Refractions: A completely gripping space opera

Walter Jon Williams, bestselling author of and In the vast expanse of space, Bethesda - humanity's first extra-solar colony and home to a thriving population of adults and children - has ceased all communication with Earth. Nathalie Hart only joined the New Horizons interstellar rescue expedition to escape the pain and guilt after her sister's senseless death. But when she's wrenched out of cryo-sleep far too early, she realises something has gone very wrong on board... As the ship's alarms blare and smoke fills the corridors, Nathalie finds herself thrust into command amidst a crew of strangers, each harbouring their own secrets. A scrawled threat in her cabin, written in a language only she knows, confirms her suspicions. Someone on board will do anything to stop them reaching the colony and revealing Bethesda's secrets. Surrounded by deceit, and with Earth a distant memory, Nathalie must decide who she can trust as they desperately race towards the unknown horrors of Bethesda. A deadly secret threatens everyone back on Earth. And if their mission fails, five-thousand innocent lives hang in the balance... Praise for : " , in which the personal stakes for the characters are paramount... kept me reading with its double-pronged mysteries and pivotal character conflicts... ... ." Deborah Davitt, author of "Action, tension and discovery culminates with . ." William Ledbetter, Nebula winner and author of surprises you. . Melcer's characters are complex and messy; her setting-a dying Earth, the nations that emerge from climate collapse-feels all too real... Recommended!" K. Eason, author of : there's hope to be had, as long as someone's willing to pay its cost." Aimee Ogden, author of . This story is both m , as the diverse cast of characters careen through a sweeping space adventure." TJ Berry, author of