Vigilance

Vigilance is the third book in the Fractal series from Allen Stroud, following Fearless and Resilient. You know how it is with series; by the time you hit book three, you've got a pretty good idea of what you're getting into. The big question is whether the author can keep the momentum going, or if it all starts to sag a bit. It can be challenging to maintain that initial spark and keep the stakes feeling fresh, but some authors manage it.

Good news: Stroud keeps it tight. He doesn't just maintain the pace; he ratchets it up.

If you've followed the journey so far, you'll know that Stroud doesn't pull his punches. The stakes have been escalating steadily, and Vigilance is no different. In the aftermath of Phobos Station’s destruction, sinister forces fight to control humanity’s fragile first steps in colonising other worlds. This isn't a simple battle of good versus evil; there are competing agendas at work, all who live in the grey areas and have their own (self-justifiable) reasons. Some want to overthrow the Corporations and Governments entirely, others want to see everything burn, regardless of the cost. This layered conflict adds a real depth to the narrative, making the threats feel more complex and insidious than a simple enemy. Captain Ellisa Shann and her crew are fighting to survive, but also with a mission to unlock the secrets of a mysterious and ancient alien ship.

Vigilance picks up the threads from Resilient and then pushes the characters further, often into some pretty uncomfortable corners. What I appreciate about this series, and especially this book, is that it doesn't just rely on big explosions and space battles, although there are plenty of those if that's your thing, and they are well-executed. The real strength, though, is how the characters are forced to deal with the consequences of their choices, the moral ambiguities, and the ever-present, relentless threat they're up against.

Stroud's writing continues to be clean and efficient. He moves the plot along at a good clip, maintaining a relentless pace that keeps you turning pages, without getting bogged down in unnecessary exposition. You get the sense that every scene, every interaction, every piece of dialogue is there for a reason, pushing the story forward or deepening your understanding of who these people are and what they're fighting for. The tension builds nicely, a slow burn that erupts into frantic action, and some moments genuinely make you wonder how they're going to get out of the mess they're in.

That’s always a good sign.

The characters, whom we've spent a couple of books getting to know now, are once more put through the wringer. Stroud isn't afraid to test his character's limits. They continue to evolve (mostly under pressure), making some tough decisions, or occasionally, only just holding on to their sanity. The blend of intense personal struggle within a larger, high-stakes conflict is one of the things that makes Stroud’s work so compelling. He manages to keep a focus on the human element, making you care about their fate, even when big things are happening and often going completely sideways in the macrocosm.

If you're already invested in this series (and you should be), Vigilance is a necessary and satisfying continuation. It delivers on the promise of the previous books by escalating the conflict and pushing the characters further into their personal and desperate fight for survival, while bigger things happen around (and through) them.

If, for whatever reason, you haven't started yet, you've got a couple of good reads to catch up on before you get to this one. Like the first two, though, the author encapsulates the story enough that you could, if you want, just read this book (but why would you when the first two are so good).

Vigilance and the Fractal series as a whole are a rewarding enrichment to the science fiction landscape. It’s inclusive, rewarding, character-driven sci-fi that doesn't let up; it should be a part of any serious sci-fi reader's collection.