Picaresque with Hooloovoos

This review will be unfair to Suzanne Palmer's Ghostdrift, and that is my fault. I wasn't paying attention when I requested it and thus failed to notice that it is the fourth and last book of the Finder Chronicles, none of which I had previously read.

How big an issue is it to jump into a series in the middle, or even at the end? Usually people asked that question respond by discussing the plot. But of all the jump-in issues, the plot is the least important. More important are characters and, for speculative fiction, world-building. By the time you have finished three novels about Fergus Ferguson, the central character of the Finder Chronicles, you probably know him fairly well, and with any luck you like him and are happy to spend more time in his company. Furthermore, you know a great deal about the science-fictional galaxy he inhabits. Those were advantages I lacked.

I didn't feel that I lost a great deal by not having known Fergus. Fergus is pretty much a standard-issue picaro, so I know his type. On the other hand, though, not knowing the world was a problem. It isn't that it was difficult to follow -- instead, it was difficult to care. I haven't learned to care about the things that matter to Fergus and the people of Fergus's universe. This is one of those stories in which the universe is inhabited by hyperintelligent shades of the color blue (not literally -- those would be the Hooloovoos of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy) some of whom patronize and essentially make pets of humans. Fergus has received the attention of at least one such species in previous books, and they show up here, too. They are not quite as annoying as Star Trek's Q, but they are still fairly obnoxious. The final third of the book is just deos ex machinis everywhere, the gods in question being not literal gods, but Hooloovoos. (OK, not literally them, either...)

So, bottom line: am I planning to get the previous three books and read them? No, I am not.

Thanks to NetGalley and DAW for an advance reader copy of Ghostdrift. Release date 28-May-2024.

Savor this book, as it’s the fourth and, unfortunately, final in the Finder series.

Fergus has found, for the most part, some peace and contentment after all his close shaves and adventures. He and his cat Mister Feefs are as off-the-grid as he can manage, although he knows that eventually, his past will catch up with him.

When an old colleague comes calling, asking for his help, Fergus knows his peaceful existence is over, but doesn’t know the depth of danger he’ll once again encounter. He’s used to pay ransom to a space pirate who is looking for trouble and likely to find it in a section of space where ships go in but don’t come out.

There are new species, old enemies, and new allies. Fergus, who possibly has more lives than Mister Feefs, has to use all his uncanny abilities to navigate the machinations of the various characters and prevent yet another interstellar war.

There’s a misfit pirate crew following a leader with a lost cause, who is willing to do whatever it takes to get what he wants, even at the cost of the galaxy. There are aliens who are willing to do the same, and think nothing of genocide.

There’s also humor and humanity and healing. It’s a great ending to the series, if there indeed has to be one.

Why you should read this book: The worldbuilding is great and the different species are well-developed. There are no cardboard characters here. But most of all, you should read it for Fergus. He’s just a guy, doing his best, who keeps getting pulled into things that should be way beyond his ken. He’s been given some abilities he doesn’t want, but he feels obligated to do what he can to help.

Why you might not want to read this book: I can’t think of a reason, unless you just want to delay reading it until you reread the first three.

4.75 out of 5 stars. Highly recommended.

I received an advance copy from DAW via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

I love it. I just love this book and this entire universe. What is not to love for a science fiction fan? I mean, there are various weird and wonderful aliens, there are mysterious artefacts and strange planets, there are space pirates, and, most of all, there is Fergus Ferguson who finds trouble like no one else and also gets out of trouble like no one else. A highly entertaining science fiction adventure with real heart and soul and a quiet sense of humour.

Suzanne Palmer does it again, writing compelling interesting humorous Science Fiction. When we meet Fergus Ferguson this time he is living in self imposed exile on the oceanic planet Corolla living the life of a monastic hermit with his cat Mr Feefs. When an old friend shows up asking for help Fergus has no choice but to say yes. Unfortunately he has no idea what he has said yes for and he finds himself once again kidnapped and thrown into the deep end of trouble. But when trouble calls Fergus is always ready to answer back with his own special brand of trouble. Buckle up and get a cup of tea (its bitter like life itself) and enjoy the ride.

The final in this series it doesn’t live up to the promise of the past books and is not written well to end the series. The characters are cardboard characters with no memorable traits and the plot is beyond predictable. I am extremely disappointed after the first two books were so well done and had memorable plots and characters.

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I have enjoyed the Finder series since the very first book and was excited to see Fergus return. The latest (and sadly final apparently) chapter is no disappointment and we get to follow Fergus and he tries to solve a conflict across 2 different alien races while being held for ransom to find a missing sister of one of his arch rivals.

The story moves along quickly and the world building for the planet that the ship crashes on is fantastic. Im sad to hear that the series is ending but highly recommend all four books for some great scifi adventure.

The Finder Chronicles has been one of those series I eagerly anticipate the next installment. Each story is set in a completely different setting than the previous novel, giving the world depth, but Fergus always remains a fun, interesting main character - and he has growth throughout each adventure.

Ghostdrift is billed on the back cover as the fourth and final novel in the Finder Chronicles. That makes me sad. No more of these adventures?! This does make a satisfying resolution to Fergus' story though, as he comes to accept who he is and what's been done to him. The ending of Ghostdrift leaves the world and possibilities open to new stories though. So I will hope for more when the author decides to return to Fergus.

Read the entire series! Then read it again! I can only imagine reading these books back to back would make an even better adventure!