Rules of Redemption – T.A. White

This book begins a fourth series by TA White. So far she’s been maintaining three - one in a modern urban setting, one in a post-apocalyptic setting, and one in a fantasy-with-a-dash-of-science setting - and everything she’s written has been enjoyable. The milieus are different and distinct. The common thread is that the protagonist is a young (or young-seeming) woman with extraordinary abilities and what she calls an independent streak and the powers-that-be call an attitude problem.

Setting 4 is a space opera. It is also more unabashedly a wish-fulfillment fantasy than the others. The protagonist is a lost princess (it’s not called that) with super powers (they’re not called that) who constantly surprises those about her with her abilities. The plot setup isn’t subtle: The space station she tries to visit unobtrusively currently houses everyone she’s trying to avoid. And unobtrusive doesn’t happen because she stages a dramatic rescue when two children are the victims of an improbable murder attempt (it’s not called that). She’s dragged/blackmailed-into-going-to an alien home planet - and all the supporting characters find reasons to be dragged there with her.

Three stars for the writing - fun to read and I mean to read the sequel. And a fourth star because this is a good-bad book: Did I mention that the unabashed wish-fulfillment fantasy was fun to read?