Two races. One war. Perpetual hatred. And the Magistrate crash lands right in the middle of it.
Rivka and her crew take a much-deserved vacation, but find themselves on a jungle planet, cut off from the rest of the galaxy. Part by design, but mostly not. Isn’t that what a good vacation is supposed to be, disconnected from the rigors of everyday life? Until no one can hear your calls for help.
The team has to resolve Yindle and Yangor’s dispute before they can find a way home. A vacation turned into a case morphed into a fight for survival.
The crew meets new challenges head on because they have no choice. Rivka’s time off isn’t what anyone expected, not even the Magistrate. In Red’s immortal words, “Your vacations suck.”
Magistrate Rivka Anoa is the legal eagle you want on your side. No better friend. No worse enemy.
Get it today.
Judge, Jury, & Executioner is within the Kurtherian Gambit Universe, but you don’t need to read those to enjoy these. Start with You Have Been Judged and enjoy the stories of Rivka and her team. Just lock in your seatbelt, grab your favorite drink, and be ready for your socks to be blown off.
Visit Craig's web page, craigmartelle.com for the latest posts and updates or find him on Facebook, Author Craig Martelle. Send an email to craig@craigmartelle.com to join his mailing list for the latest on new releases, information on old releases, and anything related to his books.
I see my other lives, a career in the Marines, those damn hand-written tests in law school, a business consultant, as if they're stories from a book. I see my books as if I lived there, as if I were friends with the characters. All things we remember are behind us, only those we imagine lie before.
I'm not sure which place I prefer, but I don't have to choose. They live together in my mind. My books have some award nominations, they have bestseller tags across multiple countries. I write about justice, honor, and loyalty because that's what I care about. My stories are mostly set within worlds that haven't been, but could be. We have to be ready for when those times come.
No matter where I went, I always had a book with me. Thanks to 21st Century technology, I now have hundreds of books loaded on my phone and always with me. This breakthrough allows me to binge read my favorites. How many books would I have read on deployments had I not had to have a physical book with me? I paced myself so I wouldn't finish too quickly.
We aren't encumbered like that now. I love the works of Robert Heinlein, Anne McCaffrey, JRR Tolkien, Robert E. Howard, and so many more. I have been compared to Andre Norton and that is humbling - she was an incredible author with a huge list of novels to her credit. With every new book, I aspire to live up to those that you, the readers, have compared me to.
Through a bizarre series of events, I ended up in Fairbanks, Alaska. I never expected to retire to a place where golf courses are only open for four months out of the year. But that's the way it is. It is off the beaten path. My wife and I get to watch the northern lights from our driveway. Our dog has lots of room to run. And temperatures reach fifty below zero. We have from three and a half hours of daylight in the winter to twenty-four hours in the summer.
It's all part of the give and take of life. If we didn't have those extremes, then everyone would live in the sub-arctic.
So it's finally time for a vacation for Rivka and her group. A nice, relaxing time away from legal problems, away from people shooting at her and a chance everyone to relax.
Sure. Like that's going to happen.
No sooner do they get to the planet they want to visit then there's a star explosion, a massive shock wave and their ship crashes.
But they do get to meet two different cultures. Of course, they are fighting each other with Rivka and company right in the middle. Her task, then, becomes one to try, somehow, to bring the two sides together and end the hostilities.
So much for their vacation!
I'm really loving this series. It seems to have a great blend of intellectual problems to solve, lots of action and a great respect for law and order.
You know an author is great when you go from reading book to book in the series without stopping, Craig Martelle is certainly one such author. It has been such a pleasure reading his Judge, Jury and Executioner Series, and they are so good they u have read 5 books in this series in one day. It was great to see the growth of all the characters in this book and for some of them to realise that they are vulnerable and that POD DOC treatment would benefit them. Even, more so, I loved that people noticed them missing only after a few days and sent others looking for them. Martelle is able to allow the readers to see what is happening in their mind with his brilliant way of writing. If you haven’t read any others of Craig Martelle’s series in the Kurtherian Unuverse, I would highly recommend you do so. They are all brilliantly written with lots of fast paced action that makes it hard not to finish reading in one sitting.
Dispute: (Judge, Jury, & Executioner Book 8) - a review by Rosemary Kenny
Call in Trading Standards, summon the Judge...that totally misleading brochure ad for a 'relaxing, get-away-from-it-all holiday of a lifetime, in the tranquil forest setting of Planet Tanglewood, where you can soothe away the cares of everyday life,' with its photos of palm trees gently waving in a tropical breeze and comfy hammocks tied between them, to rock you gently to the rhythm of the soothing surf coming into shore...was a blatant lie!! Rivka and her multi-various crew of the Destiny's Vengeance, are looking forward to some quality time on the 'resort' planet that's supposed to be a member of the Federation and therefore totally safe to off-Worlders looking for a couple of weeks' R&R. Who are you trying to kid Mr Martelle and Mr Anderle? No sooner have the ten passengers on board the Vengeance and twin ship the Wyatt Earp crash-landed on Tanglewood, than the former craft's crew are taken unawares by rifle-armed tribesmen and challenged to choose, to be on their or their enemies' side, in a long-term guerrilla-like war, that seems to be nonsensical to Judge Rivka.
As regular readers of the Judge, Jury and Executioner series, of which Dispute is #8, will know, Rivka's not about to make a snap decision under duress, or at any other time. When she gets the full facts of the conflict, it soon becomes clear to her that someone in 'charge' of affairs on the planet has been at the very least, negligent in his or her duties and at worst, deliberately self-seeking and profiting from others' unnecessary pain and discord for their own long-term gain. Not for long though, as Rivka and the rest of the team soon put things to right,before wondering where their so-called 'holiday' went!
A brilliant addition to this stellar series, get your copy of Dispute: A Space Opera Adventure Legal Thriller, by sci-fi wizards Craig Martelle and Michael Anderle, as soon as you can - you'll love it!
If there's one thing that can be guaranteed, its that, if a book is written by Craig Martelle, then it'll be a good read!
I'm really loving the J. J, & Ex series, and Dispute is very much up there with the best of them.
I really loved it that Rivka can't even have a holiday, without something going wrong but, true to the way in which she lives her life, there was no hesitation in her, despite dealing with a crashed ship, when she saw that trouble was brewing with the locals!
I really enjoyed this version of a castaway story, and loved the way in which Rivka used her patience - well, up to a point anyway, - in trying to make sense of a dispute with no real roots to it!
I'm very glad that Craig enjoys writing this series, because I'm having so much fun reading it - and Craig is right - it really IS escape fiction because, every time that I start a new book in this series, before I know it, I've reached the end, and hours have passed by, without me noticing! Lol
I have just checked my reading list - hoping that I can go straight on to book 9 in this series and, although I was disappointed that this wasn't so, I'm also happy, as my next book is also written by Craig: Superdreadnought 6!
Eh no...please go back to real space missions...CASES!!
This book felt off compared to the rest and Kennedy’s character I wanted to beat her with a wooden spoon to pull her shit together..who’s idea was it to make her the whiny wench!? I normally adore all your books including sad to hear it’s the end for metal legion which I enjoy equal to rivals adventures but this book and the personalities of pilots especially irked me. The main characters all felt genuine and fleshed out over time. This book there interactions in this book felt forced down my throat..I still love your work but this one made me want to smash my phone...
Rivka's team need each other; as evidenced by the antics over the groups' ' first"vacation"! Their "arrival" was substandard, & it escalates from there, as usual for the Magistrate's away team. But all is not lost: many laughs, much action & a good feeling comes from reading this book. More so than the rest of the series, the team members who usually remain with the ship get to step up & we the readers get more insight into what makes each of them tick.
A great place to spend time; the Magistrate inspires, makes you laugh, cry or get angry. And you come back for more.....
This series has its ups and downs. Usually the books are about three stars but sometimes they drop to two or even one star. Although it has to be said that this is usually because I really did not like the story in those particular books and not because they were poorly written.
Each book generally has a new case (adventure) for Rivka and each book starts and completes said case. That is something I like. However, it is not always the case, and thus the story, is to my liking.
This is one of those books. Rivka and company gets sucker punched already in the first chapter and has to crash land on some primitive jungle planet with a bunch of not so bright natives that just so happens to be at war.
I really did not like this story. The entire book they are cut off from their ship and slugs around in the jungle trying to broker peace. To me I felt that Rivka was is mostly fumbling around not really knowing what she is doing instead of chasing criminals. With Rivka being somewhat lost the rest of the team fares no better.
In the end I have to admit that I almost speed-read just to get to the end. Not my cup of tea this one.
Although this series is fictional I can't really help feeling we so need someone like rivka who speaks softly but carry's a big stick. So many of our so called leaders need both guidance and a good kick in the backside to point them away from selfishness towards selflessness and make sure they stay the path to care for ALL the people and ALL the planet ALL the time.
This is still an excellent series, fast-paced fun and full of excellent character development. I don’t particularly like the Island castaway scenario where stranded or lost. I still do not see the purpose of Groenwyn’s character. I know she’s full of joy but she cries too much for me. This is one of my favorite series and I think anybody else reads it will enjoy it. Waiting for the next book.
I love the familial relationship between Rivka and her two bodyguards. The snarky dialogue precisely shows how all three feel about each other. Good job by the author! I recommend this series and all of the books within it. I do suggest that you start with Book One.
Rivka takes her crew on a vacation, where they will relax, enjoy themselves, commune with nature, and not a dispute in sight! 🤣 Well, that was the plan.
I enjoyed the change of pace with this story. Rivka dispenses justice, but the background is rather different to usual.
The Rivka series has been fun and I can’t wait to see more.
I enjoy this series. Trivia and her crew always seem to find themselves in the middle of something completely different than what the expected . Their solutions are often unusual , but effective. Waiting for book nine. Hopefully your heart issues were resolved , Mr. Martelle .
Another great story by Craig Martelle. Sometimes you should be careful what you ask for. A vacation for the crew to a planet to commune with nature and disconnect with the stresses of life becomes a little too real as they are cast adrift in a jungle between two warring tribes. Forced to survive on their wits alone, the strengths and weaknesses of the crew rise to the forefront.
Craig did a good job of addressing a social issue that could be applied in any place or time. He avoided ever discussing the cause of racial distrust because he knows that has no meaning in the big picture. The only meaning is to find commonality and move forward as one people, regardless of your color. Really good read.
I am not usually one that writes a review, but I really enjoy the humorous banter and quips between characters as the author continue s to add depth to them and the storyline. The light handed discussion of ethics and reality is enjoyable. Too bad we don't have more like the crew of the Wyatt in the world right now.
Loved, loved this story. Not the typical shoot them up but the crew at their best. Not sure I understood how Rivka could go off and not leave either Kindy or Red to protect the ship. But this was the Magistrate at her best.
Lots going on in this one. The vacation Rivka and her crew have planned turns out very different after they crash on the jungle planet. Survival and settling the war between the two tribes in the place make for an exciting read.
This series is really good, especially in legal view, that in building a civilized society, you got to create a fair rule, not relying on the big guns only (although sometimes it is needed to break a stalemate)
Rivka and her crew are taking a well deserved vacation well that is what they plan anyway. They are taking it on a planet called Tanglewood which will put them kinda off the grid. Hope your surgery went well!
Once again I have had the pleasure of reading one of the books in the Kutherian universe. I have really enjoyed this series. My only problem is that I have now read all of them and have to wait for the next ones.
Thank Craig I throughly enjoyed this book in this series. The stories are incredibly fun and great reading I’m sorry to hear some of your other series will be ending in 2020 but then you say you are starting a new series with weretigers. Oh my! ENJOY
Oh horrors, Rivka doesn’t the unthinkable. She takes a vacation and her whole crew join in. A vacation from stress and conflict and the chaos that surrounds her. And the universe chuckles, nastily. A great read.
Marooned on a jungle planet. Problems with the natives. They don't know they are part of the Federation, they don't even know what the Federation is. All they want to do is fight. Their attitude is if your not with them,your against them and therefore an enemy.
This book was lighter hearted than some of the others but every bit as good as the rest and I wish there were 10 more already written so I could just revel in the adventure for a solid week!!! Howard S (the S stands for super fan)
Another excellent story with our favorite barrister. I enjoy the interweaving with other characters in the KU if if only by mentioning them. Each case Rick's handles enables us to see more of her personal and intellectual development. I love it!!
A more laid back adventure this time ,but brings in some good cameos and also we get to see more of the entire crew which i think should continue. Now just to await book 9 lol
This book is part of the series within a series set in the Kurtherian Gambit Universe. Craig Martelle and Michael Anderle did a great job creating a world and characters you can believe in and get excited about. If you enjoy this series, try the main series, it will take you on a trip...!!!
This series keeps getting better and better with each book. If it wasn’t already really late, I would start the next one now...as it is I will begin when I wake up. Definitely recommend it.
Wow, even on vacation the team gets surprised. Crash landing is not the way to start vacation. Some team building as well as sorting out the locals is more like work, not play. Enjoy.
A nova blew the ship's system? I thought they were stronger! Well the pod doc got a workout and now all the crew is protected and shoes body is stronger. We will find out the c th angles later.