Reaches [Hardcover]

The North American Federation and the Southern Cross are becoming rich from new colonies and trading posts among the stars. Other nations have also sent out trading ships to gain some of these riches. The colonists on Venus are eager to participate in this treasure hunt and send out their own ships.

One of the most lucrative trade items are Molt slaves. The Molts are an alien race that moved into human space after the Collapse. They have a form of genetic memory and many can operate the pre-Collapse systems found on the abandoned worlds. Molts slaves are obtained from other Molts who sell to the human traders in return for insignificant trinkets.

In Igniting the Reaches, the Venerians send out a flotilla of three ships to the planet Salute. Upon landing, they find only a single man in the Southern compound; the others have hastily evacuated when they were sighted. The Venerians load the 98 Molt slaves found in the compound and takeoff for the world Virginia, a Fed colony.

In Through the Breach, the Venerians take a flotilla toward the Breach, a dangerous corridor to another spacetime. On the way, the commander puts down a conspiracy and executes a nobleman. After a terrifying passage through the Breach, the Venerians find themselves in a region that has been unvisited since the Collapse.

In Fireships, the Feds start confiscating Venerian ships to support an invasion of the planet. When this news reaches Venus, the Governor retaliates by issuing Commissions of Redress -- i.e., Letters of Marque -- to the parties hurt by the Federation action. She also authorizes a punitive expedition to retrieve the captured ships.

These novels are loosely based on the exploits of Sir Francis Drake, although some events are based on those of other English mariners during that period. The starships are crude craft compared to the pre-Collapse vessels, with rough hulls built around millennium old electronics and hand wrought engines. They are somewhat reminiscent of the starships in Smith's Henry Martyn, but not quite as primitive.

The geopolitics and psychological perspective of these novels are brutal and pragmatic. Although religion greatly influences the lives of these characters, their beliefs are harsh and merciless. Slavery is commonplace on Earth, although less so on Venus, and the populace of both worlds view Molts as less than human. In these respects, this series accurately reflects the worldview of the Elizabethan period.

Recommended for Drake fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of adventure with a realistic viewpoint.

-Arthur W. Jordin