Fortuna

3.6
125 Reviews
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Introduction:
Fortuna launches a new space opera trilogy that will hook you from the first crash landing. Scorpia Kaiser has always stood in Corvus's shadow until the day her older brother abandons their family to participate in a profitless war. However, becoming the heir to her mother's smuggling operation is not an easy transition for the always rebellious, usually reckless, and occasionally drunk pilot of the Fortuna, an aging cargo ship and the only home Scorpia has ever known. But when a deal turns deadly and Corvus returns from the war, Scorpia's plans to take over the family business are interrupted, and the Kaiser siblings are forced to make a choice: take responsibility for their family's involvement in a devastating massacre or lay low and hope it blows over. Too bad Scorpia was never any good at staying out of a fight. Perfect for fans of Becky Chambers and Catherynne M. Valente, Fortuna introduces a dazzling new voice in science fiction.
Added on:
July 02 2023
Author:
Kristyn Merbeth
Status:
OnGoing
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Fortuna Reviews (125)

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M

Melissa ♥ Dog/Wolf Lover ♥ Martin

January 21 2020

Mel ????

M

Mogsy (MMOGC)

November 07 2019

4 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum <a target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow" href="https://bibliosanctum.com/2019/11/11/scifimonth-book-review-fortuna-by-kristyn-merbeth/">https://bibliosanctum.com/2019/11/11/...</a><br /><br />Kristyn Merbeth, AKA K.S. Merbeth, the author behind the rollicking Wastelanders novels Bite and Raid, takes her brand of riotous adventure and thrills to even greater heights in Fortuna. In this action-packed space opera about a dysfunctional family of smugglers, we journey with Scorpia Kaiser and her mother and siblings aboard their titular ship across a galaxy filled with conflict and chaos.<br /><br />As the eldest daughter and the pilot of Fortuna, Scorpia is looking forward to inheriting the business and the ship from her mother one day. But a recent transmission has thrown a wrench into those plans. Three years ago, her older brother Corvus turned his back on the family, enlisting in a war to fight for his home planet of Titan. His decision broke Scorpia’s heart, and because of that she has never forgiven him for his betrayal. But now, Corvus’ tour of duty is over, and their mother has ordered the Fortuna to rendezvous with him while on their way to another job, which unexpectedly takes a calamitous turn right in the middle of the awkward reunion.<br /><br />But what Corvus’ younger siblings don’t know is the truth of why he returned to Titan to fight in an unwinnable war. They have all changed a lot in the last three years, and his once beloved little sister Scorpia is clearly unhappy about his return. But with an entire planet dying around them, the Kaisers must now put aside their differences and work together in order to survive. Realizing how their mother had been used as a pawn in a conspiracy that reaches to the highest levels of interstellar politics, Scorpia and Corvus settle on a truce in order to protect what’s left of their family and prevent the galaxy from tearing itself apart from the inside out.<br /><br />Told in the first-person, alternating between Scorpia and Corvus’ points of view, Fortuna is a non-stop thrill ride through a vividly imagined universe, where the planet on which you were born can mean as much as your family name, while those without a world to call home can be left vulnerable and without protection. Where you claim origin can affect your culture, your history, and how others perceive and treat you, and even among members of the same family, your birthplace can matter. Under such divisive conditions, it is no surprise that there is so much tension among the planets, leading to the development of deadly biological weapons including plants that can strangle the life out of an entire world. For a series opener, the world-building was simply superb, setting the stage for more adventures to be had in this most imaginative setting.<br /><br />But the characterization was what made Fortuna stand out, and having it be a story about family was a brilliant move on Merbeth’s part. Anyone with a close sibling will probably find something familiar, heartwarming, or relatable in the characters’ interactions, because we understand how even though our brother or sister can get on our nerves, it’s simply impossible to imagine life without them. Corvus and Scorpia are complete opposites—him being serious and cool-headed, and her being impulsive and quick-tempered—but the two of them were close before his departure, which made the animosity between them upon his return all the more tragic. However, because of this impressively layered approach to their history, the ensuing steps to their reconciliation and eventual partnership were fascinating to watch.<br /><br />Their voices, so different from each other, also complemented each other surprisingly well. Both of them have their issues, with Scorpia dealing with a drinking problem that often lands her in trouble and causes her to make all kinds of bad decisions, while Corvus has seen and done some things in the war which has left their mark on his soul. But when it’s time to take responsibility, the two of them admirably step up and show they have what it takes. Their contrasting personalities and problem-solving styles also meant a plotline that was always interesting and dynamic, and although dual narratives often make me wary, in this case there was never any confusion which character we were following. Better yet, once Scorpia and Corvus’ threads converged, the story got even better.<br /><br />At the end of the day though, the plot’s trajectory and outcomes are pretty standard—but if you’ve come to Fortuna from the author’s Wastlanders books, you probably already know there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. When it comes to delivering a boatload of sci-fi action and rip-roaring entertainment, Merbeth knows exactly what she’s doing, keeping the story’s momentum raging along like a pro. Even when you know what’s coming, you just can’t help but hold your breath and keep your fingers crossed, and that’s exactly the kind of intensity and electrifying experience I look for in my space opera. The only question now then, is when does the next book come out already?

J

Justine

January 17 2020

Merbeth takes the family space crew trope and does a more than decent job with it. While this book isn't nearly as wackadoo as the author's excellent debut, <a href="https://goodreads.com/book/show/27415415.Bite__Wastelanders__1_" title="Bite (Wastelanders #1) by K.S. Merbeth" rel="noopener">Bite</a>, it does share some of the same great qualities. <br /><br />Merbeth's characters are real, and not just flawed, but downright seriously troubled. It is clear she has a good understanding of relationships and their complexity, and this provides a solid basis for an engaging story.<br /><br />The two POV characters, Scorpia and her older brother Corvus, each have distinct and unique voices. I did prefer Corvus's sections at first, as Scorpia is such a train wreck that it was at times painful to be in her shoes. She started to grow on me more as the story progressed, especially as we get to see how Corvus sees and remembers her.<br /><br />The first half of the book is a bit slow, but it picks up and sticks the finish. There is another book coming, which I plan to read, but this one does end in a good place without any cliffhanger.

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Holly (The GrimDragon)

November 14 2019

<b>"The moment we hit atmosphere, my nerves dissipate into a rush of adrenaline that makes me feel like I'm floating. I'm barely aware of my hands moving over the control board or my eyes roving the screens; instead the incoming information merges with my own thoughts, which flow seamlessly into responses from the ship, as if Fortuna is an extension of my body, another limb."</b><br /><br />Fortuna is yet another book that caught my eye on Twitter when I initially saw the cover. I filed it away in my chaotic brain to check out at some point. Awhile later, the updated cover reveal on the Orbit account completely changed my mind, making the urge to read this that much more crucial. The radical neon colors exploding across the image switched up the tone of the entire thing. It's incredible what a few changes can do in regards to interest. I mean, the original cover was decent! But this new one? Oof.<br /><br />Kristyn Merbeth is an author that I've been aware of from The Wastelanders duology (writing as K.S. Merbeth), which I still need to read! Fortuna is expected to be a trilogy, so I was excited to get an opportunity to begin a new series from an author that I was hoping to read in the near future.<br /><br />Fortuna is about a family of interplanetary smugglers. Recently, the Kaiser matriarch has decided to step down as leader, leaving Scorpia to inherit the ship and the dangerous black market business. Not only is Scorpia the pilot of Fortuna, but she is also an alcoholic in her 20's, living in the shadow of her older brother, Corvus. Corvus left home three years prior to join the brutal war on their home planet, Titan. His decision to enlist and leave their family devastated Scorpia and she hasn't been able to forgive him since. <br /><br />Having completed his mandatory term of service, Corvus is able to come home. Despite Scorpia's resistance, their mother insists on travelling to Titan to pick him up while on their way to complete another mission.<br /><br />However, things don't go quite as planned.<br /><br /><b>"Let's go take these bastards down."</b><br /><br />The setting of course appealed to me - I'm utter trash for a ragtag crew on a spaceship! But also, dysfunctional families; space battles; PTSD; shady missions; horrific massacres. I mean.. how could I resist?!?<br /><br />Unfortunately, after my initial curiosity, Fortuna didn't fully come together.<br /><br />The bones are there, buried deep within. However, this was a bit too bloated, especially as it stutters towards the middle, the pacing slowing down noticeably. I also struggled with the characters, mainly Scorpia. She feels more like a teenager, rather than a woman in her mid-20's. The juvenile narration, lack of personal growth and just.. her overall arrogance irritated me. I was not a fan of her character. At all. <i>::sigh::</i><br /><br />If I'm not digging the characters, than the plot has got to be ON FIRE. I can look past a predictable storyline if the characters have completely captured my heart. Fortuna has promise, but it's not enough. There are some tough topics explored here, yet it felt superficial. There wasn't any emotional depth. It was all surface-level, which completely took me out of it.<br /><br />Fortuna is one of those books that has wide audience crossover, because I feel as though it tends to lean more towards YA than adult. Which is fine, but doesn't generally appeal to my tastes. I won't be continuing on with this series, as ultimately it just wasn't for me.<br /><br />YMMV!<br /><br /><i>(Thanks to Orbit Books for sending me a finished copy in advance!)</i>

K

Koeur

August 26 2019

Rating: 1.7/5<br /><br /><b>Review: </b>I think this is a new writer and I am the first one to plant an ol’ review on here. So I am thinking kind(er) thoughts and expressing in a more…voluble way.<br /><br />This would have been great…IF the story line either shjt or got off the pot. The long winded and winding road that leads to a culmination in barely audible farts, left me bereft of the want I feel for characters. Take for instance, Scorpia. Well, how many times do we have to experience her stupid choices and drunkard lifestyle? Once is enough for me and if I see that she is growing into something better or worse, then kudos to the author for building a character you can root for. Shey, constantly “BITING HER LIP” does not a vulnerable character make. She should have been blown out an airlock when found stowed away. Mainly for her actions but mostly for her characterization.<br /><br />So without hammering on all the characters and the thinness therein, the idea that 4 habitable worlds exist in the same solar system might be statistically improbable. One is tidally locked, yet supports life and a breathable atmosphere. Hmmm, a lot of things have to go right for that to happen. Like only the twilight strip of land between the cooked side and the freezing side might support life. So planet Gaia, in this instance, is a fail. Not enough information is given about the other planets to make a call, yet I suppose this was on purpose in order to create a novel without a solid science foundation.<br /><br />So there is much clenching of fists, biting of lips, clenching of teeth aaaaaaand, the rising of bile in ones throat to emphasize emotions that are adolescent in theme and wildly inappropriate. Still, I kept reading this train wreck because somewhere within lurks some talent that can rise with time and good editing advice.

S

Sana

February 16 2019

THIS IS ABOUT A WHOLE-ASS FAMILY OF SPACE SMUGGLERS, YESSSS

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Hank

April 27 2022

3.5 It was good-ish The various planets in the system that we travel to were a bit too various like the author was trying too hard and we spent too much time inside the two main character's heads but the adventures were good and the action when it happened was also fun.<br /><br />None of the characters issues were resolved at the end, they remain broken in the ways they started but with a better understaning on how to go forward? It was oddly satisfying.<br /><br />Good for space opera, Firefly fans, not sure if I will read the next one.

L

Lindsay

January 12 2020

The <i>Fortuna</i> is a small crewed freighter in the Nova Vita system, a rarity in a time of increasing tension and isolationism in interplanetary politics. The Kaiser family survives through careful planning (each child of the family has a different planetary citizenship) and various legal and illegal jobs. Scorpia Kaiser is the ship's pilot who has lived her life in the shadow of her brother Corvus. Corvus has been off fighting a pointless and brutal war for three years, but he's about to return, and that leaves Scorpia in a horrible position, making her even more reckless than she normally is. When Scorpia's mother get them all involved in interplanetary politics and alien technology, the family is challenged just when its weakest.<br /><br />The small spaceship with either a found family or, as in this case, a real family, has become a popular trope in recent years. This one takes an interesting approach to that by showing that family as very troubled. The Kaiser matriarch Auriga is abusive and manipulative. Scorpia is a drunk, a criminal and a reckless disaster walking. Corvus is a traumatized veteran, and the other Kaiser siblings have their own issues. All of which makes their striving to step up to prevent an interplanetary war very satisfying.<br /><br />I'm actually close to giving it 5 stars, but the first half drags, particularly during Scorpia's chapters. Still well worth a read at least for the different take on what's becoming a well worn trope.

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Rachel (TheShadesofOrange)

November 27 2021

<b>3.5 Stars</b><br />This is a promising start to a space opera trilogy. Filled with plenty of action and adventure, the story moved along a good clip. <br /><br />The characters were a unique group and admittedly I found them a bit immature. Given the premise, that may have been an intentional choice, but it still was a bit frustrating in places. While this is adult science fiction, I think it would have a lot of cross appeal for readers looking to get into adult fiction. <br /><br />The story was fairly simply, hitting many of the tropes of the genre, yet it was still an enjoyable ride. I'm definitely curious to see where the story will go in the second book. <br /><br />I would recommend this one to readers looking for a newer, fun entertaining space opera.<br /><br />Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher, Orbit Books.

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Lata

January 31 2020

A slow start to a plot that picks up eventually in this space opera with two PoVs: Scorpia and Corvus, half-siblings. They're part of a family that engages in trade between planets in a system. Each planet is markedly different from the other, and there are technological remnants of an extremely powerful alien race on these planets. This tech is central to some truly horrible happenings during this story. But what makes this book so enjoyable, though initially very painful, is the family dynamics, and how it evolves over the course of the book. Though Corvus seems initially the more balanced sibling, Scorpia really grew on me, even with all her self-destructive actions. I liked the differences between each planet and the cultures, too, and there is some really interesting stuff to do with the former residents of these planets. I'm interested to find out where Merbeth takes the family crew next in this series.