Jitterbug by Gareth L. Powell ~ a Review

by MK French

With the destruction of Jupiter and Saturn, a mysterious force built a huge habitable sphere from the remains. Criminals thrive in this new place, and bounty hunters like Copernicus Brown on his sentient ship Jitterbug hunt them down. When Brown rescues Amber Roth, the sole survivor of a pirate attack, he and his crew are now hunted by the different factions that want the data chip hidden in her stomach. At the same time, something ancient is approaching from deep space.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

March 2026; Titan Books; 978-1835414514
audio, ebook, print (320 pages); science fiction

Brown and his crew are capable, and we see them in action at the beginning of the novel. Jitterbug also has POV chapters and gives us more context before they meet Amber. She's not a pushover, either, with more to her than we see at first glance. The simple salvage and rescue becomes highly charged; the data crystal contains information from outside the habitable parts of the sphere sections. It's secret and high-priority information, with the highest levels of the interplanetary government after it: one wants to analyze and prepare, the other to suppress it. The bulk of the middle is spent first escaping a possible attack, then finding out the specific nature of the problem. The final quarter of the novel not only explains it, but also how the Swirl was made and why the prologue was placed at the beginning. 

I love the world-building that Powell does with all of his stories. There are intense space issues, but at the heart of it all are the characters trying to do the right thing. Even the politicians at odds are coming from different perspectives on how to protect humanity. Yes, there are those taking advantage, with space piracy still present, but on the whole, everyday people, when offered a choice, will choose to protect others and leave a legacy of hope. I love that aspect of Powell's novels, and this one fits that model. The characters are so much fun to spend time with, I stayed reading long after I meant to put it down for later. 

Buy Jitterbug at Amazon

Born and raised in New York City, M.K. French started writing stories when very young, dreaming of different worlds and places to visit. She always had an interest in folklore, fairy tales, and the macabre, which has definitely influenced her work. She currently lives in the Midwest with her husband, three young children, and a golden retriever.

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