Book Review: Hammajang Luck by Makana Yamamoto

Official Synopsis: Edie is done with crime. Eight years behind bars changes a person—costs them too much time with too many of the people who need them most.

And it’s all Angel’s fault. She sold Edie out in what should have been the greatest moment of their lives. Instead, Edie was shipped off to the icy prison planet spinning far below the soaring skybridges and neon catacombs of Kepler space station—of home—to spend the best part of a decade alone.

But then a chance for early parole appears out of nowhere and Edie steps into the pallid sunlight to find none other than Angel waiting—and she has an offer.

One last job. One last deal. One last target. The trillionaire tech god they failed to bring down last time. There’s just one thing Edie needs to do—trust Angel again—which also happens to be the last thing Edie wants to do. What could possibly go all hammajang about this plan?

It has been a while since I've read a science fiction book, especially one that had had so much going on and all revolved around a heist.

Edie, and their friends, are all living on a space station, that almost seems to be its own world. There are various 'wards' that each seem to be rated based on the income of those that live there. Edie and their family are in a lower-income one, with a handful of other people who are of Hawaiian descent. Though none of them lived on Earth, some of their parents or grandparents did. This legacy/heritage is a big part of who Edie is and who their friends are.

There are also ways to modify your body, some people have fully different parts, where others add lights and other features to make them feel more like themselves. These are expensive procedures and we learn that Edie has never partaken, having just left jail. When Edie gets out, they are surprised to learn that their ex-friend and partner is the reason they are being released, not to mention they are the reason they are there in the first place. This brings Edie into an uncomfortable situation. Do they stay 'clean' with their family, who could use them, or go along with an insane plan to steal from the richest man on the station, that would give their family more than enough money to get out of their current situation.

As Angel, the leader' brings together a ragtag group, each with their own use, the plan seems to be falling into place, even if Edie still isn't sure who they can trust. This is when the book gets really fun. I love a good heist, and this one was so well planned, with enough happening during each scene that it made you just as stressed. To avoid spoiling, let's just say there is a lot that happens within the heist and few twists to really spice it up. While the heist is being planned/happening, Edie is also concerned about the life her sister and niece/nephew might be flung into.

Overall, this book was a really fantastic story. There is a lot of heart in it, with those normal science fiction themes mixing with some Hawaiian/Pacific Island attributes and language. There is definitely an importance to the language and how the characters act together in a way that makes them comfortable.

I rated this book 4 out of 5 stars.

Hammajang Luck was published January 14, 2025!

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