In Fireships, David Drake looks back to the Age of Discovery for inspiration with a tale of the far future. The Elizabethan sensibilities are everywhere in this novel, from the broadsides from plasma cannons to the very society of the far-future Venus. Lords and factors and fiefs all exist in this story, and wealth is made in trade with the far flung colonies of a previous Earth civilization, lost in a long ago disaster. Feral humans and the alien Molts, whom the evil empire use as slaves but the heroes of the book treat as comrades, inhabit this extraterrestrial Caribbean, as do ports of trade and outposts of the battling societies.

The inspiration for the setting aside, Mr. Drake has created an exciting adventure with strong characters, thrilling action and heart-in-throat derring-do. I suppose one might need to categorize this--if one felt the need to categorize--as space opera, as much of the technology seems crafted to fit the Elizabethan model. That aside, much of the book is anchored in real physics, as we know it, especially the zero-g combat, the dynamics of which--as delivered by Mr. Drake--enthralled me.

The story follows the career of Sal Blythe, a female captain of a merchant vessel caught up in the coming war between the tyrannical Earth empire of President Pleyal and free Venus, with its heart-felt and fervant Christianity and swashbuckling merchant-captains. Granted, I was a little surprised to see the Maple Leaf representing an absolutist tyranny (I mean, our country was founded on Responsible Government rather than Manifest Destiny), but it's all in good fun. The values are also operatic in that the villain is unrepentantly evil and the heroes are fighting the good fight. We really don't get to know any of the North American Federation's citizens, except as victims and losers, but two of the three main Venusian characters--Sal Blythe and the feared Stephen Gregg--are extremely well-developed, with self-doubts, strong motivations and characteristic actions. Piet Ricimer is portrayed as very human, but I didn't feel I knew him as well as I new Sal and Stephen.

The characters of Sal and Stephen are the greatest asset to the book, even more than the action. Sal is a woman making a go of it in a man's world, a world in which even her own father is willing to accept the prejudices of the day and the black rumours that circulate about a female captain. Stephen is the ubiquitous man with a past. He loves combat, to his own dismay. He is only truly alive in battle, and he hates it. While he is not self-loathing, his past and the deaths he has caused consume him.

Along with these wonderful characters, the reader is treated to incredible action. Much of the book is about the battle between the Federation and Venus. The book recounts battles in space between huge fleets, battles inside spaceships as boarders try to take over, battles on the ground as the Venusians attack an enemy port--in short, a lot of battles. They do not become tired or repetitive, which is much to Mr. Drake's credit. One is never lost, though the fog of war does envelope the characters. Mr. Drake's writing illustrates the action with clarity but also with verve. The reader becomes involved with the action.

My biggest complaint with the book, and one that interfered with my early enjoyment, is its extremely short chapters. It is an an idiosyncrasy of mine, but I like to follow a long arc of action or story, but often the chapters in Fireships are five or six pages, some a bit longer and many even shorter. I just felt comfortable in a scene when I was whisked out of it. As a literary device, it seems akin to the visuals of MTV editing, jarring the reader in and out of the action, never letting the reader focus long on anything. Mr. Drake must have had his reasons for this, and his writing is otherwise excellent, but I really didn't enjoy it. I came to accept it, as otherwise the story is excellent.

Other than this, the black and white of the background conflict seemed a little juvenile. Only a couple of the Venusian captains are shown as self-interested, and the only Venusian we meet who actually conducts trade with the Federation is a slimy, revolting gun-runner. For the most part, the Federation officers are dishonest and pompous, never willing to play fair or act with honour. I think I would have enjoyed the book more if the supporting cast showed a range of individuals, both in the ranks of the good guy Venusians and those citizens and soldiers of the Federation that we do meet.

Overall, this is a great, exciting read. My disappointments with the book might be considered trivial by many readers, who would then find little to complain about. Mr. Drake has top-drawer writing skills, his dialogue is crisp and believable, his action is heart-pounding and the main characters are all likeable. As the summer is fast approaching, this is the kind of book you'll enjoy sitting around in the sun with a beer. It doesn't make many demands on the reader, but provides a fun ride all the way through.

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