The Rush's Edge

by Ginger Smith

Overview

With the help of his commanding officer, a genetically engineered ex-soldier fights back against the government that created him and others like him to be expendable slaves...

Halvor Cullen, a genetically-engineered and technology implanted ex-soldier, doesn't see himself as a hero. After getting out of the service, all he's interested in is chasing the adrenaline rush his body was designed to crave. Hal knows he won't live long anyway; vat soldiers like him are designed to die early or will be burnt out from relentlessly seeking the rush. His best friend and former CO, Tyce, is determined not to let that happen and distracts him by work salvaging crashed ships in the Edge.

Then Hal's ship gets a new crewmember - a hacker-turned-tecker named Vivi. As they become friends, Hal wonders if he's got a chance with a natural-born like her. Then on a job, the crew finds a sphere that downloads an alien presence into their ship...

Multiple clashes with the military force Hal and his crew to choose sides. The battle they fight will determine the fate of vats and natural-borns throughout the galaxy. Will they join the movement against the Coalition? What has invaded their ship's computer? And can there be a real future for a vat with an expiration date?

File Under: Science Fiction [ Toy Soldier | On the Brink | Against the Odds | Stars are Crossed ]

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780857668646
Publisher:	Watkins Media
Publication date:	11/10/2020
Pages:	328
Sales rank:	1,080,855
Product dimensions:	5.30(w) x 8.40(h) x 1.10(d)

About the Author

Ginger Smith has worked as a record store employee, freelance writer, bookstore assistant manager and high school teacher of English. In the past, she has played in many tabletop RPG groups and even run several of her own. She collects vintage toys, sci-fi novels and comic books, as well as mid-century furniture. She currently lives in the southern USA with her husband and two cats, spending her free time writing and watching classic film noir and sci-fi movies.

Editorial Reviews

09/14/2020

Found family takes center stage in Smith’s gripping debut. Captain Ty Bernon is a “nat,” born naturally, while his one-time subordinate turned close friend Hal Cullen is a “vat,” a lab-created soldier with superior combat skills cut loose after seven years in military service and designed to die by 30. Their adventures kick off when Hal, an unstable but good-hearted adrenaline junkie, rescues techie Vivi Valjean from an attempted abduction and recruits her to the crew of the salvage ship Loshad, where medic Beryl McCabe patches her up. The four crewmates form a tightly bound group—and soon come face-to-face with a series of enemies: a vat assassin, a military ship, and an artificial intelligence named Eira that takes a keen interest in them. Along the way, they stumble upon some surprising allies and uncover a conspiracy that threatens all the vats. Smith masterfully cultivates a deep sense of camaraderie among the characters while keeping them on the edge of danger. The unlikely bonds linking the crew members and thoughtful exploration of the morality of genetic engineering are sure to draw readers into this well-crafted space opera. (Nov.)

Publishers Weekly

"Vivid characters, fine action sequences, and thoughtful exploration of prejudices are blended with authority in Smith's debut."
– Booklist

"Smith's debut is rich in detail, full of tension, and packed with characters you won't easily forget."
– R.W.W. Greene, author of  The Light Years

"The Rush’s Edge gives you all the Firefly feels with a dash of Mass Effect for the hell of it. Fantastically entertaining.”  
– Dan Hanks, author of Captain Moxley and the Embers of the Empire

"You will root for these heroes and cringe at the evil that brought them together." 
– Chris Panatier, author of The Phlebotomist  

"We're treated to an array of space dogfights, cyborg assassins, and straight-up street brawls to keep the pages turning well past bedtime."
– John P. Murphy, author of Red Noise

"well-crafted space opera."
– Publishers Weekly  

"A sci-fi saga with equal doses of action, thrills and heart." - Amanda Bridgeman, author of The Subjugate

From the Publisher