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Herald Petrel
Another spaceship, another explosion. Harold Galahad would love to wake from this particular nightmare that is so eerily similar to the events that cost him his beloved wife and destroyed his soul. But the only way out is by saving the ship and its entire crew.
If you ask Harold Galahad, he isn’t fit to lead a crew or command a ship. But nobody is asking Harry.
Instead, he finds himself back on the bridge, on a ship stranded in space, no help in sight, only kept alive by remnants of a gradually failing life support system.
His crew? A nurse running out of tentacles and eyes to care for all the wounded, a chief engineer who knows all about her systems but struggles with people, a chief of security who thinks everything can be solved with paragraphs from the Company’s handbook, a cursing chief of logistics, an anxiety-ridden communications officer, and a first officer who stays mysterious and feigns ignorance. This ship needs a captain to avert a complete disaster that includes the death of everyone on board.
Can Galahad overcome his trauma? Can he find solutions where there are none? And worst of all, can he unravel all the mysteries surrounding the ship, its crew and the system they all work for?
If you enjoy a complex tale that brings a human element to all species that travel space, combined with a multi-layered mystery, and starring a broken hero, Herald Petrel by Strange Seawolf will deliver.
contains adult language and a considerable amount of swearing -- it is a cargo space ship in a desparate situation, after all.
If you ask Harold Galahad, he isn’t fit to lead a crew or command a ship. But nobody is asking Harry.
Instead, he finds himself back on the bridge, on a ship stranded in space, no help in sight, only kept alive by remnants of a gradually failing life support system.
His crew? A nurse running out of tentacles and eyes to care for all the wounded, a chief engineer who knows all about her systems but struggles with people, a chief of security who thinks everything can be solved with paragraphs from the Company’s handbook, a cursing chief of logistics, an anxiety-ridden communications officer, and a first officer who stays mysterious and feigns ignorance. This ship needs a captain to avert a complete disaster that includes the death of everyone on board.
Can Galahad overcome his trauma? Can he find solutions where there are none? And worst of all, can he unravel all the mysteries surrounding the ship, its crew and the system they all work for?
If you enjoy a complex tale that brings a human element to all species that travel space, combined with a multi-layered mystery, and starring a broken hero, Herald Petrel by Strange Seawolf will deliver.
contains adult language and a considerable amount of swearing -- it is a cargo space ship in a desparate situation, after all.
- GenresSpace Opera
457 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 1, 2024
5 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
July 23, 2024
A space opera about a traumatized captain, a crew too keen to adhere to bureaucracy, and a failing ship that may or may not have been targeted by terrorists. I found the characters deeply charming and the exploration of how to be human (or humanoid, anyway) in the midst of an inflexible institution compelling. It's a strong debut and screaming for a sequel.
August 14, 2024
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Content warnings: Death, including death of a loved one, PTSD, depression, grief, terrorism, explosions. These themes are present, but they don't necessarily make the book sad. Despite them, it's rather a light read. However, if you are sensitive to them, be careful.
Impressions
Herald Petrel is a debut sci-fi novel by Strange Seawolf. It's a fast-paced and fun read. The problems keep snowballing as the characters discover more secrets of the company they work for. The novel plays with classic dystopian sci-fi themes of an evil corporation with too much power, surveillance, compliance and unethical forms of control.
While the crew deals with the aftermath of a terrorist attack on their spaceship, the captain also grapples with grief and PTSD, as the events keep reminding him of his traumatic past. However, these difficult themes (see content warnings above) don't make the book sad. They are present, as they inform the actions of the characters, but they aren't necessarily the main focus of the story, since too much is going on. The characters simply don't have time to wallow in their sadness, as they have to fight to stay alive. For me, despite the difficult themes, as well as the dystopian setting, it was a fun and light read.
There are various LGBTQ+ characters in the book, including a sympathetic asexual character, and a demisexual MC (the word isn't used in the book, but it becomes apparent when he explains how his attraction works). Most of the characters are human/humanoid, but there are a few alien species.
I enjoyed Herald Petrel, as it was a fun adventure that highlighted the importance of genuine relationships. The ending was really beautiful, as it brought the whole crew together and showed the power of working as a team while relying on everyone's unique strengths. Despite the desperate situation, there is hope for the crew, as well as those struggling with their personal demons. The book has set up the stage for a sequel.
You might enjoy Herald Petrel if you like fast-paced space adventures and dystopian settings that don't make the book too sad.
Content warnings: Death, including death of a loved one, PTSD, depression, grief, terrorism, explosions. These themes are present, but they don't necessarily make the book sad. Despite them, it's rather a light read. However, if you are sensitive to them, be careful.
Impressions
Herald Petrel is a debut sci-fi novel by Strange Seawolf. It's a fast-paced and fun read. The problems keep snowballing as the characters discover more secrets of the company they work for. The novel plays with classic dystopian sci-fi themes of an evil corporation with too much power, surveillance, compliance and unethical forms of control.
While the crew deals with the aftermath of a terrorist attack on their spaceship, the captain also grapples with grief and PTSD, as the events keep reminding him of his traumatic past. However, these difficult themes (see content warnings above) don't make the book sad. They are present, as they inform the actions of the characters, but they aren't necessarily the main focus of the story, since too much is going on. The characters simply don't have time to wallow in their sadness, as they have to fight to stay alive. For me, despite the difficult themes, as well as the dystopian setting, it was a fun and light read.
There are various LGBTQ+ characters in the book, including a sympathetic asexual character, and a demisexual MC (the word isn't used in the book, but it becomes apparent when he explains how his attraction works). Most of the characters are human/humanoid, but there are a few alien species.
I enjoyed Herald Petrel, as it was a fun adventure that highlighted the importance of genuine relationships. The ending was really beautiful, as it brought the whole crew together and showed the power of working as a team while relying on everyone's unique strengths. Despite the desperate situation, there is hope for the crew, as well as those struggling with their personal demons. The book has set up the stage for a sequel.
You might enjoy Herald Petrel if you like fast-paced space adventures and dystopian settings that don't make the book too sad.
July 27, 2024
Herald Petrel by Strange Seawolf is an insanely gripping space odyssey that brilliantly blends the trauma and heroism of the protagonist, Harold Galahad, with the high-stakes drama of a ship teetering on the brink of disaster.
From the opening pages, where Harold is introduced grappling with the ghosts of his past losses, to the climactic moments of life-and-death decisions, Author Seawolf maintains a taut narrative that kept me thoroughly engaged. The author's portrayal of Harold’s internal battles and eventual redemption is both compelling and emotionally relatable. The secondary characters were also very well-developed and thoroughly likeable, with their unique quirks and challenges, making the dynamics very rich.
One of the best things about this book was the way the author has weaved a multi-layered mystery within the narrative. The suspense is palpable, driving the story forward with a relentless pace that ensures there's never a dull moment. Moreover, the author's world-building is out-of-the-world, with detailed descriptions of the ship’s mechanics and the vastness of space that enveloped me in a fully realised universe. The integration of various species and their interactions adds a rich touch to the narrative, highlighting the novel's underlying themes of unity and understanding across differences.
Herald Petrel is an amazing science fiction read, offering a story that is as much about overcoming personal demons as it is about the thrill of space exploration. It is a heart-pounding adventure that delivers in spades, making it a must-read that will leave you thinking long after the last page is turned.
From the opening pages, where Harold is introduced grappling with the ghosts of his past losses, to the climactic moments of life-and-death decisions, Author Seawolf maintains a taut narrative that kept me thoroughly engaged. The author's portrayal of Harold’s internal battles and eventual redemption is both compelling and emotionally relatable. The secondary characters were also very well-developed and thoroughly likeable, with their unique quirks and challenges, making the dynamics very rich.
One of the best things about this book was the way the author has weaved a multi-layered mystery within the narrative. The suspense is palpable, driving the story forward with a relentless pace that ensures there's never a dull moment. Moreover, the author's world-building is out-of-the-world, with detailed descriptions of the ship’s mechanics and the vastness of space that enveloped me in a fully realised universe. The integration of various species and their interactions adds a rich touch to the narrative, highlighting the novel's underlying themes of unity and understanding across differences.
Herald Petrel is an amazing science fiction read, offering a story that is as much about overcoming personal demons as it is about the thrill of space exploration. It is a heart-pounding adventure that delivers in spades, making it a must-read that will leave you thinking long after the last page is turned.
January 6, 2025
My initial reaction to Herald Petrel was amazement; it's been years since I picked up a book that pulled me in and kept me going the way this one did. That is a credit to the storytelling; Strange Seawolf does an amazing job of putting her characters through the proverbial wringer time and time again, and as a reader I just had to keep going to learn how they were going to escape from their latest predicament.
While there's a lot going on, there's also a lot of character depth, and I quickly got invested - I cared what happened to each of them. At the same time, plot lines unfolded about larger conflicts well beyond the scope of any one character's ability to deal, in fact, beyond perhaps the entire cast's ability to deal. This served as an excellent reflection on our real world, one that seems increasingly to be spiraling out of control with no one of us capable of putting a stop to it.
The diverse cast was a delight; a space opera with humans and aliens of every shape, size, and any other characteristic imaginable working together to solve a crisis that threatens them all.
Highly recommended. This was a fun read that left me thinking about a lot of issues happening right here on this starship we call Earth.
While there's a lot going on, there's also a lot of character depth, and I quickly got invested - I cared what happened to each of them. At the same time, plot lines unfolded about larger conflicts well beyond the scope of any one character's ability to deal, in fact, beyond perhaps the entire cast's ability to deal. This served as an excellent reflection on our real world, one that seems increasingly to be spiraling out of control with no one of us capable of putting a stop to it.
The diverse cast was a delight; a space opera with humans and aliens of every shape, size, and any other characteristic imaginable working together to solve a crisis that threatens them all.
Highly recommended. This was a fun read that left me thinking about a lot of issues happening right here on this starship we call Earth.
August 18, 2024
This book turned out to be so much more than I expected, and I loved every minute of it!
The story itself was compelling. An experienced captain begrudgingly takes a job on a cargo ship. Things go horribly wrong, and he’s forced to relive the trauma of his past while ensuring the crew of the Herald Petrel can survive. Alongside him, a host of side characters inspire him, give him hope, and resurrect something inside him he’d thought was long gone. But not everyone in the crew is an ally…
Herald Petrel is a story unlike any other I’ve read. It’s part space opera, part dystopian future, part adventure, part romance. The characters are diverse and well-developed (and I found myself quite emotionally invested in them!), the plot is fast-paced, and the twists are unexpected. If you’re looking for something fresh and exciting, this story is for you.
I, for one, can’t wait to see what happens next!
The story itself was compelling. An experienced captain begrudgingly takes a job on a cargo ship. Things go horribly wrong, and he’s forced to relive the trauma of his past while ensuring the crew of the Herald Petrel can survive. Alongside him, a host of side characters inspire him, give him hope, and resurrect something inside him he’d thought was long gone. But not everyone in the crew is an ally…
Herald Petrel is a story unlike any other I’ve read. It’s part space opera, part dystopian future, part adventure, part romance. The characters are diverse and well-developed (and I found myself quite emotionally invested in them!), the plot is fast-paced, and the twists are unexpected. If you’re looking for something fresh and exciting, this story is for you.
I, for one, can’t wait to see what happens next!
March 27, 2025
A classic sf with no real surprises. An new Star Trek show. (Which can be the best compliment or the worst critique, I know.)
Then why four stars and not three (or less)? Because the characters become your friends while you read through all the pages. You just want to know what is going to happen to them next. That is the trademark of a good writer.
I sure hope a sequel is in the making. Looking forward to it.
Then why four stars and not three (or less)? Because the characters become your friends while you read through all the pages. You just want to know what is going to happen to them next. That is the trademark of a good writer.
I sure hope a sequel is in the making. Looking forward to it.
September 25, 2024
This is an onion. And no, it won't make you cry. It has as many layers as you care to peel off. Meet a crew who ends up with a captain they don't know, and a situation no one counted on.
Follow along how people respond to it. How people work together - and against each other.
Find problem after problem, and see people develop, regardless of race, species, conviction, etc.
Follow along how people respond to it. How people work together - and against each other.
Find problem after problem, and see people develop, regardless of race, species, conviction, etc.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews