In a dystopic future where humans are wrecking their planet, an omnipotent energy creature forces them to leave. It rips them from the safety of their homeworld and sends them on a risky interstellar voyage on giant arkships. Meanwhile, on another planet, an alien sentience wreaks havoc on innocent explorers, killing and maiming them, even reaching out into space to eliminate their starship.Stars and Bones is the first novel in a new series by one of my favorite authors, Gareth L. Powell, and it’s the fifth book I’m reading, including the co-op with Peter F. Hamilton: Light Chaser.In some ways S&B reminds me of another series by Hamilton, the Salvation Sequence, where a powerful alien race seeks to abduct humanity based on religious principles. While in other ways it’s completely different.Powell does what he does best. He writes about ordinary people in extraordinary situations, and how they handle the crises. The sentient starships are his trademark, and as always he writes well. The story ebbs and flows in a pleasing and natural way, and it’s both entertaining and keeping you on the edge of your seat. Imagine The Expanse meets Battlestar Galactica. Although I’d personally wish for more technical and scientific detail, the book still deserves five stars, and I’m looking forward to the next one!