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NeoG #2
Hold Fast Through the Fire
The Near-Earth Orbital Guard (Neo-G)—inspired by the real-life mission of the Coast Guard—patrols and protects the solar system. Now the crew of Zuma’s Ghost must contend with personnel changes and a powerful cabal hellbent on dominating the trade lanes in this fast-paced, action-packed follow-up to A Pale Light in the Black.
Zuma’s Ghost has won the Boarding Games for the second straight year. The crew—led by the unparalleled ability of Jenks in the cage, the brilliant pairing of Ma and Max in the pilot seats, the technical savvy of Sapphi, and the sword skills of Tamago and Rosa—has all come together to form an unstoppable team. Until it all comes apart.
Their commander and Master Chief are both retiring. Which means Jenks is getting promoted, a new commander is joining them, and a fresh-faced spacer is arriving to shake up their perfect dynamics. And while not being able to threepeat is on their minds, the more important thing is how they’re going to fulfill their mission in the black.
After a plea deal transforms a twenty-year ore-mining sentence into NeoG service, Spacer Chae Ho-ki earns a spot on the team. But there’s more to Chae that the crew doesn’t know, and they must hide a secret that could endanger everyone they love—as well as their new teammates—if it got out. At the same time, a seemingly untouchable coalition is attempting to take over trade with the Trappist colonies and start a war with the NeoG. When the crew of Zuma’s Ghost gets involved, they end up as targets of this ruthless enemy.
With new members aboard, will the team grow stronger this time around? Will they be able to win the games? And, more important, will they be able to surmount threats from both without and within?
Zuma’s Ghost has won the Boarding Games for the second straight year. The crew—led by the unparalleled ability of Jenks in the cage, the brilliant pairing of Ma and Max in the pilot seats, the technical savvy of Sapphi, and the sword skills of Tamago and Rosa—has all come together to form an unstoppable team. Until it all comes apart.
Their commander and Master Chief are both retiring. Which means Jenks is getting promoted, a new commander is joining them, and a fresh-faced spacer is arriving to shake up their perfect dynamics. And while not being able to threepeat is on their minds, the more important thing is how they’re going to fulfill their mission in the black.
After a plea deal transforms a twenty-year ore-mining sentence into NeoG service, Spacer Chae Ho-ki earns a spot on the team. But there’s more to Chae that the crew doesn’t know, and they must hide a secret that could endanger everyone they love—as well as their new teammates—if it got out. At the same time, a seemingly untouchable coalition is attempting to take over trade with the Trappist colonies and start a war with the NeoG. When the crew of Zuma’s Ghost gets involved, they end up as targets of this ruthless enemy.
With new members aboard, will the team grow stronger this time around? Will they be able to win the games? And, more important, will they be able to surmount threats from both without and within?
432 pages, Hardcover
First published July 27, 2021
75 people are currently reading
2802 people want to read
About the author
K.B. Wagers
11 books640 followersK.B. Wagers is the author of the Indranan & Farian War trilogies with Orbit Books and the new NeoG novels from Harper Voyager. They hold a bachelor's degree in Russian Studies and a second-degree black belt in Shaolin Kung Fu. A native of Colorado, K.B. lives at the base of the Rocky Mountains with their partner and a crew of recalcitrant cats. In between books, they can be found attempting to learn Spanish, dying in video games, dancing to music, and scribbling new ideas in their bullet journal. They are represented by Andrew Zack of The Zack Company.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 125 reviews
December 3, 2022
Looking for an epic tale that literally takes you out of this world? Author K.B. Wagers in “Hold Fast Through the Fire” fully delivers another NeoG novel overflowing with adventures of Zumba’s Ghost crews’ newly promoted team. Newly added member Spacer Chae Ho-ki comes with a dangerous secret as a new war erupts targeting Zumba’s Ghost crew with the Trappist colonies. These fleshed-out characters are simply delicious—they’re beautifully flawed, like all of us are. And the location descriptions make you forget about where you are and all your problems as you transport aboard and into the fray with the crew. An obvious 5-star!!!
A special thanks to Harper Voyager and Author K.B. Wagers for my ARC of “Hold Fast Through the Fire” for an unbiased review.
A special thanks to Harper Voyager and Author K.B. Wagers for my ARC of “Hold Fast Through the Fire” for an unbiased review.
July 29, 2021
Actual rating is a 4.5
C/W:
Hold Fast Through the Fire was a really satisfying addition to the NeoG series. Many of the characters I loved from A Pale Light in the Black were back along with the addition of a new spacer, Chae. Chae was a lovable addition to the crew and watching them find their place on Zuma's Ghost was a touching parallel to Max's journey in book 1. I had initially been a little nervous about the fact that the crew of Zuma's Ghost changed between book 1 and book 2 but ended up thinking it was for the best. This change gives characters I already knew and liked reasons to keep growing as characters while also laying the groundwork for compelling interpersonal conflict.
Hold Fast Through the Fire is a character-driven story that had a bit more of a significant external conflict than its predecessor. I found the smuggling plot line interesting though was frustrated with the fact that Despite having a more prominent external conflict, I was also sad to see that Hold Fast Through the Fire largely omitted the fight scenes that had been such a treat to read in book 1. Even the combat elements of the Boarding Games received a lot less attention.
That said, I love the crew of Zuma's Ghost, especially Max and Jenks, so I would happily read about them doing anything for 400 pages. Hold Fast Through the Fire was a satisfying sequel and I hope we get more NeoG novels.
C/W:
Hold Fast Through the Fire was a really satisfying addition to the NeoG series. Many of the characters I loved from A Pale Light in the Black were back along with the addition of a new spacer, Chae. Chae was a lovable addition to the crew and watching them find their place on Zuma's Ghost was a touching parallel to Max's journey in book 1. I had initially been a little nervous about the fact that the crew of Zuma's Ghost changed between book 1 and book 2 but ended up thinking it was for the best. This change gives characters I already knew and liked reasons to keep growing as characters while also laying the groundwork for compelling interpersonal conflict.
Hold Fast Through the Fire is a character-driven story that had a bit more of a significant external conflict than its predecessor. I found the smuggling plot line interesting though was frustrated with the fact that Despite having a more prominent external conflict, I was also sad to see that Hold Fast Through the Fire largely omitted the fight scenes that had been such a treat to read in book 1. Even the combat elements of the Boarding Games received a lot less attention.
That said, I love the crew of Zuma's Ghost, especially Max and Jenks, so I would happily read about them doing anything for 400 pages. Hold Fast Through the Fire was a satisfying sequel and I hope we get more NeoG novels.
June 15, 2023
This book, y'all, took what I loved about the first book (queernormativity, a cast of very interesting and complex characters, and a deep focus on trust and communication) and raised the stakes brilliantly. Where book one was seemingly all about the Games with a little bit of real work on the side, this was very much the opposite with a complex villainous plot that needed routing out, characters undergoing emotional turmoil, frayed trust, epic communication skills and addressing people's needs, queer rep that totally goes above and beyond (in the most amazing way), and using the brief mentions of the Games as a metaphor for the cohesion of the team. Masterfully done, honestly.
The bad guys were a little too melodramatic, but the really great supportive conversations between the good guys was worth it. People apologize sincerely when they screw up. The incorrect decisions are examined to show readers clearly why the things they did were wrong. We normalize therapy and addressing needs rather than wants, asking for permission for intimacy even in established relationships. We get to see grief. We get to see found family at its absolute best.
TL;DR if you like space opera / military scifi even remotely, you need to read this series. It's worth it.
{Thank you Harper Voyager for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review; all thoughts are my own}
The bad guys were a little too melodramatic, but the really great supportive conversations between the good guys was worth it. People apologize sincerely when they screw up. The incorrect decisions are examined to show readers clearly why the things they did were wrong. We normalize therapy and addressing needs rather than wants, asking for permission for intimacy even in established relationships. We get to see grief. We get to see found family at its absolute best.
TL;DR if you like space opera / military scifi even remotely, you need to read this series. It's worth it.
{Thank you Harper Voyager for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review; all thoughts are my own}
August 25, 2021
The blurb is excellent--really does a good job of setting the stage. Read it.
Note: I really feel that reading the first book (A Pale Light in the Black) is essential for getting the most out of this one.
K.B. Wagers kept me turning the pages as fast as I could by really ramping up the emotional conflicts. The success of the crew depends on each member having complete trust in the others. That trust is weakened by the fact that certain people are keeping secrets--secrets that threaten the whole unit. The reader knows those secrets--I found myself wanting to shake some sense into several of the secret keepers (at least one of whom could see the damage being done and yet clung to the 'need to know' philosophy until it was almost too late).
Wagers gives us an emotion and action packed addition to the Space Opera genre. I got the impression that this wrapped up the major story arc that started in the first book. That said, I want more NeoG stories, please.
Note: I really feel that reading the first book (A Pale Light in the Black) is essential for getting the most out of this one.
K.B. Wagers kept me turning the pages as fast as I could by really ramping up the emotional conflicts. The success of the crew depends on each member having complete trust in the others. That trust is weakened by the fact that certain people are keeping secrets--secrets that threaten the whole unit. The reader knows those secrets--I found myself wanting to shake some sense into several of the secret keepers (at least one of whom could see the damage being done and yet clung to the 'need to know' philosophy until it was almost too late).
Wagers gives us an emotion and action packed addition to the Space Opera genre. I got the impression that this wrapped up the major story arc that started in the first book. That said, I want more NeoG stories, please.
June 11, 2023
I won this book in a goodreads drawing.
After winning the Games two years, in a row, there is a shakeup as someone is promoted, changing the team dynamic. Of course, the new guy has a deep, dark, secret.
Tiresome.
After winning the Games two years, in a row, there is a shakeup as someone is promoted, changing the team dynamic. Of course, the new guy has a deep, dark, secret.
Tiresome.
February 24, 2021
Thank you to Edelweiss for the ARC! Wagers has done it again with the NeoG. I love these characters and this world that they have created so ducking much. A+ can’t wait for the next adventure.
May 4, 2021
The interpersonal relationships were superbly written. Sham the battles were barely brushed upon.. Oh well the lore make up for it as well. Good addition to this setting
May 25, 2023
Originally published at Reading Reality
I positively ADORED the first book in the NeoG series, A Pale Light in the Black, to the point where it was one of my A++ reviews AND on my Best of 2020 list. It got me hooked on this author, to the point that I’ve been reading their previous series, The Indranan War and The Farian War, whenever I’m looking for an SFnal pick-me-up read.
Of course, all of that put this book, Hold Fast Through the Fire, on my list of Most Anticipated Reads for 2021. And it was definitely worth the wait!
But one of the things that I really loved about A Pale Light in the Black was that it made for excellent competence porn. Honestly, all my favorites last year qualified as competence porn. Reading about people who were just plain very good at their jobs doing those jobs very well shined a light in what was otherwise a rather dark year of incompetence.
So I was a bit surprised when the first third of Hold Fast Through the Fire did an all too excellent job of demonstrating just why both Groucho Marx and Doctor Who labeled “military intelligence” as a contradiction in terms. Certainly the intelligence department of the NeoG is NOT displaying any of that vaunted commodity when it decides to use four NeoG Interceptors and their crews as bait for a terrorist and not tell them about it.
Especially as the members of those crews – see the comment about competence porn above – are very good at their jobs and more than intelligent enough to figure out that something is wrong about the runaround that they are getting – and to start figuring the whole thing out on their own.
Because the crew of Zuma’s Ghost are, in fact, damn good at their jobs. They also have excellent bullshit detectors, even when the BS is being slung by one of their own. Or perhaps especially then.
In the first book, there was, of necessity, a cargo hold’s worth of setup. Introducing the characters, creating the world, explaining just enough about how history got from point A, our present, to point B, their future.
The story in that first book mostly felt, not exactly low-stakes, but certainly less humongous stakes than this time around. That was a story where the intraservice Boarding Games became a metaphor for the crew of Zuma’s Ghost learning how to be a team both at the games and out in the black.
This time, although the Boarding Games are still a factor, the stakes for the story as a whole are much higher and have much broader implications. Also, where first time around the team didn’t exist yet and had to form itself, this time the team that we watched build in the first book begins this story even more fractured than a couple of changes in personnel should have caused.
Back to that problem of military intelligence again.
The high-stakes mission that the crew of Zuma’s Ghost is caught up in is wrapped up in wealth, power and privilege, and the way that the rich and powerful never seem to face the consequences of the dirty deeds that they feel entitled to commit. The plan is to drop those consequences squarely on their heads.
If the NeoG can just manage to keep their own heads in the face of so many deaths – including entirely too many of their own.
Escape Rating A: This was one of this epic, can’t put it down reads. I started in the morning and finished late in the evening because I just couldn’t stop. Then I went to bed with an horrendous book hangover that I still haven’t shaken.
Although there were certainly points during that first third where I wanted to reach through the book and shake someone – preferably the control freak in NeoG intelligence who was using his friends and his colleagues as unwitting bait because he didn’t want too many people to know what was going on and question him about it.
It was painful watching these characters that I’ve already come to know and love struggle to punch their way out of a maze that they shouldn’t have been in in the first place. I wanted to stand up and cheer when they gave the idiot the dressing down he REALLY deserved.
But the big and high-stakes part of this story revolved around the plan that NeoG intelligence had been keeping under wraps. A senator, a shipping company executive and a thug (and doesn’t that sound like the start of a bad joke) have been spending years making oodles of moolah in an interplanetary bait-and-switch scheme. They’ve been stealing from both the government and the outer colonies, taking money for colonial supplies, shipping substandard goods to the colonies, and then selling the goods they’ve stolen on the black market to those same colonies for a huge markup.
Their scheme is coming to a close. NeoG is closing in, and they’re decided to go out in a blaze of other people’s glory by fomenting unrest in the colonies and using the resulting chaos for one last score before they slip away into the black.
It’s a huge organization with a lot of tentacles. Tentacles that reach out to hurt NeoG as the net closes in.
On the one hand, the whole nefarious scheme sounds all too plausible, not just then but honestly now. It’s the same colonizers’ rape of their colonies that has gone on since the very first country got big enough to call itself an empire.
So the scheme, in all its terrible awfulness, works all too well as a plot device. The stakes feel realistically high and get brought home to our heroes in a realistically painful fashion. But the leaders of the scheme as characters read as just a bit too far over the top. A plan that intelligent and that successful should be led by equally savvy villains. This bunch read more like comic book villains. Admittedly extremely successful comic book villains but still, their leader got way too close to an actual BWAHAHA to take as seriously as the crimes they committed warranted.
But this was a great story about a terrific team beating impossible odds to save the day and make each other proud. I loved the way they got the job done and done oh so well. There were also plenty of heroes to go around to balance out those cartoonish villains, but the one who saved the day more often than anyone expected was Doge, the dog-shaped robot who is turning out to be more dog than anyone ever imagined.
I had a great time with Max and Nika and the entire crew of Zuma’s Ghost, and I can’t wait for their next adventure. I’m still chuckling a bit that one of the Navy ships that helped out in the final encounter was the Normandy. Because of course it was.
I positively ADORED the first book in the NeoG series, A Pale Light in the Black, to the point where it was one of my A++ reviews AND on my Best of 2020 list. It got me hooked on this author, to the point that I’ve been reading their previous series, The Indranan War and The Farian War, whenever I’m looking for an SFnal pick-me-up read.
Of course, all of that put this book, Hold Fast Through the Fire, on my list of Most Anticipated Reads for 2021. And it was definitely worth the wait!
But one of the things that I really loved about A Pale Light in the Black was that it made for excellent competence porn. Honestly, all my favorites last year qualified as competence porn. Reading about people who were just plain very good at their jobs doing those jobs very well shined a light in what was otherwise a rather dark year of incompetence.
So I was a bit surprised when the first third of Hold Fast Through the Fire did an all too excellent job of demonstrating just why both Groucho Marx and Doctor Who labeled “military intelligence” as a contradiction in terms. Certainly the intelligence department of the NeoG is NOT displaying any of that vaunted commodity when it decides to use four NeoG Interceptors and their crews as bait for a terrorist and not tell them about it.
Especially as the members of those crews – see the comment about competence porn above – are very good at their jobs and more than intelligent enough to figure out that something is wrong about the runaround that they are getting – and to start figuring the whole thing out on their own.
Because the crew of Zuma’s Ghost are, in fact, damn good at their jobs. They also have excellent bullshit detectors, even when the BS is being slung by one of their own. Or perhaps especially then.
In the first book, there was, of necessity, a cargo hold’s worth of setup. Introducing the characters, creating the world, explaining just enough about how history got from point A, our present, to point B, their future.
The story in that first book mostly felt, not exactly low-stakes, but certainly less humongous stakes than this time around. That was a story where the intraservice Boarding Games became a metaphor for the crew of Zuma’s Ghost learning how to be a team both at the games and out in the black.
This time, although the Boarding Games are still a factor, the stakes for the story as a whole are much higher and have much broader implications. Also, where first time around the team didn’t exist yet and had to form itself, this time the team that we watched build in the first book begins this story even more fractured than a couple of changes in personnel should have caused.
Back to that problem of military intelligence again.
The high-stakes mission that the crew of Zuma’s Ghost is caught up in is wrapped up in wealth, power and privilege, and the way that the rich and powerful never seem to face the consequences of the dirty deeds that they feel entitled to commit. The plan is to drop those consequences squarely on their heads.
If the NeoG can just manage to keep their own heads in the face of so many deaths – including entirely too many of their own.
Escape Rating A: This was one of this epic, can’t put it down reads. I started in the morning and finished late in the evening because I just couldn’t stop. Then I went to bed with an horrendous book hangover that I still haven’t shaken.
Although there were certainly points during that first third where I wanted to reach through the book and shake someone – preferably the control freak in NeoG intelligence who was using his friends and his colleagues as unwitting bait because he didn’t want too many people to know what was going on and question him about it.
It was painful watching these characters that I’ve already come to know and love struggle to punch their way out of a maze that they shouldn’t have been in in the first place. I wanted to stand up and cheer when they gave the idiot the dressing down he REALLY deserved.
But the big and high-stakes part of this story revolved around the plan that NeoG intelligence had been keeping under wraps. A senator, a shipping company executive and a thug (and doesn’t that sound like the start of a bad joke) have been spending years making oodles of moolah in an interplanetary bait-and-switch scheme. They’ve been stealing from both the government and the outer colonies, taking money for colonial supplies, shipping substandard goods to the colonies, and then selling the goods they’ve stolen on the black market to those same colonies for a huge markup.
Their scheme is coming to a close. NeoG is closing in, and they’re decided to go out in a blaze of other people’s glory by fomenting unrest in the colonies and using the resulting chaos for one last score before they slip away into the black.
It’s a huge organization with a lot of tentacles. Tentacles that reach out to hurt NeoG as the net closes in.
On the one hand, the whole nefarious scheme sounds all too plausible, not just then but honestly now. It’s the same colonizers’ rape of their colonies that has gone on since the very first country got big enough to call itself an empire.
So the scheme, in all its terrible awfulness, works all too well as a plot device. The stakes feel realistically high and get brought home to our heroes in a realistically painful fashion. But the leaders of the scheme as characters read as just a bit too far over the top. A plan that intelligent and that successful should be led by equally savvy villains. This bunch read more like comic book villains. Admittedly extremely successful comic book villains but still, their leader got way too close to an actual BWAHAHA to take as seriously as the crimes they committed warranted.
But this was a great story about a terrific team beating impossible odds to save the day and make each other proud. I loved the way they got the job done and done oh so well. There were also plenty of heroes to go around to balance out those cartoonish villains, but the one who saved the day more often than anyone expected was Doge, the dog-shaped robot who is turning out to be more dog than anyone ever imagined.
I had a great time with Max and Nika and the entire crew of Zuma’s Ghost, and I can’t wait for their next adventure. I’m still chuckling a bit that one of the Navy ships that helped out in the final encounter was the Normandy. Because of course it was.
July 25, 2021
Hold Fast Through Fire is the second book in the NeoG series. It was a fascinating and unique story and has tons of adventure, fun characters, mystery, and political intrigue.
First, I like that it has a cast of characters with their pronouns and content warning.
Hold Fast Through Fire is a character-driven story so the character arcs are remarkable. I like the dynamics between the characters. They are well-drawn out. I sympathize with some, but I'm not really invested. The world-building is solid and the writing style is engaging and easy to follow. Also, there are some scenes when I just go "???" since it isn't relevant to the plot and the villains aren't the brightest bulbs.
Overall, this is a fun and quick read. It started slow and pick up its pace in the second half. The relationship between characters and the world is excellently written.
Big thanks to HarperVoyager and NetGalley for the DRC. All thoughts and opinions are mine.
First, I like that it has a cast of characters with their pronouns and content warning.
Hold Fast Through Fire is a character-driven story so the character arcs are remarkable. I like the dynamics between the characters. They are well-drawn out. I sympathize with some, but I'm not really invested. The world-building is solid and the writing style is engaging and easy to follow. Also, there are some scenes when I just go "???" since it isn't relevant to the plot and the villains aren't the brightest bulbs.
Overall, this is a fun and quick read. It started slow and pick up its pace in the second half. The relationship between characters and the world is excellently written.
Big thanks to HarperVoyager and NetGalley for the DRC. All thoughts and opinions are mine.
March 21, 2021
Doge stole the show for me this time around. I am throughly enjoying this series and can't wait for the next book to come out.
Arc from netgalley.
Arc from netgalley.
August 2, 2021
gahhh i love this series so much - queer found family in space is the SUPERIOR TROPE
(also side note the poly relationship in this book is EVERYTHING!!!!!)
(also side note the poly relationship in this book is EVERYTHING!!!!!)
January 11, 2024
Good sequel to the first book, fun characters, sci-fi entertainment
October 6, 2021
This is a really cool overall idea! I'm personally a fan of "softer" sci-fi and this is a good example of that, giving us some action scenes with technology but also focusing a ton on interpersonal relationships and human drama (perhaps more so than "how tech-y things work" etc). There's a ton of gender diversity here, and it's really great -- it's awesome to see multiple non-binary characters, we don't get to see that often!! Jenks's personality is a ton of fun and Chae is a great character too. I think anyone who reads this would find a bunch of characters to relate with!!
A few things made the plot a bit hard to get into sometimes: I think my problem that lasted for at least the first act is that a billion characters are introduced in the first few chapters and it's sometimes hard to keep track of who's doing what, especially since on top of their names and titles a lot of them also have nicknames that aren't always super clear. BUT, to be totally fair, there's a legitimately-helpful chart in the start of the book with the names, jobs/titles, and pronouns for each character. So when I did get confused on which person was responsible for what task I flipped back to the front to get a refresher. Still, I feel like I had to do that kind of a lot, and it was distracting. I didn't really DISLIKE any characters, but if there were maybe fewer of them, it'd be easier to get into each characters' arcs/growth/lessons they learn more.
Also, I think the dialogue scenes oftentimes tend to drag on too long and feel repetitive -- as a generic not-spoilery example, there's a LOT of back-and-forth between various crew members about convincing Chae to open up that doesn't really seem to bring anything new or add additional suspense to what secrets Chae might be hiding. So streamlining some of that kind of stuff would make it easier to get swept away in this plot.
Overall though, this is really cool!!
A few things made the plot a bit hard to get into sometimes: I think my problem that lasted for at least the first act is that a billion characters are introduced in the first few chapters and it's sometimes hard to keep track of who's doing what, especially since on top of their names and titles a lot of them also have nicknames that aren't always super clear. BUT, to be totally fair, there's a legitimately-helpful chart in the start of the book with the names, jobs/titles, and pronouns for each character. So when I did get confused on which person was responsible for what task I flipped back to the front to get a refresher. Still, I feel like I had to do that kind of a lot, and it was distracting. I didn't really DISLIKE any characters, but if there were maybe fewer of them, it'd be easier to get into each characters' arcs/growth/lessons they learn more.
Also, I think the dialogue scenes oftentimes tend to drag on too long and feel repetitive -- as a generic not-spoilery example, there's a LOT of back-and-forth between various crew members about convincing Chae to open up that doesn't really seem to bring anything new or add additional suspense to what secrets Chae might be hiding. So streamlining some of that kind of stuff would make it easier to get swept away in this plot.
Overall though, this is really cool!!
July 27, 2021
Getting to know the characters and the world of the NeoG (Near Earth Orbital Guard) in A Pale Light In The Black was half the fun. With that basis, the second book, Hold Fast Through The Fire really soars to new heights in K. B. Wagers’ latest thrilling adventure!
Fresh off their second consecutive victory in The Boarding Games, the annual competition among the military branches, the crew of Zuma’s Ghost is dealing with the retirements of a couple of key crew members as well as integrating their replacements into the team. The Games foster bonding amongst the crew and build the trust that is necessary when their lives are dependent on one another out in “the black”. Meanwhile, a task force is being formed to patrol the area around the Trappist station where funds and supplies are going missing, keeping the colonists on the edge of starvation and financial ruin. A conspiracy is discovered which includes trying to start a war with Mars separatists in order to distract from the financial misdeeds. Unraveling the conspiracy, bringing the criminals to justice and staying alive are going to test the NeoG like never before!
The plot moves steadily forward through the first part of the book and then picks up even more intensity as it barrels toward an exciting conclusion filled with battles, explosions and excitement all along the way. As great as the plot is, the relationships between the characters fuel the story. Intensity and depth of emotion pull you in, underscoring the seriousness and tragedy of what is happening. No more so than with Jenks, a five-foot-nothing kid from the streets with a punch that can lift you out of your boots and wrapped in emotional armor that makes it tough for anyone to penetrate.
Wagers marries intense character drama with space adventure, politics, action and mystery. Hold Fast Through The Fire shows just how good this series can be. Fans are going to be excitedly waiting for the next installment. Highly recommended.
I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher.
Fresh off their second consecutive victory in The Boarding Games, the annual competition among the military branches, the crew of Zuma’s Ghost is dealing with the retirements of a couple of key crew members as well as integrating their replacements into the team. The Games foster bonding amongst the crew and build the trust that is necessary when their lives are dependent on one another out in “the black”. Meanwhile, a task force is being formed to patrol the area around the Trappist station where funds and supplies are going missing, keeping the colonists on the edge of starvation and financial ruin. A conspiracy is discovered which includes trying to start a war with Mars separatists in order to distract from the financial misdeeds. Unraveling the conspiracy, bringing the criminals to justice and staying alive are going to test the NeoG like never before!
The plot moves steadily forward through the first part of the book and then picks up even more intensity as it barrels toward an exciting conclusion filled with battles, explosions and excitement all along the way. As great as the plot is, the relationships between the characters fuel the story. Intensity and depth of emotion pull you in, underscoring the seriousness and tragedy of what is happening. No more so than with Jenks, a five-foot-nothing kid from the streets with a punch that can lift you out of your boots and wrapped in emotional armor that makes it tough for anyone to penetrate.
Wagers marries intense character drama with space adventure, politics, action and mystery. Hold Fast Through The Fire shows just how good this series can be. Fans are going to be excitedly waiting for the next installment. Highly recommended.
I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher.
June 17, 2025
NeoG series 02 Hold Fast Through the Fire by K.B. Wagers
challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense
Medium-paced
Plot or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters are a main focus? Yes
4.25 Stars
In some ways, this story reminds me of all the things that I loved about The Expanse. The "found family" aspect of living in the black...with the people you trust/those that trust you.
The struggles that our heroes go through is immense, but Jenks went through the ringer, amongst them all. What the author put her through...was harsh, but also cathardic.
I have to say, this is the ONLY doge that I like...in this world OR ours. IYKYK
Loved how the story goes from game simulation/fights to actual real life fighting and back. The intrigue of people stealing from people...and the people that are tasked to find them.
The struggles of keeping secrets and the possibility fo having to lie/deceive friends, in the pursuit of your job. That isn't fair to the ones that you trust, and those who put their trust in you.
Loved this story. Cannot wait to start book three: The Ghost of Trappist. Will be picking this book up, soon.
challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense
Medium-paced
Plot or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters are a main focus? Yes
4.25 Stars
In some ways, this story reminds me of all the things that I loved about The Expanse. The "found family" aspect of living in the black...with the people you trust/those that trust you.
The struggles that our heroes go through is immense, but Jenks went through the ringer, amongst them all. What the author put her through...was harsh, but also cathardic.
I have to say, this is the ONLY doge that I like...in this world OR ours. IYKYK
Loved how the story goes from game simulation/fights to actual real life fighting and back. The intrigue of people stealing from people...and the people that are tasked to find them.
The struggles of keeping secrets and the possibility fo having to lie/deceive friends, in the pursuit of your job. That isn't fair to the ones that you trust, and those who put their trust in you.
Loved this story. Cannot wait to start book three: The Ghost of Trappist. Will be picking this book up, soon.
August 1, 2021
Hold Fast Through the Fire is an excellent follow-up to A Pale Light in the Black. Wagers takes everything I loved about the first book (interpersonal conflict, found family, cool space battles) and builds on it in this one. Plus there’s some great political intrigue, some spying, and a whole lot of lying. Which, as you can imagine, leads to some excellent conflict as characters struggle with reconciling the role they have to play with their morals and beliefs.
It was interesting to see how Max, Jenks, and the rest of the Zuma’s Ghost team have grown in between the two books and how they grew during the course of this book. Although this series has all of the trappings of a space adventure, it is, at it’s heart, a character-driven series. I also thought that Chae was an excellent addition to the team, and I’m looking forward to seeing them in future installments!
Overall, the NeoG series is a fun read, full of well-developed characters and great action. Definitely would recommend if you’re looking for a new sci-fi series!
*Disclaimer: I received an advance book for free from the publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
It was interesting to see how Max, Jenks, and the rest of the Zuma’s Ghost team have grown in between the two books and how they grew during the course of this book. Although this series has all of the trappings of a space adventure, it is, at it’s heart, a character-driven series. I also thought that Chae was an excellent addition to the team, and I’m looking forward to seeing them in future installments!
Overall, the NeoG series is a fun read, full of well-developed characters and great action. Definitely would recommend if you’re looking for a new sci-fi series!
*Disclaimer: I received an advance book for free from the publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
October 21, 2023
Zuma’s Ghost has new crew members, which may affect their performance in the Boarding Games, as well as their ability to work together to complete their extremely critical mission, stopping a ruthless coalition preying on the Trappist colonies. This is a fast-paced, action-packed adventure in space, with deepening relationships, loss, and triumph over adversity. I enjoy this crew and their friends so much, and look forward to reading the conclusion of the trilogy to see how everything works out for these wonderful characters.
December 15, 2024
A great read (even if some of the fights go on a little long). Mostly a novel about relationship and interpersonal challenges, that happen to take place on space ships and other planets. Plus a nefarious plot to solve!
August 9, 2021
4.5
Talk about a ride and a half. The emotions this book made me go through almost gave me whiplash but in a good way.
Talk about a ride and a half. The emotions this book made me go through almost gave me whiplash but in a good way.
January 30, 2024
Very enjoyable space opera!
January 10, 2025
Really loving this series. Book two was even more exciting than the first and quite emotional too. Much less game focused and more mission focused. Some really, really bad baddies.
August 5, 2021
The Zuma' Ghost team keeps growing...up and together. Adversity breeds tough choices, but they make them as a team and we get to cheer them all along the way.
July 29, 2021
Hold Fast Through the Fire is the second entry in the NeoG series. With familiar characters, new introductions, a focus shifted away from the Games, and even higher stakes in the complicated conflicts throughout, KB Wagers delivers another compelling and action packed novel.
Personnel and role changes aboard the Zuma’s Ghost set the stage for the second novel, which largely revolves around political intrigue and espionage. Max and Jenks retain prominent roles and their friendship and character arcs are easily some of my favourite elements about this series, in addition to the casual queernormativity. This novel introduces Chae-Ho Ki, a nonbinary main character, in addition to expanding more on the relationships of polyamorous characters. You’ll want to refresh yourself before tackling the second novel if it’s been a while since you’ve read the first; the story jumps right in with a roster of names and organizations as long as my leg, and had I not immediately read these books back to back, I would have needed a refresher.
The content matter throughout Hold Fast Through the Fire veers far darker than the first entry in the series; please heed the content warnings provided by the author in the beginning of the book. In my opinion, this shift benefited the narrative, as the emotional beats and climactic action moments within the novel left me by turns breathless and crying. As in A Pale Light in the Black, K.B. Wagers excels at character work, and while I was worried about the change in main characters, I needn’t have worried.
Pacing issues—particularly an ending that felt extremely rushed given the sheer number of plot threads needing to be tied up—and a lack of the dramatic action scenes I adored in the first installment bumped this one down to four stars for me. Still, this is a wonderful series that fans of space opera should be checking out, particularly if you enjoy a military-esque flavour to your queer space found families.
Thank you to Harper Voyager and Edelweiss for an advance reading copy. All opinions are my own.
Personnel and role changes aboard the Zuma’s Ghost set the stage for the second novel, which largely revolves around political intrigue and espionage. Max and Jenks retain prominent roles and their friendship and character arcs are easily some of my favourite elements about this series, in addition to the casual queernormativity. This novel introduces Chae-Ho Ki, a nonbinary main character, in addition to expanding more on the relationships of polyamorous characters. You’ll want to refresh yourself before tackling the second novel if it’s been a while since you’ve read the first; the story jumps right in with a roster of names and organizations as long as my leg, and had I not immediately read these books back to back, I would have needed a refresher.
The content matter throughout Hold Fast Through the Fire veers far darker than the first entry in the series; please heed the content warnings provided by the author in the beginning of the book. In my opinion, this shift benefited the narrative, as the emotional beats and climactic action moments within the novel left me by turns breathless and crying. As in A Pale Light in the Black, K.B. Wagers excels at character work, and while I was worried about the change in main characters, I needn’t have worried.
Pacing issues—particularly an ending that felt extremely rushed given the sheer number of plot threads needing to be tied up—and a lack of the dramatic action scenes I adored in the first installment bumped this one down to four stars for me. Still, this is a wonderful series that fans of space opera should be checking out, particularly if you enjoy a military-esque flavour to your queer space found families.
Thank you to Harper Voyager and Edelweiss for an advance reading copy. All opinions are my own.
March 11, 2021
Most Japanese books I've read have a list of names, grouped by organizations or people living in a particular place. The idea behind this is to help you keep track of all characters and know where they belong, be it a police precinct or a specific family. It might have to do something with the characters used, but that just speculation on my part. So when I started reading Hold Fast Through the Fire and found such a list, I was excited. My excitement, short lived. The list was meant to indicate pronouns, for instance, a woman would be referred to others as "he", a man, as "they". I don't know much about the correct grammar used when talking to or about pansexuals/transexuals, so what looked to me like a mistake, might not be one: a man referred to as "They" by others, used "me" when referring to himself, and not "us". Not used to reading a book written in this fashion, it took a while to get past it. Maybe is just me, but a bad story doesn't magically turn into a good one, just by adding pansexuals/transsexuals left and right into the mixture, this story did so.
[Blurb goes here]
As you might have guessed from my earlier rant, I didn't read the first book in the series. That being said, I think that behind all the "let's add as many genders as humanly possible", there's a good story, not a great one. The first half of the book seems lazy. One fight scene in particular could have been amazing, but ended up being flat. The story builds up in the second half, which I enjoyed throughout. This is a character driven story, characters evolve as the story progresses. If you are a fan of K. B. Wagers, this is a most read. Sadly, I didn't turned into one by reading Hold Fast Through the Fire. I had fun, though, but not enough to continue reading the series.
Thank you for the free copy.
[Blurb goes here]
As you might have guessed from my earlier rant, I didn't read the first book in the series. That being said, I think that behind all the "let's add as many genders as humanly possible", there's a good story, not a great one. The first half of the book seems lazy. One fight scene in particular could have been amazing, but ended up being flat. The story builds up in the second half, which I enjoyed throughout. This is a character driven story, characters evolve as the story progresses. If you are a fan of K. B. Wagers, this is a most read. Sadly, I didn't turned into one by reading Hold Fast Through the Fire. I had fun, though, but not enough to continue reading the series.
Thank you for the free copy.
June 9, 2021
K.B. Wagers just gets better and better, and while I'm certainly biased, their development of the NeoG universe has been exciting to see. While A Pale Light in the Black is a fun romp, now that all the characters and world are established, K.B. is able to set us down an action-packed, heartfelt adventure full of the crew of Zuma's Ghost that you absolutely live and die with. Love this book and this series and this author!
May 27, 2021
Just like book one, A Pale Light in the Black, the second book has fantastic character dynamics. This book is set two years later, with the crew of Zuma's Ghost continuing to rock it at the boarding games. But this year, some of their crew is changing. Rosa and Ma are retiring, and Nika has returned to the crew in Rosa's place, Jenks is now chief, and a new Spacer Chae Ho-ki (they/them) is welcomed. But Chae hides something from the crew, something that puts the crew and Chae's loved ones at risk. Meanwhile, Nika has been tasked with a secret mission from Intel, and he's struggling with how to lie to the crew while maintaining a relationship with them, particularly with Max.
I thought the bad guys were a bit too dumb at times, but overall this is a great sequel to an engaging series.
I thought the bad guys were a bit too dumb at times, but overall this is a great sequel to an engaging series.
September 4, 2021
Better than the first book in the series. Far less about the stupid "games" and mostly about a plot with actual intrigue.
This time I was disturbed a by a military group whose members spend a lot of time hugging and telling each other they love and trust each other. Occasionally crying. But way too touchy-feely for me to believe of the military, no matter how egalitarian. Seemed more like an encounter group.
Also, it seemed like about a third of the characters used "they" pronouns. That made for a lot of confusing narration. Can we please pick another pronoun that doesn't already mean something else? Xe, ze, and O seem like reasonable alternatives to me.
This time I was disturbed a by a military group whose members spend a lot of time hugging and telling each other they love and trust each other. Occasionally crying. But way too touchy-feely for me to believe of the military, no matter how egalitarian. Seemed more like an encounter group.
Also, it seemed like about a third of the characters used "they" pronouns. That made for a lot of confusing narration. Can we please pick another pronoun that doesn't already mean something else? Xe, ze, and O seem like reasonable alternatives to me.
August 13, 2021
good story - well defined characters - i would have given a better rating but it distracted from the story with the political correctness of all the use of multiple pronouns. The authors' need to make a point that each new character was first described by their "preferred pronouns" really takes away from the story. Also adding in a comment about the pandemic and fires made it all less about the story he/she/they were telling and more currently political - which is not why i read a science fiction book
August 20, 2021
could not ninish
December 31, 2024
The Zuma's Ghost is one ship of the NeoG, kind of an interstellar Coast Guard, but they're also a family. Though families change over time, and since we last saw them, the commander has retired... but their new commander is the former lieutenant, Nick Vagin, brother to one of the engineers, and dating Lieutenant Carmichael. Everyone seems to be happy about the change, except Vagin is also working for intelligence, working to catch a major smuggling operation that has connections at the highest levels... and have been ordered to keep all operational details a secret.
I enjoyed the first book of this, which felt sort of like cozy military SF, which is not normally a subgenre I would have thought of, but it generally worked. I personally wasn't so interested in the focus on 'the games,' a series of hand-to-hand combats and wargame simulations, but I liked the characters and the way it focused on small missions. This book, for better of for worse, has both some of my same likes and dislikes, although tempered in both cases. For example, the 'games' still have too much of focus to my tastes, but it is much more background. And, this time around it feels more like one slow-building plot rather than a series of mini-stories that tie into something at the end. I did miss the little mini-missions of the first book, just a glimpse into the day to day life of the NeoG (and there is some of it, but I'd have liked more).
I feel like if you liked the first book you'll probably like this one. For me, though, that like is a little weaker this time around, whether it's just the common slump in a second book in a series, or just my own interest flagging in general, I'm not sure. It's at its best with the character drama and how the relationships get strained by secrets and dramatic events create... well, drama and pain and grief. However, and maybe this is because it's trying too hard for the 'cozy' vibe, too much of everything else seems too easy. Bad characters arrested bluster in interrogation, and then break with a mild threat. A new character is torn between the new people who accept them and the job they have to do, but once they screw up they find their place pretty easily. Even when something tragic happens you feel like it's not going to stick. On the whole, it's still fun enough, it just... at times I wanted things to feel a bit more difficult.
As such... I'm not entirely sure whether I'll continue on with the series. It just doesn't engage me ENOUGH that it's an easy answer when there are so many other books out there and so little time and I might find something I love instead. On the other hand, it could just be end-of-the-year blahs, since a number of other books have left me similarly with subdued feelings towards. Right now I'm thinking I might give it one more shot and see if my feeling changes - largely because there was a pop culture reference towards the end of the book that was totally gratuitous and perhaps even straining credibility for characters centuries from now to make, but I don't care and love regardless. I'm shallow sometimes.
I'll rate the book 3 stars again, possibly a bit more rounding up required to get there than before.
I enjoyed the first book of this, which felt sort of like cozy military SF, which is not normally a subgenre I would have thought of, but it generally worked. I personally wasn't so interested in the focus on 'the games,' a series of hand-to-hand combats and wargame simulations, but I liked the characters and the way it focused on small missions. This book, for better of for worse, has both some of my same likes and dislikes, although tempered in both cases. For example, the 'games' still have too much of focus to my tastes, but it is much more background. And, this time around it feels more like one slow-building plot rather than a series of mini-stories that tie into something at the end. I did miss the little mini-missions of the first book, just a glimpse into the day to day life of the NeoG (and there is some of it, but I'd have liked more).
I feel like if you liked the first book you'll probably like this one. For me, though, that like is a little weaker this time around, whether it's just the common slump in a second book in a series, or just my own interest flagging in general, I'm not sure. It's at its best with the character drama and how the relationships get strained by secrets and dramatic events create... well, drama and pain and grief. However, and maybe this is because it's trying too hard for the 'cozy' vibe, too much of everything else seems too easy. Bad characters arrested bluster in interrogation, and then break with a mild threat. A new character is torn between the new people who accept them and the job they have to do, but once they screw up they find their place pretty easily. Even when something tragic happens you feel like it's not going to stick. On the whole, it's still fun enough, it just... at times I wanted things to feel a bit more difficult.
As such... I'm not entirely sure whether I'll continue on with the series. It just doesn't engage me ENOUGH that it's an easy answer when there are so many other books out there and so little time and I might find something I love instead. On the other hand, it could just be end-of-the-year blahs, since a number of other books have left me similarly with subdued feelings towards. Right now I'm thinking I might give it one more shot and see if my feeling changes - largely because there was a pop culture reference towards the end of the book that was totally gratuitous and perhaps even straining credibility for characters centuries from now to make, but I don't care and love regardless. I'm shallow sometimes.
I'll rate the book 3 stars again, possibly a bit more rounding up required to get there than before.
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