Published by Bantam Books in January 1984
The Shattered Stars is an old fashioned space opera. There's nothing very original in the novel's components, but McEnroe assembles them effectively, creating a fun story that pits good guy underdogs against a bad guy telepath who seeks to increase his already immense power. It represents a good start to the author's short-lived "Far Stars and Future Times" series.
Moses Callahan, an independent freight hauler, is stuck on Hybreasil with a lien against his ship (the Wild Goose) for unpaid docking and service charges when Axyll Jakubowski offers him a contract to deliver cargo to Avalon. Callahan accepts the offer and hires the last available pilot on Hybreasil, Deacon Hallorhan, a former member of the Marine Infantry who was an "enhanced" soldier, a killing machine who fought a successful but bloody battle at Mishima before being conditioned against violence and discharged. Jakubowski's cargo turns out to be a weapon that creates a nuclear reaction from any element. Just before the Wild Goose is scheduled to depart, Jakubowski is killed and two passengers come aboard, one of whom is acting as a node for James Emerson White, a rogue telepath. The ship's engineer and third crew member, Mitsuko "Spooky" Tamura, is a also telepath, a fact she tries to keep hidden. Her former instructor, Eisberg, enlists her unwilling assistance in dealing with White, who is a threat to the telepathic community. Conflicts emerge in due course as the Wild Goose makes its way to Avalon.
As a good guys vs. bad guys story, The Shattered Stars is a bit formulaic; there's not much doubt about the goodness of the good guys or the badness of the bad guys, nor is there much doubt about who will prevail -- although to be fair, there's at least one significant surprise in the ending. Nonetheless, for what it is, the novel is well done: actions scenes crackle with vivid descriptions of battle; the crew members of the Wild Goose are easy to cheer for; and the story, despite being formulaic, is satisfying. Fans of classic space opera could do worse than to pick up a copy of The Shattered Stars.
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