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First Salik War #3
The Blockade
The national bestselling author of The V’Dan returns to her gripping military sci-fi series set in the same world as Theirs Not to Reason Why.
The First Salik War is underway, and the Alliance is losing—their newest allies must find a way to win, or everyone will be slaughtered.
Though committed to helping their V’Dan cousins, the Terrans resent how their allies treat them. The V’Dan in turn feel the Terrans are too unseasoned to act independently. And the other nations fear that ending the Salik War means starting a Human Civil War.
Even as Imperial Prince Li’eth and Ambassador Jackie MacKenzie struggle to get their peoples to cooperate, they still face an ethical How do you stop a ruthless, advanced nation from attacking again and again without slaughtering them in turn?
The First Salik War is underway, and the Alliance is losing—their newest allies must find a way to win, or everyone will be slaughtered.
Though committed to helping their V’Dan cousins, the Terrans resent how their allies treat them. The V’Dan in turn feel the Terrans are too unseasoned to act independently. And the other nations fear that ending the Salik War means starting a Human Civil War.
Even as Imperial Prince Li’eth and Ambassador Jackie MacKenzie struggle to get their peoples to cooperate, they still face an ethical How do you stop a ruthless, advanced nation from attacking again and again without slaughtering them in turn?
352 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published November 29, 2016
29 people are currently reading
335 people want to read
About the author
Jean Johnson
51 books820 followersBerkley/Jove Authors Bio
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
(1)romance author, science fiction author
Jean Johnson currently lives in the Pacific Northwest, has played in the SCA for 25 years, sings a lot, and argues with her cat about territorial rights to her office chair. She loves hearing from her readers, and has a distinct sense of humor. Right now she's living in a home with zone heating & decent plumbing, but hopes to some day put turrets and ramparts on it so that it looks like a castle.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
(1)romance author, science fiction author
Jean Johnson currently lives in the Pacific Northwest, has played in the SCA for 25 years, sings a lot, and argues with her cat about territorial rights to her office chair. She loves hearing from her readers, and has a distinct sense of humor. Right now she's living in a home with zone heating & decent plumbing, but hopes to some day put turrets and ramparts on it so that it looks like a castle.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
November 6, 2025
Let me preface my review by saying, I jumped into this series on book 3 and had no problem finding myself engaged in this tale.
Terrans are leaving when they are attacked by the Salik. Li’Eth and Jackie are by far what saves them but Li’Eth’s sisters machinations put a huge strain on their pairing and putting their lives in even more danger.
The interaction between the alliance members is by far my favorite part. Jean was the one with the political skills that again save the day…ultimately bring the war to a close.
The ending brought with it great closure but it would be interesting see the family dynamic continue.
I enjoyed The Blockade but found it a bit over descriptive and was anxious for the action and story progression. This was my first read by Jean Johnson and felt that she is an amazing world builder with unique and original storytelling.
I received this ARC copy of The Blockade from Berkley Publishing Group - Ace in exchange for a honest review. This book is set for publication November 29, 2016.
Terrans are leaving when they are attacked by the Salik. Li’Eth and Jackie are by far what saves them but Li’Eth’s sisters machinations put a huge strain on their pairing and putting their lives in even more danger.
The interaction between the alliance members is by far my favorite part. Jean was the one with the political skills that again save the day…ultimately bring the war to a close.
The ending brought with it great closure but it would be interesting see the family dynamic continue.
I enjoyed The Blockade but found it a bit over descriptive and was anxious for the action and story progression. This was my first read by Jean Johnson and felt that she is an amazing world builder with unique and original storytelling.
I received this ARC copy of The Blockade from Berkley Publishing Group - Ace in exchange for a honest review. This book is set for publication November 29, 2016.
January 24, 2024
When I started reading Jean Johnson's The Blockade I was planning a few hours full of adventure, a brain-candy story concerning first contact with alien species. However, I was disappointed. The author seemed to focus excessively on inconsequential details with often little impact on the story. As a result, what was supposed to be a fast science fiction adventure suffered from the weight of often repetitive details. Oh, it was a fair enough entertainment, but not what I expected. 2.5 stars.
December 19, 2016
This was a difficult story for me to finish, and I did so only by skimming quite a bit by the end.
The book suffered from some of the same problems as the previous two. It focused excessively on irrelevant details that often had little impact on the story. Customs, wordplay, appearances, language differences, etc. were laid out in minute and often repetitive detail. Things like the biometric suits designed to help fight Salik underwater were explained ad nauseum but their use, as opposed to something less dangerously face-to-face, made little sense except they sounded cool. There definitely was an emphasis on examination of differing customs and methods of diplomacy and little on actual conflicts or fights, a plus for those who might enjoy this. I, however, found it exceedingly dull.
The pedantic and often self-righteous preachiness also was in full force in this story. Jackie actually chided Li'eth for his visceral dislike and fear of the Salik, basically telling him that they are people, too. Not exactly something a loving partner tells someone who has endured what he has. At one confrontation with the Salik, Jackie actually lectured them on all the ways they were "not nice," going on for a couple pages of admonishments. She at many times seemed more robotic than human in her adherence to her strict and oft-invoked code of ethics.
In retrospect, I think this is the aspect of the story I found most disappointing. Jackie and usually even Li'eth had very little real emotional response to events or even to each other. The greatest emotion was perhaps a soft epithet, quickly squelched. They referred to each other as "love" or "mates," but I saw no such show of their bond beyond the mind-talking. I just never saw that they cared much for each other or about much else other than showing a bit of mild amusement (which often seemed forced to me) or mild perturbation. Interestingly, this is the same problem I had with the relatively emotionless protagonist of A Soldier's Duty.
I suppose four books are enough data points to convince me Johnson is not an author I particularly enjoy or appreciate. Lesson learned.
The book suffered from some of the same problems as the previous two. It focused excessively on irrelevant details that often had little impact on the story. Customs, wordplay, appearances, language differences, etc. were laid out in minute and often repetitive detail. Things like the biometric suits designed to help fight Salik underwater were explained ad nauseum but their use, as opposed to something less dangerously face-to-face, made little sense except they sounded cool. There definitely was an emphasis on examination of differing customs and methods of diplomacy and little on actual conflicts or fights, a plus for those who might enjoy this. I, however, found it exceedingly dull.
The pedantic and often self-righteous preachiness also was in full force in this story. Jackie actually chided Li'eth for his visceral dislike and fear of the Salik, basically telling him that they are people, too. Not exactly something a loving partner tells someone who has endured what he has. At one confrontation with the Salik, Jackie actually lectured them on all the ways they were "not nice," going on for a couple pages of admonishments. She at many times seemed more robotic than human in her adherence to her strict and oft-invoked code of ethics.
In retrospect, I think this is the aspect of the story I found most disappointing. Jackie and usually even Li'eth had very little real emotional response to events or even to each other. The greatest emotion was perhaps a soft epithet, quickly squelched. They referred to each other as "love" or "mates," but I saw no such show of their bond beyond the mind-talking. I just never saw that they cared much for each other or about much else other than showing a bit of mild amusement (which often seemed forced to me) or mild perturbation. Interestingly, this is the same problem I had with the relatively emotionless protagonist of A Soldier's Duty.
I suppose four books are enough data points to convince me Johnson is not an author I particularly enjoy or appreciate. Lesson learned.
January 23, 2017
*Source* Publisher via NetGalley
*Genre* Science Fiction
*Rating* 3.5
*My Thoughts*
The Blockade is the third and final installment in author Jean Johnson's First Salik War trilogy. If you are new to the series, let me summarize where we stand. The first thing you need to know is that this series takes place 200 years before the authors Theirs Not To Reason Why series. If you've read that series, you can immediately jump into this series since it's the beginning of how things will eventually shape up in Theirs No to Reason Why.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews 01/21/2017*
http://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/201...
*Genre* Science Fiction
*Rating* 3.5
*My Thoughts*
The Blockade is the third and final installment in author Jean Johnson's First Salik War trilogy. If you are new to the series, let me summarize where we stand. The first thing you need to know is that this series takes place 200 years before the authors Theirs Not To Reason Why series. If you've read that series, you can immediately jump into this series since it's the beginning of how things will eventually shape up in Theirs No to Reason Why.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews 01/21/2017*
http://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/201...
November 8, 2016
I can't tell you how relieved I was to be enjoying reading The Blockade after two lukewarm impressions from the previous books in series. I am a fan of Jean Johnson's sci-fi, and the ending of the trilogy redeemed this whole series for me!
The book starts with a dramatic moment. Terrans are ready to leave, but the Salik attack the V'Dan homeworld and the palace itself. Jackie and Li'Eth save the day, but the prejudice of his sister separates them to the point where their Gestalt pairing stretches like elastic until it snaps back transporting Jackie sixteen light years away to the point in universe where Li'Eth's life is in extreme danger.
The beginning was a bit irritating, simply because the writer went for true and tried bane of this series AGAIN, reiterating the same things until you feel like you are being bashed on the head with it. BUT! Change of scenery and need for military action made the booboo go away. There are still moments where everyone and their donkey goes into really long winded explanations (who does that unless forced?) but the plot is moving fast enough to forgive Mary Sue-ishness of everyone involved (sans the Salik).
Most of all I enjoyed the talks between the Alliance members. They are so different in their speech patterns and way of thinking, that it was fascinating to see them come up and agree on the strategy against the Salik. The war itself was done with Jean's usual polished precision (and I totally love her for that!). It was quick and to the point.
I am curious to see if there will be perhaps a novella about Jackie and Li'eth working together in peaceful times? The ending where they are doing just that surfing with their families was unexpectedly lovely. There is also Immortal who intrigues the heck out of me. so I am very much looking forward to what the author would come up next in this particular universe. Recommended.
* * *
Не передать, с каким облегчением я пишу, что Блокада мне понравилась. Я - поклонница творчества Джин Джонсон в военной науной фантастике, однако отношения у меня с этой серией с самого начала были шаткие.
Первая книга началась живо, но скатилась в сплошные пафосные политические речи. Вторая книга - это ещё больше политических речей, пока Джаки борется с предубеждением людей Ви Дан против отсутствия пигментных пятен на коже землян, что в их культуре означает несовершеннолетие. То есть, эти речи мусолятся, пережёвываются и постоянно повторяются.
Когда третья книга началась тем же, я прямо была в отчаянии. Однако пока земляне собирались улетать с мира Ви Дан, на него напали Салик, и Джаки с Ли Ефом объединили силы в качестве пары Гестальт, чтобы спасти положение. Вместо благодарности сестра Ли Ефа разбила пару, отправив похищенного Ли Ефа в космос, что растянуло Гестальт как резинку до предела, пока она не щёлкнула обратно, переместив Джаки шестнадцать световых лет вперёд в местоположение её партнёра, жизнь которого в тот момент подвергалась опасности.
С этого момента чтение очень хорошо пошло. Тут вам были и интересные стычки с Салик и завораживающие рассуждения членов Альянса о военной стратегии ( у них были такой разный менталитет и построение речи!), да и окончание войны было очень зрелищное.
Концовка неожиданно милая и мирная, показывающая семьи Джаки и Ли Ефа, занимающиеся вместе сёрфингом. Я думаю, что хорошо было бы о них прочитать повесть, о том, как они работают вместе в мирное время. И Бессмертная с её камео-визитами была ну очень интригующим персонажем. Так что трилогию эта книга спасла. В общем, рекомендую.
The book starts with a dramatic moment. Terrans are ready to leave, but the Salik attack the V'Dan homeworld and the palace itself. Jackie and Li'Eth save the day, but the prejudice of his sister separates them to the point where their Gestalt pairing stretches like elastic until it snaps back transporting Jackie sixteen light years away to the point in universe where Li'Eth's life is in extreme danger.
The beginning was a bit irritating, simply because the writer went for true and tried bane of this series AGAIN, reiterating the same things until you feel like you are being bashed on the head with it. BUT! Change of scenery and need for military action made the booboo go away. There are still moments where everyone and their donkey goes into really long winded explanations (who does that unless forced?) but the plot is moving fast enough to forgive Mary Sue-ishness of everyone involved (sans the Salik).
Most of all I enjoyed the talks between the Alliance members. They are so different in their speech patterns and way of thinking, that it was fascinating to see them come up and agree on the strategy against the Salik. The war itself was done with Jean's usual polished precision (and I totally love her for that!). It was quick and to the point.
I am curious to see if there will be perhaps a novella about Jackie and Li'eth working together in peaceful times? The ending where they are doing just that surfing with their families was unexpectedly lovely. There is also Immortal who intrigues the heck out of me. so I am very much looking forward to what the author would come up next in this particular universe. Recommended.
* * *
Не передать, с каким облегчением я пишу, что Блокада мне понравилась. Я - поклонница творчества Джин Джонсон в военной науной фантастике, однако отношения у меня с этой серией с самого начала были шаткие.
Первая книга началась живо, но скатилась в сплошные пафосные политические речи. Вторая книга - это ещё больше политических речей, пока Джаки борется с предубеждением людей Ви Дан против отсутствия пигментных пятен на коже землян, что в их культуре означает несовершеннолетие. То есть, эти речи мусолятся, пережёвываются и постоянно повторяются.
Когда третья книга началась тем же, я прямо была в отчаянии. Однако пока земляне собирались улетать с мира Ви Дан, на него напали Салик, и Джаки с Ли Ефом объединили силы в качестве пары Гестальт, чтобы спасти положение. Вместо благодарности сестра Ли Ефа разбила пару, отправив похищенного Ли Ефа в космос, что растянуло Гестальт как резинку до предела, пока она не щёлкнула обратно, переместив Джаки шестнадцать световых лет вперёд в местоположение её партнёра, жизнь которого в тот момент подвергалась опасности.
С этого момента чтение очень хорошо пошло. Тут вам были и интересные стычки с Салик и завораживающие рассуждения членов Альянса о военной стратегии ( у них были такой разный менталитет и построение речи!), да и окончание войны было очень зрелищное.
Концовка неожиданно милая и мирная, показывающая семьи Джаки и Ли Ефа, занимающиеся вместе сёрфингом. Я думаю, что хорошо было бы о них прочитать повесть, о том, как они работают вместе в мирное время. И Бессмертная с её камео-визитами была ну очень интригующим персонажем. Так что трилогию эта книга спасла. В общем, рекомендую.
May 25, 2019
This book fell flat for me. I was really looking forward to the conclusion to this trilogy. However, I felt there was too little action, not enough dire circumstance, and WAY TOO MUCH EXPLAINING! I do enjoy knowing what is going on but up to a point. Every step was thoroughly justified, every piece of unfamiliar equipment thoroughly described down to its history. There was no romance even though the two main characters are bonded mystically for life. Ok, fine. It was not a romance novel or even sci-fi romance. But without romance or levity, it dragged. There were even random scenes full of small talk. SMALL TALK. The book was only 352 pages. In a longer book with more exciting elements this may have made sense. So all in all, I felt like I was reading this to just get it done.
3 stars out of respect for the author and because I love her other work.
No intimacy. No harsh language. Some violence.
3 stars out of respect for the author and because I love her other work.
No intimacy. No harsh language. Some violence.
November 29, 2016
The Blockade (First Salik War #3) by Jean Johnson Though committed to helping their V’Dan cousins, the Terrans resent how their allies treat them.
The V’Dan in turn feel the Terrans are too unseasoned to act independently.
And the other nations fear that ending the Salik War means starting a Human Civil War. Even as Imperial Prince Li’eth and Ambassador Jackie MacKenzie struggle to get their peoples to cooperate, they still face an ethical dilemma:
How do you stop a ruthless, advanced nation from attacking again and again without slaughtering them in turn?
Thank you so much Johnson for making it easy for a first time reader to slide right into the book without having to read the previous books first. Although I now plan on picking up the previous books because I enjoyed reading The Blockade so much.
This book picks up at quite a quick pace because the adventure and war are at its pique and its cast are having to scramble to save themselves and their people from devastation.
Johnson does a great job making the reader feel the building tension and apprehension chapter to chapter but she also brings heart to the table as well. There's a sort of human element that pulls you in and makes you feel for the struggle and the hope and the hurt the characters go through.
I really like emotional reads because it gives you as a reader something deeper to connect to on a personal level and Johnson does it well.
Yay for The Blockade - a really great read!
Jean Johnson
Krissy's Bookshelf Reviews received a print copy. All thoughts, comments and ratings are my own.
Krissy's Bookshelf Reviews received a print copy in exchange for an honest review via Berkley Publishing.
If any of Krissy's Bookshelf Reviews has been helpful please stop by to like my post or leave a comment to let me know what you think. I love hearing from followers!
Thank you so much for stopping by!
The V’Dan in turn feel the Terrans are too unseasoned to act independently.
And the other nations fear that ending the Salik War means starting a Human Civil War. Even as Imperial Prince Li’eth and Ambassador Jackie MacKenzie struggle to get their peoples to cooperate, they still face an ethical dilemma:
How do you stop a ruthless, advanced nation from attacking again and again without slaughtering them in turn?
Thank you so much Johnson for making it easy for a first time reader to slide right into the book without having to read the previous books first. Although I now plan on picking up the previous books because I enjoyed reading The Blockade so much.
This book picks up at quite a quick pace because the adventure and war are at its pique and its cast are having to scramble to save themselves and their people from devastation.
Johnson does a great job making the reader feel the building tension and apprehension chapter to chapter but she also brings heart to the table as well. There's a sort of human element that pulls you in and makes you feel for the struggle and the hope and the hurt the characters go through.
I really like emotional reads because it gives you as a reader something deeper to connect to on a personal level and Johnson does it well.
Yay for The Blockade - a really great read!
Jean Johnson
Krissy's Bookshelf Reviews received a print copy. All thoughts, comments and ratings are my own.
Krissy's Bookshelf Reviews received a print copy in exchange for an honest review via Berkley Publishing.
If any of Krissy's Bookshelf Reviews has been helpful please stop by to like my post or leave a comment to let me know what you think. I love hearing from followers!
Thank you so much for stopping by!
December 2, 2016
Imperial Prince Li’eth and Ambassador Jackie MacKenzie are bound by physic bonds but their governments are on the brink of conflict... with each other. They must work to stabilize the relationship before facing the greater Salik threat.
Why I started this book: The V'Dan ended on a cliffhanger and I was eager to sort that out.
Why I finished it: The Terrans was aliens encounter Earth and visit. Book 2 was The V'Dan were Earthlings travel to alien planet. Book 3 was the two cultures must work together against external threat. And it was so much better. Be advised that this is much more political maneuvering than physical fighting book... just like the rest of the series.
Why I started this book: The V'Dan ended on a cliffhanger and I was eager to sort that out.
Why I finished it: The Terrans was aliens encounter Earth and visit. Book 2 was The V'Dan were Earthlings travel to alien planet. Book 3 was the two cultures must work together against external threat. And it was so much better. Be advised that this is much more political maneuvering than physical fighting book... just like the rest of the series.
July 7, 2023
I just had to reread this series because I really needed the closeness of the gestalt.
There are a lot of things I love about this series. But there are also things I dislike, too. It is a bit one-note in that everything tends to boil down to the way the Terran's skin looks. After three books of it, it gets really fucking old. This book also kinda dragged in the middle.
But damn is it weird that I want a gestalt so bad?
There are a lot of things I love about this series. But there are also things I dislike, too. It is a bit one-note in that everything tends to boil down to the way the Terran's skin looks. After three books of it, it gets really fucking old. This book also kinda dragged in the middle.
But damn is it weird that I want a gestalt so bad?
December 2, 2016
Originally published at Reading Reality
I started reading The Blockade almost as soon as I received the eARC. I absolutely adored the first book in the series, The Terrans, and mostly liked the second book, The V'Dan. The V’Dan ended on a terrible cliffhanger, and I just couldn’t wait to find out how the story ended. Especially as this entire series is a prequel to one of my all -time favorite series, Theirs Not to Reason Why.
So I had a lot invested coming into this book. And I inhaled it in about a day. Weekends are wonderful for spending LOTS of time curled up with a good book.
However, while I got very, very caught up in my visit to the First Salik War, I found the book just a bit anti-climactic. And I’m feeling a bit sad about that.
The story begins with that horrid cliffie from the end of The V’Dan. Li’eth and Jackie have been separated through an act of supreme skullduggery (not to mention overwhelming idiocy) on the part of his sister, the Crown Princess Vi’alla. This separation isn’t just a romantic problem, it’s a separation that is going to kill them both if it goes on too long. The elasticity of that “too long” hasn’t been researched much, because the problems are just too great.
If any of the above makes you think that you should read this series in order, you are correct. This universe is a marvelous creation, but there are only two starting points. Either start with The Terrans, or start with A Soldier's Duty, the first book in Theirs Not to Reason Why. There are valid arguments for starting in either place. The First Salik War takes place a century or so before the events in A Soldier’s Duty, but Duty was written first.
As established in The Terrans and The V’Dan, our heroes are a gestalt pair – they are bonded at the psychic level. While this was not intentional, more like an act of whatever gods one cares to blame, it is a fact in this universe. Gestalt pairs who are separated die.
So Li’eth’s sister has sentenced both her brother and the Terran ambassador to death at the end of The V’Dan. Fortunately for all concerned, her mother the Empress turns out to be not as wounded as Vi’alla wanted to believe at the end of that book, and takes control back over in relatively short order at the beginning of this story, which does not begin to undo the damage that Vi’alla has done to Terran-V’Dan relations or to her own family.
The resolution of that particular thread of the story is explosive – but it felt like it occurred much too early in the book to maintain needed dramatic tension. To this reader, it felt like everything after that point was mop-up. Very important mop-up, but mop-up nevertheless.
Escape Rating B+: I did swallow The Blockade pretty much whole, which is what gets me to that B+ rating. I like these people, especially Ambassador Jackie MacKenzie, and was rooting for them every step of the way.
In my review of The V’Dan over at The Book Pushers, I said that I would finish this series just to read more of Jackie’s adventures, and that is pretty much what happened. I had to see how things turned out for her, and I definitely wanted her to find a way to her own happy ever after. She earned it.
This story has a moral dilemma at its center. The Salik have to be stopped. They don’t just want to conquer the V’Dan and the Terrans, they want to eat them. For dinner. Or any other meal. The truly nasty thing about the Salik is that they prefer intelligent prey, and want that prey to be alive, kicking and watching as long as possible as their parts are eaten. There’s no way not to reflexively shiver at the very thought.
But there has to be an answer. They can’t be left to roam the galaxy searching for lunch – because their lunch has the same right to exist as they do. At the same time, the Salik are an intelligent race themselves. They might evolve past their current predatory pattern if they have enough time to learn the error of their ways. Genocide is not the right answer, although it often feels like it might be the expedient answer. The core dilemma that drives the end of the book is how to contain the Salik without destroying them.
Not just because genocide is wrong, but because we have already seen the future, and the damned frogtopi are going to be needed. And if that statement intrigues you, and you haven’t yet read A Soldier's Duty, start now!
I started reading The Blockade almost as soon as I received the eARC. I absolutely adored the first book in the series, The Terrans, and mostly liked the second book, The V'Dan. The V’Dan ended on a terrible cliffhanger, and I just couldn’t wait to find out how the story ended. Especially as this entire series is a prequel to one of my all -time favorite series, Theirs Not to Reason Why.
So I had a lot invested coming into this book. And I inhaled it in about a day. Weekends are wonderful for spending LOTS of time curled up with a good book.
However, while I got very, very caught up in my visit to the First Salik War, I found the book just a bit anti-climactic. And I’m feeling a bit sad about that.
The story begins with that horrid cliffie from the end of The V’Dan. Li’eth and Jackie have been separated through an act of supreme skullduggery (not to mention overwhelming idiocy) on the part of his sister, the Crown Princess Vi’alla. This separation isn’t just a romantic problem, it’s a separation that is going to kill them both if it goes on too long. The elasticity of that “too long” hasn’t been researched much, because the problems are just too great.
If any of the above makes you think that you should read this series in order, you are correct. This universe is a marvelous creation, but there are only two starting points. Either start with The Terrans, or start with A Soldier's Duty, the first book in Theirs Not to Reason Why. There are valid arguments for starting in either place. The First Salik War takes place a century or so before the events in A Soldier’s Duty, but Duty was written first.
As established in The Terrans and The V’Dan, our heroes are a gestalt pair – they are bonded at the psychic level. While this was not intentional, more like an act of whatever gods one cares to blame, it is a fact in this universe. Gestalt pairs who are separated die.
So Li’eth’s sister has sentenced both her brother and the Terran ambassador to death at the end of The V’Dan. Fortunately for all concerned, her mother the Empress turns out to be not as wounded as Vi’alla wanted to believe at the end of that book, and takes control back over in relatively short order at the beginning of this story, which does not begin to undo the damage that Vi’alla has done to Terran-V’Dan relations or to her own family.
The resolution of that particular thread of the story is explosive – but it felt like it occurred much too early in the book to maintain needed dramatic tension. To this reader, it felt like everything after that point was mop-up. Very important mop-up, but mop-up nevertheless.
Escape Rating B+: I did swallow The Blockade pretty much whole, which is what gets me to that B+ rating. I like these people, especially Ambassador Jackie MacKenzie, and was rooting for them every step of the way.
In my review of The V’Dan over at The Book Pushers, I said that I would finish this series just to read more of Jackie’s adventures, and that is pretty much what happened. I had to see how things turned out for her, and I definitely wanted her to find a way to her own happy ever after. She earned it.
This story has a moral dilemma at its center. The Salik have to be stopped. They don’t just want to conquer the V’Dan and the Terrans, they want to eat them. For dinner. Or any other meal. The truly nasty thing about the Salik is that they prefer intelligent prey, and want that prey to be alive, kicking and watching as long as possible as their parts are eaten. There’s no way not to reflexively shiver at the very thought.
But there has to be an answer. They can’t be left to roam the galaxy searching for lunch – because their lunch has the same right to exist as they do. At the same time, the Salik are an intelligent race themselves. They might evolve past their current predatory pattern if they have enough time to learn the error of their ways. Genocide is not the right answer, although it often feels like it might be the expedient answer. The core dilemma that drives the end of the book is how to contain the Salik without destroying them.
Not just because genocide is wrong, but because we have already seen the future, and the damned frogtopi are going to be needed. And if that statement intrigues you, and you haven’t yet read A Soldier's Duty, start now!
March 31, 2018
What a satisfying end to this prequel trilogy!
I especially enjoyed the fact that the Terran Humans had developed one method of FTL (starflight) while the V'Dan Humans had a completely different FTL method! Plus one had artificial gravity while the other had what amounted to ansible communication technology.
I had always wondered how it was that the hostile race (the Salik) had the same level of tech (if not the very same tech) that our good guys (the V'Dan) had. Finally that question was answered in this final book!
Again, I'm so sad to say goodbye to these characters (especially Jackie and Li'eth), which I consider to be the mark of superior writing!
If you like well-plotted paranormal military science fiction filled with believable characters (warts and all), you will definitely enjoy Ms. Johnson's books!
I just hope Ms. Johnson returns to military sf soon, as there are more stories which can be told in this world she has created. If military sf is not your cup of tea, try some of her other fantasy romance series!
I especially enjoyed the fact that the Terran Humans had developed one method of FTL (starflight) while the V'Dan Humans had a completely different FTL method! Plus one had artificial gravity while the other had what amounted to ansible communication technology.
I had always wondered how it was that the hostile race (the Salik) had the same level of tech (if not the very same tech) that our good guys (the V'Dan) had. Finally that question was answered in this final book!
Again, I'm so sad to say goodbye to these characters (especially Jackie and Li'eth), which I consider to be the mark of superior writing!
If you like well-plotted paranormal military science fiction filled with believable characters (warts and all), you will definitely enjoy Ms. Johnson's books!
I just hope Ms. Johnson returns to military sf soon, as there are more stories which can be told in this world she has created. If military sf is not your cup of tea, try some of her other fantasy romance series!
February 4, 2018
Commentaire sur la trilogie : une histoire de vivre ensemble, de respect, de coopération entre terriens et aliens pour vaincre sans l'exterminer un ennemi commun qui ne veut pas négocier; une héroïne parfaite et de super pouvoirs, je vais être un peu sévère, 3 étoiles pour le dernier tome, c'est peut être un tout petit peu trop "feel good" pour moi.
January 25, 2018
And they lived happily ever after?
Continuing the First Salik war series in the third book, our holy gestalt pair delve deeper into their growing abilities and each serve their own people together and face their enemy all the way into their home worlds.
Continuing the First Salik war series in the third book, our holy gestalt pair delve deeper into their growing abilities and each serve their own people together and face their enemy all the way into their home worlds.
August 1, 2019
This book could have been 1/3 less. There is way too much world building. Some of it was nice, but a good bit was useless, and never figured into the plot outside its immediate scene. That distracted from the story, which otherwise could have been a 5.
July 31, 2017
Beautiful. Why did it have to end?! I can't wait for her next series. Hopefully it'll take place 200 years in the 'future' this time.
August 8, 2017
As the others in the series, not exactly brilliant, but enjoyable.
June 30, 2019
3.5* Satisfying end to the series.
June 11, 2023
Definitely ends the War
A lot of planning, a lot of fighting and some spectacular psychic powers from the 2 Gestalted. Very interesting peaceful ending.
A lot of planning, a lot of fighting and some spectacular psychic powers from the 2 Gestalted. Very interesting peaceful ending.
March 4, 2025
Very good wrap up for a excellent series
4.75 stars
4.75 stars
March 6, 2017
I forgot to update this when I finished, and being half way into the next books, I've already forgotten a lot of the reasons for my annoyance earlier.
A lot of history happens without us seeing much of it, and a lot of the character and character interactions seem a bit too pre-planned (think: "That argument you lost, re-written with the rebuttals you thought of later"). The 2 main characters are annoyingly free of flaws, and the obstacles they face seem at times to be there in order to be obstacle caricatures and not actual people with a lifetime of leadership training (I'm looking at you).
The latter parts of the book flowed a bit better (the Salik make good foes to some degree, though their mix of considered pre-planning and utter lack of foresight is a bit weird) but it wasn't really enough to reach a 3* grade for me.
You could however easily edit this into a 3* book, I'm fairly sure.
A lot of history happens without us seeing much of it, and a lot of the character and character interactions seem a bit too pre-planned (think: "That argument you lost, re-written with the rebuttals you thought of later"). The 2 main characters are annoyingly free of flaws, and the obstacles they face seem at times to be there in order to be obstacle caricatures and not actual people with a lifetime of leadership training (I'm looking at you).
The latter parts of the book flowed a bit better (the Salik make good foes to some degree, though their mix of considered pre-planning and utter lack of foresight is a bit weird) but it wasn't really enough to reach a 3* grade for me.
You could however easily edit this into a 3* book, I'm fairly sure.
February 18, 2021
4.5/5 stars
The final book in the First Salik War trilogy starts off immediately where the second book leaves off, so The Blockade by Jean Johnson should not be read as a stand-alone novel. The First Salik War trilogy is a prequel to the author’s excellent Theirs Not to Reason Why 5-book series, and the three books are terrific entries in the space opera/First Contact science fiction genre.
The Terrans have finally been pushed too far by the V’Dan skin-color-based prejudice, and have closed their new embassy on the V’Dan home planet after V’Dan Princess Regent Vi’alla takes over in the wake of a Salik attack on the palace. After being challenged by Imperial Prince Li’eth, one of our story’s two main characters, she orders his kidnapping by Elite palace guards loyal to her.
In the meantime, Jackie McKenzie, the Terran ambassador and Li’eth’s psychic (or “Gestalt”) partner, has to deal with the political fallout of the Terrans’ decision to close the embassy. The mental and psychic harm of being separated from Li’eth eventually leads to a case of spontaneous teleportation (alluded to in the previous books) squarely in the middle of the Salik war zone.
There are a couple of off notes, such as an almost unnecessary plot point concerning Tier Advocates, which seemed like it would have far greater repercussions that it actually does, as well as an odd scene which revolves around a discussion of zombie movies and the Bechdel test, during which I was distracted with an internal debate over whether world government and military officials in the far future would really use this as a common cultural reference.
However, Ms. Johnson truly excels at exciting and satisfying wish fulfillment. Jackie is a strong, honorable, smart diplomat who also happens to be tremendously psychically gifted. Both she and Li’eth have the chance to use all the skills they are known to have in defending the worlds being threatened by the Salik. The fighting ranges from underwater battles to psychic and space warfare. Ms. Johnson includes some entertaining diplomatic encounters in which Jackie brooks no nonsense and neatly deals with the different alien species she and Li’eth encounter in their joint diplomatic and military ventures.
The Blockade is an excellent conclusion to the First Salik War trilogy, and I look forward to future adventures in this author’s well-fleshed-out world.
https://upallnightbookreviews.wordpre...
The final book in the First Salik War trilogy starts off immediately where the second book leaves off, so The Blockade by Jean Johnson should not be read as a stand-alone novel. The First Salik War trilogy is a prequel to the author’s excellent Theirs Not to Reason Why 5-book series, and the three books are terrific entries in the space opera/First Contact science fiction genre.
The Terrans have finally been pushed too far by the V’Dan skin-color-based prejudice, and have closed their new embassy on the V’Dan home planet after V’Dan Princess Regent Vi’alla takes over in the wake of a Salik attack on the palace. After being challenged by Imperial Prince Li’eth, one of our story’s two main characters, she orders his kidnapping by Elite palace guards loyal to her.
In the meantime, Jackie McKenzie, the Terran ambassador and Li’eth’s psychic (or “Gestalt”) partner, has to deal with the political fallout of the Terrans’ decision to close the embassy. The mental and psychic harm of being separated from Li’eth eventually leads to a case of spontaneous teleportation (alluded to in the previous books) squarely in the middle of the Salik war zone.
There are a couple of off notes, such as an almost unnecessary plot point concerning Tier Advocates, which seemed like it would have far greater repercussions that it actually does, as well as an odd scene which revolves around a discussion of zombie movies and the Bechdel test, during which I was distracted with an internal debate over whether world government and military officials in the far future would really use this as a common cultural reference.
However, Ms. Johnson truly excels at exciting and satisfying wish fulfillment. Jackie is a strong, honorable, smart diplomat who also happens to be tremendously psychically gifted. Both she and Li’eth have the chance to use all the skills they are known to have in defending the worlds being threatened by the Salik. The fighting ranges from underwater battles to psychic and space warfare. Ms. Johnson includes some entertaining diplomatic encounters in which Jackie brooks no nonsense and neatly deals with the different alien species she and Li’eth encounter in their joint diplomatic and military ventures.
The Blockade is an excellent conclusion to the First Salik War trilogy, and I look forward to future adventures in this author’s well-fleshed-out world.
https://upallnightbookreviews.wordpre...
February 22, 2017
I found this book difficult to finish and preferred the earlier story.
December 20, 2016
This book takes of right after the cliffhanger ending of the second book in the trilogy, The V’Dan. It is a fairly good ending to the trilogy. As usual with prequels my enthusiasm for the book is somewhat dampened by the fact that you already know the future and what will ultimately happen to the Salik. Still, it is a enjoyable and read worthy book.
As with the previous installment in the series there is a lot of focus on the cultural differences between the humans and the V’Dan and the difficulties created by the V’Dan’s stubbornness in viewing the humans as children due to the lack of the “Jungen marks”. The spoiled and bigoted V’Dan princess managed to screw things up rather dramatically at the end of the previous book and at the beginning of this book she is none the wiser. I actually found this character the most despicable of the characters in the book, including the Salik. Luckily, although not very surprising, there are wiser V’Dan’s around and with their efforts the reign of the princess becomes a short one.
Although a lot of the book revolves around cultural issues there is quite a lot of action as well, both in space and on the ground. This is not exactly hard core science fiction so the technology part and tactics are somewhat on the simple side but still good enough. The action is spiced up by the psychic powers of Jackie and Li’eth as well.
There are some annoying moments. For instance when the humans and the V’Dans have to fight to make some of the other galactic species accept the fact that they are separate nations.
On the whole this book is, as I wrote before, a enjoyable and read worthy book although I have to say that the original Theirs Not to Reason Why series was definitely better as far as I am concerned.
As with the previous installment in the series there is a lot of focus on the cultural differences between the humans and the V’Dan and the difficulties created by the V’Dan’s stubbornness in viewing the humans as children due to the lack of the “Jungen marks”. The spoiled and bigoted V’Dan princess managed to screw things up rather dramatically at the end of the previous book and at the beginning of this book she is none the wiser. I actually found this character the most despicable of the characters in the book, including the Salik. Luckily, although not very surprising, there are wiser V’Dan’s around and with their efforts the reign of the princess becomes a short one.
Although a lot of the book revolves around cultural issues there is quite a lot of action as well, both in space and on the ground. This is not exactly hard core science fiction so the technology part and tactics are somewhat on the simple side but still good enough. The action is spiced up by the psychic powers of Jackie and Li’eth as well.
There are some annoying moments. For instance when the humans and the V’Dans have to fight to make some of the other galactic species accept the fact that they are separate nations.
On the whole this book is, as I wrote before, a enjoyable and read worthy book although I have to say that the original Theirs Not to Reason Why series was definitely better as far as I am concerned.
Read
February 1, 2017The Blockade, like the first three books in the First Salik War series, examines war from the perspective of a diplomat/bureaucrat/telepath. It does an excellent job of capturing what it would feel like to sit through the endless meetings of a bureaucracy. This book is the opposite of a page turner. It has an ok core story, but gets bogged down in so many details that you loose the thread of the story. Scenes are often repetitive - for instance, we get a scene devoted to beginning to explain a new technology, which wraps up with "you'll understand it better when you see it", and then in a later chapter an actual introduction to the new technology that would have sufficed on its own. This book has a bad case of over-explaining and wandering into occasionally interesting but non-relevant tangents. If you liked the first two books in the series, this is more of the same. I read the series mainly because I really liked the "Theirs Not to Reason Why" series. At this point, I am sticking with it mostly to see the story to completion and to fill in details about the world setting that I like, rather than because I found the story enjoyable.
November 28, 2016
After the previous cliffhanger I was glad not to wait too long!
Politics is finally coming to the fore in Terran/V'Dan relations, and politics rarely mixes well with sibling issues. Jackie and her team are still discovering connections between various Terran languages/sayings and the V'Dan, but now they must also tread the path of ethical discovery carefully, maintaining good relations while trying to create a treaty that will help them all stand against the cannibalistic Salik.
As earlier in the series, I'm awed by the thought Jean Johnson has put into the entire military structure. Not only is it detailed, but it has some refreshing twists that seem so obvious I wonder whether they are already happening somewhere. (I hope so!) And Jackie's strict ethical interpretations are a refreshing breeze, especially compared to recent politics here in the real world.
If you enjoyed the others, you won't be disappointed!
Disclaimer: I received a free ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Politics is finally coming to the fore in Terran/V'Dan relations, and politics rarely mixes well with sibling issues. Jackie and her team are still discovering connections between various Terran languages/sayings and the V'Dan, but now they must also tread the path of ethical discovery carefully, maintaining good relations while trying to create a treaty that will help them all stand against the cannibalistic Salik.
As earlier in the series, I'm awed by the thought Jean Johnson has put into the entire military structure. Not only is it detailed, but it has some refreshing twists that seem so obvious I wonder whether they are already happening somewhere. (I hope so!) And Jackie's strict ethical interpretations are a refreshing breeze, especially compared to recent politics here in the real world.
If you enjoyed the others, you won't be disappointed!
Disclaimer: I received a free ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
March 12, 2017
A bit rushed and boring in bits. The good bits were really good.
May 16, 2019
The final installment of the First Salik War.
Fascinating and engaging, even if some of the technical details were over my head. As a non-military, non-political person the details are both fascinating but it may bog down some readers. In saying that I still loved all the detail and maneuvering required but it was a LOT of detail. It created an amazing sense of immersion even if I sometimes wanted the author to get on with the story.
Great read, with Jackie and Li'eth trying to manage discrimination, different races, political intrigue and find a way to end the war with the Salik's. Never dull, although sometimes Jackie seems to good to be true.
More of my reviews can be found at https://wyldheartreads.wordpress.com/
Fascinating and engaging, even if some of the technical details were over my head. As a non-military, non-political person the details are both fascinating but it may bog down some readers. In saying that I still loved all the detail and maneuvering required but it was a LOT of detail. It created an amazing sense of immersion even if I sometimes wanted the author to get on with the story.
Great read, with Jackie and Li'eth trying to manage discrimination, different races, political intrigue and find a way to end the war with the Salik's. Never dull, although sometimes Jackie seems to good to be true.
More of my reviews can be found at https://wyldheartreads.wordpress.com/
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 2, 2017
This book brought about a good end to things. The Terrans stood their ground, like always, but listened to those that were truly contrite. Jackie and Li’eth did the hard things, made others understand that while they are similar they are different peoples. Jackie made a very hard choice at the end, one that was good for the big picture, but hurt her personally. It was the right choice to make, one that she made knowing what she was sacrificing.
The last scene at the end at the beach was great! Loved that finally everyone was able to relax.
The last scene at the end at the beach was great! Loved that finally everyone was able to relax.
February 6, 2017
as always in the sci Fi series, there is a large amount given to thought process. very enjoyable to read.
December 4, 2016
Amazing as always
I am so happy with this part and I am ready for act 3 of this great universe thank you so much for writing this series
I am so happy with this part and I am ready for act 3 of this great universe thank you so much for writing this series
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