Velocity Weapon – Book 1 of The Protectorate Series
By – Megan E. O’Keefe
As my followers know, there are few things I like better than an ‘unconventional’ space opera. You know; stories that, while spanning the galaxy in scope, still manage to hang on to those old-fashioned values that make us what we are. Human(ish), but a society that still possesses all the flaws that make us who we are. And in Velocity Weapon, by Megan E. O’Keefe, you get exactly that.
Though the blurb doesn’t give much away:
*****
The last thing Sanda remembers is her gunship exploding.
She expected to be recovered by salvage-medics and to awaken in friendly hands, patched-up and ready to rejoin the fight. Instead, she wakes up 230 years later, on a deserted enemy starship called The Light of Berossus – or, as he prefers to call himself, ‘Bero’.
Bero tells Sanda the war is lost. That the entire star system is dead.
But is that the full story? After all, in the vastness of space, anything is possible . . .
*****
As usual, I’m going to be very careful about giving anything away regarding plot development. I’ll leave that to O’Keefe and her superb storytelling. But what I will reveal is that we have something of a ‘whodunnit-to-whom’ scenario. Yes, things might not be as they first appear. (That’s the only clue I’ll give you).
And to help you piece together what’s happening, O’Keefe lays out the threads of her story from the perspective of three main points of view. So, as events begin to unfurl, you’ll see how she then starts to pull on those threads, unraveling the knot, and revealing a coherent ‘whole’ picture where everything ties together.
(Remember that, because it’s important, and this first book is just the beginning of something special. Something that won’t become apparent until the whole trilogy has been read).
And it’s cleverly done. O’Keefe not only introduces us to an intergalactic society – living in the far distant future – but she also helps us see that, despite all the hype and technological advancement, humanity is still divided by the same old hang-ups we’ve always had.
There’s interplanetary political intrigue aplenty; forbidden tech in the wrong/right hands; hidden subtext; space action and hi-jinks; sound world-building and character development, where the theme of familial ties and loyalty abounds. And it’s all delivered in a beautifully crafted, superbly executed and down-to-earth way that gets you involved from the outset.
I thoroughly enjoyed it. And what I particularly liked is the way O’Keefe will lead you along a particular path, building your expectations, only to then trip you up with an unexpected plot-twist.
And then another.
AND another! (It really is that good).
Buuut that’s not all. As I mentioned earlier, Velocity Weapon is only the first book in The Protectorate Series. The story is complex. And as the plot thickens, certain revelations are made that allow you to put certain facets of the story to rest. Yes, you get the answers you’ve been hankering for. The thing is, those answers end up raising further questions. You see, while keeping you satisfied, O’Keefe also manages to sow the seeds of future developments that you know will be addressed in later books.
And THAT’s good storytelling. Because with something this complex, it takes time to tell the story properly. And I really appreciate the author who doesn’t rush; who allows the story to set its own pace; and who teases you with the possibility that even more diabolical machinations are on the way.
Excellent stuff! I can’t wait to see what happens next . . . and really, isn’t that the reaction every author should try to elicit from their readers?
Velocity Weapon – Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/Velocity-Weapon-Megan-OKeefe/dp/0316419591
