This was such a fast and fun ride of a story. This is part one in a trilogy of novellas following Ada Lamarr, a very charming looter of crashed spaceships and Rian White, the handsome government agent who thinks she is up to something. I loved the characters and the banter between Ada and Rian, as well as the way Ada was able to slowly get the crew that rescued her to warm up to her.

I feel like “Don’t be suspicious…” was playing through Ada’s head often during this book as she did things and said that at times could have given her away (if everyone had all of the pieces) but never did. And while this was a fast read, the build between Ada and Rian really does take the full story and its well executed to the point that I was not even sure if there was going to be a con in the end.

I loved how simple the world - or rather - galaxy building was, with explanations of the different Earths and what happened on the original Earth, Earth-Sol, that led to humans exploring and growing in the galaxy. It’s a fun and simple sci-fi read and entry into the Spacemance genre. I cannot wait for How to Steal a Galaxy, book 2 in the series, which releases later this year also!

FIVE STARS

Thank you so much to DAW Books and NetGalley for my #gifted physical and eARC copies. All thoughts are my own.

This short book was absolutely packed with humor and excitement. It was a great, fun read that remained interesting throughout. The length was good for the story and I loved all the characters. Be sure to read the footnotes too when you get to them, they’re just as good as everything else.

Note: ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 stars. Rounding up to 5 because of the wit, cleverness, and superb lying ability of our main gal. This is a novella that is both entertaining, death defying, and cute all at once. Even as our leading lady is performing deadly maneuver’s she is telling sad stories that make you think about the cost of both life and death. Of how close we all come at any given moment to the one tiny thing that might end it all. This is amplified in space, of course, as the smallest error or malfunction can bring down an entire ship and its crew. Yet certainly, Beth Revis means for the reader to consider that same minute possibility of death at any given moment here on climate ravaged, gravity pulled Earth.

While this is not a climate change dystopian book, it still holds a strong, compelling climate change message. That even from the depths of space all anyone can think about is what Earth once was, is today, or could still be with the right technology. Really what any planet could be with the right amount of carbon, H2O, oxygen, hydrogen, and (of course) radiant sunlight. I couldn’t help but think of Serenity at times and the messaging of what happens when government gets too involved in ‘perfecting’ society as it deems fit. There are no Reavers here, at least not yet; but there is a lot of political intrigue and possible conspiracy theories that have me scheming for book two.

Fair warning this little novella is a quick read and leaves all the questions unanswered. So you might want to be prepared with book two on deck; and not feel stranded on your own desolate ship as I am to learn my library hasn’t ordered it yet! Book 3 is (just) out so that’s something at least, and is the end of the trilogy. As always, for me, it’s nice to know there is an ending in place that is written and attainable as I read through any series (big or small).

This one is for anyone who loves Murderbot (although there is no AI as of yet), Rebecca Roanhorse, or any space book that doesn’t need to be a huge opera and/or have aliens. Full Speed to a Crash Landing is solely centred around humans and our nature. Our guilt of ruining Earth, our possible technological advances of the future, and our fallible tendencies when greed creeps in. Best of intentions or not Revis reminds us what being human really means; that one tiny misstep or malfunction could mean the end of it all.

I cannot wait to go onto book 2!