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Murphy's Gambit
Born a "floater"--an oppressed race developed to withstand a zero-gravity environment--Thiadora Murphy is forced to work as a test pilot for a powerful corporation, but soon finds herself in a position where she may be able to liberate all floaters.
- GenresScience FictionFiction
377 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published November 1, 2000
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About the author
Syne Mitchell
15Ìýbooks48ÌýfollowersWife of Eric S. Nylund
Syne Mitchell (born 1970) is a novelist in the science fiction genre.[1] She has a bachelor's degree in business administration and master's degree in physics. She lives in Seattle, Washington and is married to author Eric S. Nylund. Her first science fiction novel was Murphy’s Gambit which won the Compton Crook Award in 2001. She subsequently published the first installment of the Deathless series, called The Last Mortal Man. She is currently working on podcasting and writing non-fiction essays.
According to her blog, Mitchell's The Last Mortal Man series has not been chosen for further publication. As a result, she has chosen to pursue other series. To further this goal, she has joined a local writer's group.
Mitchell publishes an online magazine for handweavers, WeaveZine, and produces a monthly podcast, WeaveCast.
The Deathless series was canceled by ROC publishing due to "sluggish sales." Syne Mitchell wrote a preview of Book 2, which was added to the back of Book 1.
Syne Mitchell (born 1970) is a novelist in the science fiction genre.[1] She has a bachelor's degree in business administration and master's degree in physics. She lives in Seattle, Washington and is married to author Eric S. Nylund. Her first science fiction novel was Murphy’s Gambit which won the Compton Crook Award in 2001. She subsequently published the first installment of the Deathless series, called The Last Mortal Man. She is currently working on podcasting and writing non-fiction essays.
According to her blog, Mitchell's The Last Mortal Man series has not been chosen for further publication. As a result, she has chosen to pursue other series. To further this goal, she has joined a local writer's group.
Mitchell publishes an online magazine for handweavers, WeaveZine, and produces a monthly podcast, WeaveCast.
The Deathless series was canceled by ROC publishing due to "sluggish sales." Syne Mitchell wrote a preview of Book 2, which was added to the back of Book 1.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
August 16, 2019
Murphy's Gambit is by Syne Mitchell. Syne Mitchell is the wife of the well known author Eric S. Nylund. She is also something of a prodigy, having entered collage at the age of thirteen and graduating summa cum laude at the age of fifteen.
In this one Thiadora Murphy who is only six weeks from graduating from CEA Space Academy is at the top of her class. She is set up by an unscrupulous corporation who then offer her a job as a pilot of an unknown type of spaceship, which she refuses. After then being expelled she is left no choice but to take up that offer or be forced into indentured service for the rest of her life. Instead she decides to run.
On the run, without money or options, she is offered a job by a rival corporation, to steal the very ship the first corporation wanted her to pilot. A path that will turn her into a criminal, a fugitive with a huge price on her head. A path that will endanger those close to her and will turn her into the very thing she entered the academy to escape being, a floater rebel, just like her notorious her father.
With one foot on each culture, grounder and floater, accepted by neither and distrusted by both, she tries to find herself, to discover who she is as she desperately fights to stay alive and free and ultimately change things for the floaters and the human race as a whole.
In this one Thiadora Murphy who is only six weeks from graduating from CEA Space Academy is at the top of her class. She is set up by an unscrupulous corporation who then offer her a job as a pilot of an unknown type of spaceship, which she refuses. After then being expelled she is left no choice but to take up that offer or be forced into indentured service for the rest of her life. Instead she decides to run.
On the run, without money or options, she is offered a job by a rival corporation, to steal the very ship the first corporation wanted her to pilot. A path that will turn her into a criminal, a fugitive with a huge price on her head. A path that will endanger those close to her and will turn her into the very thing she entered the academy to escape being, a floater rebel, just like her notorious her father.
With one foot on each culture, grounder and floater, accepted by neither and distrusted by both, she tries to find herself, to discover who she is as she desperately fights to stay alive and free and ultimately change things for the floaters and the human race as a whole.
May 29, 2014
Murphy's gambit was an enjoyable quick read- there were times when Syne Mitchell's science fiction became a bit too fictional... Such as during moments of complex emotion (not that there really were any). Her strength came out while illustrating the beautiful universe of exploration and the two different cultures that evolved out of access to zero gravity lifestyles. It was a fun read and a perfect break from all the Pulitzer winners.
November 2, 2010
best throwaway line ever: "it's only rocket science!"[return]This is my personal favorite of Syne's SF books to date.
August 7, 2017
I'd actually give this a 3.75 rating. Not quite a four because the storyline is predictable, but it was definitely a fun read. I have no problem with predictable plots if the journey is entertaining and imaginative and the main character is believable in their motivations.
I've missed reading a straight up sci-fi adventure that is a good mix of adventure and creative technology. Nothing too heady like 2001 Space Odyssey, nor anything like an over-blown space opera. Murphy's Gambit was a good coming of age story set in the distant future of space colonization.
I'm definitely inclined to check out some of this author's other works and I'd definitely recommend this book to sci-fi fans.
I've missed reading a straight up sci-fi adventure that is a good mix of adventure and creative technology. Nothing too heady like 2001 Space Odyssey, nor anything like an over-blown space opera. Murphy's Gambit was a good coming of age story set in the distant future of space colonization.
I'm definitely inclined to check out some of this author's other works and I'd definitely recommend this book to sci-fi fans.
March 31, 2008
Syne Mitchell writes pure space opera ... an epic journey, a plot twist or two, some unreasonable event, mild sexual undertones, and a quick (happy) ending!
Why 5 stars? B/C I enjoyed reading it while the kids took a bath ... I could set it aside w/o too much pain ... but was engaged enough to remember where I left off.
Too bad Syne Mitchell stopped writing ... she had a knack for fun fiction.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 29, 2024
This was diverting and had some interesting ideas about how what culture might look like among people who grew up isolated and entirely in zero G. Protagonist, her love interest and central antagonist were kind of cardboard cut-outs though.
March 29, 2021
Thiadora Murphy, a social outcast raised to withstand a zero-gravity environment, is expelled from her military academy and forced to work as a test pilot for a powerful corporation.
March 5, 2021
I really liked this book. It was fun and kept me guessing as to what was going on. A great read with a happy ending and it’s a sci-fi what’s not to like?
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
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