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Exile #1
Exile
A shackled Earth, ruled by an unstoppable tyrant
An exiled son, and a one-way trip across the galaxy
A perfect world, their last hope for survival
Vice Admiral Isaac Gallant is the heir apparent to the First Admiral, the dictator of the Confederacy of Humanity. Unwilling to let his mother's tyranny stand, he joins the rebellion and leads his ships into war against the might of his own nation.
Betrayal and failure, however, see Isaac Gallant and his allies captured. Rather than execute her only son, the First Admiral instead decides to exile them, flinging four million dissidents and rebels through a one-shot wormhole to the other end of the galaxy.
There, Isaac finds himself forced to keep order and peace as they seek out a new home without becoming the very dictator he fought against--and when that new home turns out to be too perfect to be true, he and his fellow exiles must decide how hard they are prepared to fight for paradise...against the very people who built it.
An exiled son, and a one-way trip across the galaxy
A perfect world, their last hope for survival
Vice Admiral Isaac Gallant is the heir apparent to the First Admiral, the dictator of the Confederacy of Humanity. Unwilling to let his mother's tyranny stand, he joins the rebellion and leads his ships into war against the might of his own nation.
Betrayal and failure, however, see Isaac Gallant and his allies captured. Rather than execute her only son, the First Admiral instead decides to exile them, flinging four million dissidents and rebels through a one-shot wormhole to the other end of the galaxy.
There, Isaac finds himself forced to keep order and peace as they seek out a new home without becoming the very dictator he fought against--and when that new home turns out to be too perfect to be true, he and his fellow exiles must decide how hard they are prepared to fight for paradise...against the very people who built it.
369 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 17, 2018
986 people are currently reading
2234 people want to read
About the author
Glynn Stewart
115 books1,749 followersGlynn Stewart is the author of over 60 books, including Starship’s Mage, a bestselling science fiction and fantasy series where faster-than-light travel is possible–but only because of magic.
Writing managed to liberate Glynn from a bleak future as an accountant. With his personality and hope for a high-tech future intact, he lives in Southern Ontario with his partner, their cats, and an unstoppable writing habit.
Writing managed to liberate Glynn from a bleak future as an accountant. With his personality and hope for a high-tech future intact, he lives in Southern Ontario with his partner, their cats, and an unstoppable writing habit.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 108 reviews
May 18, 2018
This ARC was provided by the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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Exile starts in the middle of a revolution started by Admiral Gallant against the dictatorial regime/the Confederacy run by his mother. The revolution fails and Admiral Gallant. along with his revolutionaries and anyone who so much as hints at disagreeing with his mother's Confederacy, is banished to a system away from the reaches of the Confederacy. There, the Admiral must start a civilisation made up for revolutionaries and dissidents from scratch using the materials they brought with them and come face to face with the realisation that their new world, Exilium, is not what it seems.
I really, really enjoyed this book. Admiral Gallant pulled me in from the first mention of his name in the blurb. An Admiral opposing his own mother's regime on moral grounds and orchestrating a revolution to free his people, featuring a space fleet and exile into the unknown reaches of the universe? Yes, please!
The best way to review this book is to address it in parts, as the events in it progress. The book starts with the revolution reaching its climax, and it is very well executed. We follow the perspective of Gallant and other leaders of the revolution. I liked the variety of characters. An actress popular across several planets working undercover as the main organiser of a revolution, an Admiral opposing his own mother, along with all the supporters of their cause, made for a decent-sized cast. I had a little problem with the portrayal of Admiral Gallant's mother. She was ruthless and cruel, all in the name of protecting the Confederacy. However, despite all this, she did not kill any of the revolutionaries and instead exiled them to a system far enough away to ensure no future encounters with the Confederacy along with colony ships and a small military escort. That seemed a little merciful to me, despite the constant reveals of the lack of firepower or supplies she provided to Gallant's exiled people. This was a small problem I had with this part of the book, but it certainly did not detract from the overall plot.
The next part involved starting a civilisation from scratch on a completely new planet. I really enjoyed the way all sorts of little and big problems arose during this part. They were all handled and shown very well. I was hoping to see a little more of space pirates (because that's cool). Things picked up again when the first signs of terraforming were detected on the planet. This part was very exciting to read about.
The last bit would be a spoiler but let's just say that I didn't think I would ever enjoy READING about space battles but this book definitely proved me wrong.
I wish the characters were developed a little bit more, but the main cast definitely was. I especially enjoyed the contrast between Admiral Gallant and Father James' personalities and found it interesting how their pacifist and militaristic tendencies clashed but stemmed from the same desire to ensure the survival of Exilium's people.
The aliens in this book were advanced and quite mysterious. I don't know if a second book is planned after this, but the ending certainly leaves room for one.
The writing was simple and to the point. No purple prose or anything unnecessary like that, a breath of fresh air from the fantasy series I'd been reading earlier. That said, the technology was explained in just the right amount. There was no info-dumping involved and the author did not treat his readers like idiots. I thoroughly enjoyed working through the slightly more technical passages, they definitely kept me hooked and did not at any point bore me.
The pacing was another plus point. This book is only 310 pages or so and yet it managed to fit so much into it without anything feeling rushed or incomplete.
Overall, I really enjoyed this read and will definitely check out other works by this author.
Rating: 4.5/5 stars
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Short review on Litsy
ARC provided by publisher and NetGalley.
I really enjoyed this book and will be checking out other works by this author, The main characters were well-developed and their motivations were shown very well.
I was surprised to find myself enjoying the space battles. The aliens were well thought-out and quite mysterious. The pacing was impeccable. There was no info-dumping and the technical passages were not boring at all.
Overall rating: 4.5/5 stars
---
Exile starts in the middle of a revolution started by Admiral Gallant against the dictatorial regime/the Confederacy run by his mother. The revolution fails and Admiral Gallant. along with his revolutionaries and anyone who so much as hints at disagreeing with his mother's Confederacy, is banished to a system away from the reaches of the Confederacy. There, the Admiral must start a civilisation made up for revolutionaries and dissidents from scratch using the materials they brought with them and come face to face with the realisation that their new world, Exilium, is not what it seems.
I really, really enjoyed this book. Admiral Gallant pulled me in from the first mention of his name in the blurb. An Admiral opposing his own mother's regime on moral grounds and orchestrating a revolution to free his people, featuring a space fleet and exile into the unknown reaches of the universe? Yes, please!
The best way to review this book is to address it in parts, as the events in it progress. The book starts with the revolution reaching its climax, and it is very well executed. We follow the perspective of Gallant and other leaders of the revolution. I liked the variety of characters. An actress popular across several planets working undercover as the main organiser of a revolution, an Admiral opposing his own mother, along with all the supporters of their cause, made for a decent-sized cast. I had a little problem with the portrayal of Admiral Gallant's mother. She was ruthless and cruel, all in the name of protecting the Confederacy. However, despite all this, she did not kill any of the revolutionaries and instead exiled them to a system far enough away to ensure no future encounters with the Confederacy along with colony ships and a small military escort. That seemed a little merciful to me, despite the constant reveals of the lack of firepower or supplies she provided to Gallant's exiled people. This was a small problem I had with this part of the book, but it certainly did not detract from the overall plot.
The next part involved starting a civilisation from scratch on a completely new planet. I really enjoyed the way all sorts of little and big problems arose during this part. They were all handled and shown very well. I was hoping to see a little more of space pirates (because that's cool). Things picked up again when the first signs of terraforming were detected on the planet. This part was very exciting to read about.
The last bit would be a spoiler but let's just say that I didn't think I would ever enjoy READING about space battles but this book definitely proved me wrong.
I wish the characters were developed a little bit more, but the main cast definitely was. I especially enjoyed the contrast between Admiral Gallant and Father James' personalities and found it interesting how their pacifist and militaristic tendencies clashed but stemmed from the same desire to ensure the survival of Exilium's people.
The aliens in this book were advanced and quite mysterious. I don't know if a second book is planned after this, but the ending certainly leaves room for one.
The writing was simple and to the point. No purple prose or anything unnecessary like that, a breath of fresh air from the fantasy series I'd been reading earlier. That said, the technology was explained in just the right amount. There was no info-dumping involved and the author did not treat his readers like idiots. I thoroughly enjoyed working through the slightly more technical passages, they definitely kept me hooked and did not at any point bore me.
The pacing was another plus point. This book is only 310 pages or so and yet it managed to fit so much into it without anything feeling rushed or incomplete.
Overall, I really enjoyed this read and will definitely check out other works by this author.
Rating: 4.5/5 stars
---
Short review on Litsy
ARC provided by publisher and NetGalley.
I really enjoyed this book and will be checking out other works by this author, The main characters were well-developed and their motivations were shown very well.
I was surprised to find myself enjoying the space battles. The aliens were well thought-out and quite mysterious. The pacing was impeccable. There was no info-dumping and the technical passages were not boring at all.
Overall rating: 4.5/5 stars
June 2, 2020
Fun but thin
The series direction looks interesting. Alien created AI's, pre-terraformed planets, deprived of key technological data and killer AI's is a heady mix.The exiles are in a bad way and the plot seems ready to explode with all sorts of possibility.
The flat characters don't really make the most of it. Christians? make up all of the religious portion of the population? A pacifist priest automatically wants to reduce the navy budget, even when it doesn't impact on the resource availability for civilian development. At least have him spout that a god will defend humanity, trapped 70,000 light years from aid in an unexplored section of the galaxy.
The writer doesn't usually generate characters on autopilot but it could still be interesting. The trouble with these thin characters in the first book of a series, is that it's difficult to give them depth later without almost creating new personalities for them, generating a believable backstory for all major characters that doesn't clash with decisions already made, etc.
The series direction looks interesting. Alien created AI's, pre-terraformed planets, deprived of key technological data and killer AI's is a heady mix.The exiles are in a bad way and the plot seems ready to explode with all sorts of possibility.
The flat characters don't really make the most of it. Christians? make up all of the religious portion of the population? A pacifist priest automatically wants to reduce the navy budget, even when it doesn't impact on the resource availability for civilian development. At least have him spout that a god will defend humanity, trapped 70,000 light years from aid in an unexplored section of the galaxy.
The writer doesn't usually generate characters on autopilot but it could still be interesting. The trouble with these thin characters in the first book of a series, is that it's difficult to give them depth later without almost creating new personalities for them, generating a believable backstory for all major characters that doesn't clash with decisions already made, etc.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 2, 2018
3+
This was absolutely a space opera. There were times when I thought the descriptions of the logistics of forcibly sending 4 million colonists across the galaxy with no way for them to return went on a bit too long.
That said it was a good foundation for what could be an excellent, character driven series.
And I would happily listen to J.D. Jackson read a phone book.
This was absolutely a space opera. There were times when I thought the descriptions of the logistics of forcibly sending 4 million colonists across the galaxy with no way for them to return went on a bit too long.
That said it was a good foundation for what could be an excellent, character driven series.
And I would happily listen to J.D. Jackson read a phone book.
April 30, 2024
Battlestar Exile
Exile’s premise is ridiculous: an iron-fisted dictator unwilling to execute her traitorous son, instead banishing him, his rebel battlefleet and four million other political dissidents to the other side of the galaxy. I’m willing to suspend disbelief for this brittle foundation, because the author has decided to rewrite Battlestar Galactica. Elevating a beloved series from the shackles of TV drama, the author focuses on grand strategy and resettles millions. With the unlimited budget of the written word, a nation rises from the ashes while defending itself from the unknown.
The author is at his best when charting the course of history rather than documenting an individual’s life journey. When presented with the opportunity to focus on six months of interstellar travel, couped up with unruly, seditious migrants lacking pre-existing organizations, the author wisely chose to handwave the journey. Instead, what’s important is finding suitable settlement locations, juggling the logistics of feeding millions, and creating an economic system with fiat currency. Maintaining a fleet’s supply train is the type of bureaucratic topic that can be entertaining in a book, but is unlikely to win acting awards. Besides, the TV series spent plenty of time on tribal drama and the human condition.
Exile’s high-level concerns are coldly detached from the concerns of the proletariat. Age of Sail stories often mix officer and enlisted viewpoints. It makes the action more vivid and the results more ambiguous. Exile is an executive summary: clear narratives with clean results. This ruthless efficiency results in a fast-paced novel — there are only two viewpoint characters with vastly different areas of responsibility, no unnecessary subplots or wasted time. Perhaps it’s less human, but the author doesn’t lose sight of the nation-building vision of this remake.
Highly Recommended.
Series Overall Spoiler-Free Thoughts
★★★★★ Exile (Exile, #1)
★★★☆☆ Refuge (Exile, #2)
★★★☆☆ Crusade (Exile, #3)
Exile begins with a unique premise: how to rebuild a spacefaring expedition out of a refugee space fleet. By applying economics and logistics at scale, the author produces something unique amongst his back catalogue. Unfortunately, the sequels focused on a stereotypical struggle with endless hoards and worse, rushed to an unimaginative ending.
★★★☆☆ - Recommended, with Reservations.
Exile’s premise is ridiculous: an iron-fisted dictator unwilling to execute her traitorous son, instead banishing him, his rebel battlefleet and four million other political dissidents to the other side of the galaxy. I’m willing to suspend disbelief for this brittle foundation, because the author has decided to rewrite Battlestar Galactica. Elevating a beloved series from the shackles of TV drama, the author focuses on grand strategy and resettles millions. With the unlimited budget of the written word, a nation rises from the ashes while defending itself from the unknown.
The author is at his best when charting the course of history rather than documenting an individual’s life journey. When presented with the opportunity to focus on six months of interstellar travel, couped up with unruly, seditious migrants lacking pre-existing organizations, the author wisely chose to handwave the journey. Instead, what’s important is finding suitable settlement locations, juggling the logistics of feeding millions, and creating an economic system with fiat currency. Maintaining a fleet’s supply train is the type of bureaucratic topic that can be entertaining in a book, but is unlikely to win acting awards. Besides, the TV series spent plenty of time on tribal drama and the human condition.
Exile’s high-level concerns are coldly detached from the concerns of the proletariat. Age of Sail stories often mix officer and enlisted viewpoints. It makes the action more vivid and the results more ambiguous. Exile is an executive summary: clear narratives with clean results. This ruthless efficiency results in a fast-paced novel — there are only two viewpoint characters with vastly different areas of responsibility, no unnecessary subplots or wasted time. Perhaps it’s less human, but the author doesn’t lose sight of the nation-building vision of this remake.
Highly Recommended.
Series Overall Spoiler-Free Thoughts
★★★★★ Exile (Exile, #1)
★★★☆☆ Refuge (Exile, #2)
★★★☆☆ Crusade (Exile, #3)
Exile begins with a unique premise: how to rebuild a spacefaring expedition out of a refugee space fleet. By applying economics and logistics at scale, the author produces something unique amongst his back catalogue. Unfortunately, the sequels focused on a stereotypical struggle with endless hoards and worse, rushed to an unimaginative ending.
★★★☆☆ - Recommended, with Reservations.
July 23, 2018
I read an ARC procured at BookCon in NYC. I have no clue what (if anything) has been edited.
A few thoughts without too many spoilers:
The first chapter is just a word salad of ship names and ill-defined technology. I almost put the book down before I made it through. The story would be better suited starting in the second chapter with the introduction of Amelie Lestraud - it's her rebellion after all.
Admiral Gallant. Yep. That's his name. He's chivalrous. Gallant even. Too many names of people, systems, and space ships are right on the nose.
The "science" and "technology" of the sci-fi just seems lazy at times. Gallant and his crew call the primary weapon of his ship "The Main Gun" for crying out loud.
The story is told primarily from the perspective of Lestraud and Gallant. That perspective however sometimes jumps around within chapters and it becomes difficult at times to determine who is saying what to whom.
There are a number of short mini-plots before building to the end-game. Each conflict is introduced one at a time and seemingly resolved without much effort by Lestraud or Gallant. Each conflict is like a stand alone episode in a TV series where writers are just filling space with a story that doesn't really contribute to a plot. These conflicts could all have added depth and struggle to the characters of Lestraud and Gallant if they were layered on top of the end-game conflict.
Without giving away too many spoilers, the evolving dialog/relationship between the terraforming AI and the Exiles is where this story had potential. It's a truly interesting concept that probably should have been introduced sooner and thus allowed to deepen.
Lastly, EVERYONE chuckles. This is the most mirthful group of exiled political dissidents in the galaxy. Seriously, it's a little grating after a while. A solid 2-3% of the entire novel is a line where someone chuckles. When Lestraud finally "giggles" near the end of the novel instead of chuckling it was almost jarring - that lack of continuity.
A few thoughts without too many spoilers:
The first chapter is just a word salad of ship names and ill-defined technology. I almost put the book down before I made it through. The story would be better suited starting in the second chapter with the introduction of Amelie Lestraud - it's her rebellion after all.
Admiral Gallant. Yep. That's his name. He's chivalrous. Gallant even. Too many names of people, systems, and space ships are right on the nose.
The "science" and "technology" of the sci-fi just seems lazy at times. Gallant and his crew call the primary weapon of his ship "The Main Gun" for crying out loud.
The story is told primarily from the perspective of Lestraud and Gallant. That perspective however sometimes jumps around within chapters and it becomes difficult at times to determine who is saying what to whom.
There are a number of short mini-plots before building to the end-game. Each conflict is introduced one at a time and seemingly resolved without much effort by Lestraud or Gallant. Each conflict is like a stand alone episode in a TV series where writers are just filling space with a story that doesn't really contribute to a plot. These conflicts could all have added depth and struggle to the characters of Lestraud and Gallant if they were layered on top of the end-game conflict.
Without giving away too many spoilers, the evolving dialog/relationship between the terraforming AI and the Exiles is where this story had potential. It's a truly interesting concept that probably should have been introduced sooner and thus allowed to deepen.
Lastly, EVERYONE chuckles. This is the most mirthful group of exiled political dissidents in the galaxy. Seriously, it's a little grating after a while. A solid 2-3% of the entire novel is a line where someone chuckles. When Lestraud finally "giggles" near the end of the novel instead of chuckling it was almost jarring - that lack of continuity.
February 28, 2020
I know the opening chapters were to provide the background to the 'Exile' storyline, but I found them quite irritating and could have done without most of them.
Overall it was a decent space opera and I will read the next book in the series. Having said that there were a few minor irritations, for example what is ‘exotic matter’? Also;
Perhaps slightly more annoying was the final big battle.
I’m not sure why, but it seems that many space opera writers aren’t satisfied with their heroes unless every battle is against vastly superior opposition and they end the fight with every one of their ships destroyed or battered into wrecks and a massive ‘butchers bill’, at least this battle had some interesting tactics rather than just a ‘slug fest’.
Overall it was a decent space opera and I will read the next book in the series. Having said that there were a few minor irritations, for example what is ‘exotic matter’? Also;
Perhaps slightly more annoying was the final big battle.
I’m not sure why, but it seems that many space opera writers aren’t satisfied with their heroes unless every battle is against vastly superior opposition and they end the fight with every one of their ships destroyed or battered into wrecks and a massive ‘butchers bill’, at least this battle had some interesting tactics rather than just a ‘slug fest’.
October 14, 2021
What a fantastic premise of the series.... incredible. Really fascinating. Everything else in the book is great but it's the premise of the series that has me hooked.
This book is classic Glynn Stewart with just the right mix of pacing, interpersonal relationship development, grand-arc for the series, and space battles. The author doesn't bog the reader down with fancy space-tech or jargon. You get more than enough to use your imagination and follow the story without fighting through pages upon pages of description of star systems, space ships, and technology.
This book is classic Glynn Stewart with just the right mix of pacing, interpersonal relationship development, grand-arc for the series, and space battles. The author doesn't bog the reader down with fancy space-tech or jargon. You get more than enough to use your imagination and follow the story without fighting through pages upon pages of description of star systems, space ships, and technology.
July 3, 2019
Interesting premise. I sure hope this is book one in what's to become a series.
February 26, 2023
Light read that I found enjoyable. Looking forward to the rest of the series.
The only thing I didn’t like about it was the number of time the word “chuckle” was used.
The only thing I didn’t like about it was the number of time the word “chuckle” was used.
July 3, 2018
More reviews (and no fluff) on the blog http://surrealtalvi.wordpress.com/
I have read several Glynn Stewart books now and all have a running theme of not being overly technical combined with an emphasis of good people trying to do the right thing in a shifting culture. He avoids a lot of the 'evil villain' cliches; mostly it's about people with conflicting priorities and desires all working within their own constraints. With Exile, we have a book in three somewhat disparate parts: espionage/rebellion, politics/new world exploration, and then first contact/space battles at the end. The three don't really work well together despite being a natural progression for the characters in the story; I think readers will be a bit divided as a result since we have three different types of sci fi presented.Story: Isaac Gallant, son of the Iron Dictator, has chosen a different path than his mother - he is leading a secret rebellion against her. Amelie Lestrand is a famous actress - and the leader of the rebellion. Both are captured as the rebellion is compromised and collapses. When the Iron Dictator decides she can't bear to see her own son killed, she instead rounds up all the Confederation's dissidents and prisoners and sends them on a one-way trip through a worm hole to a new planet that might be habitable. There, Amelie and Isaac will have to build a new civilization for their one million refugees - on a planet suspiciously perfect for human needs. But out in the far end of the galaxy, they may not be alone.
The book has two primary leads: Isaac and Amelie. Isaac bears the weight of his mother's dictatorship (she led the military coup that overthrew the Confederacy government and put her in power) and wants to distance himself from any signs of desiring power (and becoming the "iron brat"). Amelie, meanwhile, wants the goals of the rebellion maintained and works with Isaac and what's left of the military to keep the new government from becoming corrupt. There are a few POVs from side characters that, to be honest, were not needed to further the story and felt superfluous.
As noted, the book came down to three parts. The Confederation rounding up all the rebellion just as the rebellion was working on a big maneuver to remove Isaac's mother from power comprised the first 20% or so of the book. We have Isaac captured on a failed military ambush in space and Lestrand seized during a high speed chase when she realized she was compromised and tried to get away. Finally, there are some interesting scenes of Isaac's mother confronting him in prison and telling him of his new fate.
The second portion is all politics, setting up the government, surviving the transition to the new world, and what they find there. There are some interesting maneuverings by criminals, considerations on how to build warp drives and protect the few military vessels in space, and exploration of the new world. Most of this is Lestrand taking control of the government and trying to ensure she does not become a dictator as well. This is a large chunk of the book.
Finally, (and this isn't a spoiler since it is in the description/synopsis), there is a first contact scenario. The aliens aren't all that interesting but there is a moral dilemma that Isaac faces: as someone of African descent, he continually asks the question if what they are doing on the new world is the same as what the European colonists did to Africa.
In all, the writing moves well and though the subjects aren't the most interesting (e.g., figuring out how to get warp drives on the ship from spare parts or descriptions of the new world by the people exploring it), they feel like a good representation of what the exiles would have to face/deal with/discuss. Reviewed from an advance reader copy provided by the publisher.
August 13, 2018
I received a free copy of Exile while I was at BookCon. There’s no obligation for me to leave a review, but I am choosing to do so.
Exile is the first in a series of one of my favorite types of science fiction subgenre: Space Opera. In this case it’s all about tyranny, the fight for justice, and forming a new colony. It’s actually quite a lot of ground that Glynn Stewart managed to cover. I’m sure at least some of the groundwork was laid down in his other series, but without having read them (yet) I can’t be certain which ones. I do know that he likes to connect the dots where possible, and that he’s been building in the same world. So it seems plausible.
I just want to take a quick minute to say that I love the cover for this novel. I can’t quite explain all the reasons I like it. I think it’s mostly the color palette that gets to me. That and the large and heavy font choice – it fits perfectly both with the image on the cover as well as the theme of the book.
For more reviews, check out Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks
Exile is the first in a series of one of my favorite types of science fiction subgenre: Space Opera. In this case it’s all about tyranny, the fight for justice, and forming a new colony. It’s actually quite a lot of ground that Glynn Stewart managed to cover. I’m sure at least some of the groundwork was laid down in his other series, but without having read them (yet) I can’t be certain which ones. I do know that he likes to connect the dots where possible, and that he’s been building in the same world. So it seems plausible.
I just want to take a quick minute to say that I love the cover for this novel. I can’t quite explain all the reasons I like it. I think it’s mostly the color palette that gets to me. That and the large and heavy font choice – it fits perfectly both with the image on the cover as well as the theme of the book.
For more reviews, check out Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks
January 18, 2020
Terribly boring
There was a good action scene about 60% in. Any reader will have to wait at least until the 30% mark, as that is where the book starts picking up the pace.
The first third of the book is a setup that is just too long since it really didn't impact much of the rest of the book. The second third was an attempt at colonization sci-fi, but it failed as the author was more interested in the politics, and he didn't make a very good job of it. The last third was an attempt at first contact, except he preferred to just skip all the first contact stuff and just have a technological version of translator microbes.
The politics of this book is three-fold: administrative, when the madam president does a terrible job at governing (); then there is the political shenanigans, which the author is particularly bad at (); lastly, there is the current-year politics ()
And then, even if you ignore most of this stuff (and after the first political winks, it gets hard to do so), the author shows his lack of knowledge regarding that which he wishes to write about. Whenever he tries to put any knowledge into his technobabble, it results in utter failure. Among other times...
There was a good action scene about 60% in. Any reader will have to wait at least until the 30% mark, as that is where the book starts picking up the pace.
The first third of the book is a setup that is just too long since it really didn't impact much of the rest of the book. The second third was an attempt at colonization sci-fi, but it failed as the author was more interested in the politics, and he didn't make a very good job of it. The last third was an attempt at first contact, except he preferred to just skip all the first contact stuff and just have a technological version of translator microbes.
The politics of this book is three-fold: administrative, when the madam president does a terrible job at governing (); then there is the political shenanigans, which the author is particularly bad at (); lastly, there is the current-year politics ()
And then, even if you ignore most of this stuff (and after the first political winks, it gets hard to do so), the author shows his lack of knowledge regarding that which he wishes to write about. Whenever he tries to put any knowledge into his technobabble, it results in utter failure. Among other times...
June 1, 2018
NOTE: I received a copy of this book from NetGalley. This review is my honest opinion of the book.
Glynn Stewart has written a science fiction novel that has almost everything - space battles, a decent plot, indepth characters, strange new species, politicking, rebellion, civilization building, adventuring and new worlds.
The writing style is direct and makes the reader feel they are in the midst of the adventure. The main characters have depth, though a few of the more minor characters could have done with more personality. Even the aliens have their own fully-fleshed personality and oddities. I also haven't enjoyed a space battle this much in ages. The pacing was just right - fast but not rushed or too bogged down - especially for short book like this. I have no idea if the author is planning sequels or not, but this novel can be read as a standalone. This novel would also make a great movie or TV series. This story makes for a fun and exciting read, with tense, nail-biting moments.
Glynn Stewart has written a science fiction novel that has almost everything - space battles, a decent plot, indepth characters, strange new species, politicking, rebellion, civilization building, adventuring and new worlds.
The writing style is direct and makes the reader feel they are in the midst of the adventure. The main characters have depth, though a few of the more minor characters could have done with more personality. Even the aliens have their own fully-fleshed personality and oddities. I also haven't enjoyed a space battle this much in ages. The pacing was just right - fast but not rushed or too bogged down - especially for short book like this. I have no idea if the author is planning sequels or not, but this novel can be read as a standalone. This novel would also make a great movie or TV series. This story makes for a fun and exciting read, with tense, nail-biting moments.
May 7, 2020
Sigh. I rarely leave a book midway through but I seriously can’t face any more of this turgid nonsense. It’s a decent premise - 4 million people exiled to the far reaches of the cosmos to form a new civilisation. But wow is it poorly executed. Calling the characters one dimensional isn’t insulting to one dimensional beings everywhere. They barely exist. And the story avoids anything which may actually engage the reader. A brand new planet - do we get any information about flora and fauna? Any exciting predators, diseases, aliens? No, nothing. Any conflict with nearby aliens or other perils? No. None of that. Instead we get a dull, monotonous tale of how to establish a democracy, replete with bureaucratic details of department and peppered with made up acronyms. Even the few battles or other action sequences are quickly glossed over in favour of lengthy conversations about organisational details of this new civilisation. I’m out. I suggest you avoid! Life’s too short.
July 4, 2018
Don't be fooled when you start this book. I felt like I was dropped into the middle of a series and I had not read the first book. Turns out that was just world building and back story. What seemed like a continuation of a previous book in a series was the start of a new series. This is very good space opera. Rebels and troublemaker are sent across the universe to form a new colony. There is no return and in true space opera fashion what seems to be too good to be true may be. There are some very interesting characters and a well though out plot. I want to know what happens to the two leaders of the rebellion now that one danger is past.
I received a free copy of the book in return for an honest review.
I received a free copy of the book in return for an honest review.
June 7, 2018
"Exile" eBook was published in 2018 (July) and was written by Glynn Stewart (https://www.glynnstewart.com). Mr. Stewart has published 27 novels.
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 Language. The story is set in the far future. The primary character is Vice Admiral Isaac Gallant.
Gallant is the heir to the leadership of the Confederacy of Humanity. Heir because his mother, the First Admiral, has taken over the Confederacy and rules it with an iron fist. Fed up with what his mother represents, Gallant gets involved with a rebellious group intending to overthrow the First Admiral.
The plot is discovered before any real action can be taken. Normally those even thinking of rebellion would be executed. However, since her son is involved, the First Admiral decides that exile is a just punishment. But this is not a simple exile, but a one-way trip to the other end of the Galaxy. Not only are the rebels sent, but four million including criminals, and anyone thought to speak against the First Admiral, are rounded up and included.
Their destination is a planet that a quick survey has identified as habitable. Now they must build a new civilization. They have various troubles, mostly due to the mix of people included. The real challenge comes when the new colony is confronted with the aliens that terraformed the planet. Will they find a way to survive?
I thoroughly enjoyed the 9 hours I spent reading this 381 page science fiction thriller. I thought that the idea of people being exiled was an unusual basis for a plot. I also liked the characters that appear in the story. I look forward to future novels in this series. Given the storyline, I think that the cover art is well chosen. 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 Language. The story is set in the far future. The primary character is Vice Admiral Isaac Gallant.
Gallant is the heir to the leadership of the Confederacy of Humanity. Heir because his mother, the First Admiral, has taken over the Confederacy and rules it with an iron fist. Fed up with what his mother represents, Gallant gets involved with a rebellious group intending to overthrow the First Admiral.
The plot is discovered before any real action can be taken. Normally those even thinking of rebellion would be executed. However, since her son is involved, the First Admiral decides that exile is a just punishment. But this is not a simple exile, but a one-way trip to the other end of the Galaxy. Not only are the rebels sent, but four million including criminals, and anyone thought to speak against the First Admiral, are rounded up and included.
Their destination is a planet that a quick survey has identified as habitable. Now they must build a new civilization. They have various troubles, mostly due to the mix of people included. The real challenge comes when the new colony is confronted with the aliens that terraformed the planet. Will they find a way to survive?
I thoroughly enjoyed the 9 hours I spent reading this 381 page science fiction thriller. I thought that the idea of people being exiled was an unusual basis for a plot. I also liked the characters that appear in the story. I look forward to future novels in this series. Given the storyline, I think that the cover art is well chosen. I give this novel a 5 out of 5.
Further book reviews I have written can be accessed at https://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/.
November 18, 2024
Exile is a rather pedestrian, paint-by-numbers read. It does everything adequately but doesn't display any great imagination or inspired world-building. On the good side you could imagine that these events could actually happen as described in Earth's future - minus some rather strange motivations such as the stealing of a warship after just arriving at a new world - but I found myself wondering whether I was too bored to continue. What was astounding was the misrepresentation of actual Earth history, namely the colonization of Africa, which must reflect Glynn's lack of knowledge rather than deliberate falsehood. The novel says that Europeans colonized Africa and took slaves and used diseases to wipe out resisting populations. On the contrary, European governments stamped out the slavery that was ubiquitous through Africa (by the time of European colonization in the 1870s/80s Europeans had long outlawed slavery) - a large part of the stated reason for colonization was to end slavery by Africans and Arabs - and diseases spread due to contact with people or animals harbouring different pathogens not deliberately - that was beyond the science and resources of the time. There were glaring, monstrous abuses, primarily in the Congo, which were condemned when other Europeans discovered what was going on there, forcing Leopold out. In most cases African people were much better off at the end of colonization that at the start, with schools, hospitals, roads, railways, modern medicines, laws and human rights and so on.
June 1, 2018
I really liked the sound of this book but unfortunately I found it just to be about terraforming a new planet and setting up a new government. There was some action but there is just too much technical jargon for me.
There’s Isaac - dictators son and leader of alliance rebellion against the confederacy...mainly female leaders, doctors etc and a Movie star is the head of the rebellion. There are wormholes,, reference to building a better world ( isn’t that Weyland-Yutani’s slogan from Aliens).. A ship called peregrine as in falcon and a mention of planet Hoth.
Paragraphs like this:
‘A Cobra had a smart nanopaint surface that mirrored the light hitting the other side of the craft. It wasn’t perfect, not by a long shot, but unless you were looking for odd blurs in the sky, most people didn’t expect the sky to shoot at them. With the nanotech surface, the ship’s radar-absorbent low-profile design and carefully balancing the shuttle’s several lift surfaces and thrust systems, it was all but invisible. Kelline remembered how to do all of that while Cai Johnson watched over her shoulder in awe. ‘
Just put me off, regrettably I didn’t enjoy this book at all
This book was given to me free of charge and without compensation by the publisher and NetGalley in return for an honest review
There’s Isaac - dictators son and leader of alliance rebellion against the confederacy...mainly female leaders, doctors etc and a Movie star is the head of the rebellion. There are wormholes,, reference to building a better world ( isn’t that Weyland-Yutani’s slogan from Aliens).. A ship called peregrine as in falcon and a mention of planet Hoth.
Paragraphs like this:
‘A Cobra had a smart nanopaint surface that mirrored the light hitting the other side of the craft. It wasn’t perfect, not by a long shot, but unless you were looking for odd blurs in the sky, most people didn’t expect the sky to shoot at them. With the nanotech surface, the ship’s radar-absorbent low-profile design and carefully balancing the shuttle’s several lift surfaces and thrust systems, it was all but invisible. Kelline remembered how to do all of that while Cai Johnson watched over her shoulder in awe. ‘
Just put me off, regrettably I didn’t enjoy this book at all
This book was given to me free of charge and without compensation by the publisher and NetGalley in return for an honest review
June 14, 2021
I'm working my way through all of Glynn Stewart's novels. I've read all the novels so far in the Starship's Mage, Duchy of Terra and Castle Federation series. Somehow this series completely went under my radar. Maybe because it is an audible exclusive? Anyway, if you like his other series, you'll like Exile as well. The series has an interesting, if contrived premise -- a group of are banished by their empire to a distant part of space with no way to return. The leaders of the rebels, the dissident son of the dictator and a movie star, are compelling characters. Splitting the narrative between them works well and let's him balance the political and military aspects of the story.
My main complaint is the story moves too fast and leaves a lot of great material unexplored. The rebels have a six month journey to their new planet. They are actually a bunch of different rebel groups with different agendas. What conflicts occurred during this journey? This could have been a novel in itself, something like the remake of Battlestar Galactica. But the book skips this journey. The lack of serious internal conflicts and ease with which they establish their new colony feels rather contrived. Would a malevolent dictator really give the rebels all these advantages, even if one was her son? Still, this is an enjoyable bit of military sci-fi and I look forward to the rest of the series.
My main complaint is the story moves too fast and leaves a lot of great material unexplored. The rebels have a six month journey to their new planet. They are actually a bunch of different rebel groups with different agendas. What conflicts occurred during this journey? This could have been a novel in itself, something like the remake of Battlestar Galactica. But the book skips this journey. The lack of serious internal conflicts and ease with which they establish their new colony feels rather contrived. Would a malevolent dictator really give the rebels all these advantages, even if one was her son? Still, this is an enjoyable bit of military sci-fi and I look forward to the rest of the series.
April 26, 2023
I read books 1-10 of Glynn Stewart's Starship's Mage series in Dec 2021 and Jan 2022. Ten books by the same author in 2 months...gotta be good. So, when I got a chance to get Exile through a GR giveaway, of course!
The book opens with a lot of characters introduced all at once in a moment of crisis, but once you get past that exposition into why the exile is occurring, things smooth out. I found it delightful (if difficult to believe) how these characters attacked the problem of setting up a new society and social contract without falling into the traps that had led them to exile in the first place. If only the real world could echo this! Thematic echoes of Scalzi's The Last Colony on the development of society and governance. There is later, of course, a big bad, but it's not human and really not even alien, and it makes for some fun space battles.
Three or 4 stars - this is light sci-fi space opera; the problems are idealized in their complexity and solutions, it's not based in speculative science, and it's fundamentally about the people without diving into too much philosophy (no post-Ender's Game Orson Scott Card-level contemplation). None of those are bad things. It's a fun read. Would I re-read? Probably not. Will I continue with the series, and pick up the rest of the Starship Mage series now that there are new books? Yup!
The book opens with a lot of characters introduced all at once in a moment of crisis, but once you get past that exposition into why the exile is occurring, things smooth out. I found it delightful (if difficult to believe) how these characters attacked the problem of setting up a new society and social contract without falling into the traps that had led them to exile in the first place. If only the real world could echo this! Thematic echoes of Scalzi's The Last Colony on the development of society and governance. There is later, of course, a big bad, but it's not human and really not even alien, and it makes for some fun space battles.
Three or 4 stars - this is light sci-fi space opera; the problems are idealized in their complexity and solutions, it's not based in speculative science, and it's fundamentally about the people without diving into too much philosophy (no post-Ender's Game Orson Scott Card-level contemplation). None of those are bad things. It's a fun read. Would I re-read? Probably not. Will I continue with the series, and pick up the rest of the Starship Mage series now that there are new books? Yup!
September 2, 2018
Good book for a series
Not bad. A good set up with the failed coup and the massive exile of all dissenters, troublemakers and revolutionaries to the other side of the galaxy. Characters are almost there, but a little flat. If I read "Isaac chuckled..." one more time I would scream. By the end he actually laughed and it was a relief. Of course that still left others chuckling in the background. A larger emotional vocabulary would be beneficial. It would also add to the maybe type relationship between Issac and Amelie. This was talked about without anything happening until almost the end. I suggest that the author reads a couple of romance novels and then tones it down for the Sci-fi crowd. But the premise was good, plot twists interesting, and he left a lot of potential trouble for future books in this series. I would read more. Just quit chuckling.
Not bad. A good set up with the failed coup and the massive exile of all dissenters, troublemakers and revolutionaries to the other side of the galaxy. Characters are almost there, but a little flat. If I read "Isaac chuckled..." one more time I would scream. By the end he actually laughed and it was a relief. Of course that still left others chuckling in the background. A larger emotional vocabulary would be beneficial. It would also add to the maybe type relationship between Issac and Amelie. This was talked about without anything happening until almost the end. I suggest that the author reads a couple of romance novels and then tones it down for the Sci-fi crowd. But the premise was good, plot twists interesting, and he left a lot of potential trouble for future books in this series. I would read more. Just quit chuckling.
December 25, 2018
I liked this SciFi title.
Glynn Stewart battle descriptions are really exciting. But first the book.
The Confederacy of Humanity is the ruling faction but a revolution is in the air. The abuses by the Confederacy have gone long enough. Vice Admiral Isaac Gallant is one of the beta leaders of the revolution. But to his surprise, the Confederacy was ready for them. Too late realizing this the revolution was cornered and gathered up. The Vice Admiral mother the leader of the Confederacy has no other answer then to Exile her own son. But the method of Exile means that the Revolutionaries will never see this side of the Galaxy again. The transportation of the bast amount of Revolutionaries is on it's on a great part of the book.
The discovery of their new home planet and their colonization efforts make the rest of it. Throw in Aliens and you have a promising series.
Glynn Stewart battle descriptions are really exciting. But first the book.
The Confederacy of Humanity is the ruling faction but a revolution is in the air. The abuses by the Confederacy have gone long enough. Vice Admiral Isaac Gallant is one of the beta leaders of the revolution. But to his surprise, the Confederacy was ready for them. Too late realizing this the revolution was cornered and gathered up. The Vice Admiral mother the leader of the Confederacy has no other answer then to Exile her own son. But the method of Exile means that the Revolutionaries will never see this side of the Galaxy again. The transportation of the bast amount of Revolutionaries is on it's on a great part of the book.
The discovery of their new home planet and their colonization efforts make the rest of it. Throw in Aliens and you have a promising series.
May 22, 2023
Disclaimer: I received this e-book free in a Goodreads giveaway.
If you are looking for an easy, fast-moving read with a good SF premise, this book is exactly that. Though far from perfect, it is a worthwhile read for any lover of pulp SF. I personally found the characters a little flat, though still sympathetic, and a couple major plot points were poorly explained, but with no egregious holes. The story is instead driven solely by what might happen next, with all the good action you would expect of SF pulp. With a starting premise that is up my alley, I stayed engaged until the end, but not so engaged that I'll be continuing with the series. However, as a young adult, I likely would've devoured the author's entire collection. I'd recommend it to anyone wanting low-effort escapism that isn't completely mindless.
If you are looking for an easy, fast-moving read with a good SF premise, this book is exactly that. Though far from perfect, it is a worthwhile read for any lover of pulp SF. I personally found the characters a little flat, though still sympathetic, and a couple major plot points were poorly explained, but with no egregious holes. The story is instead driven solely by what might happen next, with all the good action you would expect of SF pulp. With a starting premise that is up my alley, I stayed engaged until the end, but not so engaged that I'll be continuing with the series. However, as a young adult, I likely would've devoured the author's entire collection. I'd recommend it to anyone wanting low-effort escapism that isn't completely mindless.
January 13, 2021
There are so many interesting ideas in this book - I wish the author had expanded on them.
There is:
- an evil confederacy
- a secret rebellion led by an actress and the son of the leader of the world
- exile of millions of people
- settlement of a new planet
- an election spoiled by sabotage from secret police
- a mob lord, priest and actress in Government
- terraforming AI
- space battles
It’s not even a long book! I think the author needs to stop having ideas and actually examine some of them. It felt like a kid saying “and then!”
The book was readable, and maybe I missed a lot as this was my first Glynn Stewart. But still.
Also, the characters were pretty thin, and was mostly repetition of how gorgeous the actress was and how noble the admiral was.
There is:
- an evil confederacy
- a secret rebellion led by an actress and the son of the leader of the world
- exile of millions of people
- settlement of a new planet
- an election spoiled by sabotage from secret police
- a mob lord, priest and actress in Government
- terraforming AI
- space battles
It’s not even a long book! I think the author needs to stop having ideas and actually examine some of them. It felt like a kid saying “and then!”
The book was readable, and maybe I missed a lot as this was my first Glynn Stewart. But still.
Also, the characters were pretty thin, and was mostly repetition of how gorgeous the actress was and how noble the admiral was.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 16, 2018
*I received this book free via Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.*
Oh I loved it. It is so good.
So this is the story of an exiled colony attempting to rebuild a society, not quite from scratch but not without their fair share of problems.
It is a classic sci-fi space opera style story. There is spaceships, conflict, development.
Put simply, this is a really enjoyable story that contains a little bit for everyone.
I sincerely hope there is a sequel in development because I want to find out what happens next to this group of characters.
Would happily recommend to friends.
Oh I loved it. It is so good.
So this is the story of an exiled colony attempting to rebuild a society, not quite from scratch but not without their fair share of problems.
It is a classic sci-fi space opera style story. There is spaceships, conflict, development.
Put simply, this is a really enjoyable story that contains a little bit for everyone.
I sincerely hope there is a sequel in development because I want to find out what happens next to this group of characters.
Would happily recommend to friends.
October 28, 2018
purplemanatees.org
purplemanatees.org
Do you like Space? Science Fiction? Aliens? Spaceship battles? Well all of this is included in this great book!
When scouring the booths of Bookcon, we stumbled upon a booth solely dedicated to Exile. The lady at the booth merely scanned our badges to allow for only one ARC per person, and we were gifted this wonderful novel written by Glynn Stewart.
The story is really well-thought out. You can tell that this book has been a long time in the making. The descriptions in this book are phenomenal and it's not your run of the mill plot line. Over 30,000 people are just shipped over to the other side of the galaxy to pretty much fend for themselves. But, this world is not as perfect as it seems to me and this new colony is going to have a few obstacles in their way to create their new lives.
Oh No's
The writing was a little bit dense with all of the references to rebellion, politics, and immense space terminology. But just a reread or two makes it all the more clearer to understand. I honestly loved the build up in this novel although it just seemed greatly slow. This is in regards to the entire story revolving around an entire population being exiled to another planet and they simply setting up home on a different planet.
Yay's
The coolest part were the computer screens that were implanted into people arms. Perhaps this is the future we wish to see. This is definitely how iPhones will evolve.
The names in this book are quite thought out and realistic. Drakehold because it looks like a dragon was a pretty cute inclusion. Although there were a few names and references that caught my eye. Yes, any and all names to copyrighted licenses are purely fictional but COME ON! Dr. Reinhardt has a daughter named Brigette (245). An even includes the word overwatch in the book as well! Keep your eye peeled for this Overwatch not-reference. ;)
I also loved how everything was in terms of lightyears. This made the future seem so much more bigger than it currently is. The overwhelming numbers used in the book were insurmountable.
Altogether, this was great Science Fiction novel that had such a lovely tone throughout the book. If you're looking for an introduction into more Space themed books.
purplemanatees.org
Do you like Space? Science Fiction? Aliens? Spaceship battles? Well all of this is included in this great book!
When scouring the booths of Bookcon, we stumbled upon a booth solely dedicated to Exile. The lady at the booth merely scanned our badges to allow for only one ARC per person, and we were gifted this wonderful novel written by Glynn Stewart.
The story is really well-thought out. You can tell that this book has been a long time in the making. The descriptions in this book are phenomenal and it's not your run of the mill plot line. Over 30,000 people are just shipped over to the other side of the galaxy to pretty much fend for themselves. But, this world is not as perfect as it seems to me and this new colony is going to have a few obstacles in their way to create their new lives.
Oh No's
The writing was a little bit dense with all of the references to rebellion, politics, and immense space terminology. But just a reread or two makes it all the more clearer to understand. I honestly loved the build up in this novel although it just seemed greatly slow. This is in regards to the entire story revolving around an entire population being exiled to another planet and they simply setting up home on a different planet.
Yay's
The coolest part were the computer screens that were implanted into people arms. Perhaps this is the future we wish to see. This is definitely how iPhones will evolve.
The names in this book are quite thought out and realistic. Drakehold because it looks like a dragon was a pretty cute inclusion. Although there were a few names and references that caught my eye. Yes, any and all names to copyrighted licenses are purely fictional but COME ON! Dr. Reinhardt has a daughter named Brigette (245). An even includes the word overwatch in the book as well! Keep your eye peeled for this Overwatch not-reference. ;)
I also loved how everything was in terms of lightyears. This made the future seem so much more bigger than it currently is. The overwhelming numbers used in the book were insurmountable.
Altogether, this was great Science Fiction novel that had such a lovely tone throughout the book. If you're looking for an introduction into more Space themed books.
July 6, 2018
Admiral Gallant has his hands full. After a failed rebellion against his Mother and her system, he ends up exiled to the far end of the galaxy with no way home. He, and several million other exiles, must start over and rebuild their society.
Amelie Lestroud, Famous actress, leader of the rebellion and fellow exile turned president must help him rebuild their new home, Exilium. A perfect planet for the exiles. A little too perfect.
The exiles soon find they are not alone in their new neighborhood and the neighbors are not so friendly.
I really enjoyed this book and recommend it to all sci-fi fans.
Amelie Lestroud, Famous actress, leader of the rebellion and fellow exile turned president must help him rebuild their new home, Exilium. A perfect planet for the exiles. A little too perfect.
The exiles soon find they are not alone in their new neighborhood and the neighbors are not so friendly.
I really enjoyed this book and recommend it to all sci-fi fans.
July 18, 2018
In the book Exile, author Glynn Stewart takes us into the future where the universe is struggling under dictatorship/communism style of government. But there is a group that wants to rebel but are thwarted. They are then sent into exile with everyone that the empire had in prison for any crime. Finding a new planet and forming a free, democratic government is simple compared to the coming threat and war to keep their new planet.
This was a good solid book with good character development. I would recommend this book. I received a copy of this e-book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This was a good solid book with good character development. I would recommend this book. I received a copy of this e-book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
October 26, 2018
This was 3.5 stars almost a 4 to me. I enjoyed it a lot more than the prequel, but the main character is still a bit annoying for me.
August 23, 2019
Three and half stars. Stewart does a great job of creating new universes with each of his series. Many authors seem to put different series in all one universe of maybe slight variations off a very similar one. Glynn Stewart makes each series fresh an unique. The downside (if it really is one) is that the first book has a lot of heavy lifting to create the new background.
This book does a solid job of building a new world and filling it with mostly interesting characters. The development seems glossed-over in places but covers all the important bases. It also completes this opening phase of the story but leaves plenty of room to grow into another interesting series.
This book does a solid job of building a new world and filling it with mostly interesting characters. The development seems glossed-over in places but covers all the important bases. It also completes this opening phase of the story but leaves plenty of room to grow into another interesting series.
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