The Ganymedan
The Ganymedan by R.T. Ester
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

So, I picked this out of a Netgalley lineup solely on a great cover. I'm not ashamed to admit it--especially after loving the SF much more than I thought I might.

Here's the skinny: It's a mystery with a good deal of back and forth between time periods for Verdot and often slipping into the mindset of a sentient ship. The mystery is a murder that Verdot committed and the full reasons for it, plus his escape throughout the Solar System, with TR, the ship, being an unwitting, indeed, very nice sentient ship as an accomplice. The ship isn't dumb, but it has as fantastic a back story as Verdot.

Great characters. But at least to me, I think I loved the deep, very fleshed-out worldbuilding even more. Every community/space station along the circuit is vibrant and feels lived in, fascinating. So much so that I could swear I was on the journey, that this would have made a brilliant, beautiful video game. That lived-in feeling, the full history and complicated life of Skinners, sentient ships of multiple generations, a war, ethical revenge, and even just the fact that everyone limits themselves out of disgust and barely repressed suicidal ideation is exactly the kind of deep, emotional lived-in-ness I love. TR is moving on, checking on all its friends in the circuit who barely survived suicide in the war. It's heart-felt and very positive--and I fell for it all.

Great SF. I will be keeping a strong eye on this author. Highly recommended.