The Ghosts of Trappist

NeoG #3

by K.B. Wagers

NeoG--the Near-Earth Orbital Guard, a diverse military force that patrols and protects the solar system, inspired by the real-life mission of the Coast Guard--and the crew of Zuma's Ghost are under attack, and shocking truths are about to be exposed.

What the black takes should stay in the black.

Ensign Nell "Sapphi" Zika has been working hard to get past her trauma, but the unnerving pleas for help she's hearing in the Verge and the song she can't get out of her head are making that increasingly difficult. As Zuma's Ghost gears up for a final run at the Boarding Games, their expert hacker is feeling anything but confident. Plus, her chief's robot dog, Doge, is acting weird--a computer problem she can't find an answer to--and the increasing number of missing freighters is putting everyone living on or stationed around Trappist on edge.

It doesn't help the NeoG's mission that Dread Treasure is sidelined from competing in the Boarding Games, and Commander D'Arcy Montaglione is stuck on the front lines of the mystery of the missing ships while also stuck in his own head. Never good at trusting people to begin with, he's struggling to piece together his new crew in the aftermath of a great betrayal, knowing this may be his final chance at command. The last thing he wants to do is prove his enemies right and end up getting shoved behind a desk and forgotten. The easy answer to missing ships is pirates, but D'Arcy soon realizes the easiest answer is rarely the right one out in the vacuum of space. What's worse is that the actual pirates are scared of something out beyond the asteroid belt. Something that's been taking their ships too...

As the unknowns multiply and one of their mysterious enemies escalates by launching an attack on the NeoG itself, the Interceptor crews must brave both cyber and outer space to hunt down their foes, but no one is prepared for the truth that is revealed or the way it will shake the foundations of everything they believe about the universe.

Genres: Science Fiction, Space Opera, Fiction, Space, Audiobook, LGBT, Queer

535 pages, Hardcover

First published June 27, 2023

About the author

K.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.

Reviews

[Katy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my comfort found family series <3

[Karen’s Library · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m a huge fan of sci-fi, space operas, and found family, and I got all three in The Ghosts of Trappist.

Going in, I knew that this was book 3 of the NeoG series (which I had not read the first 2 books), but I was assured that the book could be read as a standalone. And yes, it can be, although I will admit to being confused at the beginning due to the many characters and mention of their backstories. But I stayed with it, and soon found my stride and fell in love with these characters and their love for each other.

Neo-G stands for Near-Earth Orbital Guard which is being touted as the Coast Guard in SPACE.

Several of the characters are competing in the Boarding Games which was extremely interesting and really gave you a feel of what the characters were all about.

The main story is about derelict ghost ships that the crews of the Neo-G ships were trying to understand what had happened to the people and to those ships that had disappeared, some decades ago.

I’ve always enjoyed military space books, and so I thoroughly enjoyed The Ghosts of Trappist, along with the future tech, the action, the hacking, and especially Max, Jenks, and Sapphi. My favorite character… Doge, the AI “dog”!

*Thanks so much to Harper Voyager and TLC Book Tours for a finished copy of this stunning book!*

[Carla Black · Rating 3 out of 5]

I won this book in a Goodreads Giveaway. This book was ok. I didn't read the first two books in the series and probably never will. The book didn't hold my attention much. The so many pronoun introductions with each of the many characters took away from the book. It also had a side story of the Boarding Games which should be it's own series of books in itself. That also took away from the main plot. As for a space crew, they were very lax in any type of hierarchy within the crew which also made things more confusing. And even though it's nice that the whole crew is friends, all the touchy Feely hugs and kisses took away from the seriousness of the fighting the bad A.I. plot. One ither thing that irked me to no end in this book was...the phrase "(Character name) rubbed a hand over their face." And "(Character name) rubbed both hands over their face." This phrase showed up on every other page, truly it did! It had to be repeated about 200 times within this book. It got so annoying that everytime I read it, I was going for the love of God shut up with that, inside my head and sometimes out loud. I could take it or leave it with this book. Not one of my favorites.

[Laura (crofteereader) · Rating 2 out of 5]

I loved the first two books in this series but y’all this one was a STRUGGLE. We were spread super thin between more than the usual handful of POVs - and it was obvious that the ones that continued on from previous books didn’t learn from earlier events. When the whole plot of book two had to do with keeping secrets and gaslighting your friends/teammates and showing how that lack of communication is BAD, to then have that come up again in another flavor and be one of the main plot points… you could have totally skipped over that.

This book was long and we didn’t get enough tidbits of good mystery to hold us over. Instead we got BS side plots that just served to weaken the characters we already thought we knew. The main villain was a caricature and not particularly interesting, and the conclusion was sudden and didn’t feel remotely cathartic. I felt like we didn’t answer the core questions that this whole book’s arc brought up.

It was just… so disappointing.

{Thank you HarperVoyager for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review; all thoughts are my own}

[Graff Fuller · Rating 4 out of 5]

NeoG series 03 The Ghosts of Trappist by K.B. Wagers

challenging emotional hopeful reflective sad tense

Slow-paced

Plot or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters are a main focus? Yes

3.5 Stars

The intricacies of the struggles that each of the characters are going through...is what drives this story forward.

We love the crew of the...

I love the way that the author is able to propel the action through the fights, and at the same time...show the humanity that is at the heart of each character.

more to come, for some of it needs to marinate in my mine. will be back, soon.

[Kristen Blount · Rating 5 out of 5]

Despite two years of time, this is a pretty close follow on to Hold Fast. I enjoyed the closure and hope we get more NeoG in the future.

[Ashley Daniels · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this as an Advanced copy from NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

Sooooo,... I screwed up. I did not realize this was the third book in a series. I have not read the first two books, so keep that in mind when reading this review.

Overall, I really enjoyed the book. The characters were good, a mix of relatable characters. At the start of the book, I was overwhelmed with the number of characters and the rapid-fire introduction (but yeah books one and two). During this same time, I remember thinking there was a lot of hugging and touching for a military crew, but I don't necessarily feel it hurt the storyline. At about the halfway point I was feeling a little disconnected, when i picked it up again I felt it really picked up. From that point on I was much more connected and wanted to see what was coming next. I am glad I didn't give up on it. If I had it to do over again, I would most definitely start at one and two that perhaps would have chanced how I looked at and felt about the first half the book. So, if you are already into this series, I highly recommend this book. If you haven't read one and two it's probably worth it to start at the beginning, otherwise take your time at first to connect the characters.

[Claire Curtis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I did not realize I had plopped down in book #3 of this sci fi series. But I figured out who was who and I agree it is in the Becky Chambers mode with a little more tension and action. Mostly just really nice friends and co-workers solving some space problems alongside their interpersonal ones.

[Sheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

For some reason this one didn’t draw me in as much as the first two. Still very enjoyable though and perhaps even a tiny bit creepy at times.

[Sarah Furger · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the NeoG so much. If the Neos ever need a librarian or metadata specialist, PLEASE KB put me on the short list.

[TrixieB · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. I do not understand all the people who found this boring. We sweated our way through this book, right to the end.

As always, these are the most diverse books I've read. Well done K.B.!

(Read the acknowledgement. I can't say anything without spoiling the book, but HELL YES!)

You definitely want to read the other books in the series before you read this one. But DAMN is this a good book.

[Katerina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Third installment of the series.

Entertaining, looking forward to reading author’s other books

[Mac · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full Rating: 4.75 Stars

Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins for a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Ghost of Trappist is set two years after the conclusion of the second book, with the team of Zuma’s Ghost working like a well oiled machine. The focal character of the first book, Max, has grown almost beyond recognition of the young woman we met before. She has grown well into her duty as Lieutenant aboard Zuma’s Ghost and, most importantly, spends most of the book taking a stand against her famous and hyper-restrictive family.

One strength of this book (and the series as a whole) lies in Wagers’ use of perspective and their constant expansion of it as the series goes on. From what I can remember of the first book, we’re really only allowed into the internal world of Max and Jenks, with a few characters here and there. The second book expands the point of view to Nika and Chae, and The Ghosts of Trappist expand that even further to include Sapphi, D’arcy, and a few new characters we’ve not met before. Though I’m not usually a fan of large casts of revolving narrators, I feel as though Wagers’ really pulls it off well and utilizes it as a way to expand their universe.

The characters are the shining centerpiece of this story, and I’m positive that’s what gives the NeoG series as a whole a different but familiar feel to most science fiction. From characters I’ve spent the whole series with to characters I’ve just met, Wagers is a master at getting me to care about them and their individual struggles. This attention to character allows the focus of this book on AI to feel refreshingly earned, and I’m very glad that, while it was hinted at in the previous two books, it only became a focus once the humans of the series became so familiar to me.

My only gripe with this book that it continues to share the split attention of the previous book, half focused on the Boarding Games just as the previous books were. While there was a dramatic cut back on the focus given to the games (compared to what I remember of the first book, which spent the majority of its attention on the competition and gave the secondary conflict nothing more than a minor look) that they were still included felt like they were distracting from the main mystery of the plot. I wholly agree with the in-universe decision of the crew to pull back from the Games and allow other teams to step up in their place, but I had hoped it could have happened at the start of the story, somewhere in that two year time skip. Should Wagers continue this series, I hope they don’t return to the Games as a sort of narrative crutch and allow the interstellar action to fully encompass the plot.

Conclusion:

I was excited to read through this book because, at the end of the day, I’m a sap and sucker for science fiction. It’s my bread and butter, especially if it features queer characters and queer narratives. The Ghosts of Trappist is queer science fiction for the science fiction nerd, with Wagers utilizing several tropes of the genre to build what I am sure will be a sprawling narrative should they continue to tell the story of Zuma’s Ghost and its crew.

I give The Ghosts of Trappist a hearty recommendation to any fan of science fiction. There’s a bit of something for everyone, a fun, spooky mystery with a dash of character driven conflict. There’s divorcee drama, a couple fist fights, and plenty of space fire fights.

[iam · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely fell in love with the NeoG a few short weeks ago, and rushed through the entire series.
I loved it from beginning to end.

Just like the jump between books 1 and 2, there is a jump to book 3 as well. Two whole years have passed, new Neos join the crews, and there's some POV switches. Max and Jenks stay as the main ones, but we now get the addition of Sapphi, as well as extending beyond Zuma's Ghost with D'Arcy and new Neo Emel.

I found Sapphi especially intriguing after what happened to her during the events of Hold Fast Through the Fire and the plot hints that were dropped all throughout that book. Plus I was looking forward to some hacking stuff! While the coding and hacking never got super in depth, it was still interesting.

D'Arcy also made sense as he is in the lead of the joint task force on Trappist, and his history with Emel added some nice drama.
The first half of the book has a whole bunch of interpersonal drama, focussing on the issues the Neos have with each other, their relationships, and their insecurities. For the first time in the series, I found myself getting a bit annoyed with one of the characters for being non-sensical, especially since they admitted they knew they were wrong from the start
Of course, all of it is resolved without too much drama or miscommunication, and the second half of the book is much more plot heavy. While all characters undergo character development, some of them fall back into old habits, which reminded me a lot of issues from book 1. I do not hold that against them though, given that in real life people also don't just magically get over their flaws without them every popping up again.

The plot brings up a new threat, but still ties in somewhat with events from the previous book(s), which I liked. I will say that I enjoyed this plot the least of the three, but it was still fun and well crafted.
There also were the ever present Boarding Games again, though this time they felt very overshadowed by the plot, some interpersonal stuff happening, as a chunk of the POV characters not being involved, which all made them feel not as big.

I don't know if this is the last book in the series. It closes up most plotlines, both story and character wise, but still definitely leaves room for more explorations, characters and developments. I certainly would welcome more books, but I can also see this as a good cut from the crews.

I received an ARC and reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

[The Void Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

**The Ghosts of Trappist** by K.B. Wagers is a riveting continuation of the NeoG (Near-Earth Orbital Guard) series that will keep readers on the edge of their seats. As the third installment in a series of four, it masterfully builds upon the foundation laid in the previous books and paves the way for an exciting finale.

One of the standout aspects of this novel is the **impeccable character development**. Wagers excels at creating multi-dimensional characters that readers can’t help but become invested in. The protagonists are complex and relatable, each with their own unique set of strengths, flaws, and motivations. Throughout the story, readers witness significant growth and evolution in these characters, making their journeys all the more compelling.

Equally impressive is the **world-building**. Wagers constructs a vividly detailed and immersive universe that feels both expansive and intimate. The author’s meticulous attention to detail brings the setting to life, from the intricacies of spaceship operations to the political machinations that drive the plot. This rich and well-realized world serves as the perfect backdrop for the thrilling narrative.

The story itself is **action-packed and full of twists and turns**. The pacing is relentless, with each chapter escalating the tension and stakes. Wagers weaves together intricate plotlines with skill, keeping readers guessing and eagerly turning pages to see what happens next. The blend of high-stakes action, suspense, and emotional depth ensures that there is never a dull moment.

As anticipation builds for the final book in the series, **And the Mighty Will Fall**, readers can look forward to a satisfying conclusion to this thrilling saga. If you’re a fan of science fiction with well-crafted characters, intricate world-building, and heart-pounding action, **The Ghosts of Trappist** is a must-read. Buckle up and prepare for an unforgettable journey through the stars! 🌌🚀

[Peter · Rating 3 out of 5]

The NeoG is preparing for another round of the Games where they compete against other branches of the service... and although they're on a winning streak, some members are starting to get tired of it and not sure they want to continue. Also, Max Carmichael is having more trouble with her family trying to control her behavior from afar, and... in the space near the colony of trappist, some disturbing phenomenon, ships disappearing... and then, seeming to reappear, only to be the basis for a trap. What can be the explanation for this?

Each time I read one of these, I like it mildly but say that I don't know how long I'm going to continue the series. And this one is probably going to be where I get off. It's not for any particular sin of the book (although, there were times it was frustrating because it was pretty obvious what was behind the big mystery, and the characters live in a universe where this is a possibility, but no one seemed to make the obvious leap despite all the big warning signs saying "Yeah this is the sci-fi mcguffin we're playing with this book!"). The story's more or less fine, I like the characters and some of the developments in their relationships. It just doesn't draw me enough. And I think it's a fine enough place to leave off. I guess this isn't really much of a review, but I'm also behind on writing these so I could do with some brief ones and a review of a book in an ongoing series is the kind of thing where you're not really going to care about specifics. If you really liked the previous books, you'll probably still like this one. If you were on the edge like me, this probably isn't going to change your mind.

3 stars, possibly rounded up from a high 2... Liked it, but "this was okay" is also a reaction I felt.

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

*I received an eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*

3.5

I’ve had K.B. Wagers on my sci-if TBR for years now and heard them speak on a panel about this book saying it could standalone from the previous two so requested it on NetGalley. I ended up reading the first two before this anyway because I’m a completionist, and while I think this plot does mostly stand up by itself, it definitely works better if you have read the first two. Wagers does put in a little details about the plots on the first two books so you won’t be lost, but I think you lose some of the character impact if you haven’t followed the characters through those plots.

I think that the balance of Boarding Games to macro plot could flowed better. I had a similar complaint with the first book in the series but I love the way it worked in the second, so I was disappointed that this book went back to the awkward transitions. I did love the introduction of some space or elements though, and found that spooky bits pretty unsettling, though I do tend to find space and AI unsettling.

All that to say that I think this is a really fun series, though the second book is my favorite. I like how Wagers built out the crew and I love how diverse they have made this world, especially considering military scifi has historically, been very not diverse. That being said, I do find some of the ways diversity was noted a little jarring, like the writing would specifically call out cis or trans in a way that would’ve felt more natural it had been more subtle. I recommend this series anyone looking for a light hearted scifi adventure, and I look forward to diving into Wagers’s backlist.

[Josh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good 3rd book into the series, and Wagers continues to make the NeoG an interesting and compelling group to spend time with. It's evolved into a pretty ensemble piece, which is interesting because the series started out pretty strongly centered on Max, which other characters important but clearly less central. Not easy to shift things out more broadly and allow characters who were fairly minor players to become the primary POV characters for a book, and still keep the original characters involved and engaged. But Wagers has pulled it off pretty well, I think.

There also a good balance of the personal and the professional which I think makes these books a good ride. The characters stay very human, even while being very good at their jobs (generally) and I like how Wagers has managed to make their growth appropriately non-linear.

(I do think there's a a stretch where some of these character maybe should have figured out the core of the mystery a bit sooner than they actually did; as a reader we knew the answers early on. Maybe that made it so we expected too much?)

I also like how effective Wagers is at adding in new characters in every book that have something new to add to the story, with their own personal issues to resolve. Sometimes crew stories don't leave a lot of room for newbies to step in, but we've avoided that pothole nicely.

I like the NeoG quite a bit. There should be room for more stories with these characters and in this world if Wagers wants to write them; I'll show up if they do...

[redacted :) · Rating 4 out of 5]

My fave book in the series so far :D

I think the main couple things I was having issues with in the previous books were 1. Max not getting into it with her family and 2. the previous books being too busy and therefore not being able to spend enough time with everything. Max was finally secure enough to fight back against her parents AND the different threads all felt like they were getting enough time. Also I liked the domestic abuse plotline between Pirene and Art, especially when Sapphi's going through the repercussions from her ex.

Also I know I said I wished Luis and Stephen stayed dead in the last book (and to be clear. I still don't like Stephen). However, I'm seeing the vision now, I'm seeing the direction we're going with Jenks and y'know what. I thought it'd be a case of lady who isn't a mom getting shoehorned into a mother roll but actually I think it was fine. If anything Luis doesn't want Jenks to be a mom because she's been so against it during the beginning of their relationship. She's still reckless and silly and maybe too into 21st century stuff y'know. Though it felt like Tivo was missing a lot this book. . . justice for my man Tivo let him get with his two partners again.

The only thing I wish would be a little different is how casually touchy everyone is? It really worked in the previous books' favor that everyone in NeoG was so tight, but this book it was a little annoying. But maybe that's just me idk.

[Evan Ladouceur · Rating 5 out of 5]

The conclusion to the NeoGuard trilogy, which focuses on a future “coast guard in space” but is much better than that sounds. The series has followed the culturally diverse and gender-diverse crew of an interceptor craft in and out of the solar system, as they deal with personal issues and frequently larger conspiracies. What makes the books are the crew, who are realistic, have human problems, and inter-relate well. Survivor grief, family disapproval of career choices, and a failed/failing relationship for a new crew member add to the interesting and sympathetic dynamics, set against the mystery of piracy in an extrasolar colony’s system, which links to a crew member . There is also the series framing device of the Boarding Games, which engage the crew (and bind them together as a unit) against other ships and other military services. Wagers is a strong author and proudly trans, which flavors the book without in any way dominating it. Start with the first and read all three. I would sign on for a second trilogy.

[Unwisely · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have been looking forward to this book so much that the wait for my hold to come in almost killed me. Perhaps all the anticipation made my expectations too high, because I was lukewarm on this book.

One of the glories of this series is the camaraderie and friendship among the teams. Sometimes that feels like a warm hug of inclusion you want to escape into, and sometimes you think OMG NO JOB IS LIKE THAT WHERE'S THE LAZY JERKOFF MAKING EVERYTHING TERRIBLE? I think I was tilted into the second camp this time (which is not due to the series! That's a me thing!)

The part that I can objectively report that annoyed me was the physical fight with the AI. Sometimes I can swallow disbelief but that part didn't work for me. (The buildup to that point? Great, interesting thoughts on how AI could play out, loved it.)

[Leonardo Etcheto · Rating 4 out of 5]

I find this series fascinating and amusing at the same time. This is mostly because it has such a different perspective and style from what I usually read. Book is more about relationships than the story. There is a mystery and a bad guy, but they are secondary to what the characters feel. The story is there as a stage on which to act, which works just fine, it is just different for me. There are a lot of traumas that people have not really worked through at all. Leads to plenty of drama. Again, the whole pronoun thing just confuses me most of the time with they used for a single person.
The central concept of a space coast guard which has managed to make their training into a sport is really solid. Fun read.

[Lara · Rating 4 out of 5]

E-ARC received from Edelweiss--thank you so much!

The story is almost more "found families and non-toxic relationships IN SPACE" than it is "mysterious broadcasts and derelict ships", and I'm fine with that. The author has a big cast of characters, all of whom get their page time and whose stories develop, from Max confronting her controlling biological family to former street-rat Jenks accepting that she now has people who love her and want to be part of her life.

I love everyone on these spaceships, and I love this future full of hope and close friendships and never giving up on each other.

[Alicia · Rating 3 out of 5]

https://wordnerdy.blogspot.com/2023/0...

I had some of the same problems with this third book as the previous one—the interpersonal relationship stuff is just soooo heavy-handed. This would have been much zippier and more fun if some of those scenes were cut down. I did like the plot in this one, which involves creepy ghost spaceships and also some business with one of the characters' robot dog, who is more developed an AI than he should be (you know I’m a sucker for an AI with feelings, and a DOG??? YES!!). I enjoyed when the characters were dealing with all that. But I felt kind of meh about the ending and was glad to be done. B/B+.

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Actually 3.5 stars and it would have been 4 if not for a jarring choice in a name.
The villain is an AI and its name is Art. And the only reason I have issue with it is because another author has an AI named ART, Martha Wells in her Murderbot series. And I'm not sure if this choice is intentional or unintentional, especially since its robotic minions were given the nickname 'murder bots' in the story. (If you know, you know) I listened to the audio book, so every time the narrator said the name Art I would immediately think of that other character.
Other than that this is a fun adventure and I'm looking forward to the next book.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

The NeoG is working hard in the Trappist system to resolve attacks on them and others, missing ships, and working through their personal problems after a big win by Zuma’s Ghost at the Boarding Games. It takes working through real space and cyber space to complete this mission to keep the system safe and defeat a mysterious enemy. I enjoyed the wrapping up of this trilogy and seeing the growth of all of the characters I’ve gotten to know throughout the series. I think they’ve all ended up in a good place, with a great future in store for them and the NeoG.

[Ken · Rating 4 out of 5]

My thanks to NetGalley for making an eARC of this book available to me.

Another fine book in this modern space-opera series. This one (the third in this series) is the most complex yet, with several plotlines, and with AI being a major focus. It's so nice to have a book set in a future where gay, trans, bi, poly and cis relationships are all accepted and not a major point of contention. Just a thoroughly enjoyable read. Hopefully we will get more books in this series.

[David Pomerico · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think there's a balance between the military SF, which is exciting and full of adventure, and the found-family aspect of the NeoG books, and that's perfectly encapsulated in THE GHOSTS OF TRAPPIST. While the mystery and conflict are crucial to the story--and really satisfying--what is really compelling is how much you care about the characters as they deal with their relationships and pasts to keep growing. Come for the military SF, but stay for the hopepunk.

[Anita · Rating 3 out of 5]

I actually cried at the end of book 2, so ... this one surprised me by how irritated I was by it, overall. The series should have ended at book 2, which had a nice emo punch. This one just went on, and introduced a ton of new characters who were wooden at best (at worst I couldn't keep them sorted in my mind as I read), and while I did finish (although I skipped around a lot), I'm off the author all together. On to the next read...

[Perry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this outing.

Thought the pacing was a little off due to the high prevalence of flashbacks.

I loved Doge and honestly would have loved to see more from his perspective as he grows and learns. Loved his relationship with the rest of the team.

Loved Max's family drama.

Darcy's team building drama didn't quite hit as well as I liked.

The ghost ship angle was a solid one.

Continuing on to the next!