Pros
- Fun adventure that wraps up relatively nicely at the conclusion of the book and leaves room for a potentially broader expansion of the plot
- Without a home base, the crew feels more like wanderers, giving the story a more “mercenary” atmosphere
Cons
- Not as much battle action as previous books
Starfall Review
Starfall by Joshua Dalzelle is an exciting adventure story that finds Jason Burke and his Omega Force crew chasing down a mysterious weapon influenced by ancient technology that is rumored to be able to destroy entire planets without leaving behind a trace of its involvement.
Like many of the adventures, quests, or jobs that Omega Force takes on, this particular one also threatens the galaxy—in the wrong hands, this rumored super planet-destroyer can be used to intimidate, control, and extort entire planets in a galaxy that is now in a state of chaos after the dissolution of the old power structures.
At this point, it’s not even about the money, though Jason and his crew make sure to voice their halfhearted complaints about pay. As Jason even states in the story, he and his Omega Force are a force for good in the galaxy, and as such, they cannot turn a blind eye when their region of the galaxy is threatened by a force with more nefarious motivations.
This wild goose chase of the Starfall weapon finds Jason running across the galaxy and chasing leads in the form of former engineers and scientists who worked on the Starfall project. Perhaps like many things in the world, and in the story, that go terribly wrong, the greed of a few people threaten the peace of an entire galaxy.
Perhaps it’s easier for Omega Force to take on more dangerous missions with the loss of their home base. Having a place to return to sometimes makes the characters more complacent, less eager to take on missions, as the comfortable scenes of rest and relaxation in previous books may have suggested.
The story in Starfall is fairly self-contained with the conclusion of this particular plot wrapped up fairly nicely, leaving room for an exploration of the broader conspiracy. The epilogue introduces readers to the cabal responsible for the dilemma, and it sets the stage for an interesting expansion of what appears to be a new rising power in the vacuum of power left with the destruction of the artificial intelligence.
Starfall by Joshua Dalzelle is an exciting and fun action adventure starring Jason Burke and his Omega Force crew. While there may not have been as many battle scenes as in previous books, Omega Force’s new mission promises to lead to a more exciting encounter with new players on the galactic stage in the next book.
Read reviews on other science fiction adventures below.
