Delta-v

February 11, 2019
Billionaire Nathan Joyce invites veteran cave diver James Tighe, the protagonist of this uneven near-future thriller from bestseller Suarez (Change Agent), to compete for a spot on the crew of the first manned expedition beyond the moon. Joyce has launched a Kickstarter campaign, for which he’ll provide matching funds, to enable a rocket to land on an asteroid and extract valuable resources such as water and iron, part of a hyperambitious plan to alleviate climate change. The overly long description of the rigorous process to winnow the candidates slows the action without deepening characterizations. Tighe’s efforts to make the cut alternate with sections involving financial intrigue as an inexperienced Luxembourg attorney, Lukas Rochat, stumbles on one of Joyce’s major secrets. Predictably, Tighe ends up in space, along with some of the other prospects with whom he’s bonded. Suarez does his usual fine job of integrating hard science into the plot, but this effort lacks the impact of his prior books. Readers will hope for a return to form next time. Agent: Rafe Sagalyn, ICM.

February 15, 2019
In the year 2032, heroic cave diver James "J.T." Tighe is recruited by shifty bitcoin billionaire Nathan Joyce for a daring undertaking in outer space.As a private entrepreneur, Joyce is out to introduce asteroid mining in cis-lunar space (the area above Earth's gravity well), which, by establishing commerce there, will, he promises, pave the way for space travel. The rub is that Joyce will do anything to keep the project afloat, including breaking laws and keeping crucial details secret. Tighe and his fellow crew members, ranging from a young male electronics expert from Nigeria to a legendary female mountain climber from Argentina, are tested and trained on Ascension Island in the South Atlantic, where they are bound to a strict confidentiality clause and denied any personal privacy. By the time these handsomely paid adventurers make it "farther from Earth than any human beings in history," we learn about their varied backgrounds, particularly the lingering effects of Tighe's troubled past. Fatal accidents occur before a shocking death imperils the crew's return home. Suarez's (Change Agent, 2017, etc.) ability to keep things humming through low-key stretches as well as dramatic sequences reflects his skills as a writer. He makes a curious choice in quickly dropping the sexual tension arising from group showers, among other nude encounters. But Suarez is otherwise in admirable control.A cut above most tech novels, Suarez's latest benefits from his attention to detail, which boosts the believability of his futuristic vision.

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March 15, 2019
Suarez, known for technological thrillers, here adds elements of science fiction into his usual style. James Tighe receives an invitation to a private island to meet billionaire Nathan Joyce, who has plans for this man who saved many lives after an accident that took place during a cave dive. Would Tighe be willing to try out for the crew of a space vessel that will attempt to conduct a mining operation on an asteroid? The high risks intrigue Tighe, so he soon finds himself in an army barracks with other potential recruits. His mental stamina, strength, and passion will be pushed to the limit, but he wants the job, which could usher in a new era of business in space. As well as delivering the expected action, Suarez explores the very real possibility that one day soon corporations will take space away from NASA and turn it into capitalism's new frontier. A gripping and realistic near-future thriller.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)

November 15, 2018

Tapping out techie thrills, Suarez introduces us to a bold billionaire who recruits some adventurous types to start the first mining operation in space. It's supposed to launch an off-world economyand maybe change the course of human civilizationbut it doesn't go as planned. Suarez's four backlist titles together average sales of 750 copies a week, and he sells even better in audio than in print, so he's a good bet for libraries.

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