Season One: Iris and the Crew Tear Through Space! by Cait Gordon

In a galactic network known as the Keangal, where space is accessible… Lieutenant Eileen Iris and the command crew of the S.S. SpoonZ haven’t a clue what it means to be disabled. An unexpected conversation with an intergalactic janitor brings up the question but offers no answers before he’s ’ported away. Unfazed, duties resume as Iris manages an overprotective guidebot; Security Chief Lartha and her sentient prostheses offer kick-ass protection; Mr. Herbert’s inventiveness is a godsend (although he’s not quite grasped how to flirt); Commander Davan’s affable personality comes through whether trumpeted, texted, or signed; and Captain Warq’s gracious but firm leadership keeps everyone at their best. Until on one mission, where the crew tears through space. Just a little bit.

Adult • Diversity Representation/Neurodiversity • Diversity Representation/Disability • Diversity Representation/LGBTQ+ • Science Fiction/Agripunk, Hopepunk, and Solarpunk

Content Warning: Some episodes in this season include scenes of familial loss, whether by death or estrangement. They also include scenes of working through sensory overload and overwhelming experiences. And there are even scenes with ableism, some of which is corrected by characters learning better, but most of it is unashamedly committed by pirates. In fact, if you're an ableist pirate, then this book is definitely not for you.

Reviewed by yuricon on 2024-02-11T19:38:38Z:

A rollicking space yarn set in a world where accommodation just *is* and people with mental and physical disability is normalized...and perfectly normal. It was a super fun story, with great characters and solid ideas. It ended quite abruptly.