Peace may not rule the planets, but love does steer the stars, or at least the characters, in this earnest tale of space medical rescue. Viehl (Eternity Row
, etc.) presents another strong female lead, Jadaira mu T'resa, a patrol commander who switches from combat to medevac work to save refugees fleeing an interstellar war, set in the author's StarDoc universe. Working to save lives, Jadaira still finds conflicts, as her people, the aquatic 'Zangians, are culturally accustomed to abandoning their wounded rather than staying nearby where predators will gather. To honor her terran heritage, the modified, half-human Jadaira takes on the task of ferrying doctors in and patients out of dangerous situations, all while struggling with bureaucratic plots, leftover space minefields and the amorous and envious interests of both her orphaned second-in-command, Onkar, and a refugee religious leader, Rushan Amariah, of the lupine Skartesh. Love, like war, crosses species boundaries, although the most explicit scenes do stay within kind. The focus remains on the interpersonal much more than the interstellar, and the book exudes an enthusiastic naïveté that forgives the occasional overly convenient asteroid belt. The strong romance elements, along with the general youth of the characters (Jadaira loses her virginity), will appeal to young adult SF fans. Agent, Robin Rue at Writers House. (July 6)
