Diving Universe Books

Boss loves to dive historical ships, derelict spacecraft found adrift in the blackness between the stars. Sometimes she salvages for money, but mostly she’s an active historian. She wants to know about the past—to experience it firsthand. Once she’s dived the ship, she’ll either leave it for others to find or file a claim so that she can bring tourists to dive it as well. It’s a good life for a tough loner, with more interest in artifacts than people. Then one day, Boss finds the claim of a lifetime: an enormous spacecraft, incredibly old, and apparently Earth-made. It’s impossible for something so old, built in the days before Faster Than Light travel, to have journeyed this far from Earth. It shouldn’t be here. It can’t be here. And yet, it is. Boss’s curiosity is up, and she’s determined to investigate. She hires a group of divers to explore the wreck with her, the best team she can assemble. But some secrets are best kept hidden, and the past won’t give up its treasures without exacting a price in blood.

Boss, a loner, loved to dive into derelict spacecraft adrift in the blackness of space... But one day, she found a ship that would change everything—an ancient Dignity Vessel—and aboard the ship, the mysterious and dangerous Stealth Tech. Now, years after discovering that first ship, Boss has put together a large company that finds Dignity Vessels and finds "loose" Stealth Technology. Following a hunch, Boss and her team come to investigate the city of Vaycehn, where fourteen archeologists have died exploring the endless caves below the city. Mysterious "death holes" explode into the city itself for no apparent reason, and Boss believes Stealth Tech is involved. As Boss searches for the answer to the mystery of the death holes, she will uncover the answer to her Dignity Vessel quest as well—and one more thing, something so important that it will change her life—and the universe—forever.

Mae, chief linguist on the Ivoire, heads a diplomatic mission to Ukhanda. Her handling of relations with the Quurzod lead to a battle that causes the Ivoire’s anacapa drive to malfunction, stranding the ship in foldspace. Mae can’t remember what she did wrong on the mission: all she knows is that she’s one of the few survivors. If she doesn’t recall it, she won’t be able to prevent another disaster when the Ivoire escapes foldspace. If the Ivoire escapes foldspace. Because what no one talks about—and everyone fears—is that the Ivoire is becalmed…forever.One of the untold stories in Kristine Kathryn Rusch’s award-winning “Diving” universe, “Becalmed” stands alone—yet answers questions long-time readers might have about the history of the Fleet. “[‘Becalmed’] is quite fascinating and another fine tale from Rusch.” —SFRevu “Rusch delivers a page-turning space adventure...”—Publisher’s Weekly on Diving into the Wreck

The final installment in the exciting, fast-moving, and passionate space opera. Searching for ancient technology to help her friends find answers to the mystery of their own past, Boss ventures into a place filled with evidence of an ancient space battle, one the Dignity Vessels lost. Meanwhile, the Enterran Empire keeps accidentally killing its scientists in a quest for ancient stealth tech. Boss’s most difficult friend, Squishy, has had enough. She sneaks into the Empire and destroys its primary stealth-tech research base. But an old lover thwarts her escape, and now Squishy needs Boss’s help. Boss is a fugitive from the Empire, and she knows how to make a Dignity Vessel work. She also knows that Dignity Vessels house the very technology that the Empire is searching for. Should Boss take a Dignity Vessel to rescue Squishy and risk losing everything to the Empire? Or should she continue on her mission for her other friends and let Squishy suffer her own fate? Filled with battles old and new, scientific dilemmas, and questions about the ethics of friendship, Boneyards is space opera the way it was meant to be: exciting, fast-moving, and filled with passion.

The answers Captain Jonathon “Coop” Cooper and the crew of the Ivoire seek lie in the Boneyards. But they must wait for Boss and her team to dive it, explore the wrecks, and piece together what happened in that faraway place. Boss loves the challenge. Thousands of ships, centuries of history, all play to her strengths. In her absence, she trusts Coop to defend the Nine Planets Alliance against the Enterran Empire.But an encounter from Coop’s recent past shows up to haunt him, an encounter he never told Boss about, an encounter that could threaten her future, his life, and the fragile peace between the Alliance and the Empire. A combination of first-person and third-person narrative and flashback segments makes this a complex and compelling story. It’s like having three tales in one, with an added peek into the bad guys’ activities, all of them intriguing, classic science fiction. It leaves the reader eager to explore this universe again and see what will happen next with these characters.—RT Book ReviewsThe Diving Universe, conceived buy Hugo-Award winning author Kristine [Kathryn] Rusch is a refreshingly new and fleshed out realm of sci-fi action and adventure. And the latest offering…doesn’t disappoint.—Dave Dickinson, Astroguyz“…there's wreck diving, space battling, and even a bit of romance here. Throw in plenty of suspense and several plot twists, and you have adventure SF in the old tradition.”—Bill Crider’s Pop Culture Magazine“There’s adventure, suspense, intrigue, and not a few surprises, all in Rusch’s quick, light prose. Boss, as much historian as salvager, reminds one of a Poul Anderson or Gordon R. Dickson protagonist. This is definitely a fun universe to visit: dive in!”—Don Sakers, Analog

Boss remembers the Room. It haunts her. Her mother died there. Now, a client wants her to go back. She wants Boss to help her uncover the Room’s mysteries. But the truths she discovers might destroy everything Boss holds sacred.The Room of Lost Souls novella also appears in a slightly different form in the novel Diving into the Wreck.“The Room of Lost Souls,” Special Mention, UPC Award, 2007. Winner, Asimov’s Readers Choice Award for Best Novella, 2008.The room of the title lurks at the heart of a mysterious space station built by an unknown intelligence; those unfortunate enough to venture into it disappear, die, or both. The station and the Room become an object of obsession and an almost religious devotion for those who search for the key to its mysteries. The characters in the story describe their quest as a pilgrimage: "something religious." It's got a fascinating air of menace…—SF Gospel

Stealth tech: a lost science everyone wants to reclaim. The woman who helped Boss dive the Dignity Vessel, known then as Squishy, claims a long and storied history with stealth tech. Her research into the lost science caused deaths before, and she failed to prevent them during that fateful dive. Now, she vows to find a way to destroy the technology once and for all.Chosen as one of the best novellas of 2011 by the readers of Asimov’s SF Magazine, Stealth tells Squishy’s story and adds a rich dimension to the quest for stealth tech.The Stealth novella also appears in a slightly different form in its entirety in the novel Boneyards.“Stealth” is an exciting SF tale set in a rich, well-constructed world, and for that it deserves to be read by any SF fan.—Tangent OnlineWhat new can I say about Kristine Kathryn Rusch? She's one of the best in the business and [“Stealth”] is another example of why I think so.—SFRevu

The Fleet. In Boss’ time, a thing of legend. Long before Boss and her crew found their first Dignity Vessel, long before the Room of Lost Souls claimed its first life, the Fleet used its advanced technology to explore the galaxy. But even in its heyday that technology sometimes malfunctioned. And occasionally, that malfunction exacted an unfathomable price.Winner of the 2010 Asimov’s Readers’ Choice Award and coming in third place in the prestigious international UPC Contest, Becoming One with the Ghosts tells the story of Captain Jonathon “Coop” Cooper and the crew of the Ivoire—a story that began in Becalmed—and their ill-fated journey out of foldspace.The Becoming One with the Ghosts novella also appears in a slightly different form in its entirety in the novel City of Ruins."Becoming One With the Ghosts" is a science fiction mystery with a creepy around the edges feel. —Tangent Online This entry into the ‘Diving’ canon is a doozy ... a suspenseful story of a large spaceship returning to base, and finding that the base is quite different to normal.—Best SF

Starbase Kappa. The Room of Lost Souls. An abandoned space station with different names but one certainty: People die there. Still, a soldier can’t argue with orders, no matter how bad a place’s reputation. Enterran Empire Operations Commander Elissa Trekov’s most famous relative died there, so she thinks she knows the Room better than the rest of her team. But when strangers turn up on the so-called abandoned station—strangers who seem to know a lot more about its function than they pretend—she realizes the Room’s legendary history only scratches the surface of the dangers lurking within.The latest entry in Kristine Kathryn Rusch’s popular Diving series, Strangers at the Room of Lost Souls will appear in a different form in the novel Skirmishes, which will premiere in September 2013.“Rusch’s handling of the mystery and adventure is stellar, and the whole tale proves quite entertaining.” —Booklist Online on Diving into the Wreck“Diving into the Wreck is highly recommended reading for anyone who enjoys space adventure stories, superb characterization, and tight plotting.”—Grasping For The Wind.com

Captain Tory Sabin knows all too well the dangers of the anacapa drive, and that sometimes ships enter foldspace never to return. The ships simply disappear, taking their crews with them. Responding to a distress call from Captain Jonathan “Coop” Cooper, Sabin knows she must race against time to find him and his ship. Because although the Ivoire becomes the latest ship to enter foldspace and not return, she refuses to give up hope. She resolves to find the Ivoire. But her search for answers will lead to truths that will change her life forever. Winner of the Asimov’s Readers Choice Award for best novella, The Application of Hope adds a rich layer to the complex story about foldspace and the anacapa technology that drives the Fleet. “The Diving Universe, conceived by Hugo Award-winning author Kristine [Kathryn] Rusch is a refreshingly new and fleshed out realm of sci-fi action and adventure. And the latest offering…doesn’t disappoint.” —Dave Dickinson, Astroguyz on Skirmishes “A combination of first-person and third-person narrative and flashback segments makes this a complex and compelling story. It’s like having three tales in one, with an added peek into the bad guys’ activities, all of them intriguing, classic science fiction. It leaves the reader eager to explore this universe again and see what will happen next with these characters.” —RT Book Reviews on Skirmishes “…there's wreck diving, space battling, and even a bit of romance here. Throw in plenty of suspense and several plot twists, and you have adventure SF in the old tradition.” —Bill Crider’s Pop Culture Magazine on Skirmishes “The latest Diving Universe science fiction (see City of Ruins, Diving Into The Wreck and Boneyards) is a fabulous outer space thriller that rotates perspective between the divers, the Alliance and to a lesser degree the Empire. Action-packed and filled with twists yet allowing the reader to understand the motives of the key players, Skirmishes is another intelligent exciting voyage into the Rusch Diving universe.” —Midwest Book Review on Skirmishes

Fleet sector bases close as the Fleet moves on. Everyone knows and expects it. But still, the announcement that Sector Base E-2 will close—although still thirty years in the future—breeds a mood of tension and anxiety.So, when Rajivk Agwu finds two pairs of shoes on a trail near Fiskett Falls, but no sign of their occupants, his already heightened senses warn of danger.Those on the base fare no better. Bristol Iannazzi, working on the notoriously delicate anacapa drive for a runabout, also notices something strange, something out of place, something dangerous…Expanding the rich history of Kristine Kathryn Rusch’s captivating Diving universe, The Falls provides an exciting and crucial backstory for future events.“Kristine Kathryn Rusch is best known for her Retrieval Artist series, so maybe you’ve missed her Diving Universe series. If so, it’s high time to remedy that oversight.”—Don Sakers, Analog “The Diving Universe, conceived buy Hugo-Award winning author Kristine [Kathryn] Rusch is a refreshingly new and fleshed out realm of sci-fi action and adventure. And the latest offering…doesn’t disappoint.”—Dave Dickinson, Astroguyz, on Skirmishes“Action-packed and filled with twists yet allowing the reader to understand the motives of the key players, Skirmishes is another intelligent exciting voyage into the Rusch Diving universe.”—Midwest Book Review on Skirmishes

A graveyard of spaceships, abandoned by the mysterious Fleet thousands of years earlier. Boss calls it “the Boneyard.” She needs the ships inside to expand her work for Lost Souls Corporation. Yash Zarlengo thinks the Boneyard will help her discover if the Fleet still exists.Boss and Yash, while exploring the Boneyard, discover a small ship with a powerful and dangerous problem: The ship’s active anacapa drive.To escape the Boneyard, Boss must deal with the drive. Which means she’ll have to dive the ship on limited time and under extremely dangerous conditions. And she can’t go alone.A heart-stopping adventure that continues the thrill ride of Kristine Kathryn Rusch’s award-winning Diving series.“[The Runabout] is so good, it will make you want to read the other stories.”—SFRevu“Amazing character construction, building a plot that riveted me almost from the moment it began. I will now absolutely have to read the preceding titles and I cannot wait to see what will come as a result of The Runabout.”—Tangent Online“Kristine Kathryn Rusch is best known for her Retrieval Artist series, so maybe you’ve missed her Diving Universe series. If so, it’s high time to remedy that oversight.”—Don Sakers, Analog

An epic search sparked by a dangerous hope. Leaving Boss behind to continue diving the Boneyard, Ivoire Engineer Yash Zarlengo returns to the Lost Souls Corporation's headquarters to analyze the data from the runabout they discovered there. Convinced that the experience in the Boneyard proves the Fleet still exists, Yash buries herself in her work, interested in little else. Ivoire Captain Jonathan "Coop" Cooper notices Yash's growing obsession with finding the Fleet and joins her in her search. For the first time in six years, the crew of the Ivoire feels real hope. Coop and Yash know all too well the dangers hope can pose. But this time their hope might just lead them somewhere no one expected. A page-turning adventure, Searching for the Fleet expands Kristine Kathryn Rusch's award-winning Diving series into uncharted territory. Praise for Searching for the Fleet: "By mixing cerebral and investigative elements, emotional character segments, and the adrenaline of action, Rusch tells a complete yet varied tale that will please science fiction readers looking for something different from the usual fare." -- Publishers Weekly "One of the most amazing science fiction series in recent years now has an exciting new installment." --Astroguyz

As a young recruit, brilliant engineer Nadim Crowe accidentally destroys an entire Scrapheap full of ships. Now, decades later, he ends up on the crew of the Renegat , the only ship in the Fleet ever sent on a mission backwards to investigate an ancient Scrapheap. Something invaded that Scrapheap and the Fleet wants to know what. Or who. The Renegat : The only ship the Fleet dares risk. The Renegat : A ship of misfits and screw-ups sent on an impossible mission. All alone in deep space. A thrilling new addition to the Diving Universe. Praise for the Diving Series: Rusch’s handling of the mystery and adventure is stellar, and the whole tale proves quite entertaining. —Booklist Online on Diving into the Wreck This is classic sci-fi, a well-told tale of dangerous exploration. The first-person narration makes the reader an eyewitness to the vast, silent realms of deep space, where even the smallest error will bring disaster. Compellingly human and technically absorbing, the suspense builds to fevered intensity, culminating in an explosive yet plausible conclusion. —RT Book Reviews Top Pick on Diving into the Wreck Rusch delivers a page-turning space adventure while contemplating the ethics of scientists and governments working together on future tech. —Publishers Weekly on Diving into the Wreck Rusch keeps the science accessible, the cultures intriguing, and the characters engaging. For anyone needing to add to their science fiction library, keep an eye out for this. —Josh Vogt, Speculative Fiction Examiner.com on City of Ruins Filled with well-defined characters who confront a variety of ethical and moral dilemmas, Rusch’s third Diving Universe novel is classic space opera, with richly detailed worldbuilding and lots of drama. —RT Book Reviews on Boneyards

When the captain and senior crew abandon the Renegat, linguist Raina Serpell assumes command. She needs to get the ship and remaining crew home. As the ship comes under attack from the planet below, Raina must first figure out how to operate the ship's firepower. Harder still, she must battle her own past to become captain in more than just name alone. A gripping, fast-paced read. Award-winning Kristine Kathryn Rusch working at the top of her form. Praise for Escaping Amnthra: "Escaping Amnthra is a full-fledged action adventure filled with high stakes and near-death experiences." --Realms & Robots "As I frequently say, of Rusch's stories, they are enormously entertaining and I can't wait for the next one." --SFRevu

Diving readers know that Squishy enlisted others to help her destroy stealth tech in the novel Boneyards. But exactly what happened to those teams remained a mystery—until now. Ten people signed up to help Squishy in her fateful mission. Only five returned. Paired up in teams of two, they set out across the Enterran Empire to infiltrate and sabotage the Empire’s bases used to back up their stealth tech research. But what exactly happened on those bases? Who survived? Squishy’s Teams provides the answers to those burning questions and reveals twists to the ongoing saga no one sees coming. Note: Before reading Squishy’s Teams, please read Boneyards. “Rusch follows Diving into the Wreck and City of Ruins with another fast-paced novel of the far future.” —Publisher’s Weekly on Boneyards “Filled with well-defined characters who confront a variety of ethical and moral dilemmas, Rusch’s third Diving Universe novel is classic space opera, with richly detailed worldbuilding and lots of drama.” —RT Book Reviews on Boneyards

A race against time. Weeks after Boss’ injury from the runabout dive, she continues the mission to salvage Fleet wrecks for the Lost Souls Corporation. But Boss feels like she lost something after that fateful dive. Until something happens in the Boneyard to catch her attention. Something that sparks her interest with an intensity she thought she lost. Now, Boss must assemble a team—her old team—to dive this new discovery. But Boss worries that someone knows her plans. That the Boneyard might prove more sentient than she knows. She feels the clock ticking—and she worries time will run out once and for all. A thrilling new adventure, Thieves provides pulse-pounding new developments in Kristine Kathryn Rusch’s award-winning Diving series. “By mixing cerebral and investigative elements, emotional character segments, and the adrenaline of action, Rusch tells a complete yet varied tale that will please science fiction readers looking for something different from the usual fare.” —Publishers Weekly on Searching for the Fleet “Think of the Diving universe as an exciting mystery saga, pitting the drama of ship salvage against the dangers of space.” —Astroguyz “Kristine Kathryn Rusch is best known for her Retrieval Artist series, so maybe you’ve missed her Diving Universe series. If so, it’s high time to remedy that oversight.” —Don Sakers, Analog “[The Runabout] is so good, it will make you want to read the other stories.” —SFRevu “Amazing character construction, building a plot that riveted me almost from the moment it began. I will now absolutely have to read the preceding titles and I cannot wait to see what will come as a result of The Runabout.” —Tangent Online

Nedda Ferguson-Lithe lost her father on the Gabriella 's final mission. The ship's disappearance remains one of the great mysteries of the sector. But as Nedda interviews the crew's survivors, she finds more questions than answers. No one knows who or what causes the maelstroms that make exploring Nájar Crater on Madreperla so dangerous. But everyone knows that the rumors of the crater's riches prove far too tempting despite the danger. Every time a ship ventures into that crater, a maelstrom drives it out. Or destroys it. Nedda hopes to find out which fate met the Gabriella -and her father. Nominated for the Asimov's Readers Choice Award for best novella, Maelstrom proves a heart-wrenching addition to Kristine Kathryn Rusch's award-winning Diving Series. Praise for Maelstrom: "Like everything [Kristine Kathryn Rusch] writes, the story is beautifully-told and has a lot of heart. Who could ask for anything more?" -SFRevu "This is classic sci-fi, a well-told tale of dangerous exploration." - RT Book Reviews (Top Pick) on Diving into the Wreck

On the run. After fleeing pursuers from two different missions, Boss and Coop reconvene at the Lost Souls Corporation headquarters. Both share exciting but troublesome news. And a whole lot of questions. But before they begin to even scratch the surface of the new information, they face threats from all quarters. And when an old adversary of Coop's gets involved, Boss questions who to trust to survive and find some long-awaited answers. A nonstop new adventure, The Chase provides thrilling new details about Kristine Kathryn Rusch's award-winning Diving series. Praise for the Diving Universe: "By mixing cerebral and investigative elements, emotional character segments, and the adrenaline of action, Rusch tells a complete yet varied tale that will please science fiction readers looking for something different from the usual fare." -Publishers Weekly on Searching for the Fleet "Think of the Diving universe as an exciting mystery saga, pitting the drama of ship salvage against the dangers of space." -Astroguyz "Kristine Kathryn Rusch is best known for her Retrieval Artist series, so maybe you've missed her Diving Universe series. If so, it's high time to remedy that oversight." -Don Sakers, Analog "[The Runabout] is so good, it will make you want to read the other stories." -SFRevu "Amazing character construction, building a plot that riveted me almost from the moment it began. I will now absolutely have to read the preceding titles and I cannot wait to see what will come as a result of The Runabout." -Tangent Online

The Renegat Renegades finally learn their fate in New York Times bestselling author Kristine Kathryn Rusch’s The Court-Martial of the Renegat Renegades, the gripping new novel in her award-winning Diving series and an Asimov’s Readers’ Choice Award winner. As the surviving crew of the Renegat face court-martial for mutiny—100 years in their future—the case makes everyone nervous. Prosecutors worry the survivors will prove too sympathetic to convict. The defense worries about the reliability of the defendants. But the survivors worry about what might happen should the truth—the whole truth—finally come to light. Set in Kristine Kathryn Rusch’s expansive Diving Universe, The Court-Martial of the Renegat Renegades adds rich new background to this powerfully written series. With shocking secrets, a deepening mystery, and a surprise witness, this spellbinding sf mystery mixes the best of legal fiction and space opera and proves Rusch’s place as a master of science fiction. “By mixing cerebral and investigative elements, emotional character segments, and the adrenaline of action, Rusch tells a complete yet varied tale that will please science fiction readers looking for something different from the usual fare.” — Publishers Weekly on Searching for the Fleet “Think of the Diving universe as an exciting mystery saga, pitting the drama of ship salvage against the dangers of space.” — Astroguyz “Kristine Kathryn Rusch is best known for her Retrieval Artist series, so maybe you’ve missed her Diving Universe series. If so, it’s high time to remedy that oversight.” —Don Sakers, Analog “[ The Runabout ] is so good, it will make you want to read the other stories.” — SFRevu “Amazing character construction, building a plot that riveted me almost from the moment it began. I will now absolutely have to read the preceding titles and I cannot wait to see what will come as a result of The Runabout .” — Tangent Online