My thanks to Netgalley and Amazon Original Stories for the e-ARC copy. This has not affected my review at all, which are my own thoughts.

In Trap Line, Zahn presents us with the common story of a human-alien species contact, except how the contact comes to be is nothing but typical. Toby, our protagonist, is ready to send his consciousness to a far-off place among the stars to meld with his clone and repair a ship. But, midway, some other place catches him, jailing him with other aliens. These are the Hyfisks, and, in human language, they look like eagles. They're also a crew of soldiers, stranded on the same trap-place while they were traveling to their ships to fight and defend their home and people.

Because this is a short-story, I'm gonna attribute to that the fact that the science part of it all is quite watered down, possibly because of the limiting length as I've mentioned, or whether due to the author wanting to cater to a broader audience that could, otherwise, get bored by the science expert lingo. This is as an aspect that, as an avid science fiction reader I would have liked to see more develop and less avoided. But, from an objective perspective, it does not downgrade the story at all. So, as I said, it is quite approachable both to the general public that's interested in dipping heir toes into the sci-fi genre, and to a more seasoned audience that's familiarized with it.

Because of the short length, the characters are constricted to not big changes about themselves, but they are able to overcome conflicts that arise, struggle to execute the solutions they've come up with and, eventually, change their situations, maybe. And that's something I also look for in shorter formats like this; if your characters are not going to change, at least make them struggle to fulfill their goals and make sure to change their situations, for better or for worse. If not, even a page-long story is a waste of space, for me. Maybe others like a more direct development and don't care that conflict is almost non-existent. That's fine.

Last but not least, the characters. Since Toby is the main character and the one the narrator most closely follows, he's the one we get to know the most as he navigates his new residence and companions, at the same time that he tries to get out of there and get back to his mission. The Hyfisks, on their part, are quite interesting as an alien species, with their eagle-like looks and the few aspects of their culture that we get to learn alongside Toby. A group of them are trapped with him, but we only know of two: Irion, their leader, and Cinosk, technological expert. And, for a short story, these are all the ones we need to know. Irion is as interesting as an alien soldier can get, embracing the communication with Toby, human being the aliens for them (the Hyfisks) and always procuring both parts get on equal level.

I don't want to say much more about the short story, just let people read it, enjoy it, and see how these characters fair with their fate and try to change it.

Overall, I'd describe "Trap Line" as a bold attempt at approaching the human-alien first contact from a different angle than the usual, with resolute characters and an immersive prose. A good discovery while looking around Netgalley's shelves that will stay with me for a while.

This is a very quick read and also my first non-Star Wars by Timothy Zahn. I thought it was so amazing I wished it was a full length novel!

Timothy Zahn es un escritor conocido principalmente por sus aportaciones al universo Star Wars y otras novelizaciones de diversos mundos cinematográficos, pero también tiene producción “propia”, por llamarla de alguna manera.


Trap Line es una novela corta con mucho aire a ciencia ficción clásica, desde un protagonista caracterizado por ser ingeniero a un buenismo que nos retrotrae a la edad dorada del género. Pero Zahn sabe que el público actual no está dispuesto a aguantar soflamas científicas, así que simplifica hasta el extremo la parte más tecnológica del primer contacto, de una forma tan radical que parece que estemos ante una novela de fantasía en vez de ciencia ficción. Al menos hay aliens y nos ofrece una historia de primer contacto simplificada y agradable, pero que pasa sin pena ni gloria, quizá por esa falta de complicación. Es posible que la longitud de la obra tampoco ofreciera al autor más oportunidades de explayarse.

Los aliens son demasiado humanos, no hay problemas de comunicación, todos parecen entenderse en el mismo marco de referencia a pesar de ser especies que nunca antes habían entrado en contacto… Es un poco frustrante si lo que buscas es algo de ciencia ficción no digo ya desafiante, sino algo verosímil.


Creo que Trap Line pasará desapercibida dentro del maremágnum de novedades editoriales que inundan nuestras librerías.

This is my first non-Star Wars Timothy Zahn and it was incredibly good and engaging in its shorter page count, so it certainly won’t be my last.

Thanks to Amazon Original Stories and Netgalley for the digital ARC. This was given to me for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley for my Advanced Reader's Copy of this book.

What a great novella! Ever since the reading Zahn's Thrawn trilogy, I have eagerly awaited and read what has come next. As long as you like short books and sci fi, then you will like this book.

What a great sci-fi short story!!
Humor, action, adventure. Would have loved to see it as a novel 🥳

Trap Line: A Short Story by Timothy Zahn is a great cozy fantasy. Toby, an engineer, gets abducted by an alien race, intending to sell him for profit. With the help of another imprisoned alien group, he is determined to escape.

I had the good fortune to read and listen to the eARC and ALC simultaneously. The story was amazing, and the narration provided by Greg D. Barnett, provided a unique, distinctive voices to all of the characters and an engaging delivery.

Thank you, Brilliance Publishing | Amazon Original Stories, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this eARC. All opinions are my own.

Rating: 5 stars
Audio Release Date: Mar 25 2025
Print Pub Date: Mar 25 2025

Tags:
# brilliancepublishing
@ brilliancepublishing
#TrapLine
#TimothyZhan
#YarisBookNook
#netgalley

Humanity has figured out how to travel across space, moving their consciousness from their own bodies to clones on ships. When Toby attempts to travel to his clone to repair a ship, instead he is caught in a trap meant for other aliens using the same means of travel. He must work with the other aliens to find a way out.

This was a very quick read that managed to convey a lot of story involving space travel and first contact with aliens. I really enjoyed the problem solving aspect of it.

This was awesome, I wish it was longer, and I would definitely read a full length book about this. Short stories aren’t usually my thing, so the fact that this was so awesome really says something.

Enjoyed this short story by Timothy Zahn. First time reading him, and will need to read more from him. I enjoyed the characters, the plot, and the pacing. This could be expanded into a novel which would also be enjoyable. #TrapLine #NetGalley

You will like this book if you like: the concept of an orange iguana-cat named Bisqitty, high-stakes sci-fi, and bonding with alien species🦎🐈

BOOK: Trap Line, by Timothy Zahn

Trap Line is a sci-fi short story that I wish spawns a full length novel in the future. Timothy Zahn, the author who gave us books about the infamous [Thrawn](https://varunvicky93.wordpress.com/2022/11/09/series-review-star-wars-the-thrawn-trilogy-timothy-zahn/) in the Star Wars universe, comes at us with a very different but interesting short story far from the typical Star Wars fare I've been used to seeing from him. Trap Line takes place at a time when humanity has discovered a way to traverse large distances by means of projecting one's astral self (consciousness) across bodies separated by vast distances. This is easier said than done as only one human has showed significant promise in this, and it is him, our protagonist, that we follow as he embarks on a maiden test to gauge the effectiveness of this projection across a previously untested distance.

Unfortunately, things go awry when he finds himself not in his other replicate body, safe, but in a weird enclosure and still in his astral incorporeal self. If this didn't unnerve him enough, the fact that he encounters alien species definitely seemed to do it. Outside of the captors, some of these alien species also seem to be trapped in their astral forms. What is a very novel scientific development for humanity seems to have been a common mode of transport and control for the universe at large. By control we learn that aliens have been using their astral projections to control ships and other equipment but so far not another body, which makes our protagonist feel a little better about not being so far behind. With news of a war raging on in a part of the universe, traps have been set across patches of the galaxy to snare any astral projections, which in this case seems to have caught our woefully ignorant human as well.

What follows is a story, primarily of escape, but also of empathy. We see an alliance form despite differences, the sharing of cultures, and the understanding and trust borne from a shared situation. The short story gives just enough details for us to understand the larger context while also leaving us wanting more. Oh, I quite liked how the story was all tied up but the larger context feels like it would be one hell of a story to tell, and I sincerely hope we get, either more stories from this universe, or a full length novel in the future.

Trap Line is a nice intro to the sci-fi genre for people who want to dip their toes in without feeling overwhelmed. A nice and cosy sci-fi read. Definitely Recommended.

**Rating: 3/5**

Amazon has been doing some amazing work with these zippy short stories! It is a short story so you do kind of get dumped right into it and have to accept without much backstory or details but even with that, really amazing world building and description of these other aliens. Obsessed with the gray cat orange iguana combo pet.

Thanks NetGalley for the copy!

Hard for me to enjoy a story that I barely understand. Admittedly, not that I made much of an effort since the book lost me right at the beginning and I just wanted to get it over and done with. I didn't find this compelling or engaging or memorable and had zero emotional investment.

Short but fun read, almost wholesome, with a rather unique first contact premise. I wish there had been more to the story.

Trap Line by Timothy Zahn is a compelling Sci-Fi and Fantasy read. While I did not understand the physics involved, the author transports us through time and introduces us to different beings.
The overall lesson in this short story is that we can learn from each other without destroying humanity. Problem solving always saves the day and it usually comes from average people.

Timothy Zahn restores your belief in humanity again. Spend an hour with Zahn (this is a short story) and you have profound answers within yourself. All you need is a team. Looking forward to reading more Zahn.

Thank you to Netgalley and Amazon Original Stories for the Advanced Readers Copy. All opinions are my own because I have first amendment rights as a free American.

What a fun little short story! I read it in just two sittings. Zahn instantly transports the reader to this future (but not too future) timeline, where the stakes are equal amounts adventurous and cozy. (Yes!! high stakes but cozy!!) I so enjoyed this, and I definitely will be (finally) checking out other books from this author in the future.

Exceptionally intriguing, creative and thought-provoking, TRAP LINE exemplifies all I admire most in Science Fiction: creatively designed aliens, farflung Space Exploration, examination of the Human Condition through the lens of an Alien Culture and that Culture's interaction with Humans, and the study of the deep metaphysical questions: here, the possibility of compassion in place of retribution, caring for the wellbeing of others, sharing of knowledge and technology.

Release March 25

Trap Line delivers exactly what you’d expect from Timothy Zahn—a well-paced, engaging thriller with tight plotting and strong character work. While Zahn is best known for his contributions to Star Wars, this book showcases his skill in crafting suspenseful, high-stakes storytelling in a more grounded setting. As a massive Star Wars fan, I’m very familiar with Zahn’s work, and while this is a different kind of story, his knack for tension and strategy shines through.

When I finished, I wanted more—which is the mark of a good short story. It leaves you satisfied yet craving just a little extra. Fans of Zahn’s sharp writing and well-constructed narratives will find plenty to enjoy here.

This is the first Timothy Zahn I’ve read outside of the Star Wars universe. I enjoyed the simple focus on a single engineer on their own in a precarious situation, forced to use the resources at hand to get where they were meant to be. The story was decently fleshed out, but what I found myself wanting was a bit more detail on how things worked. Granted, it’s a short story, so there wasn’t really time to delve too deeply. I also found myself wanting to learn more about Toby’s early experiences, first forays into melding, more about those 16 previous trips. I’d read it.