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Fortuna

(Nova Vita Protocol #1)

Kristyn Merbeth

3.83 · Rating details · 35 ratings · 20 reviews

Fortuna launches a new space opera trilogy that will hook you from the first crash landing.

Scorpia Kaiser has always stood in Corvus’s shadow until the day her older brother abandons their family to participate in a profitless war. However, becoming the heir to her mother’s smuggling operation is not an easy transition for the always rebellious, usually reckless, and occa ...more

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Kindle Edition, 448 pages

Published October 8th 2019 by Orbit

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Nov 06, 2019 Mogsy (MMOGC) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: wishlist, review-copy, science-fiction

4 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2019/11/11/...

Kristyn Merbeth, AKA K.S. Merbeth, the author behind the rollicking Wastelanders novels Bite and Raid, takes her brand of riotous adventure and thrills to even greater heights in Fortuna. In this action-packed space opera about a dysfunctional family of smugglers, we journey with Scorpia Kaiser and her mother and siblings aboard their titular ship across a galaxy filled with conflict and chaos.

As the eldest daughter and the pilot of Fortuna, 4 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2019/11/11/...

Kristyn Merbeth, AKA K.S. Merbeth, the author behind the rollicking Wastelanders novels Bite and Raid, takes her brand of riotous adventure and thrills to even greater heights in Fortuna. In this action-packed space opera about a dysfunctional family of smugglers, we journey with Scorpia Kaiser and her mother and siblings aboard their titular ship across a galaxy filled with conflict and chaos.

As the eldest daughter and the pilot of Fortuna, Scorpia is looking forward to inheriting the business and the ship from her mother one day. But a recent transmission has thrown a wrench into those plans. Three years ago, her older brother Corvus turned his back on the family, enlisting in a war to fight for his home planet of Titan. His decision broke Scorpia’s heart, and because of that she has never forgiven him for his betrayal. But now, Corvus’ tour of duty is over, and their mother has ordered the Fortuna to rendezvous with him while on their way to another job, which unexpectedly takes a calamitous turn right in the middle of the awkward reunion.

But what Corvus’ younger siblings don’t know is the truth of why he returned to Titan to fight in an unwinnable war. They have all changed a lot in the last three years, and his once beloved little sister Scorpia is clearly unhappy about his return. But with an entire planet dying around them, the Kaisers must now put aside their differences and work together in order to survive. Realizing how their mother had been used as a pawn in a conspiracy that reaches to the highest levels of interstellar politics, Scorpia and Corvus settle on a truce in order to protect what’s left of their family and prevent the galaxy from tearing itself apart from the inside out.

Told in the first-person, alternating between Scorpia and Corvus’ points of view, Fortuna is a non-stop thrill ride through a vividly imagined universe, where the planet on which you were born can mean as much as your family name, while those without a world to call home can be left vulnerable and without protection. Where you claim origin can affect your culture, your history, and how others perceive and treat you, and even among members of the same family, your birthplace can matter. Under such divisive conditions, it is no surprise that there is so much tension among the planets, leading to the development of deadly biological weapons including plants that can strangle the life out of an entire world. For a series opener, the world-building was simply superb, setting the stage for more adventures to be had in this most imaginative setting.

But the characterization was what made Fortuna stand out, and having it be a story about family was a brilliant move on Merbeth’s part. Anyone with a close sibling will probably find something familiar, heartwarming, or relatable in the characters’ interactions, because we understand how even though our brother or sister can get on our nerves, it’s simply impossible to imagine life without them. Corvus and Scorpia are complete opposites—him being serious and cool-headed, and her being impulsive and quick-tempered—but the two of them were close before his departure, which made the animosity between them upon his return all the more tragic. However, because of this impressively layered approach to their history, the ensuing steps to their reconciliation and eventual partnership were fascinating to watch.

Their voices, so different from each other, also complemented each other surprisingly well. Both of them have their issues, with Scorpia dealing with a drinking problem that often lands her in trouble and causes her to make all kinds of bad decisions, while Corvus has seen and done some things in the war which has left their mark on his soul. But when it’s time to take responsibility, the two of them admirably step up and show they have what it takes. Their contrasting personalities and problem-solving styles also meant a plotline that was always interesting and dynamic, and although dual narratives often make me wary, in this case there was never any confusion which character we were following. Better yet, once Scorpia and Corvus’ threads converged, the story got even better.

At the end of the day though, the plot’s trajectory and outcomes are pretty standard—but if you’ve come to Fortuna from the author’s Wastlanders books, you probably already know there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. When it comes to delivering a boatload of sci-fi action and rip-roaring entertainment, Merbeth knows exactly what she’s doing, keeping the story’s momentum raging along like a pro. Even when you know what’s coming, you just can’t help but hold your breath and keep your fingers crossed, and that’s exactly the kind of intensity and electrifying experience I look for in my space opera. The only question now then, is when does the next book come out already? ...more

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Feb 16, 2019 Sana marked it as to-read-so-bad-it-hurts

THIS IS ABOUT A WHOLE-ASS FAMILY OF SPACE SMUGGLERS, YESSSS

flag 10 likes · Like · see review

Oct 22, 2019 Christine Sandquist (eriophora) rated it liked it

This review and others can be read on my blog, Black Forest Basilisks.

Fortuna’s premise snagged me in an instant – a whole family of space smugglers! Devastating massacres! A young, roguish captain vying for power! How could I resist? Yet, while it didn’t disappoint… neither did it impress. Advertised as “Perfect for fans of Becky Chambers and Catherynne M. Valente,” I came in expecting both a fascinating, non-conventional setting combined with a cast of truly lovable and kind characters. Ultimat ...more

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Nov 14, 2019 Holly (The Grimdragon) added it

Shelves: fantasy-sci-fi, i-am-a-bookcover-ho, the-infinite-library

Review to come!

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Aug 26, 2019 Koeur rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Rating: 1.7/5

Review: I think this is a new writer and I am the first one to plant an ol’ review on here. So I am thinking kind(er) thoughts and expressing in a more…voluble way.

This would have been great…IF the story line either shjt or got off the pot. The long winded and winding road that leads to a culmination in barely audible farts, left me bereft of the want I feel for characters. Take for instance, Scorpia. Well, how many times do we have to experience her stupid choices an/>Review: ...more

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Nov 07, 2019 FanFiAddict rated it liked it

Rating: ★★★☆☆+

Synopsis

Fortuna launches a new space opera trilogy that will hook you from the first crash landing.

Scorpia Kaiser has always stood in Corvus’s shadow until the day her older brother abandons their family to participate in a profitless war. However, becoming the heir to her mother’s smuggling operation is not an easy transition for the always rebellious, usually reckless, and occasionally drunk pilot of the Fortuna, an aging cargo ship and the onl ...more

flag 3 likes · Like · see review

Nov 06, 2019 Cat C rated it liked it

Sci-fi adventure with complicated family dynamics

I was really frustrated with the first half of this book - it moved slowly and I absolutely hated one of our narrators, Scorpia (her brother Circus is the other). But once the main event finally kicked into gear, both horrible and fascinating, I couldn't put that book down. So in terms of pacing I guess you have to be patient and remember this is a planned trilogy, though there is a satisfying narrative arc in this book.

A little more ...more

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Nov 01, 2019 Will rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2019, arc, net-galley, pirate-ships, scifi, space-opera, spaceships, reviewed

4.2 / 5 ✪

https://arefugefromlife.wordpress.com...

Fortuna is the space opera debut from Wastelanders author Kristyn Merbeth. This one has been on my radar for a while, only partly due to its absolutely beautiful cover. Two siblings, separated by time and space, reunite at the turning point of all things.

Scorpia Kaiser once stood in her elder brother’s shadow. But when three years prior, he aband 4.2 / 5 ✪

https://arefugefromlife.wordpress.com...

Fortuna is the space opera debut from Wastelanders author Kristyn Merbeth. This one has been on my radar for a while, only partly due to its absolutely beautiful cover. Two siblings, separated by time and space, reunite at the turning point of all things.

Scorpia Kaiser once stood in her elder brother’s shadow. But when three years prior, he abandoned their family to fight in the war on his home world, she hoped this would change. Three years, and Scorpia now only has one thought—becoming the new heir apparent of the family business and owner of its ship, Fortuna. It’s not a fancy ship—aged, battle-scarred, space-worn—but it’s the only home Scorpia’s ever known, and the only one she ever wants.

Three years prior Corvus Kaiser was abandoned on Titan, his home world, to fight in an unwinnable war. A war that he very much suspects will eventually claim his life. But recent events have changed his mind on this. In a split-second decision he calls his family, summoning them to his aid. But now faced with the choice of whether to leave or stay he must make a difficult decision between the team he never wanted and the family that doesn’t want him back.

Between the two of them there’s enough chaos to go around, but the universe seems dead-set on raising the stakes. Soon the Kaisers and Fortuna are in the middle of a war—one that may very well cost them their lives.

Fortuna is told using dual-1st person POV chapters—one following Scorpia and the other Corvus—which alternate every chapter. Initially, I found this impossible. In fact, I would read three of Scorpia’s then go back and do three or so of Corvus’s. But then the two reached the same point and place in time and—actually, it wasn’t as bad as I expected.

There’re only a couple other books I’ve read that had this format. The Girl the Sea Gave Back (by Adrienne Young) featured the same alternating man-woman 1PPOVs and I kept getting confused and lost between characters. In Iron Gold (by Pierce Brown), there are three POVs all 1P, that alternate around. I stopped this one for much the same reasons—confusion, mixing up characters, etc. Fortuna is the same, but not. I… don’t really know how to describe it. Maybe it’s because the characters are in close proximity for 2/3 of the book. Maybe it’s because they’re similar. Maybe it’s because the chapters are longer. But it didn’t bother me as much. I mean, it still bothered me, just less.

In the Afterword, Merbeth mentions that she added Corvus’s POV on the advice of her editor. Now, I dunno if this was doing him in 1P, alternating his chapters, or whatnot, but it seems to have payed off. I absolutely loved both of their stories—barring the end. The end (the final showdown, if you will) fairly well sucked. The outcome was never in question, and it was as if the author was trying to inject drama wherever possible. Which is a shame, considering the rest of the text is a treasure. While both Corvus and Scorpia have their own individual storylines, they share the main quite well. And while Scorpia tied all her threads off quite nicely, Corvus pretty much just took a flamethrower to his. Gradually, over the course of the book, though.

TL;DR

Fortuna was quite a treat. Kristyn Merbeth has weaved herself a masterful tale, one that I can’t wait to see more of. The writing, description and characters were all top-notch, and at no point did I lament reading one character’s chapter to get to the next. While the ending does have its issues, the post-showdown section manages to tie everything together rather nicely, leaving me with only a few loose ends to worry after. The divide between Corvus and Scorpia helps tell their story, something that their interconnection is more the better for. It helped me feel so much more for them, humanize them, almost made them seem like real siblings, even.

I definitely recommend Fortuna. And I can’t wait to see more from Kristyn Merbeth! ...more

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Nov 11, 2019 Amy A rated it really liked it

Shelves: reviews

3.5

Originally posted at Vampire Book Club

From a young age the five Kaiser siblings have been instilled with the idea that you can only count on your family. In a family of smugglers, it’s pretty sound advice. That is, until oldest brother Corvus abandons them to fight in the civil war on his home planet of Titan.

At least, that’s how Scorpia Kaiser felt the day her older brother left without so much as a goodbye. But in the three years of his absence, Scorpia has take 3.5

Originally posted at Vampire Book Club

From a young age the five Kaiser siblings have been instilled with the idea that you can only count on your family. In a family of smugglers, it’s pretty sound advice. That is, until oldest brother Corvus abandons them to fight in the civil war on his home planet of Titan.

At least, that’s how Scorpia Kaiser felt the day her older brother left without so much as a goodbye. But in the three years of his absence, Scorpia has taken over the captain’s seat, and she’s gunning for running the whole smuggling operation once their controlling and manipulative mother deigns to hand it over to her.

Except their mother has taken up a new mysterious job that leads the family right back to Titan, and Corvus. When the job goes completely, and unexpectedly, off the rails, Scorpia, Corvus, along with their siblings Lyre, Andromeda, and Apollo will have to learn how to trust one another again, and work together as a family, if they want to avoid a war of intergalactic proportions.

From the onset it’s clear that family will be the most important aspect of this story and, I’m assuming, this series. The point of view shifts between Corvus and Scorpia and, for the most part, I understand why Kristyn Merbeth made this decision. I believe that Corvus’s leaving impacted Scorpia the most – even if she’d would never outright admit that—as they were closest in age to one another.

The thing is, I just didn’t feel like we delved as far into the family dynamic as we should have. Trust me, there’s plenty to unpack about the Kaisers, there’s no way we could have gotten through it all in just this one book, but to put Corvus and Scorpia front and center and not fully deal with their issues in a more head-on way left me feeling a bit unsatisfied.

It takes a good chunk of setting up the world and the family before Corvus and Scorpia are even in the same space together. The anticipation for these two to come face to face after three years with no contact drives much of the first part of the book. When they do meet up again, they basically avoid the much-needed clearing of the air required to happen so they can actually work together cohesively. Otherwise it’s basically them running circles around each other. The good news is that when they do make some headway, those are the best parts of the book hands down.

I would say potentially Fortuna is a good setup and more will come, but I really want siblings Lyre, Apollo, and Andromeda to get their own time in the spotlight. If that happens, I fear the potential for other issues to get swept under the rug. It’s just one of those things we’ll have to wait and see how it plays out.

As far as the rest of the world, Kristyn Merbeth gives an interesting future that has an even more tantalizing history as to how it came to be. Complete with alien creatures who are seemingly extinct, but whose presence is still deftly felt throughout the galaxy. I look forward to—in addition to the family stuff—exploring this more in the next book as well.

Despite feeling like the story could have gone a little further with the siblings, I’m holding out hope we’ll get a good continuation with the next book. Plus, mysterious alien lifeforms! ...more

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Nov 12, 2019 Amy A rated it really liked it · review of another edition

From a young age the five Kaiser siblings have been instilled with the idea that you can only count on your family. In a family of smugglers, it’s pretty sound advice. That is, until oldest brother Corvus abandons them to fight in the civil war on his home planet of Titan.

At least, that’s how Scorpia Kaiser felt the day her older brother left without so much as a goodbye. But in the three years of his absence, Scorpia has taken over the captain’s seat, and she’s gunning for running t From a young age the five Kaiser siblings have been instilled with the idea that you can only count on your family. In a family of smugglers, it’s pretty sound advice. That is, until oldest brother Corvus abandons them to fight in the civil war on his home planet of Titan.

At least, that’s how Scorpia Kaiser felt the day her older brother left without so much as a goodbye. But in the three years of his absence, Scorpia has taken over the captain’s seat, and she’s gunning for running the whole smuggling operation once their controlling and manipulative mother deigns to hand it over to her.

Except their mother has taken up a new mysterious job that leads the family right back to Titan, and Corvus. When the job goes completely, and unexpectedly, off the rails, Scorpia, Corvus, along with their siblings Lyre, Andromeda, and Apollo will have to learn how to trust one another again, and work together as a family, if they want to avoid a war of intergalactic proportions.

From the onset it’s clear that family will be the most important aspect of this story and, I’m assuming, this series. The point of view shifts between Corvus and Scorpia and, for the most part, I understand why Kristyn Merbeth made this decision. I believe that Corvus’s leaving impacted Scorpia the most – even if she’d would never outright admit that—as they were closest in age to one another.

The thing is, I just didn’t feel like we delved as far into the family dynamic as we should have. Trust me, there’s plenty to unpack about the Kaisers, there’s no way we could have gotten through it all in just this one book, but to put Corvus and Scorpia front and center and not fully deal with their issues in a more head-on way left me feeling a bit unsatisfied.

It takes a good chunk of setting up the world and the family before Corvus and Scorpia are even in the same space together. The anticipation for these two to come face to face after three years with no contact drives much of the first part of the book. When they do meet up again, they basically avoid the much-needed clearing of the air required to happen so they can actually work together cohesively. Otherwise it’s basically them running circles around each other. The good news is that when they do make some headway, those are the best parts of the book hands down.

I would say potentially Fortuna is a good setup and more will come, but I really want siblings Lyre, Apollo, and Andromeda to get their own time in the spotlight. If that happens, I fear the potential for other issues to get swept under the rug. It’s just one of those things we’ll have to wait and see how it plays out.

As far as the rest of the world, Kristyn Merbeth gives an interesting future that has an even more tantalizing history as to how it came to be. Complete with alien creatures who are seemingly extinct, but whose presence is still deftly felt throughout the galaxy. I look forward to—in addition to the family stuff—exploring this more in the next book as well.

Despite feeling like the story could have gone a little further with the siblings, I’m holding out hope we’ll get a good continuation with the next book. Plus, mysterious alien lifeforms! ...more

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Nov 06, 2019 Edwin Howard rated it really liked it

FORTUNA, by Kristyn Merbeth, is about a family (the Kaisers) of ethically questionable traders/smugglers who live on a ship called the Fortuna. In this this epic space novel, the reader finds the family in flux, the mother of the group is looking towards retirement, the oldest daughter, Scorpia, eyes taking over the ship and the business, but being an impulsive drunk holds her back. A surprise return of the eldest child, Corvus, makes line of succession even more complicated and the rest of the ...more

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Oct 31, 2019 Hannah Vestal rated it it was amazing

The Kaiser family is my new favorite space family.

I read Fortuna as an eARC from NetGalley, so thank you for the opportunity to read and review this novel.

Space. A family of smugglers. Political drama. How could I resist reading Fortuna with this sort of content?

Fortuna follows the story of the Kaisers, particularly the eldest two, Scorpia and Corvus, who follow in their Momma’s footsteps to be ruthless smugglers. After a job goes south, the Kaisers must decid ...more

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Nov 10, 2019 Shaun rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: science-fiction

This was such a quick and easy 500 page read that I can't call it anything except Young Adult Fiction with a small bit of swearing and a fair amount of violence (New Adult Fiction?). The main character is a 27 year old woman who essentially talks and acts like a 17 year old girl. Not sure why people are going out of their way to tag this 'adult' when it's truly not.

In saying that it is a very interesting premise and story set into a promising solar system setting. I had no problem wi ...more

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Sep 22, 2019 Sarah Andersen rated it really liked it

I really enjoyed this book! I haven't read a book in awhile just about a family, and one that are criminals and not exactly strong with a moral compass. The points of view from the eldest brother and sister who haven't seen each other in 3 years. I especially loved seeing them deal with their issues and come together to deal with major conflict of the story. The world building was great, it was extremely fast paced but was also able to really get into our lead characters heads, exploring issues ...more

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Nov 08, 2019 Heather Brock rated it really liked it

Shelves: books-won, giveaways

SPACE SMUGGLERS. That should say it all, really. Fortuna was a fun space romp to read. I really appreciate Kristyn Merbeth writing characters that are bi/pansexual and non-binary, and doing so without it feeling contrived or a focus of the character. I thought it was executed well. Scorpia is definitely rough around the edges, but that is part of her appeal. I also like Drom and Corvus.I'm not sure where the author plans to go from here exactly, but I do hope we get to read from the POVs of Lyre ...more

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Aug 03, 2019 Victoria rated it it was amazing

Wow! This is one of the better science fictions I've read in awhile. The way the author immerses the Kaiser family really makes you feel like you are a part of them. A slightly abusive mother, a partly functioning alcoholic, muscle twins, book nerd, and a soldier. Lots of action and drama. I give all the stars and cannot wait for book two.

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Oct 28, 2019 Steve Bender rated it really liked it

I got this ebook n a Goodreads Giveaway. It is an intriguing space opera with tangled family loyalties and a solar system with 5 different cultures Neat story and very entertaining.all deriving from earth.

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Sep 12, 2019 Paul rated it really liked it · review of another edition

This is a little tedious a times, but sometimes that's what you get in a space opera. I can tell this is the author's first novel, and shows promise. The characters are pretty well conceived and the plot is mostly entertaining.

I really appreciate the advanced copy for review!!

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