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Major Bhaajan #2
The Bronze Skies
TOUGH FEMALE P.I. EXPLORING THE UNDERWORLD OF A VAST STAR EMPIRE. Book two in a new series set in the world of Catherine Asaro's Skolian Empire series.
Major Bhaajan achieved the impossible. Born to the Undercity, the slums below the City of Cries on the planet Raylicon, she broke free from crushing poverty and crime to become a military officer with Imperial Space Command. Now retired from military duty, she walks the mean streets of Undercity as a private investigator. And she is about to embark on her most challenging case yet.
Summoned by no less than the Ruby Pharaoh herself, Major Bhaajan is tasked with finding a killer. But this is no ordinary murderer. The Ruby Pharaoh witnessed a Jagernaut cut down Assembly Councilor Tap Benton—which shouldn’t have been possible. The Jagernauts are the elite of the elite soldiers in the Imperial Space Command. What’s more, the spinal node implanted in all Jagernauts should have prevented the murder. But the Ruby Pharaoh is sure of what she saw, and she has reason to believe that the Jagernaut will kill again.
Now, Major Bhaajan must hunt down a killer before it is too late. To do so, she must return to the one place on Raylicon she knows best: Undercity.
At the publisher's request, this title is sold without DRM (Digital Rights Management).
About prequel Undercity:
"Asaro plants herself firmly into that grand SF tradition of future history franchises favored by luminaries like Heinlein, Asimov, Herbert, Anderson, Dickson, Niven, Cherryh, and Baxter. . .They don't write em like that anymore! Except Asaro does, with . . . up-to-the-minute savvy!"—Locus
"[Baahjan], who starts out keeping an emotional distance from the people in the Undercity soon grows to think of them as her community once more. Asaro . . . returns to the Skolian empire's early history to tell Bhajaan's story."—Booklist
"Asaro delivers a tale rich with the embedded history of her world and bright with technical marvels. Her characters are engaging and intriguing and there is even a bit of romance. What really touched my heart was Bhaaj's interaction with the children of the aqueducts. I spent the last fifty pages of the book sniffling into a tissue."—SF Crowsnet
"I'm hooked, both on her writing and her Skolian universe. This book had everything I wanted: strong characters, a new and unique world, and a plot that isn't as simple as it first appears."—TerryTalk
About Catherine Asaro’s Skolian saga:
“Entertaining mix of hard SF and romance.”—Publishers Weekly
“Asaro’s Skolian saga is now nearly as long and in many ways as compelling as Dune, if not more so, featuring a multitude of stronger female characters.”—Booklist
“Rapid pacing and gripping suspense.”—Publisher’s Weekly
Two-time Nebula-award winner Catherine Asaro has an M.A. in physics and a Ph.D. in chemical physics from Harvard. A former ballet and jazz dancer, she founded the Mainly Jazz Dance program at Harvard and now teaches at the Caryl Maxwell Classical Ballet. She has recently taken up singing, doing several gigs with contemporary and jazz styles. She’s the creator of the popular Skolian Saga science fiction series with The Ruby Dice, Diamond Star, and Carnelians, published by Baen. Her other books include near-future technothrillers Alpha and Sunrise Alley. Asaro lives in Maryland with her husband and daughter.
Major Bhaajan achieved the impossible. Born to the Undercity, the slums below the City of Cries on the planet Raylicon, she broke free from crushing poverty and crime to become a military officer with Imperial Space Command. Now retired from military duty, she walks the mean streets of Undercity as a private investigator. And she is about to embark on her most challenging case yet.
Summoned by no less than the Ruby Pharaoh herself, Major Bhaajan is tasked with finding a killer. But this is no ordinary murderer. The Ruby Pharaoh witnessed a Jagernaut cut down Assembly Councilor Tap Benton—which shouldn’t have been possible. The Jagernauts are the elite of the elite soldiers in the Imperial Space Command. What’s more, the spinal node implanted in all Jagernauts should have prevented the murder. But the Ruby Pharaoh is sure of what she saw, and she has reason to believe that the Jagernaut will kill again.
Now, Major Bhaajan must hunt down a killer before it is too late. To do so, she must return to the one place on Raylicon she knows best: Undercity.
At the publisher's request, this title is sold without DRM (Digital Rights Management).
About prequel Undercity:
"Asaro plants herself firmly into that grand SF tradition of future history franchises favored by luminaries like Heinlein, Asimov, Herbert, Anderson, Dickson, Niven, Cherryh, and Baxter. . .They don't write em like that anymore! Except Asaro does, with . . . up-to-the-minute savvy!"—Locus
"[Baahjan], who starts out keeping an emotional distance from the people in the Undercity soon grows to think of them as her community once more. Asaro . . . returns to the Skolian empire's early history to tell Bhajaan's story."—Booklist
"Asaro delivers a tale rich with the embedded history of her world and bright with technical marvels. Her characters are engaging and intriguing and there is even a bit of romance. What really touched my heart was Bhaaj's interaction with the children of the aqueducts. I spent the last fifty pages of the book sniffling into a tissue."—SF Crowsnet
"I'm hooked, both on her writing and her Skolian universe. This book had everything I wanted: strong characters, a new and unique world, and a plot that isn't as simple as it first appears."—TerryTalk
About Catherine Asaro’s Skolian saga:
“Entertaining mix of hard SF and romance.”—Publishers Weekly
“Asaro’s Skolian saga is now nearly as long and in many ways as compelling as Dune, if not more so, featuring a multitude of stronger female characters.”—Booklist
“Rapid pacing and gripping suspense.”—Publisher’s Weekly
Two-time Nebula-award winner Catherine Asaro has an M.A. in physics and a Ph.D. in chemical physics from Harvard. A former ballet and jazz dancer, she founded the Mainly Jazz Dance program at Harvard and now teaches at the Caryl Maxwell Classical Ballet. She has recently taken up singing, doing several gigs with contemporary and jazz styles. She’s the creator of the popular Skolian Saga science fiction series with The Ruby Dice, Diamond Star, and Carnelians, published by Baen. Her other books include near-future technothrillers Alpha and Sunrise Alley. Asaro lives in Maryland with her husband and daughter.
405 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 5, 2017
95 people are currently reading
497 people want to read
About the author
Catherine Asaro
93 books699 followersThe author of more than twenty-five books, Catherine Asaro is acclaimed for her Ruby Dynasty series, which combines adventure, science, romance and fast-paced action. Her novel The Quantum Rose won the Nebula® Award, as did her novella “The Spacetime Pool.” Among her many other distinctions, she is a multiple winner of the AnLab from Analog magazine and a three time recipient of the RT BOOKClub Award for “Best Science Fiction Novel.” Her most recent novel, Carnelians, came out in October, 2011. An anthology of her short fiction titled Aurora in Four Voices is available from ISFiC Press in hardcover, and her multiple award-winning novella “The City of Cries” is also available as an eBook for Kindle and Nook.
Catherine has two music CD’s out and she is currently working on her third. The first, Diamond Star, is the soundtrack for her novel of the same name, performed with the rock band, Point Valid. She appears as a vocalist at cons, clubs, and other venues in the US and abroad, including recently as the Guest of Honor at the Denmark and New Zealand National Science Fiction Conventions. She performs selections from her work in a multimedia project that mixes literature, dance, and music with Greg Adams as her accompanist. She is also a theoretical physicist with a PhD in Chemical Physics from Harvard, and a jazz and ballet dancer. Visit her at www.facebook.com/Catherine.Asaro
Catherine has two music CD’s out and she is currently working on her third. The first, Diamond Star, is the soundtrack for her novel of the same name, performed with the rock band, Point Valid. She appears as a vocalist at cons, clubs, and other venues in the US and abroad, including recently as the Guest of Honor at the Denmark and New Zealand National Science Fiction Conventions. She performs selections from her work in a multimedia project that mixes literature, dance, and music with Greg Adams as her accompanist. She is also a theoretical physicist with a PhD in Chemical Physics from Harvard, and a jazz and ballet dancer. Visit her at www.facebook.com/Catherine.Asaro
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 72 reviews
May 17, 2018
Read for the Women of Genre Fiction Reading Challenge, the Read the Sequel Challenge, and the Space Opera Challenge.
I have a great story to tell about this book before I can offer the review.
I was putting together a panel on Speculative Romance for a show I'm doing for the SFWA YouTube channel, called #SpecWomenChat, and SFWA President Cat Rambo suggested Catherine Asaro as our "headliner." I had heard of her, but to my knowledge had never read anything of hers, though I recall being intrigued by many covers. We had never met prior to the panel, but we all had a great time and afterwards, especially since I had a lot of indie authors, I said, "If you ladies ever need a review, let me know."
I was not expecting Catherine to take me up on it, but she did, and I received a lovely new trade paperback copy of The Bronze Skies in my mailbox, because for some reason Amazon insists on making it impossible to send ebooks to people in other countries. Really, I don't understand their business practices.
So I caught this horrific cold. One silver lining about being sick (and there are so few!) is that when my sinuses are that plugged I can't write, so I have an excuse to get caught up on my reading. I powered through this book in a few hours.
First, let me tell you that despite being both a sequel, and the second book in series, this one stands completely on its own and you don't need to read anything else in the series to grasp what's going on. As a newb to Asaro's world, I am the perfect test case, and it passed with flying colours. There was a vague reference to the Trappers, who are the enemies of the Skolian Empire (and, I assume, probably the aliens that originally kidnapped the humans who form the Empire), and I don't really understand what they are, but it's not really relevant to the current plot of this book.
Second, I love this world and I want to read more! The Skolian Empire is a parallel evolution of humanity. Egyptian, Indian, and Mesoamerican peoples were kidnapped by aliens in about 4000 BC and brought to an alien world with imperfect terraforming. Then the aliens died (or were defeated) and these ancient people reverse engineered their technology, or created their own based on the tech available, and promptly formed dynasties and an interstellar empire, which later collapsed and had to be rediscovered, and the technology relearned.
During this time they encounter an Earth-based polity, who have now made it to the stars as well. I assume a lot of the early books are about that story. But this one is about an ex-military PI named Major Bhaajan, who has done the impossible and elevated herself out of segregated poverty that has plagued her people, the inhabitants of Undercity, for thousands of years.
Both the aristocratic and impoverished groups have involved cultures that carry elements of those original influences. Yet there's also a certain cyberpunk element to this space opera, since there is a parallel universe that's a bit like a cyberpunk cyberspace, which has real-world effects but requires tech (and psionic ability) to tap into.
Into this complex, layered world, at heart this is a simple, action-oriented sci-fi detective story. A soldier who is supposed to be conditioned not to kill anyone without military sanction does so, and Bhaajan has to figure out where they are and why they did it. And the answer is a lovely twist that I sort-of saw coming, but not in the form that it took!
This was a fast-paced novel that felt like a well-written urban fantasy (including romantic overtones, and relationships and people being a primary focus) that took place in a cyberpunk space opera. It's a sci-fi noir detective novel. I absolutely love it, and Catherine has wisely won herself a brand-new fan. Like Fry said, "Shut up and take my money."
I would like to add a personal additional kudo: Catherine Asaro says a lot about gender and sexism that I think is really worth reading. This world's ancient cultures have been militant matriarchies. They've grown beyond that now, except among the aristocracy and a few backwards weirdos (somewhat like our own Western culture with the genders reversed). So it's amazing how she handles the casual, low-grade sexism, which some might refer to as "microaggressions," that are leveled constantly towards men. If a man and a woman are standing together, the woman is always assumed to be in charge. All the brilliant techs and scientists are assumed to be women; all the especially clever politicians and military strategists are assumed to be women. Women think nothing of checking out an attractive man and thinking somewhat lasciviously, "Yeah, I can see what she sees in him;" EVEN BHAAJAN, our protagonist, who is otherwise very liberal and constantly cautioning her peers and superiors not to assume things due to gender. Men, if you fancy yourself a feminist ally, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND you read this book, and possibly the whole series, to get a real feel for what women experience in our culture every single day. I've never seen it captured better in a way that could make you think about it.
Thank you, Catherine, for seeing I got a copy of this. It was great! I'll be back for more.
I have a great story to tell about this book before I can offer the review.
I was putting together a panel on Speculative Romance for a show I'm doing for the SFWA YouTube channel, called #SpecWomenChat, and SFWA President Cat Rambo suggested Catherine Asaro as our "headliner." I had heard of her, but to my knowledge had never read anything of hers, though I recall being intrigued by many covers. We had never met prior to the panel, but we all had a great time and afterwards, especially since I had a lot of indie authors, I said, "If you ladies ever need a review, let me know."
I was not expecting Catherine to take me up on it, but she did, and I received a lovely new trade paperback copy of The Bronze Skies in my mailbox, because for some reason Amazon insists on making it impossible to send ebooks to people in other countries. Really, I don't understand their business practices.
So I caught this horrific cold. One silver lining about being sick (and there are so few!) is that when my sinuses are that plugged I can't write, so I have an excuse to get caught up on my reading. I powered through this book in a few hours.
First, let me tell you that despite being both a sequel, and the second book in series, this one stands completely on its own and you don't need to read anything else in the series to grasp what's going on. As a newb to Asaro's world, I am the perfect test case, and it passed with flying colours. There was a vague reference to the Trappers, who are the enemies of the Skolian Empire (and, I assume, probably the aliens that originally kidnapped the humans who form the Empire), and I don't really understand what they are, but it's not really relevant to the current plot of this book.
Second, I love this world and I want to read more! The Skolian Empire is a parallel evolution of humanity. Egyptian, Indian, and Mesoamerican peoples were kidnapped by aliens in about 4000 BC and brought to an alien world with imperfect terraforming. Then the aliens died (or were defeated) and these ancient people reverse engineered their technology, or created their own based on the tech available, and promptly formed dynasties and an interstellar empire, which later collapsed and had to be rediscovered, and the technology relearned.
During this time they encounter an Earth-based polity, who have now made it to the stars as well. I assume a lot of the early books are about that story. But this one is about an ex-military PI named Major Bhaajan, who has done the impossible and elevated herself out of segregated poverty that has plagued her people, the inhabitants of Undercity, for thousands of years.
Both the aristocratic and impoverished groups have involved cultures that carry elements of those original influences. Yet there's also a certain cyberpunk element to this space opera, since there is a parallel universe that's a bit like a cyberpunk cyberspace, which has real-world effects but requires tech (and psionic ability) to tap into.
Into this complex, layered world, at heart this is a simple, action-oriented sci-fi detective story. A soldier who is supposed to be conditioned not to kill anyone without military sanction does so, and Bhaajan has to figure out where they are and why they did it. And the answer is a lovely twist that I sort-of saw coming, but not in the form that it took!
This was a fast-paced novel that felt like a well-written urban fantasy (including romantic overtones, and relationships and people being a primary focus) that took place in a cyberpunk space opera. It's a sci-fi noir detective novel. I absolutely love it, and Catherine has wisely won herself a brand-new fan. Like Fry said, "Shut up and take my money."
I would like to add a personal additional kudo: Catherine Asaro says a lot about gender and sexism that I think is really worth reading. This world's ancient cultures have been militant matriarchies. They've grown beyond that now, except among the aristocracy and a few backwards weirdos (somewhat like our own Western culture with the genders reversed). So it's amazing how she handles the casual, low-grade sexism, which some might refer to as "microaggressions," that are leveled constantly towards men. If a man and a woman are standing together, the woman is always assumed to be in charge. All the brilliant techs and scientists are assumed to be women; all the especially clever politicians and military strategists are assumed to be women. Women think nothing of checking out an attractive man and thinking somewhat lasciviously, "Yeah, I can see what she sees in him;" EVEN BHAAJAN, our protagonist, who is otherwise very liberal and constantly cautioning her peers and superiors not to assume things due to gender. Men, if you fancy yourself a feminist ally, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND you read this book, and possibly the whole series, to get a real feel for what women experience in our culture every single day. I've never seen it captured better in a way that could make you think about it.
Thank you, Catherine, for seeing I got a copy of this. It was great! I'll be back for more.
November 2, 2017
I’ve read only one book from Asaro’s main Skolian Empire series. It was good, but I was simultaneously intimidated and lost by the complex timeline and familial relationships. A listing of some of those at the end of this book was enough to have me shaking my head in confusion. There’s no such problem with the Major Bhaajan books. They’re set in the same universe, but the cast is a bit smaller and relationships less convoluted. There’s plenty of context and explanation about the world so these books definitely can be read without having read the original series books, though familiarity with them no doubt lends even more depth to the story.
So, feel free to start with Bhaajan book one, Undercity. You’ll want to move on to this book.
In The Bronze Skies, the Ruby Pharoah witnesses a seemingly impossible murder and engages Bhaaj to catch the killer. The Jagernaut has escaped to Raylicon, Bhaaj’s home planet, and only Bhaaj’s unique position as part of both the impoverished Undercity and the wealthy City of Cries above gives her a chance of succeeding. Bhaaj’s investigation takes her to parts of her planet she didn’t know existed. Her loyalty to both her Undercity “family” as well as the Imperialate creates some conflicts and challenges. Through her usual stubborn persistence, she uncovers some startling secrets about her world and about herself.
I’m totally hooked on this series. My admiration for the Major Bhaajan stories may even make me pull on my big girl pants and give the more convoluted Skolian series books another try.
So, feel free to start with Bhaajan book one, Undercity. You’ll want to move on to this book.
In The Bronze Skies, the Ruby Pharoah witnesses a seemingly impossible murder and engages Bhaaj to catch the killer. The Jagernaut has escaped to Raylicon, Bhaaj’s home planet, and only Bhaaj’s unique position as part of both the impoverished Undercity and the wealthy City of Cries above gives her a chance of succeeding. Bhaaj’s investigation takes her to parts of her planet she didn’t know existed. Her loyalty to both her Undercity “family” as well as the Imperialate creates some conflicts and challenges. Through her usual stubborn persistence, she uncovers some startling secrets about her world and about herself.
I’m totally hooked on this series. My admiration for the Major Bhaajan stories may even make me pull on my big girl pants and give the more convoluted Skolian series books another try.
April 21, 2022
Superior sequel to Undercity expands on an deepens the mythology cemented in the first Major Bhaajan book. The Bronze Skies has everything you want from Asaro's Skolian Empire novels: lots of action and cool tech, a little hard SF and a little romance mixed together. Entertaining and thoughtful.
September 30, 2017
After I finished this novel, staying up until past midnight on a work night, I posted a complaint on Facebook. Not about this novel, but about how I had over 100 more books on my "to be read" shelf, but all I really wanted to do is go back and re-read everything else in Catherine Asaro's Skolian Empire series.
Despite the fact that I write in a different genre, it's safe to say that the space opera universe created in this book series is my favorite of all time. That this is my favorite author. That reading new stories set in this world is like wrapping myself in a cozy blanket and feeling very much at home. As a new addition, The Bronze Skies did not disappoint (see again staying up late to finish).
While I loved that the first Major Bhaajan novel explored life outside of the complicated and dramatic Ruby Dynasty while sacrificing none of the intrigue and complexity that I adore about Asaro's books, it was awesome to see worlds collide in this follow-up novel.
There's not a lot I can say about the plot and story line without giving away moments that I'd rather readers discover for themselves. Instead, I can safely say that Major Bhaajan continues to be a well-developed character that is just different enough from Sauscony Valdoria of previous Skolian Empires series to show Asaro's depth of character creation while also remaining a fantastic example of what a strong female character can be without falling into tired tropes.
A major strength of the Skolian Empire series is how Asaro's scientific expertise helps breath realism into the fantastical world(s) she has created. However, this newest addition is also a major credit to Asaro's ability to use anthropology to the same effect. World-building on a massive space opera scale is almost easy, because a light brush can say so much when letting the readers fill in the blanks themselves -- world-building a tiny portion of a specific culture and having it be an inextricable element of the narrative is a major feat.
As always, I can't wait for my next visit to this world. Even if it means revisiting old friends and re-reading the series because I can't wait until another new book is written.
Editing note: Obviously this has no effect on my rating, but I was incredibly disappointed with how many random proofing errors the text of my hardcopy contained. Baen should do better by one of their best authors.
Despite the fact that I write in a different genre, it's safe to say that the space opera universe created in this book series is my favorite of all time. That this is my favorite author. That reading new stories set in this world is like wrapping myself in a cozy blanket and feeling very much at home. As a new addition, The Bronze Skies did not disappoint (see again staying up late to finish).
While I loved that the first Major Bhaajan novel explored life outside of the complicated and dramatic Ruby Dynasty while sacrificing none of the intrigue and complexity that I adore about Asaro's books, it was awesome to see worlds collide in this follow-up novel.
There's not a lot I can say about the plot and story line without giving away moments that I'd rather readers discover for themselves. Instead, I can safely say that Major Bhaajan continues to be a well-developed character that is just different enough from Sauscony Valdoria of previous Skolian Empires series to show Asaro's depth of character creation while also remaining a fantastic example of what a strong female character can be without falling into tired tropes.
A major strength of the Skolian Empire series is how Asaro's scientific expertise helps breath realism into the fantastical world(s) she has created. However, this newest addition is also a major credit to Asaro's ability to use anthropology to the same effect. World-building on a massive space opera scale is almost easy, because a light brush can say so much when letting the readers fill in the blanks themselves -- world-building a tiny portion of a specific culture and having it be an inextricable element of the narrative is a major feat.
As always, I can't wait for my next visit to this world. Even if it means revisiting old friends and re-reading the series because I can't wait until another new book is written.
Editing note: Obviously this has no effect on my rating, but I was incredibly disappointed with how many random proofing errors the text of my hardcopy contained. Baen should do better by one of their best authors.
August 4, 2020
I love Bhaaj. I love this world with its cruel life too. It’s complex, maybe too much for my simple (so un-analytical and logical) mind. I can still hope, no? I even love its language.
Asaro’s series is a bit daunting, but her Major B spin off isn’t. Book 3 here I come.
Asaro’s series is a bit daunting, but her Major B spin off isn’t. Book 3 here I come.
July 11, 2017
WOW! The inclusion of Dehya makes me want to go read Catch the Lightning
November 27, 2017
Sequel to Undercity, set in the Skolian universe concurrent with the events in Skyfall. (Bhaaj mentions Roca has just gotten married to a farmer.) A jagernaut secondary killed an Assembly Councilor (how can this be? There is no way her EI would let her kill an innocent.) and has come to Raylicon. Major Bhaajan who had rescued a Majda prince the previous year and is the one person who can investigate in the Undercity is hired to find Calaj. To her great surprise the witness to this murder was the Ruby Pharaoh.
While Bhaajan is primarily trying to track down Calaj, she is also helping the people of the Undercity. Getting through the red tape to get Weaver a stall on the Concourse so he can sell his wares and trying to convince him it's a good idea. A competition between the Dust Knights and the Cries Tykado Academy would improve the relations of the two cultures. If there is a way she can facilitate that it would be great. The search for Calaj requires visits to Izu Yaxlan, which introduce us to Uzan, the leader of the Abaj, and secret tunnels and stairways. Jak is around as well as other people she new while growing up in the Undercity.
We get the answer to this impossible crime and with it a threat larger than anyone could imagine. Making Dehya, who we love from other books, e.g. Spherical Harmonic, an important character is a treat. Another thoroughly enjoyable Skolian universe story.
While Bhaajan is primarily trying to track down Calaj, she is also helping the people of the Undercity. Getting through the red tape to get Weaver a stall on the Concourse so he can sell his wares and trying to convince him it's a good idea. A competition between the Dust Knights and the Cries Tykado Academy would improve the relations of the two cultures. If there is a way she can facilitate that it would be great. The search for Calaj requires visits to Izu Yaxlan, which introduce us to Uzan, the leader of the Abaj, and secret tunnels and stairways. Jak is around as well as other people she new while growing up in the Undercity.
We get the answer to this impossible crime and with it a threat larger than anyone could imagine. Making Dehya, who we love from other books, e.g. Spherical Harmonic, an important character is a treat. Another thoroughly enjoyable Skolian universe story.
June 22, 2025
Major Bhaajan has a new case and the stakes couldn't be higher. A Jagernaut killed a man with the Ruby Pharoah as a witness. This is almost an impossible crime because the Jagernauts have EI (Evolving Intelligence) nodes in their spine which should prevent that. Now the Jagernaut has run to the Undercity and no one knows the Undercity better than Bhaaj.
The fact that many of the citizens of the Undercity are psions has brought them to the attention of the City of Cries above but when they go looking for them, they are not able to find any. Bhaaj knows that the people in the Undercity have their own language and culture and, though they live in crushing poverty, they aren't interested in the charity of those above. She needs to find a bridge between the two cultures that could at least relieve the poverty and provide adequate health care since many of those Undercity have birth defects because of in-breeding.
This is a complex story with lots happening. Searching for the missing Jagernaut leads Bhaaj to many secrets about her world, her culture, and herself. Fans of the rest of Asaro's work will be eager to read this episode which takes place earlier in time than most of the rest of the books. This is also hard science fiction with lots of physics but with a very human focus in the main character Bhaaj.
The fact that many of the citizens of the Undercity are psions has brought them to the attention of the City of Cries above but when they go looking for them, they are not able to find any. Bhaaj knows that the people in the Undercity have their own language and culture and, though they live in crushing poverty, they aren't interested in the charity of those above. She needs to find a bridge between the two cultures that could at least relieve the poverty and provide adequate health care since many of those Undercity have birth defects because of in-breeding.
This is a complex story with lots happening. Searching for the missing Jagernaut leads Bhaaj to many secrets about her world, her culture, and herself. Fans of the rest of Asaro's work will be eager to read this episode which takes place earlier in time than most of the rest of the books. This is also hard science fiction with lots of physics but with a very human focus in the main character Bhaaj.
May 27, 2023
I have a special fondness for the blunt protagonists of Asaro's Skolian empire, especially when the women give hints of the vestiges of sexism inherent in their culture (or more than hints, in the aristocratic families). Bhaaj especially is a lot of fun, and I hope there are more books for her.
2023 reread:
Still enjoying these -- it's not as direct about the reverse sexism, but that makes it even better because it reflects a lot of our society. And the weird virtual battle at the end was fun.
2023 reread:
Still enjoying these -- it's not as direct about the reverse sexism, but that makes it even better because it reflects a lot of our society. And the weird virtual battle at the end was fun.
October 24, 2017
I have loved Catherine Asaro's books since I found out about the first Saga of the Skolian Empire book Primary Inversion, published in 1995.
Primary Inversion had the worst book cover EVER. It was solid white. The library had catalogued & shelved it as general fiction. What drew my attention is that I had a customer come in [and FORTUNATELY, I was the one to help her] because she was interested in the Skolian book 2 but naturally wanted to begin with book 1. Also, FORTUNATELY, the book was on the shelf that day (because its intended readers had no idea what it was).
It was not only science fiction but it was space opera with telepaths! Two of my favorite genres - hard sf space opera plus paranormal! [FORTUNATELY, someone got to the publisher before the paperback came out and the paperback at least had starships on the cover! At least the paperback book cover looked like hard sf space opera so fans could actually find this book!]
Anyway, the stories were about members of the Ruby Dynasty [the telepaths that made the Kyle mesh possible]. They flew starfighters and were able to use their telepathy to speak to other members of the family no matter the distance. Instant interstellar communication. The only advantage they had against their Trader enemies who sought to enslave them.
Then Ms. Asaro wrote Undercity, a novel about Raylicon (the Skolian home planet). The main protagonist was Major Bhaajan, a slum kid who grew up in the Undercity, enlisted at age 16, and spent 20 years in the Skolian military because she wanted to get out and see the larger universe. After she retired from the military, she returned to Raylicon and put out her shingle as a private investigator. Having grown up in the Undercity, she's the perfect liaison between the ruling Skolian Empire and the Undercity denizens.
So, the first Major Bhaajan book didn't seem so much space opera nor were the main characters telepaths. But I went with it. I also enjoyed the prequel novella City of Cries (the name of the major Raylicon city atop the Underdity).
So, I was totally delighted when the next case for the Major involved a Jaggernaut murdering a high Skolian Empire official. Yes, now Major Bhaajan has to deal with the telepaths! (The Jaggernauts are the cybernetically-enhanced starfighter pilots who can use the Kyle mesh.)
And the main witness to the murder is the Ruby Pharoah herself (a character well known throughout the Skolian series)!
My patience was amply rewarded! I strongly recommend the Major Bhaajan books to all fans of Ms. Asaro's space opera the Saga of the Skolian Empire. Bronze Skies is the book that truly ties the two series together. I also found out today that Ms. Asaro has just finished a prequel novella about Major Bhaajan's childhood in the Undercity called Children of the Dust.
Here's hoping that Ms. Asaro plans to continue the Major Bhaajan series!
Primary Inversion had the worst book cover EVER. It was solid white. The library had catalogued & shelved it as general fiction. What drew my attention is that I had a customer come in [and FORTUNATELY, I was the one to help her] because she was interested in the Skolian book 2 but naturally wanted to begin with book 1. Also, FORTUNATELY, the book was on the shelf that day (because its intended readers had no idea what it was).
It was not only science fiction but it was space opera with telepaths! Two of my favorite genres - hard sf space opera plus paranormal! [FORTUNATELY, someone got to the publisher before the paperback came out and the paperback at least had starships on the cover! At least the paperback book cover looked like hard sf space opera so fans could actually find this book!]
Anyway, the stories were about members of the Ruby Dynasty [the telepaths that made the Kyle mesh possible]. They flew starfighters and were able to use their telepathy to speak to other members of the family no matter the distance. Instant interstellar communication. The only advantage they had against their Trader enemies who sought to enslave them.
Then Ms. Asaro wrote Undercity, a novel about Raylicon (the Skolian home planet). The main protagonist was Major Bhaajan, a slum kid who grew up in the Undercity, enlisted at age 16, and spent 20 years in the Skolian military because she wanted to get out and see the larger universe. After she retired from the military, she returned to Raylicon and put out her shingle as a private investigator. Having grown up in the Undercity, she's the perfect liaison between the ruling Skolian Empire and the Undercity denizens.
So, the first Major Bhaajan book didn't seem so much space opera nor were the main characters telepaths. But I went with it. I also enjoyed the prequel novella City of Cries (the name of the major Raylicon city atop the Underdity).
So, I was totally delighted when the next case for the Major involved a Jaggernaut murdering a high Skolian Empire official. Yes, now Major Bhaajan has to deal with the telepaths! (The Jaggernauts are the cybernetically-enhanced starfighter pilots who can use the Kyle mesh.)
And the main witness to the murder is the Ruby Pharoah herself (a character well known throughout the Skolian series)!
My patience was amply rewarded! I strongly recommend the Major Bhaajan books to all fans of Ms. Asaro's space opera the Saga of the Skolian Empire. Bronze Skies is the book that truly ties the two series together. I also found out today that Ms. Asaro has just finished a prequel novella about Major Bhaajan's childhood in the Undercity called Children of the Dust.
Here's hoping that Ms. Asaro plans to continue the Major Bhaajan series!
July 20, 2018
I had to give this book a 5, mainly because I love the Skolian Saga! Every time I finish one of these books I feel like I'm leaving my friends and family behind. I especially felt this way with this book, because Dehya was in it. And I love that this is before she overthrew her own government, and Bhaaj is analyzing Dehya and practically predicts what Dehya will do in the future. I hope this series continues and includes more interactions with characters we know and love from the Ruby Dynasty. I'm waiting for Rocca to show up with Eldrinson and a kid or three. It would truly make my day if a teenage Eldrin or Del or even Soz pop in in need of Bhaaj's services.
Oh wait, I should probably review the plot of this book as well. The plot is a slow burn, because it is actually building more of the world. Each time I read a Skolian novel, I come away with a better understanding of each thing I learned in previous novels. Asaro is a teacher who introduces concepts and then builds upon them to deepen her student's understanding of the lesson in these novels. The anatomy of psions and Ruby psions and their history, the royal lines, the Undercity way of life, the EI's...it's all amazing to me. It makes me want to reread, again, which is the sign of a great series. I never get tired of it.
As I learn more about Bhaaj and her relationships, the more I care about what's important to her. She is a person from a severely unprivileged community who has figured out a major way to give back. Asaro makes sure to include the small things that other authors might skip or skim, when it comes to rounding out a literary community. Simple things, such as, martial arts tournaments and the kids involved actually interacting and trading names and interests with the "kids from across the tracks". Excellent work.
If you've never fallen into the Skolian saga, I recommend it. It can be a little slow in places and some books are catchier than others, but it is worth it to stick with them. I'm glad I did.
Oh wait, I should probably review the plot of this book as well. The plot is a slow burn, because it is actually building more of the world. Each time I read a Skolian novel, I come away with a better understanding of each thing I learned in previous novels. Asaro is a teacher who introduces concepts and then builds upon them to deepen her student's understanding of the lesson in these novels. The anatomy of psions and Ruby psions and their history, the royal lines, the Undercity way of life, the EI's...it's all amazing to me. It makes me want to reread, again, which is the sign of a great series. I never get tired of it.
As I learn more about Bhaaj and her relationships, the more I care about what's important to her. She is a person from a severely unprivileged community who has figured out a major way to give back. Asaro makes sure to include the small things that other authors might skip or skim, when it comes to rounding out a literary community. Simple things, such as, martial arts tournaments and the kids involved actually interacting and trading names and interests with the "kids from across the tracks". Excellent work.
If you've never fallen into the Skolian saga, I recommend it. It can be a little slow in places and some books are catchier than others, but it is worth it to stick with them. I'm glad I did.
December 26, 2019
Will review at www.fantasyliterature.com.
July 14, 2018
After being disappointed with some of the most recent Skolia books, I was happily surprised by this. Major Bhaaj is all the parts of the Skolia series that I love: the weird intermix of technology and telepaths, the remains of the matriarchy and Majda holding on by their fingernails, and excellent action. Its world building is fascinating, and this one oddly enough, made me think of MZB’s Forbidden Tower esp the tower showdown. I am hopping for even more Major Bhaaj in Skolia’s future.
December 30, 2017
The initial mystery is just the very tip of the iceberg, by the end the stakes have gone sky-high. I really liked how the Undercity and its people became essential to the plot and how Bhaajan struggles to help her people. Strong ending.
September 15, 2017
I will read anything by this author and this did not disappoint.
March 18, 2018
Another great entry in the Skolian series. Very happy that the author is continuing to work in this universe, looks like an interesting story arc ahead.
October 30, 2020
I enjoyed this book the best of the three. I loved the advances in character development, and all the discoveries with Undercity, and the impacts that had on the Selei existence. I would love to know more!
August 2, 2019
After fleshing out all corners and eras of her massive Skolian universe, Doctor Asaro goes back to the beginning in the second book in the Major Bhaajan series. The first was so amazing it’s gonna be a tough act to follow, though it just might have.
I was particularly excited when the blurb mentioned Jagernauts were involved, so I was really hoping Digjan was in this! Nope, Dr. Asaro is just teasing me as usual. Instead it’s a much more seasoned psychic warrior that’s on the warpath, so Bhaaj is called in to find her before she can make another attempt at murdering one of the most important people in the empire, leading into one of Dr. Asaro’s favorite subjects, AI. In what might be called a glut of “robots will rise up and take over” stories nowadays, this one stands out, even from her own previous books like the Alpha series.
Archaeology, anthropology, astronomy, sociology, and of course the inevitable high-level math and science are all happily present here. The best parts, however, are the small moments, especially when she’s helping her people: trying to get a permit for one to sell his wares aboveground, arranging a martial arts competition between her students and an academy, and so on. They really round out her character, making her more than just a detective. At the beginning of the first book she didn’t have much personality, though she grew throughout that story; here she’s even more human, to the point where she’s even telling jokes full of sexual innuendo. It’s a bit startling, considering how tightly wound up she was in the first one. Even more so, she finds out more about the powers she’d been afraid she had at the end of the first.
This story also expands the already large scope of the undercity, but also introduces the above world other than Cries, the legendary planet where human life was transported from Earth so long ago. In the scope of the three huge space empires it’s pretty insignificant, but somehow harder to grasp. I’d been hoping this would lead to finding out what alien race seeded the planet with humans in the first place, but despite the clues in what they left behind it didn’t go that far. It did give us an archaeological site that sounds like it came right out of a video game, and the special Jagernauts that guard it. I anticipate many more stories coming out of that.
So in the end Bhaaj—Calaj too—saved the universe every bit as much as Soz, but just like her, no one will ever know. . .
4.5/5
I was particularly excited when the blurb mentioned Jagernauts were involved, so I was really hoping Digjan was in this! Nope, Dr. Asaro is just teasing me as usual. Instead it’s a much more seasoned psychic warrior that’s on the warpath, so Bhaaj is called in to find her before she can make another attempt at murdering one of the most important people in the empire, leading into one of Dr. Asaro’s favorite subjects, AI. In what might be called a glut of “robots will rise up and take over” stories nowadays, this one stands out, even from her own previous books like the Alpha series.
Archaeology, anthropology, astronomy, sociology, and of course the inevitable high-level math and science are all happily present here. The best parts, however, are the small moments, especially when she’s helping her people: trying to get a permit for one to sell his wares aboveground, arranging a martial arts competition between her students and an academy, and so on. They really round out her character, making her more than just a detective. At the beginning of the first book she didn’t have much personality, though she grew throughout that story; here she’s even more human, to the point where she’s even telling jokes full of sexual innuendo. It’s a bit startling, considering how tightly wound up she was in the first one. Even more so, she finds out more about the powers she’d been afraid she had at the end of the first.
This story also expands the already large scope of the undercity, but also introduces the above world other than Cries, the legendary planet where human life was transported from Earth so long ago. In the scope of the three huge space empires it’s pretty insignificant, but somehow harder to grasp. I’d been hoping this would lead to finding out what alien race seeded the planet with humans in the first place, but despite the clues in what they left behind it didn’t go that far. It did give us an archaeological site that sounds like it came right out of a video game, and the special Jagernauts that guard it. I anticipate many more stories coming out of that.
So in the end Bhaaj—Calaj too—saved the universe every bit as much as Soz, but just like her, no one will ever know. . .
4.5/5
June 11, 2023
This is the second novel in the Major Bhaajan science fiction series and I would strongly recommend starting at book one (Undercity). This is another very fun read. I continue to like Major Bhaajan, and I like how the book balances the main plot with the slower story of how the Undercity is changing. In a second balancing act, the series nicely offsets a high-tech far-future setting with a millennia-spanning fictional history; the ruins of past civilizations cast long shadows.
In this case, the main plot involves a murder mystery, the Ruby Pharoah, and psi powers. I gobbled it up at high speed and with great pleasure. Book three, here I come....
Four out of five singing stars.
About my reviews: I try to review every book I read, including those that I don't end up enjoying. The reviews are not scholarly, but just indicate my reaction as a reader, reading being my addiction. I am miserly with 5-star reviews; 4 stars means I liked a book very much; 3 stars means I liked it; 2 stars means I didn't like it (though often the 2-star books are very popular with other readers and/or are by authors whose other work I've loved).
In this case, the main plot involves a murder mystery, the Ruby Pharoah, and psi powers. I gobbled it up at high speed and with great pleasure. Book three, here I come....
Four out of five singing stars.
About my reviews: I try to review every book I read, including those that I don't end up enjoying. The reviews are not scholarly, but just indicate my reaction as a reader, reading being my addiction. I am miserly with 5-star reviews; 4 stars means I liked a book very much; 3 stars means I liked it; 2 stars means I didn't like it (though often the 2-star books are very popular with other readers and/or are by authors whose other work I've loved).
April 25, 2019
I bought this when it came out in 2017. It's by my favourite author in my favourite series. Why hadn't I actually read it until now?
I absolutely can't answer that.
Now that I have read it, I loved it. I was surprised at just how much world-building back story there was (solving ancient mysteries in SF is totally by catnip). I still wonder how much more can be discovered though, given these are set well before the "current" timeline where these things are not known - or haven't been mentioned in the books anyway. Asaro is very good at letting the readers know more than the characters and adding to the emotional impact of a book that way.
I cannot be impartial about these books. They are the books of my heart, just what I'd want to write if I was an author, and while I know they have their flaws and can have problematic elements, I just don't care. They are precious gems I love, so if you want an analysis of why you should read these, I can't help you. Look somewhere else for that and leave me here in my happy place,
I absolutely can't answer that.
Now that I have read it, I loved it. I was surprised at just how much world-building back story there was (solving ancient mysteries in SF is totally by catnip). I still wonder how much more can be discovered though, given these are set well before the "current" timeline where these things are not known - or haven't been mentioned in the books anyway. Asaro is very good at letting the readers know more than the characters and adding to the emotional impact of a book that way.
I cannot be impartial about these books. They are the books of my heart, just what I'd want to write if I was an author, and while I know they have their flaws and can have problematic elements, I just don't care. They are precious gems I love, so if you want an analysis of why you should read these, I can't help you. Look somewhere else for that and leave me here in my happy place,
July 21, 2019
Establishing a new arc of stories for the Skolian universe with a second Major Bhaajan novel, the author has returned to the high-level performance expected by her readers after two disappointing volumes capped the original arc. Strong, intelligent, powerful female characters who neither ignore their emotions nor are dominated by them carry the story. The mash-up of romance novel and space opera has somewhat faded, though the tales remain filled with strikingly attractive men and women. The tech-mech world of the Kyle mesh requires little effort to envision. The descriptions of Raylicon, the City of Cries, and the Undercity bring the whole setting to life. Overall the story had a consistent pace, with necessary digressions to build the intertwining plot lines, though the focus on finding the missing Jagernaut killer felt oddly inconsistent. A story about the young Bhaajan would likely be well-received.
February 12, 2024
An ancient past comes to life and it must be stopped.
A conscious quantum mesh that whole worlds have been built from and run with turns out to be more than anyone ever imagined in this thrilling SciFi adventure. What starts as a precise assignment to find a Jagernaught—tech enhanced human pilot—who’s on the run and was seen killing an official she is sworn to protect turns into a multi-dimensional story of history, love, psychic abilities, human strengths and frailties, culture clashes and culture melds when a malevolent force within the Kyle mesh reactivates and takes on a life of its own.
I give this book 5 stars for the Catherine Asaro’s writing style and storytelling. It was so good, I ignored the small, but numerous typos along the way.
A conscious quantum mesh that whole worlds have been built from and run with turns out to be more than anyone ever imagined in this thrilling SciFi adventure. What starts as a precise assignment to find a Jagernaught—tech enhanced human pilot—who’s on the run and was seen killing an official she is sworn to protect turns into a multi-dimensional story of history, love, psychic abilities, human strengths and frailties, culture clashes and culture melds when a malevolent force within the Kyle mesh reactivates and takes on a life of its own.
I give this book 5 stars for the Catherine Asaro’s writing style and storytelling. It was so good, I ignored the small, but numerous typos along the way.
October 24, 2017
I didn't rate this second Major Baahjan story a five-star only because of the length of the VR battle. The rest covers Baahj's attempts to weave together the above-ground and undercity cultures without spoiling the valuable undercity characteristics. There is much of beauty and strength that could easily be ruined by the good intentions of the wealthy City of Cries.
Baahj's isolation has been broken down. She has friends and people look up to her, which she would never have expected in her damaged childhood. One of the readers' good friends, with whom it is rewarding to spend some quality time, is the Skolian Pharaoh Deyha.
Baahj's isolation has been broken down. She has friends and people look up to her, which she would never have expected in her damaged childhood. One of the readers' good friends, with whom it is rewarding to spend some quality time, is the Skolian Pharaoh Deyha.
October 26, 2017
Catherine Asaro returns to the ancient Skolian empire built by people stolen from Earth four millennia ago. The Bronze Skies (trade from Baen) sends Major Bhaajan back into the Undercity (paper) where she was born on the trail of a Jagernaut who had done the impossible – murdered an Assembly Councilor in front of the Ruby Pharaoh. Her AI should have prevented her from even firing her weapon. The core of the puzzle lies in the ancient ships that brought people to Raylicon and in the birth parents Major Bhaajan never knew. This is a nice addition to the saga and I hope Major Bhaajan returns for another tale.Review printed by Philadelphia Free Press
August 2, 2022
I love me some Catherine Asaro! When I sit down with one of her Skolian Empire books I know I'm in for a good read. She's a master story teller with her plots and characters, and the science she underpins this world with is impeccable and believable. Major Bhaajan is another of her smart, witty, insightful protagonists who, just incidentally, happens to be a brilliantly-devised role-model and inspiration for girls and women without being in the slightest bit preachy or unrealistic.
The Bronze Skies is an excellent blend of narrative, adventure, and just enough exposition to follow the science. My highest recommondation! (Oh, read Major Bhaajan, #1 first - The Undercity.)
The Bronze Skies is an excellent blend of narrative, adventure, and just enough exposition to follow the science. My highest recommondation! (Oh, read Major Bhaajan, #1 first - The Undercity.)
September 7, 2017
Major Bhaajan book 2
Hurrah! A new Skolian Universe book. This one expands the story of Major Bhaajan from the previous UNDERCITY. On a new case given to her by the Ruby Pharoah Dyha herself, Bhaajan is tracking a murderous super warrior into the Undercity. As in the previous book, it was found that the Undercity population were testing very high in both empathetic and telepathic abilities. This comes into strong play in this book, and reasons are discovered finally for their withdrawal beneath the surface City of Cries. Excellent.
Hurrah! A new Skolian Universe book. This one expands the story of Major Bhaajan from the previous UNDERCITY. On a new case given to her by the Ruby Pharoah Dyha herself, Bhaajan is tracking a murderous super warrior into the Undercity. As in the previous book, it was found that the Undercity population were testing very high in both empathetic and telepathic abilities. This comes into strong play in this book, and reasons are discovered finally for their withdrawal beneath the surface City of Cries. Excellent.
July 19, 2020
I like this series even better than the previous ones, because no romance. Quite as good as the last one and all the previous books. The romance was never the main issue in the other books, either; it's just nice that romance and genetics aren't the focus of these new ones. Social justice was a theme of the others but not central; in the Major Bhaajan books, we go back to the beginnings and look at life in the Empire from the point of view of poverty, not privilege. Plus! A whole lesson on the physics! Excellent choice to include in the end pages.
July 14, 2018
Nice number 2 in this series
Major Bhaajan grew up in the underground—poor and dependent on other children and her quick reflexes to survive. But she realizes that her life is a deat end, and so decides to join the military of the empire. Years later, having survived her military experiences, she returns to her home and becomes an investigator for the ruling class on the surface of the planet,
Major Bhaajan grew up in the underground—poor and dependent on other children and her quick reflexes to survive. But she realizes that her life is a deat end, and so decides to join the military of the empire. Years later, having survived her military experiences, she returns to her home and becomes an investigator for the ruling class on the surface of the planet,
September 17, 2017
The set-up of the book is different than the 1st one in the series. Instead of having many short stories linked together, this book is one novel. This format did not work as well because the author left some of the subplots dangling. If those subplots were wrapped up, I would have rated this novel much higher.
October 23, 2017
I’ve been a fan of Catherine Asaro’s Skolian books since forever, though I didn’t really care for the first in this spin-off series (possibly because it was a revised and extended version of an older novella, and it showed). I’m glad to report I enjoyed this one better – while not quite vintage Asaro, it had strong worldbuilding and the mystery kept me absorbed.
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