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Kris Longknife #4
Resolute
Kris Longknife has been given her first independent command in the very remote system of Chance, an assignment that's as much exile as promotion. But Kris isn't on the job long when she captures pirates hiding the location of an uncharted and unpopulated planet of miraculous technology.
352 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published October 31, 2006
71 people are currently reading
454 people want to read
About the author
Mike Shepherd
78 books563 followersA pseudonym used by Mike Moscoe.
Mike was born in the Philadelphia Navy Yard Hospital -- and left that town at the age of three days for reasons he does not presently recall. But they had to draft him to get him back there. He missed very little of the rest of the country. Growing up Navy, he lived about everywhere you could park an aircraft carrier.
Mike was one of those college students who didn't have to worry about finding a job after graduation. In 1968, his Uncle Sam made him an offer he couldn't refuse. Two days into boot camp, the Army was wondering if they might not have been a bit hasty. Mike ended the day in the Intensive Care Unit of the local Army hospital. Despite most of Mike’s personal war stories being limited to "How I flunked boot camp," he can still write a rollicking good military SF yarns.
Mike didn’t survive all that long as a cab driver (he got lost) or bartender (he made the drinks too strong) but he figured he could at least work for the Navy Department as a budget analyst. Until he spent the whole day trying to balance the barracks accounts for paint. Finally, about quitting time, a grinning senior analyst took him aside and let him in on the secret. They'd hidden the money for refitting a battleship in that little account. Slowly it dawned on Mike that there were a few things about the Navy that even a kid who grew up in it would never understand.
Over the next twenty years, Mike branched out into other genres, including instruction memos, policies, performance standards and even a few labor contracts. All of those, you may notice, lack a certain something. Dialogue ... those things in quotes. In `87, Mike’s big break came. He landed on a two year special project to build a digital map showing where the trees, rivers, roads, Spotted Owls and other critters were in western Oregon. The list went on and on with no end in sight and two years became ten.
Since there was no writing involved in his new day job, Mike had to do something to get the words out. He signed up for a writing class at Clark Community College and proudly turned in a story ... Star Wars shoots down the second coming of Christ.
Two years later, Analog bought "Summer Hopes, Winter Dreams" for the March, 1991 issue. Four years later he sold his first novel. In the ten years since then, Mike’s turned in twelve novels and is researching the next three.
Mike's love for Science Fiction started when he picked up "Rocket Ship Galileo" in the fifth grade, and then proceeded to read every book in the library with a rocket sticker on its spine.
Mike digs for his stories among people and change. Through his interest in history, he has traces the transformations that make us what we are today. Science launches us forward into an ever changing universe. Once upon a time, the only changes in peoples lives came with the turning of the seasons and the growing wrinkles on their brows. Today, science drives most of the changes in our daily lives. Still, we can't avoid the pressure of our own awakening hormones or hardening arteries. Mike is happiest when his stories are speeding across thin ice, balanced on the edge of two sharp blades, one anciently human, the other as new as tomorrow's research.
Trained in International Relations and history, salary administration and bargaining, theology and counseling, Mike is having a ball writing about Kris Longknife ... coming of age while the world her grand parents built threatens to crash down around her ears. These are books I think you’ll love ... and my granddaughter and grandsons too!
Mike lives in Vancouver, Washington, with his wife Ellen, his mother-in-law and any visiting grandkids. He enjoys reading, writing, watching grand-children for story ideas and upgrading his computer -- all are never ending.
Mike was born in the Philadelphia Navy Yard Hospital -- and left that town at the age of three days for reasons he does not presently recall. But they had to draft him to get him back there. He missed very little of the rest of the country. Growing up Navy, he lived about everywhere you could park an aircraft carrier.
Mike was one of those college students who didn't have to worry about finding a job after graduation. In 1968, his Uncle Sam made him an offer he couldn't refuse. Two days into boot camp, the Army was wondering if they might not have been a bit hasty. Mike ended the day in the Intensive Care Unit of the local Army hospital. Despite most of Mike’s personal war stories being limited to "How I flunked boot camp," he can still write a rollicking good military SF yarns.
Mike didn’t survive all that long as a cab driver (he got lost) or bartender (he made the drinks too strong) but he figured he could at least work for the Navy Department as a budget analyst. Until he spent the whole day trying to balance the barracks accounts for paint. Finally, about quitting time, a grinning senior analyst took him aside and let him in on the secret. They'd hidden the money for refitting a battleship in that little account. Slowly it dawned on Mike that there were a few things about the Navy that even a kid who grew up in it would never understand.
Over the next twenty years, Mike branched out into other genres, including instruction memos, policies, performance standards and even a few labor contracts. All of those, you may notice, lack a certain something. Dialogue ... those things in quotes. In `87, Mike’s big break came. He landed on a two year special project to build a digital map showing where the trees, rivers, roads, Spotted Owls and other critters were in western Oregon. The list went on and on with no end in sight and two years became ten.
Since there was no writing involved in his new day job, Mike had to do something to get the words out. He signed up for a writing class at Clark Community College and proudly turned in a story ... Star Wars shoots down the second coming of Christ.
Two years later, Analog bought "Summer Hopes, Winter Dreams" for the March, 1991 issue. Four years later he sold his first novel. In the ten years since then, Mike’s turned in twelve novels and is researching the next three.
Mike's love for Science Fiction started when he picked up "Rocket Ship Galileo" in the fifth grade, and then proceeded to read every book in the library with a rocket sticker on its spine.
Mike digs for his stories among people and change. Through his interest in history, he has traces the transformations that make us what we are today. Science launches us forward into an ever changing universe. Once upon a time, the only changes in peoples lives came with the turning of the seasons and the growing wrinkles on their brows. Today, science drives most of the changes in our daily lives. Still, we can't avoid the pressure of our own awakening hormones or hardening arteries. Mike is happiest when his stories are speeding across thin ice, balanced on the edge of two sharp blades, one anciently human, the other as new as tomorrow's research.
Trained in International Relations and history, salary administration and bargaining, theology and counseling, Mike is having a ball writing about Kris Longknife ... coming of age while the world her grand parents built threatens to crash down around her ears. These are books I think you’ll love ... and my granddaughter and grandsons too!
Mike lives in Vancouver, Washington, with his wife Ellen, his mother-in-law and any visiting grandkids. He enjoys reading, writing, watching grand-children for story ideas and upgrading his computer -- all are never ending.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 80 reviews
January 11, 2016
As you can see from all the stars, this is up to the quality I'm coming to expect from the series. Yay! The plots are good, the action fantastic, the space battles gripping. Shepherd continues to give Kris believably great challenges and leadership opportunities to overcome them.
The book is in the middle of the pack in that very-narrow four-star range compared to the others. There is a bit of a divergent twist that doesn't seem to hang too well together with the rest of the story (like in the previous book), but this one is at least better positioned to penetrate into future developments. I'm not a big fan of letting but I'm willing to give it time to see how it comes together.
I'm also not a huge fan of dumbing down the Greenwald faction. They've been relatively enigmatic so far, but we see more of them in this novel and I find them to be rather shallow. Shepherd seems to have put Soviet Russia in a blender with sexist ideologues and a twist of fascism and set to "stereotype". It's kind of a shame and rather pedestrian-feeling, though at least he keeps the individuals we meet dynamic and interesting. It's almost like he's created this buffoonish stereotype just so he can undermine it with actual characters along the way. Except for Hank. His characterization actually devolves from relatively interesting to all-out cartoon in this book. He's actually probably going to be more interesting now that .
Anyway, all that picking of nits aside, I'm still all-in. I love Kris and her team is interesting. I hope Shepherd can keep it up indefinitely.
The book is in the middle of the pack in that very-narrow four-star range compared to the others. There is a bit of a divergent twist that doesn't seem to hang too well together with the rest of the story (like in the previous book), but this one is at least better positioned to penetrate into future developments. I'm not a big fan of letting but I'm willing to give it time to see how it comes together.
I'm also not a huge fan of dumbing down the Greenwald faction. They've been relatively enigmatic so far, but we see more of them in this novel and I find them to be rather shallow. Shepherd seems to have put Soviet Russia in a blender with sexist ideologues and a twist of fascism and set to "stereotype". It's kind of a shame and rather pedestrian-feeling, though at least he keeps the individuals we meet dynamic and interesting. It's almost like he's created this buffoonish stereotype just so he can undermine it with actual characters along the way. Except for Hank. His characterization actually devolves from relatively interesting to all-out cartoon in this book. He's actually probably going to be more interesting now that .
Anyway, all that picking of nits aside, I'm still all-in. I love Kris and her team is interesting. I hope Shepherd can keep it up indefinitely.
September 22, 2019
Kris Longknife returns for another adventure. Having successfully defended the kingdom of Wardhaven from destruction at the hands of their arch-rivals, she is "rewarded" by assignment to the middle of nowhere. However, she is given command of a ship (however deserving of decommissioning) and the locals are a fairly congenial backyard barbecue bunch. Indeed, if not for the fact she's stubbornly trying to do her job, it would be the perfect assignment. Unfortunately, events lead to Kris discovering an unfathomably valuable alien treasure as well as being forced to deal with her former suitor Hank Peterwald.
I really enjoyed this book and am going to give it props for coming up with a new premise to keep our super-competent heroine occupied. I was a bit disappointed with the treatment of hank, who I considered to be a fairly decent sort but who crosses the Moral Event Horizon multiple times in this book. He not only attempts to conquer a bunch of innocent colonists but fully is involved in covering for his men committing sexual assault (off camera). After that point, I wanted Kris to shoot him in the face.
Mike Shepard's Kris Longknife is a wonderful series that contains action, adventure, and a likable heroine. Is it believable that she continually rescues the whole of Wardhaven repeatedly from doom, only to get very little respect? Probably not. However, I'm deeply entertained by the books and will continue reading the series.
9/10
I really enjoyed this book and am going to give it props for coming up with a new premise to keep our super-competent heroine occupied. I was a bit disappointed with the treatment of hank, who I considered to be a fairly decent sort but who crosses the Moral Event Horizon multiple times in this book. He not only attempts to conquer a bunch of innocent colonists but fully is involved in covering for his men committing sexual assault (off camera). After that point, I wanted Kris to shoot him in the face.
Mike Shepard's Kris Longknife is a wonderful series that contains action, adventure, and a likable heroine. Is it believable that she continually rescues the whole of Wardhaven repeatedly from doom, only to get very little respect? Probably not. However, I'm deeply entertained by the books and will continue reading the series.
9/10
May 19, 2017
This book was frustrating for me for a lot of reasons. 4 (and a half) books into the series I'm looking for growth from the characters, cohesion with her team, and some major problem solving in regards to her issues with her government and relatives. Instead Nelly seems glitchy and childish, Jack is still pretty 2D Alpha cookie-cutter, Penny is in free-fall (I have no idea where we are going with her. She has a mysterious skill-set and seems to be able to run anything on command-and then vanishes into the background), Abbey has similar issues. Kris' relatives and superiors are all still patronizing her and apparently trying to hamstring her as well. We are thrown into the setting as Kris arrives at her new duty station with no lead in or explanation. She is sent to the edge of space and seems unable to send reports or get any backup or orders when needed. We also don't know what her mission is supposed to be or if there is one. She doesn't have any contacts on the planet or in nearby space that she is supposed to be using for mentorship or backup either. I guess we are supposed to assume that when Mac says he has no idea what to do with her...he really means it. For some reason a large bureaucratic entity that has thousands of years of tradition has no idea how to train a junior officer? Suddenly there is a backstory with Nelly and the alien chip that is just thrown at us as well (if there is another novella aside from Training Daze explaining everything, for the life of me I can't find it). Aside from feeling jerked around by the story line, I think I'm just fed up with Kris as a character at this point. She's supposed to be a billionaire business guru, a military genius, and a political scion all wrapped up into one, but she doesn't actually seem to be good at much of it, or have the support structure that you would imagine such a person might. Instead we get to watch her flub an exciting discovery and possible business venture, mess up relations completely with Peterwald's group, not take advantage of relations that she does build with a planet or a neighboring confederation, not manage her PR well at all, and insist on staying in the Navy when she clearly hates the chain of command and has no use for the intelligence branch. I would enjoy seeing her build something at this point: either going into intelligence for Ray or starting her own fleet (mercenary or otherwise) or getting going on the business end of things...but she just seems stalled. Don't even get me started on her "romances" which go from nonexistent to darned confusing. Speaking of...the villain seems to have suffered some kind of mental breakdown. He wasn't portrayed as being anything like this in the other books but now he is comic book evil. Think Harry Osborn and Spider Man after Harry becomes the Green Goblin. Don't know if I'll read the next book or not. I have to take a break from the bad taste this one left first.
February 7, 2014
I just vacillated wildly about whether to go 4 or 5 stars on this one. I really enjoyed the action and pacing but it seemed to me like Hank, previously in the semi-bad, poor little rich boy character made a maddened wild swing into crazyville with a detour down evil - nothing I read previously indicated to me that Hank would be fine with rape and pillage - even Hikila was supposedly "freedom fighting" so how did good old misguided Hank become a monster? Also where the hell did Vicky come from, thrown in so casually at the end? A great addition to the series but a definite about turn in character development for Hank. And yes, my memory was correct is killed off.
March 11, 2022
More reviews (and no fluff) on the blog http://surrealtalvi.wordpress.com/
By this fourth book, the formula is well established: Kris gets a new assignment, finds herself in the middle of a political upheaval, samples the local culture and events, then finds a way out of the situation. That's not necessarily a bad thing since the series so far has not taken a right turn into something strange and instead gives us the same of what we liked in the previous installments. So while there is nothing new under the sun, it is still enjoyable sci fi opera escapism.Story: Now assigned to a remote outpost planet that doesn't take well to strangers interfering in their business, Kris tries to diplomatically run the orbital station that has been neglected far too long. Unfortunately, this remote world, Chance, has not decided whether to join the Peterwald or Wardhaven alliances and therefore is of interest to both. Although the orbital station is Wardhaven's, the planet could go either way. A fine point Kris finds herself in the middle of when Hank Peterwald Jr. arrives with a war fleet in tow.
One thing that keeps the stories from being stale is that there is some character development. In this book, we learn more about Abbie, Kris and Jack's business relationship becomes more defined, and even Penny is given time to mourn and then let go of Tommie. Similarly, Kris and Hank's political relationship sours terribly and turns into something far more deadly than hinted at from the veiled barbs of previous books.
There are space battles again this book, which are always welcome. The pew pew is what makes space operas thrilling and I am enjoying this off-world action. In addition to the battles, we have a preview of coming developments when the crew discover and travel an otherwise unknown jump gate. It's a hint of more fun to come.
In all, this is a light but fun sci fi with a heroine who uses her brains rather than luck to make victories happen. I don't look at it too seriously and just enjoy the ride.
Note: I am listening to the audio version and the narrator does an excellent job.
December 30, 2017
J'ai malheureusement moins aimé ce tome que les précédents, notamment à cause du traitement d'un personnage en particulier.
Dans ce tome nous avons encore la division en deux qui devient plus ou moins la norme dans la série.
Kris se retrouve à la tête de sa première station indépendante, celle de la planète Chance au fin fond de l'espace habité.
Dans la première partie, que j'ai beaucoup aimé, Kris fait une énorme découverte grâce à son ordinateur et se retrouve donc à explorer des mondes appartenant aux Trois qui sont des espèces extraterrestres disparues.
Et dans la seconde, de retour à son poste Krys voit arriver une délégation de Greenwald qui va tenter de coloniser pacifiquement la planète sur laquelle elle est en poste, et c'est évidemment Hank Peterwarld qui en est à la tête. La confrontation entre les deux va être tendue ...
Alors autant la première partie m'a bien plu même si j'avoue que j'ai trouvé que Krys prenait vraiment beaucoup de liberté avec son poste de commandant. Mais vu qu'ils l'ont laissé totalement seule et abandonnée au milieu de nulle part, j'imagine qu'elle peut se permettre de ne pas trop faire attention au protocole.
J'ai aimé les découvertes et tout ce que ça implique pour la suite. En fait on est totalement dans de l'archéologie spatiale ici avec l'exploration de civilisations disparues et tout ce qu'elles ont laissé derrière. On se pose de nombreuses question évidemment et j'espère qu'on aura une partie des réponses plus tard dans la série.
Autant donc la seconde partie m'a vraiment déçue.
Non pas au niveau diplomate ou action, parce que la on est totalement dans le ton de la série et dans la continuité des précédents mais surtout au niveau du personnage de Hank.
Quand on l'a rencontré au début j'ai trouvé que ce personnage avec du potentiel. Il était suffisamment intelligent pour ne pas suivre à la lettre sa famille. Il pouvait soit rester tel quel sans s'impliquer, soit devenir un allié (voir un compagnon) pour Krys, soit devenir un antagoniste au contraire mais dans tous les cas de figure il avait le potentiel pour vraiment devenir quelque chose d'intéressant.
C'était un personnage ambiguë et il l'était resté jusqu'au tome précédent. Certes il est un peu trop "né du bon coté" et fils à papa, mais il me semblait honnête et franc. Et d'un autre coté Kris et ses alliés le soupçonnent d'être impliqué dans toute une série d’incidents dans les tomes précédents.
Et j'avoue que je n'arrivais vraiment pas à trancher entre le pion un peu trop crédule vis à vis de sa propre famille qu'il voit comme des gens de bien ou le vrai maître dans l'art de la dissimulation. Il restait dont très intriguant et avec beaucoup de potentiel.
Et dans ce tome ci, d'un coup, virage à 180°, il devient clairement un antagoniste. Mais pas un bon antagoniste. On le retrouve non seulement complètement incompétent, faisant des bourde à tout va et incapable d'apprendre mais en plus c'est aussi un petit chef, piquant des crises, qui n'écoute jamais ses subordonnés et est persuadé de sa grandeur et de son infaillibilité.
Du coup ma déception est immense. J'ai l'impression qu'on m'a cassé ce personnage si intéressant que je m'étais imaginée.
Si il y a une chose que je n'aime pas en général dans les livres se sont les mauvais "méchants" et ici on est totalement dans ce cas de figure. Combattre un adversaire qui est incapable de se défendre correctement même si il a de la puissance de feu n'est pas intéressant.
Bref, ce n'est pas vraiment une réussite et cette partie la a totalement éclipsé tout le reste du livre dans mon esprit. C'est vrai que vu la fin ça ne risque pas de se reproduire donc je n'ai pas de doute que la suite soit mieux, heureusement. Du coup j'ai limite hâte de lire le suivant pour oublier celui ci.
15/20
Dans ce tome nous avons encore la division en deux qui devient plus ou moins la norme dans la série.
Kris se retrouve à la tête de sa première station indépendante, celle de la planète Chance au fin fond de l'espace habité.
Dans la première partie, que j'ai beaucoup aimé, Kris fait une énorme découverte grâce à son ordinateur et se retrouve donc à explorer des mondes appartenant aux Trois qui sont des espèces extraterrestres disparues.
Et dans la seconde, de retour à son poste Krys voit arriver une délégation de Greenwald qui va tenter de coloniser pacifiquement la planète sur laquelle elle est en poste, et c'est évidemment Hank Peterwarld qui en est à la tête. La confrontation entre les deux va être tendue ...
Alors autant la première partie m'a bien plu même si j'avoue que j'ai trouvé que Krys prenait vraiment beaucoup de liberté avec son poste de commandant. Mais vu qu'ils l'ont laissé totalement seule et abandonnée au milieu de nulle part, j'imagine qu'elle peut se permettre de ne pas trop faire attention au protocole.
J'ai aimé les découvertes et tout ce que ça implique pour la suite. En fait on est totalement dans de l'archéologie spatiale ici avec l'exploration de civilisations disparues et tout ce qu'elles ont laissé derrière. On se pose de nombreuses question évidemment et j'espère qu'on aura une partie des réponses plus tard dans la série.
Autant donc la seconde partie m'a vraiment déçue.
Non pas au niveau diplomate ou action, parce que la on est totalement dans le ton de la série et dans la continuité des précédents mais surtout au niveau du personnage de Hank.
Quand on l'a rencontré au début j'ai trouvé que ce personnage avec du potentiel. Il était suffisamment intelligent pour ne pas suivre à la lettre sa famille. Il pouvait soit rester tel quel sans s'impliquer, soit devenir un allié (voir un compagnon) pour Krys, soit devenir un antagoniste au contraire mais dans tous les cas de figure il avait le potentiel pour vraiment devenir quelque chose d'intéressant.
C'était un personnage ambiguë et il l'était resté jusqu'au tome précédent. Certes il est un peu trop "né du bon coté" et fils à papa, mais il me semblait honnête et franc. Et d'un autre coté Kris et ses alliés le soupçonnent d'être impliqué dans toute une série d’incidents dans les tomes précédents.
Et j'avoue que je n'arrivais vraiment pas à trancher entre le pion un peu trop crédule vis à vis de sa propre famille qu'il voit comme des gens de bien ou le vrai maître dans l'art de la dissimulation. Il restait dont très intriguant et avec beaucoup de potentiel.
Et dans ce tome ci, d'un coup, virage à 180°, il devient clairement un antagoniste. Mais pas un bon antagoniste. On le retrouve non seulement complètement incompétent, faisant des bourde à tout va et incapable d'apprendre mais en plus c'est aussi un petit chef, piquant des crises, qui n'écoute jamais ses subordonnés et est persuadé de sa grandeur et de son infaillibilité.
Du coup ma déception est immense. J'ai l'impression qu'on m'a cassé ce personnage si intéressant que je m'étais imaginée.
Si il y a une chose que je n'aime pas en général dans les livres se sont les mauvais "méchants" et ici on est totalement dans ce cas de figure. Combattre un adversaire qui est incapable de se défendre correctement même si il a de la puissance de feu n'est pas intéressant.
Bref, ce n'est pas vraiment une réussite et cette partie la a totalement éclipsé tout le reste du livre dans mon esprit. C'est vrai que vu la fin ça ne risque pas de se reproduire donc je n'ai pas de doute que la suite soit mieux, heureusement. Du coup j'ai limite hâte de lire le suivant pour oublier celui ci.
15/20
April 13, 2012
OK....But Nothing to Write Home About (Really a 2.5 Rating),
I recommend you read the previous books in the series (Mutineer, Deserter and Defiant) prior to reading this installment.
This installment did not grab my attention until about page 94; however, from thereafter, the story took a change for the better. The author successfully entwined a great feel of adventure with the hidden secrets of the unknown. I can't say the story was on par with me not being able to put it down; but I did manage to finish this entire book with continued lukewarm interest and that counts for something.
I don't know what it is about this series, but no matter how annoyed I get or how bad a particular installment gets, I know that I am automatically going to read the next installment. The promise of learning more about the brilliant Ancients and knowing that Kris would be discovering their journey through the galaxy, in addition to finding out what exactly Nelly will evolve into keeps me coming back again and again.
I recommend this series to fellow SF readers and I look forward to reading the next book Audacious.
I recommend you read the previous books in the series (Mutineer, Deserter and Defiant) prior to reading this installment.
This installment did not grab my attention until about page 94; however, from thereafter, the story took a change for the better. The author successfully entwined a great feel of adventure with the hidden secrets of the unknown. I can't say the story was on par with me not being able to put it down; but I did manage to finish this entire book with continued lukewarm interest and that counts for something.
I don't know what it is about this series, but no matter how annoyed I get or how bad a particular installment gets, I know that I am automatically going to read the next installment. The promise of learning more about the brilliant Ancients and knowing that Kris would be discovering their journey through the galaxy, in addition to finding out what exactly Nelly will evolve into keeps me coming back again and again.
I recommend this series to fellow SF readers and I look forward to reading the next book Audacious.
November 10, 2011
This is definitely my least favorite of the Kris Longknife series so far. It started with great potential, as the previous books have. Wardhaven is safe, thanks to Kris, but she stepped on some toes so they send her somewhere "safe".
"Safe" isn't a word known to "Those Damn Longknifes"
This is where the book really slows down. So, Kris is all safe and secure on her station and takes a little trip. No spoilers, but it was a relatively boring trip.
Then later, her old friend Hank is heading towards the station. Seems that half the book was about Kris meeting with people on the planet planning a grand ball.
I need a good jolt of coffee before returning to this series, this book bored me to tears
"Safe" isn't a word known to "Those Damn Longknifes"
This is where the book really slows down. So, Kris is all safe and secure on her station and takes a little trip. No spoilers, but it was a relatively boring trip.
Then later, her old friend Hank is heading towards the station. Seems that half the book was about Kris meeting with people on the planet planning a grand ball.
I need a good jolt of coffee before returning to this series, this book bored me to tears
May 15, 2013
I really felt a struggle reading this book, because again there was the split adventures - but this time as I knew they would be they were linked at the end. Going through the motions on "Chance " with the politics and parties felt forced and unnatural. I guess I just don't like that kind of "party " when you know they'll clash at the end -it felt boring, not tense. Of course it hints to a sister we never knew Hank had - who will probably be after Kris...I have the next three books in this series and will read them but I can only hope I enjoy them more. There are shiny scenes among each book like stars but they were rare and few inbetween.
September 13, 2011
Hmmm didn't think Hank to be THAT stupid and without honor. Seemed like a different man from the second book. ON the other side, the captains including her ever present security guard Jack are very attractive men who Kris just cannot have... I just don't see any romance for Kris in the future..LOL I suppose that is the one big difference between the other books I read. In those books the women win the war as well as get the man. Well at least she won another battle making her another ledgend!
January 20, 2020
Popcorn, soda, and a cheap space opera. Fun, but the bad guy was such a caricature that he never really motivated any real worry, same with Kris's teasing of Ron. I'll give Shepherd another try or two to write a compelling bad guy instead of a comic-book menace (actually, some comic books have better bad guys than this novel, come to think of it, so bad comparison)... a Two stars, but a guilty pleasure.
January 23, 2014
I am finding with this series that I really like parts of them and find myself very bored and skimming pages for other sections. I am also REALLY sick of the "one of those damn Longknifes" riff which EVERY book harps on to a ridiculous degree - we get it!!! Kris's family is often involved in dramatic game changing events.
April 21, 2014
Another in the continuing saga of Kris Longknife, Navy Lieutenant and Princess of the Blood. A fun, quick read with interesting characters. Although the author sometimes has trouble painting a good picture of what is going on, the action and story keeps the reader interested and the characters are well developed.
August 27, 2013
Does an admirable job of keeping the various storylines moving forward, while still having an interesting plot for this book. Mr. Shepherd doesn't provide much in the way of physical description for his characters though, which did distract me for a while.
October 28, 2011
Actually if you read these books one after another they go down hill fast. I am now finding it time to move to something else.
March 5, 2019
And she thoguht it would be boring.
That Kris..what a fun read.
I really enjoy Mike Shepherd.
That Kris..what a fun read.
I really enjoy Mike Shepherd.
June 19, 2015
At this point, I know what to expect when I pick up a "Kris Longknife" novel: an exciting read with quirky characters overcoming huge obstacles by using their smarts (and sometimes a healthy dose of luck) to manipulate the situation - whatever it may be. "Resolute," the fourth novel in the series definitely didn't disappoint...in fact, I think it's my favourite installment thus far. Spoilers follow.
The book starts a few months after the last one. Kris has been assigned command of the space station "High Chance," located at the very edge of Wardhaven controlled space. At best, it's a boring backwater command. At worst, it's practically exile. Since trouble seems to follow Kris wherever she goes, she's faced with problems almost immediately. The first is with the station itself. The previous crew simply abandoned it, leaving Kris with obsolete equipment and the station with no defenses. The only ship present is a relic from Kris' grandfathers' days, leaving both the station and the planet it orbits without protection from the nearby Greenfield controlled territory. The other touchy issue is the planet Chance, an independent planet that has grown used to a weak navy presence and refuses to follow commands without first voting on them. Wanting to prove that she can be a competent officer despite being "one of those Longknifes," Kris takes control of the situation, putting the space station in order as well as maneuvering the political scene on Chance.
Much like with the previous book, "Defiant," this novel has two main plots. The first deals with space exploration. Kris and her hired crew discover a new jump point, which leads to an undiscovered planet. Following a brief trip to the planet, which contains some interesting ruins and new flora and fauna, they jump through another point and discover a much more developed planet, seemingly abandoned, but with its defense systems in tact. After an encounter with a pirate vessel, which leads to Kris obtaining a sophisticated ship for her station, they head back to "High Chance" just in time to welcome a small fleet from Greenfield, led by Kris' rival Hank Peterwald. This kicks off the second main story. Wardhaven and Greenfield are too evenly matched to risk all-out war, but that doesn't stop the antagonistic Peterwalds. They plan to add Chance to their empire, via diplomacy or, if necessary, force. With her rag-tag team, a station barely holding together, and a planet full of people that don't think too highly of her, Kris is determined to get Hank in and out peacefully, and defend Chance against him if the worst should happen.
I'll probably end up saying this in all of my reviews for all of the "Kris Longknife" books, but if you're looking for deep, thoughtful science fiction, these books aren't for you. Instead, they're chock full of fun and adventure with Kris facing larger-than-life hurtles. They're enjoyable and serve to entertain, taking the reader away from the mundane real world and transporting them to Shepherd's imaginative setting. Unlike "Defiant," "Resolute" isn't bogged down by a slow middle portion; the book flows well and is wonderfully paced. I was never bored and couldn't wait for the opportunity to pick up the book and jump back into Kris' adventures. Our heroine jumps from one adventure to another, tackling a new issue at every turn, yet still working toward the book's overarching story. Even though you know the final battle is coming, Shepherd holds it off just long enough to make you think that maybe, just maybe, it can be avoided. With the series extending through several more books, it's no surprise that Kris survives - I've always thought the appeal of these books isn't whether or not Kris lives through her ordeals, but rather, how she manages to do it - though it did come as a bit of a shock that Hank didn't make it (and the circumstances of his death certainly leave much to be explored in future novels). With Kris being where she belongs, in the navy, and the pacing problems of the previous book resolved, "Resolute" is thoroughly satisfying and entertaining - it feels like Shepherd has really hit his stride and has these books figured out.
I always love a good navy romp complete with space battles, but I also found the part of the story regarding space exploration and alien planets to be incredibly interesting. The Peterwalds are certainly a formidable opponent, but the added potential threat of an advanced alien race and the mystery where they've gone and why they've abandoned their planet gives the story a distinct new flavour. I'm sure Shepherd will continue to investigate this subplot in future novels - there was too much build up around the discovery to just let it go after this book. Also, as an aside, I had worried that the story would slow to a crawl once talk of going to the first planet's service began. I needn't have worried since Kris was apparently as eager to get the planet as I was and was suited up and on her way within a couple of paragraphs. Again, that's what I love about the "Kris Longknife" series - it hasn't been bogged down (so far) with unnecessary filler. Shepherd knows when he's hit an interesting concept and these mysterious aliens are definitely intriguing.
I love Shepherd's writing. He seems to have just the right balance of telling us enough to get a feel for the setting and characters without boring us to tears by over-describing everything. The prose can sometimes be simple, but that really works for the story. After all, I read military space opera to be entertained and become engrossed in the story and characters' adventures, not to pick my way through complex writing. Shepherd's style of writing is also oftentimes witty, and for the most part, he does a good job weaving humour into otherwise serious prose. It adds a unique flavour to the novel and I usually find myself smiling when reading it, which is a plus in my book.
The cast of characters is quirky and fun as usual. Kris continues to grow and develop as the main character. Shepherd manages to make her competent without pushing her into the dreaded Mary Sue territory and it's a relief to see that she struggles with her decisions and self doubt without becoming so mired in it that she ceases to function. I also enjoyed the realistic aspect of Kris dealing with survivor's guilt after the events of the previous book. It's clear that what happened has affected her, both personally and as a commander (she has become cautious almost to a fault when it comes to sending people into combat, especially in the case of volunteer civilians). However, she also realizes that she can't become too wrapped up in guilt and has to push forward to overcome the trials placed before her and succeed as an officer. Guilt and self-doubt can be very difficult to portray well, but Shepherd succeeds and provides a realistic portrayal of both emotions. To put it simply, I love Kris - I love that she's competent, but not a genius; that she's creative and can improvise, but also makes mistakes; that she wishes she had some companionship (what young 20-something wouldn't?), but doesn't lament about her appearance and instead focuses on the job at hand; that she experiences emotions realistically; and I love her wit and the camaraderie she shares with her loyal companions. She's a wonderful protagonist for this type of book, and the author sure knows how to write her in a way that keeps her realistic, but always interesting.
The reoccurring characters also continue to be interesting. Jack is the same as always: snarky, duty-focused, and fiercely protective of Kris. His banter with Kris and the rest of the crew is always amusing and I'm starting to wonder if there might eventually be more between him and our heroine. I'm usually completely against romance and often find it to be a huge turn-off when reading a novel, but these two certainly have a lot of chemistry. For the time being, though, they're great as friends and their professional relationship is enjoyable. Penny surprised me the most in her character growth. Like Kris, she's suffering from survivor's guilt in the beginning of the novel, though hers has a more painful edge since her husband, Tommy, sacrificed himself to save her in the last book. Though she understandably spends a lot of time grieving for what she's lost, she also learns from spending time with some old war vets from Chance that it's ok to grieve and, more importantly, it's ok to move on. I was pleased to see so much development in a secondary character. And, finally, we get some of Abby's background. The mysterious, steam-trunk-bearing maid has made some mistakes in her past and, much to Kris' dismay, she's been releasing information to the press. We don't learn a whole lot about her, but it's just enough to keep us intrigued.
Since there is no such thing as a perfect book, I do have two complaints. The first is regarding Hank and his characterization. Though he was established as an antagonist before his book, I never found his portrayal in earlier novels to be as over the top as it was here. He's very much the overconfident, immature, scheming brat in "Resolute," and he comes off as being more like a caricature than an actual character. I get that the intention was to portray him as someone who really has no business in navy affairs and is really only there because he's the boss's son, but his tantrums and outbursts were just too much to really be believable. The second issue I had is with some of the humour. While I enjoy the wit that is displayed in the writing, Kris sometimes does some things that are really outlandish and inappropriate. For example, when Kris is trying to keep the peace on Chance during Hank's visit, she decides to participate in a caber toss. I think it was meant to be humourous that she was doing such a heavy, messy sport in an evening gown and heels and show that she could beat the guys, but it felt very inappropriate and out of place and I found myself feeling a little embarrassed for her. There are other similar incidents and I can't help but think they should be dialed back a bit for believability's sake.
My couple issues aside, I loved "Resolute." It's exactly what I've come to expect from the "Kris Longknife" series with none of the problems from the earlier novels. With the revelation at the end of the book that Hank has a sister that isn't often spoken of, it seems like Kris's problems with the Peterwalds will continue. I'll definitely be reading the next book to see where Kris's adventures take her next. "Resolute" gets five stars from me: the story is great and the characters grow and continue to be dynamic - Shepherd really knows what he's doing!
This review is also posted on Amazon.com.
The book starts a few months after the last one. Kris has been assigned command of the space station "High Chance," located at the very edge of Wardhaven controlled space. At best, it's a boring backwater command. At worst, it's practically exile. Since trouble seems to follow Kris wherever she goes, she's faced with problems almost immediately. The first is with the station itself. The previous crew simply abandoned it, leaving Kris with obsolete equipment and the station with no defenses. The only ship present is a relic from Kris' grandfathers' days, leaving both the station and the planet it orbits without protection from the nearby Greenfield controlled territory. The other touchy issue is the planet Chance, an independent planet that has grown used to a weak navy presence and refuses to follow commands without first voting on them. Wanting to prove that she can be a competent officer despite being "one of those Longknifes," Kris takes control of the situation, putting the space station in order as well as maneuvering the political scene on Chance.
Much like with the previous book, "Defiant," this novel has two main plots. The first deals with space exploration. Kris and her hired crew discover a new jump point, which leads to an undiscovered planet. Following a brief trip to the planet, which contains some interesting ruins and new flora and fauna, they jump through another point and discover a much more developed planet, seemingly abandoned, but with its defense systems in tact. After an encounter with a pirate vessel, which leads to Kris obtaining a sophisticated ship for her station, they head back to "High Chance" just in time to welcome a small fleet from Greenfield, led by Kris' rival Hank Peterwald. This kicks off the second main story. Wardhaven and Greenfield are too evenly matched to risk all-out war, but that doesn't stop the antagonistic Peterwalds. They plan to add Chance to their empire, via diplomacy or, if necessary, force. With her rag-tag team, a station barely holding together, and a planet full of people that don't think too highly of her, Kris is determined to get Hank in and out peacefully, and defend Chance against him if the worst should happen.
I'll probably end up saying this in all of my reviews for all of the "Kris Longknife" books, but if you're looking for deep, thoughtful science fiction, these books aren't for you. Instead, they're chock full of fun and adventure with Kris facing larger-than-life hurtles. They're enjoyable and serve to entertain, taking the reader away from the mundane real world and transporting them to Shepherd's imaginative setting. Unlike "Defiant," "Resolute" isn't bogged down by a slow middle portion; the book flows well and is wonderfully paced. I was never bored and couldn't wait for the opportunity to pick up the book and jump back into Kris' adventures. Our heroine jumps from one adventure to another, tackling a new issue at every turn, yet still working toward the book's overarching story. Even though you know the final battle is coming, Shepherd holds it off just long enough to make you think that maybe, just maybe, it can be avoided. With the series extending through several more books, it's no surprise that Kris survives - I've always thought the appeal of these books isn't whether or not Kris lives through her ordeals, but rather, how she manages to do it - though it did come as a bit of a shock that Hank didn't make it (and the circumstances of his death certainly leave much to be explored in future novels). With Kris being where she belongs, in the navy, and the pacing problems of the previous book resolved, "Resolute" is thoroughly satisfying and entertaining - it feels like Shepherd has really hit his stride and has these books figured out.
I always love a good navy romp complete with space battles, but I also found the part of the story regarding space exploration and alien planets to be incredibly interesting. The Peterwalds are certainly a formidable opponent, but the added potential threat of an advanced alien race and the mystery where they've gone and why they've abandoned their planet gives the story a distinct new flavour. I'm sure Shepherd will continue to investigate this subplot in future novels - there was too much build up around the discovery to just let it go after this book. Also, as an aside, I had worried that the story would slow to a crawl once talk of going to the first planet's service began. I needn't have worried since Kris was apparently as eager to get the planet as I was and was suited up and on her way within a couple of paragraphs. Again, that's what I love about the "Kris Longknife" series - it hasn't been bogged down (so far) with unnecessary filler. Shepherd knows when he's hit an interesting concept and these mysterious aliens are definitely intriguing.
I love Shepherd's writing. He seems to have just the right balance of telling us enough to get a feel for the setting and characters without boring us to tears by over-describing everything. The prose can sometimes be simple, but that really works for the story. After all, I read military space opera to be entertained and become engrossed in the story and characters' adventures, not to pick my way through complex writing. Shepherd's style of writing is also oftentimes witty, and for the most part, he does a good job weaving humour into otherwise serious prose. It adds a unique flavour to the novel and I usually find myself smiling when reading it, which is a plus in my book.
The cast of characters is quirky and fun as usual. Kris continues to grow and develop as the main character. Shepherd manages to make her competent without pushing her into the dreaded Mary Sue territory and it's a relief to see that she struggles with her decisions and self doubt without becoming so mired in it that she ceases to function. I also enjoyed the realistic aspect of Kris dealing with survivor's guilt after the events of the previous book. It's clear that what happened has affected her, both personally and as a commander (she has become cautious almost to a fault when it comes to sending people into combat, especially in the case of volunteer civilians). However, she also realizes that she can't become too wrapped up in guilt and has to push forward to overcome the trials placed before her and succeed as an officer. Guilt and self-doubt can be very difficult to portray well, but Shepherd succeeds and provides a realistic portrayal of both emotions. To put it simply, I love Kris - I love that she's competent, but not a genius; that she's creative and can improvise, but also makes mistakes; that she wishes she had some companionship (what young 20-something wouldn't?), but doesn't lament about her appearance and instead focuses on the job at hand; that she experiences emotions realistically; and I love her wit and the camaraderie she shares with her loyal companions. She's a wonderful protagonist for this type of book, and the author sure knows how to write her in a way that keeps her realistic, but always interesting.
The reoccurring characters also continue to be interesting. Jack is the same as always: snarky, duty-focused, and fiercely protective of Kris. His banter with Kris and the rest of the crew is always amusing and I'm starting to wonder if there might eventually be more between him and our heroine. I'm usually completely against romance and often find it to be a huge turn-off when reading a novel, but these two certainly have a lot of chemistry. For the time being, though, they're great as friends and their professional relationship is enjoyable. Penny surprised me the most in her character growth. Like Kris, she's suffering from survivor's guilt in the beginning of the novel, though hers has a more painful edge since her husband, Tommy, sacrificed himself to save her in the last book. Though she understandably spends a lot of time grieving for what she's lost, she also learns from spending time with some old war vets from Chance that it's ok to grieve and, more importantly, it's ok to move on. I was pleased to see so much development in a secondary character. And, finally, we get some of Abby's background. The mysterious, steam-trunk-bearing maid has made some mistakes in her past and, much to Kris' dismay, she's been releasing information to the press. We don't learn a whole lot about her, but it's just enough to keep us intrigued.
Since there is no such thing as a perfect book, I do have two complaints. The first is regarding Hank and his characterization. Though he was established as an antagonist before his book, I never found his portrayal in earlier novels to be as over the top as it was here. He's very much the overconfident, immature, scheming brat in "Resolute," and he comes off as being more like a caricature than an actual character. I get that the intention was to portray him as someone who really has no business in navy affairs and is really only there because he's the boss's son, but his tantrums and outbursts were just too much to really be believable. The second issue I had is with some of the humour. While I enjoy the wit that is displayed in the writing, Kris sometimes does some things that are really outlandish and inappropriate. For example, when Kris is trying to keep the peace on Chance during Hank's visit, she decides to participate in a caber toss. I think it was meant to be humourous that she was doing such a heavy, messy sport in an evening gown and heels and show that she could beat the guys, but it felt very inappropriate and out of place and I found myself feeling a little embarrassed for her. There are other similar incidents and I can't help but think they should be dialed back a bit for believability's sake.
My couple issues aside, I loved "Resolute." It's exactly what I've come to expect from the "Kris Longknife" series with none of the problems from the earlier novels. With the revelation at the end of the book that Hank has a sister that isn't often spoken of, it seems like Kris's problems with the Peterwalds will continue. I'll definitely be reading the next book to see where Kris's adventures take her next. "Resolute" gets five stars from me: the story is great and the characters grow and continue to be dynamic - Shepherd really knows what he's doing!
This review is also posted on Amazon.com.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 11, 2024
This book starts out of the blue with the MC and her small team(5ppl with Kris) stepping of a Space Liner at what we find out is a purposefully abandoned Space Station above a planet called Chance. Chance has a population of 100 million people and sounds like a really nice place. A place on the border with the oooh so wicked Greenfeld/Peterwald grouping of worlds soon to be empire(lmao).
Supposedly she is sent there to keep her safe and out of the political trouble caused on other worlds when Wicked forces keep trying to assassinate her. So now she is as close to defenceless as it gets..
So yeah on the whole the starting premise is totally inane and just not believable in my eyes with logic taking a naked walk out the airlock.
I am fairly sure the author will come up with pathetic brainless excuses, for why, at the end of this book or at the start of the next, instead of some sensible reason becoming clear during the final 4 hours of this book. Oh something like baiting a trap for Greenfeld on part of the United Sentience command or whatever the Longknife alliance is called. No instead its probably going to prove to be criminally lax bumbling idiocy.
Then there is the whole part with the authors character assassination of Henry "Hank" Smythe Peterwald. Wherein he regresses from what he was in the prior books to the equivalent of a petulant 10 year old with grave mental problems. Its very poorly done and as I see it unnecessary. The author should have been able to kill him off without turning him into some sort of brain damage addled muppet.
All followed by a cringe Retcon of the story to date and the introduction of a Girl Boss antagonist and sister of Hank named Victoria "Vicky" Peterwald. This series having started off at the early immergence of the current Girl Boss Era in books/media.
So as I see it things start off poorly and do not improve as the story progresses. The fuzzy jump point and Alien 3 plot lines get merged in the early part of this book and advanced somewhat. Sadly its the only part in this book that I considered good if somewhat formulaic/cliché for such as aren't new to the sci-fi/space opera genres.
Sigh, the contrivances in this series are just to many and my current re-listen to it has me considering just giving it a 1/5 across the board even though it is otherwise well written as such things go and better on that front than the horrible indie author trash of the past decade.
Supposedly she is sent there to keep her safe and out of the political trouble caused on other worlds when Wicked forces keep trying to assassinate her. So now she is as close to defenceless as it gets..
So yeah on the whole the starting premise is totally inane and just not believable in my eyes with logic taking a naked walk out the airlock.
I am fairly sure the author will come up with pathetic brainless excuses, for why, at the end of this book or at the start of the next, instead of some sensible reason becoming clear during the final 4 hours of this book. Oh something like baiting a trap for Greenfeld on part of the United Sentience command or whatever the Longknife alliance is called. No instead its probably going to prove to be criminally lax bumbling idiocy.
Then there is the whole part with the authors character assassination of Henry "Hank" Smythe Peterwald. Wherein he regresses from what he was in the prior books to the equivalent of a petulant 10 year old with grave mental problems. Its very poorly done and as I see it unnecessary. The author should have been able to kill him off without turning him into some sort of brain damage addled muppet.
All followed by a cringe Retcon of the story to date and the introduction of a Girl Boss antagonist and sister of Hank named Victoria "Vicky" Peterwald. This series having started off at the early immergence of the current Girl Boss Era in books/media.
So as I see it things start off poorly and do not improve as the story progresses. The fuzzy jump point and Alien 3 plot lines get merged in the early part of this book and advanced somewhat. Sadly its the only part in this book that I considered good if somewhat formulaic/cliché for such as aren't new to the sci-fi/space opera genres.
Sigh, the contrivances in this series are just to many and my current re-listen to it has me considering just giving it a 1/5 across the board even though it is otherwise well written as such things go and better on that front than the horrible indie author trash of the past decade.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 24, 2022
Kris Longknife has her first independent command. She's been sent to command Naval District 41 orbiting the planet Chance. When she arrives along with Penny, her bodyguard Jack, her maid Abby, and a Naval Chief named Beni, she finds the place empty. She learns that Lieutenant in charge had put in his tweny years and retired - as a lieutenant.
She visits the planet to see what is going on and soon learns that the planet is filled with rugged individualists who don't see the need to have Wardhaven's protection and certainly don't want a Longknife there. A number of the older citizens had served with one or the other of Kris's great-grandfathers and knew that Longknifes were trouble magnets.
But Kris has another issue besides her unstaffed and mothballed station. Her computer Nelly wants to go exploring using some of the maps left by the ancient races that have long disappeared. She sends Penny and Abby off to rent a ship since the only one at the station was state of the art when her Great-Grandpa King Ray took it into battle many, many years ago and is now suitable mainly as a museum.
Their explorations lead to the discovery of a couple of planets with remnants of those long-gone aliens. The first is in poor condition, but the second looks like someone could move in if they could defeat the automated defenses. Determined to bring the news of her discover back to Wardhaven, Kris returns to Naval District 41 to find that four Peterwald ships have come through the jump commanded by Kris's old rival Hank Peterwald. Their goal is to conquer Chance and add it to the Peterwald empire.
Neither Kris nor the citizens of Chance are in favor of this, but both are radically outgunned. Luckily, the brains are on Kris's side. I enjoyed seeing all the different plans that were developed to defeat the Peterwald fleet, hopefully, without bloodshed or lives lost.
This was another great episode in an engaging Space Opera series. I liked seeing how Kris is growing in responsibilities and getting to know herself and her companions.
She visits the planet to see what is going on and soon learns that the planet is filled with rugged individualists who don't see the need to have Wardhaven's protection and certainly don't want a Longknife there. A number of the older citizens had served with one or the other of Kris's great-grandfathers and knew that Longknifes were trouble magnets.
But Kris has another issue besides her unstaffed and mothballed station. Her computer Nelly wants to go exploring using some of the maps left by the ancient races that have long disappeared. She sends Penny and Abby off to rent a ship since the only one at the station was state of the art when her Great-Grandpa King Ray took it into battle many, many years ago and is now suitable mainly as a museum.
Their explorations lead to the discovery of a couple of planets with remnants of those long-gone aliens. The first is in poor condition, but the second looks like someone could move in if they could defeat the automated defenses. Determined to bring the news of her discover back to Wardhaven, Kris returns to Naval District 41 to find that four Peterwald ships have come through the jump commanded by Kris's old rival Hank Peterwald. Their goal is to conquer Chance and add it to the Peterwald empire.
Neither Kris nor the citizens of Chance are in favor of this, but both are radically outgunned. Luckily, the brains are on Kris's side. I enjoyed seeing all the different plans that were developed to defeat the Peterwald fleet, hopefully, without bloodshed or lives lost.
This was another great episode in an engaging Space Opera series. I liked seeing how Kris is growing in responsibilities and getting to know herself and her companions.
January 22, 2022
I came across this series in December, maybe November 2021 and I am on book #4 already. I like them very much. Kris, the main character, is a woman from a future political elite who is often crosswise with the Navy's heirarchy. Shepherd sets up a series of desperate situations and she manages to ward off the forces of evil (at least in books 1, 2, 3) with tremendous help from skillful and well intended residents of the planets - a different planet in each story so far. There is much commentary that still fits our current struggles. The surrounding characters are well developed and interesting. The different places seem real. Kris also has plenty of personal doubts and struggles - she is not a one-dimensional heroine.
My one critical comment is that each book so far has had one or two passages where things just do not knit together. It's as if some sentences or a paragraph got deleted accidentally. I think a good editor would have smoothed that out, and it's not obvious that there was an editor. If Shepherd was pretty much working solo then I admire his work product even more.
These books made me understand, as others have not, how historic battles among ships on earth played out - there's noplace to hide. Old codgers are given their due too, which I like being one myself. I recommend highly.
My one critical comment is that each book so far has had one or two passages where things just do not knit together. It's as if some sentences or a paragraph got deleted accidentally. I think a good editor would have smoothed that out, and it's not obvious that there was an editor. If Shepherd was pretty much working solo then I admire his work product even more.
These books made me understand, as others have not, how historic battles among ships on earth played out - there's noplace to hide. Old codgers are given their due too, which I like being one myself. I recommend highly.
October 19, 2024
The first three books in this series were pretty good, despite being a bit more action/adventure than Science Fiction. In this one, though, you can see in the very first paragraph an obvious drop in quality from the previous books. Most of it is fairly minor spelling and punctuation, but a number of lesser plot errors.
Until we get to the finale, which I won't reveal as too much of a spoiler, but will just say that it is about the MOST God awfully STUPID blunder I've ever seen in a book, and I've read more than a little over the years!!!
I don't know whether to continue the series or not: on the one hand, it looks like we may finally get to the part involving the aliens of this universe. On the other hand, if the quality of story continues the current trend, it won't be worth getting into
Until we get to the finale, which I won't reveal as too much of a spoiler, but will just say that it is about the MOST God awfully STUPID blunder I've ever seen in a book, and I've read more than a little over the years!!!
I don't know whether to continue the series or not: on the one hand, it looks like we may finally get to the part involving the aliens of this universe. On the other hand, if the quality of story continues the current trend, it won't be worth getting into
February 12, 2025
Where do you post a Lieutenant that’s also a princess?
After everything that has happened so far, the Navy is running out of options to send Lieutenant’s who are also both royalty & especially one of those damn Longknifes in hopes of keeping life quiet.
In this story she & her team are sent to a backwater planet far from everything. Needless to say they encounter unexpected and unpleasant attention from the Peterwalds again.
After everything that has happened so far, the Navy is running out of options to send Lieutenant’s who are also both royalty & especially one of those damn Longknifes in hopes of keeping life quiet.
In this story she & her team are sent to a backwater planet far from everything. Needless to say they encounter unexpected and unpleasant attention from the Peterwalds again.
September 2, 2017
This was a good book with some great action spread throughout the book as trouble follows Kris even when exiled to the ass end of space. Not sure why Jack had to get drafted into the Marines for this book. At the end of the book Jack is back in the protectorate service again, rather than the Corps. We get to see some of Kris the woman rather than just Kris the badass or Princess Kris.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 3, 2021
Another fine addition to the series. The situation is new and the characters are developing.
The one thing that is getting annoying is the phase "those Longknives".
The story kept the action going while building the action to a fun ending.
The one thing that is getting annoying is the phase "those Longknives".
The story kept the action going while building the action to a fun ending.
September 19, 2017
The series gets better and better as an entertaining read
March 6, 2019
Love this series
March 30, 2019
Kris does it again. Trouble finds her wherever she goes.
A fun read.
A fun read.
July 24, 2022
Another banger of an entry in the series.
May 11, 2024
I love this series
I love the series when I read them originally. Now I'm rereading Them on the kindle. Wondering why I waited so long.
I love the series when I read them originally. Now I'm rereading Them on the kindle. Wondering why I waited so long.
October 6, 2025
Would have been five but for sloppiness with homonyms, I.e. hanger/hangar, brake/break and decellerate whrn it should accelkerare
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