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21st out of 212 books
—
796 voters
Valor's Choice (Confederation #1)
by
Tanya Huff
In the distant future, humans and several other races have been granted membership in the Confederation -- at a price. They must act as soldier/protectors of the far more civilized races who have long since turned away from war....
Paperback, 416 pages
Published
April 1st 2000
by DAW
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I was very surprised by this book and author. It almost got five stars from me. Nevertheless, it is worthy of high recommendations and I will be getting the next edition in the series. If you enjoy strong heroines in sci-fi and military settings, then you will really enjoy this series.
What bugged me is that it seems as though Huff went into this story fully intending it to be an epic series. But some of her choices in this first volume were really annoying... For example, she introduces a lot of...more
What bugged me is that it seems as though Huff went into this story fully intending it to be an epic series. But some of her choices in this first volume were really annoying... For example, she introduces a lot of...more
I read and enjoyed a few of Tanya Huff's urban fantasy novels and thought I'd give this a read. I put it on hold at the library, but when I picked it up, it got shuffled to the bottom of my stack. I like science fiction, but not military fiction. Once I got around to reading it, I was sorry I waited so long!
The best thing about science fiction, for me, is the integration of different races. I love to read about characters with fur, scales, and fangs, and how humans deal with these differences. T...more
The best thing about science fiction, for me, is the integration of different races. I love to read about characters with fur, scales, and fangs, and how humans deal with these differences. T...more
I love military fiction, as well as science fiction, and so naturally I dig military science fiction.
I really enjoyed this book. Staff Sergeant Torin Kerr was indeed a bad-ass, as other reviewers have noted. She gets the job done. One of the blurbs likens her to the Ripley character in the ALIENS movies.
Huff's knowledge of military life rings completely true. The characters are all great fun, and she does a decent job of making the names unique in order to help the reader remember which characte...more
I really enjoyed this book. Staff Sergeant Torin Kerr was indeed a bad-ass, as other reviewers have noted. She gets the job done. One of the blurbs likens her to the Ripley character in the ALIENS movies.
Huff's knowledge of military life rings completely true. The characters are all great fun, and she does a decent job of making the names unique in order to help the reader remember which characte...more
I enjoyed Valor's Choice. I know I'm coming late to this series, and I have the next three books here waiting for me to read. I've read a lot of Tanya Huff's contemporary fantasy books, but this is the first science fiction that I've read from her.
I was happy to find her humor throughout the narration of this book. The main character, Toren was interesting and a very strong personality without being overwhelmingly so. This book takes place in the future, a future so far in advance, that there ar...more
I was happy to find her humor throughout the narration of this book. The main character, Toren was interesting and a very strong personality without being overwhelmingly so. This book takes place in the future, a future so far in advance, that there ar...more
Torin Kerr is a First Sergeant in the Confereration Marines. A century and a half previously, Earth was contacted by the alien Confereration. It seemed the Confederation was in a bit of a pickle. An enemy known as The Others was attacking Confederation worlds. But the alien civilizations in the Confederation were all basically pacifists. There was a need to recruit warlike races to wage war. Humans were the first of these races, and thus the military forces follow what is basically a human model...more
This was my first military style science fiction read though I'm not sure why. I've loved science fiction since I was nine years old and fell in love (as much a nine year old can) with my very first fictional boyfriend. You may have heard of him. Han Solo? Unfortunately, no Han Solos in this book but I enjoyed it nonetheless. This is the story of a far and away future where multiple worlds comprise the Confederation, and who are facing the threat of an encroaching hostile race. To help shore up...more
As a non-aggressive, peace-loving, middle-of -the-road liberal, I have no idea why I am drawn to space military sci-fi books. It's baffling. I think this is at least my third series in that genre, including the Heris Serrano and the Honor Harrington series. These series do all have female protagonists so I'm sure that's one appealing aspect for me. This is the first book in the Valor series and I plan on reading the others.
This series has a slightly different take as the main character is not t...more
This series has a slightly different take as the main character is not t...more
I found out about this book awhile ago when I first got on to military sci-fi. I put off reading it, because I'm generally more about space ships and space combat than I am about grunts on the ground. That was a mistake.
I still prefer space-based action, but I thoroughly enjoyed this. The setting for the series is original, and I quite liked it. In the confederation, the elder races discovered a new group of aliens who weren't willing to talk peace or negotiate. The only recourse was to fight,...more
I still prefer space-based action, but I thoroughly enjoyed this. The setting for the series is original, and I quite liked it. In the confederation, the elder races discovered a new group of aliens who weren't willing to talk peace or negotiate. The only recourse was to fight,...more
Just back from battle Staff Sergeant Torin Kerr is told to assemble a platoon from the survivors of her company to serve as an honor guard for a diplomatic mission to convince the reptilian Silsviss to join the Confederation rather than ally themselves with the Confederation’s archenemy, the Others. The general who issues the orders wants troops who will impress the warlike Silsviss. Kerr doesn’t think that dress uniforms will make much of an impression, and she worries that marines bored with m...more
One of these years, I'm going to get my regularly scheduled respiratory infection (how else would I know it's October?) and I'm going to be out of Tanya Huff books. And that's going to be really freaking sad.
Yeah, my enjoyment of this was in inverse correlation with my health. They're fluffy multi-planetary marine adventures with maybe two or three emotional notes to play -- hoo-rah marines are cool! But sometimes they die and that's sad! But they're also multi-species marines so there's wacky a...more
Yeah, my enjoyment of this was in inverse correlation with my health. They're fluffy multi-planetary marine adventures with maybe two or three emotional notes to play -- hoo-rah marines are cool! But sometimes they die and that's sad! But they're also multi-species marines so there's wacky a...more
This is the first book in Tanya Huff's Confederation Novels.
A good solid start to a new series. A little on the predictable side but not to the story's detriment. I liked the way Tanya portrayed the military as a whole. It felt real without being forced. It gave me, the reader, the sense that I was right there in the middle of it all. I will definitely be reading the next book in the series, The Better Part of Valor.
The Confederation Novels
A good solid start to a new series. A little on the predictable side but not to the story's detriment. I liked the way Tanya portrayed the military as a whole. It felt real without being forced. It gave me, the reader, the sense that I was right there in the middle of it all. I will definitely be reading the next book in the series, The Better Part of Valor.
The Confederation Novels
76 out of 100 for 2010
Tanya Huff is a new writer for me; this series, starring Staff Sergeant Torrin Kerr, is military SF. It's at the platoon level, with a non com as the main character, a la Hemry's 'Stark's War' series or, if you like funnier stuff, Robert Aspirin's 'Phule's Company.'
Kerr and her company are charged with "easy" duty, guarding a diplomatic mission to an apparently friendly power. But the company is shot down over what turns out to be hostile territory, and the unit must fight...more
Tanya Huff is a new writer for me; this series, starring Staff Sergeant Torrin Kerr, is military SF. It's at the platoon level, with a non com as the main character, a la Hemry's 'Stark's War' series or, if you like funnier stuff, Robert Aspirin's 'Phule's Company.'
Kerr and her company are charged with "easy" duty, guarding a diplomatic mission to an apparently friendly power. But the company is shot down over what turns out to be hostile territory, and the unit must fight...more
Not bad overall, but not thrilling. The author is clearly better at, and more interested in, the military life/gruff camraderie of Marines then the details of plot or actual combat. A lot of things, especially once the action heats up, are frustratingly underdescribed.
Another problem is the super-abundance of characters, which makes it hard to get a sense for anyone other then the Staff Sergeant and difficult to care about them when they get in danger or get killed. It's even more confusing sinc...more
Another problem is the super-abundance of characters, which makes it hard to get a sense for anyone other then the Staff Sergeant and difficult to care about them when they get in danger or get killed. It's even more confusing sinc...more
Only advanced, peaceful species make up the Confederation. So when they are attacked by the Others, they need to quickly incorporate 3 species who are aggressive enough to defend the Federation, but peaceful enough to co-exist. One of those species are Humans. And a fourth species may be the lizard-like Silsviss--that is, if the current Confederation Marines can convince this warrior species that the Confederation military has what it takes. Staff Sgt. Torin Kerr has the job of taking a combat p...more
Valor's Choice, this book is quite different than your classic sci fi opera since Mrs. Huff doesn't put politics as a major factor in the story, what she really cares about and excells in is characters and conversations, add to the mix the awkwardness and merriness of a bunch alien species working together in one marine squad and you will have a very enjoying read and funny conversations. mind you, this joy could really hurt when something unfortunate happen to one of the marines you grow to car...more
Read in the 2 for 1 Confederation of Valor.
Torin has just finished with one battle when she and the remains of her platoon are thrown into another a diplomatic mission that is supposed to see no combat. The new lieutenant also happens to be a man she met and slept with the night before. That actually has nothing to do with the story. The platoon has to survive them being blown out of the sky and attacked by a bunch of young Silsviss. Very good story. Had me biting my nails with each turn of the...more
Torin has just finished with one battle when she and the remains of her platoon are thrown into another a diplomatic mission that is supposed to see no combat. The new lieutenant also happens to be a man she met and slept with the night before. That actually has nothing to do with the story. The platoon has to survive them being blown out of the sky and attacked by a bunch of young Silsviss. Very good story. Had me biting my nails with each turn of the...more
This is military science fiction, focussed on the main character a human female marine sergeant. The background scenario is that there is a confederation of alien species, who are under threat from an invading species just known as the "Others".
The premise of this book, the start of the series, is that Others are approaching an area of space where there is a recently discovered planet, with a lizard type sentient species in a Warrior society. The Confederation needs to impress the separate nati...more
The premise of this book, the start of the series, is that Others are approaching an area of space where there is a recently discovered planet, with a lizard type sentient species in a Warrior society. The Confederation needs to impress the separate nati...more
Pros:
-I love strong female characters and Torin Kerr is just that. How could she not be? After all she is a Staff Sargent in the marines! Which is so bad ass!
-Every character was fantastic, although me being who I am had trouble keeping them all straight, I can never remember which species which person was, I always seem to find that with Sci-Fi novels. I have the worst memory!
-World building was awesome, enough to figure out what's going on through out the book, but without all that info dumpin...more
-I love strong female characters and Torin Kerr is just that. How could she not be? After all she is a Staff Sargent in the marines! Which is so bad ass!
-Every character was fantastic, although me being who I am had trouble keeping them all straight, I can never remember which species which person was, I always seem to find that with Sci-Fi novels. I have the worst memory!
-World building was awesome, enough to figure out what's going on through out the book, but without all that info dumpin...more
Staff Sergeant Torin Kerr is a wonderful invention from author Tanya Huff. She is a professional soldier, a marine, who, in between kicking ass, spends time looking after and guiding a new officer.
The mission is a diplomatic one, tasked to encourage an alien species (The Silviss) to join a Confederation of allies fighting a formidable enemy. It all seems to be going well, in spite of her dislike of and unfamiliarity of diplomacy and protocol, but suddenly, following a crash while on route to ye...more
The mission is a diplomatic one, tasked to encourage an alien species (The Silviss) to join a Confederation of allies fighting a formidable enemy. It all seems to be going well, in spite of her dislike of and unfamiliarity of diplomacy and protocol, but suddenly, following a crash while on route to ye...more
Jan 18, 2012
Katiarai
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
audiobooks,
science-fiction-fantasy
As always I love this series, although this was the first time for me to listen to it rather than read. The story and characters that Tanya Huff creates are strong as always.
The narrator did an excellent job with all of the voices. Unfortunately I was a little disappointed by the quality of the editing; it seemed to have been a little sloppy in a few areas. Occasionally there was a repeated line or clipped words. On the whole though I quite enjoyed it and was easily lost in the story. I look fo...more
The narrator did an excellent job with all of the voices. Unfortunately I was a little disappointed by the quality of the editing; it seemed to have been a little sloppy in a few areas. Occasionally there was a repeated line or clipped words. On the whole though I quite enjoyed it and was easily lost in the story. I look fo...more
Tanya Huff has been one of my favorite authors for years. This novel takes her writing to an entirely new level. Torin Kerr may well be one of the best kick-butt female heros in science fiction. I enjoyed Huff's depiction of the military culture and the relationship between the Marines. Mostly, I loved that Huff could create a female character strong, sensitive, and enjoyable. Plus, anyone who can inject easy going humor into battle scenes definately has my vote as a worthwhile author.
Fun! Another good series; unfortunately, there are only 4 books. But I love strong female characters, and this one is about as strong as they come.
Staff Sgt. Toren Kerr (that tells you a lot right there, doesn't it?) has a fresh new 2nd Lieutenant to train, and a hand-picked group of combat marines to whip into shape for a non-combat diplomatic mission.
Lots of aliens, lots of marines, lots of weaponry - good dialogue, strong military sf.
I have to pace myself here - don't want to finish the serie...more
Staff Sgt. Toren Kerr (that tells you a lot right there, doesn't it?) has a fresh new 2nd Lieutenant to train, and a hand-picked group of combat marines to whip into shape for a non-combat diplomatic mission.
Lots of aliens, lots of marines, lots of weaponry - good dialogue, strong military sf.
I have to pace myself here - don't want to finish the serie...more
Military Space Opera written by a woman who really knows what she's writing about. Marvelous characters and alien races, extremely snappy dialogue, an endearing and tough heroine, and lots of fast action. Torin Kerr is one of my favorite main characters ever written, and I am a particular fan of this book (the first in the series) because it opens with a post sex pheromone hangover and ends with a battle based one of the early moments in the Zulu War (late 1870s).
Please, don't make the mistake...more
Please, don't make the mistake...more
Read the second before the first. There is slightly more description of the aliens and the situation than there is in the second, but it's artfully done so you don't ever feel like you're getting info dumped. Huff has amazing skill in introducing soldiers, giving them excellent interactions, and then giving them a death both sad and appropriate for the character in these war novels.
In the distant future, humans and several other races have been granted membership in the Confederation--at a price. They must act as soldier/protectors of the far more civilized races who have long since turned away from war.
Listen to Valor's Choice on your smartphone, notebook or desktop computer.
Listen to Valor's Choice on your smartphone, notebook or desktop computer.
I read the first in this series and really enjoyed it and this was just as good. Staff Sergeant Torin Kerr is an incredibly realistic and she's a solid character and her trials and tribulations flow from the story. Nothing seems forced, even her relationship with her Second Lieutenant. I want to read more but also don't want the series to burn out. So long as Tanya Huff has stories to write about this character both myself and my husband will read them. This is one of the few series both of us r...more
Picked this up because I enjoyed Huff's Enchantment Emporium. The narrator of the audiobook is one I enjoy, but not for books with a lot of dialogue; she doesn't differentiate voices well and you get lost concerning who's talking. So, that bothered me with this book. The plot of the novel itself was light, I didn't really get pulled in as much as I'd hoped to.
i liked this one. not that it's that wonderful, but i really liked the premise and the insights into battle and the conflicts between races. lots of language - very PG-13. also very science fiction, but without the multiple characters and the development of whole new worlds. i just don't have the time to devote to an epic. i like my books fun.
I have mixed reactions to a lot of Ms Huff's books, but this series is my favorite of her books. It has a kick-ass heroine in charge of a military troop with mixed races that come across as very interesting. The operation is a little too blatant about being based on a historical battle, but it was a very fun read.
Solid military based science fiction. The are two basic alliances of alien species in opposition. The younger aggressive species provide the recruits. The aliens may not fully adapted to this life style but Sgt Kerr will work the pieces into a solid unit.
Excellent, consistent aliens with believable differences.
Excellent, consistent aliens with believable differences.
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"Born in Halifax, Nova Scotia: Although I haven't actually lived "down east" since just before my fourth birthday, I still consider myself a Maritimer. I think it's something to do with being born in sight of the ocean. Or possibly with the fact that almost no one admits to being from Ontario…
Raised, for the most part, in Kingston, Ontario. It was the late sixties, early to mid seventies. Enough s...more
More about Tanya Huff...
Raised, for the most part, in Kingston, Ontario. It was the late sixties, early to mid seventies. Enough s...more
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“A quick check on the platoon showed everyone more or less enjoying the flight.
"Whatever it is you're eating, Ressk, swallow it before we land," [said Staff Sergeant Kerr].
"No problem, Staff."
"More like whoever he's eating," Binti muttered beside him.
"You ought to count your fingers," he suggested. "You're too serley stupid to notice one missing."
"Maybe you ought to gren sa talamec to."
"That's enough, people."
When the Confederation first started integrating the di'Taykan and the Krai into what was predominantly a human military system, xenopsychologists among the elder races expected a number of problems. For the most part, those expectations fell short. After having dealt with the Mictok and the H'san, none of the younger races - all bipedal mammals - had any difficulty with each other's appearance. Cultural differences were absorbed into the prevailing military culture and the remaining problems were dealt with in the age-old military tradition of learning to say "up yours" in the other races' languages. The "us against them" mentality of war made for strange bedfellows.”
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More quotes…
"Whatever it is you're eating, Ressk, swallow it before we land," [said Staff Sergeant Kerr].
"No problem, Staff."
"More like whoever he's eating," Binti muttered beside him.
"You ought to count your fingers," he suggested. "You're too serley stupid to notice one missing."
"Maybe you ought to gren sa talamec to."
"That's enough, people."
When the Confederation first started integrating the di'Taykan and the Krai into what was predominantly a human military system, xenopsychologists among the elder races expected a number of problems. For the most part, those expectations fell short. After having dealt with the Mictok and the H'san, none of the younger races - all bipedal mammals - had any difficulty with each other's appearance. Cultural differences were absorbed into the prevailing military culture and the remaining problems were dealt with in the age-old military tradition of learning to say "up yours" in the other races' languages. The "us against them" mentality of war made for strange bedfellows.”
The books are written in British English. Writing colour instead of color is hardly a typo. I...more
Jan 16, 2013 05:56am