Finished Artifact Space, can't wait for the sequels (almost no spoiler mini-review) [*Artifact Space*, by Miles Cameron](https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/a98b7b14-e0ff-4ece-82f8-4f09da995c13), is the first in the *Arcana Imperii* series, which I picked up solely thanks to a [previous recommend on this sub](https://www.reddit.com/r/scifi/comments/1s7fhkx/nothing_has_hit_like_this_for_me_lately/). It's one of the better space opera books I've read in a bit. As a frame of reference, some of my favorite sci-fi series of the last decade or so have been *The Expanse*, *Murderbot Diaries*, and *Children of Time* (also *Final Architecture*) books. *The Expanse* is a good comparison point, as *Artifact Space* covers many similar themes, but isn't nearly as grim, and is overall fairly positive about humanity, at least your fellow crew-mates, though not quite as rosy as something like Star Trek (not counting "Nu Trek"), as there are some evil bastards lurking about.…