A Pale Light in the Black

A NeoG Novel

By: K. B. Wagers

Narrated by: Marisha Tapera

Length: 13 hrs and 21 mins

Publisher's summary

The Expanse meets the Battle Room in Ender's Game as K. B. Wagers brings us the rollicking first entry in a unique science fiction series that introduces the Near-Earth Orbital Guard - NeoG - a military force patrolling and protecting space inspired by the real-life mission of the US Coast Guard.

For the past year, their close loss in the annual Boarding Games has haunted Interceptor Team: Zuma’s Ghost. With this year’s competition looming, they’re looking forward to some payback - until an unexpected personnel change leaves them reeling. Their best swordsman has been transferred, and a new lieutenant has been assigned in his place.

Maxine Carmichael is trying to carve a place in the world on her own - away from the pressure and influence of her powerful family. The last thing she wants is to cause trouble at her command on Jupiter Station. With her new team in turmoil, Max must overcome her self-doubt and win their trust if she’s going to succeed. Failing is not an option - and would only prove her parents right.

But Max and the team must learn to work together quickly. A routine mission to retrieve a missing ship has suddenly turned dangerous, and now their lives are on the line. Someone is targeting members of Zuma’s Ghost, a mysterious opponent willing to kill to safeguard a secret that could shake society to its core...a secret that could lead to their deaths and kill thousands more unless Max and her new team stop them.

Rescue those in danger, find the bad guys, win the Games. It’s all in a day’s work at the NeoG.

©2020 K. B. Wagers (P)2020 HarperAudio

Great Military Sci-fi!

Though military sci-fi is my favorite genre, I wasn't familiar KB Wagers or NeoG. However, I enjoyed this book. It had a compelling story that drove the action as well as a juicy sub-plot behind the scenes. The characters are likable and believable as well as people one can care about. A lot has transpired with human society in the intervening centuries between now and then, but again it's all plausible. The military regs on DPA and fraternization have apparently changed but that could just be a sign of the times. I thought Marisha Tapera's performance was excellent and I'll be on the lookout for more work from her. All said -- this was a great read!

Adventure, Snark, Action, Heart.

Listened to this book while re-painting our entire house. Do you have any idea how good a book has to be to make literally watching paint dry FUN? This book is another fierce literary accomplishment from Wagers, and I can't wait to read the next book in this series!

Disappointment

The whole time I was looking forward to these epic games and the games are completely glossed over. The main mission wasn’t related to the games at all and was boring and then ultimately fizzled. This was a character-driven story, but the characters weren’t very interesting and didn’t drive the story anywhere. There was lots of focus on an asexual relationship and a poly relationship—both heterosexual and boring, with no hardships overcome or anything. The most interesting character to me never even had her story resolved and she retires in the next book, so I’m not even going to bother reading it. Such a disappointment when compared to the authors other series.

Fun

A slower start than the Indranan books, but decently chew plot, good range of characters. I really enjoyed it. Generally less direful than the Indranan books, lighter.

This reader is merely good compared to the excellence of Angele Masters, but that isn't because this reader is really lacking anything, although I suppose if I wanted to pick nits a broader range of accents to help distinguish some of the secondary characters would have been nice.

This could be the set up for a really fun series, feels like a big enough world for several more books.

I liked this fun listen!

This was so good, I got the second book and will listen to it after submitting this review.

Compelling take on military sci fi

Loved all the characters in this book and I enjoyed seeing a different side of military sc fii that was about rescue and competition with teammates and not about body counts. the story has an interesting mystery and the games lend a fun side to the plot. narrator was great, smooth and enough different voices to not get knocked out of the story trying to figure out who was talking.

unique story

really great realistic spacefairing earth civiliztion. intriguing ensemble of characters with large and small story arcs.