In the Black by Patrick S. Tomlinson

Published by Tor on October 13, 2020

In the Black is a fun mix of space opera and military science fiction. It is also a story of interstellar intrigue involving a fragile peace between humans and aliens that may be undermined by traitors on both sides.

Susan Kamala commands a warship owned by the Combined Corporate Defense Fleet. Her cruiser, the Ansari, is patrolling near a colonized planet called Grendel. In relative terms, Grendel is near the treaty line that divides corporate space from free space. A Xre ship commanded by a Xre called Thuk has been quietly picking off recon drones in corporate space. Kamala is not amused. In defiance of orders designed to forestall interstellar war, she launches a clandestine attack that bedevils the Xre.

Ageless Corporation has a controlling interest in Grendel. The CEO of Ageless is Tyson Abington. Although Ageless is in competition with two other major corporations, it has teamed with them on a project involving Grendel. News of the skirmish with the Xre also jeopardize Ageless’ interests if it were publicized. Another of the Ageless projects hits a snag when a bulk carrier returning from a mining operation is infected by a plague. News of the plague leaks, sending investors into a tizzy and leading Abington to suspect there is a spy in his camp. Among Abington’s lesser problems is his executive assistant. She’s an AI but the new body that Abington gifted her at her request has apparently made her horny.

There are also problems on board Thuk’s ship, which seems to have been sabotaged. Those problems force Kamala to choose between war and humanitarian diplomacy as Thuk’s ship nears the treaty line. The problems affect Kamala more directly when the Defense Fleet appears to regard her with disfavor.

The plot builds tension that befits an action novel, but key characters display a sense of humor that balances the tension. Kamala, Abington, and Thuk all have convincing personalities that add credibility to the story. Patrick S. Tomlinson’s intelligent plot emphasizes diplomacy as much as military conflict and takes a surprising twist by the novel’s end. The story does not end at that point, however, as In the Black is the first novel in a series. Since the novel moves quicky and is free of padding, the story merits another novel.

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