“Astraeus” by Callan J Mulligan - Book Review
With "Astraeus", the first book of “The World Settlers” duology, Callan J Mulligan crafted a thrilling murder mystery in outer space.
“Astraeus” is set onboard the titular long-distance colony ship on its maiden voyage into the depths of the Milky Way, towards the galactic center. The journey was expected to last two hundred years, and therefore a one-way trip for all first-generation passengers. However, a chain of incidents, including a brutal murder, causes chaos on the starship. In a race against time, a motley crew of military and civilian leaders and passengers try to uncover the truth behind the troubles, before they lose the starship and the hundred thousand souls on board to the dark and empty void of space.
The storyline is told through the eyes of multiple characters, such as Senator Cassian Abner, a member of the political leadership of the colony; Lizabeth Denning, a daughter of wealth, who sees the Astraeus as a refuge from her troubled past; Carron Riddell, a young prodigy engineer and Jim Atley, who won a lottery to join The Astraeus.
The characters, and those they interact with, are well written. The author speaks through them as the passengers have to face the secrets they try to hide, their existential crisis, love, and their mortality. Although, at times, I wished for more character development; to be shown their inner turmoil.
Mulligan crafts life on board the colony ship that is believable and easy to follow. The reader gets enough technical information about the way things work without being overwhelmed with the science and operations of the massive starship.
There is a fine line between a fast-paced, page-turning mystery thriller and a rushed plot; one Mulligan sometimes crosses.
For example, I would’ve liked to see a more in-depth description of the sociological and political situation on board. Considering that The Astraeus is a colony ship comprising military personnel, civilian political leaders, the engineers and mechanics that keep the ship running, and other groups and classes of people, the author lost out on the conflict between these groups. I also missed background information about the political situation outside The Astraeus in the Galactic Commonwealth.
Nevertheless, “Astraeus” is an entertaining mystery thriller on board a spaceship. I’m looking forward to discovering who’s responsible for the incidents on board the ship and the reasons behind their acts.
