The exiled fleet

The surviving Sentinels of 2020's The Last Watch face starvation and madness at the edge of the universe in the thrilling second space opera of Dewes's Divide series. Six months after the events of book one, Sentinels Cavalon and Mesa work to get the Typhos's jump drive online while everyone aboard contends with diminished rations and the temporal anomalies caused by their proximity to the Divide. The excellent found family dynamic among the protagonists is pushed to the fore when stoic commander Adequin Rake returns from restarting the last of the mysterious Viator generators to a joyful yet tense reunion with Cavalon, Mesa, and Jackin. The need for supplies soon forces Adequin to venture back into populated space on "a hundred-million light-year errand." Along the way, a deeper exploration of the motives of the hostile alien Viators adds complexity and an unexpected reunion garners a new ally for the Sentinel's limping mutiny against their Legion employers. Dewes expertly weaves character backstories into the action as Cavalon uncovers a disturbing secret about his childhood and Jackin's past proves key to saving the Sentinels--at a terrible cost. Well-crafted intrigue, tense battles, and a lot of heart make for a page-turning adventure on the way to a conclusion that will leave fans anxiously awaiting the next installment. (Aug.)

The Sentinels have escaped the collapse of the edge of the universe, but their situation remains dire. Adequin Rake avoids facing the pain of losing her lover, by continuing to rescue other Sentinels, but now they are stuck on a ship with no engines, food stores are running out, and they are being excoriated by the Legion that created them. When disgraced royal Cavalon Mercer finally has an idea to get the engines working, Rake pulls together a team to gather the necessary materials. As Rake, Cavalon, and others work together to save their ragtag fleet, they will come face to face with some new allies, a malevolent foe, and choices that could cost them everything. The book's far future setting has characters who are racially diverse and emotionally relatable, with themes of military control, genetic engineering, and alien contact. VERDICT Dewes's follow up to The Exiled Fleet keeps the action front and center, while presenting an expansive science fiction story that is both richly complex and accessible.--Kristi Chadwick, Massachusetts Lib. Syst., Northampton