Persephone Station, a seemingly backwater planet that has largely been ignored by the United Republic of Worlds becomes the focus for the Serrao-Orlov Corporation as the planet has a few secrets the corporation tenaciously wants to exploit.

Rosie—owner of Monk’s Bar, in the corporate town of West Brynner, caters to wannabe criminals and rich Earther tourists, of a sort, at the front bar. However, exactly two types of people drank at Monk’s back bar: members of a rather exclusive criminal class and those who sought to employ them.

Angel—ex-marine and head of a semi-organized band of beneficent criminals, wayward assassins, and washed up mercenaries with a penchant for doing the honorable thing is asked to perform a job for Rosie. What this job reveals will effect Persephone and put Angel and her squad up against an army. Despite the odds, they are rearing for a fight with the Serrao-Orlov Corporation. For Angel, she knows that once honor is lost, there is no regaining it. That doesn’t mean she can’t damned well try.

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Ok, so apparently this is now a sci-fi/space opera only blog?

GOODBYE, OTHER GENRES!!!

*ahem* To start with, even though it’s rather early to say it, I gotta think PERSEPHONE STATION is one of the early contenders for the best cover of 2021. I mean. Just look. Like…fucking wow…that is just stunning in every possible way. Shoutout to Tomer Hanuka on the beautiful illustration and Emma A. Van Deun for the flawless design work.

Ok, so. Right away I will tell you that I fucking adored PERSEPHONE STATION. But there is also an aspect to the story that frustrated me somewhat, and I’ll do my best to address it without veering too far into spoiler territory. In fact, I’ll address it right now: there definitely came a time for me where the motivations of our heroes felt a bit unclear to me, because the motivations of the “villain” were also unclear.

And like. This all gets resolved in one of the most bonkers HOLY-FUCK-WHAT-IN-THE-WORLD endings I’ve read in recent memory. But yeah. There were moments where I do wish things were a touch clearer in that regard. That’s…really the only negative thing I think I would say, and again, the payout on that frustration is huge.

I feel like badass is maybe an overused adjective. I’m probably guilty of it. But PERSEPHONE STATION is just completely badass. The cast of characters in this book is almost entirely comprised of women, with the exception of Rosie, who is nonbinary.

But yeah, if you asked me the name of a man with a speaking role in this book (there’s a few), I would struggle to remember. So, hell yes to that. This is exactly the kind of rad-as-fuck, queer space opera (with slight Western vibes) I’m looking to read!

Rosie is at the center of this whole story. They own a bar called Monk’s on the planet Persephone, in a town called West Brynner. But it’s a front, and Rosie is a crime boss. But like. Good crime. Sort of. I mean, they hire crews of assassins & mercenaries for all kinds of things and just…Rosie is fucking awesome!! They put together a crew led by Angel de la Reza. Angel is the owner of a ship called Kurosawa, and her & her crew are former members of an elite group of marines called the Thirteenth. Also called the “Corpse Corps.”

Because they have all been revivified. Brought back to life. Several times.

So…ok, wow.

The rest of the plot is really hard to detail without giving too much away, and so…I think I’ll leave it there. This is a story with a ton of surprises and they are, of course, better left for the reader to discover.

PERSEPHONE STATION is full to bursting with interesting characters, both human and otherwise. Some of the relationships between the various members of Angel’s crew just leap off the page. This is a group of women who, collectively, have Seen Some Shit, and that shared experience binds them all together that much more closely. I just loved them all so goddamn much.

Kennedy Liu (definitely named for a certain SFF author) is certainly one of the most enigmatic characters in this book, and watching her storyline weave in & out of Angel’s and Rosie’s storylines was dazzling. Leicht’s characterizations feel almost effortless, like these are real, authentic, weird, and badass people that she just happens to know. Oof.

Also, the action scenes in this book are fucking bananas, and unlike anything I’ve read in awhile. Weird alien bears & giant mechas & EPIC space battles….like holy fuck, this is intense!! Add in strange & deadly & beautiful environments, and this whole book just comes to life.

PERSEPHONE STATION is also snarky as hell & really funny. Lots of great dialogue between these characters, and some seriously heartachey moments that will sneak up on you. Yeah, wow. This was just incredible, something that felt familiar yet also wildly unique, and the kind of book where you learn to expect the unexpected. I just loved it so hard.

Huge thanks to Saga Press for the copy! PERSEPHONE STATION releases today!