SOJALS rating:

Unrated (0/5)

I first read this in May 2001.

Thiadora Murphy has spent six very tough years in training to be an officer in the Collective Enforcement Agency. Surprisingly it now happens that young Thiadora is probably the only person in the world who can fly a recently-discovered, and possibly alien, spacecraft. One of the major corporations want her to be the test-pilot for this craft but but it would mean abandoning her dream of becoming a CEA officer. She refuses the job offer but this major corporation doesn't like being refused. Swift and severe penalties are exacted, and her hopes for the future are ruined. She becomes a criminal, joins the revolution and finally has to save the known universe.

In the meantime, she does as much damage as possible to the fabulous spacecraft and manages to learn almost nothing about its amazing technology.

I didn't think too much of this book. There were some nice ideas but they are wasted by loose plotting, bad science and unconvincing dialogue.

Murphy spends most of the book suffering from a fractured ankle. As someone who once spent an entire overseas business trip stumbling around on a broken toe I know what it feels like. Conceivably this may account for some of the hopelessly idiotic things the protagonist does. But probably it's down to the writer.

The spacecraft is lovely though.