Space Opera Fans discussion

The January 2021 Reader Pick is To Fire Called by Nathan Lowell. Please use this thread to post questions, comments, and reviews, at any time.

Note: This is the eighth book about Ishmael Wang, immediately following the December 2020 pick In Ashes Born.

Official description:
A dead ship returns to the Deep Dark with a live crew.

Captain Ishmael Wang finally gets the Chernyakova out of the yard and embarks on a voyage into the Toe-Holds where the Confederated Planets Joint Committee on Trade has no authority. Where the law is whatever you say it is as long as you can enforce it.

Where he learns that some will do anything to hide their secrets and everybody has a secret.

I recently reread this book after rereading In Ashes Born for our December pick. I think this one is the weakest book of the trilogy. Nothing seems to happen and nothing much makes sense. Here is my review from my original read: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show.... It's still worth reading, but my opinion hasn't changed much with rereading. But the third book is really good. So it's worth slogging through this one for continuity.

I have read this one four times, and will be rereading it in January. Going by memory there’s a great scene where they are hiring more crew. Here are three quotes from the book that highlighted:

“Have you pinned him down?” “You ever try to rivet gelatin?”

“Come on. We’re going to a steak house I know. You’ll love it. Put some civvies on.” “How civvie?” “There’s no dress code here. Something with pockets.” “With pockets?” “Do you own anything without pockets?” “Only underwear.” “You’ll probably want to wear that, too.

“Yeah. Well, I sometimes embroider the truth a little.” “Embroider? I’ve seen less needlework on twelfth-century tapestries.”

I am up to Ishmael finally painting the cabin, with Christine's help, after looking at bare metal for months. I will also add that this isn't the most cheerful book of the series, but funny scenes are scattered throughout.

I laughed at this exchange between Ishmael and Pip - a continuation of the third quote that Teresa mentioned earlier:

"I sometimes embroider the truth a little.” “Embroider? I’ve seen less needlework on twelfth-century tapestries.” He stopped and stared at me. “Really? You’ve seen twelfth-century tapestries?” “Well, not in person. I’ve seen pictures.” “Where?” I stared at him. “Art history? The academy? Second term? You sat next to me?” “I sat next to you in every class. It was the only way I could pass.”

I’ve started my reread. I still like the crazy recruiting party.

I agree about the recruiting party - lots of fun to read!

I want to clear out my TBR this year and I thought I owned this book in paperback, which is perfect synchronicity, so I was searching high and low for it. I do have the ebooks of the first three, Quarter Share, etc., but I was like 82% positive I owned the dead tree edition of this. Something about fire, by Lowell, sure, sounds familiar.

Turns out I own Embers of War by Gareth Powell. So close!
😂

I’m about halfway through my reread. It’s interesting picking up the references to the Run trilogy, particularly the ones to things that happened in Milk Run, about ten years before this book. It’s Toe Hold space so I expected some of the places and characters would overlap, but I’d forgotten about the event references. I found myself sidetracked for a moment trying to figure out which station Dmitri would have been running at this time.

Having taken more than a few submarines through the shipyard I can totally relate to the feeling of the crew about how things drag, how every time you turn around a new problem is found trying to fix an old one, and how demoralizing it is. I thought that was captured pretty accurately.
I think I am on my 8th or 9th reread - the entire series is my go to for "comfort reading". And, as Teresa points out, the books dovetail together pretty well and I keep finding hints and pointers across the series.

And finished. I always feel as if there were a scene or two missing. Either Port Lumineaux or else (view spoiler)[meeting Brill (hide spoiler)]

Odds are tomorrow I’ll start rereading the next book. Unless something new distracts me. First Tuesday of the month often has a bunch of new books released.

Teresa wrote: "And finished. I always feel as if there were a scene or two missing. Either Port Lumineaux or else..."

I agree. And the feeling continues in the next book. But it's not a major problem.

I liked book 2 very much, but also felt there was something missing and had included that in my short review. (I do my reviews to job my memory in the future, so it's not detailed.)

I’ve been rereading the third book: By Darkness Forged. Even more references to the Run books. I like how difficult it is to successfully hijack a freighter when it takes multiple days or even months to reach a destination. Particularly when the hijackers aren’t experienced crewmen. I suspect mutiny might be easier other than not having enough trusted people to man all the stations 24/7.

Lately I haven't found any time to go back and reread some old favorites. I have discovered a lot of those ads for the 99¢ books and I find they are stories I have not read and now I have a flurry of great stories with authors I did not know. For example right now I am reading Tiny Planet Filled With Liars by Stephen M. A. and what a trip. This whole novel is written totally different than any Space Opera I have read and I am so glad I found it. It is told as a reporter who interviews everyone during a war that is hidden from the public. Warning, no punches held.
I can't wait to get into my next new 99¢ novel. I have lots on my pad so I guess I can't get into rereading for a while.

I find the ending very confusing. In my copy Ishmael is suddenly on port neumar and is waiting to meet Brill but ends before meeting her. Is this the correct ending or is something wrong with my copy?

That is the correct ending. Yeah, it feels like a scene is missing to me too.

Same for me. If you liked this one, the author is currently working on the next book that merges this trilogy (Seekers Tales) and another trilogy he wrote (Smugglers Tales) together.