Much as with the first book in this series, it’s well written and realized, but simply isn’t my thing. Post-apocalyptic fiction tends towards the dark, dismal, and dreary, and these are no exception. I can recognize that they’re well written, and can see why they resonate for many people…just not for me. Because of that, I can’t really give a more thorough review.

Enjoyable space adventure, with lots of amusingly clever writing and fun ideas for alien cultures, particularly the primary alien life and how they interface with humanity. Liked reading it, and appreciated the diversity of characters both human and alien. Doesn't nudge its way to the top of this year's PKD nominee stack, but that's not at all a knock against this book, this is just proving to be a strong selection this year.

Something of an SF take on a locked room mystery - the cloned crew of a generation ship wakes up to find the corpses of their previous bodies - with fascinating questions of the ethics of workable cloning and the concepts of selfhood and the soul in such a world. Very much enjoyed this one.

Space pirates, hidden treasure, scheming and swashbuckling — and while I didn't dislike reading it, it never entirely grabbed me, either. I think for me, it's just that while I recognize the conceit of "adventure on the high seas IN SPACE" as an attractive one for many, it's simply never particularly caught my interest. I'm not sure if that's because I'm not much into "adventure on the high seas IN WATER" tales and the switch to "…IN SPACE" isn't enough to make it work for me, or if I just find the conceit itself a little…well, silly. Not that solar sails and the like aren't scientifically sound, but the overly-literal application of the idea always feels a bit far-fetched. Anyway — the book isn't bad, it just isn't for me.

A good trek standalone novel. Fleshes out the Tarsus IV incident, and has a brief glimpse of a young Jim Kirk, but otherwise pretty much stands on its own, without as much of the "here's some fun hints at how we're trying to bridge the DIS and TOS aesthetics" that the prior DIS novel ([b:Desperate Hours|32841842|Desperate Hours (Star Trek Discovery #1)|David Mack|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1501879827s/32841842.jpg|53444300][b:Desperate Hours|32841842|Desperate Hours (Star Trek Discovery #1)|David Mack|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1501879827s/32841842.jpg|53444300]) incorporated. Also perhaps of note by virtue of being the first book I can remember reading with what I can only describe as a "post-credits scene", which I found somewhat odd.