Book Review: Owner's Share

Owner's Share

By:  Nathan Lowell

Publisher:  Podiobooks

Publish Date:  December 2010

Format:  Podiobooks

Genre:  Science Fiction

Series:  6th in Golden Age of the Solar Clipper series; 1st Book ~ Quarter Share, 2nd Book ~ Half Share, 3rd Book ~ Full Share, 4th Book ~ Double Share, 5th ~ Captain's Share

Recommendation:  Oh good grief!  You've come this far, why the heck not?!?  You want to know what happens to Ish next, will he get his cake and eat it too?

Synopsis:
When Diurnia Salvage and Transport undergoes a change in management, Captain Ishmael Horatio Wang finds himself adrift in a sea of red ink, and intrigue. He dives in only to find that he is over his head in a universe where cut-throat competition takes on an all new meaning.

What price will he pay for his Owner’s Share?

First Sentence:
Ships at a distance have every man's wish on board.

Purchase At:
Amazon  /  Barnes & Nobles

Listen For Free:

iTunes  /  Podiobooks

**I listened to this story for my own enjoyment.

My Thoughts and Summary:
Ish's payment is coming in soon, or at least they have an idea what the amount will be and with that a whole new life of troubles. DST fires Ishmael. Yet, a big company like that has reasons for everything. When the owner dies the company has to go through some transitions, and Ishmael is one of them. Ish decides what he wants to do, own his own ship. And on he goes with one he knows little of and turns to be a treasure in it's own. Life is different in the deep dark, hard and lonely, and sometimes the rules you keep so close to heart might have to be broken to make the deep dark a bit softer. The deep dark is dangerous and one should never feel 100% comfortable there. And with the transitions of DST, there are people out there who can find you anywhere, and Ishmael is thrown right into the center of it.

This book picks up where Captain's Share left off, and I'm thankful. There were some unresolved feelings for me there, not bad but I wanted to get through them. And I do here, and ooooh so much more. I resolved the feelings from Captain's Share and was rolled up in many new ones.

This book felt longer than the rest as I listened to it, but there is so much here! There is the story that evolves with DST and how it closely tangles with Ish and his life. Actually, uprooting his life in so many ways.

Ishmael is still amazing with others. He is great at taking care of a ship and his crew. Sometimes, however, he isn't sure how to take care of himself. Good thing he gains the trust and love of those around him as they help him through just about anything.

Man do I get attached to the people Ish has around him. It's ever so hard to say goodbye when Ish moves. Sad to see them go. Even though we've done this with Ish before, it still surprises me each time we do it, how hard it is to say goodbye. Even the dysfunctional crews, because Ish has made them so much more than a simple functioning crew, he's made them family and we feel it. Thankfully we do have one, or two, at times that follow with Ish and make the transition easier for us and him.

This story felt a bit different than the others in the plot. It's still Ish and his life, but there is a twist with another life that is involved and what comes of her life with the help of Ish. This becomes an intriguing story to see what happens to her and how Ish will help. Then a touch of suspect is added as well. This story was very catching for me. To see how Ish would survive and how this new character will make it through.

The ship Ish creates. It's interesting. I enjoy learning this ship with Ish and his crew. It's one that never became big, but Ish might put it's model back in the eyes of others. The catch Ish finds with this ship to attract others, oh he makes it work.

Even in this last installment, I find I want Ish to have it all - love, life, happiness, and the deep dark space. As he says early on, "To have his cake and eat it too." But, is life really like that? We have our good times, and things get hairy too. We feel the anxiety when things are hairy and we feel the joy when they are good. But Ish reminds us that we can't get to comfortable and laxed on things. We also cry.

Everything Ish has learned over the years will help him get through and carry on. Even a few rules might have to be broken too.

In the end I enjoyed it. A wonderful journey with Ishmael all these years, but I'm also hooked on him and this world. I want more! I miss some old characters and will miss Ish as I still want things for him. Well done, and had my heart twisting for Ish. Thankfully, there are other stories out in this world and more coming of Ish.  I will get my fix in this world. :)

This is not a hard space read. This is a story of one man's life that happens to enjoy the deep dark space. Don't let the word "space" stop you from reading or listening to these stories. And I hope you enjoy them as much as I have.