Light Chaser

I kept reading this story when I should have been sleeping, that is how much I enjoyed it. The ending at the begining, and the begining at the ending was a nice touch. The science of this Si-Fi story was very compelling, and the action was not over the top.I did NOT recieve a free copy, I purchased this book.

Really disappointed.I usually buy everything from PFH.- Not anymore.---Too short.No really new stuff.Feels like an assortment of reuse from other writers.- Especially 2001, Dave "killing the "AI", now it is Amahle...Not happy with the "Reincarnation" stuff either. Open up that option and everything becomes possible and irrelevant.---I get the impression this is written by software pulling together stuff from a lot of different SF stories.---Did I mention that I am disappointed?

A journey of discovery is enmeshed with shards of past lives lived to produce a more excellent future for mankind.

*I received an ARC of this book via the publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of this review.*This little novella had everything I enjoy about space operas in one tiny package. Light Chaser by Peter F. Hamilton, Gareth L. Powell follows the story of Amahle, one of a number of explorers who travel the universe alone, visiting distant planets and collecting memory collars for the inhabitants of Glisten. These collars record everything a person is thinking and experiencing while wearing them. Because Amahle’s circuit has her visiting these planets once a millenia, several generations are stored on the collars and viewed by Amahle to pass her time on the ship while traveling. When one name keeps recurring in the memories she watches, Amahle begins to question the people she works for and her long existence as a Light Chaser.I really liked Amahle. She’s lived for millenia, forgetting her older memories to make room for the new and current ones. Somewhat content with her life aboard her ship with just the AI for comfort, Amahle still feels as if something is missing, if only she could remember what. Her interactions with people from various planets play out through both the memory collars and her current stops. The back and forth between present and memories can often be confusing, but rewarding if you persevere through it.I was surprised at the amount of world-building the authors were able to pack into such a short novella. It’s immersive, told entirely through Amahle and the memory collars. The universe is fascinating, and Amahle’s job even more so. I was curious to find out more about the people she worked for, how she was able to live such a long life, and the different planets colonized by humans. The plot increased my curiosity with the introduction of Carloman. He gives Amahle a number that to her makes no sense and continues to pop up on different worlds as different people. Who is he and what does he want with Amahle? These questions play out throughout the climax of the book, adding suspense and a touch of thrill to the story.Overall, I really enjoyed Light Chaser. For such a short novella (clocks in at just under 170 pages), the authors tell a lot of story. Amahle and Carloman will stick with me for a while. If you are looking for a quick sci-fi read, I highly recommend it.Final Thought: Light Chaser packs a lot of story into a small package with a well thought-out universe and an interesting leading character sure to please any sci-fi fan.

I’m a sucker for large scale and scope space stories, and this is a good one. The Matrix at galactic scale. Only complaint is that the story is too short.