The Peacekeeper Initiative

Peacekeepers of Sol #2

by Glynn Stewart

Amidst the ruins of a broken empire
A new warlord rises to power
The worlds in his path call for help
And the United Planets Alliance answers!

The Kenmiri Empire has fallen, broken against the might of the Vesheron rebels and the United Planets Space Force. The alliance between the Vesheron and the UPSF has collapsed in turn, leaving the former empire as worlds without governance or leaders.

Amidst the chaos, the UPSF has launched a valiant effort to reach out to the weak and protect the defenseless. As part of the Peacekeeper Initiative, Colonel Henry Wong leads the battlecruiser Raven deep into once-hostile territory.

There, an old ally has begun to forge a new empire from the old slave worlds. As starvation forces worlds to surrender, Henry prepares a desperate plan to bring food to the hungry—and defeat to those who conquer!

Genres: Science Fiction, Space Opera, Military Fiction, Fiction, Audiobook, Military Science Fiction

Kindle Edition

First published June 9, 2020

About the author

Glynn 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.

Reviews

[Tony Hisgett · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story starts well and promises an exciting space opera, however this doesn't last very long and the majority of the book is quite slow going. There is a lot of negotiating, planning and sending out drones, which would be OK if it didn't seem to fill hundreds of pages.
When the Raven was involved in action it was basically to see how many hits it could take before being made useless, not particularly interesting. Even the usual big battle at the end turned out to be very small scale.
This was a decent story, but a bit low key for my tastes.

[Red Tide]

reminiscent of 1930's fiction

Rating: minus 3

I am doing rewrites of reviews to make them more intelligible and undo self censorship. I suggest you scan other reviews for a balanced perspective. Goodreads have blocked my seeing other's reviews for a year or so. 🤔 Commenter ID's on my pages are masked. 🤔 I have not had a response to my queries for more than a year. 🤔

I have closed my reviews to comments and removed all lurkers but one. Goodreads will now not allow me remove a Dr Susan Hamilton (Maths professor at University of Tennessee ?). 🤔 She posted nothing for more than two years after her friend request and has not unfriended me despite four requests (or even acknowledged them). 🤔 Provided her ID has not been faked, it is sad that she finds my poorly credentialed self so interesting. I really am not, my siblings are more than willing to corroborate. 😁😁

It proves the adage "Write a scathing review of 'a sorry salute to the January 6, 2021 hero ', suddenly being a communist is a bad thing". Quelle surprise. 🙂

If curious, see my review of "Stowaway", a poor space adventure or Powers of the Earth (a sorry salute to the January 6, 2021 hero) and comments of a Claes Rees, Jr/cgr710 (a self-identified NeoNazi and US patriot).

To Claes Rees, Jr/cgr710
Don't be a numpty. Be a smarty. Come and join the Communist Party.

I wonder about the motivations of US patriots (Tucker Carlson, Claes Rees Jr and US Republican Party, for example) who support Putin and Russia, when he has threatened to attack the US or take back Alaska. Enough gold bars is a reasonable inducement but I suspect that there is an expectation of acquiring several forcibly deported Ukrainians slaves (I mean liberated citizens). In any case.

Today Kherson! Tomorrow Crimea! GLORY TO UKRAINE !!! and GLORY TO THE HEROES !!!

This book presents a nice set of problems that earth (or is it US) forces had to solve and the teamwork between diplomatic and military personnel was well written. The common problem of these books is the difference between the surface gloss of world building and the fuzziness beneath that surface. Why is this space force acting apparently on its own authority? What organization authorizes the diplomats? What happened to the Russian presence in space?

Adventure is not limited to battles or Galactic governments. This series has some really good ideas especially with regards the aliens. I imagine the story being improved with direct input from philosophy and "history that could be". YouTube has channels that this story reminded me might help. Philosophy Tube (she is a phenomenal and funny essayist/educator - philosophy translated into the everyday), Vlad Vexler (a fantastic essayist and social/moral philosopher), Tom Nicholas (educator/essayist - the intersection between culture, social policy, economic structure or History deconstructed) and Ryan Chapman (dry and academic but accurate with historical context for the figures most associated with lines of thought).

The choices and decisions of the characters could reflect so much more than late capitalist political morality, which is more justification for expansion of military/political/economic power. I think that it would add a crazy amount of depth to and views of that reality that open new possibilities for the societies involved. I am bored with the Hegelian "Great Man" theory of history. A military action that commits an entire society to a course of action decided by a single leader with no other input is bad. It is very, very bad in real life. What is fun in "Invicta Stellaris" is not necessarily sane in reality.

The recognition of allies and the creation of trading networks is sensible but the story plays out much like the US/NATO/French/Russian explanations for their military interventions in various areas of the globe. It is not very original but is thought out unlike most of these "humans save the galaxy" books and the plot is driven by a few clear objectives. Given the premise and despite a certain smugness, the plot creates a dangerous playing field that the main characters must navigate carefully.

The tech is always consistent in his books, which is a rarity in these military science fiction stories.
The action is consistent with the tech involved and has a realistic feel. There are no battles for fighting sake but there are battles. All are forced engagements and none are joyously embraced but seen through by the characters with ruthless acceptance of the cost. There's not a hoorah in sight. It was definitely worth a read, if you want naval and ground battle action with a decent appreciation of same.

As usual, his characters have some background. The character growth and development suffers as usual with these books from the thin world building. His writing may not be Goethe but compared to the usual current low end fare, it is stellar.

His books are not bad for light entertainment but the bulk of current low end science fiction is so awful that I have lost most of my interest. The streaming services still provide some entertaining science fiction, a lot of which is thoughtful or touches big ideas but almost all of it is better written than the print. A solid multinational selection can also be found in Netflix.

I replaced Goodreads with YouTube about two years ago. Besides the science fiction and other special interest channels, I came across the book channels by accident. The book channels are varied and fun, covering all aspects of the bookish experience. The reader communities hosted are thoughtful, fun and are excited by all things book related. It is a complete opposite to the Goodreads experience. I recommend a visit to several book channels for any reader and have listed some below.

I also was introduced to the dedicated educational sites through advertisements on YouTube. I began by using Curiosity Stream/Nebula at a cost of about $15 USD for a yearly subscription. I think that all of them are worth a look.

Please protect yourself on Goodreads and treat the site as potentially hostile. 🙂

Minimize the information on your profile. Remove lurkers from your friend list. Your reviews can obviously be followed as posted by a certain type of member (and his fellows). I also suspect that techs can use these accounts to bypass some system logs of their activity. 🤔

My YouTube picks of the moment.
Philosophy Tube, Owen Jones, Second Thought, The Piano Guys, Mandy, DUST, Verdana, Dave Channels, Warographics, The Little Platoon, The Book Castle, Kings and Generals, Tom Nicholas, The Mindful Narrowboat.

Some of my favorite YouTube channels are.

Chugging Along, Ship Happens, Munecat, Eleanor Morton, Some More News, Tara Mooknee, Novara Media, The The Juice Media, Tom Nicholas, Tulia, Brittany the Bibliophile, Lady knight the Brave, The Mindful Narrowboat, Prime of Midlife, We're in Hell, Sabine Hossenfelder, Sarah Z, Cruising Alba, Northern Narrowboaters, Chloe Stafler, Neringa Rekaslute, Karolina Zebrowska, Jill Bearup, Jabzy, Between the Wars, The Great War, Real Engineering, Dr Becky, Filaxim Historia, Rowan J Coleman, Adult Wednesday Addams, Spacedock, The Templin Institute, Big Think, Hello Future Me, Pro Robots, Invicta, Luciana Zogbi, Serena Skybourne, Lilly's expat life, A Life of Lit, Hailey in Bookland, A Clockwork Reader, History Line, Awful Archeology, Jack in the Books, With Olivia, Overly Sarcastic Productions, What Vivi did next, Pentatonix, The Gravel Institute, Second Thought, Book Odyssey, Then and Now, Philosophy Tube, Practical Engineering, Event Horizon, Military History Visualized, Cruising the Cut, Nomadic Crobot, Narrowboat Chef, I'm Rosa, Kathy's Flog in France, AllShorts, MWG Studios, The Budget Museum, Kings and Generals, Apostolic Majesty, Patrick is a Navajo, Half as Interesting, Three Arrows, Zoe Baker, Therapy in a Nutshell, Camper Vibe, Digital Engine, Traveling K, Ben and Emily, Emmie, Books and Lala, Danni and Joe, Holly the Cafe Boat, Boat Time, Timeline.

I wish you a sunny morning, a productive afternoon, a pleasant evening, a wonderful night and may we all keep learning.

A little genocide and global enslavement are just necessary inputs for progress.
Adolph Hitler

[Maureen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can’t say enough good things about this author.


Maybe I just don’t know enough about military battle tactics, but I would think that the mind behind these space battles, namely Glynn Stewart, would be a blessing in any situation room. He’s proven capable of searing jumps of tactical genius, from my point of view.

His ability to also present his characters as flesh-and blood decision-makers, showcases his attention to their humanity. My appreciation is boundless for his non-human characters, especially ones where languages play a significant part in displaying their otherness.

All-round great book. From pacing and plotting through dialogue and tactics, this book is solid.

[William Howe · Rating 2 out of 5]

Duh

I heartily dislike when the premise of a novel is fundamental strategic errors by the good guys. Failing to secure critical strategic positions *first* is so stupid as to be nonsensical, especially when the good guys already know how critical those positions are!!!

I just can’t keep reading milSF that screws up the ‘mil’ part.

[Samantha Campbell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Starts Slow but Ends Fast

Hi! Once again, I was lucky enough to receive an ARC copy of Glynn Stewart's latest release. I am thankful he continues to keep me as an ARC reader because his books NEVER let me down.

What kept this book from being 5 stars, in my opinion, was that I had a harder time than usual getting into the action. That being said, it by no means was bad writing. Glynn is very nearly my favorite author, and I only say that because I don't really want to pick favorites.

The main character in this series is different than other main characters of Glynn's in that he doesn't have a romantic interest. I love that Glynn continues to write diverse characters. Some are gay, some are black, some are asian, some are women, some are aliens, some are AI. Glynn (as far as I know) is none of those things - though he writes well enough he might be a computer - so it's great that his books are inclusive. And not in a manner that brings any of these different classifications of people down; everything is positive and really just makes a person feel like no matter what they are, they can be a starship captain too. Or...we could be, if there were such thing...

[Matt Rizzo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another excellent book in a fascinating and refreshing series in the military sci-fi genre. I love the exploration of this universe and the building up of post war alliances to prevent pocket empires. I just wish more could be done in each book. If the Peacekeeper Initiative is for the entire Ra sector of 500 worlds, focusing on only 4 per book is gonna be boring.

That being said I love the personalities of the characters, their relationships, and as usual the inclusivity and diversity in all of Glynn’s books. His dealing with PTSD and moral dilemmas on Colonel Wong after the genocide of Golden Lancelot excellently demonstrates how soldier should be treated during and after service. I look forward to reading the next installment in the series.

[Morgan Biscup · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fighting for Peace

I enjoyed this bittersweet installment to the Peacekeepers of Sol. Captain Wong has certainly found his footing, and the mission seems to be helping his PTSD although it is still of course very present.

The difficulties of warring against former allies he once worked closely with is going to take its toll, I feel. The relationships add some depth to the resolution, and I am both anticipating and dreading where that particular thread leads the story.

Definitely worth reading.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The second book in the series picks up shortly after the first with the Raven trying to save several planets from being conquered. The book reads very like a TV episode, resolving the main situation in the book while leaving plenty of room for more stories. I look forward to the next book and to see what new characters show up.

As always, the characters are very relatable and the best part of the story.

[Keith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rather Intense

Decent support in the storyline for the science tech defined in the series. Battles tend to be more destructive though, and the number of combatants lost serves to remind us war is hell. Acceptable character and society development, which includes some innovative approaches to government. This book ends quietly after considerable tension with less story resolution than I expected. The reader is left with an expectation of a next installment.

[Chance · Rating 3 out of 5]

still waiting for there blue helmets

Talk talk talk talk just like the first book I don’t know real like. I cannot believe how much talking went on in this book. I just went on and on and on that negotiation the treaties of and then threats from the bad aliens . Had some more complex space fighting, but really it couldn’t get me to injoy the story also their ground combat were lackluster at best.

[Paul Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, I want the next book! This book continued the story from Raven’s Peace where the Peacekeeper Initiative is determined to fight against warlordism, and keep peace in the area around the UPA. It has more diplomacy and politics than Glynn Stewart normally writes about, but not too much, and still a considerable amount of military action and tactical manoeuvring.

[Philip · Rating 5 out of 5]

Soldier are fragile human too

A lot of time, space opera scifi portray their captains / commanders / admirals as some unbreakable tough cookie. Glynn choose differently. Captain Henry Wong is a wreck, a head case after he won the war by genocide. But the support system of the Space Force supported him to rebuilt himself, and use his flaw as a drive to start a new peace.

[Shane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Three and half stars. I liked the story but am beginning to wonder just where this series is going. The characters are good and there are some interesting dynamics both personal and professional. The pacing seems to bog down in tedium at times and it always seems like more interesting things are taking place elsewhere in the universe.

[Tammy Cardosi · Rating 2 out of 5]

I couldn't finish it...

I love his other series' (although now that Damian has disappeared from Mage I may stop that series) but this one is boring. I tried to keep listening but found myself going back and playing the same chapters over because my attention wandered. I don't know what happened to the author in this series but he's not up to his usual level...

[Ajitabh Pandey · Rating 3 out of 5]

The adventure continued from previous book. The job of peacekeeper is not easy. Tactical knowledge clubbed with diplomatic skills are essential. This second book in the series saw Col Henry Wong, Captain of the Raven task force negotiating and fighting together. The book is not full of action, but it’s an interesting read with limited action.

[Fred La Plante III · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Great Part Two of the Series

I enjoyed the way Glynn Stewart continues to build the storyline in the series. I like how the characters are being developed and how groups of people are coming together because of just causes. There are tough challenges and tough decisions to be made, but it is good to see complex solutions being sought.

[Aaron · Rating 5 out of 5]

Glynn has a real talent for creating multiple sci-fi ship-based series without ever feeling like they are repetitive or stealing each other's ideas. Book two of peacekeepers continues a much lower level of intensity than a traditional Mil-Sci, with a greater focus on the fallout of the last book and the political aspects of the fall of an empire

[Steve · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nicely written and reasonably well paced. It's a shame that the story isn't very interesting.

Around half way though the book, we are told that a couple of UPFS destroyers are scouting abandoned Kenmiri installations. My reaction was "that would make an interesting story" :-).

[Sandy Adams · Rating 5 out of 5]

More please!

I'm impressed by the authors ability to create worlds and write stories with engaging characters and storylines. I get hooked and end up reading until 2 am when I need to be at work by 8. Cant go wrong with a glynn Stewart book

[Harold Phipps · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great book

If you liked the first book this is at least as good if not better. The first had character background this had character development and story line progression.

[Aaron Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I give this and the third book in this series 3.5 stars upgraded to 4. I don't dislike this series per se, but the characters and everything else together, I don't enjoy as much as normal with Stewart books/series. Still not bad for the genre, just not as much as I usually like this author.

[Dean Ezra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting story mostly based on diplomacy and negotiation. There is action in some parts, but if you want an all out action military story, look elsewhere.

I will look out for the third book in the series, even though this second book is quite predictable.

[Jimmy Duncan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good story!

You have already written the series but I have an idea for the inner ear reaction to coming out of "skip". For each crewman, a pair of gravity generator headsets. It would produce a 2 1/2 to 3 g field into the inner ear and prevent the difficulty.

[Damaged142 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyable

Again, nothing out of the ordinary within this genre, but very solid regardless. A few minor editing issues are present but are not negatively impacting the story.

I've come to enjoy this series, I am excited to see where the initiative goes from here!

[Phil Erb · Rating 5 out of 5]

another banger

I enjoyed this book as much as the others from this prolific author. I think the characters could get more backstory and the “universe” to be built up a bit more but maybe in later books?

[Dale (Aus) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyed all this. Loved the characters, the story and the action.

[Masters · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great novel

This is a great addition to this series. If you like space battles and great character building this is a book for you.

[Bob · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although it is a continuation of a story, most characters are weak. Only the lead character is fully presented.

[Carole Eshenbaugh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun read

This is a well written military, with tons of military facts. This is was read at warp speed, and wishing for more.

[Jennifer Baratta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Get this book in audio! Captain Henry goes to a world for trade. Comes back with 5 worlds to trade with and an alliance.