ARC Review: The Rush’s Edge by Ginger Smith

Heyy space opera fans, how’s it going?  Thank you so much to Angry Robot for the eARC of this fast-paced sci-fi / space opera in exchange for an honest review! All opinions are my own!

Quick Facts:

• Title: The Rush’s Edge
• Series: Untitled Duology, #1
• Author: Ginger Smith
• Publisher & Release: Angry Robot, November 2020
• Length: 328 pages
• Rate & Recommend: 🌟🌟🌟⭐ for fans of space opera!

Here’s the synopsis from Am*zon:

With the help of his commanding officer, a genetically engineered ex-soldier fights back against the government that created him and others like him to be expendable slaves…

Halvor Cullen, a genetically-engineered and technology implanted ex-soldier, doesn’t see himself as a hero. After getting out of the service, all he’s interested in is chasing the adrenaline rush his body was designed to crave. Hal knows he won’t live long anyway; vat soldiers like him are designed to die early or will be burnt out from relentlessly seeking the rush. His best friend and former CO, Tyce, is determined not to let that happen and distracts him by work salvaging crashed ships in the Edge.

Then Hal’s ship gets a new crewmember – a hacker-turned-tecker named Vivi. As they become friends, Hal wonders if he’s got a chance with a natural-born like her. Then on a job, the crew finds a sphere that downloads an alien presence into their ship…

Multiple clashes with the military force Hal and his crew to choose sides. The battle they fight will determine the fate of vats and natural-borns throughout the galaxy. Will they join the movement against the Coalition? What has invaded their ship’s computer? And can there be a real future for a vat with an expiration date?

My thoughts:

 There are a lot of things that I really liked about The Rush’s Edge! I love science fiction that touches on ethics related to robotics, genetics, and AI – I guess I can thank Mr Asimov for that one.   Hal is a Vanguard Assault Trooper, one of thousands genetically enhanced and modified to serve as cannon fodder for the ACAS (government).

As the description states, what future can these troops have?  Should they fight back? What rights do they have?  The book takes a long look at the prejudices and ethical issues surrounding the soldiers.

The action is steady and the book was certainly never boring.  From scrapping old alien tech to missions to heart pounding escape or combat scenes, even the character and relationship building parts kept the story moving forward.

The characters were really good too,  Hal and the other soldiers deal with PTSD and finding their place in the world after their military service.  Are they allowed to want a future? Can they fall in love? Can they command their own ship or fight in their own war? These are questions that Hal navigates with help from his crew.  Tyce, the captain, seems like such a caring person too, as does Beryl the ship’s medic.  Vivi is just great too, a natural born that represents the naivety of most of the general population about their government and military.  She is strong and smart and perfect for Hal.

At the end, I felt like the book would be a great introduction to a series. The characters have been introduced and the crew chooses each other as a family, then it ended in a very open way. The book 100% accomplished forming a crew and giving them something to fight for, now I just have to hope for a sequel to wrap everything up!

Overall I would recommend for space opera fans and maybe those just getting into sci-fi, as there is a lot going on in the book for readers of different tastes!