Shadow Captain

Synopsis from Goodreads.com:

The gripping sequel to the Locus award winning science fiction adventure, Revenger, tells a story of obsession and betrayal as two sisters hunt for the greatest treasure in the universe.

Adrana and Fura Ness have finally been reunited, but both have changed beyond recognition. Once desperate for adventure, now Adrana is haunted by her enslavement on the feared pirate Bosa Sennen's ship. And rumors of Bosa Sennen's hidden cache of treasure have ensnared her sister, Fura, into single-minded obsession.

Neither is safe; because the galaxy wants Bosa Sennen dead and they don't care if she's already been killed. They'll happily take whoever is flying her ship.

Shadow Captain is a desperate story of cursed ships, vengeful corporations, and alien artifacts, of daring escapes and wealth beyond imagining ... and of betrayal.

Okay, I admit, I am a fierce reader of Alastair Reynolds' works, most probably because my first novel-length book was his and ever since that, I am the predator of his works, often stalking and skulking for his later works. This book is not an exception.

Going to the genre (I'm not sure it can be counted as a genre) of space pirates, Alastair managed to pull off some traditional essence of piracy with a mix and twist of futuristic tech, for example: sail cloth, lookglass, zombies, booby traps and treasures.

I have read many of his (I think all) of his books since 2007 and I think this Revenger series is a whole new facet of his works. He develops characters more than plots now and his usual BDO inclined work still captivates me like "come on, what the hell is this? You better tell me now" and yet left it hanging. For those who don't know what BDOs are, well, they are actually meant by the words "Big Dumb Object". It is a thing that exist in plots that shows up as huge mysterious objects that somehow has none or little use in the storyline. I give you some examples in his work:

Pushing Ice - the functionality of Janus and Spica structure

Century Rain - the multiple copies of Earth

Revelation Space - the computer matrix of a neutron star

Terminal World - the Godscraper

Poseidon's Children - Watchkeeper

and so much more.

This book, Shadow Captain, manages to deal with the rise and fall of a civilisation across the mindboggling years of humanity and *spoiler alert* there exists a BDO that somehow coincides with this rise and fall of civilisations.

Well against this big plot background are the two sisters, Adrana and Fura Ness. These two are quite... remarkable, judging from the fact of their growth from the previous book. You can see both have switched their personality and they make us think - what changes us? Brainwashing and indoctrination, or just trying not to be the one will actually make you be the one?

Read this book. It's fun and delightful, like a multilayer mille crepe. You definitely don't want to miss this siblings 'rivalry' + pirates + high-tech setting + mystery + espionage multifaceted story. Don't worry, it's an easy read.

Highly recommended!