Audiobook - Saya's First Giant Step
Susan Omand finds herself in deep space and running out of air reviewing Saya's First Giant Step by Neil Gardner and Spokenworld Audio...
Following directly on from Saya's Last Gasp (which I reviewed here) we find Second Assistant Environmental Apprentice (on probation) Saya floating alone outside the Relativity Cruiser, watching it disappearing into deep space, breathless and swearing. As the air begins to run out on her suit, she begins to reflect on her life and how it had done her wrong on so many occasions, not that she had done anything wrong to cause her problems. He starts to think about her childhood and her start in the space trade. The images are not pleasant as she tries to find a nice final thought to dwell on and goes back to her first day as a junior system analyst and the Engineering CO. She thought about the Engineering Hall and how there was no obvious way to get into it, requiring the proverbial Leap of Faith. But was she able to take that Giant Step?
I really enjoyed hearing more about Saya, and getting some more of her back story. I really think it was a benefit that I had listened to Saya's Last Gap first, as it explains more of who she is now and why she happens to be set adrift in deep space with only a spacesuit to protect her. I enjoyed spotting the subtle nods to Douglas Adams' HitchHikers Guide to the Galaxy in Neil Gardner's writing, not only in the quote, the light humour and style of narration, but also in the "being thrown out of a spaceship" storyline and the Relativity Drive being so close to the Infinite Improbability drive. Even the Engineering CO was more reminiscent of a Vogon than anything else. Thankfully though, there is still enough uniqueness in the work that they are still just nods and I hope it remains that way in any future Saya stories rather than tipping over into a total pastiche.
Finally, praise must be given to Louise Jameson for portraying the character of Saya so well and capturing her anger and frustration as well as her naivete and almost childlike qualities.
A good continuation of Saya's story and I'm still interested to find out more about the character and her past, if not her future. I hope we get another chapter in her tale soon.
Image - Spokenworld
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