Gravity lost

The Ambit's crew has had a quiet four months on Alpha Librae, making sure Destyn stays put until he's transferred to a Union ship, letting Jal recover from his injuries and get reacquainted with his family, but nobody expects it to last. Though the prisoner transfer goes smoothly, things immediately start to go sideways after that, and Jal needs the crew's help. His sister has been kidnapped, and the price for her safe return is breaking Destyn out. The crew agrees to do whatever it takes to get her back--although given who's behind the kidnapping, simply turning Destyn over isn't high on their list. Corruption in the Guild runs right to the top, and the Ambit crew is going to dig until they uncover the whole truth, no matter how unpleasant it is. This is a satisfying sequel to Cascade Failure (2024), with the energy and sense of purpose of its predecessor. The found family crew continues to be an entertaining bunch, now with the addition of Jal's pre-teen niece, who provides some much-needed levity.

Four months ago, the crew of the Ambit stopped Isaiah Drestyn from destroying an space station and reunited Jal with his family. Their hard-earned peace doesn't last long before Jal's sister is kidnapped, and her captors demand that the crew jailbreak Drestyn. As the Ambit crew risks their reputation to free the man they put behind bars, they find that they're not the only Guild members gone rogue. Someone in the organization is crooked, and the Ambit is caught in the middle of it. The Ambit's crew carries physical and mental scars from their last adventure, as Nash grapples with trusting others, Eoan with their new sense of mortality, and Saint with how much more he can take. Sagas's earnest and action-packed novel delves deeper into Cascade Failure's themes of betrayal, sacrifice, and extremism. The book will appeal to found-family fans, but Jal's relationships with his sister and niece also shine in this installment and further ground his character. VERDICT The second entry in the "Ambit's Run" series is perfect for readers who want a cozy sci-fi that doesn't sacrifice an exciting plot.--Erin Niederberger