Andrei and the Hellcats

In the fun, fast-paced sequel to Vibbert’s Galactic Hellcats, the Hellcats—a space gang made up of stock clerk Margot, master thief Ki, and tech-savvy Zuleikah—are on the run with Prince Thane of Ratana, who is still under their protection after the events of the first book. The Queen of Ratana is relentless in her hunt for her son, and when she chases the Hellcats to Near Jefferson Station, she kidnaps a couple of the Hellcats’ robot allies as collateral. Andrei and his sister, Autumn, are seen as mere property by the queen, and they are soon separated with the intent to sell Autumn. When Andrei escapes, he seeks out his favorite gang to help save his sister. This mission takes the Hellcats to many far-flung space stations, dodging the queen’s forces, outsmarting lax security systems, witnessing rampant capitalistic greed, inciting a riot, and managing to pick up even more strays along the way. Filled with solo-flyer chases, witty banter, and questionable intentions, this quirky, irreverent, and thoroughly enjoyable sequel is sure to please fans of the first book. (Aug.)