I received this book for free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Rumor Has It by Cat Rambo Series: Disco Space Opera #3
Published by Tor Books on September 24 2024
Genres: Adult, Science fiction
Pages: 272
Format: Finished hardcover
Source: Publisher
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The nitty-gritty: Found family, low stakes and fascinating world building make Rumor Has It another winning entry in Cat Rambo’s cozy sci-fi series.
“That’s all a family is,” he signed. “People staying together as long as they possibly can.”
Rumor Has It is the third book in Cat Rambo’s cozy space opera series, but it’s not the end, as the author confirmed in her Acknowledgments that she’s currently working on book four. And that’s good news, because with each new book, the characters dig their claws into me a little deeper. This review will probably be on the shorter side, and I’ll try to avoid spoilers as much as possible. For maximum enjoyment, the books should be read in order, starting with You Sexy Thing.
After failing to kill Tubal Last at the end of Devil’s Gun, Captain Niko Larsen and her crew have decided to head to the space port Coralind. Niko is worried about the ship’s financial state and hopes to visit Coralind’s bank in order to claim the insurance money she’s due, after her restaurant the Last Chance blew up. The trip will also give the crew some much needed downtime, as the different Gardens and confluences on Coralind offer plenty of unique food and entertainment.
But Gnarl Grusson, who has vowed vengeance against Niko, knows where they’re headed and plans to meet them there. Former priest Lassite has glimpsed trouble for Niko on Coralind. Could it be Gnarl? Or something even worse? The crew of You Sexy Thing is about to find out, as each person on board the ship looks forward to experiencing the planet for themselves while dealing with their own personal struggles.
Rumor Has It is probably the least action focused of the three books. Instead, Cat Rambo spends time on her characters and their relationships with each other, and honestly, I didn’t miss the action at all. Niko is dealing with her ex-lover Petalia’s presence on the ship, and emotions are running high. To complicate matters, con artist Jezli Farren is also aboard, and Niko wants her off the ship as soon as possible. Jezli, Niko and Petalia have an almost electric dynamic going on, which makes me wonder if there might be a future romance in the mix. Atlanta is exploring what it means to be a paladin and dipping her toes in the waters of free trading. Skidoo has a big secret that she’s keeping from the rest of the crew. Dabry gets a strange message regarding his (presumed dead) daughter.
Then there’s Talon and newly hatched clone Rebbe, who have such a stressful relationship. Talon wants Rebbe’s approval and friendship more than anything, but Rebbe is angry and thinks Talon is manipulating him. The two fight a lot, but I loved the way their relationship changes by the end of the book. And finally, the bioship You Sexy Thing is continuing to explore emotions and human ways of communicating, sometimes with disastrous results. Thing is the comic relief of this series, with their earnest desire to become more human so they can relate better to the crew. Two other characters, Gio and Milly, don’t get as much page time here, but I’m sure they will in future installments. All the characters have become like family to me, especially after three books of getting to know them.
I loved the setting of Coralind, which almost feels like Disneyland, with it’s various confluences and Gardens. The worldbuilding in this series is fantastic, and I can see why the author has plans for many more books.
There is some tension in the final chapters, but it’s rather low stakes compared to the first two books. I did love that many of the characters’ struggles and worries are given happy endings, and there isn’t a cliffhanger or feeling that things are left unresolved.
Overall, I had a blast with Rumor Has It, and I’ll be anxiously awaiting news of the next book in the series.
Big thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy.
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