LATENT FLAW

There’s a new threat brewing against Earth, and the old crew of the spacecraft Magellan reunites to fight it off in Karpf’s SF sequel to Prelude to Extinction (2019).

It’s been three years since the Magellan’s crew members completed their last mission and went their separate ways. Jack Harrison, who’s now in charge of the alien archive program and the only holder of a precious set of alien files, finds himself facing many challenges. First and foremost is the ongoing threat of multiple, inbound Kuiper Belt Objects on their way to Earth; although humans have decades to prepare to intercept them, the sheer number of objects is worrying experts. A possible solution lies with alien tech, which Magellan crew members Kurt and Nadya Hoffman are hoping to use to increase the speed of Earth ships. But when the first engine test goes awry, causing multiple fatalities, Jack find himself cut off from communication with his old crew and under scrutiny from people who seem bent on accusing him of treason. Meanwhile, an old ally of Jack’s returns, but their willingness to help humankind is predicated on terms and conditions that Jack isn’t very happy about—and later, he faces an entirely new enemy. This short sequel offers readers familiar crew members confronting a different set of challenges, from existential threats from deep space to internal, earthbound conflicts caused by a break in diplomacy and politics. As it does so, it keeps up a brisk pace as characters (and readers) barely have time to digest one threat and understand the rationale behind it before another hurtles their way. The characters’ reactions can be frustratingly bland at times—the word calmly, for example, pops up dozens of times—and the action-driven plot is filled with sudden shifts that some will find jarring. That said, the high level of excitement makes for a diverting read, particularly for fans of the previous installment.

A fast-paced, if slightly uneven, spacefaring tale.