the differently abled earthbound finally soaring in space despite their deficits.
This is a rattling good tale of a space rescue degenerating into a dogfight where mysterious forces are aligned against a simple operation turned lethal.
Excellent plotting and narrative drive,near life strategic analysis
,military precision and strongly psychologically defined male and female characters create a volatile and suspenseful ride.
Eagerly waiting to see how she picks up the pieces.

[Noodle The Naughty Night Owl · Rating 5 out of 5]

9/10: Fantastic, left me wanting more.

We’re two steps behind, trying to jump ahead. There’s too much we don’t know and too much at stake.

This was excellent, but I hadn't realised it was not yet part of a series. The "Fiction With Frontiers" part is different authors writing different stories, so not really a series, IMO.

But I stalked the author's social media and I think I found hints of a sequel being planned, but not yet written. So, there is hope.

Because I would have gladly read on in this world. Eagerly! Please, please, please write some more!

[Psykokow Madkow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tense, gripping sustained stress of the crew fighting to survive the odds and each other.

The fast pace keeps the stress high and relentless from start to the conclusion. Particularly enjoyed how each chapter focused on one character it really made it quite clear how the distrust develops and gives a real sense of desperation and the control of information and who knows what. Better be a part two.

[Runalong · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great smart piece of science fiction - great characters and a lot of tension as they’re plunged into a very difficult situation

Full review https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/bl...

[Edward D. Bowling · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Really Good Book!

This is a very good read for hard core sci-fi fans. A great plot twist where the crew of a peacetime military ship get pulled into a fight they were never trained or equipped for and how their true strength of humanity is tested to it's limits.

[Teresa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not my cup of tea. An interesting story that I just could not get into. By 50% I started skimming.

[Mark P. Downey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Zero gravity gem

This book has an incredibly convoluted plot along with well- conceived and executed characters. It’s a great read and I highly recommend.

[Skip Torok · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a ride! Hard to put down because there never was a break in the action!! Excellent read. Headed to Amazon to find some more of this Allan Stroud's stuff right now.

[Rory · Rating 5 out of 5]

I went into this book with no conceptions of what it was due to be. Having only read the authors previous fantasy books and being passing familiar with the Elite series. So far it has cost me lost sleep with many utterances of "Just another page...". Looking forward to seeing where it all goes.

[Tan Ponk · Rating 5 out of 5]

A most twisted tale

A rescue, a betrayal, a first encounter. Action plot unwinding from several viewpoints. Ends abruptly at a point with many hooks. Sequel obviously coming.