With the first book I was quite willing to accept the rather weak tactics and unimaginative use of weapons, as it sort of set a baseline that could be built on.
However I really was hoping for something more than just charging at the enemy and putting up with the loss of ships and numerous deaths. It doesn't help that the missile defence systems are appalling and every battle stars with an analysis of how many enemy missiles are going to get through and destroy ships, Why haven’t they done something about it?
It’s the lack of imagination that really irritates me, surely by now they could have come up with some cheap specialised ships that aren’t designed to do everything, but could have enormous number of anti missile missiles or a an actual mobile missile platform capable of only firing off one large batch of anti-ship missiles before being left behind. Also why haven’t space stations got any defences? It’s just so frustrating.
There was a slight electronic innovation towards the end of the book, but it was not nearly enough.
My irritation made look even more closely at the battles and more and more inconsistencies appeared. Perhaps I have read too many SciFi novels, but the author definitely hasn’t read enough.
Also more insight into the political and social ramifications in the Russian and Chinese worlds would have greatly added to the story. Having a totalitarian war based economy for decade after decade and thousands of there naval personnel being killed, must surely have consequences.
At times I was so annoyed I would have only given one star, but there is still enough in the story to keep me interested. If possible I would have given 1.5 stars.