Their 125-year journey was a promise. Now, it's a death sentence.

A catastrophic explosion cripples the UNCS Jens Andersen's life support and breaches the vital radiation shield, turning the long colonization voyage into a guaranteed killer for the hundreds aboard.

Brilliant but rebellious engineering cadet Erin devises the only audacious solution that can save them all. But Chief Engineer Manik's crushing insecurity escalates his professional opposition into a dangerously obsessive campaign to stop her.

A life-or-death deadline looms in the form of a stellar flare directly in their flight path. As the clock ticks down, Manik's attempts to stop Erin escalate from obstruction to outright subversion.

Can Erin prove her radical theory is sound and outwit a desperate, violent saboteur before the Andersen's last hope—and its last chance at colonization—is destroyed?

If you enjoy these books, you'll love Defiance:

Fans of Andy Weir's Project Hail Mary will enjoy the high-stakes technical problem-solving aspects of Defiance. His book Artemis also features a young, resourceful, rule-breaking female heroine. The Martian shares with Defiance a core focus on scientific problem-solving under extreme pressure.

Becky Chambers fans of To Be Taught, If Fortunate will appreciate the focus on the crew's interpersonal dynamics under pressure. A Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet has the same found-family feeling of a diverse crew on a long journey through space.

Brandon Sanderson's readers of Skyward will enjoy how Erin, like Sanderson's Spensa, must prove her worth in a rigid hierarchical environment, creating a compelling coming-of-age journey.

Recommended for adults and mature teens.
Content advisory: Contains violence and mature psychological themes. Reader discretion is advised.

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