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Despite her role as a fleet Admiral and protector of a planetary system, Kris is still beholden to her great grandfather King Raymond’s commands. She has been personally selected for a mission that, should she succeed, will save millions of lives.
The Peterwald Empire is in the midst of civil war. On one side is the tyrannical Empress, on the other is the last person Kris ever wants to see again—Grand Duchess Vicky Peterwald. Due to their shared history, the Emperor believes Kris can mediate between the factions and bring about peace.
But before Kris even begins her mission, she survives two assassination attempts on her family home world. Someone doesn’t want her interfering in the Empire’s affairs. Kris immediately suspects Vicky or the Empress, only to learn that it could also be a traitor among her own people...
400 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published October 25, 2016
68 people are currently reading
295 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 62 reviews
November 22, 2016
I was beginning to think that Shepherd had given up on the series; but, alas a new book has finally come out.
Kris and Jack are now married and they have a new baby girl named Ruth. They have returned home and King Ray has a new assignment for Kris. As we know from prior books, the Peterwald Empire is in a civil war. Emperor Peterwald has asked for mediation between Vicky and himself. He has asked for Kris to be the mediator. Of course, the evil stepmother is still attempting to kill Vicky and take over the Empire. Someone attempts to assassinate Kris and family even before she leaves to the mediation site. Is it the Empress or someone from her own country?
The story is well written and very fast paced. There is lots of military action including space battles and land engagements. The suspense builds throughout the story and, of course, Shepherd tosses in some humor. I learn a bit about mediation and negotiation techniques from Kris’s mediation team. My favorite character is still “Nellie”. I sure wish I had a Nellie of my own. Shepherd has nicely tired up some of the subplots. The book ending makes me think that this is the end of the series, but I sure hope he continues with the series. I cannot wait to see what happens next to the various characters.
Dina Pearlman does an excellent job narrating the series. I am glad the series has had the same narrator throughout. Pearlman is an actress and audiobook narrator.
Kris and Jack are now married and they have a new baby girl named Ruth. They have returned home and King Ray has a new assignment for Kris. As we know from prior books, the Peterwald Empire is in a civil war. Emperor Peterwald has asked for mediation between Vicky and himself. He has asked for Kris to be the mediator. Of course, the evil stepmother is still attempting to kill Vicky and take over the Empire. Someone attempts to assassinate Kris and family even before she leaves to the mediation site. Is it the Empress or someone from her own country?
The story is well written and very fast paced. There is lots of military action including space battles and land engagements. The suspense builds throughout the story and, of course, Shepherd tosses in some humor. I learn a bit about mediation and negotiation techniques from Kris’s mediation team. My favorite character is still “Nellie”. I sure wish I had a Nellie of my own. Shepherd has nicely tired up some of the subplots. The book ending makes me think that this is the end of the series, but I sure hope he continues with the series. I cannot wait to see what happens next to the various characters.
Dina Pearlman does an excellent job narrating the series. I am glad the series has had the same narrator throughout. Pearlman is an actress and audiobook narrator.
November 30, 2016
Another in this really good series.
November 13, 2016
I wondered if Mike Shepherd was going to get his two female main characters together. For those of you who are following the Kris Longknife series you know that Vicky Petersburg has her own spin-off series. The two have been enemies but on their last meeting they called a truce. Vicky has undergone a big change and is working for the good of others instead of herself. Now Kris has been called to mediate between Vicky and her father. There is someone who does not what that to happen and both women have to watch their backs and try to escape being killed. This is a great wrap up of this part of the series. At the end it looks like this will be the last book but in an afterword Mike Shepherd let us know that Kris will be back but in a brand new story arc. After all Kris has a husband and baby now and that is always a game changer. This can stand-alone but starting at the beginning of the series keeps you up on all the back story.
November 7, 2016
Kris now manages to juggle the hats of princess, admiral, wife and mother with a certain amount of ease, but it doesn't mean she likes being ordered around or set up as a target and somehow she must negotiate a peaceful agreement between Imperial family members without killing any of them. It could be tricky...
It's filled with very personable central characters with realistic attitudes and problems, from Kris and Jack learning how to be a partnership in marriage as well as work to Vicky's family problems.
(The full story of Vicky's adventures, rather than the necessarily abbreviated version here, is in Vicky Peterwald: Survivor.) Unlike some settings where children shift on and off-stage as if they were chairs, Kris is obviously changed by having a baby, and the size of the babycare team was most entertaining for me. In addition, she not only learns from previous experiences but is somewhat haunted by them, rather than having the amazing ability to just discard all troubling occurrences like many characters do.
SF purists may not like the incredible flexibility of Nelly and the SmartMetal, which may seem a little too space opera, but I loved them! There's nothing like a smart alec computer to lighten the mood.
Disclaimer: I received a free ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
It's filled with very personable central characters with realistic attitudes and problems, from Kris and Jack learning how to be a partnership in marriage as well as work to Vicky's family problems.
(The full story of Vicky's adventures, rather than the necessarily abbreviated version here, is in Vicky Peterwald: Survivor.) Unlike some settings where children shift on and off-stage as if they were chairs, Kris is obviously changed by having a baby, and the size of the babycare team was most entertaining for me. In addition, she not only learns from previous experiences but is somewhat haunted by them, rather than having the amazing ability to just discard all troubling occurrences like many characters do.
SF purists may not like the incredible flexibility of Nelly and the SmartMetal, which may seem a little too space opera, but I loved them! There's nothing like a smart alec computer to lighten the mood.
Disclaimer: I received a free ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
November 13, 2016
After all these years, you'd think everyone in the universe would know that you don't piss off Kris Longknife. But a deranged Empress does the one thing that will cause Kris to let loose her fury, unrestrained.
Kris has returned to her own galaxy to rest and care for her newborn daughter. She promptly gets tapped to assist her longtime nemesis and recent friend Vicky P to smooth over some political troubles over in the Greenfield Empire. How hard could that be? Sure, bring the baby.
It was nice to get away from the big planet-busting meanies that have been the focus of the past 3-4 books, and back to good old-fashioned family nastiness. Lots of familiar characters are gathered, including the gang from the Vicky series, and as much SmartMetal as anyone could ask for.
Everything ends happily, and several story arcs are resolved here. The author acknowledges that it was time for a break, but more stories are on the way.
Kris has returned to her own galaxy to rest and care for her newborn daughter. She promptly gets tapped to assist her longtime nemesis and recent friend Vicky P to smooth over some political troubles over in the Greenfield Empire. How hard could that be? Sure, bring the baby.
It was nice to get away from the big planet-busting meanies that have been the focus of the past 3-4 books, and back to good old-fashioned family nastiness. Lots of familiar characters are gathered, including the gang from the Vicky series, and as much SmartMetal as anyone could ask for.
Everything ends happily, and several story arcs are resolved here. The author acknowledges that it was time for a break, but more stories are on the way.
June 3, 2017
I like the characters in this series. But, this book felt as if it was dictated fast and neither edited nor proofread.
Kris is described as having a "fey" or "fay" smile 4 times. Since my dictionary defines fey as "giving an impression of vague unworldliness", I take issue with its being used once, let alone 4 times.
People alternately "make do" and "make due". Again, it's overused.
The breastfeeding focus makes her breasts sound a bit like juice packs. They don't really get "drained" or "emptied", in my experience. Plus, enough with the coy, naughty banter about married sex. Or unmarried for that matter. It's not all that interesting. And Neyy is sassy. We get it.
There's something about the descriptions of banquet food that made me expect that a nice lime jello and cream cheese salad with walnuts was going to be next.
Jack's parents' house description was cringe inducing. A blanket with the image of the Virgin de Quadelupe? Really? In the far future?
The plot was okay. More opportunities to blow stuff up and stack up bodies.
Kris is described as having a "fey" or "fay" smile 4 times. Since my dictionary defines fey as "giving an impression of vague unworldliness", I take issue with its being used once, let alone 4 times.
People alternately "make do" and "make due". Again, it's overused.
The breastfeeding focus makes her breasts sound a bit like juice packs. They don't really get "drained" or "emptied", in my experience. Plus, enough with the coy, naughty banter about married sex. Or unmarried for that matter. It's not all that interesting. And Neyy is sassy. We get it.
There's something about the descriptions of banquet food that made me expect that a nice lime jello and cream cheese salad with walnuts was going to be next.
Jack's parents' house description was cringe inducing. A blanket with the image of the Virgin de Quadelupe? Really? In the far future?
The plot was okay. More opportunities to blow stuff up and stack up bodies.
February 8, 2017
This latest installment in the Kris Longknife series finds Her Royal Highness Admiral Kris Longknife called upon to mediate a dispute between the rulers of Greenfeld. Kris heads their way with a squadron of frigates. These ships may look puny compared to Greenfeld’s battle fleet, but they pack a bigger punch. Kris finds it more difficult to be diplomatic than to fight the enemy. Nonetheless, she uses her skills in the boardroom as well as on the battlefield to ferret out the truth and restore the Greenfeld empire. Kris has come a long way since book one but she’s still an engaging character, and readers will want more stories in her universe.
November 28, 2016
Kris now manages to juggle the hats of princess, admiral, wife and mother with a certain amount of ease, but it doesn't mean she likes being ordered around or set up as a target and somehow she must negotiate a peaceful agreement between Imperial family members without killing any of them. It could be tricky...
It's filled with very personable central characters with realistic attitudes and problems, from Kris and Jack learning how to be a partnership in marriage as well as work to Vicky's family problems. (The full story of Vicky's adventures, rather than the necessarily abbreviated version here, is in "Vicky Peterwald: Survivor.") Unlike some settings where children shift on and off-stage as if they were chairs, Kris is obviously changed by having a baby, and the size of the babycare team was most entertaining for me. In addition, she not only learns from previous experiences but is somewhat haunted by them, rather than having the amazing ability to just discard all troubling occurrences like many characters do.
SF purists may not like the incredible flexibility of Nelly and the SmartMetal, which may seem a little too space opera, but I loved them! There's nothing like a smart alec computer to lighten the mood.
Disclaimer: I received a free copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
It's filled with very personable central characters with realistic attitudes and problems, from Kris and Jack learning how to be a partnership in marriage as well as work to Vicky's family problems. (The full story of Vicky's adventures, rather than the necessarily abbreviated version here, is in "Vicky Peterwald: Survivor.") Unlike some settings where children shift on and off-stage as if they were chairs, Kris is obviously changed by having a baby, and the size of the babycare team was most entertaining for me. In addition, she not only learns from previous experiences but is somewhat haunted by them, rather than having the amazing ability to just discard all troubling occurrences like many characters do.
SF purists may not like the incredible flexibility of Nelly and the SmartMetal, which may seem a little too space opera, but I loved them! There's nothing like a smart alec computer to lighten the mood.
Disclaimer: I received a free copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
December 10, 2016
This is probably my favorite cover. I think one of the biggest drawbacks to this author is romance. It's not fun to read this authors romance you almost want to cringe at the cornball level. great ship battles, great fighting great action scenes. The problem is the way he writes woman is randomly catty. Things like breast size and stuff like that. I'm not sure what other women think about things. Personally, I'm not itty bitty in the titty. I do better than my fair share. At the same time, i always think of Kris as being more focus than that. Yah flashes of these things but not as much headspace. I think her biggest challenge throughout the series is realizing that her "heroes" were not people she ever wanted to be or should be. That there was a better way. That she could be better. How to be vulnerable and find her place with jack. I think I love the place Kris is emotionally right now. The problem is the dutchess. that romance annoyed me. It's not as bad as the old Tommy romance plot line but it's close. I think the author needs to take some time and think about how women deal with emotions. when it comes to life. I think his writing of women would get stronger. There's a new long knife and I just hope he does better with her then he did with kris or the dutchess. overall wonderful book it's in it's own way the last two books have been the BEST in the series. so much so im REREADING the whole series for the third time.
May 12, 2019
She can fight, she can deal and yeah and all with a new baby under her arm.
Forget Aliens. Human space has problems all their own.
No big space battles. Just enough policical ones.
Forget Aliens. Human space has problems all their own.
No big space battles. Just enough policical ones.
November 17, 2023
Kris has been called home from Alwah because her kingdom, in the person of her great-grandfather King Ray, has a problem for her to solve. The Greenfeld Empire is undergoing a civil war, and the emperor has asked for assistance. Since Kris knows the players having met both the Emperor and the Grand Duchess, she's the right person to send in to try to broker a peace.
However, the Empress who is really the power behind the rather clueless Emperor isn't ready to give up power. It was repeated assassination attempts on Grand Duchess Victoria that led her to fleeing the heart of the empire. With Vicky out of the way, it is now Kris and her team who are fending off the assassination attempts.
With many of her former colleagues deciding to stay and build their lives on Alwah, Kris has to assemble a new team. This one consists of negotiators from various fields and their associates because finding a way for the civil war to end with take more than Kris's usual gunboat diplomacy. It also includes a corps of well-armed nannies because she's taking her infant daughter along with her.
Conditions in the Greenfeld empire are awful. Trade and business have been disrupted, planets are facing starvation, and piracy is rampant. The Empress and her faction are willing to ruin everything if it means that she will have the power at the end of it all.
Kris is sent in with a small fleet, but her fleet is the most up to date in space. She doesn't mind that her force will be underestimated. She knows that if needed she can wield her big stick...and it will be needed. As her payment, she has demanded a desk job for herself and her husband Jack after this task has been completed. She feels that it is time that someone else becomes the point of the spear for her home planet.
This episode reconnects Kris with Vicky Peterwald who has done a lot of growing up since they were last together. It was an entertaining episode in a long-running series.
However, the Empress who is really the power behind the rather clueless Emperor isn't ready to give up power. It was repeated assassination attempts on Grand Duchess Victoria that led her to fleeing the heart of the empire. With Vicky out of the way, it is now Kris and her team who are fending off the assassination attempts.
With many of her former colleagues deciding to stay and build their lives on Alwah, Kris has to assemble a new team. This one consists of negotiators from various fields and their associates because finding a way for the civil war to end with take more than Kris's usual gunboat diplomacy. It also includes a corps of well-armed nannies because she's taking her infant daughter along with her.
Conditions in the Greenfeld empire are awful. Trade and business have been disrupted, planets are facing starvation, and piracy is rampant. The Empress and her faction are willing to ruin everything if it means that she will have the power at the end of it all.
Kris is sent in with a small fleet, but her fleet is the most up to date in space. She doesn't mind that her force will be underestimated. She knows that if needed she can wield her big stick...and it will be needed. As her payment, she has demanded a desk job for herself and her husband Jack after this task has been completed. She feels that it is time that someone else becomes the point of the spear for her home planet.
This episode reconnects Kris with Vicky Peterwald who has done a lot of growing up since they were last together. It was an entertaining episode in a long-running series.
October 20, 2022
More reviews (and no fluff) on the blog http://surrealtalvi.wordpress.com/
This book ends another story arc - the Peterwald/Alwa saga. A lot of long-standing characters are jettisoned and quite a few new ones show up. Kris now has a daughter, a husband, and a great desire for a desk job. Unfortunately, the universe has other plans as Kris is drawn into the Peterwald civil war as a mediator.Story: Kris is summarily requested to return home - which she does with infant and husband in tow. Turns out she's been requested personally by emperor Peterwald to negotiate a peace between his wife and daughter. Unfortunately for Kris, the empress would rather just slaughter both her and Vicky and then happily take over the empire. Can Kris protect her husband and child and still help bring peace to a humanity that greatly needs it considering the threat it is facing?
Dina Perlman, the audio book narrator, does an excellent job as always and I appreciate that she has narrated all of the Longkinfe series to date. As with the previous books, you know what you will get here - it's not high sci fi but it is bubble gum space opera that is especially good when narrated since it is easy to follow.
June 23, 2025
A decent plot about a soldier, skilled and experienced at warfare, working instead to mediate other battling factions and prevent further warfare. Fortunately for the book's pace, there are plenty of deadly threats to deal with along the way. The mediation parts are dealt with skillfully and usually briefly, but they still slow the book down a bit. Worse are the descriptions of opulence, especially those made possible by smart metal; those just sounded like fantasizing for wish fulfillment sake.
This book is late in a series, and there is a heck of a lot of backstory explanation which, I presume, previous books depicted as it happened. I don't know if I'm missing out of the full story from not having read the previous books, or if I'm lucky not to have to slog through so much repetition.
This book is late in a series, and there is a heck of a lot of backstory explanation which, I presume, previous books depicted as it happened. I don't know if I'm missing out of the full story from not having read the previous books, or if I'm lucky not to have to slog through so much repetition.
May 27, 2017
Reasons I love the Kris Longknife books: Kris is a really strong woman who does not require a lot of rescuing. She is smart, tough, and a good person without being some perfect angel. Even though these novels are a bit formulaic this is a formula I like, as I enjoy a good space opera. I enjoy watching Kris adapt to change and succeed. Under no circumstances should you read these novels out of order-it is one of the perils of series fiction but for maximum enjoyment you need to start these at the beginning, and proceed from there. The only reason Bold did not get five stars is the villain of the piece: the Big Bad in this book is a scenery chewing lunatic. They are just a little bit over the top. So this book rates a very solid four stars.
December 25, 2019
Donc Kris a été rappelée d'Alwa, laissant ses amis, et envoyée en mission diplomatique pour résoudre les problèmes dans l' "Empire Greenfeld" , réconcilier Vicky Perterwald et son père, et arrêter les dangereuses initiatives de la belle mère de Vicky, marâtre caricaturale et totalement irresponsable alors que rode la menace des aliens. Kris devient vraiment adulte, hantée par son passé, et apprend la diplomatie. Le côté vie privée : allaiter son enfant, vie d'épouse, vie privée de Vicky, mariage etc ... ce n'est pas trop mon truc, à l'exception de la super équipe de nounous pour le bébé de Kris. J'aime bien Nelly l'IA prenant de plus en plus d'initiatives. Et je reste sur ma faim avec les aliens : ceux qui sont menaçants et les autres ....
February 21, 2017
Another great book in the Kris Longknife series. This time instead of murderous aliens Kris has to face something even more terrifying - trying to broker a peace treaty between Vicky Peterwald and her father and his wife. It seems that in the time that Kris has been on the far side of the galaxy, fighting aliens, discovering new species and having a baby Vicky has gotten tired of the Empress trying to murder her and left for another part of the Greenfeld empire, and in the process she has also grown up and learned to lead. Kris has to find new depths of ingenuity not only to find peace but stay alive.
March 12, 2017
Like all of Mike Shepherd's books, I devoured this one. He's got a writing style that just sucks you in. And while I usually enjoy his cliffhanger endings where Kris pulls off something amazing, only to have something crazy happen right at the end, this one has Kris do something... pretty spectacularly unimpressive, and it fell flat for me.
I was also disappointed in the character of the Empress. Or really, the lack of character. It wasn't even that she was flat, it's that she barely rose to the level of caricature. I'd hope that she would be more interesting.
I was also disappointed in the character of the Empress. Or really, the lack of character. It wasn't even that she was flat, it's that she barely rose to the level of caricature. I'd hope that she would be more interesting.
December 6, 2016
It's an entertaining book. The last hundred or so pages kept me awake for a while as I finished reading the book, but at about halfway through it I kept thinking that there wouldn't be enough pages to finish the story.
Needless to say, the "conflict" is resolved very very quickly and the normal space battle scenes are just paragraphs.
Needless to say, the "conflict" is resolved very very quickly and the normal space battle scenes are just paragraphs.
March 10, 2017
Fans of military science fiction will enjoy the continuing adventures of Kris Longknife. Those new to the series, however, will find this a difficult introduction point, laden with many characters and backstory. Definitely not a stand-alone.
November 15, 2017
This one starts with Kris & Jack with their baby Ruth. They take her around to various family members and then Kris gets hit with a job by Mac: mediate between the Emperor and the Grand Duchess (and the Empress). It gets ugly. Honestly, what was the Empress thinking?
November 13, 2018
Good space opera
Another ripping yarn from Longknife universe. Continuing adventures of KL following her time away on Alwa station. Probably worth reading some the Vicky Peterwald novels first.
Another ripping yarn from Longknife universe. Continuing adventures of KL following her time away on Alwa station. Probably worth reading some the Vicky Peterwald novels first.
January 30, 2019
Recent Reads: Kris Longknife Bold. The Ace-published arc of Mike Shepherd's milSF comes to an end with book 14. Back home, Kris is asked to negotiate an end to the schisms in the rival polity of Greenfeld. Diplomacy sometimes needs encouragement, fleet action style. The End.
May 13, 2019
A good book in a great series, personally i wish it wasn't used as a ending for the trilogy vicky books but still it a very good story and a nice turning point book for the series transitioning into the next stage.
December 1, 2020
Wow! Kris Longknife has been around a long time. And, it is still a great series. She is smart, devious at the appropriate times and enjoys a roll in the hay. I am looking forward to the next book.
October 31, 2016
Would recommend
Loved it. Could not put it down. Would recommend the whole series to every sci-fi fan. If you have not read the rest go back and start at the beginning.
Loved it. Could not put it down. Would recommend the whole series to every sci-fi fan. If you have not read the rest go back and start at the beginning.
May 8, 2017
Kris fix
Glad to get my Kris fix. The only problem? It wasn't long enough. Can't wait for the next one.
May have to go back and reread.
Glad to get my Kris fix. The only problem? It wasn't long enough. Can't wait for the next one.
May have to go back and reread.
May 14, 2017
Found myself chuckling quite often while reading the novel.
July 7, 2017
I really like reading the Kris Longknife series. The books keep me on the edge of my seat.
September 27, 2017
A good read
This is a great continuing series that I can't recommend strongly enough for those who like space opera . Read it you will like it.
This is a great continuing series that I can't recommend strongly enough for those who like space opera . Read it you will like it.
April 25, 2019
Great book, the battles were a little different, but, just as deadly. And, now we have Meg!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews