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pjonsson's review against another edition
3.0
This book started off very good but in the end it became “just” good. It starts off with a known enemy breaking a peace treaty for the umpteen time and an admiral taking the opportunity to wage war against this enemy in the only way that enemy can understand it even if it means the extermination of the enemy species and despite the opinions of the pea-brained politicians. After having read the first half, maybe a bit more, I was ready to give this book at least four stars, maybe five.
Then the pea-brained politicians decide to pee in their pants and try to recall the human fleet when they are, finally, about to gain a decisive victory. These are the same morons that have agreed to peace treaty after peace treaty with an alien race that have constantly shown that they use these treaties only to rearm and then have another go at exterminating the humans. It really reminds me of the useless UN: Oh my they didn’t stop being bad guys so let’s make an even stronger worded resolution.
At the end of the book there’s a totally ridiculous court martial which almost ruins the book. Now, luckily, in the course of the book the admiral in question tells the pea-brained politicians to shove it and successfully completes his task anyway which makes this book being a good read despite the political nonsense. However, the second half of the book, which almost entirely revolves around political bullshit, drags the book down.
In the book we get an insight into the alien and their somewhat strange religious-like way of reasoning which adds an interesting element. As one can imagine, especially from the fact that there are three more books and from the blurb on the second book, the bad guys do not get exterminated although they realize the error of their ways.
The end result is a good book which could have been even better. I won’t hesitate to read the second one in the series although I certainly hope that the author doesn’t step up the political bullshit in that one.
Then the pea-brained politicians decide to pee in their pants and try to recall the human fleet when they are, finally, about to gain a decisive victory. These are the same morons that have agreed to peace treaty after peace treaty with an alien race that have constantly shown that they use these treaties only to rearm and then have another go at exterminating the humans. It really reminds me of the useless UN: Oh my they didn’t stop being bad guys so let’s make an even stronger worded resolution.
At the end of the book there’s a totally ridiculous court martial which almost ruins the book. Now, luckily, in the course of the book the admiral in question tells the pea-brained politicians to shove it and successfully completes his task anyway which makes this book being a good read despite the political nonsense. However, the second half of the book, which almost entirely revolves around political bullshit, drags the book down.
In the book we get an insight into the alien and their somewhat strange religious-like way of reasoning which adds an interesting element. As one can imagine, especially from the fact that there are three more books and from the blurb on the second book, the bad guys do not get exterminated although they realize the error of their ways.
The end result is a good book which could have been even better. I won’t hesitate to read the second one in the series although I certainly hope that the author doesn’t step up the political bullshit in that one.
snowcrash's review
3.0
I grab books from the shelves of used book stores without too much input. i.e. the Internet didn't tell me. Just the cover and back. Sometimes I find great stuff and sometimes I find rubbish. This book falls about in the middle.
I knew going in its a Space Opera. I wanted capital ships in big fights, governments that don't understand, aliens that are alien, wheels within wheels. That sort of thing. I didn't get that here.
The opening Prologue does have a big starship battle, complete with details of how things work in this universe. But after that, anything to do with the Navy is regulated as a background note. "Ships went here and were successful at pushing out the enemy." That's it.
The human characters in the Imperial Navy or government are not that interesting. The main Admiral guy has a little bit of depth, mainly due to the fact he learned about his enemy, the bird like zor. The zor characters mainly spout out lines from their myths.
I will give the author credit in creating depth in the myths of the zor. It feels Japanese in style, though none of the human characters is aware of the similarities.
About half way through I was getting bored. Lots of talking, not much doing. Then wham! Something hits that makes it interesting, so I continued to mainly see what was behind it. The last third was better, mainly due to the mystery that hits at that point. Plus the twists in the zor/human conflict. (The author sets up sequels about half way through the first book, too).
Its strengths are in the zor. The rest of it stretches out the slow bits and glosses over the faster, potentially more interesting bits. It only makes 3 stars because of the last third.
I knew going in its a Space Opera. I wanted capital ships in big fights, governments that don't understand, aliens that are alien, wheels within wheels. That sort of thing. I didn't get that here.
The opening Prologue does have a big starship battle, complete with details of how things work in this universe. But after that, anything to do with the Navy is regulated as a background note. "Ships went here and were successful at pushing out the enemy." That's it.
The human characters in the Imperial Navy or government are not that interesting. The main Admiral guy has a little bit of depth, mainly due to the fact he learned about his enemy, the bird like zor. The zor characters mainly spout out lines from their myths.
I will give the author credit in creating depth in the myths of the zor. It feels Japanese in style, though none of the human characters is aware of the similarities.
About half way through I was getting bored. Lots of talking, not much doing. Then wham! Something hits that makes it interesting, so I continued to mainly see what was behind it. The last third was better, mainly due to the mystery that hits at that point. Plus the twists in the zor/human conflict. (The author sets up sequels about half way through the first book, too).
Its strengths are in the zor. The rest of it stretches out the slow bits and glosses over the faster, potentially more interesting bits. It only makes 3 stars because of the last third.
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