Law of Survival

Jani Kilian Chronicles #3

by Kristine Smith

It takes a killer to catch a killer.Jani Kilian finally has her life under control. Discharged from the Service, she’s become an important player in negotiations with the alien idomeni.But when a classified report containing revelations about past crimes comes to light, Jani realizes that old enemies still seek to destroy her. As dangers mount and those closest to her are threatened, a hard lesson learned during her years on the run hits home. Whether in colonial back alleys or halls of power, the game is life and death, and only the winner survives.

and only the winner survives.

Genres: Science Fiction, Military Fiction, Aliens, Science Fiction Fantasy, Fiction, Speculative Fiction, Space Opera

395 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 1, 2001

About the author

Kristine Smith is the author of the Jani Kilian series and other science fiction and fantasy novels and short stories under her own name. Her fiction has been nominated for the Locus Award for First Novel, Philip K. Dick Memorial Award and the IAFA William L. Crawford Fantasy Award, and she was the 2001 winner of the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer. Prior to becoming a full-time writer, she spent 26 years working in pharmaceutical product R&D. She was born in the Northeast, grew up in the South, and currently lives in the Midwest.

Kristine Smith has also written the supernatural thrillers GIDEON and JERICHO under the name Alex Gordon.


Photo by Joel Danto/Danto Photography

Reviews

[Sherwood Smith]

In this third book in the series, Jani finds herself dragged into politics, which she hates. Relations between humans and idomeni are showing cracks, meanwhile an unsettling report falls into Jani's hands, and she has to find out who is secretly working to worsen the already volatile situation.

Meanwhile, her body is fighting her as she tries to adjust to her hybrid situation.

But one thing Jani knows, besides warfare, is document finagling. She finds an ally who can help track down her target.

Then things accelerate to overdrive . . .

New twists and turns, taut pacing, fascinating characters, and really tight writing make this a page-turner like the first two books in the series. I recommend that readers begin with the first; this is a long arc series, and this book lands running.

[Jacob Proffitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is third in a series that builds each story on top of the others. So you definitely want to read them in order.

Which makes this review somewhat easier to write because by now, you know Jani and Smith's style with these stories. So I'll mostly note that this one is a bit different from the second and much more in line with the first in that Jani is a much more central figure and supporting viewpoints are actually supporting the main through-line. Since Jani is my draw to the series, that works out fantastic for me. The story is fast-paced, the action outstanding, developments along the broader arc of Idomeni/human relations are engaging and emotionally resonant. Smith continues her theme of freedom and self-determination in the midst of bigger forces that desire to control and that is just so my jam.

The only sour note for me is that Jani spends much of this story hesitating. She's still not sure what to think of Lucien and she's still not sure what to do with Tsetcha's faith and she's still fighting having people actually depend on her because she has that unearned guilt thing that bugs me so badly (i.e. assuming guilt for things she has no culpability for, like her original squad dying because she didn't respond fast-enough to a developing situation). It irked me more than a little as the story progressed and nowhere moreso than with Lucien. But that's because while Smith insists that he has no soul and is emotionally incapable of loving anybody and that's backed up by space psychoscience, so we're supposed to believe it. Only actual actions and events belie that claim constantly. He has been a loyal and giving support to Jani since the first book and he continues along that vein here. Yeah, they have some weirdness in their relationship dynamic that needs some attention, but she is obviously his north-star.

Anyway, this ends up a solid 4½ stars that I'm gladly rounding to five for the strong story, fast pace, and progress forward on all the plot arcs I care about. I can't wait for the next and hope it continues this strong.

A note about Steamy: Lucien and Jani continue their fraught relationship in this one and that includes having sex. There's only one scene where that intimacy dynamic is important enough to show, so there's only a single, fairly brief, explicit scene making this the mildest of my steam designations.

[Carolyn F. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a political drama just in case you're not into that kind of thing. I like it though. Reminds me a little of Lois McMaster Bujold, although I could do without the constant tummy problems. Enjoyable book, I liked the ending. I'm moving directly on to book #4.

[Katharine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Three Jani Killian novels in a row and I need a rest! Action packed political thriller but why do I feel it in some ways these novels are just endless repetitions. Jani has a few more allies but I have become bored and wish for a little more to be revealed about the alien idomeni. A lot of thought went into the world building on the human side but you are left a little hanging with the political factions on the idomeni side. This third book does deliver a little more into the alien life than the previous two but that isn't saying much since its really about the rather self centred Jani.

[Martyn F · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked this book better than part two. At least you get a good idea what all the fuss is about. But I think I have grown tired of the self loathing and complaining and hospital check ups.

I just think I don’t enjoy this series enough. It’s more like a struggle which makes me glad when I have finally finished the book.

[Dasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the third in a complex and interesting series. Good alien culture presentation; even better reminder that many complicated international relationships and historical undertakings rely more heavily on documents than derring-do. I enjoyed the first 2; this was even better.

[Geri Bethel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyable Read

I like the way the characters interact with each other. It fills in the nuances of how they feel. I look forward for the next book.

[Tressa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Law of Survival added more layers, intrigue, and new and interesting characters. It was also about Jani accepting herself more.

[Jemima Pett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very little time elapses between this and the previous volume. Enough for Jani to get a new flat, and a couple of her other regular companions to develop their jobs a little. The international human-idomeni relationships are hotting up, and idomeni are developing their own factions. This disturbed me for a while, since it all seemed very political.

I needn’t have worried. Jani’s specialist skills become the key to unravelling the chaos that others are trying to create. The characters become clear in this volume, both the old and the new. Some light-hearted moments ease us through Jani’s torrid affairs. More importantly, she finds new allies, which we can tell, even though she can be a reliable unreliable narrator. The addition of her parents into the mix raises the stakes admirably.

So from political chaos emerges a really exciting thriller, with intrigue and assassins abounding. I loved it, but I’m taking a break before the next in the series!

[Alicia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Whew. When I started this book I didn't know it was the third in a series. I'm glad I read it anyway. The plotting was entertaining and convoluted. It took me about sixty pages to figure out what was going on, but by that point I had become enamored of the characters and there was no way I was going to put the book down. I love reading about alien cultures and this book had that. From the writing I could tell the author had delved deeper into the alien culture in earlier books and I'm eager now to read those.

[Tasula · Rating 4 out of 5]

Continuation of the story of a space captain who is mentored by an alien (idomeni) politico and is slowly mutating into a hybrid human-idomeni. Lots of action and political intrigue, interesting characters.

[Barbara Sanders · Rating 5 out of 5]

Still fascinated

The story of Jani continues. It's still nicely intricate and full of twists and turns. Very satisfying to read. On to the next in the series.

[Tom · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quite a dense prose to work through, does not make for easy reading and takes a long time (if any) to start getting interesting.

[Wilson E. Stevens Sr. · Rating 3 out of 5]

She is still doing fine, not a bad read, worth the money.

[Cathie Stumpenhaus · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fabulous! An awesome main character and so many twists and turns it makes your head spin.