LAST STARWAY

In Dodge’s debut SF novel, a pizza delivery driver may be the only one who can protect the universe from diabolical creatures.

Charlie Cooper can repair anything he touches, but delivering pizzas in Romeo, Michigan, doesn’t afford the 21-year-old many opportunities to show off his skills. He develops inventions in his spare time, though he’s had very little success. His latest involves a magnetron he’s pulled from a microwave and an audio capacitor that he’s been saving up for. Finally testing his invention leads to an explosion that creates a “hole in the air” that somehow engulfs Charlie. He turns up again inside the Echo Vale, a spaceship that’s been sitting in a void for 179 Earth years. SARA-7, the ship’s artificial intelligence, has been waiting for a signal: the “pulse” that Charlie’s invention emitted. Echo Vale’s previous commander assured SARA-7 that whoever matches a specific genetic profile(as Charlie does) will be the “only one who could succeed.” But what exactly is Charlie’s mission? It’s not long before he has an unnerving encounter with one of the Death Bringers, hollow-eyed, sinister creatures that threaten all life. That’s what he’s up against, and while he doesn’t have tactical or piloting skills, he has the spaceship’s Echo Core; with an established Echo Point, the Core can “reset” the timeline, should Charlie fail in battle. Charlie gradually puts together a crew, including Threx, a warmhearted being with gills and webbed fingers, and gray-skinned Kepper Ty, an ostensibly reformed criminal.

Dodge’s tale isn’t quite as buoyant as the premise may suggest. Charlie, who lives with a single mother who works long, hard hours at a local diner, is a grounded hero who struggles to prove himself and is still unsure about what he wants to do with his life. The Echo Core proves to be a grim element in the story; the resets happen after Charlie and others die multiple deaths that only SARA-7 remembers. Once Charlie’s aboard the Echo Vale, the narrative deftly mingles everyday circumstances with its SF setting—in one scene, Charlie is simply refueling the ship and stocking up on supplies when he meets Threx and ends up facing off against a gang of reptilian thieves. The technology introduced throughout the narrative is intriguing, such as the translation matrix in Charlie’s environmental suit that allows him to converse with different species speaking assorted languages. Action scenes come in welcome bursts as Charlie and the crew undergo training in simulations and battle the imposing Death Bringers. The story provides some mystery; readers learn about alternate versions of SARA, both updated and seemingly outmoded, and get a touch of insight into the Echo Vale’s former crew before the ship’s 179-year waiting period in the void. The descriptions are occasionally sparse, but they’re never confusing, and they aid in ramping up the pace: “Charlie studied the display, his eyes tracing over the five seats on the command deck. His own was in the center, Threx at tactical. The other three were empty, waiting.”

Engagingly motley characters and intergalactic action fuel this quick, entertaining read.