For some people, "Horatio in Hornblower in space" is a kind of metaphor. Sutherland is very literal. This is the Age of Sail, moved to the stars.

Alexis Carew is a 15 year girl with a problem. The patriarchial laws and mores of her home planet mean that her options are to get married to an idiotic fop, or be disinherited when her grandfather dies. Joining the space navy is a chance to get away from home and do some good. And while technically legal, it's almost entirely unknown. She signs up, and we move through the beats of Nelsonian plot.

So the good: The spacefaring tech is surprisingly evocative, without being ridiculous. Spaceships enter a hyperspace dimension at Lagrange points, where they sail winds of dark energy that blow between stars. Darkspace is full of shifting currents, squalls, and storms. Computers and radio simply won't work, meaning that everything is done by hand in space suits. The only weapon practical are lasers, firing off of geranium encased capacitors, with beams of light slowed to cannonball speeds and ranges. I believe David Drake did the idea first, but Sutherland carries off his setting conceits with verve. Carew is a great protagonist, an idealist who never backs down from a fight, and with infinite willingness to get her hands dirty to do the job.

There are cool moments, learning the ropes, chasing pirates, fighting battles and making friends, but a few days on I have trouble remembering literally anything other than darkspace. The first Alexis Carew book is popcorn, popcorn with a lot of promise and a little kick, and I'll probably be reading the rest of the series between more serious books, but you're not getting any surprises.