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Fallen Empire #2
Honor's Flight
After spending four years fighting for the Alliance, fighter pilot Alisa Marchenko only wants one thing: to reunite with her young daughter. But this involves a journey to her former home world, which has become the last imperial stronghold. Since the imperials have a lot of reasons to loathe members of the Alliance right now, just getting down to the planet will be a challenge, and it doesn’t help that her passengers are stirring up trouble of their own…
Even if Alisa is able to land, she may find that more questions await her than answers, and that her late husband kept a startling secret from her, one that could change her life forever.
Even if Alisa is able to land, she may find that more questions await her than answers, and that her late husband kept a startling secret from her, one that could change her life forever.
10 pages, Audible Audio
First published May 27, 2016
339 people are currently reading
1377 people want to read
About the author
Lindsay Buroker
198 books6,241 followersI'm a full-time indie fantasy and science fiction author. When I'm not writing, I'm ferrying my dogs to hiking trails for adventures.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 304 reviews
December 18, 2016
(Audiobook) In very tiny print at the top of this book you can read a blurb of praise from Janet M – Amazon customer. With critical acclaim from such a prestigious source as Janet M I can only hope the next instalment will feature a blurb saying Not half bad - Stevie K – Goodreads slut
“Honor’s Flight” is the sequel to GOODREAD’s CHOICE NOMINEE “Star Nomad”. I quite enjoyed Star Nomad.
I did offer the caveat in my review that it was not so much a story as an interesting introduction to a story. A tale of how the band got together. Author Lindsay Buroker cranked out an astonishing 5 “sequels” in 12 months which either means she is an incredibly prolific crack snorting fiend/writer or the quality was sure to decline.
“Honor’s Flight” is not half bad it just feels like the 2nd episode of a TV show following a strong pilot where nothing much happens. When the book ends we are in pretty much the same place that we started. None of the characters were developed in interesting ways from the original book and the witty dialogue, a highlight of “Star Nomad” wasn’t nearly as sharp. The formula feels like “insert obstacles C & D to prevent Alyssa reaching target A”. It feels completely non-essential.
Yumi, the character I most enjoyed in the previous book had almost nothing to do, neither did Mica the pessimist mechanic. Far too much time was spent having Alyssa admire Leonidas the cyborg's bulging muscles then tell herself she has no feelings for the muscle man she keeps making doe-eyes at.
“Honor’s Flight” is a 10 hour audiobook that features an hour we previously received as a “bonus” to Star Nomad. It includes another hour of book 3 as a “bonus” so at 8 hours this is novella length. Neither of the 2 books end with cliff hangers so it seems the “bonus hour” is an attempt to generate interest in the next story. I’m going to go out on a limb and say turning this series into 6 tiny books was a poor choice. Both of these books are so light in plot and content that I think they could have easily been combined into 2 or 3 much more substantial books. The pacing could have been honed so that each larger book ended with a reason for me to want to continue the story and not require a “bonus hour” of the next tiny book to try and make me care.
Narrator Kate Reading is a joy to listen to and one of the primary reasons I was excited to try book 2. She did her best with the lines provided but the dialogue was not nearly as strong as in book 1 and clearly would have benefited with some more time improving it instead of cranking out another 4 books.
Having a “slow episode” where our characters have a little adventure but basically end up where we started is a forgivable sin on a weekly television show. When competing against thousands of other books, giving me as meagre a meal as “Honor’s flight” is not likely to make me rush out and buy the next tiny morsel 4 more times to satisfy my hunger for fun characters and space adventure.
I do love me some Kate Reading though so maybe I will try again at some point.
“Honor’s Flight” is the sequel to GOODREAD’s CHOICE NOMINEE “Star Nomad”. I quite enjoyed Star Nomad.
I did offer the caveat in my review that it was not so much a story as an interesting introduction to a story. A tale of how the band got together. Author Lindsay Buroker cranked out an astonishing 5 “sequels” in 12 months which either means she is an incredibly prolific crack snorting fiend/writer or the quality was sure to decline.
“Honor’s Flight” is not half bad it just feels like the 2nd episode of a TV show following a strong pilot where nothing much happens. When the book ends we are in pretty much the same place that we started. None of the characters were developed in interesting ways from the original book and the witty dialogue, a highlight of “Star Nomad” wasn’t nearly as sharp. The formula feels like “insert obstacles C & D to prevent Alyssa reaching target A”. It feels completely non-essential.
Yumi, the character I most enjoyed in the previous book had almost nothing to do, neither did Mica the pessimist mechanic. Far too much time was spent having Alyssa admire Leonidas the cyborg's bulging muscles then tell herself she has no feelings for the muscle man she keeps making doe-eyes at.
“Honor’s Flight” is a 10 hour audiobook that features an hour we previously received as a “bonus” to Star Nomad. It includes another hour of book 3 as a “bonus” so at 8 hours this is novella length. Neither of the 2 books end with cliff hangers so it seems the “bonus hour” is an attempt to generate interest in the next story. I’m going to go out on a limb and say turning this series into 6 tiny books was a poor choice. Both of these books are so light in plot and content that I think they could have easily been combined into 2 or 3 much more substantial books. The pacing could have been honed so that each larger book ended with a reason for me to want to continue the story and not require a “bonus hour” of the next tiny book to try and make me care.
Narrator Kate Reading is a joy to listen to and one of the primary reasons I was excited to try book 2. She did her best with the lines provided but the dialogue was not nearly as strong as in book 1 and clearly would have benefited with some more time improving it instead of cranking out another 4 books.
Having a “slow episode” where our characters have a little adventure but basically end up where we started is a forgivable sin on a weekly television show. When competing against thousands of other books, giving me as meagre a meal as “Honor’s flight” is not likely to make me rush out and buy the next tiny morsel 4 more times to satisfy my hunger for fun characters and space adventure.
I do love me some Kate Reading though so maybe I will try again at some point.
December 15, 2022
The next episode of Fallen Empire concerns the trials and tribulations of Alisa and company upon the world of her former home, now the only planet left to the Empire. Alisa'a goal, or plan, is to reclaim her daughter, get some cargo, and move on. Unfortunately (or fortunately, be it as you may), things of course did not go quite as planned. First off, her daughter was 'kidnapped' by the Starseers, some sort of sect that has crazy ESP or something. Then, the crazy doc's artifact is really in demand, enough to have Imperial troopers chase him in a library where he was trying to research it. Finally, there is a huge bounty on the cyborg and it seems everyone wants it. So, be prepared for all kinds of trials and tribulations for Alisa and company...
This series is really fun in way; each volume reads like a TV episode of a knock off of Firefly. I can see why people really dig it, I mean, it has everything a TV show could ask for-- mystery, some romance, snarky dialogue, underdog heroes, etc. Also, Buroker writes well and the gives us good pacing for the story. However, this is just too lite and derivative for my tastes. I loved Firefly, but this reads almost like fanfic of a similar series. 2.5 stars, rounding up as it was well done for what it is. YMMV!
This series is really fun in way; each volume reads like a TV episode of a knock off of Firefly. I can see why people really dig it, I mean, it has everything a TV show could ask for-- mystery, some romance, snarky dialogue, underdog heroes, etc. Also, Buroker writes well and the gives us good pacing for the story. However, this is just too lite and derivative for my tastes. I loved Firefly, but this reads almost like fanfic of a similar series. 2.5 stars, rounding up as it was well done for what it is. YMMV!
June 28, 2019
This was at least as much fun as the first one. While the same length, it did feel a bit more like a serial episode than a second novel, but I'm okay with that seeing as there are six more to go and the series is complete.
I did get mildly irritated at how much time the narrative spends drawing attention to the main character's wit. I find her fairly clever, but would enjoy her quips a lot more if they didn't talk about them so much, and if she wasn't so self-aware of them, often reflecting on her humor in the narrative. It's forgivable, though. I consider it a bad choice on the authors part that I have no desire to punish the wonderful character for.
These books are so much fun. The characters are endearing, and I don't get remotely tired of spending time with them. It's lighthearted, easy going space opera with some fantasy elements--namely a race of psionics who seem a la Jedi, if not quite so black and white as the Jedi and the Sith. I'm off to read book three!
I did get mildly irritated at how much time the narrative spends drawing attention to the main character's wit. I find her fairly clever, but would enjoy her quips a lot more if they didn't talk about them so much, and if she wasn't so self-aware of them, often reflecting on her humor in the narrative. It's forgivable, though. I consider it a bad choice on the authors part that I have no desire to punish the wonderful character for.
These books are so much fun. The characters are endearing, and I don't get remotely tired of spending time with them. It's lighthearted, easy going space opera with some fantasy elements--namely a race of psionics who seem a la Jedi, if not quite so black and white as the Jedi and the Sith. I'm off to read book three!
April 8, 2019
After spending four years fighting for the Alliance, fighter pilot Alisa Marchenko only wants one thing: to reunite with her young daughter. But she may find that more questions await her than answers, and that her late husband kept a startling secret from her, one that could change her life forever. And it doesn’t help that her passengers are stirring up trouble of their own…
This second book in the Fallen Empire series was just as fun to read as the first. I'm loving the action and adventure, plus the characters are fun to read about as well. There were a few times I would have liked a bit more character development, but the rest of the story makes up for it. I like the growing relationship between Alisa and Leonidas and can't wait to see where that goes and how it eventually gets there.
I felt like Mica was a little lacking in this book compared to the last one, but I love the creative ways she and Alisa find to get themselves and their crew out of sticky situations.
If you enjoy light space opera then you should really try this series.
Review also posted at Writings of a Reader
This second book in the Fallen Empire series was just as fun to read as the first. I'm loving the action and adventure, plus the characters are fun to read about as well. There were a few times I would have liked a bit more character development, but the rest of the story makes up for it. I like the growing relationship between Alisa and Leonidas and can't wait to see where that goes and how it eventually gets there.
I felt like Mica was a little lacking in this book compared to the last one, but I love the creative ways she and Alisa find to get themselves and their crew out of sticky situations.
If you enjoy light space opera then you should really try this series.
Review also posted at Writings of a Reader
December 13, 2016
This is pretty much a continuation of the first. And you really should read that one before this one. As such, you should have a pretty good idea of what to expect. Maybe too good of an idea of what to expect. By which I mean this is more than a little samey (though not without some interesting new developments).
The reason this is a bit lower rating is that by the three-quarter mark or so, it began to feel like nothing more than a string of unfortunate events. It was like someone periodically took over the writer's keyboard and typed for a bit saying "let's see you get out of this one!" Yes, I'm saying it felt contrived against the protagonists. And I dislike that almost as much as I dislike events contriving for them.
The reason this is a bit lower rating is that by the three-quarter mark or so, it began to feel like nothing more than a string of unfortunate events. It was like someone periodically took over the writer's keyboard and typed for a bit saying "let's see you get out of this one!" Yes, I'm saying it felt contrived against the protagonists. And I dislike that almost as much as I dislike events contriving for them.
July 20, 2016
I'm hesitant on continuing this series, but I likely will try one more book at some point since they are offered on kindleunlimited. My main problem is, the agenda they had in book 1, is still the same agenda they tried to achieve in this book, and once again they did not accomplish this task. I get that its part of a series, but I like a feeling of some sense of closure upon the ending. It seems like this just keeps on going and going. Just find her kid already. Damn. At least that way future books can have a new and fresh plot and storyline. I just don’t feel like the characters are doing anything much different than they did in the first book. They are quite similar. I read that this book is likely going to be a 5 book series or more, and personally, I prefer 3 book trilogies or less (unless future books are based on side characters). That doesn’t seem to be the case with this series.
Some of my biggest complaints:
* I tired of the hero barely speaking - we heard about his eyebrow movements tons of times, scowled some and the occasional slight smile here or there, but very few actual words or conversations.
* Still zero romance - not even a kiss was shared
* The names of some the characters were so bad I found them distracting as I read - Leonida, Yumi, Alejandro, Jelena,
* The heroine sure does wrinkle her nose a lot. Give the girl an allergy pill or something already.
Overall, I was disappointed with this book. None of the loose ends from book 1 were even tied up. It seems likely that if were the case with both books 1 and 2 that this may be the same issue in the other books. I was kind of hoping they would complete one adventure and then go on another. This is just starting to feel like one long and drawn out read.
UPDATE: I'm now going to say I give up on this series. I just read the blurb for books 3 and 4. The blurb for book 4 says she's still flying around space in search of her daughter. It just feels like this story is running in circles and I have no desire to continue :(
Some of my biggest complaints:
* I tired of the hero barely speaking - we heard about his eyebrow movements tons of times, scowled some and the occasional slight smile here or there, but very few actual words or conversations.
* Still zero romance - not even a kiss was shared
* The names of some the characters were so bad I found them distracting as I read - Leonida, Yumi, Alejandro, Jelena,
* The heroine sure does wrinkle her nose a lot. Give the girl an allergy pill or something already.
Overall, I was disappointed with this book. None of the loose ends from book 1 were even tied up. It seems likely that if were the case with both books 1 and 2 that this may be the same issue in the other books. I was kind of hoping they would complete one adventure and then go on another. This is just starting to feel like one long and drawn out read.
UPDATE: I'm now going to say I give up on this series. I just read the blurb for books 3 and 4. The blurb for book 4 says she's still flying around space in search of her daughter. It just feels like this story is running in circles and I have no desire to continue :(
Read
June 6, 2016Inhaled this sequel, as Alisa Marchenko and her band of misfits travel to Peruna, once an empire planet, where Alisa and her husband and daughter had lived.
Buroker is doing interesting things with once-enemies in the aftermath of a war, and the kind of mess that gets left after all heavy weaponry goes away. This could easily be the grimmest of grimdark tales, but Buroker continues to spin an involving story with banter and humor well woven into the fast-paced action and the scenes of sharp emotion.
I really like the women in this book: I love every scene with engineer Mica in it, and Yumi continues to be complex and fun and interesting. I also like the guys, even Alejandro, whose motives are questionable at best, and who seems to be just as conflicted as cyborg Leonidas, but less honorable.
Buroker is doing interesting things with once-enemies in the aftermath of a war, and the kind of mess that gets left after all heavy weaponry goes away. This could easily be the grimmest of grimdark tales, but Buroker continues to spin an involving story with banter and humor well woven into the fast-paced action and the scenes of sharp emotion.
I really like the women in this book: I love every scene with engineer Mica in it, and Yumi continues to be complex and fun and interesting. I also like the guys, even Alejandro, whose motives are questionable at best, and who seems to be just as conflicted as cyborg Leonidas, but less honorable.
September 10, 2024
☆3.92☆
Definitely funny and full of wit. The plot thickens but only a little. There certainly are twists and turns, with some betrayal woven in. The space fights are still the major part of this series. And the missing daughter feels like a sub-plot. No growth in characters either.
Read it only for light enjoyment.
“Usually,” Leonidas said, “people talk about me behind my back, and I’m forced to use my enhanced auditory faculty to hear what disreputable things they’re saying about me.”
“We didn’t want you to strain yourself,” Alisa said.
Definitely funny and full of wit. The plot thickens but only a little. There certainly are twists and turns, with some betrayal woven in. The space fights are still the major part of this series. And the missing daughter feels like a sub-plot. No growth in characters either.
Read it only for light enjoyment.
April 29, 2020
Nothing too impressive, but still had me hooked enough to finish it quite fast and still be interested in the series. So I guess I'll be reading the third one too, eventually.
That's the pros. Cons are, probably, sometimes annoying dialogues, strange characters and the fact that nothing happened in this book in a large-scale plot development.
3*, though it probably would be more 5/10 than 6/10.
That's the pros. Cons are, probably, sometimes annoying dialogues, strange characters and the fact that nothing happened in this book in a large-scale plot development.
3*, though it probably would be more 5/10 than 6/10.
February 19, 2018
Included at the end of Honor's Flight.
Merged review:
Kindle version ends at 85%. However, since what is included after that is the short story Starfall Station, which is a direct continuation of their story, I think that's perfectly fine in this case.
Merged review:
Kindle version ends at 85%. However, since what is included after that is the short story Starfall Station, which is a direct continuation of their story, I think that's perfectly fine in this case.
November 3, 2018
I'm so hooked on this series. Alisa returns to her former home planet to re-unite with her daughter, sharing her journey are her crew & passengers who are a mixed bunch to say the least. Alisa is only just finding out that they bring plenty of trouble and secrets with them.
Alisa has to decide where her loyalties lie - with her passengers & crew or with the Alliance that she fought with for four long years.
It is a light, thoroughly enjoyable read, jam packed with humour, adventure and intrigue. Can't wait to jump into the next instalment.
Alisa has to decide where her loyalties lie - with her passengers & crew or with the Alliance that she fought with for four long years.
It is a light, thoroughly enjoyable read, jam packed with humour, adventure and intrigue. Can't wait to jump into the next instalment.
January 3, 2023
Where we quickly discover....and forget...the plot.
"Honor's Flight" -- the second novel in the definitely-not-Firefly "Fallen Empire" series finally has our former Alliance captain Alisa Marchenko learning what happened to her daughter who she hasn't seen in over a year following the end war between the Alliance and defeated Empire.
Turns out her daughter has been kidnapped by "Starseers" -- basically space wizards/psychics -- due to some latent ability Alisa's late husband had but never revealed to her.
What follows is a decidedly *unmotivated* quest by Alisa to recover her daughter. I say "unmotivated" because despite her daughter being allegedly the most important thing in her life, Alisa keeps getting distracted by various crewmembers/passengers of her ship. All while being wrapped up in a really lackluster subplot of priest Alejandro's (definitely not Shepherd from Firefly) possession of a golden orb MacGuffin that everybody seems to want for reasons that remain opaque. This is coupled with another subplot of cyborg Leonidas maybe sorta kinda wanting to bring back the Empire but still working with/for Alisa.
Anyway, there's running and shooting and quippy dialogue that really negates any emotional connection to Alisa's alleged reason for being: finding her daughter. If the main character doesn't seem to really care, why should I?
"Honor's Flight" -- the second novel in the definitely-not-Firefly "Fallen Empire" series finally has our former Alliance captain Alisa Marchenko learning what happened to her daughter who she hasn't seen in over a year following the end war between the Alliance and defeated Empire.
Turns out her daughter has been kidnapped by "Starseers" -- basically space wizards/psychics -- due to some latent ability Alisa's late husband had but never revealed to her.
What follows is a decidedly *unmotivated* quest by Alisa to recover her daughter. I say "unmotivated" because despite her daughter being allegedly the most important thing in her life, Alisa keeps getting distracted by various crewmembers/passengers of her ship. All while being wrapped up in a really lackluster subplot of priest Alejandro's (definitely not Shepherd from Firefly) possession of a golden orb MacGuffin that everybody seems to want for reasons that remain opaque. This is coupled with another subplot of cyborg Leonidas maybe sorta kinda wanting to bring back the Empire but still working with/for Alisa.
Anyway, there's running and shooting and quippy dialogue that really negates any emotional connection to Alisa's alleged reason for being: finding her daughter. If the main character doesn't seem to really care, why should I?
June 5, 2016
included in the release of Honor's Flight but thematically separated as it moves the action to the Alliance capital and much better than the previous linking short story (Saranthe 3) that appeared between #1 and #2 since it is unitarily thematic (someone wants badly the 200k on Leonidas' head and one more dead cyborg is not a big deal) and feels like a complete episode not a somewhat forced mash-up in the previous link
Merged review:
really fun sequel to Star Nomad hitting all the right notes - action, revelations, hints of what to come; mostly set on the capital of the remnant empire and dealing with all 3 strands of the storyline (Alyssa's daughter, the bounty on Leonidas' head and his quest, Alejandro's Orb and his quest..) while ending at a good point and being followed by an intermediate story that moves the action to the capital of the Alliance for book 3
highly recommended
Merged review:
really fun sequel to Star Nomad hitting all the right notes - action, revelations, hints of what to come; mostly set on the capital of the remnant empire and dealing with all 3 strands of the storyline (Alyssa's daughter, the bounty on Leonidas' head and his quest, Alejandro's Orb and his quest..) while ending at a good point and being followed by an intermediate story that moves the action to the capital of the Alliance for book 3
highly recommended
February 21, 2019
“This woman has the self-preservation instincts of a rock.”
More of the same following Star Nomad. A bridge story that goes almost nowhere. A little backstory revealed. A good heart, but not much body.
“I wasn’t hollering. I was arguing defensively.”
Quibble: A whole lot of improbably action with even more improbably low casualties. Lots of improbable action with even more improbably low casualties. Unlikely all that shooting between armored space military results in no fatalities.
“It’d easy to be honorable when your life is normal and your needs are met. It’s when you get desperate that your morality gets tested.”
More of the same following Star Nomad. A bridge story that goes almost nowhere. A little backstory revealed. A good heart, but not much body.
“I wasn’t hollering. I was arguing defensively.”
Quibble: A whole lot of improbably action with even more improbably low casualties. Lots of improbable action with even more improbably low casualties. Unlikely all that shooting between armored space military results in no fatalities.
“It’d easy to be honorable when your life is normal and your needs are met. It’s when you get desperate that your morality gets tested.”
June 22, 2016
Included as a bonus short at the end of book 2, this little gem put us into Leonidas's head as he unexpectedly partners up with Alisa on Starfall Station. Flat out, I like Leonidas. I like that he has a moral code he's unwilling to bend on and that he's beginning to see Alisa in a different light.
And, yeah, I love that he's kinda socially awkward when it comes to being around others. His thought process as he figures out Alisa *might* be asking to join him because she likes him as a person made me grin.
On the not-so-grinny side, Alisa's observation about why he doesn't smile hit home. Yeah, the big guy's seen stuff. There's a reason he's not a happy-go-lucky cyborg.
An enjoyable premise that adds a little extra to the slowly growing relationship between the cyborg and the captain. Plus, we got to see how far some people will go to claim the reward on Leonidas's head.
-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
Merged review:
I'm loving on this series hard. Alisa is torn between her loyalty to the Alliance and the morally correct path. No. Wait. It's not quite that simple. She's loyal to the Alliance, but I think she's also starting to see the cracks in the government they set up. Her loyalty to her daughter, however, is unshakable. It's that loyalty that drives her to do something that made her feel dishonorable and causes some tension in the ranks.
Meanwhile, she's starting to see Leonidas as more than just her enemy or the guy who hitched a ride on her ship. Having seen the darker side of war, he's all too aware of how fragile the new government is. (Honestly, I'm not all that impressed with the Alliance's peacekeeping. Sure, they're just pulling themselves up after a rough couple of years, but the freedom they won came at a steep price and it's the people who are paying for it.)
I'm loving Leonidas's strong adherence to doing the right thing. I'm not entirely sold on Alejandro and his mission. Actually, it's not his mission, so much, as what he's willing to do to complete it. Speaking of which, Leonidas has his own mysterious quest he mentioned but hasn't given any detail on. I am CURIOUS about it.
Things are getting even more tangled for Alisa and her crew and book 3 is moving them into dangerous territory. I can't wait!
-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
And, yeah, I love that he's kinda socially awkward when it comes to being around others. His thought process as he figures out Alisa *might* be asking to join him because she likes him as a person made me grin.
On the not-so-grinny side, Alisa's observation about why he doesn't smile hit home. Yeah, the big guy's seen stuff. There's a reason he's not a happy-go-lucky cyborg.
An enjoyable premise that adds a little extra to the slowly growing relationship between the cyborg and the captain. Plus, we got to see how far some people will go to claim the reward on Leonidas's head.
-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
Merged review:
I'm loving on this series hard. Alisa is torn between her loyalty to the Alliance and the morally correct path. No. Wait. It's not quite that simple. She's loyal to the Alliance, but I think she's also starting to see the cracks in the government they set up. Her loyalty to her daughter, however, is unshakable. It's that loyalty that drives her to do something that made her feel dishonorable and causes some tension in the ranks.
Meanwhile, she's starting to see Leonidas as more than just her enemy or the guy who hitched a ride on her ship. Having seen the darker side of war, he's all too aware of how fragile the new government is. (Honestly, I'm not all that impressed with the Alliance's peacekeeping. Sure, they're just pulling themselves up after a rough couple of years, but the freedom they won came at a steep price and it's the people who are paying for it.)
I'm loving Leonidas's strong adherence to doing the right thing. I'm not entirely sold on Alejandro and his mission. Actually, it's not his mission, so much, as what he's willing to do to complete it. Speaking of which, Leonidas has his own mysterious quest he mentioned but hasn't given any detail on. I am CURIOUS about it.
Things are getting even more tangled for Alisa and her crew and book 3 is moving them into dangerous territory. I can't wait!
-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
November 25, 2016
Another decent short that gives us a glimpse of Alisa and Leonidas between #2 & #3. It's nice to see more about what they got up to between the two main instalments but I'm not sure how much more insight this gave us to the main story really. I read this after reading Book #3 (instead of before) and during #3 there were a couple of mentions to something that happened between Books #2 & #3 so I thought I better go back and read this one. It was pretty sad about Leonidas' old comrade and now I see what the references were.
This is written from Leonidas' POV, which was actually quite good to get his thoughts and viewpoint, so for that reason I enjoyed this short. I seem to remember reading somewhere on the author's blog that it was best not to read the short from Leonidas' POV until after having read the first few books, as it would give away his motivations too early, but I think that's only referring to #0.5, not this one. So it's fine to read #2.5 in order.
Merged review:
This is the second installment and carries the storyline along towards finding Alisa's daughter and finding out a bit more about the mysterious 'orb'.
Thankfully we've left the space pirates behind but there's lots more enemies lurking around and many scrapes for our group of travellers to face. Alisa's starting to think of Leonidas as more than a 'mech' but is faced with a number of tough choices during Book #2. And Alejandro is not quite as good as you would think of the monk persona, especially when it comes to his 'mission'.
Straight onto the next one again! I've got the free shorts that go in between the main stories now but I think the author said it's best to read them after completing the main series as they are from Leonidas' POV and they are therefore a bit spoilery.
This is written from Leonidas' POV, which was actually quite good to get his thoughts and viewpoint, so for that reason I enjoyed this short. I seem to remember reading somewhere on the author's blog that it was best not to read the short from Leonidas' POV until after having read the first few books, as it would give away his motivations too early, but I think that's only referring to #0.5, not this one. So it's fine to read #2.5 in order.
Merged review:
This is the second installment and carries the storyline along towards finding Alisa's daughter and finding out a bit more about the mysterious 'orb'.
Thankfully we've left the space pirates behind but there's lots more enemies lurking around and many scrapes for our group of travellers to face. Alisa's starting to think of Leonidas as more than a 'mech' but is faced with a number of tough choices during Book #2. And Alejandro is not quite as good as you would think of the monk persona, especially when it comes to his 'mission'.
Straight onto the next one again! I've got the free shorts that go in between the main stories now but I think the author said it's best to read them after completing the main series as they are from Leonidas' POV and they are therefore a bit spoilery.
July 17, 2016
A nice short story.
Merged review:
This enjoyable series continues.
Merged review:
This enjoyable series continues.
June 4, 2019
I really enjoyed book 1 in this series and I dived right into book 2 once I finished it. In Honor's Flight Alisa Machenko is approaching her former home planet to pick up her daughter. This is the last imperial stronghold and she used to be an alliance pilot, she hopes they won't run into any trouble. But ofcourse trouble is exactly what she runs headfirst into. This is a fast paced and action filled book with that vibe that everything will be alright in the end. It makes for a very exciting and enjoyable read and fits my current reading mood perfectly.
This was just as good as book 1, with the same combination of lots of action, trouble and interesting characters. Alisa hopes to be reunited with her daughter, but things aren't as easy as she had hoped and her quest will take a bit longer. There is an interesting twist and reveal there. Then there is her hired security Beck who is still hunted by the mafia. There is a bounty on the head of her cyborg passenger Leonidas who also has his own quest. Alejandro's orb is causing more trouble as more and more people seem to want it for their own goals. The only ones who don't seem to attract any trouble is Yumi, one of Alisa's quirky passengers who actually reveals some surprising knowledge in this book and Mica, the pessimistic engineer who is surprisingly likable.
I was afraid the group of characters would be split up in this book as they all head to the planet with their own plans. Without giving away many spoilers, let me say that they still spend a big portion together and I was glad for that and happy to learn more about all of them. I like how each of the character has their own goals and agenda's. And while I can't say every character is likable, tough most of them are, they are all interesting and realistic feeling characters. It's also interesting to see the bit of tension that keeps simmering between the former alliance characters and the former empire characters. And the more we learn about both sides, the more I grow to believe that maybe neither of the two parties really is the good guy here.
Alisa is a great main character to follow. Her main goal is to find her daughter, but she's definitely wiling to stick out her neck to help others too and I liked that about her. She is very loyal too and goes far for those she considers her friends. Although her honor does get tested in this book and while I felt a bit uncomfortable with something she did, it did feel in-character and in the end I was happy how things got resolved. I also like the slowly developing feelings she has for the cyborg Leonidas and am excited to see how that will develop in later books. It makes for an interesting situation with how they used to be on opposite sides and maybe still are.
It was nice to see a bit more of the galaxy in this book. Mostly the planet Perun, but there is also more we learn about the Alliance and the Empire. As well as some information about the Starseers. The world slowly gets more expanded in each book and now they're on their way to another planet again.
To summarize: This was a great sequel. Just as action packed, full of trouble with with the uplifting "everything will be alright" vibe that I enjoy. I like how we learn more about the characters and most of them have their own troubles, issues and goals. It is a great group of characters to read about and they are all interesting even tough not all of them are fully likable. There are some interesting twists and reveals in this book as well as some interesting pieces of information we learn. And a lot of action and trouble the characters land in. It makes for a very exciting read. Alisa is a great main character she's very loyal and I like her brand of humor. She did something I wasn't fully comfortable with in this book, but it was very in-character and she did feel bad about it herself. I liked how it all got wrapped up in the end. There is some more we learn about the world and the factions too. At the end of the book they leave for another planet and I am excited to see where their next adventure takes them!
This was just as good as book 1, with the same combination of lots of action, trouble and interesting characters. Alisa hopes to be reunited with her daughter, but things aren't as easy as she had hoped and her quest will take a bit longer. There is an interesting twist and reveal there. Then there is her hired security Beck who is still hunted by the mafia. There is a bounty on the head of her cyborg passenger Leonidas who also has his own quest. Alejandro's orb is causing more trouble as more and more people seem to want it for their own goals. The only ones who don't seem to attract any trouble is Yumi, one of Alisa's quirky passengers who actually reveals some surprising knowledge in this book and Mica, the pessimistic engineer who is surprisingly likable.
I was afraid the group of characters would be split up in this book as they all head to the planet with their own plans. Without giving away many spoilers, let me say that they still spend a big portion together and I was glad for that and happy to learn more about all of them. I like how each of the character has their own goals and agenda's. And while I can't say every character is likable, tough most of them are, they are all interesting and realistic feeling characters. It's also interesting to see the bit of tension that keeps simmering between the former alliance characters and the former empire characters. And the more we learn about both sides, the more I grow to believe that maybe neither of the two parties really is the good guy here.
Alisa is a great main character to follow. Her main goal is to find her daughter, but she's definitely wiling to stick out her neck to help others too and I liked that about her. She is very loyal too and goes far for those she considers her friends. Although her honor does get tested in this book and while I felt a bit uncomfortable with something she did, it did feel in-character and in the end I was happy how things got resolved. I also like the slowly developing feelings she has for the cyborg Leonidas and am excited to see how that will develop in later books. It makes for an interesting situation with how they used to be on opposite sides and maybe still are.
It was nice to see a bit more of the galaxy in this book. Mostly the planet Perun, but there is also more we learn about the Alliance and the Empire. As well as some information about the Starseers. The world slowly gets more expanded in each book and now they're on their way to another planet again.
To summarize: This was a great sequel. Just as action packed, full of trouble with with the uplifting "everything will be alright" vibe that I enjoy. I like how we learn more about the characters and most of them have their own troubles, issues and goals. It is a great group of characters to read about and they are all interesting even tough not all of them are fully likable. There are some interesting twists and reveals in this book as well as some interesting pieces of information we learn. And a lot of action and trouble the characters land in. It makes for a very exciting read. Alisa is a great main character she's very loyal and I like her brand of humor. She did something I wasn't fully comfortable with in this book, but it was very in-character and she did feel bad about it herself. I liked how it all got wrapped up in the end. There is some more we learn about the world and the factions too. At the end of the book they leave for another planet and I am excited to see where their next adventure takes them!
July 8, 2023
3.5/5.0
I think I enjoyed this one. I really like the characters and want to know how things progress between Leonidas and Alisa - they are both super intriguing! There is a TON of action in this installment, and usually that would be a good thing. But, it can be overdone, as well, and that is what kept me from rating this story higher. It was EXHAUSTING! It seemed to just go from one huge fight to the next with no stops. Just, bam, Bam, BAM, BAM, from beginning to end. Maybe a bit more character development and growth?
Still gonna jump right into the next book, though… as soon as I take a few calming breaths.
I think I enjoyed this one. I really like the characters and want to know how things progress between Leonidas and Alisa - they are both super intriguing! There is a TON of action in this installment, and usually that would be a good thing. But, it can be overdone, as well, and that is what kept me from rating this story higher. It was EXHAUSTING! It seemed to just go from one huge fight to the next with no stops. Just, bam, Bam, BAM, BAM, from beginning to end. Maybe a bit more character development and growth?
Still gonna jump right into the next book, though… as soon as I take a few calming breaths.
July 31, 2025
This second book in the series is much like the first. Plenty of action, banter, and light sci fi adventure.
It’s been a fun easy series and I do intend to keep reading.
It’s been a fun easy series and I do intend to keep reading.
March 26, 2017
Again, rock-solid 5*
And again I'll try for sub-200 words review. This time I'll make it! :)
I read Star Nomad [review] five months ago, and was very pleasantly surprised by the series.
Once more I'm in a situation where I recommended the book to someone and have that same someone blast through the series ( Fallen Empire ) with me barely touching book #1.
Then I get a fantastic feedback about the book and hurry to pick it up. Hopefully it won't take long for me to get to the next one.
Well, this book is no surprise. Honor's Flight is indeed a worthy sequel to Star Nomad.
Story picks up where book one ended and keeps going at a steady pace.
As expected, life in space isn't simple.
Fighting for survival in space is anything but.
When your single goal in life is to find your child, everything else comes second. But when you team up with people because you need their services, their baggage also comes along.
From some you need expertise, from some protection, from others money. They are passengers, you're not a thief!
Anyway, when your security guard has a bounty on his head put in place by the mafia syndicate, your most competent warrior on the ship is wanted for war crimes, the navigator frequently enjoys psychedelics, and even the ship doctor isn't who he seems - you may not have your turn in getting what you want so easily. If at all.
Kate Reading yet again displays masterful narrative skills to maximize the enjoyment of Lindsay Buroker's work.
Excellent specimen of space opera genre.
As usual, here's an Audible link: US / UK
I failed sub-200-words-review again, but I'm getting better! I think :D
Cyborg lives matter! :)
And again I'll try for sub-200 words review. This time I'll make it! :)
I read Star Nomad [review] five months ago, and was very pleasantly surprised by the series.
Once more I'm in a situation where I recommended the book to someone and have that same someone blast through the series ( Fallen Empire ) with me barely touching book #1.
Then I get a fantastic feedback about the book and hurry to pick it up. Hopefully it won't take long for me to get to the next one.
Well, this book is no surprise. Honor's Flight is indeed a worthy sequel to Star Nomad.
Story picks up where book one ended and keeps going at a steady pace.
As expected, life in space isn't simple.
Fighting for survival in space is anything but.
When your single goal in life is to find your child, everything else comes second. But when you team up with people because you need their services, their baggage also comes along.
From some you need expertise, from some protection, from others money. They are passengers, you're not a thief!
Anyway, when your security guard has a bounty on his head put in place by the mafia syndicate, your most competent warrior on the ship is wanted for war crimes, the navigator frequently enjoys psychedelics, and even the ship doctor isn't who he seems - you may not have your turn in getting what you want so easily. If at all.
Kate Reading yet again displays masterful narrative skills to maximize the enjoyment of Lindsay Buroker's work.
Excellent specimen of space opera genre.
As usual, here's an Audible link: US / UK
I failed sub-200-words-review again, but I'm getting better! I think :D
Cyborg lives matter! :)
September 18, 2016
I always enjoy a Lindsay Buroker, and this is no exception. Swift, exciting action; under-resourced but still resourceful heroes; no-nonsense, competent female characters who are, nevertheless, not without a touch of emotional vulnerability; a mismatched, bickering, but ultimately united ensemble cast; a gruff military man with a troubled past - the classic Buroker elements are all here, combined pleasingly.
I did have to suspend a bit of disbelief at how far the protagonist was willing to go in order to defend her former enemy against her own side, but somehow it seemed reasonable.
Highly entertaining and well done, as usual.
I did have to suspend a bit of disbelief at how far the protagonist was willing to go in order to defend her former enemy against her own side, but somehow it seemed reasonable.
Highly entertaining and well done, as usual.
June 13, 2016
I'm glad this was a loaner. This is not Lindsay Buroker's best work. The world building is ok, but I couldn't care less about her main character Alisa Marchenko. When I first read the plot, I was sort of expecting a fun kick-ass heroine ala Ripley, stranded in space searching for her missing daughter. But she's not even half as interesting as Amaranthe from Emperor's Edge. And sadly Leonidas is no Sicarius either.
Oh well, since I've gotten this far and the third book is also a loaner, I'll be reading Starseers next.
Oh well, since I've gotten this far and the third book is also a loaner, I'll be reading Starseers next.
April 8, 2018
A neat short story that adds depth to the characters and the universe!
Merged review:
Another intense addition to an excellent series! Picks up right where the first book ended, and throws you quickly into action! The aspect that stands out the most is the characters and their development! Such excellent characters. You’re cheering them along and trying to warn them of danger!
Merged review:
Another intense addition to an excellent series! Picks up right where the first book ended, and throws you quickly into action! The aspect that stands out the most is the characters and their development! Such excellent characters. You’re cheering them along and trying to warn them of danger!
September 1, 2016
Fast paced, action-packed space adventure.
August 28, 2023
Ok let's start with the good; you gotta love realistically flawed characters. Whats more affecting than a mother looking for her child? Im glad the book didnt take the "personal drama" approach to why Alisa cant be with her daughter right now. I was clenching the whole lead up to it.
The side characters are competing to be my favorite character still. The soldier turned chef, space miss frizzle high off her ass, and the cranky engineer. Theyre fun to read.
I cant even blame any of the crew for their conflicts. Everyone is coming from a genuine place. Still bugs me that no one is even CONSIDERING teaming up but i guess if i was only 6 months from literally shooting at the other side i wouldnt really be asking to borrow a cup of sugar.
The bad; GAWL the pacing is rough. Maybe its just me, but i felt like the characters were dragging their feet to get from one plot point to another. I listened to the book at 1.75 speed and i was still impatient for them to deal with their problems.
So yeah, 4 stars, i had a slightly better time than the last book
The side characters are competing to be my favorite character still. The soldier turned chef, space miss frizzle high off her ass, and the cranky engineer. Theyre fun to read.
I cant even blame any of the crew for their conflicts. Everyone is coming from a genuine place. Still bugs me that no one is even CONSIDERING teaming up but i guess if i was only 6 months from literally shooting at the other side i wouldnt really be asking to borrow a cup of sugar.
The bad; GAWL the pacing is rough. Maybe its just me, but i felt like the characters were dragging their feet to get from one plot point to another. I listened to the book at 1.75 speed and i was still impatient for them to deal with their problems.
So yeah, 4 stars, i had a slightly better time than the last book
August 13, 2021
I liked it, what more can I say. Alisa was as charming as ever. Leo, my big beautiful cyborg was as badass as ever. Still hate Alejandro, pls die you old crone.
This one definitely wasn't as good as the first instalment, but was still fun in and of itself. It definitely felt like it was lacking in some areas.
I think my biggest complaint would be about Alisa and her daughter Jelena. Jelena has literally been kidnapped and I don't think Alisa reacted accordingly. Like, sure, she's not one much for deep emotion anyways but c'mon! You're daughter could literally be dead for all you know and yet you're s easily distracted by other issues. It's especially annoying when she cares more about helping Alejandro on his quest even though he's evil and wants her dead like??? Oh well. Still a good read, I look forward to seeing what comes next.
This one definitely wasn't as good as the first instalment, but was still fun in and of itself. It definitely felt like it was lacking in some areas.
I think my biggest complaint would be about Alisa and her daughter Jelena. Jelena has literally been kidnapped and I don't think Alisa reacted accordingly. Like, sure, she's not one much for deep emotion anyways but c'mon! You're daughter could literally be dead for all you know and yet you're s easily distracted by other issues. It's especially annoying when she cares more about helping Alejandro on his quest even though he's evil and wants her dead like??? Oh well. Still a good read, I look forward to seeing what comes next.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 13, 2017
Book two in the Fallen Empire series has Captain Alisa Marchenko and crew arriving on her home world. All Alisa wants is to retrieve her daughter, but obstacles lay in her path. Her crew members are wanted men, and everywhere they go on this imperial planet brings danger their way. Alisa finally reaches her daughter’s location, but things don’t go the way she’d planned. Her late husband kept a deep secret from her that affects her entire family. Now her quest must continue as she faces a greater foe. This series has me hooked. It’s reminiscent of Firefly and has a sympathetic heroine with a relatable goal.
December 30, 2024
Man patika... Tāda viegla atpūta turpinās, bet gribētu teikt, ka šī grāmata ir vairāk nodaļas vērta nevis veselas grāmatas.
Marčenko ar saviem pasažieriem nonāk uz Perūnas, patusē tur (ar visādiem excesiem) un aizlaižas proma... Nu re - visa grāmata vienā teikumā, taču te jāpiebilst, ka klāt nācis daudz vairāk informācijas varoņu dziļumiem kā arī daudz informācijas, kas palīdz tiekties uz trešo grāmatu.
Pagaidām izskatās, ka triloģiju pabeigšu, bet nu pārējās 10+ grāmatas nelasīšu.
Marčenko ar saviem pasažieriem nonāk uz Perūnas, patusē tur (ar visādiem excesiem) un aizlaižas proma... Nu re - visa grāmata vienā teikumā, taču te jāpiebilst, ka klāt nācis daudz vairāk informācijas varoņu dziļumiem kā arī daudz informācijas, kas palīdz tiekties uz trešo grāmatu.
Pagaidām izskatās, ka triloģiju pabeigšu, bet nu pārējās 10+ grāmatas nelasīšu.
July 18, 2017
Classic 2nd book syndrome, we spend the entire novel galavanting around from battle to battle with no real plot or character progression (at this point it's very telling that the first 3 books were written together).
The only real plot device is learning Alisa's daughter has been taken away by the Starseers, and so this merry crew continues onward to the next point of their adventure.
The only real plot device is learning Alisa's daughter has been taken away by the Starseers, and so this merry crew continues onward to the next point of their adventure.
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