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Starship’s Mage #5
Judgment of Mars
The destruction of the secret archive of the Royal Order of Keepers on Mars has left Damien Montgomery, Hand of the Mage-King, with his enemies defeated, his lover dead-and his questions unanswered. When he seeks out the remaining Keepers for answers, he discovers only violence and death in their strongholds. Someone else is hunting down the survivors to make sure they never answer Damien's questions-or anyone else's. As a wave of murder sweeps Mars and the consequences of the Keepers' conspiracy sink home, Damien is summoned before the Council of the Protectorate to answer for the deaths of two other Hands. In the political heart of the Protectorate of Mars, he finds he may be forced to choose between honoring the oaths he swore and preserving the survival of the Protectorate itself.
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First published March 11, 2017
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About the author
Glynn Stewart
113 books1,741 followersGlynn Stewart is the author of over 60 books, including Starship’s Mage, a bestselling science fiction and fantasy series where faster-than-light travel is possible–but only because of magic.
Writing managed to liberate Glynn from a bleak future as an accountant. With his personality and hope for a high-tech future intact, he lives in Southern Ontario with his partner, their cats, and an unstoppable writing habit.
Writing managed to liberate Glynn from a bleak future as an accountant. With his personality and hope for a high-tech future intact, he lives in Southern Ontario with his partner, their cats, and an unstoppable writing habit.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 147 reviews
October 25, 2021
The trial episode. I really enjoyed this book because it allows the reader a chance to ruminate over the various actions taken by our hero over the course of the book. Damien has been hauled before a Senate subcommittee equivalent to answer for killing two Hands and also blowing up a massive archaeological expedition plus the whole nuclear explosion on mars deal.
The Council doesn't care if he's guilty or innocent, they just want to weaken King Desmond III by removing his biggest weapon. How it all shakes out will shape the course of the series for many books to come. This is a solid and entertaining installment and never gets boring as it also sets the stage for the war we've all been waiting for.
The Council doesn't care if he's guilty or innocent, they just want to weaken King Desmond III by removing his biggest weapon. How it all shakes out will shape the course of the series for many books to come. This is a solid and entertaining installment and never gets boring as it also sets the stage for the war we've all been waiting for.
March 21, 2017
The Author "Glynn Stewart" done really nice work with the new release of SM 5 book. The story plot is very active and a lot happens in it. So there is no boring time.
What I did not like is how often main character Damien Montgomer suffers in all those books and how main plot is like "cats & mouse" game.
What I want to say is, the bad side always gets away with everything and reading about it gives the reader a negative feeling afterward.
It will be interesting to see what kind of story plot the next book will bring.
What I did not like is how often main character Damien Montgomer suffers in all those books and how main plot is like "cats & mouse" game.
What I want to say is, the bad side always gets away with everything and reading about it gives the reader a negative feeling afterward.
It will be interesting to see what kind of story plot the next book will bring.
December 1, 2017
This book is the final one in the Starship Mage series. It doesn’t resolve any of the conspiracies or solve the mystery of the Keepers. Instead those are probably the focus of the follow-up series the Unarcana Rebellions (the first of which isn’t published until December next year as far as I know).
As such it is kind of a continuation of the last book and dare I say it, feels a little bit like a filler book as plot wise there isn’t an awful lot of progression. Damien has to justify his actions before the Council, which is probably one of the most farcical inquiries in the history of SciFi and fantasy. The premise of The Incredibles was more believable and that was supposed to be a joke. Anyways Damien is charged with killing Hand Octavian, whose death is in no way certain, technically he is just missing, and Hand Ngosi, whom he didn’t kill, she was killed by her co-conspirator. And even if he did, all these people attacked him first, so it was self-defense.
Be that as it may, while this is happening the conspirators under the leadership of Winton are currently hunting down all the Keepers to hide their true intentions. And the reader is once again frustrated because our heroes are always a step behind. This is explained by the fact that the villains know who the Keepers are and don’t have to spend time identifying them, but it is still not my favorite plot device.
Don’t get me wrong. I still liked the book. It was a gripping read, but it was almost a carbon copy of the last one. Damien is a badass, he gets seriously injured overextending himself to protect the innocent, etc. and we are still no closer to identifying the conspirators. The book felt a little formulaic. I hope the new series will travel down new roads.
As such it is kind of a continuation of the last book and dare I say it, feels a little bit like a filler book as plot wise there isn’t an awful lot of progression. Damien has to justify his actions before the Council, which is probably one of the most farcical inquiries in the history of SciFi and fantasy. The premise of The Incredibles was more believable and that was supposed to be a joke. Anyways Damien is charged with killing Hand Octavian, whose death is in no way certain, technically he is just missing, and Hand Ngosi, whom he didn’t kill, she was killed by her co-conspirator. And even if he did, all these people attacked him first, so it was self-defense.
Be that as it may, while this is happening the conspirators under the leadership of Winton are currently hunting down all the Keepers to hide their true intentions. And the reader is once again frustrated because our heroes are always a step behind. This is explained by the fact that the villains know who the Keepers are and don’t have to spend time identifying them, but it is still not my favorite plot device.
Don’t get me wrong. I still liked the book. It was a gripping read, but it was almost a carbon copy of the last one. Damien is a badass, he gets seriously injured overextending himself to protect the innocent, etc. and we are still no closer to identifying the conspirators. The book felt a little formulaic. I hope the new series will travel down new roads.
September 11, 2020
I started to get really annoyed with the author during this book, the story doesn’t really get anywhere and he constantly has Damien just being too late or making incomprehensible mistakes.
It might be me being a bit impatient, but it’s been over one and a half thousand pages and the author still hasn't provided a clue as to the big secret the keepers were protecting.
Also I know this series is about Damien, but isn't anybody else investigating the 'Keepers' or 'Legatus', doesn't the Protectorate have any other investigators? If this series wasn't on Kindle Unlimited I would probably given up after this book.
It might be me being a bit impatient, but it’s been over one and a half thousand pages and the author still hasn't provided a clue as to the big secret the keepers were protecting.
Also I know this series is about Damien, but isn't anybody else investigating the 'Keepers' or 'Legatus', doesn't the Protectorate have any other investigators? If this series wasn't on Kindle Unlimited I would probably given up after this book.
March 16, 2017
(Nb: Also posted on Amazon)
I received an ARC in exchange for a unbiased review.
I want to start by stating that this book is another action packed instalment of the Adventures of Damien Montgomery. It’s fast paced, well written and I’m fairly sure I read it in a single sitting.
But it’s not going to be my favourite book.
****** POTENTIAL SPOILERS ***************
For me this book was a bit like Harry Potter - Order of the Phoenix. It’s where politics invades our hero's world, imposes on it and it is to our hero’s detriment. Instead of “detention with Delores” we have meetings with the Council.
But in some ways Harry is better off. Harry has Ron and Hermione, whilst Damien has staff. Instead of these relationships being further developed in this book, we got a new member. If Samara appears in the next and any future books, then her introduction and development here is excellent ground work, but I still think an opportunity got missed.
Harry gets holidays at The Burrow. Damien doesn't even have Friday night drinks! His predecessor Alanna Steele liked to share a drink and discuss events. I think with what Damien has ahead of him sharing a beer with him companions would benefit them all. Our author uses this very technique in his Castle Federation books - Kyle Roberts has his own private stash of beer on his every ship to share with his various officers whilst discussing the thorny issues of command or simply shooting the breeze. Let's give Damien a supply of boutique beer and a small amount of down time to use it. Because Damien is fast becoming a concern with his “all work and no breaks” attitude.
By the end of this book I needed Damien to have a win. Not just acceptance or acknowledgement but a solid For The Win. And for me, I didn’t get it. This book was repeated kicks to my hero and for me, he never got to struggle back up and deliver that knock out punch. We're still chasing the Keepers raison d’être. I still don’t have a solid lock on the bad guy. Suspicion and supposition - yes. But solid lock - no. At the end of this book I wanted at least one of those.
******* END OF POTENTIAL SPOILERS ************
To nit pick - this ARC has typos and grammatical errors. Things like uncomfortable when it should have been uncomfortably to make the sentence work. There are other things. None were enough to take me out of the story but I did notice them. I’m going to assume the book under goes a tidy up before final release.
I still have a complaint about Damien’s height. In our opening chapter with Damien he’s referred to as “diminutive". I know he’s short, but we’re five books in now. Can we stop defining Damien by his height? He’s one of the most powerful mages there is. He’s well respected across the cosmos. He’s intelligent. He’s tenacious. He’s cool under fire. He stands for those who can’t. He's honorable. My point is he’s a lot of things other than short. I feel like Damien is undercut every time he's ’s reduced to a height chart. (End rant.)
I will be buying this book when it is released as I want to support this author and this series. I want Damien to win! Whilst I’m looking forward to my next adventure with Damien Montgomery, I won't mind if the author takes a little more than his usual time to write it. We're getting into complicated events and I really want the next book to deliver.
Despite all that I’ve written above, I did read this book in a single sitting. It did keep me glued to the end. I may not be rushing back to re-read this particular book but I will be rushing to read the next instalment.
I received an ARC in exchange for a unbiased review.
I want to start by stating that this book is another action packed instalment of the Adventures of Damien Montgomery. It’s fast paced, well written and I’m fairly sure I read it in a single sitting.
But it’s not going to be my favourite book.
****** POTENTIAL SPOILERS ***************
For me this book was a bit like Harry Potter - Order of the Phoenix. It’s where politics invades our hero's world, imposes on it and it is to our hero’s detriment. Instead of “detention with Delores” we have meetings with the Council.
But in some ways Harry is better off. Harry has Ron and Hermione, whilst Damien has staff. Instead of these relationships being further developed in this book, we got a new member. If Samara appears in the next and any future books, then her introduction and development here is excellent ground work, but I still think an opportunity got missed.
Harry gets holidays at The Burrow. Damien doesn't even have Friday night drinks! His predecessor Alanna Steele liked to share a drink and discuss events. I think with what Damien has ahead of him sharing a beer with him companions would benefit them all. Our author uses this very technique in his Castle Federation books - Kyle Roberts has his own private stash of beer on his every ship to share with his various officers whilst discussing the thorny issues of command or simply shooting the breeze. Let's give Damien a supply of boutique beer and a small amount of down time to use it. Because Damien is fast becoming a concern with his “all work and no breaks” attitude.
By the end of this book I needed Damien to have a win. Not just acceptance or acknowledgement but a solid For The Win. And for me, I didn’t get it. This book was repeated kicks to my hero and for me, he never got to struggle back up and deliver that knock out punch. We're still chasing the Keepers raison d’être. I still don’t have a solid lock on the bad guy. Suspicion and supposition - yes. But solid lock - no. At the end of this book I wanted at least one of those.
******* END OF POTENTIAL SPOILERS ************
To nit pick - this ARC has typos and grammatical errors. Things like uncomfortable when it should have been uncomfortably to make the sentence work. There are other things. None were enough to take me out of the story but I did notice them. I’m going to assume the book under goes a tidy up before final release.
I still have a complaint about Damien’s height. In our opening chapter with Damien he’s referred to as “diminutive". I know he’s short, but we’re five books in now. Can we stop defining Damien by his height? He’s one of the most powerful mages there is. He’s well respected across the cosmos. He’s intelligent. He’s tenacious. He’s cool under fire. He stands for those who can’t. He's honorable. My point is he’s a lot of things other than short. I feel like Damien is undercut every time he's ’s reduced to a height chart. (End rant.)
I will be buying this book when it is released as I want to support this author and this series. I want Damien to win! Whilst I’m looking forward to my next adventure with Damien Montgomery, I won't mind if the author takes a little more than his usual time to write it. We're getting into complicated events and I really want the next book to deliver.
Despite all that I’ve written above, I did read this book in a single sitting. It did keep me glued to the end. I may not be rushing back to re-read this particular book but I will be rushing to read the next instalment.
September 14, 2017
I'm quite disappointed in this book. See my rant/spolier if you are interested in the reasons.
March 17, 2017
Liked the others much more
Like the series the characters the storyline, but so far, I've liked every other book in this series much more than this one. The main character in the early books was clever and somewhat skilled without the knowledge and ability to just charge recklessly through every danger, now he is much more powerful, has the knowledge and abilities of all his experiences but seems to have lost the skills and cleverness that got him to where he is. There is still plenty of action, though it all happens to the main character he's always reacting to his circumstances never proactive, basically I like the series and will continue to read, but not this installment very much.
Like the series the characters the storyline, but so far, I've liked every other book in this series much more than this one. The main character in the early books was clever and somewhat skilled without the knowledge and ability to just charge recklessly through every danger, now he is much more powerful, has the knowledge and abilities of all his experiences but seems to have lost the skills and cleverness that got him to where he is. There is still plenty of action, though it all happens to the main character he's always reacting to his circumstances never proactive, basically I like the series and will continue to read, but not this installment very much.
March 12, 2017
Another good read
There was a lot of action. There were risks and consequences. A character like Damien could easily have been written to crush all his opposition without problems. But the story is much better than that.
This book answers some questions but it also adds several new ones. I'm looking forward to the next one.
There was a lot of action. There were risks and consequences. A character like Damien could easily have been written to crush all his opposition without problems. But the story is much better than that.
This book answers some questions but it also adds several new ones. I'm looking forward to the next one.
August 9, 2017
Another great read in this series. This is some top-notch military science fantasy; I'm hard-pressed to think of similar universes that aren't grimdark.
May 8, 2018
The copy editing still pulls me out of the story more frequently than I like, but I'm enjoying this series. I'll follow it into the new spin off series, UnArcana Rebellions, due in December this year.
Magic, space ships, interstellar court intrigue and war - what's not to like?
Magic, space ships, interstellar court intrigue and war - what's not to like?
January 23, 2020
The story keeps getting wider, and interesting.
March 29, 2017
The hits keep coming!
Another terrific book in one of my favorite series. Still lots of mystery and always action and adventure. A real winner.
Another terrific book in one of my favorite series. Still lots of mystery and always action and adventure. A real winner.
March 13, 2017
Wonderful As Always
Good intrigue, and perfect pace as usual, with just the right sprinkling of magic. I am eagerly awaiting the continuation, already!
Good intrigue, and perfect pace as usual, with just the right sprinkling of magic. I am eagerly awaiting the continuation, already!
October 6, 2021
Another 5 star book in what has become one of my favorite series by Glynn Stewart this is just amazing. I loved the world Glynn Stewart has created and the characters within it. My only complain is that now I will have to wait a whole year or maybe more for the next book in the series. I have withdraws already, I need more Montgomery!!!
December 19, 2019
Well...this the fifth book in the series starts out with a major kick to what you thought was right and wrong in the book's universe. Not so much a fan of that as it goes against the rest of the series. As the book progresses Damien is in a series of events where he is constantly trying to play catch-up to whoever is killing the keepers.
If I'm being honest it starts out strong, but I can only take so many failures of the main characters with no success before I get weary of the book. This one has pushed me about to my limit at the half way mark. Damien stays one step behind everyone and it gets old. If there was some forms of success mixed in it would be better, but it is just failures over and over. That doesn't really make for a good story because you can easily predict what will happen next.
Right when I'm finally starting to like where the story is going it takes a turn at the end that I'm definitely not a fan of. I get the sacrifice, and how it could be needed if taking the heaviest handed approach possible, but that wasn't necessary. Taking something that didn't need to be taken is just frustrating. We got use to something for the entire series, and now part of that is gone now and it just doesn't make any sense. Add to that the last chapter filled with more cloak and dagger that we aren't given an explanation for and it is just annoying. In every other book we see the conspiracy, but also know what it actually is and how Damien is dealing with it. Now we are just left hanging out in the breeze not knowing anything, and Damien still knows nothing either. There is a lot of wrapping up to do in the next book.
The series has been really good so far, but it seems as if Glynn Stewart just wanted to make up for all the good stuff with a book filled with nothing but bad things. The balance of good and bad was exactly why I have been enjoying his books. This one was a major let down. It is still a good book yes, but not as good as his others by far. I'm really hoping the sixth book doesn't follow along the same lines.
If I'm being honest it starts out strong, but I can only take so many failures of the main characters with no success before I get weary of the book. This one has pushed me about to my limit at the half way mark. Damien stays one step behind everyone and it gets old. If there was some forms of success mixed in it would be better, but it is just failures over and over. That doesn't really make for a good story because you can easily predict what will happen next.
Right when I'm finally starting to like where the story is going it takes a turn at the end that I'm definitely not a fan of. I get the sacrifice, and how it could be needed if taking the heaviest handed approach possible, but that wasn't necessary. Taking something that didn't need to be taken is just frustrating. We got use to something for the entire series, and now part of that is gone now and it just doesn't make any sense. Add to that the last chapter filled with more cloak and dagger that we aren't given an explanation for and it is just annoying. In every other book we see the conspiracy, but also know what it actually is and how Damien is dealing with it. Now we are just left hanging out in the breeze not knowing anything, and Damien still knows nothing either. There is a lot of wrapping up to do in the next book.
The series has been really good so far, but it seems as if Glynn Stewart just wanted to make up for all the good stuff with a book filled with nothing but bad things. The balance of good and bad was exactly why I have been enjoying his books. This one was a major let down. It is still a good book yes, but not as good as his others by far. I'm really hoping the sixth book doesn't follow along the same lines.
October 3, 2023
4 stars.
Another exciting instalment. Damien is called to the Council to answer for the deaths of two of his fellow Hands and we get an in depth look at the politics behind the Mars Protectorate.
Even though the Mage King vows to support him, Damien resigns to prevent more political turmoil. However, as the remaining members of the Keepers society are systematically being killed, the King authorizes Damien to continue his investigation. It would appear that there are other parties who are also trying to take down the Protectorate.
When the Council Station is being attacked, Damien managed to save the Station, but at the expense of his own life and limb. He is declared permanently disabled and lost some of his magical runes. The Council voted to reinstate his status as the King's Hand but the Mage King promoted him to First Hand as well.
Damien provides proof that it is the Legatans behind the attacks, but the Legatan Councilor rejects the accusation and says the Mage worlds are trying to suppress unArcana (non-Mage) worlds. He then gives notice for Legatan and other unArcana worlds to secede from the Mars Protectorate. With that move, I guess we're going to be seeing a lot of space battles in the next books!
What I find interesting with Damien's character is how unwavering his convictions are about protecting the people of the Mars Protectorate because of his magical powers. I am convinced that the Mage King is using him quite selfishly in order to keep his own children safe. His heir is nineteen and should already be learning to do some of the work. Instead, we get a glimpse of him being a bit of an irresponsible boy, dallying between different lovers.
It's sad to learn how much damage Damien has done to his body in that last action. I hope the physicians will be able to do something more to fix him in the next book!
Another exciting instalment. Damien is called to the Council to answer for the deaths of two of his fellow Hands and we get an in depth look at the politics behind the Mars Protectorate.
Even though the Mage King vows to support him, Damien resigns to prevent more political turmoil. However, as the remaining members of the Keepers society are systematically being killed, the King authorizes Damien to continue his investigation. It would appear that there are other parties who are also trying to take down the Protectorate.
When the Council Station is being attacked, Damien managed to save the Station, but at the expense of his own life and limb. He is declared permanently disabled and lost some of his magical runes. The Council voted to reinstate his status as the King's Hand but the Mage King promoted him to First Hand as well.
Damien provides proof that it is the Legatans behind the attacks, but the Legatan Councilor rejects the accusation and says the Mage worlds are trying to suppress unArcana (non-Mage) worlds. He then gives notice for Legatan and other unArcana worlds to secede from the Mars Protectorate. With that move, I guess we're going to be seeing a lot of space battles in the next books!
What I find interesting with Damien's character is how unwavering his convictions are about protecting the people of the Mars Protectorate because of his magical powers. I am convinced that the Mage King is using him quite selfishly in order to keep his own children safe. His heir is nineteen and should already be learning to do some of the work. Instead, we get a glimpse of him being a bit of an irresponsible boy, dallying between different lovers.
It's sad to learn how much damage Damien has done to his body in that last action. I hope the physicians will be able to do something more to fix him in the next book!
April 6, 2018
This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart
3.5 hearts
I received this book for free from Publisher for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.I have enjoyed the Starship's Mage series from the beginning. I've taken an odd route, reading some, listening to others. I discovered the series when the first book, The Starship's Mage was a kindle freebie and I was in the mood for space opera. The writing has improved as the series goes along. It has a bit of a campy feel, but I love it.
The politics here were almost over-the-top. It is true some people have egos too big for the room. It only made Damien's job increasingly difficult. He is such a person of strength and integrity. He has shown repeatedly he would give his own life to save others. I really hope we see more of his future.
The action was nonstop in Judgment of Mars. I was very worried for Damien and not everything went well for him. This ends the first series and apparently there will be a new series, the UnArcana Rebellion later this year? I'm looking forward to it. There is also an offshoot trilogy called the Red Falcon series ., somewhat set in the same time frame as the Starship's Mage series. These books are in Kindle Unlimited so I want to give them a try while I am in the program.
Narration:
Jeffrey Kafer continues to provide an excellent performance. I listened at 1.25x speed again. He keeps me in the story and is easy to understand.
Listen to a clip:
https://soundcloud.com/user-822760436...
3.5 hearts
I received this book for free from Publisher for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.I have enjoyed the Starship's Mage series from the beginning. I've taken an odd route, reading some, listening to others. I discovered the series when the first book, The Starship's Mage was a kindle freebie and I was in the mood for space opera. The writing has improved as the series goes along. It has a bit of a campy feel, but I love it.
The politics here were almost over-the-top. It is true some people have egos too big for the room. It only made Damien's job increasingly difficult. He is such a person of strength and integrity. He has shown repeatedly he would give his own life to save others. I really hope we see more of his future.
The action was nonstop in Judgment of Mars. I was very worried for Damien and not everything went well for him. This ends the first series and apparently there will be a new series, the UnArcana Rebellion later this year? I'm looking forward to it. There is also an offshoot trilogy called the Red Falcon series ., somewhat set in the same time frame as the Starship's Mage series. These books are in Kindle Unlimited so I want to give them a try while I am in the program.
Narration:
Jeffrey Kafer continues to provide an excellent performance. I listened at 1.25x speed again. He keeps me in the story and is easy to understand.
Listen to a clip:
https://soundcloud.com/user-822760436...
December 1, 2017
He did it again !!!
I am very impressed with the chaeacters this auther has created and developed along the way !
This has been a tremendus journey in the 5 books here and every bit of the way - I could - in one way or another - relate to the efgortscrequitedcto understand a probley and set about solving it !!!
Never predictible and always thought inspiring as though I myself was experiencing the whole story line myself !!!
Quite a ride and a journey well worth following and always looking forward as to the development and the discoveries along the way that reset every thing all over again !!!
Over coming obsticals and people who are ruthless and those who are tasked to stop them with unique abilities and thinking !!
This book and all the previous - are masterfully creative and plotted to carry you along as you feel you can see what they see and feel their feelings withcsuccess abd even failures !!!!
Looking forward to following the next book in this series - to see how the main character - will over come his injuries - and handle his new position !!!
I wait for these books to come out and find them well worth the wait !!!
Thanks for this creation in science fiction and all thes special characters and see how they inter play with each other !!
Charles R.
I am very impressed with the chaeacters this auther has created and developed along the way !
This has been a tremendus journey in the 5 books here and every bit of the way - I could - in one way or another - relate to the efgortscrequitedcto understand a probley and set about solving it !!!
Never predictible and always thought inspiring as though I myself was experiencing the whole story line myself !!!
Quite a ride and a journey well worth following and always looking forward as to the development and the discoveries along the way that reset every thing all over again !!!
Over coming obsticals and people who are ruthless and those who are tasked to stop them with unique abilities and thinking !!
This book and all the previous - are masterfully creative and plotted to carry you along as you feel you can see what they see and feel their feelings withcsuccess abd even failures !!!!
Looking forward to following the next book in this series - to see how the main character - will over come his injuries - and handle his new position !!!
I wait for these books to come out and find them well worth the wait !!!
Thanks for this creation in science fiction and all thes special characters and see how they inter play with each other !!
Charles R.
July 18, 2020
** spoiler alert **
And here we are at book 5. I was wavering on if I would continue the story at book 3 but a friend convinced me to give the next two books a shot. I dont regret reading books 4 and 5. But that first spark that really drew me in early on never came back and has been dimming ever since. That nerdy glee and analysis the main character was built around has never quite returned, and I still think the story is worse for it.
I think the author also realized he made the character far too powerful. Powerful in a system that is incredibly poorly defined. So when the main character loses some of that overwhelming power for good.. well it just has no real meaning when we dont know what that *actually* means. And in this the story rather badly violates Sandersons First Law: "An author's ability to solve conflict with magic is DIRECTLY PROPORTIONAL to how well the reader understands said magic." We dont really understand what just happened, so its just.. unsatisfying.
The universe is still interesting, and we are digging father into the shadows of this story that is still wonderfully 40k-lite. I like the book, its not great but I had fun and its right in an overlap of my favorite genres. Despite that im also not going to pick up the rest of the series unless I get really bored, or someone offers conclusive proof that it gets better.
And here we are at book 5. I was wavering on if I would continue the story at book 3 but a friend convinced me to give the next two books a shot. I dont regret reading books 4 and 5. But that first spark that really drew me in early on never came back and has been dimming ever since. That nerdy glee and analysis the main character was built around has never quite returned, and I still think the story is worse for it.
I think the author also realized he made the character far too powerful. Powerful in a system that is incredibly poorly defined. So when the main character loses some of that overwhelming power for good.. well it just has no real meaning when we dont know what that *actually* means. And in this the story rather badly violates Sandersons First Law: "An author's ability to solve conflict with magic is DIRECTLY PROPORTIONAL to how well the reader understands said magic." We dont really understand what just happened, so its just.. unsatisfying.
The universe is still interesting, and we are digging father into the shadows of this story that is still wonderfully 40k-lite. I like the book, its not great but I had fun and its right in an overlap of my favorite genres. Despite that im also not going to pick up the rest of the series unless I get really bored, or someone offers conclusive proof that it gets better.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 29, 2017
Último livro publicado de uma série de 5 livros, que conta a história de Damian Montgomery. Um menino órfão, pobre, pequeno, franzino sem nome, ascende à posição de Mão do Rei, um protetorado de 100 bilhões de pessoas e centenas de planetas, com autoridade total de agir em nome do rei.
Todos os livros sempre tem muita ação, mistério, tecnologia e magia.
Adorei os livros de Glynn Stewart , mas me senti frustrado porque imaginei que essa série estava completa.... agora, tenho de aguardar o próximo livro, e isso talvez demore 1 ano ou mais.
Atenção: Os livros são sequenciais.
The last published book of a series of five books, which tells the history of Damian Montgomery. An orphan boy, poor, small, thin and nameless. He rises to the position of the King's Hand, a protectorate of 100 billion people and hundreds of planets, with full authority to act in the king's name.
Every book always has lots of action, mystery, technology and magic.
I loved Glynn Stewart's books, but I felt frustrated because I imagined that this series was complete .... now, I have to wait for the next book, and that may take a year or more.
attention: the books are sequential
Todos os livros sempre tem muita ação, mistério, tecnologia e magia.
Adorei os livros de Glynn Stewart , mas me senti frustrado porque imaginei que essa série estava completa.... agora, tenho de aguardar o próximo livro, e isso talvez demore 1 ano ou mais.
Atenção: Os livros são sequenciais.
The last published book of a series of five books, which tells the history of Damian Montgomery. An orphan boy, poor, small, thin and nameless. He rises to the position of the King's Hand, a protectorate of 100 billion people and hundreds of planets, with full authority to act in the king's name.
Every book always has lots of action, mystery, technology and magic.
I loved Glynn Stewart's books, but I felt frustrated because I imagined that this series was complete .... now, I have to wait for the next book, and that may take a year or more.
attention: the books are sequential
February 15, 2023
I like Glynn Stewards books a lot - I don't know why I am only now coming to this series. Overall, this is a good book and a good series. That said, this book was written at a time when it seems every author was falling all over themselves to prove their progressive bona fides and Stewart played his part, apparently. It started in book 4, and it has kicked up to 10 in this book. I don't need to know the skin color of every character, the type of eye lids they have, nor do I need to know that their is a blue eyed Muslim nor do I need to know a million of the other minutiae-level details about even the most minor of characters. I seriously wonder if he has some sort of check list that he's working from. Regardless, it gets to the point that you have to roll your eyes and skim forward until the nonsense ends and the story picks back up.
Now then, I love the character of Damien and how he has grown into his power and position over the course of the books while remaining true to himself. Now that this arc has ended, I'll be picking up the next one and hope he's gotten some of the nonsense out of his system.
Now then, I love the character of Damien and how he has grown into his power and position over the course of the books while remaining true to himself. Now that this arc has ended, I'll be picking up the next one and hope he's gotten some of the nonsense out of his system.
September 28, 2017
I think I figured out why I like this series so much. At it's core, Starship's Mage is hard sci fi. The physics are all correct, the weapons and ships realistic, all the capabilities are correct. What Steward then does is, when ever he needs more fantastical elements, rather than make up some techno babble reason for it, he just places it in the magic category. The delineation works really well and actually makes the world more believable than a lot of other sci fi series.
Stewart has clearly learned from his previous books for this one. The weakest part of his books previously was his space combat. Though interesting at first, the exchange of missiles got repetitive really quick. He was limited, of course, due to his reliance of true physics, but still. In this book, he's managed to keep the combat fresh and interesting, while also focusing on his strengths of story and investigation. This is another great addition to the series and I hope he keeps them coming.
Stewart has clearly learned from his previous books for this one. The weakest part of his books previously was his space combat. Though interesting at first, the exchange of missiles got repetitive really quick. He was limited, of course, due to his reliance of true physics, but still. In this book, he's managed to keep the combat fresh and interesting, while also focusing on his strengths of story and investigation. This is another great addition to the series and I hope he keeps them coming.
February 12, 2025
Damien Montgomery, doesn’t get much peace following the catastrophic events of recent days. His adversaries continue to leave a trail of destruction behind them as they flee, in particular, an unidentified Mage is cleaning house and killing the remaining Keepers to ensure their secrets are kept.
Damien is summoned to appear before the Council, to explain his actions, which culminated in the nuclear detonation and the deaths of 2 Mages. Not everyone is a supporter, some have their own agenda.
Another page turner from Glynn Stewart, as his pen took me yet again, through the twists and turns of this conspiracy. I am always impressed with the way his players retain their own personality from book to book, it gives me a buzz when I catch up with these characters that I have been introduced to over time. Having caught up with these 5 Anniversary versions, I am motivated to read on and remind me where this story line goes.
Damien is summoned to appear before the Council, to explain his actions, which culminated in the nuclear detonation and the deaths of 2 Mages. Not everyone is a supporter, some have their own agenda.
Another page turner from Glynn Stewart, as his pen took me yet again, through the twists and turns of this conspiracy. I am always impressed with the way his players retain their own personality from book to book, it gives me a buzz when I catch up with these characters that I have been introduced to over time. Having caught up with these 5 Anniversary versions, I am motivated to read on and remind me where this story line goes.
May 12, 2017
This series has continually gotten better and better. Sometimes the language is a little difficult to understand, odd syntax and word order usually, but it doesn't detract from the story.
It picks up just a few days (maybe as little as a few hours) after the end of the previous book (Alien Arcana). Hand Damien Montgomery is tasked with discovering who is killing the remnants of the Royal Order of the Keepers of Secrets and Oaths, a shadowy group established by the First Mage-King of Mars.
I think the best way to describe this is that Tom Clancy, Isaac Asimov, and Robert E. Howard decided to write a series together.
It picks up just a few days (maybe as little as a few hours) after the end of the previous book (Alien Arcana). Hand Damien Montgomery is tasked with discovering who is killing the remnants of the Royal Order of the Keepers of Secrets and Oaths, a shadowy group established by the First Mage-King of Mars.
I think the best way to describe this is that Tom Clancy, Isaac Asimov, and Robert E. Howard decided to write a series together.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 7, 2020
Interesting story, too much minutia
I've enjoyed this series overall but the amount of sheer minutia seems to grow with each book. It was disappointing and I had a hard time finishing this book. There are numerous paragraphs-long descriptions of weapon trajectory, intercept speed, and other detail which honestly don't add much to the book. Instead the detail takes space away from what could have been used for things such as character and story development.
The story is interesting enough that I'll continue the series but will skim certain sections at best. I'll definitely be more cautious on starting a new Glynn Stewart series.
I've enjoyed this series overall but the amount of sheer minutia seems to grow with each book. It was disappointing and I had a hard time finishing this book. There are numerous paragraphs-long descriptions of weapon trajectory, intercept speed, and other detail which honestly don't add much to the book. Instead the detail takes space away from what could have been used for things such as character and story development.
The story is interesting enough that I'll continue the series but will skim certain sections at best. I'll definitely be more cautious on starting a new Glynn Stewart series.
September 22, 2017
Before you start this book, please note it is the fifth book in a series. If you haven’t read the first four in order, this one won’t make much sense to you.
This continuation of the series was good, but a bit darker than previous installments: more violence, strife, Damien has developed a bit of a foul mouth as he is growing older. This installment, to me, was more about concluding what happened in book #4 of the series and positioning and setting the stage for the continuing series. If you enjoyed the previous books in the series, you will like this one: I’m ready for the next installment.
This continuation of the series was good, but a bit darker than previous installments: more violence, strife, Damien has developed a bit of a foul mouth as he is growing older. This installment, to me, was more about concluding what happened in book #4 of the series and positioning and setting the stage for the continuing series. If you enjoyed the previous books in the series, you will like this one: I’m ready for the next installment.
January 3, 2023
This was not the best installment in the series but it is still a really good book. The main reason I say this one was not the best in the series is that the conspiracy plot from the previous book continues and the author throws in a bunch of dumbass politicians from this Council of the Protectorate. I really did not like that even though they got their political asses kicked in the end. I also did not at all like the events that lead to Damien being (temporarily?) crippled and loosing some of his magic. I almost took a star off for that and I really hope the author corrects this in the next book. Apart from that this is good kick-ass science fiction/fantasy.
February 13, 2024
I liked that this book contained a lot more explicitly political turmoil than the other books, which I love as a future political science student. Damien and his advisors have to consider the political impact of talking to the Councilors, choosing to resign before they can ask, and interacting with Legatus. Beyond that, some of the worlds under the Protectorate secede from the Protectorate's control. The book talks about how to do right when there are many factors to consider and how to choose the common good over their own power.
- Echo (they/them) ⚧️
- Echo (they/them) ⚧️
March 16, 2017
Mars rocks!
Especially Glynn Stewart's Mars! I have to say that not only are these books believable, but exciting to the very last word! I wait, with baited breath for new releases of each and every one of his series and don't feel that they come nearly fast enough! He is one of the most prolific writers that I read and I thoroughly enjoy all of his venues. Definitely "must read" books.
Especially Glynn Stewart's Mars! I have to say that not only are these books believable, but exciting to the very last word! I wait, with baited breath for new releases of each and every one of his series and don't feel that they come nearly fast enough! He is one of the most prolific writers that I read and I thoroughly enjoy all of his venues. Definitely "must read" books.
May 5, 2017
I have been reading this entire series. So far I enjoyed the second and third books the best. This one is good (although annoying punctuation errors continue) but not as good as those two. Poor Damien is really having a bad time of it. Enemies abound. Friends are scarce. I was hoping that some of the plot issues raised in previous books would have been resolved in this one or at least that Damien would get a break, but it was not to be.
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