Darkship Thieves, by Sarah A. Hoyt

Sarah A. Hoyt has written mysteries, fantasies, and historical fiction, but has perhaps seen her greatest success in sci-fi.  Darkship Thieves is the first of what has turned out to be a 5-book series.  She dedicates the book to Robert A. Heinlein and writes in his tradition.  It's a space opera that spans the solar system, with human civilization fractured and developing on separate tracks. 

Centuries ago, starting in the 21st, bioengineering developed to the point that humans had created their own masters.  Many revolted against the presence of these superior humans, and drove them off-planet.  They established a colony, Eden, on a distant asteroid and cut off all communication with Earth.  However, the Edenites still have to come back to the vicinity of Earth in their darkships to steal energy pods. 

When one of these darkships picks up Athena, an aristocratic teenage from Earth, the pilot's only choice is to take her back to Eden.  As she adjusts to life on Eden, and eventually falls in love with her rescuer, the worlds of Earth and Eden become mixed.  The newlyweds return to get energy pods and end up back in the grips of her controlling father.  She has to choose between her new and old lives, and sacrifice to get her husband back to Eden.

Hoyt writes memorable characters, builds richly detailed worlds, creates an interesting technological future, and, most importantly, tells a great story.  Darkship Theives won the 2011 Prometheus Award for Best Libertarian SF Novel.  On Eden, there are no laws, but generally agreed upon cultural norms.  Back on Earth, there are a few Usaids, people who remember the old United States.  (Athena amusingly refers to the stars and stripes as the symbol of the Usaids's male deity.  A green, robed figure represents the female deity.)  Darkship Thieves is a fun, fast-paced escape.