Accelerating Universe (The Sector Fleet, Book 1)

4.5 Stars! The first in a brand new series by Nicola Claire, Accelerating Universe (AU) opens us up to a brand new world. Fast-paced action, forbidden romance, and a rapidly evolving being combine to give us a thrilling ride through the unknowns of space.

Summary:
After a past filled with regret and death, Ana Kereama had accepted the inevitable. Being a resident of the ill-fated planet we all call home, and one with very little money at that, her future holds nothing but promises of burning. But through her elderly Aunt, Ana is granted a second chance, becoming a pay-for-passage passenger on board the Pavo, and one of the few given the chance to journey to the New Earth. With the hindrance of an unplanned solar flare Pavo and the rest of the fleet, roughly launch themselves into the unknowns of space, clinging only to thoughts of survival. Captain John Jameson has a responsibility to protect everyone on board his ship, and the vessels following his and the on board AI’s lead. When distressing news reaches him about those in the Sector One Fleet, behind them, he views them as his responsibility, too. Unfortunately, while he commands the bridge and AU crew, he does not have complete autonomy for the ship as a whole and is bound by a leaseholders agreement. Setting his plan in motion, it is quickly revealed that there are those on board with their own agenda. Unsure if damage sustained during launch has adversely affected Pavo’s operating system, Captain Jameson sees the necessity of teaming up with the beautiful and skilled Ana and the continually evolving Pavo. Danger and plasma fire lurk around every corner, but fighting for the wellbeing of roughly twenty thousand souls and the emerging sentient being within the ships walls becomes paramount. Trust is built, feelings acknowledged, and dark plots exposed. Can anyone hope to traverse the stars, arriving at their destination unaffected and unscathed?

After reading the last word of AU my only thought was, wow! I am in awe of the worlds Nicola creates and brings to life for our enjoyment. The Sector Fleet, as with all of her series, is complex, hopeful, and full of danger. Anyone who knows my reviews, is aware I’m always nervous to start a new series by my favorite authors due to elevated expectations. But AU brought on a nervousness that went far beyond that, rooting firmly in it being a very new-to-me genre. Being a huge fan of Star Trek (especially the recent reboot because Chris Pine, hello), I was visualizing this as I dove into Chapter One. I was not disappointed. With several similarities to the Star Trek Universe, Nicola built her own unique world, confined to space and bound by the restrictions that demands. Captain Jameson was a solid leader. His strong sense of duty and honor was clear from the beginning, and I loved that despite his heavy responsibility, he was at least a little open to new ideas and ways of doing things. Ana was a capable and intelligent heroine, but also incredibly vulnerable. Her tragic past very much still had a hold on her, despite her determination to trudge forward with her second chance. She was a fighter; not only for herself, but for those she had to leave behind and those whose lives she could save. The romance between the Captain and Ana was what I’d call a slow burn. The attraction was immediate, but the emotion and trust had to be built. I liked this a lot. It helped make the book exactly as Nicola had intended it, about the people. I did wish we had more of the relationship past it’s zenith. I think I’d like to see how they navigate their new roles to each other and the fleet. While there were several minor supporting cast roles, all of which I liked, including Dr. Medina, Lt. Chan, and the flight crew, the largest contribution to this group was that of Pavo. I was wary at first, not knowing if he could be trusted with the thousands of souls counting on him. By the end, he was probably my favorite character. He was impulsive, sometimes unsure, and made mistakes, but all of his actions came from a good place. He was evolving and learning as he went, but with the trust and guidance needed from Ana and the Captain. On the whole, I greatly enjoyed the start of my journey through space with The Sector Two fleet. The danger and opposition were thrilling and the romance was sweet. I appreciated that the futuristic gadgets and gizmos weren’t incomprehensible or, with the exception of Pavo, made to be too big of a deal. I did notice that not much was mentioned about the other ships in the fleet beyond the communications we read. This nagged at me a little because while our focus was on the mutiny on board Pavo, surely the other ships would know something was wrong. What was happening aboard their ships? Especially after the fleet-wide notification of the status of The Sector One Fleet and subsequent uprising onboard the lead vessel. That said, this is just a curiosity on my part, and not a point I felt the story was lacking. I’m keen to read more in the series and continue my trip through the stars.