In a psychologically compelling coming-of-age novel, Cherryh (Downbelow Station; Cyteen) continues her tales of a human-dominated space attempting to find equilibrium in the aftermath of war. Tom Bowe-Hawkins, young crew member of the family ship Sprite, was conceived in rape and is growing up with a chip on his shoulder. He is caught up in the revenge planned by his mother, Marie Kirgov Hawkins, against his father, Austin Bowe, captain of the Corinthian, a vessel suspected to be engaged in smuggling and piracy. When the two vessels find themselves docked at the same space station, Tom tries to keep his mother from getting the ship into trouble with station authorities. After Marie eludes him, Tom starts looking in likely places, including the Corinthian's mysterious warehouse, where he is found by his half-brother Christian Bowe, who shanghais him aboard their father's vessel. Ensuing events bring the divided clan into conflict and Sprite and Corinthian into a deadly confrontation. Cherryh's satisfying novel delves deeply into the relations between families and crew members tied closely together in long and intimate voyages among the stars. Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Description:
From Publishers Weekly
In a psychologically compelling coming-of-age novel, Cherryh (Downbelow Station; Cyteen) continues her tales of a human-dominated space attempting to find equilibrium in the aftermath of war. Tom Bowe-Hawkins, young crew member of the family ship Sprite, was conceived in rape and is growing up with a chip on his shoulder. He is caught up in the revenge planned by his mother, Marie Kirgov Hawkins, against his father, Austin Bowe, captain of the Corinthian, a vessel suspected to be engaged in smuggling and piracy. When the two vessels find themselves docked at the same space station, Tom tries to keep his mother from getting the ship into trouble with station authorities. After Marie eludes him, Tom starts looking in likely places, including the Corinthian's mysterious warehouse, where he is found by his half-brother Christian Bowe, who shanghais him aboard their father's vessel. Ensuing events bring the divided clan into conflict and Sprite and Corinthian into a deadly confrontation. Cherryh's satisfying novel delves deeply into the relations between families and crew members tied closely together in long and intimate voyages among the stars.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Kirkus Reviews
An addition to Cherryh's medium-future spacefaring saga (Hellburner, 1992) in which, the Company Wars over, freelance trading vessels crewed by extended families ferociously compete for interstellar shipping contracts. Aboard the Hawkins family's Sprite, cargo chief Marie Hawkins nurses a personal grudge against Austin Bowe, captain of the rival Corinthian, who beat and raped her 25 years ago. Obsessed and vengeful, Marie intends to destroy Austin by proving that his ship trades illegally with pirates and smugglers. When both ships dock at the Mariner space station, she pounces. Concerned for her welfare, her son, Tom--Austin's boy- -interferes with Marie's plans and for his pains is shanghaied and confined aboard Corinthian by his half-brother, Christian. While the desperate Marie persuades Sprite's captain to pursue the Corinthian, and a ship full of genuine bad guys draws ever nearer, Tom adapts to his new life aboard his father's vessel--a life that is neither as dangerous nor as unpleasant as Marie had led him to expect. Rather heavy-handed in the violence department, and gabbily flabby with interior monologues, but carried along by the lively characters and sturdy plot. Overall, well up to previous standards. -- Copyright ©1994, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.