Severance by Chris Bucholz is available on Kindle and in paperback.
This is exactly the kind of book I love––a science fiction that’s super fun to read. I laughed and laughed at the adventures of Stein and Bruce and was quite sad when the story ended. As in all great books, I wanted it to go on and on.
Set on a generation ship in the last stages of its trip to a new world for colonization, this novel dives deep into the pitfalls of what would happen if thousands upon thousands of people spent two hundred plus years crammed into a ship in space. Included is a most deliciously twisted government that goes head to head with a righteously convicted military and all the little people stuck in between.
The main character, Laura Steins finds herself stuck in the middle of a secret plot that’s been in the making for generations and will have disastrous consequences for the ship she’s always called home. With the help of cagey friends and through the genetic tinkering of her forefather, she finds herself a reluctant and unwilling hero.
I found the characters to be well developed with delightful quirks that make them memorable and fun to read. Bruce stood out as my most favorite, though I did enjoy the unique qualities Mayor Kinsella’s brought to the ship’s government as well. The story flowed well and I enjoyed a look into Argos’ past as the story bounced back in time in the Previously sections. This is a well-conceived book and masterfully delivered to make an incredible read for any fan of science fiction.
Cynthia D. Griffin 