Ada Lamarr, sarcastic galaxy-crossing smuggler, and rule-following government officer Rian White return for one last adventure in the fast-paced, snarky conclusion to Beth Revis's Chaotic Orbits novella trilogy, aptly titled Last Chance to Save the World. In Full Speed to a Crash Landing and How to Steal a Galaxy, Revis sent Ada and Rian on a collision course, to highly entertaining effect. Now, they have a tight window of time to return to Earth and sabotage a billionaire's plot to release climate-cleaning nanobots infected with malware. But first, they've got to confound multiple security systems--and visit Ada's mother.
Revis's narrative zips along like one of Ada's spaceships, bouncing between Ada's irreverent inner monologue and Rian's curt memos to his team, which are sprinkled with wry, telling footnotes. They're forced to adapt on the fly as security protocols and family ties frustrate their original plans, all while acknowledging that their brief partnership is nearing its end. As Revis turns up the will-they-won't-they heat, she also incorporates pointed commentary on technocrats who are convinced of their right to rule, plus an unexpectedly poignant mother-daughter story line (and a few insights on pigeons). Ada and Rian dodge sophisticated technology traps and the messy feelings in their own hearts, but they also must replace the nanobots' code without getting caught--or Earth may be doomed. With a high-octane blend of chaos and romance, Revis's novella is great fun for fans of heists, space operas, and saucy star-crossed lovers. --Katie Noah Gibson, blogger at Cakes, Tea and Dreams