Overview
Watching HMS Eclipse through the geosynch spaceport window, Officer James Dunne, a newly minted graduate of the Royal Interstellar Service Academy, thinks his first assignment will be routine . . . an easy going excursion on an aging deep-space cruiser, heading into the Dark, on a mission to explore the farthest reaches of known space.
James had always wanted to be a part of the romantic final frontier. Now, he thought, his lifelong dream was about to come true.
In fact, he was about to begin the greatest challenge, and worst nightmare, of his already-too-short service career!
Although repeatedly warned "not to rock the boat", it soon becomes obvious that it is too late for the young Officer!
He is drafted into the First Contact Team where he realizes two things: (1) that his contribution to the Interstellar Space Service might easily turn out to be that of a 'replaceable warm body' and (2) that disrespecting junior officers, like Dunne himself, often suffer 'unfortunate' and sometimes fatal 'accidents' out in the Dark.
Dunne's survival will depend on his ability to separate power from perversion while enduring the corruption and control of others!
Synopsis
Watching HMS Eclipse through the geosynch spaceport window, Officer James Dunne, a newly minted graduate of the Royal Interstellar Service Academy, thinks his first assignment will be routine . . . an easy going excursion on an aging deep-space cruiser, heading into the Dark, on a mission to explore the farthest reaches of known space.
James had always wanted to be a part of the romantic final frontier. Now, he thought, his lifelong dream was about to come true.
In fact, he was about to begin the greatest challenge, and worst nightmare, of his already-too-short service career!
Although repeatedly warned "not to rock the boat", it soon becomes obvious that it is too late for the young Officer!
He is drafted into the First Contact Team where he realizes two things: (1) that his contribution to the Interstellar Space Service might easily turn out to be that of a 'replaceable warm body' and (2) that disrespecting junior officers, like Dunne himself, often suffer 'unfortunate' and sometimes fatal 'accidents' out in the Dark.
Dunne's survival will depend on his ability to separate power from perversion while enduring the corruption and control of others!
Library Journal
Assigned to the crew of HMS Eclipse after his graduation from the Royal Interstellar Service Academy on Ganymede, officer James Dunne looks forward to the ship's exploratory mission into "the Dark," the name given to unexplored space. Assigned to the First Contact Team, Dunne soon realizes his potential expendability. When ships begin disappearing, Dunne faces a crisis with no easy solution in sight. The author of Orbital Burn combines a talent for military sf and space adventure with a thoughtful focus on human issues of integrity and courage. A good choice for large sf collections. Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.