“This is Captain Anderson. Brace. Brace. Brace.”Sophia Anderson has a heritage she should be proud of, but to those onboard the AUS Corvus, she’s not earned her position like the rest of them.Every day she has to prove herself to the Anderson Universal crew onboard her ship. And then the worst thing happens.The captain is killed in battle and Sophia, as First Officer, must take his place.Teaming … as First Officer, must take his place.
Teaming up with the unflappable Lieutenant Commander Leo Saitō, Sophia finds her footing onboard the beleaguered vessel as well as something much more precious.
Intimacy and destiny align amongst the planets and stars, but can the chief science officer and captain overcome the pressures of command when falling in love and still save their fleet?
And can any of them hope to survive the treacherous voyage to New Earth unscathed?
When humanity reaches for the stars in a race for survival, only the most daring amongst them will succeed.
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4.75 Stars! The third book in the Sector Fleet, Right Ascension starts off with a bang. Literally. With the action starting right out the gates, you won’t be able to help but to jettison head first into this gripping, romantic read.
Summary:
Being the only living heir to Anderson Universal Incorporated, Sophia Anderson is often perceived as being a spoiled rich socialite or, at most, a number cruncher within the company. Those aboard the AUS Corvus don’t believe she has earned her position of First Officer, and have no problem subtly letting her know of their disdain. Everyday, Sophia struggles to prove herself, but always falling short and winning no allies with her oftentimes cold appearance. When tragedy strikes and Sophia must assume the mantle of Captain, the doubt in her ability and fear only rise. But Sophia isn’t alone. At her back is Lieutenant Commander Leo Saito, and he sees what the others have not, a woman to be reckoned with. As chief science officer, Leo is well-versed in code and more than capable when issues arise with the AI. With their AI, and their only chance at making it to New Earth, under attack, Leo is in the unique place of having the solution. But he’s also a solution Sophia never imagined. For her. Intimacy and love weren’t something either counted on, and if it was thought about, it was in fantasy. But they’ve found both in each other. Can they hold onto it and each other, though? Not only must they overcome the pressures of command, but a rogue AI is on the loose, ensuring a treacherous journey with small chance of survival.
Right Ascension had a bit of a different feel than books one and two, but it was no less heart stopping. The relationship dynamics played a big role in that change of feeling. Sophia was the higher ranking officer in this situation, and incredibly stoic, almost to the point of rigid coldness. She was very structured, this hiding that she felt deeply for those in her care, and her mission. After getting to know her, I recognized it was how she copes, blocking everything in order to block any negativity or possible hurt. I was a bit confused as to how she became First Officer to begin with considering her job on Old Earth, but it was only a minor curiosity. I enjoyed seeing Sophia evolve throughout the story. The woman she was by the end of the book was one I was a lot more comfortable with. Especially since, in the beginning, I was a little bit aggravated with her hesitation to make a decision on First Officer. Otherwise, she was a brilliant Captain, using her natural stoicism and later acquired comfort to give her charges exactly what they needed, when they needed it. Leo, I adored, even when we first met him and his overly abundant, yet internal, eagerness made me feel weird. Lol. Leo could be stoic, too, but he tended to wear his heart on his sleeve. I connected easily with him since the majority of the time, he was an open book. I appreciated his almost instant bond with Corvus, which I attributed to his background in the science behind the AI’s. I also loved his steadfast determination to push Sophia just a little, giving her what she ignored she needed. It was sweet and sexy. Together, they were hot, hot, hot. Not only was their romance sweetly natural, even given the circumstances, but their intimacy was provocatively sensual. My only wish in this, was that Leo would have pushed Sophia a little more. She was so controlled in her duties and most of her life, I would have liked to see her give up some of that control at least once. Overall, this was another great addition to this series. I was wary of supporting cast at first, but I ended up trusting the crew just as Sophia did and they did to her in return. Another big part of the feeling change in this book was Corvus. I wasn’t expecting Nicola to go the way she did, at all, but it was bloody brilliant. Corvus was a bright light in the darkness, in this book. The AI was refreshingly different than the two we met previously. It added a dose of humor to the book that I couldn’t get enough of. One of my favorite scenes was of Leo and Sokolov in the shuttle and Sophia talking to herself with Corvus outing her. It dissipated a bit of the stress of the situations they found themselves in. Nicola has once again outdone herself, and blown my mind with the world she’s created. This is a series where the characters more or less face similar problems, with outside factors adding to or changing those problems. It could easily turn into reading the same conflicts just with different people and settings. Luckily, Nicola’s innate cleverness and colorful imagination have given each book a uniqueness all their own. Having already experienced a bit of Aquila, I can only imagine what’s in store for us in Zenith Point, and I’m anxious to dive in as soon as possible.