Chapter 1 of The Ship With Red Hair kept me on edge the whole time I read it.  I felt like I was right there alongside the main character, learning about all his training,the different type ships and hoping he did not make a mistake -- especially on the first day of his job as a Communications Officer.  

This masterpiece Chapter One is revetinig, suspenseful, exciting and most importantly -- steeped in reality.  The way the author carries the reader through the emotions, dialog and other acions of the main character is genius. I could not stop reading -- from the beginning to the end. I can't wait to find out what happens next in this world that I visualize is made up of the beauty of space as well as the ships that call this magnificent expanse their home.

Congratulations to the author, Derrick J. Hopkins, on a chapter that was not only well written -- but was engrossing as well.
I'm waiting in anticipation for the next excellent chapters.  Very well done!