|
Murphy's Gambit
Praise for Murphy's GambitWinner of the Compton Crook Award "Mitchell combines first-rate hard-SF storytelling with a strong female protagonist in a fast-paced space adventure." —Library Journal
"An enjoyable high-tech space opera...a well designed tale...readers will ine up for book two." —Midwest Book Review
"The fast pace and high adventure make for good fun." —Locus
"You forget you're reading an author's first book. The future society explored here is fascinating, complex, and fully realized. I was reminded...of Robert Heinlein's The Moon is a Harsh Mistress." --Duane Wilkins, Talebones
"Pure unadulterated pleasure. Syne is a born teacher and storyteller. Murphy is as realistic and appealing as any character in science fiction. Talent like Syne Mitchell's is the kind you can't afford to let slip by." --Lisa DuMond, SF Site and MEviews.com
"A fun tale." —University City Review (Philadelphia) "Murphy's Gambit is the real thing: adamantine-hard science fiction with heart." --Eric S. Nylund, author of A Signal Shattered
Back cover They are called floaters. Humans born and raised to withstand a zero-gravity environment and work in space for the Corporations as little more than indentured servants. Ostracized by the prejudices of "grounded" people, the floaters have created a culture and society of their own. But now they want their freedom... Thiadora Murphy was born a floater. She has spent the past six years adapting to the rigors of life in gravity, among the "normal" population, and is about to graduate from the military academy as a top pilot. But floater prejudice and distrust are everywhere, and Murphy's promising career is cut short by sabotage. Now, her options nonexistent and her survival at stake, Murphy must accept the offer of a powerful Corporation to pilot the mysterious and experimentatl spacecraft the Gambit. And the Gambit's dangerous secret will bring her back to the floater community she left behind, a legacy she didn't want, and a revolution she cannot prevent... Author's Notes Murphy's Gambit started with a character, Thiadora Murphy, who wouldn't go away. She was the first of my characters to show up in more than one short story. There were three short stories, pure space opera, about Thia and Kyle having adventures in their singleship. I was intrigued by this plucky spacer who wouldn't go away and decided to write a novel to find out more about her. I've always been intrigued by other cultures, and so thought it would be neat to have her come from an alternate, and yet very human, space-faring culture. Attending Clarion West in 1994 gave me the courage I needed to start work on a novel (I had specialized in 500-word short-shorts before then, increasing my story length ten-fold was daunting.) Five years and twenty-seven rewrites later, Murphy's Gambit was finished. Go back Read the first chapter Order the book |
 |
Content updated 3 October 2002 |