Station of Shards by Aimee Villarine

Station of Shards
by Aimee Villarine
Pages: unknown
Date: September 28 2016
Publisher: Less Than Three Press
Series: None

Review
Rating: 3.0 out of 5.0
Read: August 7 2016

*I received this book from NetGalley and Less than Three Press in return for a fair review.*

This is the first story I’ve read by this author.

When I saw the description, well part of it, I knew I wanted to read this story. I mean, private eye in space! Okay, I’ve read that before, but it still is a genre I both like and also somewhat rarely see. I’ve read children’s books just to be able to read a series in that mixed genre (okay, they were young adult novels, I think; actually, I do not know what they were since none of the characters were young adult – I’m referring to a Timothy Zahn series, and there the guy was more of a spy than a PI).

Considering the cover, I kind of expected a Sam Spade type on a space station working cases. Instead I got a guy who didn’t exactly vibrate noir vibes (there’s a private eye in shadows on the cover, in the background there is a science fiction-y scene – hence my belief I’d get noir in space).

A lot of time passes in this story. Too much time. And a lot of it with nothing really is happening (traveling mostly). And when action finally arrived, Kelley, the space PI, was asked for help more because he was being asked by his friend. It was less a case than a favor to see what the strange noise in the dark was (specifically to see why people were acting strange down in a lower level of the space station). And Kelley didn’t investigate so much as stumble along following, then running away.

Despite saying the above, it was an interesting enough story, and I do see that there’s an interesting universe here. I see myself reading something more in this universe. Hopefully if such a thing occurs, more stories, something more of a mystery and or case to solve would be nice. Something to show that there might be some reason to believe that this guy has something going on within his brain. At the moment he kind of gives off a vaguely dim vibe.

August 8 2016