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Megan E. O'Keefe

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Velocity Weapon: Book One of The Protectorate Paperback – 13 Jun. 2019

by Megan E. O'Keefe (Author)

4.1 2,588 ratings

Book 1 of 3: The Protectorate

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'A brilliantly plotted yarn of survival and far-future political intrigue' Guardian

***SHORTLISTED FOR THE PHILIP K. DICK AWARD***

The last thing Sanda remembers is her gunship exploding.

She expected to be recovered by salvage-medics and to awaken in friendly hands, patched-up and ready to rejoin the fight. Instead she wakes up 230 years later, on a deserted enemy starship called The Light of Berossus - or, as he prefers to call himself, 'Bero'.

Bero tells Sanda the war is lost. That the entire star system is dead.

But is that the full story? After all, in the vastness of space, anything is possible . . .

Dazzling space battles, deadly galactic politics and rogue AI collide in Velocity Weapon, an epic space opera from award-winning author Megan E. O'Keefe.

Praise for Velocity Weapon

'An entertaining SF thriller' SciFiNow

'Furious action sequences, funny dialogue, and a plot that will keep you guessing every step of the way' K. B. Wagers

'Velocity Weapon is fast-paced, twisty, edge-of-your-seat fun. Space opera fans are in for a massive treat!'
Marina J. Lostetter

Product description

Review

A brilliantly plotted yarn of survival and far-future political intrigue ― Guardian

A complicated, thoughtful tale that skillfully interweaves intrigue, action, and strong characterization ― Publishers Weekly

Full of twists, feints, and deception, O'Keefe's latest presents a visionary world rife with
political intrigue and space adventure

― Booklist - starred review

A well-written tale of space adventure, underhanded political dealings and AI rights all wrapped up in a fast-paced plot and a well-thought-out world. A must-read for fans of James S. A. Corey and Alastair Reynolds ― Bookbag

Meticulously plotted, edge-of-your-seat space opera with a soul; a highly promising science-fiction debut ― Kirkus

O'Keefe keeps the pace pumping, timing the big twists perfectly ― SFX

An entertaining SF thriller ― SciFiNow

A mix of space opera action and interplanetary political shenanigans, Velocity Weapon is a good match for readers of John Scalzi ― Omnivoracious/Amazon Book Review

A great premise, compelling plot, and engaging cast of characters . . . from an author worth keeping an eye on ― Amazing Stories

The twists come fast and furious . . . This one shouldn't be overlooked ― B&N Scifi & Fantasy Blog

Book Description

Dazzling space battles, intergalactic politics, and rogue AI collide in Velocity Weapon,the first book in this epic space opera series by award-winning author Megan E. O'Keefe.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Orbit (13 Jun. 2019)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 544 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0356512223
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0356512228
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 12.6 x 4 x 19.6 cm

Best Sellers Rank: 74,093 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- 694 in Colonisation
- 704 in Genetic Engineering Fiction
- 782 in Galactic Empire

Customer reviews:
4.1 2,588 ratings

About the author

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Megan E. O'Keefe

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Megan E. O'Keefe was raised amongst journalists, and as soon as she was able joined them by crafting a newsletter which chronicled the daily adventures of the local cat population. She has worked in both arts management and graphic design, and spends her free time tinkering with anything she can get her hands on.

Her website is: http://www.meganokeefe.com

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2,588 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers enjoyed the book and found it enjoyable. They thought the concept was good initially and the idea was clever. However, some felt the content was uninteresting and silly. There were also complaints about technology not working perfectly and the story dragging. Opinions were mixed on the plot, with some finding it interesting and flowing well, while others felt it became more ordinary. The character development received mixed reviews, with some finding them engaging and well-drawn, while others felt they were not as deeply drawn as in other books. There were also mixed opinions on the writing style, with some finding it well-written and easy to read, while others felt it was poorly written and dull.

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Readability Concept Plot Character development Writing style Content Functionality

12 customers mention ‘Readability’12 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book's readability. They find it enjoyable, relaxing, and gripping. The future world is interesting and credible.

"...by O’Keefe, which must be a failing on my part because this was thoroughly enjoyable, and rather clever to boot...." Read more

"...Anyway, overall if I could I'd give it 3.5. It's worth a read." Read more

"...I was very wrong. It’s just very readable. I found the story clever and didn’t guess some of the plot twists...." Read more

"...5 stars I enjoyed reading this space opera, though I found it a bit uneven...." Read more

4 customers mention ‘Concept’4 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the concept of the book. They find the idea interesting in the first couple chapters. However, the second half becomes enjoyable and clever.

"...failing on my part because this was thoroughly enjoyable, and rather clever to boot...." Read more

"Two stars as the idea was good initially; and the first couple chapters on the sample seemed promising so I purchased it without reading the reviews...." Read more

"An interesting set-up but it isn't sustained, the second half becomes tedious as it ploughs through the plotline and then ends on a cliffhanger...." Read more

"Clever but rather wooden dialogue..." Read more

32 customers mention ‘Plot’22 positive10 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the plot. Some find it interesting and engaging, with many twists and turns. Others feel the storyline becomes more ordinary and hard to relate to until near the end.

"...It would be too spoilerific to say any more, but there’s some very well played plotting in here, and no faction is black-or-white...." Read more

"...The story is very strong, and there's a lot of interesting plot to digest. My main issue is with the characters and some of the tone of the book...." Read more

"...as deeply drawn as in Becky Chambers’ books but it had the same space adventure feel. I bought the next in the series straight away." Read more

"...On the plus side, main character Sanda Greeve is feisty and resourceful, if a little too lucky as she navigates the twists and turns of her battle..." Read more

14 customers mention ‘Character development’9 positive5 negative

Customers have different views on the character development. Some find the characters engaging and well-drawn, with Sanda being a standout character. Others feel the characters are not as deeply drawn as in Becky Chambers' books, and the character interactions don't gel. The chapters alternate between three characters, and some readers felt the character development didn't flow smoothly.

"...It was a good story, and Sanda is the standout character as she has to survive a cold future with only her wits...." Read more

"...The characters aren’t as deeply drawn as in Becky Chambers’ books but it had the same space adventure feel...." Read more

"...It is well crafted, with strong characters, vivid backdrop and convincing world...." Read more

"This was a satisfying read with well constructed storytelling, a good lead character and intelligent writing...." Read more

12 customers mention ‘Writing style’7 positive5 negative

Customers have different views on the writing style. Some find it well-written, easy to read, and cinematic with vivid backdrops and a convincing world. Others feel it's slow, dull, poorly written, and lacking in detail.

"...It is well crafted, with strong characters, vivid backdrop and convincing world...." Read more

"...Light weight science and poor detailing, fight scenes are drawn with skimpy detailing and I often found it hard to see how the outcome had been..." Read more

"...It was very cinematic - in an Iain M Banks kind of way..." Read more

"...Not a good read. I wish I hadn't bought it on kindle because then at least I'd be able to recycle it to a charity shop!" Read more

6 customers mention ‘Content’0 positive6 negative

Customers find the content uninteresting and silly. They feel the plotlines are abruptly cut off, and there is a lack of world-building.

"...is someone receiving a medal for a dead relative..a totally useless pointless interlude. And so much of the book is like that...." Read more

"Some clever twists and well written, but ultimately a bit silly." Read more

"...Long buildup and no payoff at the end. Nothing of importance is learned and all the open plotlines just get cut off suddenly when the book ends...." Read more

"...dragged out to create a series but fails because the content is uninteresting and you end up not caring whether there is to be a number 2 or not...." Read more

3 customers mention ‘Functionality’0 positive3 negative

Customers dislike the functionality of the book. They say some technological elements don't work perfectly, and the story drags and doesn't go anywhere in this first book.

"...Not everything works perfectly, and the various technological elements aren't always 'out there' enough for a story of this scale, but the use of..." Read more

"...future with unremarkable characters and a story that drags and goes nowhere at all in this first book...." Read more

"This really did not work for me, first half of the book with one premise then in a page 180 degree turn around just because the author could - I..." Read more

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M. Hepworth
Fun and twisty space opera
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 28 July 2019
Verified Purchase

This is my first book by O’Keefe, which must be a failing on my part because this was thoroughly enjoyable, and rather clever to boot.
This is a space opera set in a system suffering a tense conflict between two planets, the independent Icarion, and Ada Prime, part of the Protectorate of the Primes who control all interstellar traffic through their series of gates. Sanda wakes up after a brief but explosive confrontation between her home of Ada, and the Icarians – and it’s an Icarion ship she’s waking up on. Worst still, the ship’s AI tells her it’s centuries later, and the Icarians had unleashed an unprecedented weapon, wiping out both her home planet and themselves. Sanda has to persuade the AI to trust her and come up with a plan to get back to civilisation.
Cut back to shortly after Sanda was lost, and her brother Biran is just joining the leadership of Ada Prime – the Keepers – as tension is at its height and they wait to see if the Icarians will fulfil their threat about this new weapon.
Interspersed with these two stories are some more cameos filling in the blanks, and what initially appears to be an unrelated side-story set elsewhere.
Although tense, these storylines seem to be heading in fairly predictable directions – but then the twists begin, and the secrets behind the setting start to filter through. It would be too spoilerific to say any more, but there’s some very well played plotting in here, and no faction is black-or-white. It was a good story, and Sanda is the standout character as she has to survive a cold future with only her wits.
This is the beginning of a series, and that’s where my only real criticism comes in – although it ends at a fairly satisfactory breakpoint, it’s to-be-continued and there’s a lot of material that has clearly only been put in book 1 to support later events. That said, what is being set up is clearly going to be very interesting.

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sjhigbee
One of the best opening scenes in space opera that I've read...
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 27 July 2020
Verified Purchase
My firm advice is to avoid the wretched blurb, which Spoils the opening scene - one of the best I've read in a long time and blew me away. I loved the situation Sanda finds herself in and was riveted by the ongoing dilemma and how it was going to play out.

However, that isn’t the only major plotline in this book. While I also enjoyed Biran’s storyline, there was another ongoing narrative which I struggled not to skim. It was about a scrappy girl from a poor background who pulls a job which goes badly, which simply couldn’t compete, when compared with the events facing Sanda and Biran, whose unfolding stories just went on getting ever better.

And then, Sanda’s storyline also became a bit more ordinary, turning more into a typical action-packed space opera adventure, rather than the fantastic tension-filled tightrope I’d inhaled in the earlier part of the book. That said, I don’t want anyone to think this is a bad or disappointing story. It is well crafted, with strong characters, vivid backdrop and convincing world. The problem was – it didn’t quite fulfil the promise of that amazing opening, howeverI am certainly looking forward to Chaos Vector with great anticipation. Recommended for fans of well-told space opera adventure.
8/10

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3 people found this helpful

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David Far and Wide
Sort of good. Slightly annoying.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 4 April 2020
Verified Purchase
I absolutely loved this when I started it, but in then end I found it a bit of a struggle to finish, which is a shame as it's the first part in a series and ends on a kind of a cliff hanger so I would like to find out what happens next.

The story is very strong, and there's a lot of interesting plot to digest. My main issue is with the characters and some of the tone of the book. The main character Sanda started to get on my nerves about a third the way through and only got worse after that. I can't quite put my finger on what annoys me about her but there are a couple of things that just don't ring true. For a start there is this repeating theme about her and her brother - this whole thing about how she's dedicated her life to "protecting" her little brother which just seemed stupid to me. Her brother is an adult and part of the planet's elite - what person in their right mind makes all of their life choices (like deciding to join the military) because of some fixation with her brother? It didn't ring true to me.

And then there's her relationship with Tomas. I get that she fancies him, but there are parts of the book where it just gets a bit much - where the tone slips into teen romance territory with her catching her breath over his "smouldering looks" and the rest of it, particularly as these moments often seem to coincide with parts of the book where the two of them are imminently about to be thrown out of an airlock or blown up where you'd think abject terror would be a more appropriate response.

Anyway, overall if I could I'd give it 3.5. It's worth a read.

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10 people found this helpful

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CJL1970
A great space adventure
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 20 December 2020
Verified Purchase
I loved this book. I put off choosing it because of the title for quite a while. It sounded like one of those macho military space books that I have no interest in. I was very wrong. It’s just very readable. I found the story clever and didn’t guess some of the plot twists. It was very cinematic - in an Iain M Banks kind of way (I’m not implying the world building is on a par with Banks but the way the action rolled along very enjoyably reminded me of him). The characters aren’t as deeply drawn as in Becky Chambers’ books but it had the same space adventure feel. I bought the next in the series straight away.

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DenverBrian
Fast paced space opera with fun characters
Reviewed in the United States on 5 January 2022
Verified Purchase

The author spins up a universe with interesting premises, enough world-building to pique interest, enough characters for you to find one or two favorites, and enough plot twists to make you realize this is going to take a few volumes to resolve.

I'm surprised by the criticism of this being Volume 1 of a series. Good lord, what indie author DOESN'T write in this genre as a series? Was The Expanse not nine volumes? And yes, I'm putting up this Protectorate series against The Expanse.

Niggles: Main characters get names like Sanda and Biran. I guess Sandra and Brian are just too "present day?" Some authors think the oddball names somehow place readers into the future; I think they just come across as too cutesy. The addition of one character who is gender neutral (their pronouns are they/them) comes across as a bit tokenist. And I agree with others that we could have used one or two additional chapters on the foundations of Prime (gawd, I can imagine this is Amazon Prime a few centuries in the future, and it's quite frightening) and the Casimir gates. But hey...it's a series. I'm instantly into Book Two, where I'm sure there will be some answers, but more twists and questions. Overall, an excellent start to a promising series.

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ca mcmorland
Good
Reviewed in the Netherlands on 8 October 2024
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Good but not great

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Andrew Weston
Excellent Stuff!
Reviewed in Germany on 22 March 2023
Verified Purchase
As my followers know, there are few things I like better than an ‘unconventional’ space opera. You know; stories that span the galaxy in scope, and yet manage to hang on to those old-fashioned values that make us what we are. Human(ish). And in Velocity Weapon by Megan E. O’Keefe, you get exactly that. . .
Though the blurb doesn’t give much away:
**********
The last thing Sanda remembers is her gunship exploding.

She expected to be recovered by salvage-medics and to awaken in friendly hands, patched-up and ready to rejoin the fight. Instead she wakes up 230 years later, on a deserted enemy starship called The Light of Berossus - or, as he prefers to call himself, 'Bero'.

Bero tells Sanda the war is lost. That the entire star system is dead.

But is that the full story? After all, in the vastness of space, anything is possible . . .
**********
As usual, I’m going to be very careful about giving anything away regarding plot development. I’ll leave that to O’Keefe and her story. But what I will reveal is that she lays out the threads of her story so that it can be told from three main perspectives. Then, as events unfurl, you’ll see how she begins to tighten those threads until it begins to knot into a coherent whole. (Remember that, because this first book is just the beginning of something special).
And it’s cleverly done, we’re not only introduced to an intergalactic society set in the far distant future, but we also see how humanity remains divided by the same old hang-ups we’ve always had.
There’s interplanetary political intrigue aplenty. Forbidden tech in the wrong/right hands. Hidden subtext. Space action and hi-jinks. Sound world building and character development, where the theme of familial ties and loyalty abounds. And it’s all delivered in a beautifully crafted, superbly executed and down to earth way that gets you involved from the outset.
I thoroughly enjoyed it. And for me, what I particularly liked was the way O’Keefe leads you along a particular path, only to trip you up with an unexpected plot-twist. And then another. AND another! (It really is that good).
Buuut that’s not all. As the plot thickens and certain revelations are made and laid to rest, she also manages to sow the seeds of future developments that you know will be addressed in later books. And THAT’s good storytelling. Because with something this complex, it takes time to tell the story properly. And I really appreciate the author who doesn’t rush, allows the story to set its own pace, and teases you with even more diabolical machinations to come.
Excellent stuff! I can’t wait to see what happens . . . and really, isn’t that the reaction every author should try to elicit from their readers?

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James E
Wow just wow this was unexpected.
Reviewed in Canada on 27 August 2020
Verified Purchase
This book has been very well written and without giving anything away, the transition is very well done. Love the characters , the plot and the setting. Look forward to the next book!

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Rodolfo Spindler
Vale a leitura, mas nada sensacional...
Reviewed in Brazil on 3 January 2020
Verified Purchase
The author has great imagination and created a nice universe, but the world building was left aside. Although this book is kinda high tech, it's not hard sci-fi at all. Way too much science was left under explained on the habitation of very different planets in a star system. The book has lots of unforeseen plot twists (maybe I'm rusty). Other than that, the author was too wordy on too detailed descriptions of "furniture" and digresses. And, as always, too many righteous-heroic (boring) characters - it makes you root for the vilains... Anyway, in the end was left a very nice giant hook for the next one on the series...

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Velocity Weapon: Book One of The Protectorate Paperback – 13 Jun. 2019

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Space-romp which revels in its hundred percent fun-factor. (Nilsreviewsit)

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5.0 out of 5 stars Fun and twisty space opera

4.0 out of 5 stars One of the best opening scenes in space opera that I've read...

3.0 out of 5 stars Sort of good. Slightly annoying.

5.0 out of 5 stars A great space adventure

Top reviews from other countries

5.0 out of 5 stars Fast paced space opera with fun characters

4.0 out of 5 stars Good

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Stuff!

5.0 out of 5 stars Wow just wow this was unexpected.

4.0 out of 5 stars Vale a leitura, mas nada sensacional...

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Fun and twisty space opera

One of the best opening scenes in space opera that I've read...

Sort of good. Slightly annoying.

A great space adventure

Fast paced space opera with fun characters

Good

Excellent Stuff!

Wow just wow this was unexpected.

Vale a leitura, mas nada sensacional...