August 2020 READER: Suicide Run by Lowell

[Teresa, Plan B is in Effect]

The August 2020 Reader Pick is Suicide Run by Nathan Lowell. This is the sequel to Milk Run which we read in 2018: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Please use this thread to post questions, comments, and reviews, at any time.

Official description:
A new ship. A young crew.
A dream job gone horribly wrong.

When circumstances drive Zoya and Natalya to accept an offer from the most powerful organization in the Western Annex, it looks like their ship - literally - comes in. The job fails to live up to its promise and the pair soon find themselves fighting for their lives against a booby trapped ship and its unseen master.
Will they unmask their enemies and survive their Suicide Run?

[Teresa, Plan B is in Effect]

I have read this book twice, with my most recent rereading being twelve months ago. We have read as a group two other books set in the same universe as this one: Quarter Share and Milk Run.

Going by vague memory, you should be able to enjoy Suicide Run without reading any of the other books - I will be reporting on that during my reread. Milk Run is an entry point to the universe. If you want to read the universe books in chronological order, the author said it’s probably:
Quarter Share
Half Share
Full Share
Double Share
Milk Run
Suicide Run
Home Run
Captain’s Share
Owner’s Share
In Ashes Born
To Fire Called
By Darkness Forged

With the barely related Shaman’s Tales arc starting before Quarter Share. I’m not going to try to put them into the list.

The three Run books are about Zoya and Natalya. They have more action than Quarter Share, but the focus is still on characterization and world building and less on fighting than most space opera. The other nine books in the list above have Ishmael Wong as the main character. A few characters from the Share books are minor characters in the Run books but IMO it doesn’t really matter which set you read first.

[Teresa, Plan B is in Effect]

I’ve started rereading Suicide Run. Not very far into it yet but noticed some terms that didn’t get explained that might confuse readers who haven’t read Milk Run or Quarter Share yet.

TIC - similar to the FBI or Interpol
CPJCT - joint commission on trade, which makes all the regulations that civilized planets that aren’t company worlds follow
Toe Holds - frontier, outside of TIC and CPJCT jurisdiction

[Audrey]

That is helpful. When I was reading Milk Run, I kept going back in the story for a refresher on what CPJCT meant.

TIC was an acronym for Trade Investigation Commission. At least I could remember that one.

[Teresa, Plan B is in Effect]

I’m about 68% done. I’ve reached the “breathless action” part. Even knowing how it’s going to play out it’s not easy to put down right now.

[Teresa, Plan B is in Effect]

I stayed up late last night getting to a point where I could put the book down, then finished it this morning. It felt like a scene was missing, but all in all a very good book and I’m probably going to reread Home Run next.
(view spoiler)[where DID they hide it? Natalya wouldn’t have told him the truth would she??? (hide spoiler)]

[Audrey]

I'm up to the part where Natalya has moved into a huge on-station apartment. Then she has to explain to an analyst that someone who is by themselves for weeks at a time needs entertainment when they finally dock. Which you'd think would be obvious.

[Teresa, Plan B is in Effect]

I’m at 17% in Home Run. This one has more action. Already (view spoiler)[at the scene of a disaster (hide spoiler)]

[Audrey]

Natalya and Zoya are agreeing to fly the new ship, which hasn't been tested as to being space-worthy yet. I have a feeling that there will be problems. Plus, Dorion is a jerk.

[Teresa, Plan B is in Effect]

Finished Home Run last night. Soooooo good. It’s too soon for me to reread By Darkness Forged but I found the place at about 85% there where Ish first meets Zoya and Natalya, and I’m going to reread from that point to the end of the book.

[Audrey]

I am still reading Suicide Run (they are getting ready to do the first test flight of the crazy prototype ship), but I already bought Home Run. Have to see how this all turns out!

[Audrey]

Downs looked down his nose at Natalya and Zoya with a "don't worry your pretty little heads about it" look. Not long after that, "Natalya picked up her mug and toasted Zoya. “To pretty little heads and the men who have them.” Zoya snorted and held up her mug in return." - I couldn't help but laugh.