Ok, so this book was better than #4. Some of the plot lines were resolved, and the author did a great job in resolving them. I won't spoil it by saying what was resolved, but it was enjoyable reading. On the other token, I really struggled with the space battles, again the militaristic descriptions aren't my favorite, and in this novel I really struggled getting through the battles. But that single issue certainly doesn't prevent me from giving this novel five stars: the characters are well developed, the various plot lines interwoven nicely. I'm glad I elected to read this series from the start, and look forward to what book #6 has to offer.