What do you think?
Rate this book
Finder Chronicles #2
Driving the Deep
From a Hugo Award-winning author comes the second book in this action-packed sci-fi caper, starring Fergus Ferguson, interstellar repo man and professional finder.
As a professional finder, Fergus Ferguson is hired to locate missing objects and steal them back. But it is rarely so simple, especially after his latest job in Cernee. He's been recovering from that experience in the company of friends, the Shipmakers of Pluto, experts at crafting top-of-the-line AI spaceships.
The Shipmakers have convinced Fergus to finally deal with unfinished business he's been avoiding for half his life: Earth. Fergus hasn't been back to his homeworld since he was fifteen, when he stole his cousin's motorcycle and ran away. It was his first theft, and nothing he's stolen since has been anywhere near so easy, or weighed so heavily on his conscience. Many years and many jobs later, Fergus reluctantly agrees that now is the time to return the motorcycle and face his family.
Unfortunately, someone has gotten to the motorcycle before him. And before he can figure out where it went and why the storage unit that held it is now filled with priceless, stolen art, the Shipyard is attacked. His friends are missing, presumably kidnapped.
Accompanied by an untrustworthy detective who suspects Fergus is the art thief and the sole friend who escaped the attack, Fergus must follow the tenuous clues to locate and save his friends. The trail leads them to Enceladus, where Fergus plans to go undercover to the research stations that lie beneath the moon's thick ice sheet deep in a dark, oppressive ocean.
But all movement and personnel are watched, and the limited ways through the thick ice of the moon's surface are dangerous and highly monitored. Even if Fergus can manage to find proof that his friends are there and alive, getting out again is going to be a lot more complicated than he bargained for.
As a professional finder, Fergus Ferguson is hired to locate missing objects and steal them back. But it is rarely so simple, especially after his latest job in Cernee. He's been recovering from that experience in the company of friends, the Shipmakers of Pluto, experts at crafting top-of-the-line AI spaceships.
The Shipmakers have convinced Fergus to finally deal with unfinished business he's been avoiding for half his life: Earth. Fergus hasn't been back to his homeworld since he was fifteen, when he stole his cousin's motorcycle and ran away. It was his first theft, and nothing he's stolen since has been anywhere near so easy, or weighed so heavily on his conscience. Many years and many jobs later, Fergus reluctantly agrees that now is the time to return the motorcycle and face his family.
Unfortunately, someone has gotten to the motorcycle before him. And before he can figure out where it went and why the storage unit that held it is now filled with priceless, stolen art, the Shipyard is attacked. His friends are missing, presumably kidnapped.
Accompanied by an untrustworthy detective who suspects Fergus is the art thief and the sole friend who escaped the attack, Fergus must follow the tenuous clues to locate and save his friends. The trail leads them to Enceladus, where Fergus plans to go undercover to the research stations that lie beneath the moon's thick ice sheet deep in a dark, oppressive ocean.
But all movement and personnel are watched, and the limited ways through the thick ice of the moon's surface are dangerous and highly monitored. Even if Fergus can manage to find proof that his friends are there and alive, getting out again is going to be a lot more complicated than he bargained for.
432 pages, Hardcover
First published May 5, 2020
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 160 reviews
April 30, 2021
Driving the Deep was a fabulous follow-up to the first book about repo-man Fergus' adventures in Finder. No, you don't need to read it first. Yes, you should, because Fergus will undergo a very profound change in that book that will continue to impact his emotional and physical being.
So after the dramatic events at the spacestation Cernee, Fergus is chilling post-last-book with his shipmaker friends, when they convince him it is time to take care of some old emotional business on Earth--returning the motorcycle he stole from his cousin when he escaped his very unfortunate home life. Unbeknownst to him, a police detective has been watching that storage locker for two years for completely different reasons. When Fergus breaks in to liberate his cousin's motorcycle, there's a bit of a mix-up, but any thoughts of dealing with old family issues are wiped away when he receives a distress call from his friends. I'm really not giving any spoilers--this is pretty much where the story takes off.
You know what I think about this book? This is what A Long Way to An Angry Planet could have been if Chambers had a little bit better grasp of plotting. This is Leviathan Wakes with less mystery, more rescue.
I love the characterization, and that Fergus is mostly ethical. I like the range of people he runs into, and I felt a number of them came alive, although I'd have to say that some were a bit odd just for the sake of being odd, it seemed (much like Angry). There's a cat, as there should be on a ship, and the cat's mostly just a cat, which I actually appreciated.
“The farther you get from Earth, the more you’ll encounter people hacking the phenotype, either for aesthetics or survival. Often both. Try not to act like an originalist if you encounter any."
The plotting was tight, and if there was one angle that I solved before Fergus (or along with?), it really didn't spoil anything, because it was the last part of the book anyway. Action was fast-paced, veering from Fergus' internal struggle, to interpersonal tension, to large-scale environmental stresses. I appreciated the variety, and the fact that Palmer didn't allow Fergus to wallow. Ultimately, he's a Han.
"Here, the only thing they have to defend against is one rogue hauler pilot with a stray cat and, I suppose, possible discovery by a lackadaisical Alliance."
Atmosphere was decent. Most of it came alive for me, although a couple of times, I'm not entirely sure I felt the weight of the moon above as much as in other books (thinking of you, Starfish.). I mean, perhaps it's hard to find words above it because it is all darkness that deep, but that's why the weight of the ocean and the claustrophobia become so important. But maybe it was decent. I'd have to read it again. Certain parts did come very alive.
It isn't an outright funny book, but it has it's moments. The almost-A.I.s in particular do a nice job of verbal fencing. And I'm almost positive I caught a couple of nerd-references to the first Star Wars (who shot first??). Zucker, the detective who reluctantly signs on for the ride, is also very good at being a foil, both literally and verbally.
"There were clearly significant advantages, in terms of avoiding law enforcement, of having spent a career inside of it."
While this plot wrapped up very satisfactorily, it was a very quick ending, post climactic scenes. There was an epilogue to the scene that brought Fergus and Zucker together in the first place that I found rather unsatisfactory, but perhaps that was the strain of reading all day. I'll have to give it another shot and see if it feels more comprehensive.
I really enjoyed Palmer's tone, which was occasionally irreverent, but always managed to be appropriately serious at the right times. Every now and then, she'd pull out the stops for some beautiful writing:
The planet—hundreds of years later, there was still active resistance to its demotion to microplanet—was a beautiful tapestry of browns and blacks and tans spun together like a rich, poorly stirred hot chocolate, even down to the tiny hint of foam at its polar cap.
Altogether, one of the few books that have held my attention (as in sit-down-and-read-all-day kind of attention) since recovering--we hope--from Quarantine Brain. Definitely a fan.
Re-read April 2021. It definitely holds up. What was especially interesting to me this time around is that I hadn't remembered how action-focused the story is. However, Palmer really varies the kinds of action happening, it crept up on me. But there's a lot of tension here that I didn't remember from the first time around. And just perhaps, she did better with the oppressive weight of the ocean than I remembered.
So after the dramatic events at the spacestation Cernee, Fergus is chilling post-last-book with his shipmaker friends, when they convince him it is time to take care of some old emotional business on Earth--returning the motorcycle he stole from his cousin when he escaped his very unfortunate home life. Unbeknownst to him, a police detective has been watching that storage locker for two years for completely different reasons. When Fergus breaks in to liberate his cousin's motorcycle, there's a bit of a mix-up, but any thoughts of dealing with old family issues are wiped away when he receives a distress call from his friends. I'm really not giving any spoilers--this is pretty much where the story takes off.
You know what I think about this book? This is what A Long Way to An Angry Planet could have been if Chambers had a little bit better grasp of plotting. This is Leviathan Wakes with less mystery, more rescue.
I love the characterization, and that Fergus is mostly ethical. I like the range of people he runs into, and I felt a number of them came alive, although I'd have to say that some were a bit odd just for the sake of being odd, it seemed (much like Angry). There's a cat, as there should be on a ship, and the cat's mostly just a cat, which I actually appreciated.
“The farther you get from Earth, the more you’ll encounter people hacking the phenotype, either for aesthetics or survival. Often both. Try not to act like an originalist if you encounter any."
The plotting was tight, and if there was one angle that I solved before Fergus (or along with?), it really didn't spoil anything, because it was the last part of the book anyway. Action was fast-paced, veering from Fergus' internal struggle, to interpersonal tension, to large-scale environmental stresses. I appreciated the variety, and the fact that Palmer didn't allow Fergus to wallow. Ultimately, he's a Han.
"Here, the only thing they have to defend against is one rogue hauler pilot with a stray cat and, I suppose, possible discovery by a lackadaisical Alliance."
Atmosphere was decent. Most of it came alive for me, although a couple of times, I'm not entirely sure I felt the weight of the moon above as much as in other books (thinking of you, Starfish.). I mean, perhaps it's hard to find words above it because it is all darkness that deep, but that's why the weight of the ocean and the claustrophobia become so important. But maybe it was decent. I'd have to read it again. Certain parts did come very alive.
It isn't an outright funny book, but it has it's moments. The almost-A.I.s in particular do a nice job of verbal fencing. And I'm almost positive I caught a couple of nerd-references to the first Star Wars (who shot first??). Zucker, the detective who reluctantly signs on for the ride, is also very good at being a foil, both literally and verbally.
"There were clearly significant advantages, in terms of avoiding law enforcement, of having spent a career inside of it."
While this plot wrapped up very satisfactorily, it was a very quick ending, post climactic scenes. There was an epilogue to the scene that brought Fergus and Zucker together in the first place that I found rather unsatisfactory, but perhaps that was the strain of reading all day. I'll have to give it another shot and see if it feels more comprehensive.
I really enjoyed Palmer's tone, which was occasionally irreverent, but always managed to be appropriately serious at the right times. Every now and then, she'd pull out the stops for some beautiful writing:
The planet—hundreds of years later, there was still active resistance to its demotion to microplanet—was a beautiful tapestry of browns and blacks and tans spun together like a rich, poorly stirred hot chocolate, even down to the tiny hint of foam at its polar cap.
Altogether, one of the few books that have held my attention (as in sit-down-and-read-all-day kind of attention) since recovering--we hope--from Quarantine Brain. Definitely a fan.
Re-read April 2021. It definitely holds up. What was especially interesting to me this time around is that I hadn't remembered how action-focused the story is. However, Palmer really varies the kinds of action happening, it crept up on me. But there's a lot of tension here that I didn't remember from the first time around. And just perhaps, she did better with the oppressive weight of the ocean than I remembered.
June 14, 2021
Fergus Ferguson everyone's favorite sparky Scottish space adventure is back in book 2 of the excitingly fun series. where the first simply titled Finder is like a sci-fi western this one is more sci-fi cop caper.
Fergus has unfinished family business on earth. He returns to return his cousin's motorcycle and in classic Fergus style gets involved in a art heist. but before long his friend on the Pluto shipbuilding yard are attacked and he has to put everything on hold to save them. He finds them under Enceladus' ice sheet because he's the finder. They are involve in a federation conspiracy for the elusive fully automative AI. After stopping the federation plan and saving his friends. Fergus returns to wrap up the art heist plot line which really only takes a chapter. then finally back Scotland where his character gets family depth. I took off a star because the structure of a story inside a story (art heist) is kinda wonky and did not really work.
This series is fun, exciting, humorous, and has a great main character. It also has lots of fun tech talk and plots. fun series for anyone who likes that kind of thing. Looking forward to more!
Fergus has unfinished family business on earth. He returns to return his cousin's motorcycle and in classic Fergus style gets involved in a art heist. but before long his friend on the Pluto shipbuilding yard are attacked and he has to put everything on hold to save them. He finds them under Enceladus' ice sheet because he's the finder. They are involve in a federation conspiracy for the elusive fully automative AI. After stopping the federation plan and saving his friends. Fergus returns to wrap up the art heist plot line which really only takes a chapter. then finally back Scotland where his character gets family depth. I took off a star because the structure of a story inside a story (art heist) is kinda wonky and did not really work.
This series is fun, exciting, humorous, and has a great main character. It also has lots of fun tech talk and plots. fun series for anyone who likes that kind of thing. Looking forward to more!
Want to read
April 14, 2021Update:
I have been thinking about this series a lot lately. I can't believe I still haven't read this.
Previously:
Yayee! It's time to celebrate. ARC received!!!
Thank you so much to the publisher, Berkley Publishing, for always being so kind to me. I have really been looking forward to continuing on with this story.
Original:
More Fergus Ferguson!!!
Is it May yet?
I need this yesterday...
I have been thinking about this series a lot lately. I can't believe I still haven't read this.
Previously:
Yayee! It's time to celebrate. ARC received!!!
Thank you so much to the publisher, Berkley Publishing, for always being so kind to me. I have really been looking forward to continuing on with this story.
Original:
More Fergus Ferguson!!!
Is it May yet?
I need this yesterday...
September 6, 2021
Lost in a good book
Which is a really good feeling! First-rate sequel to "Finder" (2019). It took me a little while to warm up to this one: I thought the scene-setting in Glasgow was a bit tedious, and the retired NYC cop obnoxious. But by about p.70, when Fergus is back out to Pluto at the small shipyard collective that's his new Found Family -- and where Dark Deeds have just struck! -- I had no further complaints. Pretty much a read-at-one-sitting book, and one that I expect to reread down the line. This book exactly fills Paul Di Filippo 's prescription for "Radical Fun SF", which is pretty much the stuff we loved as young SF readers, but better-written! In Palmer's future, humans are out in the galaxy in the billions. There are cool aliens. We have FTL starships, and human-level AIs. Palmer's offworld places have an appealing lived-in feel, and she provides nicely-drawn characters, from jerks to geniuses. And Fergus, bumbling his way to saving his friends. I had a great time reading "Driving The Deep" and I bet you will, too. 4.5 stars, rounded up.
See Carol.'s review for more good reasons to read this one: https://clsiewert.wordpress.com/2020/...
Excerpt:
"Driving the Deep was a fabulous follow-up to the first book about Fergus' adventures, Finder. No, you don't need to read it first. Yes, you should, because Fergus will undergo a very significant change in that book that gives him a very useful and needful talent here.
You know what I think about this book? This is what A Long Way to An Angry Planet could have been if Chambers had a little bit better grasp of plotting. ....
I love the characterization, and that Fergus is mostly ethical. I like the range of people he runs into, and I felt a number of them came alive, although I’d have to say that some were a bit odd just for the sake of being odd, it seemed (much like Angry). There’s a cat, as there should be on a ship, and the cat’s mostly just a cat, which I actually appreciated."
Which is a really good feeling! First-rate sequel to "Finder" (2019). It took me a little while to warm up to this one: I thought the scene-setting in Glasgow was a bit tedious, and the retired NYC cop obnoxious. But by about p.70, when Fergus is back out to Pluto at the small shipyard collective that's his new Found Family -- and where Dark Deeds have just struck! -- I had no further complaints. Pretty much a read-at-one-sitting book, and one that I expect to reread down the line. This book exactly fills Paul Di Filippo 's prescription for "Radical Fun SF", which is pretty much the stuff we loved as young SF readers, but better-written! In Palmer's future, humans are out in the galaxy in the billions. There are cool aliens. We have FTL starships, and human-level AIs. Palmer's offworld places have an appealing lived-in feel, and she provides nicely-drawn characters, from jerks to geniuses. And Fergus, bumbling his way to saving his friends. I had a great time reading "Driving The Deep" and I bet you will, too. 4.5 stars, rounded up.
See Carol.'s review for more good reasons to read this one: https://clsiewert.wordpress.com/2020/...
Excerpt:
"Driving the Deep was a fabulous follow-up to the first book about Fergus' adventures, Finder. No, you don't need to read it first. Yes, you should, because Fergus will undergo a very significant change in that book that gives him a very useful and needful talent here.
You know what I think about this book? This is what A Long Way to An Angry Planet could have been if Chambers had a little bit better grasp of plotting. ....
I love the characterization, and that Fergus is mostly ethical. I like the range of people he runs into, and I felt a number of them came alive, although I’d have to say that some were a bit odd just for the sake of being odd, it seemed (much like Angry). There’s a cat, as there should be on a ship, and the cat’s mostly just a cat, which I actually appreciated."
August 29, 2022
I loved this. If possible even more than the first book in the series. Fergus is such a great character, a magnet for bad luck, clever with a wry sense of humor. I find myself loving these worlds that Suzanne Palmer is creating and the people that she fills them with. I do however worry about the number of times Fergus gets hit in the head and loses consciousness. Post concussion syndrome is no joke!
January 20, 2021
4.25 - so much underwater fun (but DEEP underwater, so no aquatic creatures) with lovable characters and story.
The only caveat: every single meal, beverage, and nap is mentioned (if I'd made a coffee drinking game out of every time a character drank coffee, I'd be a jittery mess now). I hope the editor cuts most of these mentions next time because they get a bit repetitive. That said, the story was still really enjoyable, had good pacing, and I kept regretting when a character left the stage because each one was interesting and had their own unique chemistry (positive or negative) with the protagonist. Another plus for me was that again, the story remained romance-free, and focuses on friendships instead (which was a good fit - a romance would have added a lot of bloat).
Can't wait to continue the series!
The only caveat: every single meal, beverage, and nap is mentioned (if I'd made a coffee drinking game out of every time a character drank coffee, I'd be a jittery mess now). I hope the editor cuts most of these mentions next time because they get a bit repetitive. That said, the story was still really enjoyable, had good pacing, and I kept regretting when a character left the stage because each one was interesting and had their own unique chemistry (positive or negative) with the protagonist. Another plus for me was that again, the story remained romance-free, and focuses on friendships instead (which was a good fit - a romance would have added a lot of bloat).
Can't wait to continue the series!
April 20, 2022
First book read in 2022, as well as first review of the new year!
I had absolutely loved Finder, which is book 1 in the series, then life got in the way, and I never got around to reading book 2, until now. I must admit that this is even better than book one. I know, shocking!
The action resumes a couple months after Fergus stole the Venetian Sword back and returned it to the Shipmakers. And we finally get to meet the famous shipmakers! They are everything I could wish for. Zanny, funny, and slightly crazy in their own way. And you can understand why the Shipyards are more home to Fergus than any other place in the galaxy, as much as he calls anywhere home.
So when the Shipyards are attacked and his friends are missing when he arrives, you can bet that it becomes a very personal mission for Fergus. But he isn't a finder for nothing. He will find his friends, and he will find those responsible for their kidnapping, and he will make them pay for it.
I love how effortlessly the author creates likeable characters. And I'm not only speaking about the protagonist here, or his closest associates. Almost everybody in this book is memorable, even if we only encounter them once or twice during the whole book. Like Psych with his ice cream and glasses of booze. Or Transit Control. Or poor Mister Feefs, the only cat on an underwater world. Every character you encounter, you can't help falling in love with, or at least having a chuckle at. Some even earn your grudging respect after a while, like a certain retired detective. I really hope we see more of him in the next book. My point is, this world is populated with fully realized characters who feel alive and who each could be heroes of their own stories. That's wonderful, especially after the last book I read, where that was definitely not the case.
This new world Fergus has to navigate in this book is absolutely fascinating as well. Imagine a planet that is pure ocean. No landmasses. It is also so far from the Sun, that this ocean is encased in 25 kilometers of ice on top. Then only way in and out are human made Bores that pierce that ice cap in several places. Close the bores, and the humans are effectively trapped in the dark and the deep. This is a claustrophobic nightmare, but also a fascinating place to explore. And explore it Fergus does. I loved those explorations and how thought out this environment was! We don't really think about it, but humans aren't used to enclosed spaces. We evolved under an endless sky with fresh air and no treat of decompression and collapse if something goes wrong. Put humans in a starless darkness that can crush them before it drowns them, and no wonder people go crazy. The story itself moves at a fast pace and in the usual Fergus Ferguson way - meaning that no matter what kind of plans he makes, things will always go spectacularly wrong and he would have to improvise and fly by the seat of his pants... but everything would resolve to everybody's satisfaction in the end. Well, not for the bad guys, of course, but who cares about them, right?
I really hope that the last book in the trilogy is just as good. I also hope that we will see the reappearance of some of the character we grew to love in this book (like a certain retired detective). But no matter what happens, I will be along for the ride!
I had absolutely loved Finder, which is book 1 in the series, then life got in the way, and I never got around to reading book 2, until now. I must admit that this is even better than book one. I know, shocking!
The action resumes a couple months after Fergus stole the Venetian Sword back and returned it to the Shipmakers. And we finally get to meet the famous shipmakers! They are everything I could wish for. Zanny, funny, and slightly crazy in their own way. And you can understand why the Shipyards are more home to Fergus than any other place in the galaxy, as much as he calls anywhere home.
So when the Shipyards are attacked and his friends are missing when he arrives, you can bet that it becomes a very personal mission for Fergus. But he isn't a finder for nothing. He will find his friends, and he will find those responsible for their kidnapping, and he will make them pay for it.
I love how effortlessly the author creates likeable characters. And I'm not only speaking about the protagonist here, or his closest associates. Almost everybody in this book is memorable, even if we only encounter them once or twice during the whole book. Like Psych with his ice cream and glasses of booze. Or Transit Control. Or poor Mister Feefs, the only cat on an underwater world. Every character you encounter, you can't help falling in love with, or at least having a chuckle at. Some even earn your grudging respect after a while, like a certain retired detective. I really hope we see more of him in the next book. My point is, this world is populated with fully realized characters who feel alive and who each could be heroes of their own stories. That's wonderful, especially after the last book I read, where that was definitely not the case.
This new world Fergus has to navigate in this book is absolutely fascinating as well. Imagine a planet that is pure ocean. No landmasses. It is also so far from the Sun, that this ocean is encased in 25 kilometers of ice on top. Then only way in and out are human made Bores that pierce that ice cap in several places. Close the bores, and the humans are effectively trapped in the dark and the deep. This is a claustrophobic nightmare, but also a fascinating place to explore. And explore it Fergus does. I loved those explorations and how thought out this environment was! We don't really think about it, but humans aren't used to enclosed spaces. We evolved under an endless sky with fresh air and no treat of decompression and collapse if something goes wrong. Put humans in a starless darkness that can crush them before it drowns them, and no wonder people go crazy. The story itself moves at a fast pace and in the usual Fergus Ferguson way - meaning that no matter what kind of plans he makes, things will always go spectacularly wrong and he would have to improvise and fly by the seat of his pants... but everything would resolve to everybody's satisfaction in the end. Well, not for the bad guys, of course, but who cares about them, right?
I really hope that the last book in the trilogy is just as good. I also hope that we will see the reappearance of some of the character we grew to love in this book (like a certain retired detective). But no matter what happens, I will be along for the ride!
February 7, 2021
4.0 to 4.5 stars - certainly a page turner, roller coaster of a ride, and a fine followup to Fergus Ferguson the defective’s, I mean, the deTective’s first book. Didn’t love the semi-absurd continuing coincidences that somewhat drive plot development, though they aren’t so blatant as to disrupt suspension of disbelief and obviously aren’t uncommon in caper or spy thrillers.
October 11, 2020
10/10/2020 Notes:
- New Narrator: I enjoyed Paul Woodson's narration more than Joe Hempel from #1.
- Middle of the book dragged due & I wanted a reason for the psychological affect of the "deep" that was happening to people but that didn't come across well despite repeating ideas & descriptions.
- The minor plot line that is introduced in the beginning was not given enough to develop room to grow into a solid piece with the rest.
-While this book was more rough than the first, the concepts are great, aliens are still very alien and Fergus doesn't know how to stay out of trouble.
- New Narrator: I enjoyed Paul Woodson's narration more than Joe Hempel from #1.
- Middle of the book dragged due & I wanted a reason for the psychological affect of the "deep" that was happening to people but that didn't come across well despite repeating ideas & descriptions.
- The minor plot line that is introduced in the beginning was not given enough to develop room to grow into a solid piece with the rest.
-While this book was more rough than the first, the concepts are great, aliens are still very alien and Fergus doesn't know how to stay out of trouble.
January 20, 2021
That was even more fun than the first one! Fergus Ferguson has finally girded his loins and he's ready to trek back to Earth to make amends for a motorcycle theft some 19 years earlier. Shortly after his arrival in Scotland, he's kidnapped, gets a message that the Pluto Shipyard has been attacked, kidnaps his kidnapper, and he's back out to Pluto to search for his missing friends. I think that was the first two chapters.
In the previous book, Fergus picked up a semi-clone sidekick, the smart-mouthed Mari. This time he has Zacker, a bitter, angry former cop who is hunting for the crew who robbed an art gallery and shot his daughter. I was a little concerned about there being two unrelated storylines, art gallery theft and Fergus's missing friends, however the art theft mystery was like little apostrophes on the main story of the missing Pluto Shipyard scientists.
The plotting on this one was tighter than the previous novel and it sped along at a nice clip. I read it in two sittings and enjoyed the world under the ice of Enceladus and Fergus as an...ice trucker? As usual, Fergus keeps collecting random people with a mix of personalities and expertise. He is competent at solving issues, without stepping into Marty Stu territory. This time around he did not get knocked unconscious nearly as much.
Overall this was a fun, quick read with a unique mix of characters and a tight plot. This is also the second book in which an AI plays an important role and I am hoping that the author continues to explore questions of AI sentience.
In the previous book, Fergus picked up a semi-clone sidekick, the smart-mouthed Mari. This time he has Zacker, a bitter, angry former cop who is hunting for the crew who robbed an art gallery and shot his daughter. I was a little concerned about there being two unrelated storylines, art gallery theft and Fergus's missing friends, however the art theft mystery was like little apostrophes on the main story of the missing Pluto Shipyard scientists.
The plotting on this one was tighter than the previous novel and it sped along at a nice clip. I read it in two sittings and enjoyed the world under the ice of Enceladus and Fergus as an...ice trucker? As usual, Fergus keeps collecting random people with a mix of personalities and expertise. He is competent at solving issues, without stepping into Marty Stu territory. This time around he did not get knocked unconscious nearly as much.
Overall this was a fun, quick read with a unique mix of characters and a tight plot. This is also the second book in which an AI plays an important role and I am hoping that the author continues to explore questions of AI sentience.
May 8, 2020
My new favorite scifi series! Amazing that it's only Palmers second book.
Ironically Fergus and his ragtag group of spaceship builders find themselves under water for 75% of the story..but it isn't any less crazy and exciting and we get more views into Fergus' childhood and some fun new characters along the way.
Highly recommended and looking forward to book 3!
Ironically Fergus and his ragtag group of spaceship builders find themselves under water for 75% of the story..but it isn't any less crazy and exciting and we get more views into Fergus' childhood and some fun new characters along the way.
Highly recommended and looking forward to book 3!
March 13, 2022
4.5 stars
It's rare that I like a second book more than the first, but perhaps I'd like it more if I revisited it. This installment of Fergus's adventures was pretty awesome.
It's rare that I like a second book more than the first, but perhaps I'd like it more if I revisited it. This installment of Fergus's adventures was pretty awesome.
April 23, 2020
Think the blackness of space is scary? Wait till you see the darkness in the ocean below the ice on Saturns moon Enceladus.
Fergus Ferguson is a lost boy with a talent for finding things...no matter where in the galaxy they wind up. Granted, he's not been a boy for quite a while, but his childhood traumas still haunt him, an abusive mother, and a father that committed suicide in front of him. That's bound to leave a mark.
He ran away from Scotland when he was old enough to steal an older cousin's motorcycle, and it's been hanging over his head ever since. Though he's built a career, and a reputation, as a sort of galactic repo man and troubleshooter, been captured and changed bu aliens, and found a group of friends at the edge of the Solar System that he'd do anything for, it's his past that he can't get past.
So Fergus heads to Earth to return the bike he's been paying for storage on for decades and to apologize to whoever's left of his family for running off. Only when he gets there he's in for a surprise, getting first caught up in an investigation for stolen artwork, and then discovering that his friends orbiting Pluto have been kidnapped.
With a very cranky and officially retired NYC cop in tow, Fergus heads back to Pluto to do what he does best, find his friends, assuming they're still alive. There's a trail, of sorts, and it leads him to Enceladus, an ocean covered moon of Saturn.
Fergus gets himself a job as a pilot for the transport company that services the icebound world, descending through boreholes in the ice to the perpetually dark sea beneath, where it's all too easy to lose your mind, and where somewhere, someone is doing something that requires kidnapping the top minds in AI research. Someone more than willing to kill off anyone not useful.
Driving alone through the deep darkness is enough to drive anyone crazy after a while, there's more than madness down here. Fortunately, Fergus has a number of talents beyond getting in and out of trouble. He's also a pretty good guy, and though he can be unsettling when you meet him, which is almost always in unlikely circumstances, he tends to grow on people. Which is good, because he's going to need friends if he's going to save the ones that have gone missing.
This is the second book in the Finder series, and though it references things that have gone before you get the idea pretty quickly. Still, that doesn't mean you can't go start at the beginning with Finder (Apr 2019). Either way, this is a good read, a series worth keeping an eye on.
Fergus Ferguson is a lost boy with a talent for finding things...no matter where in the galaxy they wind up. Granted, he's not been a boy for quite a while, but his childhood traumas still haunt him, an abusive mother, and a father that committed suicide in front of him. That's bound to leave a mark.
He ran away from Scotland when he was old enough to steal an older cousin's motorcycle, and it's been hanging over his head ever since. Though he's built a career, and a reputation, as a sort of galactic repo man and troubleshooter, been captured and changed bu aliens, and found a group of friends at the edge of the Solar System that he'd do anything for, it's his past that he can't get past.
So Fergus heads to Earth to return the bike he's been paying for storage on for decades and to apologize to whoever's left of his family for running off. Only when he gets there he's in for a surprise, getting first caught up in an investigation for stolen artwork, and then discovering that his friends orbiting Pluto have been kidnapped.
With a very cranky and officially retired NYC cop in tow, Fergus heads back to Pluto to do what he does best, find his friends, assuming they're still alive. There's a trail, of sorts, and it leads him to Enceladus, an ocean covered moon of Saturn.
Fergus gets himself a job as a pilot for the transport company that services the icebound world, descending through boreholes in the ice to the perpetually dark sea beneath, where it's all too easy to lose your mind, and where somewhere, someone is doing something that requires kidnapping the top minds in AI research. Someone more than willing to kill off anyone not useful.
Driving alone through the deep darkness is enough to drive anyone crazy after a while, there's more than madness down here. Fortunately, Fergus has a number of talents beyond getting in and out of trouble. He's also a pretty good guy, and though he can be unsettling when you meet him, which is almost always in unlikely circumstances, he tends to grow on people. Which is good, because he's going to need friends if he's going to save the ones that have gone missing.
This is the second book in the Finder series, and though it references things that have gone before you get the idea pretty quickly. Still, that doesn't mean you can't go start at the beginning with Finder (Apr 2019). Either way, this is a good read, a series worth keeping an eye on.
October 7, 2021
4.5 stars.
Fergus Ferguson fnally makes his way to Earth, after many urgings my his friends. He no sooner arrives when he's arrested by a police officer, Detective Zacker, convinced Fergus is a member of a gang of thieves. And almost immediately afterwards, Fergus is summoned back to the ship because its received word there's trouble back home at the Shipyard.
He returns, Zacker in tow, to find that someone has kidnapped his friends and wrecked the Shipyard. Fergus sets off to rescue his friends with one of them who missed being kidnapped, Effie, and Zacker accompanying them.
Being an expert at finding things and people, Zacker does locate them, at an underwater facility that seems to be up to something secret.
I really enjoyed this. It's not a deep story, but it's just so much fun. Fergus has a laidback charm and humour, and he's great at improvising, based on available resources and the situation. He goes through much to rescue his friends, discovers some things about himself, and adopts a cat, whom he dubs Mister Feefs -- what a great name!!
I could follow Fergus on innumerable repo jobs. Thankfully, there is a book 3.
Fergus Ferguson fnally makes his way to Earth, after many urgings my his friends. He no sooner arrives when he's arrested by a police officer, Detective Zacker, convinced Fergus is a member of a gang of thieves. And almost immediately afterwards, Fergus is summoned back to the ship because its received word there's trouble back home at the Shipyard.
He returns, Zacker in tow, to find that someone has kidnapped his friends and wrecked the Shipyard. Fergus sets off to rescue his friends with one of them who missed being kidnapped, Effie, and Zacker accompanying them.
Being an expert at finding things and people, Zacker does locate them, at an underwater facility that seems to be up to something secret.
I really enjoyed this. It's not a deep story, but it's just so much fun. Fergus has a laidback charm and humour, and he's great at improvising, based on available resources and the situation. He goes through much to rescue his friends, discovers some things about himself, and adopts a cat, whom he dubs Mister Feefs -- what a great name!!
I could follow Fergus on innumerable repo jobs. Thankfully, there is a book 3.
November 3, 2020
These are fun books. Have a Firefly-Star Wars space adventurey feel with lots of humor and snark. It starts off fast and strong but has a few laggy moments in the middle where Fergus is driving around in the Deep. Picks up again for the end, though I thought Zacker's conclusive arc was tied up really quick and neat. I thought Zacker was going to be more present during the book too rather than the sort of disembodied voice go-between. Hard to say if anyone introduced in this book will play much part in the next because so far it's been a fairly loose trilogy (at least, I think it's a trilogy? Maybe not). A lot of side characters in this one but they were a delight. Palmer plays with some fun tropes and I'm a little sad we probably won't see most of these people again.
Looking forward to the next one.
Looking forward to the next one.
January 6, 2021
A solid piece of straight-up SF. Bonus for setting nearly all of it under the ice on Enceladus.
The overall attitude reminds me of Sandman Slim, which is good.
Fergus never does too much achieving at once, although maybe he's a little too good at guessing what's going on. And is it a coincidence that MacInnis is not so far from MacGyver?
I like cats, but what did this one add?
If there's a vote for neutral pronouns, I could support ey, em, eir. Like singular they only without the confusion.
This time Palmer did a better job of keeping Fergus hydrated. Last time he just moaned about it but hardly ever actually drank anything.
The setting was good, but I would have liked some handwaving about what all the machinery on Enceladus uses for power.
And I liked the explanation of Dr. Kenning's actions.
I'll read this author anytime.
The overall attitude reminds me of Sandman Slim, which is good.
Fergus never does too much achieving at once, although maybe he's a little too good at guessing what's going on. And is it a coincidence that MacInnis is not so far from MacGyver?
I like cats, but what did this one add?
If there's a vote for neutral pronouns, I could support ey, em, eir. Like singular they only without the confusion.
This time Palmer did a better job of keeping Fergus hydrated. Last time he just moaned about it but hardly ever actually drank anything.
The setting was good, but I would have liked some handwaving about what all the machinery on Enceladus uses for power.
And I liked the explanation of Dr. Kenning's actions.
I'll read this author anytime.
June 13, 2020
If you enjoyed Finder be sure to read its sequel Driving the Deep - a solid and very enjoyable followup.
March 19, 2022
Like the first book in this series, this one has the same wisecracking, highly resourceful protagonist, and an even more suspenseful plot. There is also more emphasis on the effects of his traumatic past, just past the point of (IMHO) unnecessary redundancy.
December 1, 2022
Even though I didn't enjoy this as much as the first one, this was still a fun book. The Deep just isn't nearly as exciting to read about as Cerni (not sure if that's how it's spelled since I did the audiobook). I will definitely be reading more Fergus Ferguson books though.
May 5, 2020
This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart
Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
I thought Finder was a standalone but lucky for everyone, it was just the first book in the Finder Chronicles series. I love this science fiction, space opera with the main character, Fergus is sort of a detective / Equalizer kind of guy. In Finder, Fergus "retrieves" a lost space ship and returns it to the rightful owner in the middle of a civil war. In Driving the Deep, he has to locate his scientist friends who have been abducted and he deals with some family issues.
I really enjoyed so many things. There is technology and gadgets and even AI. The bad guys, as usual, are about power and control. Unfortunately, they are ruthless and have no trouble with murder. Fergus is the best kind of character, a MacGyver kind of guy with a real compassion.
There is a new character, Zacker, who I'd like to see again. Fergus meets him when he is trying to resolve some personal issues and ends up taking him off Earth to Pluto. Zacker is a retired police detective who has never been off Earth. He turns out to be a handy guy to have on a mission.
This series has a delicious sense of humor which lightens up the action and any violence. There is much danger and suspense in this adventure and Fergus is so alone. Well, he does manage to adopt an abandoned cat. I love these stories and am happy there will be more!
Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
I thought Finder was a standalone but lucky for everyone, it was just the first book in the Finder Chronicles series. I love this science fiction, space opera with the main character, Fergus is sort of a detective / Equalizer kind of guy. In Finder, Fergus "retrieves" a lost space ship and returns it to the rightful owner in the middle of a civil war. In Driving the Deep, he has to locate his scientist friends who have been abducted and he deals with some family issues.
I really enjoyed so many things. There is technology and gadgets and even AI. The bad guys, as usual, are about power and control. Unfortunately, they are ruthless and have no trouble with murder. Fergus is the best kind of character, a MacGyver kind of guy with a real compassion.
There is a new character, Zacker, who I'd like to see again. Fergus meets him when he is trying to resolve some personal issues and ends up taking him off Earth to Pluto. Zacker is a retired police detective who has never been off Earth. He turns out to be a handy guy to have on a mission.
This series has a delicious sense of humor which lightens up the action and any violence. There is much danger and suspense in this adventure and Fergus is so alone. Well, he does manage to adopt an abandoned cat. I love these stories and am happy there will be more!
"In the time we have associated, it has been clear to me that your problem-solving methodology works best when you take the most difficult and inobvious path in front of you," Venetia's Sword said. " I cannot speak to why this should work, but it does seem to be your 'thing'."
December 6, 2020
Ahoy there me mateys! When I read the book, finder, I didn’t know that this was the first book in a series. It was a five star read and I adored Fergus Ferguson so much that I had to follow his next adventure. Now I didn’t bother with reading the blurb because I wanted to be surprised. And I am so glad I didn’t. Cause the author took me expectations and quickly flipped them upside down.
The fast and zany action of the first book is very toned down here but Fergus Ferguson is still a joy to be with. In this book we get a new character, Zacker, who annoyed me at the beginning and slowly grew on me until I enjoyed him. We also get several new settings that I won’t talk about because of spoilers. However, the environment that Fergus finds himself in is an unusual one. He spends a lot of his time alone. This book deals a lot more with Fergus’ inner psychology. The small downside is a lot of the witty banter of the first book is lacking here. The plus side is that I love Fergus and don’t mind spending more time with him and inside his head. Plus there is a cat. I love the cat.
There is a mystery in this book that really didn’t surprise me but a couple of issues unrelated to the mystery that did. Fergus Ferguson is just a delightful character. I be so excited for book three. What trouble will he get into next? Arrrr!
The fast and zany action of the first book is very toned down here but Fergus Ferguson is still a joy to be with. In this book we get a new character, Zacker, who annoyed me at the beginning and slowly grew on me until I enjoyed him. We also get several new settings that I won’t talk about because of spoilers. However, the environment that Fergus finds himself in is an unusual one. He spends a lot of his time alone. This book deals a lot more with Fergus’ inner psychology. The small downside is a lot of the witty banter of the first book is lacking here. The plus side is that I love Fergus and don’t mind spending more time with him and inside his head. Plus there is a cat. I love the cat.
There is a mystery in this book that really didn’t surprise me but a couple of issues unrelated to the mystery that did. Fergus Ferguson is just a delightful character. I be so excited for book three. What trouble will he get into next? Arrrr!
December 12, 2020
I have been eagerly anticipating the second installment of the Finder Chronicles series and when I discovered that, in Driving the Deep, I was going to be introduced to the elusive Shipmakers of Pluto, I was thrilled! In book one, Finder, it was on behalf of the Shipmakers that Fergus Ferguson found himself in an adventure that changed his life forever, and I was very curious to understand why Fergus was willing to go to such lengths for them. Now, I understand completely. Fergus has a long history with the Shipmakers and I would definitely consider them a family of his own making. So, when they were threatened, of course he was going to do whatever it took to take care of his own.
What a thrill ride Driving the Deep was! I loved the writing because I was able to, as a reader, clearly see what was taking place both in front of me as well as in the background. I adored the setting of the story because it was so far out there to imagine. I feel that given the extremes that the characters of this story were living in, that the line between isolation and desperation was well met. Fergus, as always, was fun and adaptable – a regular MacGyver of the final frontier. He found himself in situations that no one could ever really plan for and yet he managed to do the impossible. His character grew in this story and he also came to accept a few truths that he had never truly wanted to face. The ending of Driving the Deep was more than I imagined and I absolutely loved it. I am thoroughly excited about the next grand adventure that Fergus will be undertaking and all I can say is the next installment in this fantastic series cannot come quick enough for me!!
This review is based on a complimentary book I received from NetGalley. It is an honest and voluntary review. The complimentary receipt of it in no way affected my review or rating.
What a thrill ride Driving the Deep was! I loved the writing because I was able to, as a reader, clearly see what was taking place both in front of me as well as in the background. I adored the setting of the story because it was so far out there to imagine. I feel that given the extremes that the characters of this story were living in, that the line between isolation and desperation was well met. Fergus, as always, was fun and adaptable – a regular MacGyver of the final frontier. He found himself in situations that no one could ever really plan for and yet he managed to do the impossible. His character grew in this story and he also came to accept a few truths that he had never truly wanted to face. The ending of Driving the Deep was more than I imagined and I absolutely loved it. I am thoroughly excited about the next grand adventure that Fergus will be undertaking and all I can say is the next installment in this fantastic series cannot come quick enough for me!!
This review is based on a complimentary book I received from NetGalley. It is an honest and voluntary review. The complimentary receipt of it in no way affected my review or rating.
September 16, 2020
Well, apparently I really like this series.
Fergus the Finder returns to Earth to address some long-overdue personal business. Of course, things don't play out nearly as smoothly as they could. Mistaken for an art-thief and kidnapped, Fergus only then finds out his friends are in trouble. Naturally, rescuing those he cares about will require all his wiles, special skills, and that alien gift he has tried so hard to conceal.
I love the way that Palmer doesn't just create interesting places for her characters to visit, she furnishes those places with more than just cool technology and interesting characters - each one has a culture all their own.
Fergus is part repo-man, part private eye, part hacker, part super-spy and he finds plenty of action in this installment. He also deals with his troubled past much more than in the first book. Too many authors believe that to be interesting, a character has to be broken. But though he does a touch more soul-searching than I appreciate, Palmer gives Fergus the opportunity to make smart choices (rather than simply wallow in his past) and a satisfying path to begin the redemption that he believes he needs. There's about exactly the right amount of this sort of thing mixed in with the action, and though some personal resolution feels tacked on to the end, it is satisfying enough that I didn't mind.
Highly recommended.
Fergus the Finder returns to Earth to address some long-overdue personal business. Of course, things don't play out nearly as smoothly as they could. Mistaken for an art-thief and kidnapped, Fergus only then finds out his friends are in trouble. Naturally, rescuing those he cares about will require all his wiles, special skills, and that alien gift he has tried so hard to conceal.
I love the way that Palmer doesn't just create interesting places for her characters to visit, she furnishes those places with more than just cool technology and interesting characters - each one has a culture all their own.
Fergus is part repo-man, part private eye, part hacker, part super-spy and he finds plenty of action in this installment. He also deals with his troubled past much more than in the first book. Too many authors believe that to be interesting, a character has to be broken. But though he does a touch more soul-searching than I appreciate, Palmer gives Fergus the opportunity to make smart choices (rather than simply wallow in his past) and a satisfying path to begin the redemption that he believes he needs. There's about exactly the right amount of this sort of thing mixed in with the action, and though some personal resolution feels tacked on to the end, it is satisfying enough that I didn't mind.
Highly recommended.
May 31, 2020
Palmer, Suzanne. Diving the Deep. Finder Chronicles No. 2. Daw, 2020.
In Diving the Deep, Fergus, the interplanetary repo man, has gone home to Scotland to retrieve a motorcycle, but he is soon in space again, trying to rescue some kidnapped friends below the ice on Saturn’s sixth moon, Enceladus. In the process he kidnaps a New York cop who thinks he murdered his daughter twenty years before. He is aided by an alien enhancement to his body that makes him able to zap you like a Taser if you make him mad. Diving is almost as much fun as Finder, the first novel in the series, but this time, Fergus spends a lot of time out of contact with the snarky Ais that run his spaceship and the space station near Pluto. Nevertheless, it is an entertaining read because Fergus is a character with oodles of personality.
In Diving the Deep, Fergus, the interplanetary repo man, has gone home to Scotland to retrieve a motorcycle, but he is soon in space again, trying to rescue some kidnapped friends below the ice on Saturn’s sixth moon, Enceladus. In the process he kidnaps a New York cop who thinks he murdered his daughter twenty years before. He is aided by an alien enhancement to his body that makes him able to zap you like a Taser if you make him mad. Diving is almost as much fun as Finder, the first novel in the series, but this time, Fergus spends a lot of time out of contact with the snarky Ais that run his spaceship and the space station near Pluto. Nevertheless, it is an entertaining read because Fergus is a character with oodles of personality.
February 9, 2021
Since reading Waterlines I've been a big admirer of how Suzanne Palmer does world building. Her science-fiction stories are told in a universe that's almost but not quite cartoonish, which gives her so much scope for quickly throwing the reader into the action without the need for technical summaries and detailed histories. The characters too come with the right amount of depth that we can like them and see them grow, but recognise a lot of them as vessels for moving the story forward.
I enjoyed this one a tad more than Book 1, perhaps because I had a bit of backstory already or perhaps because it focused a lot on the under-ice ocean and its habs and haulers, which I think was put together really well.
I enjoyed this one a tad more than Book 1, perhaps because I had a bit of backstory already or perhaps because it focused a lot on the under-ice ocean and its habs and haulers, which I think was put together really well.
December 27, 2020
3.5 stars - I continue to really enjoy this series as fun sci fi escapism. It's a fun and interesting classic space future, the action is creative and not too gory or serious, and Fergus continues to make friends wherever he goes despite his self-conception as A Loner. And there continues to be absolutely zero romance or sex, which is such a breath of fresh air for me. I will definitely read the third book coming out in 2021.
August 26, 2020
Ah, this was so good, even if it took a while to finish it. Fergus is such a great character. More people need to be reading this series.
February 10, 2021
Very good! Fergus spends most of the story driving his hauler deep under the ice of one of Saturn's moons looking for his friends!
September 2, 2021
Great ending!
September 10, 2020
Wow, just as good as the first, a marvelous self contained adventure. I totally lost myself in this book and enjoyed every minute of it. And the bunny hopped away...
Displaying 1 - 30 of 160 reviews