The Icarus Hunt

Timothy Zahn
2000 a.
464 lk.

From Timothy Zahn, Hugo Award winner and New York Times bestselling author of two landmark Star Wars® series, comes an  original new tale featuring a renegade space pilot, his unusual alien partner, and an unknown cargo that can change the course of galactic history.

Jordan McKell has a problem with authority. Unfortunately for him, the iron-fisted authority of the powerful Patthaaunutth controls virtually every aspect of galactic shipping. In order to survive, Jordan ekes out a living dabbling in interstellar smuggling for outlaw concerns that represent the last vestiges of free trade in the galaxy. So when Jordan and his partner, Ixil--an alien with two ferret-like "outhunters" linked to his neural system--are hired by a mysterious gentleman to fly a ship and its special cargo to Earth, they jump at the job.

Caution has never been one of Jordan's strong suits. But this time he may have taken on more than even he can handle. The ship, Icarus, turns out to be a ramshackle hulk, the ragtag crew literally picked up off the street, and the cargo so secret, it's sealed in a special container that takes up most of the cramped and ill-designed ship. As if that weren't bad enough, it looks like the authorities already suspect something is afoot, there's a saboteur aboard, and the Icarus appears to be shaking apart at the seams.

It doesn't seem as if things could get any worse. That is, until a beautiful crew member helps McKell uncover the true nature of the cargo he's carrying. With his enemies closing in on the lumbering Icarus, the unknown saboteur still aboard, and authorities on Earth pressured to turn them in, McKell and Ixil become fugitives. Their only chance is to stay one step ahead of their pursuers as they try to make it home.

A bold and epic novel filled with unrelenting action and a good dose of humor, The Icarus Hunt is a wild hyperspace romp through the galaxy.

Arvamus:

Tegemist on kriminaalromaani sugemetega “jookse ja tulista” stiilis actioniga.

Arheoloogilistel väljakaevamistel satutakse mingile muistsele lennuaparaadi sarnasele asjale, mille väärtuseks arvatakse olevat see, et tal tundub olevat peal maailmas hetkel kasutatavast hüperajamist täiuslikum variant. Väljakaevaja tahab aparaadi uurimiseks vaikselt Maale toimetada, ehitab sellele kosmoselaeva ümber, palkab meeskonna seda Maale viima... ning galaktikas siiani kõige täiuslikumat hüperajamit omav rass - ja tänu sellele kosmiliste kaubavedude monopolist - saab asjast haisu ninna ning asub kõigi vahenditega oma ainumonopoli kaitsma.

Teel Maale tuleb artifakti vedaval laeval iga veidikese aja tagant kusagil planeedil tankimiseks peatuda ja iga kord läheb seda hüperajamit endale tahtjatega järjest karmimaks madinaks. Kriminaalsed elemendid on loos ka muidugi mängus.

Raamat lõpeb teadagi happy endiga (minu jaoks liigagi happy ja kesisega), arvatav muistne hüperajam osutub hoopis ***, laeval toimunud salapärased sündmused ja mõrv seletatakse lahti ja loo head kangelased osutuvad veel paremateks ***.

Selline kerge tühisevõitu ajaviitelugu, ulme mõttes polnud seal midagi märkimisväärset, aga tempot ja pinget ikka leidus. Oli loetav, aga kui lugemata jätta, ei jää ka millestki ilma. Kolm...