Out of the Sun is a followup to Robert Goddard's Into the Blue. In that novel, perennial loser Harry Barnett ends up foiling an evil plot and saving the girl, who then says "so long" and leaves. Out of the Sun picks up some time later, and Harry is still a loser.
I think Harry's character arc is probably the best thing about Out of the Sun. Although Harry can be resourceful, it's also hard to break the habits developed over a life-time of life beating him down. Whether it's a case of events conspiring against him (his partner embezzling from their joint business) or Harry sabotaging himself (drinking his life away), things don't work out for him. So he's taken a very slacker attitude, choosing not to care about anything. Even when, as in this novel, he decides he wants to care, it's hard for him to stop sabotaging his own efforts, and this was one of the big sources of suspense -- is Harry going to stop himself, aside from any external issues?
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