This is book 1 of the "Solar Clipper Trader Tales" series.

This note contains spoilers for the book.

 

Yet another exploitation of the concept of patterning future space travel after sailing ships on the ocean.

So far this one is quite pleasant. Ishmael's mother dies, leaving him stranded on a company planet that he'll be kicked off in 90 days (by being deported and left in debt for the cost of his ticket). His options are the military, or signing on to a merchant vessel. With no experience or skills, his only possibility is as a quarter-share crewman, the bottom of the list.

He does, however, get off to a good start in his new career working in the galley; his mother taught him how to brew coffee well, but what really impresses Cookie is that he takes responsibility for the job and approaches it seriously.

They've now run trading tables in the flea markets on two stations (for the crew's small private trades), and in all the talk of staffing and haggling and what will and won't sell, there's been no mention of theft. Seems like an oversight.

I was amused when Rhon "took the tow handle and pushed the pallet out the lock." But I think I've seen primitive hydraulic cargo pallets that worked the same way; it's just a bit amusing anyway.

The story arc is very gentle. Well, I suppose the ship's company is getting shaken up as never before, with all the innovations happening, but it doesn't really look that way when watching from the point of view of the new boy. Still, it was compelling reading, quick, lots of fun.