REVIEW: CassaStar by Alex J. Cavanaugh

CassaStar by Alex J. Cavanaugh
Publishing Information: Paperback; 246 pages
Publisher: Dancing Lemur Press; 19 October 2010
ISBN 10: 0981621066
ISBN 13: 9780981621067
Series: Book 1
Copy: Provided by publisher
Reviewer: Tyson

Back of the Book: "To pilot the fleet’s finest ship…
Few options remain for Byron. A talented but stubborn young man with a troubled past and rebellious attitude, his cockpit skills are his only hope. Slated to train as a Cosbolt fighter pilot, Byron is determined to prove his worth and begin a new life as he sets off for the moon base of Guaard.
Much to Byron’s chagrin the toughest instructor in the fleet takes notice of the young pilot. Haunted by a past tragedy, Bassa eventually sees through Byron's tough exterior and insolence. When a secret talent is revealed during training, Bassa feels compelled to help Byron achieve his full potential.

As war brews on the edge of space, time is running short. Byron requires a navigator of exceptional quality to survive, and Bassa must make a decision that could well decide the fate of both men. Will their skills be enough as they embark on a mission that may stretch their abilities to the limit?"

Next Tuesday you will be able to purchase CassaStar the latest entry in science fiction. CassaStar is a cross between Ender's Game, Starship Troopers, and the classic video game Wing Commander. As we follow the training of a highly gifted pilot named Byron as he goes to a training facility to learn to pilot the most advance fighter in the fleet.

Byron is similar to a lot of heroes in fiction, he is different from everyone else in the story as he has a natural gift of tactics and he excels in piloting his fighter. He also has a very rare gift, which I will not spoil by telling you what it is here in this review. For all of Byron's gifts he has a hard time getting along with his comrades. He also has a flair for showing off and going against the rules set by his instructors. His attitude and confidence turned me off throughout the novel.

Byron is joined by his navigator, Trindel. He is also very skilled and has his own quirks to deal with. Trindel provides the morality and humanity of the story. Towards the end of the novel he finds himself faced with a moral dilemma which will affect himself and Byron. I found myself liking Trindel a lot more than I did our main character as he was the only person to truly have grown through the experiences throughout CassaStar.

We also have his hard-nosed instructor Bassa who discovers Byron's rare gift and seeks an opportunity to refine it and use it to mold Byron into the greatest fighter pilot in the galaxy. Bassa is a legend in the military and the best active duty navigator in the fleet. He is well respected and looked up to by nearly every pilot for the last 20 years.

The world building in CassaStar is minimal, we know that they are human in appearance but not told if they are aliens or possibly the future of humanity. The history found in the novel is limited, what we know about the race's controlled sector of space gives us no clues. The ability to communicate by thought alone makes it hard to tell exactly who and what they are. We also know that they are not alone in the universe and that the majority of other creatures appear to be hostile toward them and one another. While the book does suggest a very large and diverse universe we are only allowed a peek.

The book does a fairly good job of keeping a brisk pace. It has to, at less than 250 pages it never bogs down and keeps on moving. It skips forward a few times to get you past the monotony of training and ends with a confrontation with one of the other races in the galaxy.

While CassaStar is a fun read, I found it a little too predictable which is why I have given it the lower score. however, If you are looking for a light read, this is right up your alley. As far as debut novels go, this is a good one. Cavanaugh has a lot of opportunities to expand the series and he should have a successful career ahead of him.

Plot 7
Characters 6.5
Style 6.5

Overall 7/10


Next Tuesday SBR is lucky enough to have a interview with Cavanaugh, so check it out.