Iain Kelly

The Blurb:

Sure, Agent Toni Delle has trust issues. Mate, her canine robot partner and Zach, her attitude-enabled shipboard Computer Intelligence Interface constantly tell her that – but as she told them, that was because of The Smuggler.
She would have refused her new mission altogether if it wasn’t for the insane amount of money… Oh, who was she kidding – danger, betrayal, secrets, lies – these were all the things she loved about her job. She just didn’t expect The Smuggler would be involved. If she’d known that she would have told her boss to jump out of an airlock, in space, without a suit.
So she takes the mission: find and stop a new weapon being manufactured and smuggled into the hands of criminal elements all over the galaxy. And hey, while she’s at it, can she also find the missing weapons designer linked to these shipments?
The only problem is she has to rely on information provided by The Smuggler himself. And he may not be the only one capable of betrayal.

The Review:

I approached this book with some trepidation, not being a regular reader of full-on sci-fi, but my fears were completely unfounded. Like all good sci-fi, the secret is to make character and situations that we can relate to, no matter where or when or who is involved and that is exactly what ‘White Fire’ does. The main character Toni has the same emotions, worries and issues that we all recognise – it just so happens she is also an intergalactic agent! She even has a robotic dog as a partner that allows for some typically human-pet dog bonding!
The book is a fast-paced adventure which takes inspiration from everything from Star Wars (smugglers, political intrigue) to Star Trek (agents of a space force trying to maintain intergalactic peace, tensions along the borders of space) and throws in a smatterings of romance and humour.
The world (or, universe) created feels very real and well thought out – I am in admiration of the imagination involved in dreaming up the different worlds and societies that are encountered.
The main plus though is the sense of great fun and adventure that runs through the book from start to finish.

Summary:

An enjoyable, fast-paced, fun read that can be enjoyed by the hardcore sci-fi fan but will also appeal to those who just like a good action-adventure story.

Similar To: Consider Phlebas by Iain M. Banks

You can learn more about author Laurie Bell, and her books for YA and adults, on her blog: solothefirst.wordpress.com

‘White Fire’ is available from Amazon on Kindle and in paperback:
Amazon.com: White Fire
and is available from other outlets including Kobo and Barnes & Noble

I occasionally review books on my blog from independent and self-published authors. If you have a book you would like me to review, leave me a message and I will take a look.

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