This was a very easy read: Science Fiction just done, not lengthily discussed or even dissected but a fun ride of merely 10.000 words.

Elegant prose, witty dry humour and a fragment of a story that I would have been interested in reading a full-length novel about.

Five stars out of five.

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Ceterum censeo Putin esse delendam ( )

This is the only sci-fi novella Victoria Goddard has written. Naturally, the fangirl has to try it.

Fun, snarky space opera detected! I am getting Lois McMaster Bujold vibes (In particular, "A Civil Campaign" and "Captain Vorpatril's Alliance"). The author knows what she is doing, and there are very clear nods to Bujold.

Some genre tropes get dissected – in school, people of this universe are told that spaceship faster-than-light engines run on “magic”. I think these teachers were probably lying shamelessly, but this is how we roll. Do I dare suppose that Victoria Goddard had read some sci-fi? 😉

Her name is Portia. The name, the name! This is such a clever and lovely literary allusion from Goddard, you’ll see why later in the story.

Portia runs a galactic courier service, sometimes off the radar, but nothing illegal, mind. She is tough – of course. She is competent – of course. She is a great pilot – of course. Also, her hobby is making spaceship engine models – origami ones. Portia, I think you have my heart.

Now she is going to a wedding of a childhood friend. “I promised Vlad I’d be at his wedding when I was ten.” Portia keeps her promises.

There are some complications on the way, such as black holes, event horizons, and Lovecraftian monsters that attack spaceships (yes!). But she makes it, no worries.

Do you want some nice quotes? Here you go:

“Portia, how did you get here?”
“By spaceship. Yourself?”

“I couldn’t think what Trev’s interests were – drinking, I’d thought.”

“...when the Generalissimo came in surrounded by a pack of leaping puppies – sorry, young men of rank and station and good clothing…”

Do you think this story will end just like it’s supposed to? Can you guess? There was one very nice little twist that I didn’t see coming, though. Awwwwww. ( )

Huh, an entirely different setting - I don't think I've read any other SF from Victoria Goddard. Excellent story with some very nice subverting of expectations. And fascinating people and others, and culture(s), and... I'd love to read more in this setting. ( )

It's got some fun world building and character, is easy enough to read, and moves well. So, well, the parts don't build up to a whole and it just sort of threads over a huge gap to its end and leaves all the fun bits hanging. ( )