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Breaker of Empires #2
Restless Lightning
Richard Baker continues the adventures of Sikander North in Restless Lightning, the second book in his new military science fiction series Breaker of Empires.
Lieutenant Sikander North has avoided an outright court martial and finds himself assigned to a remote outpost in the crumbling, alien Tzoru Empire—where the navy sends trouble-makers to be forgotten. When Sikander finds himself in the middle of an alien uprising, he, once again, must do the impossible: smuggle an alien ambassador off-world, break a siege, and fight the irrational prejudice of his superior officers. The odds are against his success, and his choices could mean disgrace—or redemption.
Breaker of Empires
#1 Valiant Dust
Lieutenant Sikander North has avoided an outright court martial and finds himself assigned to a remote outpost in the crumbling, alien Tzoru Empire—where the navy sends trouble-makers to be forgotten. When Sikander finds himself in the middle of an alien uprising, he, once again, must do the impossible: smuggle an alien ambassador off-world, break a siege, and fight the irrational prejudice of his superior officers. The odds are against his success, and his choices could mean disgrace—or redemption.
Breaker of Empires
#1 Valiant Dust
432 pages, Hardcover
Published October 23, 2018
26 people are currently reading
91 people want to read
About the author
Richard Baker
84 books226 followersA best-selling author and award-winning game designer, Richard Baker is known for his novels in the Forgotten Realms setting and his work on the Dungeons & Dragons game. His Realms novels include Condemnation (book 3 of the War of the Spider Queen), the Last Mythal trilogy, and the Blades of the Moonsea trilogy. He is currently working on a new military-themed science fiction series centered on the character Sikander North; Valiant Dust, the first book in the new series, debuts in November 2017 from Tor Books.
A native of Ocean City, New Jersey, Rich graduated from Virginia Tech in 1988 and went on to serve as a surface warfare officer in the United States Navy. When he's not writing fantasy or science fiction, he works in game publishing. He's the founder of Sasquatch Game Studio, a small game company based in Auburn, Washington.
Rich currently resides in the Seattle area with his wife, Kim, and their daughters Alex and Hannah. His interests include gaming (naturally), history, hiking, racquetball, and the Philadelphia Phillies.
A native of Ocean City, New Jersey, Rich graduated from Virginia Tech in 1988 and went on to serve as a surface warfare officer in the United States Navy. When he's not writing fantasy or science fiction, he works in game publishing. He's the founder of Sasquatch Game Studio, a small game company based in Auburn, Washington.
Rich currently resides in the Seattle area with his wife, Kim, and their daughters Alex and Hannah. His interests include gaming (naturally), history, hiking, racquetball, and the Philadelphia Phillies.
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
September 24, 2018
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Tor/Forge for a digital galley of this novel.
I was granted access to a galley of this novel through NetGalley and decided to read the first book in the series, Valiant Dust, to have a firm foundation of knowledge before starting book two. I'm glad I made that decision.
Book two in this series was essentially the same as book one but with new characters. Four years have passed since the ending of Valiant Dust. Lieutenant Commander Sikander Singh North has served in several different posts but is still in the Commonwealth Navy, now serving a tour of duty on a different ship in the Navy's Helix Station. The Torzu people are ready to sign a new trade agreement with the Aquilan Commonwealth so Sikander and his commanding officer are on the planet to attend the signing ceremony. This was they first they knew about the unrest building among the inhabitants of this isolated planet.
As before there is another high ranking officer who hates Sikander and tries to make his life a misery. There is a war on the planet where Sikander breaks all kinds of military rules but this war is at least fought in a different way than the war in Valiant Dust. There is another woman for Sikander to be involved with. Once again Sikander leaves his personal security high and dry and gets into all kinds of scrapes his father would be anxious over.
The first and second books were just too much alike for this one to hold my interest. I will not be continuing on with this series.
I was granted access to a galley of this novel through NetGalley and decided to read the first book in the series, Valiant Dust, to have a firm foundation of knowledge before starting book two. I'm glad I made that decision.
Book two in this series was essentially the same as book one but with new characters. Four years have passed since the ending of Valiant Dust. Lieutenant Commander Sikander Singh North has served in several different posts but is still in the Commonwealth Navy, now serving a tour of duty on a different ship in the Navy's Helix Station. The Torzu people are ready to sign a new trade agreement with the Aquilan Commonwealth so Sikander and his commanding officer are on the planet to attend the signing ceremony. This was they first they knew about the unrest building among the inhabitants of this isolated planet.
As before there is another high ranking officer who hates Sikander and tries to make his life a misery. There is a war on the planet where Sikander breaks all kinds of military rules but this war is at least fought in a different way than the war in Valiant Dust. There is another woman for Sikander to be involved with. Once again Sikander leaves his personal security high and dry and gets into all kinds of scrapes his father would be anxious over.
The first and second books were just too much alike for this one to hold my interest. I will not be continuing on with this series.
September 26, 2018
*copy from Netgalley in exchange for a review*
Restless Lightning is the sequel to last year’s ‘Valiant Dust’, a military sci-fi story which took the time to explore some socio-cultural issues in between blowing stuff up. The sequel takes us to whole new worlds, but keeps that attachment to broader themes which made Valiant Dust so interesting. It’s happy to talk to you about life and love in a space navy, but it also wants to talk about cultural homogeneity, stasis, and the struggle to retain identity in the face of a cultural conquest. The story also, to be fair, wants to blow some stuff up.
Sikander North is still the protagonist – the scion of a rich and powerful family, but one whose world was recently appropriated into a cross-system federation relatively recently. Egalitarian as the Aquilan Federation claims to be, its members tend to come off as confident in their own superiority, and Sikander left to prove himself as not being a second-class citizen. This exploration of the idea that even the ‘good’ guys have their blind spots – so assured of their own truths that they don’t often question them – is welcome. It also lets us see Sikander, a son of privilege in the extreme, in a more positive light. As an outsider, he struggles against social and cultural expectations even from his own position, highlighting the woes of those below.
From a character standpoint, Sikander makes for an interesting protagonist. Alongside his difficulties integrating with an imposed culture lives a man who wants to do the right thing. A hero in the classic mould. If his relationship with his superiors is a complex, often tumultuous thing, his sense of right and wrong is not, or his sense of duty. Doing What’s Right has defined Sikander up to now, and it’s nice to see that extended here, even if there are consequences to be had, or indeed, different definitions of what’s right.
Which brings us to antagonists. I shan’t spoil it, but was immensely pleased to see time given to Sikander’s antagonist as a viewpoint. As an individual, they appear to be making difficult, painful choices, and even when some of them were awful, and others disagreeable, you could see the path taken to get there. In a different story, perhaps, the villain would become the hero. It’s a wonderfully nuanced portrayal of an individual acting within their own bounds to serve what they thing of as a necessary goal – as, after all, no-one is a villain in their own story. It’s here the text excels, giving us an antagonist wo is themselves thoughtful, idealistic and determined to do the right thing – by their own lights. The complexity is appreciated, and gives some added depth in between the compelling action sequences.
This is a story which asks questions of its readers. When is social and cultural capital a weapon? How far can you stretch soft-power? What are the ramifications of economic warfare, and can you push people far enough that they’re willing to act in their own worst interests just to make it stop? These are big questions, woven seamlessly into the narrative tapestry. There’s some answers floating around in there too, though I think as a whole the text embraces the show, not tell, philosophy.
That said, this isn’t entirely (or even mostly) a book of meetings about trade. There’s enough hull metal and big guns floating around to satisfy anybody. The space combat is there, and some of the ground action that kept the heart pumping in the previous novel. The blend of the stately dance of space warfare is tactically convincing and well realised; the infantry battles are visceral moments of violence entwined with adrenaline and blood.
It keeps you turning pages, that’s a fact. The characters definitely have the depth and complexity of real people, and they’re working against a well-drawn background to provide a masterful blend of politics, personal drama and hard-hitting military action which kept me looking at the next page, and the next, and the next. So yeah, if you need some more sci-fi military action, this continues to be a breakout series that is absolutely worthy of your attention.
Restless Lightning is the sequel to last year’s ‘Valiant Dust’, a military sci-fi story which took the time to explore some socio-cultural issues in between blowing stuff up. The sequel takes us to whole new worlds, but keeps that attachment to broader themes which made Valiant Dust so interesting. It’s happy to talk to you about life and love in a space navy, but it also wants to talk about cultural homogeneity, stasis, and the struggle to retain identity in the face of a cultural conquest. The story also, to be fair, wants to blow some stuff up.
Sikander North is still the protagonist – the scion of a rich and powerful family, but one whose world was recently appropriated into a cross-system federation relatively recently. Egalitarian as the Aquilan Federation claims to be, its members tend to come off as confident in their own superiority, and Sikander left to prove himself as not being a second-class citizen. This exploration of the idea that even the ‘good’ guys have their blind spots – so assured of their own truths that they don’t often question them – is welcome. It also lets us see Sikander, a son of privilege in the extreme, in a more positive light. As an outsider, he struggles against social and cultural expectations even from his own position, highlighting the woes of those below.
From a character standpoint, Sikander makes for an interesting protagonist. Alongside his difficulties integrating with an imposed culture lives a man who wants to do the right thing. A hero in the classic mould. If his relationship with his superiors is a complex, often tumultuous thing, his sense of right and wrong is not, or his sense of duty. Doing What’s Right has defined Sikander up to now, and it’s nice to see that extended here, even if there are consequences to be had, or indeed, different definitions of what’s right.
Which brings us to antagonists. I shan’t spoil it, but was immensely pleased to see time given to Sikander’s antagonist as a viewpoint. As an individual, they appear to be making difficult, painful choices, and even when some of them were awful, and others disagreeable, you could see the path taken to get there. In a different story, perhaps, the villain would become the hero. It’s a wonderfully nuanced portrayal of an individual acting within their own bounds to serve what they thing of as a necessary goal – as, after all, no-one is a villain in their own story. It’s here the text excels, giving us an antagonist wo is themselves thoughtful, idealistic and determined to do the right thing – by their own lights. The complexity is appreciated, and gives some added depth in between the compelling action sequences.
This is a story which asks questions of its readers. When is social and cultural capital a weapon? How far can you stretch soft-power? What are the ramifications of economic warfare, and can you push people far enough that they’re willing to act in their own worst interests just to make it stop? These are big questions, woven seamlessly into the narrative tapestry. There’s some answers floating around in there too, though I think as a whole the text embraces the show, not tell, philosophy.
That said, this isn’t entirely (or even mostly) a book of meetings about trade. There’s enough hull metal and big guns floating around to satisfy anybody. The space combat is there, and some of the ground action that kept the heart pumping in the previous novel. The blend of the stately dance of space warfare is tactically convincing and well realised; the infantry battles are visceral moments of violence entwined with adrenaline and blood.
It keeps you turning pages, that’s a fact. The characters definitely have the depth and complexity of real people, and they’re working against a well-drawn background to provide a masterful blend of politics, personal drama and hard-hitting military action which kept me looking at the next page, and the next, and the next. So yeah, if you need some more sci-fi military action, this continues to be a breakout series that is absolutely worthy of your attention.
October 29, 2019
Baker has taken the stakes and tension of Valiant Dust and cranked it up by 20 for Restless Lightning. What might at first might seem like a space opera with military sci fi elements evolves throughout the book through diplomacy and war, with themes of xenophobia, tradition, and colonialism explored from different facets.
The colonialism aspect, when seen through Sikander's experiences in his colonized home, strikes a chord in me. He is from Kashmir, the colonial jewel of the Aquilan Commonwealth, yet he serves in the navy for the nation that brought in his homeworld under their rule, and tries his best to serve with distinction, even while he has some adjustment issues.
Being from Puerto Rico, which is a colony of the United States, I have many friends and some family members who serve or have served in the armed forces of the US, with honor and distinction, even though they are the power that holds PR under a complex colonial rule. It might seem like a contradiction of sorts, but it is commonplace within US territories and not just limited to PR.
Baker treads this topic through the viewpoint of the characters, writing their prejudices and their revelations with a subtle touch, and tailors the opinions of them according to what their position is within the colonial spectrum. Also, the relationship with the Tzoru demonstrates an interesting exposition of economic colonialism and how even large nations can be subjected to it, as well as the effects it can have on society and culture.
There was a lot to unpack there, yet Baker keeps it subtle enough to keep the story going, but detailed enough for one to pick up the subtext.
Apart from that, the story was a hell of a lot of fun to read, the twists were interesting, the action intense, and I enjoyed seeing Sikander grow.
I also appreciated that Lara had a lot of agency in how the story turned out.
All in all, the novel was even better than the first one. I finished it and wanted to continue reading about Sikander and friends, which means that Baker nailed it.
I am happy that there is a third one to be released soon.
The colonialism aspect, when seen through Sikander's experiences in his colonized home, strikes a chord in me. He is from Kashmir, the colonial jewel of the Aquilan Commonwealth, yet he serves in the navy for the nation that brought in his homeworld under their rule, and tries his best to serve with distinction, even while he has some adjustment issues.
Being from Puerto Rico, which is a colony of the United States, I have many friends and some family members who serve or have served in the armed forces of the US, with honor and distinction, even though they are the power that holds PR under a complex colonial rule. It might seem like a contradiction of sorts, but it is commonplace within US territories and not just limited to PR.
Baker treads this topic through the viewpoint of the characters, writing their prejudices and their revelations with a subtle touch, and tailors the opinions of them according to what their position is within the colonial spectrum. Also, the relationship with the Tzoru demonstrates an interesting exposition of economic colonialism and how even large nations can be subjected to it, as well as the effects it can have on society and culture.
There was a lot to unpack there, yet Baker keeps it subtle enough to keep the story going, but detailed enough for one to pick up the subtext.
Apart from that, the story was a hell of a lot of fun to read, the twists were interesting, the action intense, and I enjoyed seeing Sikander grow.
I also appreciated that Lara had a lot of agency in how the story turned out.
All in all, the novel was even better than the first one. I finished it and wanted to continue reading about Sikander and friends, which means that Baker nailed it.
I am happy that there is a third one to be released soon.
October 22, 2018
"Restless Lightning" eBook was published in 2018 and was written by Richard Baker (https://richardbakerauthor.com/). Mr. Baker has published more than ten novels. This is the second novel in his "Breakers of Empire" series.
I received an ARC of this novel through https://www.netgalley.com in return for a fair and honest review. I categorize this novel as ‘R’ because it contains scenes of Violence and Mature Situations. The story is set in the far future. The primary character is Lieutenant Sikander North of the Commonwealth Navy.
A little time has passed since North's first adventures in "Valiant Dust". Now he has been sent to the alien Tzoru Empire. He takes the opportunity while planetside to rekindle the flame with Dr. Duston. While on the surface he is inadvertently drawn into a rebellion that no one saw coming. In the resulting conflict, he finds himself in danger time and again. He also finds himself working with and dependent on Dremish forces that only a short time ago he was battling with.
I thoroughly enjoyed the 11.5 hours I spent reading this 432-page science fiction tale. This novel is a mix of political intrigue, space vessel combat, and heavily armed combat on the surface. I generally like the character of North, but he is not your perfect hero. I like this series. It reminds me of the "Honor Harrington" novels. I think the cover art is OK. I give this novel a 5 out of 5.
Further book reviews I have written can be accessed at https://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/.
I received an ARC of this novel through https://www.netgalley.com in return for a fair and honest review. I categorize this novel as ‘R’ because it contains scenes of Violence and Mature Situations. The story is set in the far future. The primary character is Lieutenant Sikander North of the Commonwealth Navy.
A little time has passed since North's first adventures in "Valiant Dust". Now he has been sent to the alien Tzoru Empire. He takes the opportunity while planetside to rekindle the flame with Dr. Duston. While on the surface he is inadvertently drawn into a rebellion that no one saw coming. In the resulting conflict, he finds himself in danger time and again. He also finds himself working with and dependent on Dremish forces that only a short time ago he was battling with.
I thoroughly enjoyed the 11.5 hours I spent reading this 432-page science fiction tale. This novel is a mix of political intrigue, space vessel combat, and heavily armed combat on the surface. I generally like the character of North, but he is not your perfect hero. I like this series. It reminds me of the "Honor Harrington" novels. I think the cover art is OK. I give this novel a 5 out of 5.
Further book reviews I have written can be accessed at https://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/.
October 6, 2018
I did not read the first book in the series and had a hard time getting into this one. I do like the world premise. The Aquilan Commonwealth comes to Torzu to sign a trade agreement . While there a civil war is brewing. They have some legitimate concerns since it seems the ruling council of Torzu is selling their museum pieces to wealthy humans. We see both sides of the story and I tended to cheer more for the Torzu, mainly because the humans had few redeeming qualities
Sikander is an intelligence officer from a well to do family. He has his own valet/bodyguard that he tries to avoid. His position should have taught him responsibility not running away from his bodyguard to go get laid. He seems to have a superior officer that loathes him, yet it is hard to be sympathetic toward Sikander even though the author expects us to due to the unfairness of the treatment. I understand Sikand wants to do the right thing but he goes about it in such bad ways that of course he gets into trouble. He is a Captain Kirk want to be without the charm or smarts ( maybe he needs a Vulcan sidekick).
Also the colonialism attitude of the Aquilan Commonwealth, although probably a true representation if we were in their shoes, its tiresome and again, why do we care about them.
The writing is good and the action is constant, character likability is lacking.
Sikander is an intelligence officer from a well to do family. He has his own valet/bodyguard that he tries to avoid. His position should have taught him responsibility not running away from his bodyguard to go get laid. He seems to have a superior officer that loathes him, yet it is hard to be sympathetic toward Sikander even though the author expects us to due to the unfairness of the treatment. I understand Sikand wants to do the right thing but he goes about it in such bad ways that of course he gets into trouble. He is a Captain Kirk want to be without the charm or smarts ( maybe he needs a Vulcan sidekick).
Also the colonialism attitude of the Aquilan Commonwealth, although probably a true representation if we were in their shoes, its tiresome and again, why do we care about them.
The writing is good and the action is constant, character likability is lacking.
May 29, 2019
This is the second book in the Breaker of Empires military science fiction series. I enjoyed the first book in the series ("Valiant Dust") quite a bit, and enjoyed this second installment quite a bit more. The central character, Sikander North, continues to be likable; the plot and action held my attention throughout; I liked the depiction of the Tzoru aliens; and this book's romance thread, while slight, added to the book instead of detracting from it.
In many ways, both this book and the preceding entry are standard military science fiction. But their exploration of the fallout from contact between cultures with different mindsets and different levels of technology is thoughtful, and that's a topic I find both important and interesting. While this is not a groundbreaking book, it is a good one. I have already pre-ordered the third book in the series. Recommended (though I would advise starting with book one).
In many ways, both this book and the preceding entry are standard military science fiction. But their exploration of the fallout from contact between cultures with different mindsets and different levels of technology is thoughtful, and that's a topic I find both important and interesting. While this is not a groundbreaking book, it is a good one. I have already pre-ordered the third book in the series. Recommended (though I would advise starting with book one).
November 15, 2018
A decade after the adventure in Valiant Dust (hard) , Lieutenant Commander Sikander North is assigned as the intelligence officer on the commonwealth ship Exeter. He’s part of a diplomatic fleet to the ancient alien Tzoru Empire. Like ancient China in the 19th century, technology has passed by the Tzoru, Even though they were the ancient astronauts that visited Sargon, now they are a technologically a good century behind. Politics lets an anti-alien philosophy loose. Richard Baker tries hard to put Skiander’s Restless Lightning (hard from Tor) to use, and puts him in a number of dangerous situations with his researcher friend Lara, but he is not in charge of what is a far bigger story. I still will eagerly read the next adventure. Review printed by Philadelphia Free Press
January 8, 2019
Lieutenant Sikander North finds himself on what is described as a minor backwater planet, far from the heart of the Aquilan Commonwealth, after having just escaped a full court martial for the events in Book One.
Looks to be a fairly boring assignment, even though in Book Two Sikander is dealing for the first time with a conquered alien race on this colonial world. (Yes, he was dealing with colonials in Book One but everyone in Book One was human.)
Except, woops, the alien natives are restless and the Aquilans, for the most part, are oblivious!
Once again trouble finds Sikander (nickname Sikay) and he must use all his wits, courage, and luck to both survive and save the aliens as well as his Aquilan Commonwealth!
Looks to be a fairly boring assignment, even though in Book Two Sikander is dealing for the first time with a conquered alien race on this colonial world. (Yes, he was dealing with colonials in Book One but everyone in Book One was human.)
Except, woops, the alien natives are restless and the Aquilans, for the most part, are oblivious!
Once again trouble finds Sikander (nickname Sikay) and he must use all his wits, courage, and luck to both survive and save the aliens as well as his Aquilan Commonwealth!
November 24, 2018
I liked it, but...
Restless Lightning is a decent book for what it is, and met my expectations. However, the aliens just weren’t very alien. More like imperial China mixed in with some modified Indian culture. The plot was basically European imperialism in the Western Hemisphere moved to another planet. I was hoping for more.
Restless Lightning is a decent book for what it is, and met my expectations. However, the aliens just weren’t very alien. More like imperial China mixed in with some modified Indian culture. The plot was basically European imperialism in the Western Hemisphere moved to another planet. I was hoping for more.
July 20, 2020
I liked this one better than the first in the series. More character development as well as fleshing out a secondary character from the first book really made me invest in the people. This book has substantially more political intrigue compared to Valiant Dust. However the alien culture introduced was interesting and as derivative as most authors in this genre create.
February 19, 2023
Again, probably like 3.5 stars for me. The series does some interesting things with colonialism and the pressures that contact between cultures brings. Sikander is a bit of a Gary Stu who rushes headlong into things without thinking through the consequences. Overall though I enjoy the naval setting and the books are pretty decent.
December 7, 2018
A well crafted book
I liked this book! This is even better than the first book of the series. Anyone reading this novel with a love of history will find the setting familiar. Can’t wait for the next one.
I liked this book! This is even better than the first book of the series. Anyone reading this novel with a love of history will find the setting familiar. Can’t wait for the next one.
January 31, 2022
Good scifi story about future where alliance of humans and a few other aliens run up against a much older and non flexible older race. Book has some starship battles. Plot is well developed. I enjoyed book
December 24, 2023
A very boys own paper space opera version of the Boxer Rebellion, it is always annoying when you feel smarter than the main characters. This second Sikander North book is a rather big letdown from its predecessor.
November 13, 2018
Well written, smart military sf.
February 23, 2019
This is a good follow up to the previous novel.
May 22, 2019
This is a good read and expands the story into a different area and with a different slant. Worth reading and worth continuing.
May 22, 2019
For military SciFi, this wasn't bad. However, the plot suggested a romantic outcome to the story that just fell flat with a "see ya - nice to know ya" kind of finale that left me disappointed.
May 27, 2019
Recommended.
Review posted at Tzer Island book blog:
http://www.tzerisland.com/bookblog/20...
Review posted at Tzer Island book blog:
http://www.tzerisland.com/bookblog/20...
July 23, 2019
4.5
Quite a light read, and entertaining.
Quite a light read, and entertaining.
September 13, 2019
I really enjoyed this book. I liked the character development from book one and I look forward to reading book 3 when it comes out.
November 24, 2019
After finishing book 2, I found so little difference in characters in this book that I stopped after 50 pages. I could not recommend this series.
August 16, 2020
If you like the genre, this trilogy is reasonable without being great. It's worth reading one time and not again.
September 5, 2022
In the second book in this series, again it seems to parallel a historical event. This time it reads to me like the Siege at Peking in 1900.
April 5, 2020
baker has put together a very complex story line that can, at times, be very difficult to follow. Using made up names and terms for alien clans, customs, etc. is disorienting. Sikander is not a typical actin hero but he manages to get the job done, utilizing his bodyguard and anyone else available.
October 15, 2018
Restless Lightning by a Richard Baker 3 stars
This is the second book in a series featuring Sikander North. I did not read the first book Valiant Dust. This is a military sci-fi novel focused on a single protagonist and his trials and tribulations. I think the gold standard for military sci-fi is David Weber's Honor Harrington series, this is nowhere near it. There are some good points. North is a thoughtful officer,but brave and decisive when the situation needs it. He has his enemies, mainly because he a citizen of a conquered planet. He got into some trouble at the military academy for it and his enemies and detractors are influential. again I am reminded of the early Honor Harrington novels. But i got bogged down during the chapters where it was showing the alien point of view. I had a hard time finishing this and I don't think I will trying to find Valiant Dust.
This is the second book in a series featuring Sikander North. I did not read the first book Valiant Dust. This is a military sci-fi novel focused on a single protagonist and his trials and tribulations. I think the gold standard for military sci-fi is David Weber's Honor Harrington series, this is nowhere near it. There are some good points. North is a thoughtful officer,but brave and decisive when the situation needs it. He has his enemies, mainly because he a citizen of a conquered planet. He got into some trouble at the military academy for it and his enemies and detractors are influential. again I am reminded of the early Honor Harrington novels. But i got bogged down during the chapters where it was showing the alien point of view. I had a hard time finishing this and I don't think I will trying to find Valiant Dust.
February 2, 2019
This book reminded me of the Die Hard movies. The hero is constantly having to save someone...or even himself...from an ugly situation. He has family that is important to his background and a love interest to keep him human. Every where he goes, he finds himself with a dilemma and always manages to make the right decision, even if he takes the long way around to reach it. Good read.
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews