Sixth Prime by Dan O'Brien ~ A Review

by MK French

On Nyan, the artist Ale Euclid's death sparks off an investigation that ultimately spans the galaxy. The investigator works for the Sluga Mining Trust, a corporation built on the interests of the seven worlds making up the solar system that was ruled by a military without ties to either the Sovereignty or Commonwealth. Unwittingly, he stumbles upon a conspiracy, people known as Primes, and That Which Came Before.
Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

July 2016; 978-1534810648
ebook, print (310 pages); space opera

At first, it seems as though the plot threads have no connection to one another. Ale's death is definitely a great hook to bring in the reader. The investigation aspect is interesting, because the forensics here is somewhat based on present-day reality. Being sci-fi, the information obtained from scans is instant and can give precise dates for when people were last present. From there we get more political intrigue and the conflicts between the Sovereignty and Commonwealth control of the galaxy. It isn't clear how an Ale's death ties to the Sluga company until about a third of the way through the book, and even then it isn't fully explained.

In the midst of the sci-fi elements are these mysterious Primes that will apparently kill each other until only one remains, the Darkness serving the Great Darkness That Came Before, and the threats of horrors arising to destroy the galaxy as each Prime dies. It adds a horror element to a mining station, evoking the feeling of the movie "Alien." There is also an artifact called the Pondus that bounty hunters and the wealthy adventurer Cel Whitesun both want; that story thread adds to the horror element in the novel.

There isn't a neat conclusion at the end of this story, which befits the opening novel of an entire saga of books. I hope that there is more to the plotting in later books, explaining the story of the Primes, the Darkness, and how all of these threads will neatly tie in together.

Buy Sixth Prime at Amazon

Born and raised in New York City, M.K. French started writing stories when very young, dreaming of different worlds and places to visit. She always had an interest in folklore, fairy tales, and the macabre, which has definitely influenced her work. She currently lives in the Midwest with her husband, three young children, and golden retriever.

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