This interesting new take on space exploration sees an all-female crew journeying into unknown regions of the universe in a bid to become the first humans to make contact with intelligent life beyond our solar system.

From the blurb I imagined this book would be an example of feminist literature, but it’s probably fair to say that isn’t exactly what Harper J Cole seeks to give us – the story is simply an intriguing sci-fi adventure in which most of the characters happen to be female. The women of the expedition are an extremely varied cast, ranging from the driven and focused leader to the shy, autistic, and reclusive navigator.

The pressures of the mission bring about inevitable conflict between the crew members, and their struggles to work together and achieve their goal makes for an enjoyable read. I particularly enjoyed the character of Gypsy, a painfully accurate portrayal of a shy introvert trying to cope with OCD and other challenges.

This is the first book in a 4 part series, and I’m looking forward to seeing how the saga plays out. Highly recommended.