The first novel in this series gave us a clue that something bigger than what meets the eye may be present. That impression deepens in this second instalment.

Chaos Space is much more Mira Fedor’s story than its predecessor, Dark Space. The other viewpoint characters still receive their turn in the spotlight but we spend far more time with Mira this time around.

The invisible thread binding these characters is tightening, drawing them closer together. The disparate stories are gradually coming together to what remains, as yet, an unknown end. Additional characters are introduced to the story, drawing that threat that much tighter again.

We now see more of what makes Mira tick even though events keep pushing her in different directions. For example, the giant living entity that Mira pilots, quite calmly announce in the midst of a crisis that its contract with has just expired. Mira is forced to make yet another unpalatable decision on the fly, further deepening the plot.

Just as with the preceding instalment, I felt some further detail may have been warranted at times. However it can be a fine line between not enough and too much. Of the two options, less is frequently more. Certainly I would not want to have to wade through a narrative-heavy load of information.

While this is very much Mira’s story, we see other characters also evolving on their individual journeys.

The depth of intrigue surrounding events is starting to become a little clearer although we are far from realising any conclusion as yet. The key here was the announcement by one character that it can be no coincidence that these people are all being drawn together in this time and in these places.

Space opera, by its very definition, needs a big story to properly realise the size of the stage on which it is set. The Sentients of Orion series is turning out to be big enough to satisfy that test.

I am really looking forward to seeing just where de Pierres takes this in the next instalment. And what’s this? Oh goodie – the postie has only just now delivered the next one for me to start reading. Yes!

Ross C. Hamilton