NOTHING HAPPENS!!!
Lowell writes well enough in that his prose is clear and descriptive, the dialogue fairly believable, and the details he provides are realistic. But the main problem in this book is what isn't there. There's no technical challenge to be overcome, no character conflicts to be resolved, no crises to avert or endure, no internal angst to work through. The main character, Ishmael, does seize some opportunities to improve his lot and those of his shipmates. But that alone is not enough to carry a book of this (normal) size. Seriously, we are given in-depth descriptions of sandwich making! Furthermore, I was repeatedly struck by the internal question, "so, this is all the progress they've made in 300 years?" I was just underwhelmed at the level of technology in this story. I just don't see myself spending time to read any more in this series. ( )

Ishmael Wang finds himself at a crossroads in life. Just as he was preparing to start university, Ishmael's mother dies, leaving him in a predicament. Ishmael's mother used to work for the university, which made attending there affordable and provided for their housing. Finding himself about to be evicted from his home and with his credits running low, Ishmael takes the only opportunity he sees available to him - enlisting for two years as a galley helper on a deep space commercial freighter.

Quarter Share is the first book in the series Golden Age of the Solar Clipper by Nathan Lowell. This is a no stakes, slice of life story about Ishmael learning to be a trader while making the best coffee ever for the crew onboard the SC Lois McKendrick. I enjoyed the slice of life aspect to things for the most part and found the story pretty relaxing. It should appeal to those who like there science fiction with a lot less action. For myself, even for low stakes I do need a bit more challenges for the characters to overcome instead of everything seeming to be so easy. Ishmael took on any task with a relatively low effort and it seemed like he breezed through becoming an advanced trader with little difficulty.

I listened to the audio book narrated by Jeffrey Kafer. Kafer's narration worked well with the story, bringing the characters to life as they went about their work onboard the ship. This title is currently available on Audible Plus. ( )

I’ve previously enjoyed The Wizard’s Butler, so I was curious to see how the author would handle space exploration. The tone is very similar: a slice of life where the main character (Ishmael, in this case) settles into an unfamiliar situation and makes new friends.

The story’s told in first person, past tense by Ishmael himself. The writing is tidy and smooth. I didn’t get a very strong impression of his personality (though I’m happy not to be totally immersed in a teenage boy’s head).

If you’re after a low-tension read, this is an excellent choice. Other than a few anonymous minor baddies early on, everyone’s a nice/kind/beneficient character. Everything goes according to plan, and any surprises are pleasant ones. It’s all too good to be true, and improbable that Ishmael’s bright ideas never occurred to anyone else previously. But sometimes it’s nice to escape into a world where the sailing is completely smooth. I don’t see myself binge-reading the series, but I may well revisit when I want to read something relaxing.

I listened to this in hopes of finding something similar to Becky Chambers' series. Chambers writes everyday lives of galactic citizens, although she does time their lives to a cultural zeitgeist. Lowell's book is okay. It's definitely everyday life, and is soporific. It's not bad, but it's lacking. ( )

Oh, I like. Little or no conflict, no villains at all (even the "scary" characters are quite nice, if you're doing your best!), interesting universe and social structures. There are oddities, of the "discoverer of fire" sort - Ishmael has an awful lot of "new" thoughts that are pretty simple. Though he's not the trading genius, that's Pip - who's been skating along without pushing himself, until Ishmael connects with him and leads him to thinking in different ways. I do wonder if Duchamp or Lois is the odd ship - whether the Marcel Duchamp was a singularly nasty ship or the Lois A. is a particularly supportive and helpful one. I suppose we'll see later in the series. And things like - if they do grow mushrooms, what will they do with them? If every ship grows mushrooms, that station isn't going to be very happy with them. Ishmael seems a bit younger than his years in terms of sex - any implication of it leaves him blushing and running. But that's not particularly strange given his upbringing. The story was a lot of fun to read; the characters are great people to hang out with; and the whole thing makes me think and wonder about this universe. Next, please! ( )