Gods of Risk

Gods of Risk is a quick story about Bobby and her family following the events of Caliban's War. She's actually a side character; the story focuses on her nephew. But it was a nice exercise in both world-building and character-deepening.

This story takes place on Mars, and it was a treat to see the partially terraformed world. People mostly live underground. And while there is a criminal element (which Bobby's nephew gets involved with), there's still an emphasis on efficiency and looking towards the future that drives everyone. They all hold on tight to a vision of a future Mars, one that requires sacrifices from everyone but will provide a better life for their descendants. It's an optimistic world-view that's absent from the rest of the galaxy.

It was also nice to spend time, however tangentially with Bobby. She was my favorite addition in the second book, and I was disappointed when she decided to go home at the end of it. But it made sense, and this story was necessary to get her to a place where she'll be part of the action again in the next book. I can't wait to see more of her, and I hope there's more detail about Mars in the future of the series, too.

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