First Contact, Second Chances

Everyone deserves a second chance. Even humanity.

Ex-British Army officer Joe Llewellyn is captain of the Shantivira, the alien space station secretly protecting the Earth from invasion. After Joe reveals the Shantivira's existence to the UN, everyone wants a piece of him. Except his mother. They're no longer speaking after he introduced her to his shape-shifting space-demon wife.

But it's not only Joe's relationship with his mam which is in jeopardy. His alien bosses have given him an ultimatum: either he persuades Earth's authorities to completely restructure the global economic system – to distribute resources fairly without exceeding ecological boundaries – or the space station will be reallocated to another, more deserving planet.

With cannibalistic Ranglatiri space pirates prowling the galaxy, brutally stripping and enslaving entire worlds for profit, Joe can't afford to fail.

Trainee pilot Hanna Abebe is close to achieving her dream: a permanent job on the Shantivira. But with a boyfriend on trial for taking a vessel without permission and an extremely pregnant teenage sister, not every dream can come true . . .

Ex-NASA astronaut Dan Simpson and his alien girlfriend are on the Ranglatiri authorities' Most Wanted list. But that won't stop them from persevering with their dead friend's secret mission. Unless, of course, they get caught . . .

This third instalment of The Shantivira fantasy solarpunk series is a must-read for fans of Becky Chambers, Ben Aaronovitch, Ursula Le Guin, Doctor Who and anyone who enjoys supernatural sci-fi.