Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
The Scavenger Door by Suzanne Palmer Series: Finder Chronicles #3
Published by DAW Books on August 17, 2021
Genres: Science Fiction, Space Opera
Pages: 464
Format: eARC
Source: NetGalley
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Fergus is back on Earth at last, trying to figure out how to live a normal life. However, it seems the universe has other plans for him. When his cousin sends him off to help out a friend, Fergus accidently stumbles across a piece of an ancient alien artifact that some very powerful people seem to think means the entire solar system is in danger. And since he found it, they're certain it's also his problem to deal with.
With the help of his newfound sister, friends both old and new, and some enemies, too, Fergus needs to find the rest of the artifact and destroy the pieces before anyone can reassemble the original and open a multi-dimensional door between Earth and a vast, implacable, alien swarm of devourers. Problem is, the pieces could be anywhere on Earth, and he's not the only one out searching.
I thought Finder was a standalone but lucky for everyone, it was just the first book in the Finder Chronicles series. I love this science fiction, space opera with the main character, Fergus is sort of a detective / Equalizer / McGyver kind of guy. In Finder, Fergus “retrieves” a lost space ship and returns it to the rightful owner in the middle of a civil war. In Driving the Deep, he has to locate his scientist friends who have been abducted and he deals with some family issues. In The Scavenger Door, Fergus gets a chance to spend some time with his family and save the world.
Fergus is just trying to be a normal guy. He’s spending time with his cousin and the sister he didn’t know he had. His cousin sent him to help a guy who lost some sheep and he finds a piece of metal. It turns out to be an alien “door key” which will let bad guys come to Earth. Fergus ends up hunting for all the pieces.
We learn more about his history because of his family and also the contacts on Mars who help him with the task. Zacker helps with some of the competition, along with a troupe of theater friends from the moon. The Shipyard AI help with locating where the pieces might be. So it is great to see he has friends from a variety of places.
Fergus has a lot of guilt about his younger sister and the danger everyone is in if he can’t accomplish his tasks. There is plenty of action and excitement and decent strategy. It does seem just a bit easy for him to accomplish some of it though. I wonder, and so does Fergus, what he will do with his life after this is over.
I really liked this but just a bit less than the other two books. It seemed a little too out there and while people get hurt and it isn’t easy, it seems too easy. There isn’t quite as much humor as the previous books but there are still some good laughs.
“Spotting him, Zacker gestured toward the taxi stand. “So, you came up with a plan?” he asked.
“Yep,” Fergus answered.
“I’m not going to like it, am I?” Zacker said. “In fact, it’s incredibly dumb and dangerous and desperate, right? And absolutely dependent on total stupid luck?”
“Exactly,” Fergus said, as cheerfully as he could. “It’s so nice to be with someone who gets my work methodology so precisely.”
About Suzanne Palmer
Suzanne was born a short distance outside Boston, Massachusetts, a short time before man first walked on the moon. With two somewhat rowdy brothers as her earliest influences, she grew up adept at catching frogs, stomping in mud, and smashing things with sticks. To what extent she has outgrown any of those behaviors, so far, is a matter for debate.
She has been an avid reader of science fiction & fantasy from practically the moment she learned to read. She has also had a lifelong interest in all things creative, though if she has any musical talent it remains so far undiscovered. She won several art competitions as a child, and when she went off to college followed that love. Suzanne has a Bachelors degree of Fine Arts in sculpture from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. Even during college years, her artwork had a strong narrative component, and her thesis exhibition consisted of an entire museum exhibit of artifacts from a fictional world. This included clothing, coins, furniture, manuscripts in an entire created language, and an 8′ tall two-legged creature complete with horns, fur, and teeth.
In 2005 she attended the Viable Paradise Writers Workshop on Martha’s Vineyard, and came away from it both unreasonably encouraged and with the rather surprising realization that writing had become an indelible part of her life, even more so than art. She’s been writing ever since, still does art when she can, and otherwise is just plain having fun with it all.
She has been nominated for the Theodore Sturgeon Memorial Award and the Eugie M. Foster Award. She has won reader’s polls for best stories from Asimov’s, Analog, and Interzone. Her first novel will be coming out from DAW Books in 2019.
Suzanne lives in western Massachusetts with a number of two- and four-legged critters, including one Very Large Fluffy Dog, and is a Linux and Database System Administrator for the Sciences at Smith College.
I read all types of books but my favorites are urban fantasy and romantic suspense.I like some romance and some action / adventure / mystery in everything.I like sex in my books but please, only between TWO people.Intimate conversation is equally important to the sex in a book.It lets me see the characters.The other thing I enjoy is humor.
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I enjoyed this book also, bit I have not had the pleasure of reading the first two. Sounds like I should go back and read them.
Sara | Book Confessions of an ExBallerina
I think it’s a great series and I would definitely read the first two books. Book 2 Driving the Deep is a 5 heart read.
I haven’t started this series but I’ve always been curious. Fergus sounds like a fun character?
yes, he is fun! I love the humor in the series and the compassion from someone who has had so little support or help in his life. He’s making his found family now as many great UF characters do.
looks like a good one and i did get a couple of chuckles from your quotes
I’ve really been enjoying the series.
Oh maybe a bit too sci-fi for me
Maybe. I like that it is not the usual military type scifi. The military is there but Fergus is a one man chaos, making things happen.
I need to look up this series. I’ve read some sci-fi that seems similar from John Scalzi and enjoyed it and I’d like to read more. A main character that’s sort of a MacGyver and Equalizer is appealing and I like a book with humor. Fab review, Anne!
Thank you ! It’s one of my favorite scifi series ove the last few years. Book 2 is my favorite.
This series sounds so exciting. Great review!
Thank you! It is exciting. Fergus is always in danger of being killed or arrested but he’s the good guy. The bad guys are always trying to get him out of the way.
I am glad that you enjoyed this even if it didn’t meet your expectations.
Yes it was good. Who am I anyway that the author should meet my expectations? The whole series are all very great reads.