Nucleation

August 10, 2020
Thought-provoking technology and well-paced intrigue do most of the heavy lifting in Unger’s clever but uneven debut. Elite waldo operator Helen Vectorovich is remotely piloting a robot on a routine assignment to the deep space construction site of a jump gate when she discovers an anomaly in the construction nanites. Then an impossible interference in the quantum feed connecting Helen’s waldo to both her physical body and her navigator, Ted, both planetside in Launch City, brings the mission to an abrupt end and leads to Ted’s death. In the aftermath of the mission failure, Unger draws readers into the competitive world of waldo operators as Helen battles vicious gossip blaming her for the tragedy. Amid an investigation into possible corporate espionage, Helen unearths a clue in an abandoned asteroid mine that suggests alien contact may be the more likely cause for the disastrous quantum interference. Though science fiction fans will be captivated by Unger’s smart, plausible vision of the future of space travel, especially the elegant solution of utilizing quantum entanglement to communicate across light years, the first contact scenario is less well defined, bringing this immersive sci-fi thriller to a murky close. Still, Unger offers readers plenty to chew on. Agent: Laurie McLean, Fuse Literary.

September 1, 2020

Helen Vectorvich, a veteran remote operator, is thrilled to be a part of the Far Reaches team constructing a wormhole engine for humans to reach deep space. From her coffin enclosure on the company campus she can inhabit and control robot bodies, called waldos, millions of miles away. The first mission goes wrong just minutes into a jump. Helen awakes in her spiderlike waldo to find her tools and even her body being eaten by tiny, dustlike creatures. Back in her own body at company headquarters she learns that her copilot navigator has been killed and her own life threatened. More die as Helen continues to jump back to Deep Space to figure out the mystery of the dustlike entities. Is the threat a new life form? Or sabotage from a rival corporation? VERDICT Unger's (The Gophers of High Charity) video game credits are well matched to this space adventure. Dialog among rivals, teammates, and machine interfaces keeps the story moving quickly. Recommended for fans of technothrillers and those who appreciate a strong lead character navigating readers through the technical bits.--Catherine Lantz, Univ. of Illinois at Chicago Lib.

Copyright 2020 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 15, 2020
In the future, how will humans gather resources and build structures on far flung planets and asteroids? In Unger's imagined world, pilots virtually control robots and install tiny machines to do most of the work. Which all sounds great?until something goes terribly wrong. Helen Vectorovich has been on dozens of missions and come out unscathed, but on her last trip her partner wasn't so lucky. Is it her fault? Was it the act of a jealous rival? Aliens? This science-heavy whodunit has a lot of technical jargon to parse, but the out-of-body setting allows for a lot of tense moments, and the twists and turns keep the story interesting. Helen is a nervy and compelling main character, and it's enjoyable to experience this story through her perspective. This debut novel is recommended for fans of Richard K. Morgan's Altered Carbon (2003) and Martha Wells' Murderbot series, as well as for readers who like their cutting-edge technology with a bit of danger on the side.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)

November 1, 2020
Seamlessly blending elements of science fiction and mystery, Unger's latest revolves around a virtual-reality pilot who, after her navigator dies while they're working on a high-profile project, sets out to avenge his death and understand the bizarre circumstances surrounding the failed mission. Helen Vectorovich and her navigator partner, Theodore Westlake, have worked successfully together for years on numerous remote deep space mining missions. But while attempting to open a jumpgate billions of miles away, Vectorovich--remote piloting a robot body--discovers that the project is in chaos, being disassembled by what appears to be an army of tiny nanomachines of unknown origin. She is pulled out before the machines take her robotic body apart, but she soon discovers Westlake was inexplicably killed by quantum feedback. With her only friend dead and her career in jeopardy, Vectorovich sets out to find answers--and becomes entangled in a grand-scale conspiracy involving industrial espionage and what could be first contact with a sentient alien race. The tech-powered premise--exploring and mining space by sending nanobots ("eenies") through small wormholes that slowly build pre-programed structures out of interplanetary dust that are ultimately utilized by VR pilots--is a strong initial hook, and the mystery surrounding the strange nanomachines is well constructed. The pacing is lethargic, though, with long stretches of little or no action. And the biggest disappointment is with Vectorovich, whose potential as a memorable and endearing protagonist is squandered by a lack of internal and external description and backstory. Aside from her work relationships, readers know nothing about her, which makes for a cardboard character whom readers aren't emotionally invested in and ultimately don't care about. A strong science-fiction premise and solid mystery elements laid low by pacing and character issues.

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