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Mageworlds #1
The Price of the Stars
Freebooter at heart, spacer by trade, Beka Rosselin-Metadi doesn't want to hear about how her father whose rugged generalship held back the Mageworlds -- or her highborn mother whose leadership has held the galaxy together since. Beka pilots spacecraft -- as far from her famous family as possible.Then Beka's mother is assassinated on the Senate floor, and her father offers her the title to Warhammer, prize ship from his own freebooting youth -- if she agrees to deliver the assassins to him "off the books."
Looking for assassins has a tendency to make assassins look for you. In doing so, Beka's arranged her own very public death and adopted a new identity; now all she has to do is leave a trail of kidnappings and corpses across five star systems, and blow the roof off the strongest private fortress in the galaxy.
Looking for assassins has a tendency to make assassins look for you. In doing so, Beka's arranged her own very public death and adopted a new identity; now all she has to do is leave a trail of kidnappings and corpses across five star systems, and blow the roof off the strongest private fortress in the galaxy.
440 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published October 1, 1992
54 people are currently reading
2184 people want to read
About the author
Debra Doyle
95 books80 followersaka Nicholas Adams (with James D. Macdonald), Martin Delrio, Robyn Tallis (with James D. Macdonald)
Debra Doyle has a doctorate in English literature. Together, she and James Macdonald have written numerous sf/f books. They live in Colebrook, New Hampshire.
Series:
* Mageworlds
* Circle of Magic
* Bad Blood
Series contributed to:
* Tom Swift IV
* Robert Silverberg's Time Tours
* Daniel M Pinkwater's Melvinge of the Megaverse
* Gene Roddenberry's Earth: Final Conflict
Debra Doyle has a doctorate in English literature. Together, she and James Macdonald have written numerous sf/f books. They live in Colebrook, New Hampshire.
Series:
* Mageworlds
* Circle of Magic
* Bad Blood
Series contributed to:
* Tom Swift IV
* Robert Silverberg's Time Tours
* Daniel M Pinkwater's Melvinge of the Megaverse
* Gene Roddenberry's Earth: Final Conflict
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 122 reviews
November 16, 2010
So far, this is a series of seven (with, I think, a possibility of more). I would strongly recommend reading them in order, even though publication order doesn't match the internal chronological order; many secrets will be spoiled if you read out of publication order. This is a loose review of the series to date.
The first three -- The Price of the Stars, Starpilot's Grave, and By Honor Betray'd -- go together to tell the story of Beka Rosselin-Metadi, estranged from her family until her powerful mother is assassinated and Beka's father gives her the task of tracking down the assassin; the plot opens up in the second book, when the Mageworlds start to threaten the Republic, and we spend more time with Beka's family, her father and two brothers (all introduced in the first volume, but given more time here).
The fourth book, The Gathering Flame, goes back in time a little to explore Beka's parents' past, while the fifth, The Long Hunt goes forward to the next generation. Finally, The Stars Asunder and A Working of Stars are set in the more distant past, five hundred years before the events of the first three, exploring the universe more deeply and resolving some plot threads introduced in the earlier books (so again, you really don't want to read these first, even though they're chronologically first).
The setting is excellent, particularly in the clash between the two systems: the loose confederation of planets which are the home of the Rosselin-Metadi family and their allies, and the Mageworlds, which threaten the other worlds with their magical powers. What with the fast pace, the vivid characters, and the intricate plot, I was sometimes almost breathless while reading these; I almost had an Unpleasant Incident when I finished Starpilot's Grave on an airplane and didn't have the next book in my carry-on luggage to start reading immediately.
The first three -- The Price of the Stars, Starpilot's Grave, and By Honor Betray'd -- go together to tell the story of Beka Rosselin-Metadi, estranged from her family until her powerful mother is assassinated and Beka's father gives her the task of tracking down the assassin; the plot opens up in the second book, when the Mageworlds start to threaten the Republic, and we spend more time with Beka's family, her father and two brothers (all introduced in the first volume, but given more time here).
The fourth book, The Gathering Flame, goes back in time a little to explore Beka's parents' past, while the fifth, The Long Hunt goes forward to the next generation. Finally, The Stars Asunder and A Working of Stars are set in the more distant past, five hundred years before the events of the first three, exploring the universe more deeply and resolving some plot threads introduced in the earlier books (so again, you really don't want to read these first, even though they're chronologically first).
The setting is excellent, particularly in the clash between the two systems: the loose confederation of planets which are the home of the Rosselin-Metadi family and their allies, and the Mageworlds, which threaten the other worlds with their magical powers. What with the fast pace, the vivid characters, and the intricate plot, I was sometimes almost breathless while reading these; I almost had an Unpleasant Incident when I finished Starpilot's Grave on an airplane and didn't have the next book in my carry-on luggage to start reading immediately.
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November 30, 2014Then strap me again in my cockpit
And toast me in faraway bars.
Just let me fire off into hyper,
I’ll make my own way to the stars.
A little over forty years ago, I sat with another teenage friend in the funky front room of their Manhattan beach cottage—for her parents were bohemians, and in those days beach real estate was still achievable by anyone. We looked out the front windows at the constant drum and hiss of the sea, talking of this and that.
I don’t remember how the subject came up, but her mother had joined us, and said in her slow southern drawl (she’d left home at fifteen to get married, many years before, but never lost her accent) “Just once I was standing on a ridge. And the wind was on my face, and in my hair, and the light was just right, so I could see and see, right beyond the world. And for just that moment I felt so big and so vast I knew everything.”
The closest I come to that is the beyond-the-horizon satisfaction of big idea, vast-reach, unabashedly heroic space opera.
Here are the basic elements that appeal to me in space opera:
* Interesting aliens, weird cultures and larger than life characters.
* Space ships in action
* Emotional complexity
* Big ideas—including glimpses of the numinous—without anything being dogmatic
* Layered or polysemous surprises
*An interesting blend of real science and the handwavium that allows for FTL and Psi, but examines the consequences of both.
This first entry into the Mageworld series can stand alone. It’s probably the most easily cinematic, and would in fact adapt instantly into a killer action movie, as Beka Rosselin-Metadi dons the dangerous disguise of Tarnekep Portree (a young Mandeynan dandy with a taste for violence and low company) to solve the mystery of her famous mother’s murder. Her father can’t solve it. He’s too well-known (as well as notorious), but he promises his ship to her if she finds out, and she leaves the bad guys of three worlds in shambles in the process.
It's got everything--action, humor, twists you see coming and look forward to, then there are the twists that you don't see coming, that cause you to go back and reread the series with a drastic change of perspective. There is even time travel, beautifully handled--so much so that when you've read the entire series and go back to the beginning, everything reads differently.
And toast me in faraway bars.
Just let me fire off into hyper,
I’ll make my own way to the stars.
A little over forty years ago, I sat with another teenage friend in the funky front room of their Manhattan beach cottage—for her parents were bohemians, and in those days beach real estate was still achievable by anyone. We looked out the front windows at the constant drum and hiss of the sea, talking of this and that.
I don’t remember how the subject came up, but her mother had joined us, and said in her slow southern drawl (she’d left home at fifteen to get married, many years before, but never lost her accent) “Just once I was standing on a ridge. And the wind was on my face, and in my hair, and the light was just right, so I could see and see, right beyond the world. And for just that moment I felt so big and so vast I knew everything.”
The closest I come to that is the beyond-the-horizon satisfaction of big idea, vast-reach, unabashedly heroic space opera.
Here are the basic elements that appeal to me in space opera:
* Interesting aliens, weird cultures and larger than life characters.
* Space ships in action
* Emotional complexity
* Big ideas—including glimpses of the numinous—without anything being dogmatic
* Layered or polysemous surprises
*An interesting blend of real science and the handwavium that allows for FTL and Psi, but examines the consequences of both.
This first entry into the Mageworld series can stand alone. It’s probably the most easily cinematic, and would in fact adapt instantly into a killer action movie, as Beka Rosselin-Metadi dons the dangerous disguise of Tarnekep Portree (a young Mandeynan dandy with a taste for violence and low company) to solve the mystery of her famous mother’s murder. Her father can’t solve it. He’s too well-known (as well as notorious), but he promises his ship to her if she finds out, and she leaves the bad guys of three worlds in shambles in the process.
It's got everything--action, humor, twists you see coming and look forward to, then there are the twists that you don't see coming, that cause you to go back and reread the series with a drastic change of perspective. There is even time travel, beautifully handled--so much so that when you've read the entire series and go back to the beginning, everything reads differently.
September 6, 2012
I read a very enthusiastic review of this series on a popular web site. Something in the review gave me the impression Debra Doyle was breaking new ground with these Mageworlds stories. Much of the science fiction I've read lately has been derivative, so I thought I'd try The Price of the Stars, the first book of the Mageworlds series. I'm disappointed to say there's nothing new here. What I read is essentially a Star Wars knockoff, a swashbuckling pirate story set in space. Only with less sex and flatter characters.
Apart from the ritual incantation of meaningless words like "hyperspace" and "cloaking devices" and "healing pods," there's no science at all. The characters,including the one gratuitous alien, a member of a saurian race of grumpy hunter-killers, are relentlessly human. Minus the interplanetary backdrop, there's nothing futuristic here ... people, society, and governments haven't changed a bit from the present day (even the communications devices seem little more advanced than cell phones).
The heroes waltz through interlacing beams of death rays with scarcely an injury (which in any case they can cure by hopping into the nearest healing pod), but of course every bad guy they point their blasters at dies instantly. Oh, and there are Jedis, only here they are called Adepts. The evil empire our heroes do battle with, the Mageworlds, turn out not to be alien at all, just some planets populated with other humans, only these humans have embraced the Dark Side. And they too go down before our merry band of space pirates.
Debra Doyle loves short chapters. The book is divided into brief chapters of four to five pages each, frequently when there's no structural reason for one chapter to end and another to start. Over and over, new chapters merely continue action started in previous chapters: the same characters in the same location doing the same things. It's mildly irritating, because you get to the middle of a blaster battle and suddenly there's a new chapter and you're expecting a change of scene or shift in perspective, but no, you're still in the middle of the same blaster battle. Debra, this is not why we have chapters.
I will give The Price of the Stars this: it's readable and there is a lot of action. It's rip-roaring space opera aimed at a young adult audience. But I was looking for something new, something a bit more adult, something to engage my imagination. There wasn't anything here for me.
Apart from the ritual incantation of meaningless words like "hyperspace" and "cloaking devices" and "healing pods," there's no science at all. The characters,including the one gratuitous alien, a member of a saurian race of grumpy hunter-killers, are relentlessly human. Minus the interplanetary backdrop, there's nothing futuristic here ... people, society, and governments haven't changed a bit from the present day (even the communications devices seem little more advanced than cell phones).
The heroes waltz through interlacing beams of death rays with scarcely an injury (which in any case they can cure by hopping into the nearest healing pod), but of course every bad guy they point their blasters at dies instantly. Oh, and there are Jedis, only here they are called Adepts. The evil empire our heroes do battle with, the Mageworlds, turn out not to be alien at all, just some planets populated with other humans, only these humans have embraced the Dark Side. And they too go down before our merry band of space pirates.
Debra Doyle loves short chapters. The book is divided into brief chapters of four to five pages each, frequently when there's no structural reason for one chapter to end and another to start. Over and over, new chapters merely continue action started in previous chapters: the same characters in the same location doing the same things. It's mildly irritating, because you get to the middle of a blaster battle and suddenly there's a new chapter and you're expecting a change of scene or shift in perspective, but no, you're still in the middle of the same blaster battle. Debra, this is not why we have chapters.
I will give The Price of the Stars this: it's readable and there is a lot of action. It's rip-roaring space opera aimed at a young adult audience. But I was looking for something new, something a bit more adult, something to engage my imagination. There wasn't anything here for me.
January 13, 2021
Well that was an exciting space adventure! It has been compared to Star Wars and I can see why (although I’ve only ever seen the films, not read the books). I don’t know if I’ll read the whole series but I’d definitely like to read the next in series. Strong female lead, great team work, plenty of action, plenty of bad guys! Great piece of escapism.
April 29, 2025
You don't have to squint very hard to see the Star Wars influence on this novel. There are Jedi (called adepts here) and they are even color-coded green for good guys and red for bad guys, there are capital ships shaped like triangles like the Star Destroyers in Star Wars, there is an alien species of lizards that are master hunters that are basically Trandoshans, and the main ship in the novel is basically the Millennium Falcon, complete with a couple of manned gun turrets just like in the movies.
Unlike a lot of Tolkien-inspired fantasy I have read, though, it doesn't feel like a complete rip-off. The plot is pretty original and, while you could certainly say that a character from the book acts in a capacity as a character from the movies, no one feels like a total copy personality-wise.
Over all, I actually really enjoyed this.
What stops me from loving it, however, are a couple of really stupid plot contrivances that took me right out of the story whenever they cropped up. The worst offender is the fact that the plot partially relies on the main character passing herself off as a man. She does this by putting on an eye-patch. Yes, that's all it takes for even her own brother to not recognize her. She could have put on a helmet like Leia did in Return of the Jedi, or use the hologram technology that they make abundantly clear exists and is super effective, or even gotten an Adept to work some power on her or people that look at her. But no, they went with a freaking eye patch.
There is also a part of the novel that involves a spear trap hidden in a wall that is required to move the plot along. There are no other traps in the building that the characters are in and, in a super high-tech world it's mind-boggling that a spear would be the trap choice they would go with. It just felt really random and very dumb.
Besides those problems, though, this was a fun and action-packed sci-fi novel and I'll probably continue with this series at some point.
Unlike a lot of Tolkien-inspired fantasy I have read, though, it doesn't feel like a complete rip-off. The plot is pretty original and, while you could certainly say that a character from the book acts in a capacity as a character from the movies, no one feels like a total copy personality-wise.
Over all, I actually really enjoyed this.
What stops me from loving it, however, are a couple of really stupid plot contrivances that took me right out of the story whenever they cropped up. The worst offender is the fact that the plot partially relies on the main character passing herself off as a man. She does this by putting on an eye-patch. Yes, that's all it takes for even her own brother to not recognize her. She could have put on a helmet like Leia did in Return of the Jedi, or use the hologram technology that they make abundantly clear exists and is super effective, or even gotten an Adept to work some power on her or people that look at her. But no, they went with a freaking eye patch.
There is also a part of the novel that involves a spear trap hidden in a wall that is required to move the plot along. There are no other traps in the building that the characters are in and, in a super high-tech world it's mind-boggling that a spear would be the trap choice they would go with. It just felt really random and very dumb.
Besides those problems, though, this was a fun and action-packed sci-fi novel and I'll probably continue with this series at some point.
October 23, 2014
this is the first book in a fun space adventure that is now up to 6 or 7 books, several of which are prequels. Two civilizations are at war & the heroine is the rebellious daughter of the leaders of one civilization. A little corny, but a lot of interesting ideas & non stop action.
June 15, 2014
Beka Rosselin-Metadi did not want the Iron Crown of Lost Entibor to be placed on her head, ever. She had seen the burdens politics placed on her mother. So, she fled her home in Galcen to enjoy the free life of a spaceship pilot.
But now, she is seeking those who hired the killers who assassinated her mother, The Domina, on the Senate floor. Her father will be searching , too, of course--but he is very well known due to his exploits in the MageWars. Beka is relatively unknown--so hopefully it will be easier for her to work undercover.
When Beka starts searching around, an attempt on her life is foiled by an enigmatic stranger, who gives his name as "The Professor". One of the most fascinating characters in Book I, he becomes her first ally. She soon enlists the help of her brothers, Ari and Owen; and two friends of Ari's from the space force--Nyls Jessan and Llannat Hyfid.
And we're off! Space battles; intrigues; alien worlds; blaster battles; exploding buildings and more! Fast, excting action; well paced and a decent plot. The characterization is also a bit above average for an action-driven novel.
At the end of book one, one of the persons responsible for Beka's mother's murder has been captured. But the other--D'Caer--has disappeared. and evidence shows that he has taken refuge in the MageWorlds!
The Galcen forces, led by Beks's father, had crushed the MageWorld's thoroughly thirty years ago. The Mages had been decimated by Galcen's Adept Guild. So why would anyone seek refuge in the war-ravaged MageWorlds?
So Beka is going undercover as a (somewhat disreputable) merchant captain. She will seek her enemy and try to gain intelligence on the intentions of the Mages'. And this sets the stage for Book II of the trilogy.....
Fast , exciting well written space adventure.Good plot; good characaterization and a few new twists. Highly recommended for the Sf adventure fans among readers.
But now, she is seeking those who hired the killers who assassinated her mother, The Domina, on the Senate floor. Her father will be searching , too, of course--but he is very well known due to his exploits in the MageWars. Beka is relatively unknown--so hopefully it will be easier for her to work undercover.
When Beka starts searching around, an attempt on her life is foiled by an enigmatic stranger, who gives his name as "The Professor". One of the most fascinating characters in Book I, he becomes her first ally. She soon enlists the help of her brothers, Ari and Owen; and two friends of Ari's from the space force--Nyls Jessan and Llannat Hyfid.
And we're off! Space battles; intrigues; alien worlds; blaster battles; exploding buildings and more! Fast, excting action; well paced and a decent plot. The characterization is also a bit above average for an action-driven novel.
At the end of book one, one of the persons responsible for Beka's mother's murder has been captured. But the other--D'Caer--has disappeared. and evidence shows that he has taken refuge in the MageWorlds!
The Galcen forces, led by Beks's father, had crushed the MageWorld's thoroughly thirty years ago. The Mages had been decimated by Galcen's Adept Guild. So why would anyone seek refuge in the war-ravaged MageWorlds?
So Beka is going undercover as a (somewhat disreputable) merchant captain. She will seek her enemy and try to gain intelligence on the intentions of the Mages'. And this sets the stage for Book II of the trilogy.....
Fast , exciting well written space adventure.Good plot; good characaterization and a few new twists. Highly recommended for the Sf adventure fans among readers.
December 29, 2021
A version originally posted at my blog: http://bookdaze.wordpress.com/2013/07...
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Firstly, it’s space opera. It’s a sub-genre I love (and I kind of feel that it’s seen as the non-trendy thing nowadays with very few new releases) so I’m thrilled that I discovered this series. There’s full-on adventure and non-stop action as Beka, her siblings, and their companions race around the galaxy and try to stay alive while figuring out who the bad guys are and getting their revenge. There’s a bit of romance, lots of derring-do, and even some old-fashioned sword and staff fights amidst the starship battles. And it’s not pure SF – there’s equal action there on the magic front with some rather sneaky Adepts.
It’s very much a ensemble cast-type of story – there are multiple POVs and subplots, but I was never lost. I didn’t really have a particular favourite amongst the many characters, so I was perfectly happy just going with the flow and jumping between the different storylines. Maybe that was a weakness, in the sense that no one character completely won my heart, but this style worked for me.
It’s not perfect writing, but the story’s immensely fun and doesn’t take itself too seriously. It is satisfying story-telling, and if certain things stand out as being too obvious, there are also some out-of-nowhere twists that left me blinking – and needing to know more. Having finished the final book of the trilogy, I love the way the authors set up certain things in the first book to come to fruition in the third. THE PRICE OF THE STARS works rather well as a standalone, but there is some good payoff if you stick with the series.
*************************
Firstly, it’s space opera. It’s a sub-genre I love (and I kind of feel that it’s seen as the non-trendy thing nowadays with very few new releases) so I’m thrilled that I discovered this series. There’s full-on adventure and non-stop action as Beka, her siblings, and their companions race around the galaxy and try to stay alive while figuring out who the bad guys are and getting their revenge. There’s a bit of romance, lots of derring-do, and even some old-fashioned sword and staff fights amidst the starship battles. And it’s not pure SF – there’s equal action there on the magic front with some rather sneaky Adepts.
It’s very much a ensemble cast-type of story – there are multiple POVs and subplots, but I was never lost. I didn’t really have a particular favourite amongst the many characters, so I was perfectly happy just going with the flow and jumping between the different storylines. Maybe that was a weakness, in the sense that no one character completely won my heart, but this style worked for me.
It’s not perfect writing, but the story’s immensely fun and doesn’t take itself too seriously. It is satisfying story-telling, and if certain things stand out as being too obvious, there are also some out-of-nowhere twists that left me blinking – and needing to know more. Having finished the final book of the trilogy, I love the way the authors set up certain things in the first book to come to fruition in the third. THE PRICE OF THE STARS works rather well as a standalone, but there is some good payoff if you stick with the series.
June 13, 2015
Think soap opera of manners. The Searchers in Space. A daughter seeks justice—or is it revenge?—for the murderers of her mother. Not epic space battles, but up-close-and-personal action. Well plotted and well told. Satisfying climax. See? It can be done. While the first of a series, this book gives the reader closure and hooks to further adventure.
Considering this book was first published in 1992, before microcircuits pervaded our society, Doyle wrote—as many SF authors failed—in a way which was largely technology neutral, therefore not making her stories instantly obsolete. Further, she got enough of the basic science right that the reader can stay in the story, not be jolted out by scientific non sequiturs.
Was on the verge of awarding a four star rating but was dissuaded by the number and intrusiveness of typographical errors in the manuscript. Odd periods dot the text. Enough homophones that one suspects the proofreader didn’t speak English as his first language.
Still a fun read. Enjoy.
Considering this book was first published in 1992, before microcircuits pervaded our society, Doyle wrote—as many SF authors failed—in a way which was largely technology neutral, therefore not making her stories instantly obsolete. Further, she got enough of the basic science right that the reader can stay in the story, not be jolted out by scientific non sequiturs.
Was on the verge of awarding a four star rating but was dissuaded by the number and intrusiveness of typographical errors in the manuscript. Odd periods dot the text. Enough homophones that one suspects the proofreader didn’t speak English as his first language.
Still a fun read. Enjoy.
November 24, 2016
I really enjoyed reading this adventure/science fiction story. This is the type of book that I lived for in high school and college. Nowadays I'm more about the romance. There was some of that but not til almost the end. Beka, also know as Captain Tarnekep Portree, is one tough woman. Her brothers are amazingly tough too. It makes sense that they are all so talented since their parents are world leaders. They are not typical royalty, that's for sure.
The story takes place in many worlds with many different types of humanoids. I liked the Salvaurs best. They are noble and strong. Ari, Jessan, and Llannat grew up with them. Beka was supposed to take her mother's place as Domina but instead she left to be a Captain. Lastly, Owen grew up to be an Adept.
The story takes place after the Mage Wars. The mages were horrible people who tried to keep the worlds in tyranny. With the help of the Professor, as Beka calls him, they were able to defeat the Mages. However, they aren't completely gone.
The story takes place in many worlds with many different types of humanoids. I liked the Salvaurs best. They are noble and strong. Ari, Jessan, and Llannat grew up with them. Beka was supposed to take her mother's place as Domina but instead she left to be a Captain. Lastly, Owen grew up to be an Adept.
The story takes place after the Mage Wars. The mages were horrible people who tried to keep the worlds in tyranny. With the help of the Professor, as Beka calls him, they were able to defeat the Mages. However, they aren't completely gone.
August 13, 2016
"Hello. My name is Beka 'Inigo Montoya' Rosselin-Metadi. You killed my mother. Prepare to die."
Beka has spent the past several years piloting around the galaxy and escaping her royal family obligations. But when her mother, the Domina, is assassinated, technically leaving her as the new Domina, she accepts a ship and an assignment from her general father to track down those responsible. She takes to the assignment with gusto, gathering help along the way that includes a mage, an adept, her brother(s), and a potential love interest.
There is plenty of swashbuckling action and a variety of worlds visited while Beka and her crew trace what happened to her mother, why, and who was responsible. She does get her culprits, but the ending leaves her with a continuation of her quest. I look forward to seeing what happens next.
Beka has spent the past several years piloting around the galaxy and escaping her royal family obligations. But when her mother, the Domina, is assassinated, technically leaving her as the new Domina, she accepts a ship and an assignment from her general father to track down those responsible. She takes to the assignment with gusto, gathering help along the way that includes a mage, an adept, her brother(s), and a potential love interest.
There is plenty of swashbuckling action and a variety of worlds visited while Beka and her crew trace what happened to her mother, why, and who was responsible. She does get her culprits, but the ending leaves her with a continuation of her quest. I look forward to seeing what happens next.
June 11, 2019
Sadly, some books do not survive the rosy glow of first reading. I read this series when I was in high school and recently asked my mother to send them to me so I could re-read them. I can recognize what I enjoyed about them, but reading them now, I didn't find them nearly as compelling as I did then. I found the story one-dimensional and the characters wooden. Hopefully the rest of the series adds some dimension to the characters, but I'm disappointed that I'm disappointed.
Admittedly, I finished this book feeling better about it and then picked up a masterwork by one of my favorite authors. This paled in comparison. I feel like I might have short-changed Price of the Stars because of it.
Admittedly, I finished this book feeling better about it and then picked up a masterwork by one of my favorite authors. This paled in comparison. I feel like I might have short-changed Price of the Stars because of it.
March 15, 2025
Starships, gunfights, masquerades, magic, hidden identities and a lot of back story waiting to be uncovered - I love this book and reread it regularly. Beka is an uneasy heroine for the reader, morally ambiguous at best, but the book the better for it. Because it is from 1992 this feels natural and not intentionally in keeping with the current hype of grey moral area. And there are other main characters more relatable than the volatile heroine - restful Lannat on her journey to her very own branch of magical greatness might be my favourite, and Jessan is certainly a character. The gunfights are very well written and the suspense immense. The changing points of view are well done. Great book, recommended as a prime example of the space opera genre.
May 9, 2019
My favorite genres (sci fi / space wars) normally don't include even a hint of magic or fantasy (except for Anne McCaffrey, of course.) However, this book manages to blend all of these effectively, and the follow-on book is on its way. The characters are well sketched out and very believable. Unlike some similar books, blood & gore is there but not prevalent, and I enjoyed the author's take on the starscapes and their inhabitants.
November 25, 2019
Thanks to Michelle for letting me borrow her PB copy of this. This was a fun space opera/adventure story centered around a team finding those behind an assassination. Overall it was OK. A little derivative and predictable at times but the action scenes were written well. There are Adepts/Magelords in this book and they are reminiscent of Jedi/Sith. The ending was satisfactory while at the same setting things up for sequels. I'm not sure I need to read any more in this series though.
August 18, 2018
3.5 stars
Lots of great action and I enjoyed the world-building. It is what I would expect from a great sci-fi. Having said that, I really wanted to see more depth in all the relationships. I would expect further exploration into the connections in the next books.
Lots of great action and I enjoyed the world-building. It is what I would expect from a great sci-fi. Having said that, I really wanted to see more depth in all the relationships. I would expect further exploration into the connections in the next books.
April 27, 2019
Good action packed space opera!
November 2, 2021
A fun space adventure with an interesting crew of characters. I really loved that the captain's alter-ego aka disguise was a man. I'm looking forward to reading more.
December 31, 2016
This was a fun little read to finish off the terrible year that was 2016. As I write this, Carrie Fisher, Princess Leia, died a couple days ago unexpectedly after suffering a heart attack, with her mom Debbie Reynolds dying the very next day of a stroke. Earlier this year Kenny Baker, who played R2D2 in Star Wars, also passed. (Which was just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to unexpected celebrity deaths this year.)
I made this because of that:
I started this book earlier in the month with of course no expectation that THE symbol of space opera feminism would soon be dead, especially considering this story is about a young woman of a royal space family setting out to avenge her mother's death in a thinly-veiled riff on Star Wars. I mean, come on.
Ignoring all the real-world weirdness -- the story itself is a fine adventure, competently told and well-structured. Like Mass Effect, Doyle and Macdonald have taken the basic elements of Star Wars and renamed them. Instead of Jedi and Sith here we have Adepts and Magelords. In Mass Effect instead of the Force they have Biotics. Here it's the universal connection everyone has. Even Babylon 5 played with these elements, with the Technomages. So for that I don't deduct any points.
My only real issue is that there wasn't a solid enough resolution to the story, and there is a scene that is nearly identical to the Obi-Wan/Darth Vader duel in Star Wars that was too on-the-nose derivative. Other than that, they did a decent job of keeping me interested. I never once was bored or thought it had gone on too long.
There is a bit of the cliche and stereotype here, though. The alien lizard guys suffer from the All Members of the Group are Identical problem that plagues much genre fiction. All Klingons are warriors. All dwarves are the same. And so on. But it's a minor thing.
One aspect I found interesting is that the cover accurately portrays the main character in her disguise. Not many artists do that. It's also interesting to note that this book was published the same year David Weber began his Honor Harrington series, and both share much in common. I wonder what was happening around 1990-91 to spark such similar stories? Although to be fair, the Weber stories are clearly more Horatio Hornblower In Space than the Mageworlds series is. Both sport gender-flipped protagonists, though. In this book Beka is clearly Han Solo and Prncess Leia melded into one badass pilot escaping from her privileged past. Even the description of her ship, the Warhammer, is similar to the Millennium Falcon.
Anyway, this was a fun little space adventure, with plenty of swashes getting buckled of do of the derring variety. Not super deep by any means, but sometimes one needs lighter fare.
I made this because of that:
I started this book earlier in the month with of course no expectation that THE symbol of space opera feminism would soon be dead, especially considering this story is about a young woman of a royal space family setting out to avenge her mother's death in a thinly-veiled riff on Star Wars. I mean, come on.
Ignoring all the real-world weirdness -- the story itself is a fine adventure, competently told and well-structured. Like Mass Effect, Doyle and Macdonald have taken the basic elements of Star Wars and renamed them. Instead of Jedi and Sith here we have Adepts and Magelords. In Mass Effect instead of the Force they have Biotics. Here it's the universal connection everyone has. Even Babylon 5 played with these elements, with the Technomages. So for that I don't deduct any points.
My only real issue is that there wasn't a solid enough resolution to the story, and there is a scene that is nearly identical to the Obi-Wan/Darth Vader duel in Star Wars that was too on-the-nose derivative. Other than that, they did a decent job of keeping me interested. I never once was bored or thought it had gone on too long.
There is a bit of the cliche and stereotype here, though. The alien lizard guys suffer from the All Members of the Group are Identical problem that plagues much genre fiction. All Klingons are warriors. All dwarves are the same. And so on. But it's a minor thing.
One aspect I found interesting is that the cover accurately portrays the main character in her disguise. Not many artists do that. It's also interesting to note that this book was published the same year David Weber began his Honor Harrington series, and both share much in common. I wonder what was happening around 1990-91 to spark such similar stories? Although to be fair, the Weber stories are clearly more Horatio Hornblower In Space than the Mageworlds series is. Both sport gender-flipped protagonists, though. In this book Beka is clearly Han Solo and Prncess Leia melded into one badass pilot escaping from her privileged past. Even the description of her ship, the Warhammer, is similar to the Millennium Falcon.
Anyway, this was a fun little space adventure, with plenty of swashes getting buckled of do of the derring variety. Not super deep by any means, but sometimes one needs lighter fare.
February 26, 2017
I liked the book and will surely continue with the series. And yet, I have to admit that it had quite a few limitations...
First of all, it relies too much on Star Wars archetypes and narrative tropes. It was the same with the early Fantasy writers, who felt they have to base their work on Lord of the Rings format; otherwise there will not be enough interest.
The book was first published in ’92 and it feels like that. The technology a bit too basic, but it could be easily overlooked, if not for the pace problems. The pace was so out of balance in the first half of the book: it skipped over weeks and months and places, without even flashbacks to cover the gaps. It became more logical at the second half, but at the same time the narrative got too slow and somewhat dragging.
Also the sudden change of POVs drove me crazy and at least 2 of the POVs were unnecessary for the plot and were dropped later. In the end I got used to the switches, but I wish it was formatted better.
The plot was nice as an opening for the series, I’m interested enough to read on. I do hope it gets more original as it goes. I liked the characters, but I wish they were developed better. Again I have much hope for the next book… The romance-lover in me wishes the relationships were places in a bit more spot lights, because the pairings are so cute. Both couples are adorable.
In overall - enjoyable Classic Space Opera with great cover art.
First of all, it relies too much on Star Wars archetypes and narrative tropes. It was the same with the early Fantasy writers, who felt they have to base their work on Lord of the Rings format; otherwise there will not be enough interest.
The book was first published in ’92 and it feels like that. The technology a bit too basic, but it could be easily overlooked, if not for the pace problems. The pace was so out of balance in the first half of the book: it skipped over weeks and months and places, without even flashbacks to cover the gaps. It became more logical at the second half, but at the same time the narrative got too slow and somewhat dragging.
Also the sudden change of POVs drove me crazy and at least 2 of the POVs were unnecessary for the plot and were dropped later. In the end I got used to the switches, but I wish it was formatted better.
The plot was nice as an opening for the series, I’m interested enough to read on. I do hope it gets more original as it goes. I liked the characters, but I wish they were developed better. Again I have much hope for the next book… The romance-lover in me wishes the relationships were places in a bit more spot lights, because the pairings are so cute. Both couples are adorable.
In overall - enjoyable Classic Space Opera with great cover art.
May 8, 2016
Macera dolu bir roman arıyorsanız doğru kitaba başladınız. Karakterler kolay tahmin edilebilir olsalar da macera hızlı ve akıcı. Tek yıldız kırıyor olmamın iki sebebi var.
Birincisi alıştığım bilim kurgular gibi değil. Yani Yıldız Savaşları sizin için bilim kurguysa bu da bilim kurgu, yok Yıldız Savaşları pek de bilim kurgu değilse bu da değil.
İkincisi de olaylar arasında kopukluklar var. Sanki öykülerin toplanmasıyla yazılmış gibi. Bu da hikayeden kopmaya sebep oluyor. Birden çok bakış açısı olması ve aralarında geçişlerin çok da belirgin olmaması kopuşu kolaylaştıran sebeplerden biri.
Genel olarak 4 yıldızdan da anlaşılacağı üzere beğendim. Ama TSR romanları havası olduğu için devamını okuyasım pek yok.
Birincisi alıştığım bilim kurgular gibi değil. Yani Yıldız Savaşları sizin için bilim kurguysa bu da bilim kurgu, yok Yıldız Savaşları pek de bilim kurgu değilse bu da değil.
İkincisi de olaylar arasında kopukluklar var. Sanki öykülerin toplanmasıyla yazılmış gibi. Bu da hikayeden kopmaya sebep oluyor. Birden çok bakış açısı olması ve aralarında geçişlerin çok da belirgin olmaması kopuşu kolaylaştıran sebeplerden biri.
Genel olarak 4 yıldızdan da anlaşılacağı üzere beğendim. Ama TSR romanları havası olduğu için devamını okuyasım pek yok.
July 6, 2009
After reading the reviews for this book, I went to my local used bookstore and found it sitting on a shelf. I decided then and there to give it a try and bought it. I was pleasantly surprised and found myself immersed in Debra Doyle's futuristic world from the first page.
(I made sure to go to the bookshop the next week and I was lucky to find the rest of the series. Yay me!)
Great sci-fi! Very recommended.
(I made sure to go to the bookshop the next week and I was lucky to find the rest of the series. Yay me!)
Great sci-fi! Very recommended.
decided-not-to-read
February 25, 2011It started out all right, but I kept getting distracted by the fact that the characters almost all thought of themselves by their full names (and not just in their introduction scenes). And when your last name is Rosselin-Metadi that's a bit much. Also it just wasn't keeping my interest. (And it probably doesn't help that I was spoiled for the events of later novels in the series.)
November 1, 2018
Theo opening paragraphs to this book are amazing.
I first read this book in the 1990s, not too long after it came out. It is one of my favorites and it remains so. Remarkable how lightly it wears its years.
I first read this book in the 1990s, not too long after it came out. It is one of my favorites and it remains so. Remarkable how lightly it wears its years.
April 14, 2014
This is Star Wars fanfiction, and I mean that in the best possible sense: the copyrighted details have been changed, but the same heart beats here.
March 10, 2021
Review from 2016's read:
If you know me, you’ll know there are many things that I’m weak against. I’ve actually listed them on this blog so many times that maybe I’ll just put it in the sidebar. But look at that cover. You think I could pass that up? Heck no! But did the story inside match the beauty of the cover?
Beka is doing her job as a regular spacer, happily blending into the public, moving some cargo for money, when someone happens to call her by her mother’s title. Hoping for a case of mistaken identity, Beka shrugs it off. But things are churning in Beka’s life that all revolve around that one interaction. Her mother is a strong political figure–a fierce contender on the floor, and a woman who was just assassinated.
Beka’s father, the highly decorated General Jos Metadi, offers her his personal ship for the names of the killers. Beka decides that with a little help, she can do one better. She’s going to get revenge.
So the story is a typical space opera mixed with a little Star Wars action. We follow a host of characters around the vast emptiness of space. There’s Beka and her partner known as The Professor; they spend most of their time dodging assassination attempts until Beka fakes her death through an amazingly genius plan. Ari and his companions, Nyls and Llannat; Ari and Nyls are part of the Space Force medical team while Llannat is an Adept, which is a different title for Jedi, basically. Then there’s Jos Metadi and his aid, and sometimes we get to see the perspective of the bad guys who are all shadowy and mysterious and… honestly, the cast was a little much. Some of the perspectives could have been cut and saved the book some length because their interactions did nothing except force the reader into knowing what they already knew.
The book itself is old. As for the story–despite the bad guys having their shadowy group meetings in the middle of the plot–it holds up since it’s first publication in 1992. Beka is a surprisingly fun and competent captain. The fact she fakes her death and passes as a young male mercenary through most of the book is so enjoyable! When her and Ari, her brother, cross paths after her supposed death, he doesn’t recognize her and the interaction is just so fun to read.
While Beka is somewhat fleshed out, the rest of the characters are cardboard. They’re straight-laced, boring, angry. All of them follow one thought process and there’s nothing special to set them apart. Beka is the only one who seems to have emotions, and she’s not afraid of flaunting them. She’s okay with being afraid! Totally refreshing in a heroine.
Unfortunately, for the length, the book was a little short on some details. For being the first in the series, once again here’s a series that expects you to understand it’s previous conflicts and background. The Mage Wars were a bloody time; we’re told that Magelords are powerful and scary, and highly advanced, but nothing is really fully explained. We even learn that an incredible Magelord is among the characters–a character who seemed completely impenetrable–and their death is sudden and pathetic. It paints Magelords in a completely different light than what the authors tried to impress. In fact, I was personally upset by this random death! It was completely uncalled for!
The story is padded with traveling, with conversations about the Mage Wars, and even plenty of typos. But crammed in between the jumps to hyperspace and lying low at the asteroid base, there’s quite a bit of action. None of it is fair–the good guys aim their blasters and the bad guys just fall down. The tension is nonexistent in every firefight. Whether they’re in space or on the ground, Beka and her crew always pull out a victory with ease.
If asked for a one-word review, it would pretty much boil down to: Typical. Still, look at that cover! Any sci-fi fan would enjoy having that cover in their collection!
If you know me, you’ll know there are many things that I’m weak against. I’ve actually listed them on this blog so many times that maybe I’ll just put it in the sidebar. But look at that cover. You think I could pass that up? Heck no! But did the story inside match the beauty of the cover?
Beka is doing her job as a regular spacer, happily blending into the public, moving some cargo for money, when someone happens to call her by her mother’s title. Hoping for a case of mistaken identity, Beka shrugs it off. But things are churning in Beka’s life that all revolve around that one interaction. Her mother is a strong political figure–a fierce contender on the floor, and a woman who was just assassinated.
Beka’s father, the highly decorated General Jos Metadi, offers her his personal ship for the names of the killers. Beka decides that with a little help, she can do one better. She’s going to get revenge.
So the story is a typical space opera mixed with a little Star Wars action. We follow a host of characters around the vast emptiness of space. There’s Beka and her partner known as The Professor; they spend most of their time dodging assassination attempts until Beka fakes her death through an amazingly genius plan. Ari and his companions, Nyls and Llannat; Ari and Nyls are part of the Space Force medical team while Llannat is an Adept, which is a different title for Jedi, basically. Then there’s Jos Metadi and his aid, and sometimes we get to see the perspective of the bad guys who are all shadowy and mysterious and… honestly, the cast was a little much. Some of the perspectives could have been cut and saved the book some length because their interactions did nothing except force the reader into knowing what they already knew.
The book itself is old. As for the story–despite the bad guys having their shadowy group meetings in the middle of the plot–it holds up since it’s first publication in 1992. Beka is a surprisingly fun and competent captain. The fact she fakes her death and passes as a young male mercenary through most of the book is so enjoyable! When her and Ari, her brother, cross paths after her supposed death, he doesn’t recognize her and the interaction is just so fun to read.
While Beka is somewhat fleshed out, the rest of the characters are cardboard. They’re straight-laced, boring, angry. All of them follow one thought process and there’s nothing special to set them apart. Beka is the only one who seems to have emotions, and she’s not afraid of flaunting them. She’s okay with being afraid! Totally refreshing in a heroine.
Unfortunately, for the length, the book was a little short on some details. For being the first in the series, once again here’s a series that expects you to understand it’s previous conflicts and background. The Mage Wars were a bloody time; we’re told that Magelords are powerful and scary, and highly advanced, but nothing is really fully explained. We even learn that an incredible Magelord is among the characters–a character who seemed completely impenetrable–and their death is sudden and pathetic. It paints Magelords in a completely different light than what the authors tried to impress. In fact, I was personally upset by this random death! It was completely uncalled for!
The story is padded with traveling, with conversations about the Mage Wars, and even plenty of typos. But crammed in between the jumps to hyperspace and lying low at the asteroid base, there’s quite a bit of action. None of it is fair–the good guys aim their blasters and the bad guys just fall down. The tension is nonexistent in every firefight. Whether they’re in space or on the ground, Beka and her crew always pull out a victory with ease.
If asked for a one-word review, it would pretty much boil down to: Typical. Still, look at that cover! Any sci-fi fan would enjoy having that cover in their collection!
August 12, 2021
4.6 Stars!
I gotta admit... I was literally looking for an alternative to Star Wars books. Something with a similar vibe, but with fresh new lore, different in-universe rules, etc....*
And as soon as I find it, it still sweeps me off the floor and surprises the hell out of me with its uniqueness and the fun world it creates.
I'm happy to report that the first book of the Mageworlds series certainly carves its own unique place in the genre, even when it shares many core aspects and themes that made Star Wars popular.
Let's just get it out of the way: it literally has "blasters". It has a literal disc-shaped freighter vessel used for combat. It even has a mysterious group of mage warriors who can manipulate minds and reality itself with energy. And yet... what it does with these and its own ideas is something I had never seen in any Star Wars story before.
So even as an avid fan of SW (or perhaps because of it?), I enjoyed the hell out of this story. Slowly but surely, the world makes a name out of itself, with unique races, history, and culture.
The characters and their struggles shine all throughout. Though it takes time for some of them to truly stand out, by the end they all come together into a well-oiled and endearing ensemble, and by the end you deeply care about every single one of them. That is the biggest triumph of this book, because it could have easily been just a vacuous action-packed summer blockbuster.
That is to say, it is also a triumph in terms of action scenes, one of my favorite parts of any book. The action here is spectacular. The focus is overly more on ground combat than ship combat (though there still is some of that). But there's a generous amount of firefights, hand-to-hand combat, and everything in between, and each of them is exhilarating. And there's chase scenes too! Oh my, the chase scenes. Soldiers on hoverbikes chasing each other at top speed while firing at each other, aircars zipping through skyscrapers to avoid getting shot down by fighter jets... it's like a wet dream for me, something that I have yet to even see in any sci-fi movie. 5 stars in terms of action, no doubt.
The book isn't perfect, though. There is an extended down-time from the action around the mid-point that serves its purpose in the story but felt like a bit of a slog... at least until the explosive climax that makes up for it. I also had a bit of a problem trying to differentiate some of the characters at first, but it went away once they stood out with their unique roles and traits.
So judging from the first book, I deresay this: even in a world over-saturated by Star Wars itself, and many wannabe franchises, Mageworlds stands its ground. While certainly inspired by it, it brings its own uniqueness by way of its universe, its endearing characters, and its fantastic action. And I for one couldn't be happier about it. Looking forward to see what Mageworlds brings on its second book, and hopefully beyond!
------
*Now, I'm very much aware that "Star Wars" encompasses an entire Expanded Universe that's at times very different from the main line canon. I just wanted to explore a new universe without baggage of any kind. And yes some people CAN argue that there are still valid options in SW books somewhere, but I just wanted a fling with someone else, okay? ;3
I gotta admit... I was literally looking for an alternative to Star Wars books. Something with a similar vibe, but with fresh new lore, different in-universe rules, etc....*
And as soon as I find it, it still sweeps me off the floor and surprises the hell out of me with its uniqueness and the fun world it creates.
I'm happy to report that the first book of the Mageworlds series certainly carves its own unique place in the genre, even when it shares many core aspects and themes that made Star Wars popular.
Let's just get it out of the way: it literally has "blasters". It has a literal disc-shaped freighter vessel used for combat. It even has a mysterious group of mage warriors who can manipulate minds and reality itself with energy. And yet... what it does with these and its own ideas is something I had never seen in any Star Wars story before.
So even as an avid fan of SW (or perhaps because of it?), I enjoyed the hell out of this story. Slowly but surely, the world makes a name out of itself, with unique races, history, and culture.
The characters and their struggles shine all throughout. Though it takes time for some of them to truly stand out, by the end they all come together into a well-oiled and endearing ensemble, and by the end you deeply care about every single one of them. That is the biggest triumph of this book, because it could have easily been just a vacuous action-packed summer blockbuster.
That is to say, it is also a triumph in terms of action scenes, one of my favorite parts of any book. The action here is spectacular. The focus is overly more on ground combat than ship combat (though there still is some of that). But there's a generous amount of firefights, hand-to-hand combat, and everything in between, and each of them is exhilarating. And there's chase scenes too! Oh my, the chase scenes. Soldiers on hoverbikes chasing each other at top speed while firing at each other, aircars zipping through skyscrapers to avoid getting shot down by fighter jets... it's like a wet dream for me, something that I have yet to even see in any sci-fi movie. 5 stars in terms of action, no doubt.
The book isn't perfect, though. There is an extended down-time from the action around the mid-point that serves its purpose in the story but felt like a bit of a slog... at least until the explosive climax that makes up for it. I also had a bit of a problem trying to differentiate some of the characters at first, but it went away once they stood out with their unique roles and traits.
So judging from the first book, I deresay this: even in a world over-saturated by Star Wars itself, and many wannabe franchises, Mageworlds stands its ground. While certainly inspired by it, it brings its own uniqueness by way of its universe, its endearing characters, and its fantastic action. And I for one couldn't be happier about it. Looking forward to see what Mageworlds brings on its second book, and hopefully beyond!
------
*Now, I'm very much aware that "Star Wars" encompasses an entire Expanded Universe that's at times very different from the main line canon. I just wanted to explore a new universe without baggage of any kind. And yes some people CAN argue that there are still valid options in SW books somewhere, but I just wanted a fling with someone else, okay? ;3
September 19, 2022
I don't know what the correct name for a group of Mary Sue's is (an annoyance of Mary Sue's?), but this book has it. All five protagonists turn out to be exceptional at whatever they put their hands to. There's the rebellious princess who's the best starship pilot around and happens to be a master of disguise and a crack shot with a blaster. There's the princess' brother, built like an NBA center who kills alien predators with his bare hands and also happens to be the best atmospheric pilot in the sector. There's the mysterious mentor who knows all the answers and turns out to be a wizard of incomparable power. There's the other wizard who just needs one bout of staff-to-staff training combat with the mentor to become a martial arts genius. There's even the random medic who gets recruited along the way, who happens to be royalty, and also a crack shot.
In addition, the book is structurally broken. The main antagonist doesn't even make an appearance until 3/4 of the way through the novel and never plays an active role in any of the plot. The plot twist at the end is that the heroes get betrayed by some random side character for reasons that are never explained.
Violence: PG-13
Sexuality: PG-13
Language: PG
In addition, the book is structurally broken. The main antagonist doesn't even make an appearance until 3/4 of the way through the novel and never plays an active role in any of the plot. The plot twist at the end is that the heroes get betrayed by some random side character for reasons that are never explained.
Violence: PG-13
Sexuality: PG-13
Language: PG
January 11, 2018
I wish like anything I could remember who recommended this delightful romp to me; they'd be getting a huge e-hug right about now.
The back-of-book blurb is dead-on accurate, and if that springboard to spacefaring adventure sounds up your alley, well, dive right in. What we have right here is some Grade A+ space opera: there's a whole planetful of lizardmen, dashes of shady political shenaniganery, chicks with blasters AND eyepatches (srsly that gloriously cheez-tastic cover does not disappoint), many swashes are buckled, and even a few jedi thrown in there. Derivative? Yeah, probably, but this takes the best part of some old-school action and mixes & serves it up right. Characters are fun to be around, and the plot is gloriously free of stupidity or gratuitously "gritty" just to sound cool. It's literary comfort food at its finest, with one star off only for .
The back-of-book blurb is dead-on accurate, and if that springboard to spacefaring adventure sounds up your alley, well, dive right in. What we have right here is some Grade A+ space opera: there's a whole planetful of lizardmen, dashes of shady political shenaniganery, chicks with blasters AND eyepatches (srsly that gloriously cheez-tastic cover does not disappoint), many swashes are buckled, and even a few jedi thrown in there. Derivative? Yeah, probably, but this takes the best part of some old-school action and mixes & serves it up right. Characters are fun to be around, and the plot is gloriously free of stupidity or gratuitously "gritty" just to sound cool. It's literary comfort food at its finest, with one star off only for .
September 5, 2018
Entertaining space opera, with fairly obvious Star Wars influence. If you're looking for something light and entertaining (think '80's action film), you'll probably enjoy it. If you're looking for something deep and thoughtful, go elsewhere.
This is one that I loved as a teenager, and decided to try again. Still good, though my tolerance for ridiculous action sequences is lower than it used to be. Crashing through a wall on a hoverbike? Really? Is the wall made of paper? Jumping over the wall I had less issue with. So, just dial down expectations on physics accuracy to "silly '80's action movie".
One note: the Kindle version was not well-edited. I'm guessing that they just scanned it in, and didn't bother to do much (any?) reformatting afterwards. There's the odd typo as a result, maybe one every 10-20 pages, and the line breaks that should be separating sections with different POVs are missing. Tolerable, but still annoying.
This is one that I loved as a teenager, and decided to try again. Still good, though my tolerance for ridiculous action sequences is lower than it used to be. Crashing through a wall on a hoverbike? Really? Is the wall made of paper? Jumping over the wall I had less issue with. So, just dial down expectations on physics accuracy to "silly '80's action movie".
One note: the Kindle version was not well-edited. I'm guessing that they just scanned it in, and didn't bother to do much (any?) reformatting afterwards. There's the odd typo as a result, maybe one every 10-20 pages, and the line breaks that should be separating sections with different POVs are missing. Tolerable, but still annoying.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 122 reviews