Fantasy Book Critic: Book review: Bluebird by Ciel Pierlot

ABOUT AUTHOR: Ciel Pierlot is a disaster bisexual from the San Francisco Bay Area. She’s also a giant nerd and no, you cannot stop her from bragging about her lightsaber collection. When she’s not writing SFF novels, she’s busy being a digital artist and a hardcore gaymer

Published by Angry Robot (Feb 08, 2022) Length: 400 pages Cover design: Tom Shone

OVERVIEW: Bluebird is fun. It's not the most original science fiction romp, but its action-packed scenes and character interactions make it entertaining.

Rig, a gifted weapons developer, abandoned her faction and lives as a gunslinging and thieving rebel. Her girlfriend, June, is a sexy librarian, and life is good when they're together. But, unfortunately, her former faction needs what Rig stole from them. If she doesn't give it back, they'll torture and kill her twin sister Daar.

With the help of friends and unexpected allies (Ginka, a mysterious agent of the Ossuary faction), armed with panache and pizzazz (her biocoded guns ), Rig is ready to fight. Who knows, maybe the days of the faction system will finally come to an end.

Good pacing, polished prose, and fun factor made it a quick read. Constant banter is fun until it isn't; some jokes land, some don't. It's almost as if the whole story was more banter-driven than character-driven. Not a bad thing, especially if you're looking for something lighter.

I liked the characters, but they lacked nuance and complexity. They're memorable and angsty, loud and bold, but not entirely convincing. Rig, a brilliant weapons designer, doesn't always act too bright. And that's okay - emotional intelligence doesn't always go hand in hand with the ability to solve complex scientific problems. All in all, I liked her, and I can see younger readers relate to her in ways I can't.

All told, Bluebird is flashy, action-packed, and quick to read. I had a good time reading it. It won't stay with me for months, but not every book has to. Recommended to sci-fi readers looking for an entertaining and quick read.