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kathydavie's review against another edition
5.0
First in the Peacekeeper military science fiction series and sixth in Huff's Confederation series. The focus is on the ill-assorted crew under Gunnery Sergeant Torin Kerr.
My Take
Huff is using An Ancient Peace to push Torin, Craig, and their team onto a new career path. It's one of the longest set-ups I've ever read, and Huff does a great job of it. It takes a bit before I got caught up on the backstory, and I'm still missing some bits, but Huff's storytelling is as enthralling as ever.
The world of Torin, Craig, and company is the weirdest world — those di'Taykan crack me up. They serve up so much innuendo, they make me look like a piker.
Okay, okay, it's not just the di'Taykan and Krai who are funny. It's also a good indication that no matter your species, we all pretty much share a common sense of humor:
It was fascinating how much information the team picked up in Abalae just by wandering around and observing, and yes, hitting the bars, *grin*. They also uncover how far behind they are technologically, which only raises more questions about the Elder Races.
Hmmm, I am not going any further with that speculation about coincidences...such as Presit showing up when she did. It seems like a loose thread. That or Huff is doing some foreshadowing.
In spite of most of what the H'san do and set up with their defenses, I do appreciate that they built things to last…wow…sure wish we could get half of our "stuff" to last twenty years let alone millennia. That said, I gotta agree with Broadbent about that "epitaph" on the H'san plinth: "We stand with you until we are needed." Yep, I think it means they run off if they come under attack too.
At the end, I can't tell if they're leaning toward taking Nadaykin on or not as part of the team. And this type of confusion does crop up at different times within An Ancient Peace. The "confusion" over ranks for several characters (and at least one character whose name kept dropping and adding an n was annoying. I do wish someone had paid more attention to this in the proofreading process.
The Story
The Younger races are barely tolerated by the Elder races, and the thieves hunting for H'san weapons will only increase the prejudice and incite war. Again.
It's up to Tori and her crew to find the grave robbers and put them down without anyone knowing.
The Characters
The very famous ex-Gunnery Sergeant Torin Kerr is known for bringing her people back alive. Craig Ryder is a salvage operator who got caught up in action with Tori. Now they're a couple, and they use Craig's ship, the Promise, to move around. Binit Mashana had been a sniper in the Corps. Alamber, a very young career criminal, is di'Taykan and damaged. His emotional growth was stunted by his lover and the situations she dragged him into. His computer skills, however, are beyond great. Ressk, ex-Corps with mad computer skills, and Master Corporal Werst, a former Marine with unarmed combat skills like Tori, are a bonded Krai couple.
Ventris is…
…the space station where the Justice Department is located. Justice hires on Tori and her crew to clean up messes. One of four such crews. I get the impression that Justice is comprised of Elder Races?? The Wardens seem to be the police side. Dr. Major Ito is the psychologist Tori has to see. Master Corporal Tresk is Dr. Ito's current admin.
The military side includes General Morris, a two-star, is Torin's personal pain;Lieutenant Captain Stedrin is his aide. Lieutenant di'Miru Harym escorts the team to a military intelligence meeting with Major Alie, a di"Taykan, and Colonel Hurrs, a Krai.
Sutton's is a bar on the station where Gunny will always be welcome; Elliot Westbrook is the grandson of the original Sutton owners.
Lanh Ng, the only Human Justice, is based in MidSector Seven at Berbar station. The Dornagain clerks there have some really odd names: Meticulously Records Every Detail and One Who Examines the Facts and Draws Conclusions are two of them.
A benny is a BN-4, a tight-band laser with a molecular disruption charge. The Marine's weapon of choice where a projectile was a bad idea.
Di'Taykan are in almost constant need of touch and sex is definitely touch. Their hair looks like colorful tubes, but are protein-based sensors whose motion gives a fairly good indication of a di'Taykan's emotional state. Qui seems to be when a di'Taykan reaches adulthood or the di'Taykan equivalent. I think thytrins are family members.
Susumi space is a mathematical construct that causes ships to define their own reality?? So, I suspect that a Susumi engine is one that helps you traverse through said space.
The Mid Races include…
…Rakva who give birth via eggs, Niln, and Katrien who look like beavers.
The Elder Races include the…
…H'san, the Eldest of the Elder Races who founded the Confederation, and they dragged the Younger Races in to fight the war against the Primacy because they no longer knew how or wanted to fight. Zegazt is a H'san title. Other Elder Races include Ciptran and Mictok (giant spiders).
Abalae is…
…a Trun planet. Everyone refers to the Trun as zi and zir, as if it means s/he, him / her, I, and ?? Bufush sells used goods over and under the table.
The Mercenaries are…
…under contract to find the H'san weapons. Jamers a Tur fenYenstrakin is Katrien, and a dependent of Presit's house. Jamers is doing the driving. Major Sujuno di'Kail, the leader of this expedition, is a repressed di"Taykan obsessed with registering a progenitor so she can resurrect her family name. She really hates Torin. Professor Dion is a self-proclaimed expert on all things H'san. Lieutenant Verr is a Krai Marine pilot and ex-lieutenant. Wen / Wenn, a Krai with an obsessive love for explosives, is her bonded. Sergeant Yasha Toporov is not very clever even if he is solid and dependable. Nadayki "Pirate" di'Berinango is di'Taykan and touch-deprived. The Human Corporal? Private? Broadbent does well at following orders. Corporal Katherine McKinnon, formerly Corps of Engineers and the team medic, was first into the dust-filled room. Lieutenant? Private? Timin di"geirah was thinking of signing on to Sujuno's new house. Corporal Srey Keo is a heavy gunner with an excellent exoskeleton.
Human's First is…
…a hate group against all other species. Yeah, Tori has a lot to say about that misplaced apostrophe, lol. Of course, they'll kill Humans if they see a need to. Interpret this widely… Richard Varga is a spokesman for them and typical of politicians who "know" all about war without ever having served.
The Cover and Title
The cover is a haze of purplish pink reminiscent of the H'san halls which Gunnery Sergeant Kerr, hefting one big gun, clad in a black T and pants — her combat "suit" — with a belt full of ammunition and more, and her hair cropped to curl under at her shoulders, is preparing to storm the necropolis. It's Werst behind her with his own suit and bigger gun and their crashed shuttle behind them against a tangled mass of jungle.
The title is an anomaly. For the H'san went peaceful millennia ago, An Ancient Peace, and yet, they will keep their weapons.
My Take
Huff is using An Ancient Peace to push Torin, Craig, and their team onto a new career path. It's one of the longest set-ups I've ever read, and Huff does a great job of it. It takes a bit before I got caught up on the backstory, and I'm still missing some bits, but Huff's storytelling is as enthralling as ever.
The world of Torin, Craig, and company is the weirdest world — those di'Taykan crack me up. They serve up so much innuendo, they make me look like a piker.
The Krais attitude about food also provides plenty of room for laughter."My yasha told me that when you remember someone they never really die.'
'Yeah?' Werst snorted. 'My jernil said my jernine repeated on her for days.'"
Okay, okay, it's not just the di'Taykan and Krai who are funny. It's also a good indication that no matter your species, we all pretty much share a common sense of humor:
That begins to tell you about the Confederation. There's so much more with the relationships between the Elder, Mid, and Younger Races; the creative cultures Huff has dreamt up; the plastic aliens that were all over the Confederation series; and, how similar we are in our political maneuverings, emotions, and prejudices."'You need to depress it,' he repeated.
'Tell it it'll never amount to shit,' Wenn snickered.
'Tell it it's weak,' Keo laughed, flexing her exoskeleton.
'Tell it it's all alone,' Nadayki said, voice and hair flat. 'It'll always be all alone.'"
It was fascinating how much information the team picked up in Abalae just by wandering around and observing, and yes, hitting the bars, *grin*. They also uncover how far behind they are technologically, which only raises more questions about the Elder Races.
Hmmm, I am not going any further with that speculation about coincidences...such as Presit showing up when she did. It seems like a loose thread. That or Huff is doing some foreshadowing.
In spite of most of what the H'san do and set up with their defenses, I do appreciate that they built things to last…wow…sure wish we could get half of our "stuff" to last twenty years let alone millennia. That said, I gotta agree with Broadbent about that "epitaph" on the H'san plinth: "We stand with you until we are needed." Yep, I think it means they run off if they come under attack too.
I certainly wouldn't want to go to battle under Sujuno's direction or expect any aid from her. Nor does she like herself. Can't blame her. I don't like her either. She has a lousy attitude toward anyone not her."'I'd have died a hero. Isn't that a Marine thing?'
'Dead heroes are a Navy thing,' Werst growled, 'Marines prefer live heroes; none of that single-use shit.'"
At the end, I can't tell if they're leaning toward taking Nadaykin on or not as part of the team. And this type of confusion does crop up at different times within An Ancient Peace. The "confusion" over ranks for several characters (and at least one character whose name kept dropping and adding an n was annoying. I do wish someone had paid more attention to this in the proofreading process.
The Story
The Younger races are barely tolerated by the Elder races, and the thieves hunting for H'san weapons will only increase the prejudice and incite war. Again.
It's up to Tori and her crew to find the grave robbers and put them down without anyone knowing.
The Characters
The very famous ex-Gunnery Sergeant Torin Kerr is known for bringing her people back alive. Craig Ryder is a salvage operator who got caught up in action with Tori. Now they're a couple, and they use Craig's ship, the Promise, to move around. Binit Mashana had been a sniper in the Corps. Alamber, a very young career criminal, is di'Taykan and damaged. His emotional growth was stunted by his lover and the situations she dragged him into. His computer skills, however, are beyond great. Ressk, ex-Corps with mad computer skills, and Master Corporal Werst, a former Marine with unarmed combat skills like Tori, are a bonded Krai couple.
Tinartin Hur Tain is a Valinstrisy ship, Presit's family name. Presit a Tur durValinstrisy is a dogged Katrien reporter who is friends with Torin and Craig, especially if that can lead to a story. A strectasin is the head of the matriarchal clan; an armenai is either a mother or grandmother. I couldn't tell from the context."Alamber grinned. 'I like feeling naked. I like feeling you na…'
'Gunny?'
'And that's why we keep the guns locked up.'"
Ventris is…
…the space station where the Justice Department is located. Justice hires on Tori and her crew to clean up messes. One of four such crews. I get the impression that Justice is comprised of Elder Races?? The Wardens seem to be the police side. Dr. Major Ito is the psychologist Tori has to see. Master Corporal Tresk is Dr. Ito's current admin.
The military side includes General Morris, a two-star, is Torin's personal pain;
Sutton's is a bar on the station where Gunny will always be welcome; Elliot Westbrook is the grandson of the original Sutton owners.
Lanh Ng, the only Human Justice, is based in MidSector Seven at Berbar station. The Dornagain clerks there have some really odd names: Meticulously Records Every Detail and One Who Examines the Facts and Draws Conclusions are two of them.
A benny is a BN-4, a tight-band laser with a molecular disruption charge. The Marine's weapon of choice where a projectile was a bad idea.
Di'Taykan are in almost constant need of touch and sex is definitely touch. Their hair looks like colorful tubes, but are protein-based sensors whose motion gives a fairly good indication of a di'Taykan's emotional state. Qui seems to be when a di'Taykan reaches adulthood or the di'Taykan equivalent. I think thytrins are family members.
"When the di"Taykans discovered that their pheromones worked on all mammals and some nonmammals more powerfully than they worked on other di"Taykan, they took that to mean the universe intended them to have sex with most of known space."Krai have all-encompassing appetites, i.e., they'll eat absolutely anything, although they do consider Humans particularly tasty.
Susumi space is a mathematical construct that causes ships to define their own reality?? So, I suspect that a Susumi engine is one that helps you traverse through said space.
The Mid Races include…
…Rakva who give birth via eggs, Niln, and Katrien who look like beavers.
The Elder Races include the…
…H'san, the Eldest of the Elder Races who founded the Confederation, and they dragged the Younger Races in to fight the war against the Primacy because they no longer knew how or wanted to fight. Zegazt is a H'san title. Other Elder Races include Ciptran and Mictok (giant spiders).
Abalae is…
…a Trun planet. Everyone refers to the Trun as zi and zir, as if it means s/he, him / her, I, and ?? Bufush sells used goods over and under the table.
The Mercenaries are…
…under contract to find the H'san weapons. Jamers a Tur fenYenstrakin is Katrien, and a dependent of Presit's house. Jamers is doing the driving. Major Sujuno di'Kail, the leader of this expedition, is a repressed di"Taykan obsessed with registering a progenitor so she can resurrect her family name. She really hates Torin. Professor Dion is a self-proclaimed expert on all things H'san. Lieutenant Verr is a Krai Marine pilot and ex-lieutenant. Wen / Wenn, a Krai with an obsessive love for explosives, is her bonded. Sergeant Yasha Toporov is not very clever even if he is solid and dependable. Nadayki "Pirate" di'Berinango is di'Taykan and touch-deprived. The Human Corporal? Private? Broadbent does well at following orders. Corporal Katherine McKinnon, formerly Corps of Engineers and the team medic, was first into the dust-filled room. Lieutenant? Private? Timin di"geirah was thinking of signing on to Sujuno's new house. Corporal Srey Keo is a heavy gunner with an excellent exoskeleton.
Human's First is…
…a hate group against all other species. Yeah, Tori has a lot to say about that misplaced apostrophe, lol. Of course, they'll kill Humans if they see a need to. Interpret this widely… Richard Varga is a spokesman for them and typical of politicians who "know" all about war without ever having served.
The Cover and Title
The cover is a haze of purplish pink reminiscent of the H'san halls which Gunnery Sergeant Kerr, hefting one big gun, clad in a black T and pants — her combat "suit" — with a belt full of ammunition and more, and her hair cropped to curl under at her shoulders, is preparing to storm the necropolis. It's Werst behind her with his own suit and bigger gun and their crashed shuttle behind them against a tangled mass of jungle.
The title is an anomaly. For the H'san went peaceful millennia ago, An Ancient Peace, and yet, they will keep their weapons.
katyanaish's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed it, and on some level, it was great to see Torin and the gang adjusting to life outside the military.
But something was missing. I can't quite put my finger on what. Maybe it was the way that Torin still gave unwavering respect to people with higher ranks, even though the ranks have done nothing but let her down or use her like a pawn for years. Maybe it was seeing the way the other races treat the "Younger Races"... And just letting them get away with that. It's not acceptable. Someone needs to ask them to justify how such "evolved" races are perfectly content to send the very youngest out to die for them. Particularly when these supposed enlightened assholes have zero gratitude for all the death on their behalf. How is this the sign of a more evolved race? Seems like the only thing that is evolved to a higher level is their sense of selfish entitlement. And that needs to be shut down immediately. From what we saw of the Core, they are treating the Younger Races like serfs. They do the dirty work, and we'll give them our castoffs - old tech, they aren't welcome to visit our planets - sure sounds like the Younger Races are slaves to the Elder and Mid Races.
I hope this gets handled.
But something was missing. I can't quite put my finger on what. Maybe it was the way that Torin still gave unwavering respect to people with higher ranks, even though the ranks have done nothing but let her down or use her like a pawn for years. Maybe it was seeing the way the other races treat the "Younger Races"... And just letting them get away with that. It's not acceptable. Someone needs to ask them to justify how such "evolved" races are perfectly content to send the very youngest out to die for them. Particularly when these supposed enlightened assholes have zero gratitude for all the death on their behalf. How is this the sign of a more evolved race? Seems like the only thing that is evolved to a higher level is their sense of selfish entitlement. And that needs to be shut down immediately. From what we saw of the Core, they are treating the Younger Races like serfs. They do the dirty work, and we'll give them our castoffs - old tech, they aren't welcome to visit our planets - sure sounds like the Younger Races are slaves to the Elder and Mid Races.
I hope this gets handled.
tessisreading2's review against another edition
4.0
Basically a reset of the series: this Torin Kerr is working, vaguely, for the Justice Department with her ragtag crew of mostly-ex-Marine misfits, cleaning up messes and fixing things the department can't be seen to deal with openly, while Torin deals with her leftover stress from the war. We learn more about the actual cultures and interactions of various races, and . It's essentially a space archaeology adventure, complete with mildly sympathetic (or at least ) villain and .
Spoiler
Huff is a lot kinder to the supporting characters in this oneSpoiler
understandably crazySpoiler
superpowered zombiesblodeuedd's review against another edition
3.0
So yes this is the start of a new series, but be warned, it's also book 6 of her adventures. But new series and all. In that way, yes it could work as a standalone. But you would miss how she fought in their wars, had her adventures, found a conspiracy, and ended up with Craig. But, it works like it is.
Torin is ex-marine. She is tough nails and she was so very military. But the previous series threw some punches and now she is out. But when you are out, they pull you back in! She has her crew, they get a job and they take it.
The world may be at peace, but those others are still out there. Some humans are making noise about humans first. Other alien races not touched by the war is all murderers, idiots! When you have Elder races, telling younger races to fight their wars, while middle races sit it out, oh will this confederation really last? And now someone is trying to steal big bad weapons. Peace in space, not an easy thing to have.
This is military scifi. There will be fights, tech, weapons and lots and lots of danger. Those H'San sure knew how to invent stuff. But it's not non stop action all the way. Torin still has time to worry about a teammate, who really needs someone of his own kind (long story, but they really really need others). She is a good woman.
I do wonder where this new business will take them. Lots of space still to explore.
Torin is ex-marine. She is tough nails and she was so very military. But the previous series threw some punches and now she is out. But when you are out, they pull you back in! She has her crew, they get a job and they take it.
The world may be at peace, but those others are still out there. Some humans are making noise about humans first. Other alien races not touched by the war is all murderers, idiots! When you have Elder races, telling younger races to fight their wars, while middle races sit it out, oh will this confederation really last? And now someone is trying to steal big bad weapons. Peace in space, not an easy thing to have.
This is military scifi. There will be fights, tech, weapons and lots and lots of danger. Those H'San sure knew how to invent stuff. But it's not non stop action all the way. Torin still has time to worry about a teammate, who really needs someone of his own kind (long story, but they really really need others). She is a good woman.
I do wonder where this new business will take them. Lots of space still to explore.
kerstincullen's review against another edition
5.0
Part space cozy, part detective novel, part dungeon crawl with zombies- way to much fun.
seeinghowitgoes's review against another edition
4.0
Her belief in the war shattered by the discovery of the grey plastic aliens, it's only when Torin starts to venture out with her crew on a covert mission given to them by Justice that she realises just how little the Elder Races have been sharing with the Confederation.
Despite 5 years between this and the last Valor novel it reads almost as though there's been no break at all in the writing. The series is definitely giving off an Ocean's Eleven/FastFurious type of vibe now, for the first time in the series our team has remained the same and it works, Torin is interesting enough but it's the belief of her team behind her that really brings her character to life.
Despite 5 years between this and the last Valor novel it reads almost as though there's been no break at all in the writing. The series is definitely giving off an Ocean's Eleven/FastFurious type of vibe now, for the first time in the series our team has remained the same and it works, Torin is interesting enough but it's the belief of her team behind her that really brings her character to life.
shaekin's review against another edition
4.0
This isn't really a new series as there hasn't been a significant amount of time between this book and book 5 of the Confederation books. If you're hoping to pick this up without reading the Confederation novels first, I wouldn't recommend. There are a lot of things referenced from the Confederation novels that would be really confusing and hard to catch up on with the few references that are given throughout this book. If you have read those and liked them, then you'll like this one too. Some hints were given of motives that I hope are expounded on in the future novels, and the ending definitely indicates there's more to come.
squids_can_read's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
felinity's review against another edition
4.0
4.5 stars
Gunnery Sergeant Torin Kerr and her crew are adjusting to life outside the Corps... sort of. Their mission is to stop some graverobbers whose larceny may tear apart the Confederation, if only they can track them down before it's too late.
It's been quite a while since I read any SF/F with so many different species, and I don't recall any having the incredible variety of cultures, biology, linguistic interpretation and politics I found here. This is the first in [a:Tanya Huff|1967|Tanya Huff|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1207242126p2/1967.jpg]'s new Peacekeepers series, but part of a series already-established (which I now need to start reading), so there's a steep curve for those new to this universe. It's worth it though!
There's a stark contrast between leadership styles the different teams. One leader will take risks to protect her people, and the other won't even touch a member of her team who needs it, deliberately maintaining physical and emotional distance between everyone and treating them all as disposable assets: a risky business in that line of work, and it shows.
I loved the humor and casual affection Torin's team share: they aren't just a team bonded by shared experience and general camaraderie, but are more like a close family. (Expect the normal Marine vs Navy jokes, along with running innuendoes.) Don't be thrown by some grammatical incorrectness in the beginning: it's deliberate, and I started to love Torin when I realized she was twitching as much as I. Some of the later inconsistency is also intentional, so just force yourself past it if that bothers you.
This is military science fiction at its best. There aren't any quick Kirk-style fixes here, or universal translators. Winning is painful, success is rewarded by paperwork (at least failure gets you a pass, even though you're dead), alien species aren't always bipedal, and you can't always make alien tech work.
Disclaimer: I received a free ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Gunnery Sergeant Torin Kerr and her crew are adjusting to life outside the Corps... sort of. Their mission is to stop some graverobbers whose larceny may tear apart the Confederation, if only they can track them down before it's too late.
It's been quite a while since I read any SF/F with so many different species, and I don't recall any having the incredible variety of cultures, biology, linguistic interpretation and politics I found here. This is the first in [a:Tanya Huff|1967|Tanya Huff|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1207242126p2/1967.jpg]'s new Peacekeepers series, but part of a series already-established (which I now need to start reading), so there's a steep curve for those new to this universe. It's worth it though!
Spoiler
(And for Doctor Who afficionados new to this universe, there's a whole species who reminded me very much of Captain Jack Harkness...)There's a stark contrast between leadership styles the different teams. One leader will take risks to protect her people, and the other won't even touch a member of her team who needs it, deliberately maintaining physical and emotional distance between everyone and treating them all as disposable assets: a risky business in that line of work, and it shows.
I loved the humor and casual affection Torin's team share: they aren't just a team bonded by shared experience and general camaraderie, but are more like a close family. (Expect the normal Marine vs Navy jokes, along with running innuendoes.) Don't be thrown by some grammatical incorrectness in the beginning: it's deliberate, and I started to love Torin when I realized she was twitching as much as I. Some of the later inconsistency is also intentional, so just force yourself past it if that bothers you.
This is military science fiction at its best. There aren't any quick Kirk-style fixes here, or universal translators. Winning is painful, success is rewarded by paperwork (at least failure gets you a pass, even though you're dead), alien species aren't always bipedal, and you can't always make alien tech work.
Disclaimer: I received a free ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.