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Blood Orbit: A Gattis File Novel Paperback – 15 May 2018
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K. R. Richardson
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K. R. Richardson
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Product details
- Publisher : PROMETHEUS BOOKS (15 May 2018)
- Language: : English
- Paperback : 496 pages
- ISBN-10 : 1633884392
- ISBN-13 : 978-1633884397
- Dimensions : 13.97 x 3.56 x 20.96 cm
- Customer Reviews:
Product description
Review
"Richardson has written a diabolically delicious twisty murder mystery set on a faraway planet against a backdrop of corporate greed, racial tensions, corrupt law enforcement, and secrets that refuse to stay buried. This is Criminal Minds meets Sherlock Holmes in space, and you're going to want to drop everything you're doing and grab a copy now." --DIANA PHARAOH FRANCIS, author of the Diamond City Magic series "Blood Orbit is crime-driven science fiction with crystal-sharp writing on a large, planetary canvas." --KEVIN J. ANDERSON, New York Times-bestselling author of The Dark Between the Stars "That thing they say about a book grabbing you and just not letting go? Yeah, that's the thing Blood Orbit does--really well." --JOHN SCALZI, New York Times-bestselling author "Using a brisk pace and an engaging and exciting narrative, Richardson establishes a world full of intrigue, injustice, violence, and mystery that will no doubt be built upon in further entries in the series. Blood Orbit is recommended for those looking for an effective blend of gritty space opera and police procedural or just for a fun, page-turning read." --BOOKLIST "Richardson creates a vivid world, a tense and gritty story combined with top-notch worldbuilding. A page-turner that's hard to put down." --YASMINE GALENORN, New York Times-bestselling author of the Otherworld series and the Wild Hunt series "At turns both cyber-bright and grim as old noir, Blood Orbit is a clever procedural with a killer cast of cops and robbers, on an alien world that's somehow very, very close to home." --CHERIE PRIEST, Hugo Award-nominated author of Boneshaker and Maplecroft "An intense tale of future crimes and the detectives we'll need to solve them, deftly set in world as alien as it is familiar." --JASON M. HOUGH, New York Times-bestselling author of Zero World
"A clever, twisting, and savage science fiction crime story that fuses colonization fiction with genuine deep noir. The end result is original, culturally rich, and as ruthless as a novel about murder, secrets, and lies should be." --WARREN ELLIS, New York Times-bestselling author of Gun Machine, Normal, and Transmetropolitan "Blade Runner meets The Big Sleep, as only K. R. Richardson could write it." --JACK CAMPBELL, New York Times-bestselling author of Vanguard "Richardson successfully grafts SF tropes onto a noir framework in this fresh and convincing futuristic thriller.... the storytelling is outstanding." --PUBLISHERS WEEKLY "Richardson takes sci-fi noir to a whole new level by dropping you into the site of a massacre in the rough-and-tumble streets of Angra Dastrelas and never letting you catch your breath. Richardson paints a fascinating world with a lush and complex story of family, revolution, and politics. It is a heart-stopping rush of a story." --K. B. WAGNERS, author of the Indranan War trilogy "A deeply satisfying mystery that unfolds as expertly as Richardson's dark and secretive Gattis, a planet I can't wait to visit again." --WARREN HAMMOND, author of the KOP series "Captivating space noir in the tradition of Richard Morgan's Altered Carbon." --STINE LEICHT, Campbell Award finalist and author of Of Blood and Honey "A smooth blend of science fiction and police procedural. . . . [A setting] filled with potential, both narratively and thematically: an exotic planet fueled by corporate greed and the oppression of its native races." --KIRKUS REVIEWS "A heart-pounding crime novel set in a fascinating future, Blood Orbit is a tale of law enforcement protecting the underclasses. I loved the world, and, best of all, I grew to love the characters. Well done!" --BRENDA COOPER, author of Wilders and Keepers "'Who am I?' meets whodunit in a cyber-noir tangle. Philip K. Dick and Raymond Chandler would both recognize Richardson as a worthy addition to their shelves." --LAURA ANNE GILMAN, author of the Paranormal Scene Investigations series
"A clever, twisting, and savage science fiction crime story that fuses colonization fiction with genuine deep noir. The end result is original, culturally rich, and as ruthless as a novel about murder, secrets, and lies should be." --WARREN ELLIS, New York Times-bestselling author of Gun Machine, Normal, and Transmetropolitan "Blade Runner meets The Big Sleep, as only K. R. Richardson could write it." --JACK CAMPBELL, New York Times-bestselling author of Vanguard "Richardson successfully grafts SF tropes onto a noir framework in this fresh and convincing futuristic thriller.... the storytelling is outstanding." --PUBLISHERS WEEKLY "Richardson takes sci-fi noir to a whole new level by dropping you into the site of a massacre in the rough-and-tumble streets of Angra Dastrelas and never letting you catch your breath. Richardson paints a fascinating world with a lush and complex story of family, revolution, and politics. It is a heart-stopping rush of a story." --K. B. WAGNERS, author of the Indranan War trilogy "A deeply satisfying mystery that unfolds as expertly as Richardson's dark and secretive Gattis, a planet I can't wait to visit again." --WARREN HAMMOND, author of the KOP series "Captivating space noir in the tradition of Richard Morgan's Altered Carbon." --STINE LEICHT, Campbell Award finalist and author of Of Blood and Honey "A smooth blend of science fiction and police procedural. . . . [A setting] filled with potential, both narratively and thematically: an exotic planet fueled by corporate greed and the oppression of its native races." --KIRKUS REVIEWS "A heart-pounding crime novel set in a fascinating future, Blood Orbit is a tale of law enforcement protecting the underclasses. I loved the world, and, best of all, I grew to love the characters. Well done!" --BRENDA COOPER, author of Wilders and Keepers "'Who am I?' meets whodunit in a cyber-noir tangle. Philip K. Dick and Raymond Chandler would both recognize Richardson as a worthy addition to their shelves." --LAURA ANNE GILMAN, author of the Paranormal Scene Investigations series
Book Description
This science fiction police procedural pairs an idealistic rookie with an officer who uses cybernetic implants to process forensics; in solving a mass murder, they will uncover a vast conspiracy.
About the Author
K. R. Richardson is a bestselling Washington-based writer and editor of science fiction, crime, mystery, and fantasy. A former journalist with publications on topics from technology, software, and security, to history, health, and precious metals, Richardson is also a lifelong fan of crime and mystery fiction, and films noir. When not writing or researching, the author may be found loafing about with dogs, riding motorcycles, shooting, or dabbling with paper automata.
Customer reviews
4.1 out of 5 stars
4.1 out of 5
19 global ratings
How are ratings calculated?
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyses reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Top reviews from other countries

Cathy Davidson
5.0 out of 5 stars
Five Stars
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 27 July 2018Verified Purchase
Brilliant new series to follow!
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DRRD
2.0 out of 5 stars
Just not for me
Reviewed in the United States on 24 May 2018Verified Purchase
I got about 60% of the way through and started skimming, becoming bored and frustrated with what I thought was going to be more of a mystery and a unique partnership than what I found.
While there was a ton of worldbuilding, and very descriptive, I found it a bit confusing to have to work out the politics of the story along the way. There are three different groups on the planet, and each have a distinctive skin color and culture, that clash with each other and the business forces coming in that want them gone. This seemed a bit of a mess at first, because it's 'catch it as you read' type of information. I think if it'd been explained better, (are they 'natives' of the planet, or were they early settlers, thus human?) it would have smoothed the way through the story a lot better.
While I wanted to like the two main characters, I can't say I did. One was so cold in his mannerisms that he seemed more artificial than human. The other was constantly making bad choices and trying to deal with his past while under a deadline. They worked together, but never really meshed by the time I lost interest.
I'm sure others will love this, but it wasn't what I was hoping for.
While there was a ton of worldbuilding, and very descriptive, I found it a bit confusing to have to work out the politics of the story along the way. There are three different groups on the planet, and each have a distinctive skin color and culture, that clash with each other and the business forces coming in that want them gone. This seemed a bit of a mess at first, because it's 'catch it as you read' type of information. I think if it'd been explained better, (are they 'natives' of the planet, or were they early settlers, thus human?) it would have smoothed the way through the story a lot better.
While I wanted to like the two main characters, I can't say I did. One was so cold in his mannerisms that he seemed more artificial than human. The other was constantly making bad choices and trying to deal with his past while under a deadline. They worked together, but never really meshed by the time I lost interest.
I'm sure others will love this, but it wasn't what I was hoping for.
11 people found this helpful
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C. Fielding
4.0 out of 5 stars
A very decent beginning to a promising series.
Reviewed in the United States on 2 September 2018Verified Purchase
Initially, I found the complexity of the setting to be too much for the mystery Ms. Richardson was telling. The mystery takes place on a world with racial tensions, political tensions, and economic issues that are all part of the backdrop. Corporate greed looms over everything the two protagonists see and do, and it can be difficult to keep the different racial issues in mind, especially since one of the protagonist is a man of mixed race who is disliked by both races, as well as the Corporation he works for. But, I chose to read Blood Orbit a second time, and I found myself enjoying the novel much more the second time.
I love Ms. Richardson's other works, and I think I expected Blood Orbit to follow along similar lines as her previous series. I should have paid attention to the change she made in her byline. Blood Orbit is not like the Greywalker series and to compare the two is unfair to both series. Blood Orbit is much more interested in the society and how corruption and greed within the society can lead to horrific acts that people attempt to justify as necessary for the cause. Ms. Richardson's language becomes broader and more poetic as the novel moves on, and you can find yourself emerged into a world that is very different, and yet remarkably familiar.
Ms. Richardson knows how to tell a powerful mystery story and at its heart, that is still what Blood Orbit delivers. But, there is more nuance to the characters and setting than in her previous work. There are moments when you can easily get bogged down by the information she gives you regarding Dillal's past or Matheson's impressions, but in re-reading the novel, I found that the backdrop around each character both enhances their motivations and helps drive the movement of the plot.
I'm looking forward to seeing what Ms. Richardson does in the next book in the series, especially since the information that bogged me down in my first read through has already been explained. This should allow the second novel to move even quicker through the streets and tunnels of Gattis, and deliver and even more satisfying mystery.
I love Ms. Richardson's other works, and I think I expected Blood Orbit to follow along similar lines as her previous series. I should have paid attention to the change she made in her byline. Blood Orbit is not like the Greywalker series and to compare the two is unfair to both series. Blood Orbit is much more interested in the society and how corruption and greed within the society can lead to horrific acts that people attempt to justify as necessary for the cause. Ms. Richardson's language becomes broader and more poetic as the novel moves on, and you can find yourself emerged into a world that is very different, and yet remarkably familiar.
Ms. Richardson knows how to tell a powerful mystery story and at its heart, that is still what Blood Orbit delivers. But, there is more nuance to the characters and setting than in her previous work. There are moments when you can easily get bogged down by the information she gives you regarding Dillal's past or Matheson's impressions, but in re-reading the novel, I found that the backdrop around each character both enhances their motivations and helps drive the movement of the plot.
I'm looking forward to seeing what Ms. Richardson does in the next book in the series, especially since the information that bogged me down in my first read through has already been explained. This should allow the second novel to move even quicker through the streets and tunnels of Gattis, and deliver and even more satisfying mystery.
4 people found this helpful
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Crafty Ninja
4.0 out of 5 stars
A slow burn sci-fi mystery worth the read
Reviewed in the United States on 24 February 2019Verified Purchase
Given that I adored the author's (Kat Richardson; as opposed her nom de plume for this series) Greywalker urban fantasy series, I was initially disappointed to struggle getting into Blood Orbit. Mainly, it is the language that I fought against (a broken English style that is frustrating for someone who's rather AR about grammar), but there's also quite a bit of world building. Additionally, I haven't read hard sci-fi in years and didn't have the time that I would normally take to sit down and push through a hundred pages in a sitting. I was only able to read a chapter or two at a time over the course of a month, which frustrated me further.
Your mileage may vary regarding the above stumbling blocks I experienced, but I think it's safe to say that this novel is very much a slow starter. The world building is well done and necessary to understand the intricacies of this corporate planet society: the class distinctions, the various humanoid species' customs and beliefs, and how the topographical areas affect life on this terraformed planet. As I expected, the characters are complex, interesting, and continue to develop throughout the novel. These are Richardson's forte and before long I'm no longer just reading a novel, I am visually watching it unfold like a movie.
Fortunately, the pace of the story vastly improves once you've crossed the 200 page point. Suddenly the momentum continues to build, the languages are familiar enough to not distract from the plot anymore, the characters have jelled, the action increases, the murder mystery starts to unfold, and we hurtle toward the end. Yes, all these things that made me adore the Greywalker series are present in Blood Orbit. This is why, despite the slow start, that I've given Blood Orbit a 4-star rating. I suspect that now that the bulk of the world building is in place, future novels in the series will be able to hit the ground running at a much faster clip. I'm sure that the complexity of the subsequent novels will focus on the cases to be solved and the interpersonal dynamics, which are the definite strengths of Blood Orbit.
Speaking of interpersonal dynamics, the characters in the novel truly shine. Everyone -including the protagonists- is hiding secrets. Dillal is the more experienced detective, but his recent cybernetic implants with CSI capabilities have allow him to head the forensic department despite his lower ethnic class upbringing. Matheson is not only a police rookie, he's newly arrived to Gattis, naive, hiding his privileged status, and is pushed into working with Dillal as his assistant simply by being on the scene of the multi-homicide case to which Dillal is assigned. Still, this case is Dillal's first using his implants and solving it favorably will make or break his career and the cybernetic program. Both are hated by the corporate cops for essentially jumping up the chain of command and not trusted by the ethnic races affected by this crime with whom Matheson and Dillal must interact to solve these murders because the detectives work for the company that suppresses them.
I'm excited to see in future novels how Dillal and Matheson continue growing their partnership and manage to solve additional crimes despite the continued mistrust from both the corporate cops and the ethnic races. By the end of this novel they've gained a little trust from both sides, but given the long history of animosity between the corporation and the ethnic workers, I have no doubt that these obstacles will continue to be a factor. The fallout from how they handled this case with the corporation and Matheson's family will definitely have repercussions as well. It's only by working together that they will succeed, despite all of the forces actively trying to make them fail.
As for comparisons, Blade Runner is a good one, there's definitely a hint of some District 9-ness in the world building, and a little Firefly/Serenity feel with having this take place on a corporate owned planet and trying maneuver around their meddling. That said, Blood Orbit never truly feels as if it exists in these worlds, but their flavors give Gattis a familiarity that rings true. I'm looking forward to learning more.
Your mileage may vary regarding the above stumbling blocks I experienced, but I think it's safe to say that this novel is very much a slow starter. The world building is well done and necessary to understand the intricacies of this corporate planet society: the class distinctions, the various humanoid species' customs and beliefs, and how the topographical areas affect life on this terraformed planet. As I expected, the characters are complex, interesting, and continue to develop throughout the novel. These are Richardson's forte and before long I'm no longer just reading a novel, I am visually watching it unfold like a movie.
Fortunately, the pace of the story vastly improves once you've crossed the 200 page point. Suddenly the momentum continues to build, the languages are familiar enough to not distract from the plot anymore, the characters have jelled, the action increases, the murder mystery starts to unfold, and we hurtle toward the end. Yes, all these things that made me adore the Greywalker series are present in Blood Orbit. This is why, despite the slow start, that I've given Blood Orbit a 4-star rating. I suspect that now that the bulk of the world building is in place, future novels in the series will be able to hit the ground running at a much faster clip. I'm sure that the complexity of the subsequent novels will focus on the cases to be solved and the interpersonal dynamics, which are the definite strengths of Blood Orbit.
Speaking of interpersonal dynamics, the characters in the novel truly shine. Everyone -including the protagonists- is hiding secrets. Dillal is the more experienced detective, but his recent cybernetic implants with CSI capabilities have allow him to head the forensic department despite his lower ethnic class upbringing. Matheson is not only a police rookie, he's newly arrived to Gattis, naive, hiding his privileged status, and is pushed into working with Dillal as his assistant simply by being on the scene of the multi-homicide case to which Dillal is assigned. Still, this case is Dillal's first using his implants and solving it favorably will make or break his career and the cybernetic program. Both are hated by the corporate cops for essentially jumping up the chain of command and not trusted by the ethnic races affected by this crime with whom Matheson and Dillal must interact to solve these murders because the detectives work for the company that suppresses them.
I'm excited to see in future novels how Dillal and Matheson continue growing their partnership and manage to solve additional crimes despite the continued mistrust from both the corporate cops and the ethnic races. By the end of this novel they've gained a little trust from both sides, but given the long history of animosity between the corporation and the ethnic workers, I have no doubt that these obstacles will continue to be a factor. The fallout from how they handled this case with the corporation and Matheson's family will definitely have repercussions as well. It's only by working together that they will succeed, despite all of the forces actively trying to make them fail.
As for comparisons, Blade Runner is a good one, there's definitely a hint of some District 9-ness in the world building, and a little Firefly/Serenity feel with having this take place on a corporate owned planet and trying maneuver around their meddling. That said, Blood Orbit never truly feels as if it exists in these worlds, but their flavors give Gattis a familiarity that rings true. I'm looking forward to learning more.
2 people found this helpful
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Curtis D. Frye
5.0 out of 5 stars
Hard-boiled Science Fiction
Reviewed in the United States on 15 September 2018Verified Purchase
I'd gotten away from reading detective novels for a few years. No real reason...I'd just turned to science fiction and urban fantasy instead. Blood Orbit hooked me with an inventive sci-fi setting and all of the class struggle, plots-within-plots, and bare-knuckle brawling of the best hard-boiled detective novels. Partner a rich kid who's doing his best to avoid his family's political intrigues with a guy from one of the world's underclasses and you get to watch them puzzle through a mystery while navigating the alliances, enmities, and baggage that comes with it all. It's an excellent first book in the series with a lot of room to grow.
4 people found this helpful
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