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Admiral #3
The Glory of the Empress
Not yet published
Expected 1 Jan 35From the author of Admiral and Free Space comes an exciting military science fiction novel about an eclectic mix of Evagardian soldiers on a mission to test a new weapon, but instead find something much more dangerous.
The war between Evagardian Empire and the Commonwealth is at its peak.
The Evagardians have developed a weapon that could change everything, but they can't use it until it's been fully tested. Targeting unsuspecting pirates in a newly annexed system, far from the worst of the fightingsean is supposed to be a safe way to determine if the weapon is ready for live combat.
Everything about the mission is unconventional; the crew of twelve has been pulled from every corner of the Imperial Service, but it should still be an easy tour. After all, a few pirates can't possibly threaten Evagard's elite, especially when they're armed with the most powerful technology in the Imperium.
But it's an unproven system aboard an experimental ship, and there are worse things than pirates waiting in the Demenis System. Far from the front lines, the crew of the Lydia Bennett is about to start a war of their own, and they're a long way from home.
The war between Evagardian Empire and the Commonwealth is at its peak.
The Evagardians have developed a weapon that could change everything, but they can't use it until it's been fully tested. Targeting unsuspecting pirates in a newly annexed system, far from the worst of the fightingsean is supposed to be a safe way to determine if the weapon is ready for live combat.
Everything about the mission is unconventional; the crew of twelve has been pulled from every corner of the Imperial Service, but it should still be an easy tour. After all, a few pirates can't possibly threaten Evagard's elite, especially when they're armed with the most powerful technology in the Imperium.
But it's an unproven system aboard an experimental ship, and there are worse things than pirates waiting in the Demenis System. Far from the front lines, the crew of the Lydia Bennett is about to start a war of their own, and they're a long way from home.
352 pages, Paperback
First published May 18, 2018
14 people are currently reading
638 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
May 1, 2018
For this third venture in the Evagardian tales, we seem to be off to follow a separate thread from the first one that was running in The Admiral and Free Space. There is the sensation that it is all connected without a clear line holding them together. I get the tingling feeling that the series is just getting rolling and what a wild, intensely thrilling, and intriguing story it is set out there among the stars many years into our future.
So, yes, The Glory of the Empress is the third installment of the Evagardian series. It might seem like it would be okay standalone because it introduces a new set of players into the game, but no, I wouldn't advise it. I really think the two earlier books along with this one are leading up to something big.
The Glory of the Empress opens with twelve strangers recruited from throughout the Evgardian Military brought together to serve aboard the latest cutting edge technology in warships. Half came from seemingly unrelated fields. They barely get time to introduce themselves before they're in the thick of things.
The story narration is from one perspective all the way through. He is wry, observant, and intuitive. For someone who has no combat experience, he does well with each new encounter that is challenging and edge of your seat thrilling. It wasn't long before I was asking myself like with the first book just who is this man and was he really only an immigration analyst before this. Oh, and there was a mysterious event in his past involving his boss that may or may not be taken at face value.
Okay, speaking of face value, I felt this story was so layered. There is the ongoing sci-fi space battle action plot and a few alien creature moments that got my spine tingling that could be just exactly what it is, but there are layers beneath like someone is orchestrating moves on a chess board way ahead. It's an interesting feeling.
The reader gets to know to a certain extent the players aboard Lydia Bennett (love this little P&P Easter Egg), but there are three main players in the Commander Mao, the fighter pilot, and the analyst turned bridge team and support staff for the fighter pilot. Then there are the pirates and some refugees to toss into the mix when the crew of the Lydia Bennett learns quickly that their mission is only the tip of the iceberg out in this remote section of space. They're up against a cunning defector who helped develop and knows all the innovations and strategies for making war with the Lydia Bennett and her tech.
In the end, there are a series of climactic scenes that had me holding my breath and swiping pages fast enough to leave a jet trail on my Kindle. Those who want fantastic sci-fi action and an impressive series building itself toward an even bigger end should not hesitate to pick these books up. Fair warning, there might be some addiction involved if you discover they are to your taste.
I rec'd this book from Net Galley to read in exchange for an honest review.
So, yes, The Glory of the Empress is the third installment of the Evagardian series. It might seem like it would be okay standalone because it introduces a new set of players into the game, but no, I wouldn't advise it. I really think the two earlier books along with this one are leading up to something big.
The Glory of the Empress opens with twelve strangers recruited from throughout the Evgardian Military brought together to serve aboard the latest cutting edge technology in warships. Half came from seemingly unrelated fields. They barely get time to introduce themselves before they're in the thick of things.
The story narration is from one perspective all the way through. He is wry, observant, and intuitive. For someone who has no combat experience, he does well with each new encounter that is challenging and edge of your seat thrilling. It wasn't long before I was asking myself like with the first book just who is this man and was he really only an immigration analyst before this. Oh, and there was a mysterious event in his past involving his boss that may or may not be taken at face value.
Okay, speaking of face value, I felt this story was so layered. There is the ongoing sci-fi space battle action plot and a few alien creature moments that got my spine tingling that could be just exactly what it is, but there are layers beneath like someone is orchestrating moves on a chess board way ahead. It's an interesting feeling.
The reader gets to know to a certain extent the players aboard Lydia Bennett (love this little P&P Easter Egg), but there are three main players in the Commander Mao, the fighter pilot, and the analyst turned bridge team and support staff for the fighter pilot. Then there are the pirates and some refugees to toss into the mix when the crew of the Lydia Bennett learns quickly that their mission is only the tip of the iceberg out in this remote section of space. They're up against a cunning defector who helped develop and knows all the innovations and strategies for making war with the Lydia Bennett and her tech.
In the end, there are a series of climactic scenes that had me holding my breath and swiping pages fast enough to leave a jet trail on my Kindle. Those who want fantastic sci-fi action and an impressive series building itself toward an even bigger end should not hesitate to pick these books up. Fair warning, there might be some addiction involved if you discover they are to your taste.
I rec'd this book from Net Galley to read in exchange for an honest review.
May 20, 2018
3,5/5
May 1, 2018
This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart
Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
I loved The Admiral, the first book in the Evagardian series. It was a good introduction to the world with four people stranded who didn't know each other. It was smart. The plot was clear - survival - but very fascinating as the world developed and also learning about the characters. The Admiral, capable and with a subtle humor, was a mystery and fun. For the most part, politics is viewed in the background as they are isolated.
Free Space is the same but very different. We again have four main characters, two of them we know, sort of. This adventure brings in more planets and more politics. Here I can't tell the good guys or the bad guys really. People are more or less in it for themselves? I liked the strong women, but had some angst over seeing the Admiral as somewhat helpless.
In The Glory of the Empress, I was bogged down at the beginning just trying to figure out the new people and what is happening. This was pared down to the twelve people on the Lydia Bennett, a new type of fighter ship. One of these is definitely from Free Space.
The action is fast and fun. I enjoyed the story and the sense of humor in it. I went back and looked at the first two books to see if I could understand certain things. I also revisited this interview which was around the time of Free Space, book 2. Sean Danker has totally succeeded in keeping things moving fast and always having me guessing.
I relished the technology in the spaceships. I always enjoy the strategy of the battles. There was plenty of this to appreciate. I was just confused about the people and the politics in some aspects.
I think I may not be smart enough for this series, at least I am not sure I am grasping the overall arc yet. This is the halfway point. Since I am being entertained by each one, I'll keep reading!
"That, or they're intelligent aliens that are doing this to punish me because of what I did on my sixteenth birthday," Mao muttered.
"What did you do?" Bjorn asked.
"It's embarassing, but I blew something up."
Bjorn raised an eyebrow. "I never took you for a New Unity type."
"What? No. It was an accident."
"Oh, so you weren't a terrorist. Just an idiot," he said, turning back to his console. "That's a relief."
July 11, 2018
http://delivreenlivres.blogspot.com/2...
Un bon troisième tome, peut être pas du niveau de mon coup de cœur pour le tout premier mais en tout cas largement meilleur que le second.
Si les deux premiers tomes de la série se suivaient, ici ce n'est pas le cas. On est toujours dans le même univers mais dans un tout autre endroit et avec de tout nouveaux personnages. Ce tome est un oneshot, il peut très bien se lire indépendamment des deux précédent et il se tient tout seul au niveau de l'intrigue.
Les militaires d'Evagardian ont développé une toute nouvelle arme : un vaisseau intelligent furtif. Entièrement automatisé par une AI, il ne nécessite pas d'équipage en dehors des pilotes des Jet modifiés qu'il transporte et du commandant de la mission.
Mais la personne en charge du projet, qui avait entrainé tout les pilotes et qui devait le commander lors qu'il sortirait des bans d'essai était un traitre et il avait l'intention de s'enfuir avec le vaisseau pour le remettre à leur ennemi. Heureusement il a été démasqué avant d'avoir réussi la fin de son plan et le vaisseau n'a pas bougé de chez Evagardian, mais malheureusement l'homme a réussi à s'enfuir.
Du coup le haut commandement décide que le vaisseau à plus de chance de s'en sortir en vol. Étant furtif et très difficile à retrouver il ne sera pas la cible qu'il est actuellement, amarré à la vue de tous dans la station ou il se sont déroulés les essais. Ils sélectionnent donc en grand secret une nouvelle génération de pilotes qui n'ont que deux semaines d'entrainement avant le lancement en grande pompe de celui ci.
Les voici donc tout seuls dans l'espace, en huis clos, à devoir se débrouiller à bord de ce tout nouveau vaisseau qu'ils ne maitrisent pas complétement, sans communication possible avec les leurs et avec toute l'armée mercenaire/pirate ennemie à leurs trousses car ils sont bien déterminés à retrouver le vaisseau ultra sophistiqué qu'on leur avait promis ...
En fait ce que j'ai apprécié dans ce tome c'est le fait d'avoir cet équipage de pilotes inexpérimentés qui doit s'en sortir alors qu'il est dans une situation flou et qu'il n'a plus de liens possible avec son commandement. Tous les doutes sur les décisions à prendre, le fait de devoir réfléchir a des possibilités quand on n'a aucune donnée sur la situation globale rend la situation très tendue et très intéressante.
Surtout que l'équipage est composé de personnes qui ne se connaissent pas du tout avant de mettre les pieds dans le vaisseau et viennent de background extrêmement variés et qui ne se mêlent pas en temps normal, de la noble, ancienne général à la retraire au gratte papier de l'émigration qui se demande ce qu'il vient faire la. Un équipage disparate et inexpérimenté dans une mission difficile et unique, autant dire que le pari est risqué.
En fait tous ont été sélectionnés parce que les tout nouveau Jet affectés au vaisseau sont en fait des Jet avec connexion neurale, une autre toute nouvelle technologie qui permet aux pilotes de piloter les vaisseaux comme ci c'étaient leurs propres membres.
Et bien sur cette technologie ne marche pas avec tout le monde, et rares sont ceux qui ont des résultats suffisants pour être capable de les piloter de façon satisfaisante. En plus, même si cette connexion neurale fait que le pilotage devient intuitif, il est évident que deux semaines de préparation n'est pas suffisant pour en faire tous des pilotes chevronnés ce qui rend la mission encore plus hasardeuse, même si ils maitrisent les bases. Pour améliorer leurs chances ils ont installé des simulateurs dans le vaisseaux et les pilotes passent donc tout le temps du trajet vers leur destination à s'entrainer.
Du coup l'ensemble de la situation fait que la tension monte au fur et à mesure du livre et j'ai vraiment bien accroché sur ce point. Surtout que l'auteur n'hésite pas à tuer ses personnages et on est toujours la à se demander qui sera le prochain à y passer. Et c'est accentué par le fait que les personnages comprennent assez rapidement que leur mission est un suicide, et qu'il y a peu de chance que ce vaisseau rentre à la maison un jour, ce qui amplifie les conflits pré-existants.
Le personnage principal, celui que l'on suit dans ce vaisseau est un des coordinateur/analystes des Jets. Il est bien sur pilote lui aussi mais comme le vaisseau n'a que 4 jets et 12 pilotes, ce sont les plus qualifiés qui pilotent en priorité. En attendant c'est lui qui est chargé de vérifier l'état de son pilote, de faire les réglages et de vérifier que le Jet se comporte de façon normale.
Je dois dire que j'ai bien apprécié ce personnage. A la base il devait être exclu de l'armée suite à un traumatisme (que l'ont n'explique pas vraiment) qui l'avait rendu suicidaire, mais comment il était un des rares à être qualifié comme pilote ils l'ont gardé.
Rassurez vous il n'est pas déprimé, au contraire, le fait d'être pris dans cette mission l'a rendu focalisé sur son objectif. Il est capable de tout pour réussir et n'a pas peur de risquer sa vie ou de prendre des décisions radicales et/ou illégales. En fait au début il a un espèce de détachement vis à vis de la situation et ça l'aide dans son travail et à analyser la situation. Ça lui permet de prendre du recul que n'ont pas forcement les autres qui sont émotionnellement plus impliqués que lui dans ce qui se passe.
Mais plus la mission avance plus il s'attache aux autres personnages car le vaisseau est petit donc tout le monde est confiné et il est impossible de s'éviter. J'ai bien aimé son évolution, on comprend que c'est un personnage un peu brisé mais qui arrive à faire sa place au fur et à mesure et qui reprend espoir en ses camarades et en l'humain en général au pire moment car la situation est de pire en pire.
Au final je dirais que j'ai bien apprécié cette lecture. J'ai vraiment pris plaisir à suivre cette situation et ses personnages mal préparés dans une mission à risque en huis clos avec une tension qui monte au fur et à mesure. Dans ce sens j'ai retrouvé les même sentiments que dans le tout premier tome de cette série et c'est un point très positif.
16.5/20
Un bon troisième tome, peut être pas du niveau de mon coup de cœur pour le tout premier mais en tout cas largement meilleur que le second.
Si les deux premiers tomes de la série se suivaient, ici ce n'est pas le cas. On est toujours dans le même univers mais dans un tout autre endroit et avec de tout nouveaux personnages. Ce tome est un oneshot, il peut très bien se lire indépendamment des deux précédent et il se tient tout seul au niveau de l'intrigue.
Les militaires d'Evagardian ont développé une toute nouvelle arme : un vaisseau intelligent furtif. Entièrement automatisé par une AI, il ne nécessite pas d'équipage en dehors des pilotes des Jet modifiés qu'il transporte et du commandant de la mission.
Mais la personne en charge du projet, qui avait entrainé tout les pilotes et qui devait le commander lors qu'il sortirait des bans d'essai était un traitre et il avait l'intention de s'enfuir avec le vaisseau pour le remettre à leur ennemi. Heureusement il a été démasqué avant d'avoir réussi la fin de son plan et le vaisseau n'a pas bougé de chez Evagardian, mais malheureusement l'homme a réussi à s'enfuir.
Du coup le haut commandement décide que le vaisseau à plus de chance de s'en sortir en vol. Étant furtif et très difficile à retrouver il ne sera pas la cible qu'il est actuellement, amarré à la vue de tous dans la station ou il se sont déroulés les essais. Ils sélectionnent donc en grand secret une nouvelle génération de pilotes qui n'ont que deux semaines d'entrainement avant le lancement en grande pompe de celui ci.
Les voici donc tout seuls dans l'espace, en huis clos, à devoir se débrouiller à bord de ce tout nouveau vaisseau qu'ils ne maitrisent pas complétement, sans communication possible avec les leurs et avec toute l'armée mercenaire/pirate ennemie à leurs trousses car ils sont bien déterminés à retrouver le vaisseau ultra sophistiqué qu'on leur avait promis ...
En fait ce que j'ai apprécié dans ce tome c'est le fait d'avoir cet équipage de pilotes inexpérimentés qui doit s'en sortir alors qu'il est dans une situation flou et qu'il n'a plus de liens possible avec son commandement. Tous les doutes sur les décisions à prendre, le fait de devoir réfléchir a des possibilités quand on n'a aucune donnée sur la situation globale rend la situation très tendue et très intéressante.
Surtout que l'équipage est composé de personnes qui ne se connaissent pas du tout avant de mettre les pieds dans le vaisseau et viennent de background extrêmement variés et qui ne se mêlent pas en temps normal, de la noble, ancienne général à la retraire au gratte papier de l'émigration qui se demande ce qu'il vient faire la. Un équipage disparate et inexpérimenté dans une mission difficile et unique, autant dire que le pari est risqué.
En fait tous ont été sélectionnés parce que les tout nouveau Jet affectés au vaisseau sont en fait des Jet avec connexion neurale, une autre toute nouvelle technologie qui permet aux pilotes de piloter les vaisseaux comme ci c'étaient leurs propres membres.
Et bien sur cette technologie ne marche pas avec tout le monde, et rares sont ceux qui ont des résultats suffisants pour être capable de les piloter de façon satisfaisante. En plus, même si cette connexion neurale fait que le pilotage devient intuitif, il est évident que deux semaines de préparation n'est pas suffisant pour en faire tous des pilotes chevronnés ce qui rend la mission encore plus hasardeuse, même si ils maitrisent les bases. Pour améliorer leurs chances ils ont installé des simulateurs dans le vaisseaux et les pilotes passent donc tout le temps du trajet vers leur destination à s'entrainer.
Du coup l'ensemble de la situation fait que la tension monte au fur et à mesure du livre et j'ai vraiment bien accroché sur ce point. Surtout que l'auteur n'hésite pas à tuer ses personnages et on est toujours la à se demander qui sera le prochain à y passer. Et c'est accentué par le fait que les personnages comprennent assez rapidement que leur mission est un suicide, et qu'il y a peu de chance que ce vaisseau rentre à la maison un jour, ce qui amplifie les conflits pré-existants.
Le personnage principal, celui que l'on suit dans ce vaisseau est un des coordinateur/analystes des Jets. Il est bien sur pilote lui aussi mais comme le vaisseau n'a que 4 jets et 12 pilotes, ce sont les plus qualifiés qui pilotent en priorité. En attendant c'est lui qui est chargé de vérifier l'état de son pilote, de faire les réglages et de vérifier que le Jet se comporte de façon normale.
Je dois dire que j'ai bien apprécié ce personnage. A la base il devait être exclu de l'armée suite à un traumatisme (que l'ont n'explique pas vraiment) qui l'avait rendu suicidaire, mais comment il était un des rares à être qualifié comme pilote ils l'ont gardé.
Rassurez vous il n'est pas déprimé, au contraire, le fait d'être pris dans cette mission l'a rendu focalisé sur son objectif. Il est capable de tout pour réussir et n'a pas peur de risquer sa vie ou de prendre des décisions radicales et/ou illégales. En fait au début il a un espèce de détachement vis à vis de la situation et ça l'aide dans son travail et à analyser la situation. Ça lui permet de prendre du recul que n'ont pas forcement les autres qui sont émotionnellement plus impliqués que lui dans ce qui se passe.
Mais plus la mission avance plus il s'attache aux autres personnages car le vaisseau est petit donc tout le monde est confiné et il est impossible de s'éviter. J'ai bien aimé son évolution, on comprend que c'est un personnage un peu brisé mais qui arrive à faire sa place au fur et à mesure et qui reprend espoir en ses camarades et en l'humain en général au pire moment car la situation est de pire en pire.
Au final je dirais que j'ai bien apprécié cette lecture. J'ai vraiment pris plaisir à suivre cette situation et ses personnages mal préparés dans une mission à risque en huis clos avec une tension qui monte au fur et à mesure. Dans ce sens j'ai retrouvé les même sentiments que dans le tout premier tome de cette série et c'est un point très positif.
16.5/20
April 23, 2018
Realize that I interpret the star ratings literally:
5* - one of the best books I've ever read ever, and that's maybe 1% of hundreds of books I've read
4* = really really good books that I really liked above all others, still very small percentage of books
3* = I enjoyed this book, it was good and worth reading, most of the books I read
2* = it was ok, don't read it unless you think there's something here you are looking for
1* = don't bother reading this book.
This was the first time I got an advanced copy to read for free in order to provide a review. And I feel such a responsibility to provide a good review without hurting this book. Here's the deal. I LOVED the first book in the series, The Admiral. I loved the Admiral, he's far from a perfect character, but loved him nonetheless. Second book was good but I felt like the character of the Admiral was not as much present, and wrote that off to him being drugged for most of the book. But the third book - unless I'm wrong, the Admiral - isn't in this book at all. I expected him every moment. I kept thinking, is it Bjorn? No, Bjorn seems too young. Is anyone else the Admiral? But no, I don't think so. It was incredibly distracting, I kept asking myself for a good over half of this book, is the Admiral in this book? And he isn't. A tiny hint at the end that maybe Bjorn is the Admiral and maybe Mao is Selmagard, that maybe that's how this relates? But I don't think so. Tell me if I'm wrong, somebody!! But I don't think I'm wrong. So, if this book had been Evagardian book #1, I think we all would have loved it! Seriously 3.5-4 stars. I really liked the strategic thinking and world building. But since this is book 3, after two books with the character of the Admiral, either we needed it to be more obvious that he was among the crew, or this should have been a stand-alone book in the Evagardian Verse, and a different book was book three about the Admiral. The writing is still fantastic, and it makes me want to go back and listen again to the Admiral, the audiobook, partially because I could listen to Johnathan McClain read the phone book and be enraptured, but also because that book was so great, and the characters were so awesome. But also after a couple years I miss the characters, and I thought we'd get to hear from them again in this book. But if we did, and it was all spies and subterfuge and I just couldn't tell then ok, not loving it but ok. But if it wasn't, then super disappointed. I really wanted another book about the Admiral, and this wasn't that. I will watch for the next book and check again, just in case we run into the Admiral and Selmagard again, but if we don't, unless the author gives me new characters to care about, I might give up on it. I'm sorry. I really loved this series, but please advertise it as another book in the Evagard series that has nothing to do with the Admiral, since after two books those are the characters we care about and are rooting for. And more Jonathan McClain either way!!! :)
5* - one of the best books I've ever read ever, and that's maybe 1% of hundreds of books I've read
4* = really really good books that I really liked above all others, still very small percentage of books
3* = I enjoyed this book, it was good and worth reading, most of the books I read
2* = it was ok, don't read it unless you think there's something here you are looking for
1* = don't bother reading this book.
This was the first time I got an advanced copy to read for free in order to provide a review. And I feel such a responsibility to provide a good review without hurting this book. Here's the deal. I LOVED the first book in the series, The Admiral. I loved the Admiral, he's far from a perfect character, but loved him nonetheless. Second book was good but I felt like the character of the Admiral was not as much present, and wrote that off to him being drugged for most of the book. But the third book - unless I'm wrong, the Admiral - isn't in this book at all. I expected him every moment. I kept thinking, is it Bjorn? No, Bjorn seems too young. Is anyone else the Admiral? But no, I don't think so. It was incredibly distracting, I kept asking myself for a good over half of this book, is the Admiral in this book? And he isn't. A tiny hint at the end that maybe Bjorn is the Admiral and maybe Mao is Selmagard, that maybe that's how this relates? But I don't think so. Tell me if I'm wrong, somebody!! But I don't think I'm wrong. So, if this book had been Evagardian book #1, I think we all would have loved it! Seriously 3.5-4 stars. I really liked the strategic thinking and world building. But since this is book 3, after two books with the character of the Admiral, either we needed it to be more obvious that he was among the crew, or this should have been a stand-alone book in the Evagardian Verse, and a different book was book three about the Admiral. The writing is still fantastic, and it makes me want to go back and listen again to the Admiral, the audiobook, partially because I could listen to Johnathan McClain read the phone book and be enraptured, but also because that book was so great, and the characters were so awesome. But also after a couple years I miss the characters, and I thought we'd get to hear from them again in this book. But if we did, and it was all spies and subterfuge and I just couldn't tell then ok, not loving it but ok. But if it wasn't, then super disappointed. I really wanted another book about the Admiral, and this wasn't that. I will watch for the next book and check again, just in case we run into the Admiral and Selmagard again, but if we don't, unless the author gives me new characters to care about, I might give up on it. I'm sorry. I really loved this series, but please advertise it as another book in the Evagard series that has nothing to do with the Admiral, since after two books those are the characters we care about and are rooting for. And more Jonathan McClain either way!!! :)
July 11, 2018
Wow. Sean Danker has crafted one of the most enjoyable and intense military science fiction novels I have read in years. "The Glory of the Empress" drives hooks into your brain from the get go and doesn't let you go until the spectacular ending.
Short staffed, desperate stakes, no backup, no time to prepare, the crew of the Lydia Bennett is far from conventional, as well as its mission. They hit the ground running, and keep you turning pages until there are no more to turn.
I do suggest you read both "Admiral" and "Free Space" before you read this novel, because Danker has woven a lot of beauty in the form of context. Before starting the novel, I had a small worry in the back of my mind that "The Glory of the Empress" was not exactly a sequel to "Free Space", but a separate story within the finely detailed Evagardian universe. Sean Danker quickly killed that worry by making a break-neck paced story where hope is in short supply and both skill and wits might have the crew survive another engagement by the skin of their teeth.
Danker was a genius by writing this novel separate from the first two, but especially because one sees how the connections between the events of both previous novels grow exponentially as the book progresses. This context brings some moments of loud, emphatic reactions where people look at you strangely for voicing them out loud in public, and gives such deep flavor to the novel. The mental gymnastics you exert figuring out exactly where in the timeline this novel fits were damn enjoyable, especially when that ending hits like a ton of bricks.
Danker also clearly demonstrates how he can craft different types of stories within his Evagardian universe, making each novel noticeably different, yet letting us absorb more of the universe with every entry. I can't wait for him to write more stories in this series, be them following the Admiral and Salmagard, or Mao and Bjorn, or Diana, or maybe new characters in other stories that connect the dots as well as these three have.
Sean, you sly dog.
You know what you did? Now I am going to have to reread the previous two books to refresh all those connections I know are there, as well as to find ones I merely suspect.
And I will enjoy every minute of it.
Short staffed, desperate stakes, no backup, no time to prepare, the crew of the Lydia Bennett is far from conventional, as well as its mission. They hit the ground running, and keep you turning pages until there are no more to turn.
I do suggest you read both "Admiral" and "Free Space" before you read this novel, because Danker has woven a lot of beauty in the form of context. Before starting the novel, I had a small worry in the back of my mind that "The Glory of the Empress" was not exactly a sequel to "Free Space", but a separate story within the finely detailed Evagardian universe. Sean Danker quickly killed that worry by making a break-neck paced story where hope is in short supply and both skill and wits might have the crew survive another engagement by the skin of their teeth.
Danker was a genius by writing this novel separate from the first two, but especially because one sees how the connections between the events of both previous novels grow exponentially as the book progresses. This context brings some moments of loud, emphatic reactions where people look at you strangely for voicing them out loud in public, and gives such deep flavor to the novel. The mental gymnastics you exert figuring out exactly where in the timeline this novel fits were damn enjoyable, especially when that ending hits like a ton of bricks.
Danker also clearly demonstrates how he can craft different types of stories within his Evagardian universe, making each novel noticeably different, yet letting us absorb more of the universe with every entry. I can't wait for him to write more stories in this series, be them following the Admiral and Salmagard, or Mao and Bjorn, or Diana, or maybe new characters in other stories that connect the dots as well as these three have.
Sean, you sly dog.
You know what you did? Now I am going to have to reread the previous two books to refresh all those connections I know are there, as well as to find ones I merely suspect.
And I will enjoy every minute of it.
December 22, 2023
This is one of those rare times that I wish I had DNFed a book, though it's not the book's fault at all.
Set in the distant future, two galactic empires are at war with each other. One empire picks 12 people out to crew a new kind of war spaceship.
After reading the first sentence of the first page, I said out loud, "Wow this author can really write!". I had thought I would love it, but turns out this wasn't the book I thought it was. I thought it was a science fiction book, but it's military science fiction.
Military means that the point of the book was battle, action, and tactics. The whole story was like watching an action movie while high on amphetamines. Frantic, breathless, and nonstop. Action, battle, action, action, characters talking about tactics, battle, action, fighting, and more battles.
What was missing was even the slightest detail of characterization. There were 12 characters on the ship. The book was 350+ pages long, and by the end of the story I couldn't tell you even just the gender of 9 of those 12 characters.
Each character was introduced (in dialogue) in the beginning of the story with full name and rank. Beyond that all we got was a description of hair for two of them, height on a couple, age on two. That's all the characterization. No backstory on any of them, only two even showed any personality at all.
It's really hard to care about a story when the characters are completely interchangeable. Again though, this isn't an issue with the book or with the author, this is military scifi, action and tactics and battles are what count.
I read (and loved) book #1 in 2018, so I got the next two books once I was done. Book #2 I DNFed in the same year; I should have deleted book 3 at that time, but I guessed I missed it.
Like I said, Sean Danker can really write! Unfortunately this book series and the couple other books he's written just don't look like a good match for me. If you like military scifi though, you should check this book out for sure!
Set in the distant future, two galactic empires are at war with each other. One empire picks 12 people out to crew a new kind of war spaceship.
After reading the first sentence of the first page, I said out loud, "Wow this author can really write!". I had thought I would love it, but turns out this wasn't the book I thought it was. I thought it was a science fiction book, but it's military science fiction.
Military means that the point of the book was battle, action, and tactics. The whole story was like watching an action movie while high on amphetamines. Frantic, breathless, and nonstop. Action, battle, action, action, characters talking about tactics, battle, action, fighting, and more battles.
What was missing was even the slightest detail of characterization. There were 12 characters on the ship. The book was 350+ pages long, and by the end of the story I couldn't tell you even just the gender of 9 of those 12 characters.
Each character was introduced (in dialogue) in the beginning of the story with full name and rank. Beyond that all we got was a description of hair for two of them, height on a couple, age on two. That's all the characterization. No backstory on any of them, only two even showed any personality at all.
It's really hard to care about a story when the characters are completely interchangeable. Again though, this isn't an issue with the book or with the author, this is military scifi, action and tactics and battles are what count.
I read (and loved) book #1 in 2018, so I got the next two books once I was done. Book #2 I DNFed in the same year; I should have deleted book 3 at that time, but I guessed I missed it.
Like I said, Sean Danker can really write! Unfortunately this book series and the couple other books he's written just don't look like a good match for me. If you like military scifi though, you should check this book out for sure!
August 31, 2025
3.5 rounded up.
This third book doesn't directly follow on from the second; it's more a prequel that fleshes out the background of a character and some other plot things that were introduced in the first two books. Having kind of gotten sick of the Admiral and his vague whining, that he wasn't in this book at all (except briefly and only sort of near the end) was several points in its favor. The action and space battles scenes were once again done well, and I appreciated the fleshing out of this world even more. The characterization was kind of meh. There were twelve brand new characters introduced (and one from a previous book that we only knew a little bit about) and outside of a few--the POV character, the ship captain, the character we already knew--they were pretty interchangeable and difficult to tell apart. They were just a bunch of names and ranks and I never got enough of a distinct feel from most of them to care much about what happened to them.
I do like this world and want to continue the series. Though it looks like we're back in the Admiral's POV in the next one. Too bad. I am more interested in literally every other character who's been introduced so far than I am in him.
This third book doesn't directly follow on from the second; it's more a prequel that fleshes out the background of a character and some other plot things that were introduced in the first two books. Having kind of gotten sick of the Admiral and his vague whining, that he wasn't in this book at all (except briefly and only sort of near the end) was several points in its favor. The action and space battles scenes were once again done well, and I appreciated the fleshing out of this world even more. The characterization was kind of meh. There were twelve brand new characters introduced (and one from a previous book that we only knew a little bit about) and outside of a few--the POV character, the ship captain, the character we already knew--they were pretty interchangeable and difficult to tell apart. They were just a bunch of names and ranks and I never got enough of a distinct feel from most of them to care much about what happened to them.
I do like this world and want to continue the series. Though it looks like we're back in the Admiral's POV in the next one. Too bad. I am more interested in literally every other character who's been introduced so far than I am in him.
August 8, 2019
This was a SUPER fun book, but it was almost 100% action. I didn’t get to know the characters or their backstories at all - not a single bit. There was no inner life for anyone. Multiple times I was surprised when characters said something that indicated it was common knowledge that one character was attracted to another, because they all basically seemed interchangeable. Like, who was Bjorn? We never did get the full and real story about what happened to him prior to this book - was it actually assault? Was it consensual? There are tiny hints of the latter, but we never get Bjorn’s feelings. On that or anything else, really.
It’s made me go back and think about the previous two books. I think they did a much better job of characterization. I feel like I got a good idea of Deilani, Salmagard, and Nils’s personalities, and they were discrete individuals who couldn’t be swapped with each other. Free Space was also better in this regard - lots of backstory for Salmagard which was great. Overall I still loved this one - the action was really fun. I’ll be along for the next one for sure!
It’s made me go back and think about the previous two books. I think they did a much better job of characterization. I feel like I got a good idea of Deilani, Salmagard, and Nils’s personalities, and they were discrete individuals who couldn’t be swapped with each other. Free Space was also better in this regard - lots of backstory for Salmagard which was great. Overall I still loved this one - the action was really fun. I’ll be along for the next one for sure!
June 9, 2018
The Evgardian Empire has developed a small star carrier with experimental technology that allow pilots to be linked to their fighters. The fighters and the ship are difficult to detect, as long as they work as designed Oen Bjorn provides technical support to one of the pilots, a pilot so intense on improving her skills, that she ups the dangerous drugs that allow her contact with her fighter. The Lydia Bennett is tasked, for The Glory of the Empress (trade from Ace), to keep pirates occupied, including one on a ship so huge it is difficult to destroy. There’s a traitor who trained on the Lydia’s systems, and he is providing information to help locate the Lydia and destroy her and her four fighters. Sean Danker tells an exciting tale that is a prequel to his Admiral series.
November 6, 2018
Hot military action from start to finish, with just enough banter to provide glimpses of character. I don't know another author who can keep this sort of pace up without turning tedious. Ends, natch, in the midst of a massive disaster...so let's hope the sequel will be blasting in soon.
May 4, 2019
I really tried, but I can't continue to have this book, as an after thought after reading other books. I liked the first 2 books in the series. I was looking forward to this one but I can't find the characters of the first 2 in this series and I am 48% into reading something uninspiring.
November 10, 2021
I loved The Admiral. It was even more enjoyable the second time I read it. Ditto Free Space a very good read. The Glory of the Empress is a confusing mish mash with no discernible storyline and I am past chapter 12 and I'm not going to waste any more time trying to plod through chapter 13.
April 30, 2019
A fun rolic thru space
July 25, 2023
Good page turner
Read
May 3, 2018Love this series
Great military space series with extremely clever snd witty dialog. Nice to see how this book fit in with the prior two. Hope the series goes on for a long time
Great military space series with extremely clever snd witty dialog. Nice to see how this book fit in with the prior two. Hope the series goes on for a long time
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