Starred review from August 1, 2023
Murder always seems to follow Mallory Viridian, even after she's fled across the galaxy from Earth to Station Eternity, the sentient space port where she now resides. Worse, new arrivals to the station include her high school best friend Amy; her high school crush (and Amy's brother) Parker; and the law enforcement agent who suspects Mallory of the murders she encountered on Earth. Of course, there is another murder, along with strange behavior from both the station and the Sundry hiveminds, all meaning that amateur detective Mallory must once again figure out the truth before their problems reach across the galaxy. Secondary character groups, such as the Gneiss and Gurudev, elevate the plot and highlight more dynamics between the humans and aliens, with some hilarious conversations. Numerous subplots all intertwine to create a layered story in this sci-fi and mystery mash-up. VERDICT The follow-up to Station Eternity is just as complex and engaging as its predecessor. Lafferty's skill with dialogue and emotional arcs make the story equally character- and action-driven.--Kristi Chadwick
Copyright 2023 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
September 11, 2023
Lafferty’s rip-roaring second Midsolar Murders mystery (after Station Eternity) returns to the sentient space station Eternity, where reluctant sleuth Mallory Viridian contends with a cunning killer, a lost love, and a plethora of charming aliens. Because of Mallory’s unwitting connection to the Sundry, a wasplike hive mind, murders follow her wherever she goes—and she can’t resist investigating them. To escape all the death, she fled Earth for Station Eternity, a diplomatic outpost established to test the possibilities of coexistence between galactic-roaming species and a few fractious earthlings. Now, however, new humans are coming aboard—among them Mallory’s former best friend, her teenage crush, and an odious gossipmonger who turns up dead at the welcoming party. Of course, Mallory is drawn into the case. Lafferty does a solid job blending sci-fi worldbuilding and homicide investigation, though the plot feels a bit padded with flashbacks to Mallory’s past. Still, the colorful cast delights, replete with irresistible aliens who are mostly mystified by human behaviors, self-doubting AI space vehicles, and quirky human scientists, diplomats, and CIA agents. This whirlwind adventure is good fun.
Starred review from November 1, 2023
A few months after the events of Station Eternity (2022), Mallory Viridian is having a bad week. Eternity's new host asked Mallory to watch over the sentient space station while she is away. Something is off with Eternity, and the host does not want the Sundry, the adversarial, blue and silver, wasp-like aliens that monitor station events, to know about it. Mallory has a symbiotic relationship with the blue Sundry, which should help, but she is feeling a bit off herself. And when she receives an invitation from the silver Sundry, she is even more perplexed, because they usually avoid her. Mallory has also been coerced into helping prepare for the arrival of a shuttle bringing a replacement Earth ambassador along with several human tourists. Suddenly, support systems go down and come back up without explanation, the silver-Sundry hive is attacked, and Malloy's giant, weaponized, metal-mech alien friend shows up running from her own government. And, of course, a murder occurs. The wonderfully inventive, delightfully wacky, and cleverly complex Midsolar Murders sf-mystery series is off and running again, this time exploring more of Mallory's background while maintaining the delicious humor and intricate mystery prevalent in the first book.
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