Book Review: Close Encounters: An Alien Affairs novel SPOILERS!

Written by Katherine Allred, and published by EOS in April 2009, it depicts a GEP (Genetically Engineered Person) saving a planet's inhabitants from being exploited by a corrupt company who wants the rights to mine the planet for its crystals and they'll stop at nothing to achieve their goal, but neither does the heroine, Kiera Smith and her pet rockcat Crigo. Synopsis: Kiera Smith is not like ordinary Genetically Engineered Persons . . . The Bureau of Alien Affairs needed a special GEP agent with empathic abilities to handle their most extraordinary assignments—and a rogue geneticist saw to it that Kiera fit their specifications. But she turned out stronger, faster, smarter, and more impervious to harm than anyone anticipated. A reluctant "superhero," Kiera wishes she were normal, but it is not to be. On Orpheus Two, the indigenous Buri race faces extinction, a prospect the powerful Dynatec corporation welcomes and, in fact, may be actively hastening. It is Kiera's job to protect these beautiful, exotic aliens . . . and to discover what there is on Orpheus Two that Dynatec feels is worth killing for. But the magnetic allure of Thor, the breathtaking Buri leader, is proving a dangerous distraction. And now, to save Thor's people, Kiera will need a power she's never before possessed—something hidden in the unexplored recesses of her heart.

On her way to newly discovered Orpheus Two, GEP and Alien Affairs agent Kiera Smith and her rockcat Crigo, on her spaceship Max, are sent to investigate Dynatec's claim of Chapter Twenty--meaning that the sentient species is dying out and Dynatec wants the planet. Once there, the Dynatec crew, led by the sadistic mercenary Frisk and his GEP boss and lover, Quilla Dorn, try and suborn Kiera but it's no use as the Buri--the resident sentient species--leader, a man Kiera calls Thor, wants Kiera for a lover. Thor believes that Kiera is the Shushanna--the one meant to help his people (refugees from a centuries-dead planet) repopulate. After the majority of two months goes by, and offering asylum to GEP scientist Thomas Redfield and Dynatec crew member Claudia Karle, Kiera figures out that the Buri were once the Ashwani and left their home planet when it was dying. As such, Thor's people already colonized the planet so Dynatec loses its claim. Kiera and Thor marry during a ceremony and Kiera--much to her anger--becomes the Shushanna. Kiera tells her boss, Dr. Daniels--the head of Alien Affairs--and he takes it to a judge. Papers are signed but Dorn and Frisk hired pirates to wipe out the Buri and Kiera so they can have the planet. And they do this for the one thing Orpheus II has, the Limantii--a sentient crystal that only the Shushanna can use. Crigo kills Frisk while a dragon bird named Gem leads the other dragon birds to kill Dorn after she (Dorn) kills Thor. Accepting the power of the Limantii, Kiera alerts Dr. Daniels to the plot and then resurrects Thor. Dynatec pulls their crew off Orpheus II, but Claudia stays behind to get married to a Buri warrior named Ghost. Daniels takes Thomas back to Federation space to have him rehabilitated and retrain him for Alien Affairs. Keira is appointed to Orpheus II as a liaison between the Buri and the Federation. She remains behind with Thor with the promise of coming back to HQ for occasional updates in person.

Despite it being all first person, which--if you haven't guessed by now--I can't stand, it is really a superb novel and closely bridges the kilometers-wide hole that is true romance in the realm of science fiction. I highly recommend this one for any fan of romance and sic-fi.

Book Review: Honor Harrington: Field of Dishonor SPOILERS!

Published in October 1994 by Baen Books, author David Weber returns to his ever-popular military science fiction universe in the Honor Harrington series and weaves a tale of politics, honor, and intrigue in Field of Dishonor. Synopsis: Honor betrayed. The People's Republic of Haven's sneak attack on the Kingdom of Manticore has failed. The Peeps are in disarray, their leaders fighting for power in a bloody revolution, and the Royal Manticoran Navy stands victorious. But Manticore has domestic problems of their own, and success can be more treacherous than defeat for Honor Harrington. Now, trapped at the core of a political crisis she never sought, betrayed by an old and vicious enemy she'd thought vanquished forever, she stands alone. She must fight for justice on a battlefield she never trained for in a private war that offers just two choices: death...or a "victory" that can end only in dishonor and the loss of all she loves.

The novel opens with the Manticoran Judge Advocate General Board reviewing the final moments of the Battle of Hancock Station and arrives at the decision that Pavel Young needs to be tried in a court-martial. Baron High Ridge demands answers for this from Admiral of the Green Hamish Alexander (a.k.a. White Haven) and Duke Cromarty, who refuses to change their positions, so High Ridge threatens to have the Conservative Association oppose the war with Haven. On HMS Nike, Honor delivers Young to Manticore for his trial. It's overseen by Adml. White Haven, Capt Thor Simengaard, Commodore Lemaitre, Adml. Thedosia Kuzak, Adml. Sonja Hemphill, and RAdml. Rexford Jurgens. Pavel's father, Lord Dimitri Young--the current Earl of North Hollow--works hard to try and free his son of "injustice." Young is declared guilty of violating Articles 23 and 26 of the Articles of War, exposing units of the task force to severe damage, and casualties, but is dismissed of the two things that would've had him in front of a firing squad: the 4th and 5th charges as Hamish and company are unable to reach a verdict. In short, Pavel Young is stripped of all "rank, rights, privileges, and prerogatives as a Captain in the Royal Manticoran Navy and dishonorably dismissed from the Service as unfit to wear the Queen's uniform, judgement to be executed in three days."*

At this announcement, Dimitri dies of a heart attack and High Ridge petitions to get Pavel Young instated as the current Earl North Hollow, giving him a seat on the Lords, something Honor is uneasy with. Repairs on the Nike are ongoing and Honor is assigned to Task Force Four under command of Adml. Hamish Alexander and he has her go to oversee her Steading on Grayson. After a few weeks, Honor learns that her lover, Paul Tankersley, was killed by the assassin and former member of the Manticoran Marines Denver Summervale. Summervale killed Paul on Young's command as revenge against Harrington. Honor returns to Manticore and challenges Summervale to a duel--something that Summervale always wins in--and kills him. She badgers the Lords into giving her her seat--something long overdue since The Honor of the Queen--and challenges Young to a duel. White Haven orders Honor not to follow through--which is an illegal order and they both know it--but Honor does go through with it. She kills Young after he cowardly disobeys the dueling rules and wounds Honor. In response, Honor is exiled from Manticore, at least until the current political anger is gone. In the end, Honor leaves for Grayson, intending to stay there during her exile.

All in all, a great read and, though somewhat heavy in politics, is a rather satisfying conclusion to the Honor-Pavel tension. It seemed as though Weber knew that if he kept Pavel alive for any more books, the readers would've left the series because the tension would've gotten old.

*page 119 of the mass market paperback version

Book Review: Honor Harrington: The Short Victorious War SPOILERS!

In 1994, David Weber finally opened the Havenite/Manticoran War in The Short Victorious War and reintroduced a villain from On Basilisk Station to antagonize Honor. Synopsis: The families who rule the People's Republic of Haven are in trouble. The treasury's empty, the Proles are restless, and civil war is imminent. But the ruling class knows what they need to keep in power: another short, victorious war to unite the people and fill the treasury once more. It's a card they've played often in the last half-century, always successfully, and all that stands in their way is the Star Kingdom of Manticore and its threadbare allies. Enemies who in the past have always backed down. Only this time the Peeps face something different. This time they're up against Captain Honor Harrington and a Royal Manticoran Navy that's prepared to give them a war that's far from short... and anything by victorious.

The novel opens with Havenite Hereditary President Sidney Harris telling his cabinet that what Haven needs is a short, victorious war to help build up its treasury. His cabinet agrees. Captain Dame Honor Harrington receives a letter from Manticore, telling her that she'll be in charge of HMS Nike and will be sent to Hancock Station on Adml. Hamish Alexander (White Haven) and the First Space Lord of the Manticoran Admiralty Webster's orders. Honor's exec, Michelle "Mike" Henke, is a friend from Honor's academy days and a relative of the Queen of Manticore. VAdml. of the Green Sir Yancey Parks is less than pleased with Honor being assigned to his area and shows this by refusing to allow Honor to sit in on staff meetings. This displeases Honor's C.O., RAdml. Mark Sarnow, to no end. Yancey has it out for her because of the way she treated Reginald Houseman and her "stunts" at Basilisk Station and Grayson. Honor meets and starts to fall in love with Paul Tankersley, a former member of Pavel Young's command in On Basilisk Station, and he helps fix the engine the breaks after she arrives at Hancock Station.

After Sarnow has it out with Yancey for his exclusion of Honor, she is allowed to attend meetings. Soon afterward, the arrival of the Havenite Navy has Yancey in a panic. He leaves for Seaford Nine with most of the ships, leaving Sarnow to defend Hancock Station with the task force under his command. Battles rage as the Havenites, led by Captain Thomas Theisman, attack Manticoran allied systems, except for Hancock Station. HMS Warlock, still under the command of Captain Pavel Young, arrives at Hancock Station. During his time there, Young meets Commodore Van Slyke and Arthur Houseman, and both Young and Houseman poison Van Slyke against Honor. In Nouveau Paris, the capital of the People's Republic of Haven, Robert Pierce meets with Oscar Saint-Just and Cordelia Ransom to discuss a coup. Back at Seaford Nine, Yancey realizes that the Havenites suckered him into leaving Hancock nearly undefended. He recalls his ships and leaves for Hancock, hoping he's not too late.

At Hancock, the word is out about the Peep invasion. Under Sarnow's orders, the fleet leads the Havenites (Peeps) on a chase through the system. Commodore Van Slyke is killed during the battle and after a missile impacts with Nike, RAdml. Sarnow is rendered unconscious. Honor, knowing the next in command is on a ship with no working comms system thanks to the battle, can't hand the tactical command off. Young shows his true colors and panics, ordering the task force to break up without authorization. Honor orders the ships back into formation, but Young keeps fleeing the battle, which leads to the destruction of two more ships. He refuses to obey Honor's repeated orders to return to formation. The Manticoran ships pass the timed marker and Honor springs Sarnow's trap, detonating the mines, ripping the Havenite ships to pieces along with Yancey's returning fleet. Back on Nouveau Paris, Pierce, Saint-Just, and Ransom pull off their coup and kill Sidney Harris. At Hancock Station, Yancey removes Young from command and writes orders for him to be tried under court-martial after a captain's board renders him guilty. In light of that, Yancey places Young under arrest and transports him back to Manticore to face the court-martial; Yancey asks Honor to take Young home as well as Paul Tankersley since Paul is now a high ranking officer and exceeds the junior status to remain on Hancock Station.

All in all, a great, short, fast-paced novel that shows the scope of the war with all the various fronts, a break from Weber's previous two novels where the entire book stays with Honor and the current planet/station she's at. Great read, fantastic characterizations, explosive prose.