Theft of Fire: Orbital Space #1 - Hardback

I really enjoy the book. I had some reservations about whether or not the story would keep my interest once I realized it was just three characters on a spaceship, but I had multiple nights where I read 100+ pages. Also I wasn't sure once the Snark was introduced if there could be a satisfying conclusion to a civilizational changing object with under 250 pages to go, but I was pleasantly surprised again. The action set pieces were incredibly well written. The space chase away from Sedna was riveting, but my favorite scene, hands down, was the gun fight in space. I was grinning the entire time. It felt as though written by someone who was actually in a tick or two. Really good stuff. Overall I thoroughly enjoy the story. The characters were well realized and fleshed out. The character drama was fun and engaging. The action set pieces were extremely entertaining. The technical knowledge, physics, engineering pieces were incredibly smart without being overbearing. The pacing was superb. The prose was smart and flowed well. I'm excited for the next book in the series and will be buying it on release day. Thanks Devon for writing a fun, engaging, and thoroughly satisfying Sci-Fi novel in this day and age.

Highly recommended but not for everyone. This book challenges the reader, sometimes in uncomfortable ways. It's also a thrilling solar system space opera as well as a deep character study with a slightly unreliable narrator. Each character is on a distinct arc. Outer space is billions of years old, but it's always changing, and we change with it. There's lots of moody, contemplative moments, which then shift quickly but seamlessly to relentless action. The characters are put through it, no quarter is given. Every redemptive act is earned, and every achievement is paid for in blood, sweat, and broken ship parts. One of the better modern SF books I've read recently, but it doesn't shy away from the idea that space is trying to kill you and hurt people hurt each other, sometimes violently. Definitely looking forward to the next book.

I tore through it first on my Kobo and enjoyed it so much that I turned around and bought the hardback edition just so I could have a physical copy on the shelf and then I read the whole thing again. That’s rare for me. Eriksen delivers an original, entertaining story that feels like a love letter to the golden age of science fiction (think early Heinlein before he went off of the rails) while staying firmly grounded in plausible near-future tech and human nature. It's rare for an author to nail the mindset and tactics in all of the action sequences, but when I read the part about Marcus feeling the bolt locking back on an empty magazine in practice I knew Eriksen is a shooter.