Less Star Wars, More Star Work?

[brainwane]

I was reading a bit of military SF whose protagonist is a woman, and it got into more "galaxy-spanning intrigue and conspiracy" stuff, and I realized that what I had actually wanted was chick lit about a woman's career as a space mercenary and her ambition to get promoted. (As Leonard put it, "Can a space woman have it all?")

I welcome recommendations for, like, The Devil Wears A Prada EVA Suit. Pro fic and fan fic are both of interest!

(So far I think what I know to read in this subgenre is Elizabeth Moon's work (edited 30 Jan to add: I read a single Moon book once, Trading in Danger), and Polaris Rising by Jessie Mihalik which someone recommended.)

Feel free to publicly link this to help find more recommendations!

Comments

[altamira16]

Mercenary is not a well-defined career path that has promotions and titles.

For some reason, this made me want the story of a space astrologer who is highly successful because she understands space better than other astrologers so her predictions are more specific and more lucrative. But I do not know enough about astrology to make it believable.

[brainwane]

Hmmm. What about, like, a person who works for the space equivalent of Blackwater or McKinsey? They're kind of a mercenary but also they could angle for a promotion.

(In the specific book I was reading that caused me to post this: the main character is a mercenary who has just left the military, is striking out on her own to gain wider experience, and hopes to be recruited by a super-elite force within the military. That's her path to promotion.)

I am enjoying imagining the space astrologer!

[abracanabra]

Which book were you reading, or are you not mentioning it because you don't recommend it for other reasons?

[brainwane]

Sorry for the delay! I don't particularly recommend it because it didn't keep engaging me through the whole trilogy, and I didn't finish the third book. Fortune's Pawn by Rachel Bach.

[abracanabra]

Ah! I liked that one. Good to know that I can successfully identify a thing I would like. ;)