Pelquin's Comet
The Dark Angels Book 1

Ian Whates

Average Rating 8/10 (1 Review)

In an age of exploration and expansion, the crew of the freetrader Pelquin’s Comet – a rag-tag group of misfits, ex-soldiers and ex-thieves – set out to find a cache of alien technology, intent on making their fortunes; but they are not the only interested party and find themselves in a deadly race against corporate agents and hunted by the authorities.

Forced to combat enemies without and within, they strive to overcome the odds under the watchful eye of an unwelcome guest: Drake, agent of the bank funding their expedition, who is far more than he seems and may represent the greatest threat of all.

High octane adventure, dark secrets, hidden agendas and double-cross lie in store for the Comet and her motley crew as they pursue their goal to very edge of human space.

'Intrigue and action in this high octane collision between Firefly, the Bourne films and Indiana Jones. A two-fisted SF adventure, space opera as it should be written!'

Review by Nigel (300415) Rating (8/10)

Review by Nigel
Rating 8/10
My name is Nigel and I’m a fan of Space Opera... there, out in the open. For those that don’t know Space Opera is a subgenre of science fiction that often emphasizes romantic, often melodramatic adventure, set mainly or entirely in outer space, usually involving conflict between opponents possessing advanced abilities, weapons, and other technology. The term is a play on the term 'soap opera' and was originally coined as a slur, a "hacky, grinding, stinking, outworn, spaceship yarn" – see Wikipedia article here.

Now, depending on your ‘science fiction’ viewpoint you will either love or hate this subgenre but have no doubts, it is much loved and has been around a long time and is still going strong, as can be attested by Pelquin’s Comet.

We first meet Pelquin, the captain of the functional cargo transport ship Pelquin’s Comet, on his way to the bank to seek funding for his latest adventure, the recovery of a cache of ancient alien technology. These caches have great value to humanity, allowing technological leaps to be made as they spread out into the stars, and as such attract certain ‘flexible’ individuals operating on the fringes of legality.

Reminiscent of Firefly’s Malcom Reynolds Pelquin is such an individual, a lovable rogue with a loyal crew with diverse skill sets looking to make their way in a harsh universe. As the story unfolds with Pelquin and his crew gathering the necessary equipment and intelligence to complete the recovery we learn a little about each and the ‘world’ they inhabit.

To be fair there is nothing really new in Pelquin’s Comet; all the main ingredients have been in one book or another over the years, however, the whole is a worthwhile addition to the subgenre. As with Ian Whates’ Noise sequence the characterisation is good in that you feel for the captain and his crew; the overall plot is engaging and the ending credible without being too open ended, yet still leaving enough unanswered questions for the future books being planned.

If you are a fan of Space Opera and names like Asher and Reynolds do it for you then Pelquin’s Comet is a must. If new to Space Opera and you are looking for an entertaining read that will effortlessly transport you away to different worlds you won’t go far wrong with this book... you never know it could be the beginning of something wonderful :).
Nigel (30th April 2015)