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Star Risk #4
The Dog From Hell
While escorting a bunch of wealthy girls from a finishing school on Earth to one of the luxury worlds, the Star Risk, Ltd., team goes up against Cerberus Systems, a ruthless security firm bent on annihilating any competition. Original.
352 pages, Mass Market Paperback
Published August 2, 2005
5 people are currently reading
135 people want to read
About the author
Chris Bunch
86 books130 followersChristopher R. "Chris" Bunch was an American science fiction, fantasy and television writer, who wrote and co-wrote about thirty novels.
Born in Fresno, California, he collaborated with Allan Cole on a series of books involving a hero named Sten in a galactic empire. (Cole married Bunch's sister, Kathryn.) He served in Vietnam as a patrol leader. He also wrote for Rolling Stone and was a correspondent for Stars and Stripes. He died in his hometown of Ilwaco, Washington, after a long battle with a lung ailment.
Born in Fresno, California, he collaborated with Allan Cole on a series of books involving a hero named Sten in a galactic empire. (Cole married Bunch's sister, Kathryn.) He served in Vietnam as a patrol leader. He also wrote for Rolling Stone and was a correspondent for Stars and Stripes. He died in his hometown of Ilwaco, Washington, after a long battle with a lung ailment.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
May 28, 2009
This Series is a fun read, A-Team in space basically.
November 14, 2019
NICE BOOK.
February 10, 2020
Violent space opera . I didn't find the characters interesting or likeable
August 13, 2023
Solid old School Sci-Fi
January 18, 2016
This fourth Star Risk, Ltd. novel is pretty good, much better than the previous one. The mercenary group is back, but this time, their nemesis, Cerebus Systems, a huge “security” firm with thousands of operatives spread out on hundreds, perhaps thousands of worlds, with a huge fleet and massive armies, has decided they’ve had enough of the five person Star Risk group and decides to do away with them. And they ruthlessly do. It’s ugly and painful to see and, decimated, the group disbands while they’re still alive. Unfortunately, things are so bad, that even when they go their separate ways and are trying to make livings on their own or are even at home relaxing, Cerebus attacks them still and in Riss’s case, demolishes her beloved home, almost killing her in the process.
Slowly and secretly, the group gets back together, hearing about a possible job that involves Cerebus, and decides to try and act on it, both with the idea of replenishing their decimated funds and sticking it to Cerebus. The job in question involves a politically unstable system with armed rebels and a pirate problem. They’ve hired Cerebus to quell the disturbances, but so far, things haven’t gone well. The Star Risk group, no longer calling themselves that, decide to infiltrate the main planet’s capital city and see what sort of mischief they can get into.
And mischief they find. They befriend the rebels and both deliver them goods and materials, help train them, and ultimately lead them into combat. They find a decent armed ship and become pirates themselves, which frankly is a little disturbing, but they do this to make some money in order to fund their efforts. They eventually enlist the aid of their former pilot buddy and some more pilot mercenaries and their ships and ultimately quite a few more. They assassinate the leading Cerebus official there and we see the Cerebus board get ticked at their problems there, not realizing Star Risk is the cause. Star Risk ultimately assassinates the next high ranking Cerebus official sent there, and the system’s president, causing great political upheaval, and things unravel quickly. Soon, their identity is given away by a mercenary traitor and Cerebus is out to get them. A mini-war happens and, well of course you have to know who comes out on top, but I won’t tell you what happens or how it happens as I want you, dear reader, to read the book for yourself. Ideally, you’ll read the series, but this can be read as a standalone book with no problem whatsoever. You don’t need to have read the previous books in the series to understand what is going on.
This is the author’s final Star Risk book before he died shortly after. A fifth was written by Steve Perry and his son. I have it and will read it soon, but I doubt it will be as good as Bunch’s. Bunch has a unique talent that I doubt can be duplicated. This isn’t the best Star Risk book, but it’s not bad. There’s a lot of action, as always. It’s good military sci fi, which you can always expect from Bunch. Recommended.
Slowly and secretly, the group gets back together, hearing about a possible job that involves Cerebus, and decides to try and act on it, both with the idea of replenishing their decimated funds and sticking it to Cerebus. The job in question involves a politically unstable system with armed rebels and a pirate problem. They’ve hired Cerebus to quell the disturbances, but so far, things haven’t gone well. The Star Risk group, no longer calling themselves that, decide to infiltrate the main planet’s capital city and see what sort of mischief they can get into.
And mischief they find. They befriend the rebels and both deliver them goods and materials, help train them, and ultimately lead them into combat. They find a decent armed ship and become pirates themselves, which frankly is a little disturbing, but they do this to make some money in order to fund their efforts. They eventually enlist the aid of their former pilot buddy and some more pilot mercenaries and their ships and ultimately quite a few more. They assassinate the leading Cerebus official there and we see the Cerebus board get ticked at their problems there, not realizing Star Risk is the cause. Star Risk ultimately assassinates the next high ranking Cerebus official sent there, and the system’s president, causing great political upheaval, and things unravel quickly. Soon, their identity is given away by a mercenary traitor and Cerebus is out to get them. A mini-war happens and, well of course you have to know who comes out on top, but I won’t tell you what happens or how it happens as I want you, dear reader, to read the book for yourself. Ideally, you’ll read the series, but this can be read as a standalone book with no problem whatsoever. You don’t need to have read the previous books in the series to understand what is going on.
This is the author’s final Star Risk book before he died shortly after. A fifth was written by Steve Perry and his son. I have it and will read it soon, but I doubt it will be as good as Bunch’s. Bunch has a unique talent that I doubt can be duplicated. This isn’t the best Star Risk book, but it’s not bad. There’s a lot of action, as always. It’s good military sci fi, which you can always expect from Bunch. Recommended.
December 29, 2015
I like the Star Risk series. The "good guys" always win and they make witty quips while doing it. I like the fun group of characters, from the hulking alien who likes philosophy to the impossibly good looking impossibly smart woman who insists she isn't an android. And the former jewel thief/berserker who loves women. Any woman will do.
June 3, 2014
I wanted to like this author, but his style is just not for me. Lots if "he did this" and "she thought that" but absolutely no character development. I read to the end (skimming whole chapters) but, well, didn't care one way or the other what happened or who survived.
July 8, 2010
i dont think i was paying much attention when i was reading this series but im pretty sure its good. i am going to read the series again.
August 5, 2013
An unusual twist on space adventures..set in the future where space travel is as common place as automobile travel now and how the underdog tries to overcome the bully..
December 18, 2016
Star Risk is a great series!
While dated, it strikes a cord of adventure and daring. Never the good guys, but they have their moments once in awhile.
While dated, it strikes a cord of adventure and daring. Never the good guys, but they have their moments once in awhile.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews