Jess Curtin has put in five long years to qualify for a Deep Space Freighter Master’s Certificate. Searching for a space platform to suit his needs, hasn’t been easy either. Jess finally finds one he can afford, gets a crew, and prepares for his first freight run. All his hard work and his future are destroyed by a strung out space jock and a game of chicken.

Jess is taken to a Guard Station to spend the next five years in rehabilitation and retraining. He and five others are kept separate from the general population. Someone in Administration wants these three men and three women, and their special skills for a covert project.

A battle is about to begin for controlling rights of minerals and metals being brought back to the solar system. While these substances are necessary for the survival of mankind, one man sees the opportunity to take control. Can Jess and his team figure out what the ruler of Planet Pluto is up to? Can they stop him in time?

The Interstellar Slingshot gets off to a bit of a slow start after introducing Jess Curtin, the main character. The story backtracks to give some historical background and prepare the setting. Once it gets back to Jess and introduces his team, the tale takes off.

When Jess and his team make their ‘escape’, the action throughout the rest of the story is practically nonstop. One event leads to another while they gather information and do what they have to to protect Slingshot. Each of the six has been chosen for their particular skill, and, together, they make a formidable team.

The main characters are well written and secondary characters are very active. You can’t be sure whose side a couple of them are on, which adds to the suspense. Dialogue is well suited. Description of life on Planet Pluto is vivid and fits into events throughout the story.

The Interstellar Slingshot is a different kind of science fiction story, one which I can imagine on a movie theater screen. Sci fi fans will enjoy this tale of a future we would hope to avoid.

Brenda Gayle