The Rush's Edge

Halvor Cullen (Hal) is a genetically engineered soldier, referred to as a “vat.” His former commanding officer, Tyce Bernon, is a “nat,” or natural born person. Ty is now Hal's captain on the Loshad, and they make their living as salvagers. Hal isn't one to back down from a fight, and the book opens with him jumping in to rescue a woman from a couple of guys who are up to no good. The woman, Vivi, is a tecker, and as their ship doesn't currently have one, Ty offers her a job as part of his crew.

Ms. Smith does a good job of writing an entertaining story. There are a lot of pretty standard sci-fi elements here – alien lifeforms considered to be evil, a scrappy crew of misfits, an ominously looming government trying to squash a rebellion. But they work well together, and the use of those standard elements makes this a story that's very approachable for the less seasoned sci-fi reader.

The story also isn't afraid to touch on heavy subjects. For instance, the treatment of vats – they're considered to be basically expendable once they've completed their military service. They're also programmed by the military to experience the titular “rush,” which basically puts them into combat mode and makes them very aggressive. A lot of nats don't trust them, don't like them, don't want them around. But Ty doesn't see Hal as “just” a vat. Hal is his best friend, and he will fight for Hal's well-being, even when it means saving Hal from himself. There's also the Mudar, the feared aliens who supposedly came intent on destroying humanity. There is more to them than what our heroes initially know, and once they've made contact with a Mudar, they realize that just because the government condemns an entire species as evil doesn't make it so.

This was a fun read. There's a touch of romance, lots of action, and tech toys aplenty on board the Loshad. Good guys versus bad guys. An epic quest is hinted at as the story closes, and I hope this means Ms. Smith will revisit this universe. My only question: who was actually trying to kidnap Vivi at the beginning of the story? If that question was satisfactorily answered, I missed it.

If you're a regular sci-fi reader, The Rush's Edge is delightful. If you're new to the genre and want to give it a try, The Rush's Edge is a good place to start. Either way, read with confidence!

Disclaimer: I received an advance reader copy of this book from NetGalley and Angry Robot. All opinions here are mine, and I don't say nice things about books that I don't actually like.