2008-08-19 This IS good Sci-fi!

Think of this as a swashbuckler with spaceships, rather than mainstream sci-fi and you'll know what to expect.

In this, the second book in the series, Jack Geary atempts to get a more firm grip on the Alliance Fleet. He is slowly transforming the way the fleet fights, turning it into a more effective fighting machine, while he still needs to work carefully to remain in slightly tenuous command.
Into this unstable mix drops another 'lost' alliance hero; Captain 'Fighting' Falco. Falco's take on alliance tactics gives Geary a lot of new problems.

What I especially like about this series, is the way Campbell blends the actual laws of physics into the space battles he portrays. Unlike most sci-fi writers he manages to take the vast distances and the speed of light into account, while still keeping it entertaining.

The descriptions are precise and the action goes at a good pace. There is a bit of less than brilliantly written relationship stuff in the book, but nothing that I couldn't accept. This type of writing doesn't appear to be Campbell's forte.

I finished the book in just under 24 hours, (and would have done it faster, but my boss said I had to go to work) so it's quite an easy read, but well worth the money it costs.

You get your money's worth...what else can you ask for?