Review: The Europan Deception by Ryan M. Patrick

Blurb:

The year is 2204.

The galaxy is on the edge of conflict.

And an ancient conspiracy is about to explode.

Can two intelligence operatives with a brutal shared past and a former Lunar freedom fighter stop a dastardly plot that dates back to the lost continent of Atlantis?

Find out in The Europan Deception, the first in the epic Dark Galaxy series! Perfect for fans of The Expanse looking for a fast-paced sci-fi thriller in a gritty, realistic setting.

Review:

Another hyper-realistic sci-fi saga from Ryan Patrick. His last book took us on an adventure in Mars, and this time we have a much more ambitious scope, spread over various planets and moons within and beyond the Sol system.

Our protagonist, Clancy, is an accomplished American intelligence operative. His quest to uncover the secrets of a Brazilian arms broker takes him down a rabbit hole of shady plans by deeply entrenched sinister organizations who have, through meticulous planning and deep roots within the government, kept their presence and intentions veiled over many decades.

‘You're threatening to throw the entire mass of humans spread throughout the galaxy into chaos, and for what purpose? What do you gain other than creating confusion and pain?’

While the initial part of the story may give you the impression that the sprawling multi-planetary setup just serves to bring in elements of the wild west into a sci-fi context, in the later part of the book the futuristic aspects begin to shine. 

As with his last book, Ryan’s presentation is authentic and detailed, and packs in some serious action. Between thrilling escapes from drone swarms, hand-to-hand combat in low-gravity scenarios and skirmishes with enemies equipped with jetpacks and futuristic plasma rifles, there is a lot to entertain action lovers. 

‘Marsden opened with a quick left hook, which Clancy blocked, the Cons Ops man following it with a strong right to the face that would easily connect with most opponents, especially most early-thirties intelligent operatives who spent as much time filing electronic forms as they did in the field.

But Clancy wasn't most operatives.’

The characters are interesting–Clancy is obviously the most impressive, but the others grew on me over time as well. I loved how the author depicted the story investigation, unfolding from the POV of various characters in different departments. The gradual progression of the relationship between Clancy and Anderson forms an interesting sub-plot that complements the long-winded primary investigation very well. 

‘Clancy—Clancy!—had been the one to calm her down. He was supposed to be the reckless cowboy, the fighter pilot pulled into the careful, precise world of espionage while she was the trained operative with ice-cold veins. But somehow their roles were reversed.’

As in his previous book, the administrative structure and technologies available are extrapolated from our present day world, and this story will appeal to people who love a great level of detail in the presentation. 

The fast pace of the book keeps the adrenaline levels high at all times. Between deep conspiracies, espionage and high velocity action sequences, I found myself holding my breath more than once. I also loved the author’s focus on trust and solidarity forged between companions over the years of service together.

‘Hall saw a pipe, a quarter of a meter in diameter, just like the one her foot had been caught on earlier running in a perpendicular direction from her current velocity vector. She figured it carried coolant to or from a reservoir to the server racks. Hopefully, it would be strong enough for what she would do next.’

If you have enjoyed sci-fi series like The Expanse, or loved James Bond style thrillers, this book is written for you–go pick it up. I am eager to discover more about the secrets of Atlantis, and the next book in the series can’t come out soon enough.

‘The burn was over almost as soon as it started.’