Reviewed by Saifunnissa Hassam for Readers' Favorite

David Gwinn's Jupiter's Ghost is a riveting science fiction and fantasy space opera set in the Orion Nebula. Jupiter's Ghost is a nebula whaling ship whose crew hunts the great white, yellow, and blue cosmic whales in the depths of the Orion Nebula. The whales are a valuable resource for medicinal substances. The galactic Terran Republic is home to both humans and alien races. Jore is a Fralie alien, an excellent spaceship pilot, who joins the crew of Jupiter's Ghost. The pilots are the key to a successful hunt. Jore quickly learns to fly the short-range harpoon spacecraft to hunt the massive whales. The excitement and tension build up as Jupiter's Ghost begins the perilous hunt for the legendary and elusive Great Blue Whale, feared for its deadly destruction of countless ships and their crews. 

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Jupiter's Ghost for its complex characters and richly imagined world. I particularly liked the character development and the inner transformative journey of the Fralie alien Jore, the challenges he faces as he hunts the great whales, and the courage he shows in unexpected and deadly situations. The story was greatly enriched by key secondary characters, including Zaxxen, an experienced harpoon spaceship pilot, and Jore's teammate. The daring and courageous characters, as well as the incredible cosmic whales, sprang vividly to life through the well-written settings, including the unpredictable nature of whale hunts and the mesmerizing vastness of the Orion Nebula. I liked how the pace of the narrative changes from the calm and measured pace of Jupiter's Ghost as it sails through the interstellar vastness, and then, suddenly, the whales are sighted, the pace, action, and tension increase, and the harpoon spaceships fly out of the hangar. The tension is incredible, almost unbearable, when the Great Blue Whale dominates the story. The ending was poignant and profoundly moving. The cover depicting the Blue Whale is stunning. I was drawn into the story, intrigued and very curious about this cosmic leviathan. Jupiter's Ghost by David Gwinn is a fantastic sci-fi and fantasy story for anyone who enjoys whale stories, whether set in terrestrial oceans or the cosmic depths of nebulae.