Derelict for Trade

Interesting. Even less of the flavor of the original Solar Queen novels than Redline the Stars, but a very interesting story with some neat hooks for the next one. I'm amused, after noting in Redline all the references to P. M. Griffin's worlds and races, to see that the ones mentioned here (besides the major three) are often from Keith Laumer's Retief stories (the protocol-ridden Yip and a couple others). Again, multiple points of view - much better handled than in Redline - and a deeper insight into all the characters, both history and current motivations. And the hook, going back to the Sargol drink and the box in Postmarked the Stars... The story here is quite weird - a mystery with about a dozen streams, and a great deal of show more figuring out to connect them up into a very nasty scheme. Dane's duel was fascinating, though I knew what his weapon was - not how it would be used, but what it was. And Rip's consideration of it in the maglev pod had me laughing out loud - the horrific haggis! It was neat the way that, once they had the appropriate information, it was no longer the Queen's crew against the habitat but the decent people against the villains. And so on, and so on. This was my first reading, so I know I've missed things - I've read the first three SQ novels at least 4-5 times each, and Redline at least once before this last reading. It's definitely a tale that rewards rereading - the original SQ novels have sunk into my backbrain, and I think this one can do the same. Just need to let it sink in, then read it a few more times... Now I'm going on to A Mind for Trade, which I have read before but was thoroughly confused about because I hadn't read Derelict. The changes for Captain Jellico, and for the apprentices, and the Queen in general, are major in Derelict, and I didn't know what had triggered them when I encountered them in Mind. So this rereading should be better. In general, I find that the Solar Queen novels are one connected story; each one most definitely builds upon the last. So I'm very pleased to fill in this missing piece. show less

Now forced to operate outside human space, the Queen and her crew find themselves heading to the habitat that made up the centre of civilisation in the Mykos system but a misjump left the Queen short of fuel and in danger of a crash with the derelict. Heading towards the habitat and unable to slow unless they can convert the derelict's fuel, the Queen will be bankrupted by the salvage fees, or destroyed by the habitat's asteroid defence weapons. Successfully escaping destruction, either physical or financial, the Queen makes it to dock but the crew's problems don't stop there as they find their salvage claim on the wreck frustrated and there is evidence of even deeper corruption as they find themselves emmeshed in the bureaucracy of show more three different civilisations show less

I guess Sherwood Smith did the plotting, because I'm five chapters in and almost nothing has happened. Can't finish this one. If you really, really need a new Solar Queen novel, go for it. Otherwise, go read or re-read something else. Galactic Derelict was my first and it was good 40 years later.