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Cobra #3
Cobra Bargain
Cobra Bargain, by Zahn, Timothy
409 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published February 1, 1988
5 people are currently reading
380 people want to read
About the author
Timothy Zahn
485 books8,584 followersTimothy Zahn attended Michigan State University, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in physics in 1973. He then moved to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and achieved an M.S. degree in physics in 1975. While he was pursuing a doctorate in physics, his adviser became ill and died. Zahn never completed the doctorate. In 1975 he had begun writing science fiction as a hobby, and he became a professional writer. He and his wife Anna live in Bandon, Oregon. They have a son, Corwin Zahn.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
November 3, 2025
Лично аз съм доволен от това как се развиха събитията в последната част от трилогията на Зан за кобрите.
Историята има потенциал за още продължения, но авторът е избрал да не ги напише. Жалко!
Трето поколение бойци от семейство Моро се отправя на опасна междупланетна мисия, интригата за която е създадена превъзходно.
Перфектно книжно развлечение!
Ще потърся и други книги от Тимъти Зан, сигурен съм че си заслужава!
Историята има потенциал за още продължения, но авторът е избрал да не ги напише. Жалко!
Трето поколение бойци от семейство Моро се отправя на опасна междупланетна мисия, интригата за която е създадена превъзходно.
Перфектно книжно развлечение!
Ще потърся и други книги от Тимъти Зан, сигурен съм че си заслужава!
February 11, 2026
This is the concluding volume of Zahn's first Cobra trilogy. It follows members of the ever-expanding Moreau family through more phases of interstellar conflict and politics. This one focuses on Corwin's niece, Jasmine, who becomes the first female Cobra, despite a lot of political backlash and opposition. Zahn doesn't make her as likable as you'd expect, which would have made his job easier. It's a thoughtful analogy of the military philosophies and questions of the time in which it was written. It's something of a slower-paced book than the two preceding it (Cobra and Cobra Strike), or perhaps it's just heavier on discussion and lighter on action. The ending is a little unsatisfying because the resolution is too open-ended and sets up the next trilogy rather than wrapping up the current story. I wouldn't recommend reading this one without having already read Cobra. I didn't like it as well as the earlier books, but the aliens and human characters are well depicted (maybe except for the disappointing Vincent di Fate cover...what's going on there, anyway?), and the questions are deftly examined from all sides.
August 11, 2012
Book Info: Genre: Military Science-fiction Reading Level: Adult
Disclosure: I received the 6th book in the series (or 3rd book in the 2nd trilogy) in exchange for an honest review; I have purchased these earlier books on my own, but am happy to provide an honest review anyway.
Synopsis: It is the year 2474. Corwin Moreau, now 55, is governor of Aventine, but the fact that the Moreau family has held power for so long is beginning to generate bad feelings in the Cobra Worlds Council. Corwin's contributions to the colony's success and those of his legendary father – Jonny Moreau, the original COBRA – are fading in the light of an anti-Cobra political faction.
But the greatest challenge of Cobra Bargain faces Corwin's niece, Jasmine. Her only ambition is to become a Cobra – but no woman has ever been accepted to the Academy or ever will be, if her opponents have their way. Then a mission arises that demands Jasmine's participation. Information is desperately needed on the planet Qasama's growing space capabilities. A female would create camouflage for the infiltrating force – and because Jasmine has mastered the difficult Qasaman language, she is reluctantly accepted. Disaster strikes almost immediately...
My Thoughts: This is the final book in the first Cobra trilogy, although there is a second trilogy out: the Cobra War trilogy. I’ll be reading that next.
It’s been over 60 years since the Cobra warrior was first created and released upon the Troft, and there are still splashes echoing through the years. The Cobra Syndrome means that those implanted with the servos and laminae on their bones eventually develop debilitating arthritis and anemia, and have a considerably shortened lifespan as a result. To make matters worse, there continue to be rejects from the Cobra program even after the basic implants, leading to a group of people – called the Jects – who suffer the results but never were offered the benefits of actually being a full Cobra.
Finally, in this book (originally published in 1988, the year – by the by – in which I graduated from high school) the issue of the sexist military policies of the era are dragged into the light, kicking and screaming. I have no idea if Zahn intended this when he first started writing this books, including this anachronistic policy as part of the overall storyline, or if it was pointed out to him at some point in the three years since the first book in the series had been published. Everyone always trots out the old “women don’t have the warrior instinct” nonsense, but all that is necessary to turn that on its head is to point out the fact that the female of the species is always more dangerous and deadly in defense of their home and family – women just don’t see the point in going to war over the many idiotic reasons that men tend to come up with. But threaten that same woman’s family or friends or home... and you have just made a very dangerous enemy, one who will be more ruthless than you can possibly imagine.
I really enjoyed the ending of this one – it is obvious that this was originally meant to be the end of things, before Zahn started writing the second trilogy – the Cobra War trilogy – over 20 years later. A fine piece of military science-fiction, highly recommended.
Disclosure: I received the 6th book in the series (or 3rd book in the 2nd trilogy) in exchange for an honest review; I have purchased these earlier books on my own, but am happy to provide an honest review anyway.
Synopsis: It is the year 2474. Corwin Moreau, now 55, is governor of Aventine, but the fact that the Moreau family has held power for so long is beginning to generate bad feelings in the Cobra Worlds Council. Corwin's contributions to the colony's success and those of his legendary father – Jonny Moreau, the original COBRA – are fading in the light of an anti-Cobra political faction.
But the greatest challenge of Cobra Bargain faces Corwin's niece, Jasmine. Her only ambition is to become a Cobra – but no woman has ever been accepted to the Academy or ever will be, if her opponents have their way. Then a mission arises that demands Jasmine's participation. Information is desperately needed on the planet Qasama's growing space capabilities. A female would create camouflage for the infiltrating force – and because Jasmine has mastered the difficult Qasaman language, she is reluctantly accepted. Disaster strikes almost immediately...
My Thoughts: This is the final book in the first Cobra trilogy, although there is a second trilogy out: the Cobra War trilogy. I’ll be reading that next.
It’s been over 60 years since the Cobra warrior was first created and released upon the Troft, and there are still splashes echoing through the years. The Cobra Syndrome means that those implanted with the servos and laminae on their bones eventually develop debilitating arthritis and anemia, and have a considerably shortened lifespan as a result. To make matters worse, there continue to be rejects from the Cobra program even after the basic implants, leading to a group of people – called the Jects – who suffer the results but never were offered the benefits of actually being a full Cobra.
Finally, in this book (originally published in 1988, the year – by the by – in which I graduated from high school) the issue of the sexist military policies of the era are dragged into the light, kicking and screaming. I have no idea if Zahn intended this when he first started writing this books, including this anachronistic policy as part of the overall storyline, or if it was pointed out to him at some point in the three years since the first book in the series had been published. Everyone always trots out the old “women don’t have the warrior instinct” nonsense, but all that is necessary to turn that on its head is to point out the fact that the female of the species is always more dangerous and deadly in defense of their home and family – women just don’t see the point in going to war over the many idiotic reasons that men tend to come up with. But threaten that same woman’s family or friends or home... and you have just made a very dangerous enemy, one who will be more ruthless than you can possibly imagine.
I really enjoyed the ending of this one – it is obvious that this was originally meant to be the end of things, before Zahn started writing the second trilogy – the Cobra War trilogy – over 20 years later. A fine piece of military science-fiction, highly recommended.
November 1, 2012
Up until now the Cobras have been like Jedi Knights. They have super powers — not the same ones — and they are a peacekeeping force among their worlds. They also operate on the morally questionable grounds that they are right in what they do. Luke Skywalker seeks to follow the Light Side of the Force, so he carves his way through Jabba’s Sail Barge, cutting down anybody in his way, regardless of their intent, to save his friends. As long as he’s not mad when he does it it’s okay to murder and destroy — it helps that he’s killing bad guys. The Cobra have operated on a similar moral code. They are the good guys, so they are right. Using this logic they slice down hordes of the enemy, blow up buildings and sew destruction in their wake the likes of which is awesome to behold.
Along comes Jin Moreau, the first woman to become a Cobra — accepted because her uncle convinced the government that it would fool the Qasamans that she’s being sent to spy on.
While on Qasama Jin is called on to question her own beliefs about the differences between their cultures, including the supposed morality of the Cobras. When seeing the actions of her ancestors — people she reveres — through the lens of the Qasamans she is forced to confront the belief that violence, even when so beautifully played out, is the answer to any confrontation.
It should come as no surprise that Zahn would notice these two flaws in his previous books and address them. He is the creator of the only female characters in all of Star Wars that are actually interesting to read about and the author who ushered in the gentler, more caring Luke, who tries to stun and disarm instead of kill, maim and dismember.
I have been pleasantly surprised with Timothy Zahn’s Cobra books. From the covers I expected them to be just some more of his Blackcollar books with a different package (this would not be a bad thing — those are really great books). I should have known better than to judge a book by a cover put on it by Baen. These books have tackled some interesting issues in an entertaining way.
Timothy Zahn has certain strengths which are readily evident here. His action scenes are top notch, cinematic and brilliantly thought out. Some of the weapons and abilities that the Cobra are equipped with actually made me chuckle at first, thinking that combat was going to be really awkward. However, Timothy Zahn pulls it off smoothly and succeeds in making each combat and action situation different and new, over and over again.
He is also brilliant at clever characters. This is really what makes his books so much fun. The bad guys are smart — and not in that Saturday-morning-cartoon-evil-genius kind of way — and the good guys are smarter. The characters are all interesting people to read about and have real lives.
Finally, Zahn is good at politics. The political backlash of actions is not ignored and it plays out with the media and politicians just the way it should. He even succeeds at making politicians who are honest, intelligent, full-fledged characters, yet who have very good reasons — both personal and political — to disagree with the main characters.
In short Timothy Zahn writes brilliantly explosive action with a full cast of interesting and intelligent characters. He addresses moral questions, not by asking them and giving answers but by telling a story about what would happen if people started to ask those questions.
Along comes Jin Moreau, the first woman to become a Cobra — accepted because her uncle convinced the government that it would fool the Qasamans that she’s being sent to spy on.
While on Qasama Jin is called on to question her own beliefs about the differences between their cultures, including the supposed morality of the Cobras. When seeing the actions of her ancestors — people she reveres — through the lens of the Qasamans she is forced to confront the belief that violence, even when so beautifully played out, is the answer to any confrontation.
It should come as no surprise that Zahn would notice these two flaws in his previous books and address them. He is the creator of the only female characters in all of Star Wars that are actually interesting to read about and the author who ushered in the gentler, more caring Luke, who tries to stun and disarm instead of kill, maim and dismember.
I have been pleasantly surprised with Timothy Zahn’s Cobra books. From the covers I expected them to be just some more of his Blackcollar books with a different package (this would not be a bad thing — those are really great books). I should have known better than to judge a book by a cover put on it by Baen. These books have tackled some interesting issues in an entertaining way.
Timothy Zahn has certain strengths which are readily evident here. His action scenes are top notch, cinematic and brilliantly thought out. Some of the weapons and abilities that the Cobra are equipped with actually made me chuckle at first, thinking that combat was going to be really awkward. However, Timothy Zahn pulls it off smoothly and succeeds in making each combat and action situation different and new, over and over again.
He is also brilliant at clever characters. This is really what makes his books so much fun. The bad guys are smart — and not in that Saturday-morning-cartoon-evil-genius kind of way — and the good guys are smarter. The characters are all interesting people to read about and have real lives.
Finally, Zahn is good at politics. The political backlash of actions is not ignored and it plays out with the media and politicians just the way it should. He even succeeds at making politicians who are honest, intelligent, full-fledged characters, yet who have very good reasons — both personal and political — to disagree with the main characters.
In short Timothy Zahn writes brilliantly explosive action with a full cast of interesting and intelligent characters. He addresses moral questions, not by asking them and giving answers but by telling a story about what would happen if people started to ask those questions.
February 6, 2024
I appreciated the way this book continued to nuance and develop the ethical dilemmas of the last book. There were points that seemed a bit culturally biased, and I’d have liked to see more nuancing. I’m looking forward to seeing how the next book will further nuance things.
April 12, 2011
This book got an extra star for being part of such a great triology. Alone, this book suffer from some flaws its prequals don't.
There is a certain amount of sexism implied in the culture that I always find unrealistic or at least annoying in science fiction books.
Unfortunately this is compounded by the fact that Jasmine, the protagonist is not exactly a strong female character. She is too often guided by emotions and a desire to find love everywhere she looks. I'm of the impression that Zahn isn't being anti-feminist so much as clueless of how to write women.
This book does have some very strong points. There is alot of fleshing out of some of the world building done in the previous book. The Qasaman culture of this book is much more realistic than the one presented before.
The story of a shipwrecked survivor behind enemy lines is well done, and the action is quick paced and interesting. I wish it wasn't such a lone wolf story, as the resolution isn't quite as strong as it would have been with a team. Also, we know Jasmine is safe, because she is our only point of view character.
I recommend this book to anyone that liked the other cobra books, but you shouldn't start here. Start with one of the other ones.
There is a certain amount of sexism implied in the culture that I always find unrealistic or at least annoying in science fiction books.
Unfortunately this is compounded by the fact that Jasmine, the protagonist is not exactly a strong female character. She is too often guided by emotions and a desire to find love everywhere she looks. I'm of the impression that Zahn isn't being anti-feminist so much as clueless of how to write women.
This book does have some very strong points. There is alot of fleshing out of some of the world building done in the previous book. The Qasaman culture of this book is much more realistic than the one presented before.
The story of a shipwrecked survivor behind enemy lines is well done, and the action is quick paced and interesting. I wish it wasn't such a lone wolf story, as the resolution isn't quite as strong as it would have been with a team. Also, we know Jasmine is safe, because she is our only point of view character.
I recommend this book to anyone that liked the other cobra books, but you shouldn't start here. Start with one of the other ones.
November 21, 2016
The final part of the original trilogy that I read over two decades ago. This one does a lot to fix the male-centric point of view of the two first parts as the role of the protagonist is passed on to Jennifer Moreau. She only becomes a Cobra through a dangerous political deal made by her uncle Corwin and she is burdened by the unfair responsibility of proving that women can actually be Cobras in addition to her mission. She and a group of other new Cobras are sent back to Qasama to see how their previous plan has worked to separate the humans from their animal familiars - but not all goes as expected.
The story is a good read, offering some unexpected twists and turns. Not everything goes as in movies and even successes may come in the guise of a defeat - or vice versa. The only problem I had with this book is the male vs. women angle - one would hope that at this day and age we would not have to imagine a future where genders are not already equal.
The story is a good read, offering some unexpected twists and turns. Not everything goes as in movies and even successes may come in the guise of a defeat - or vice versa. The only problem I had with this book is the male vs. women angle - one would hope that at this day and age we would not have to imagine a future where genders are not already equal.
September 9, 2013
Cobra Bargain (Cobra Trilogy Series #3) Set 28 years after Cobra Strike. The majority of the action takes place on Qasama. The main character in this one is Jasmine "Jin" Moreau, the first female cobra. However, as in the previous books in the series there are shifting perspectives. Solid science fiction from Zahn as always but probably the weakest in the trilogy. Also the ending, is a bit more open-ended than I like.
December 14, 2025
Timothy Zahn's Cobra is one of the better examples of military sci-fi that I've read in quite some time. A distinctive marriage of military tech and human drama that should appeal to any fan of the genre, assuming they aren't put off by the novel's serialized structure. That book's sequel, Cobra Strike, ditched the episodic framework but also downplayed the military sci-fi elements in favor of a more conventional, space opera-style adventure. Slightly less memorable but still recommended to fans of its predecessor. And that bring us to Cobra Bargain- the final installment in Zahn's original Cobra trilogy. A loose continuation of Cobra Strike, it's a book that double-downs on the more character-driven, space opera tendencies of the earlier Cobra books. It's also the first Cobra book that crosses the line of excellent to merely good. An eminently readable yet slightly sluggish conclusion to Zahn's story.
Cobra Bargain is set approximately thirty years after Cobra Strike, and it once again centers upon the Moreau family of Aventine. This time our main protagonist is Jin (Jasmine) Moreau- the daughter of Justin (Cobra Strike) and granddaughter of Jonny Moreau (Cobra). Jin desperately wants to become the first female Cobra, and she is given her chance when the Trofts commission another operation to the planet of Qasama. It appears that the xenophobic Qasamans are now on the verge of space travel, and Jin is added to a covert investigation of the Qasama's aeronautical facilities. Unfortunately, the Cobra ship is attacked upon planetfall, leaving Jin as the only survivor. The remainder of the novel follows Jin's time within the household of a local business magnate and, once her cover is blown, she allies with her hosts to infiltrate the nearby military installation. In a secondary storyline, Jin's uncle Corwin (a governor on Aventine) has to stave off a challenge from a virulently anti-Cobra political faction, and the political fate of the Moreau family soon becomes tied to Jin's success.
Seeing as Cobra Strike already had a distinct vibe than Cobra, I didn't know what to expect with Cobra Bargain. I knew the novel was going to include cybernetically enhanced super-soldiers, and I suspected there would be a number of Zahn's of vividly-written action sequences, but that's about it. What I definitely didn't expect was a relatively slow-moving plot where our hero is forced to hide her abilities for most of the story. And I suppose that's my biggest complaint about Cobra Bargain- there's very little "Cobra action" here and, if the book didn't continue the Qasama plotline of Cobra Strike, it easily could've been transplanted to a different universe. The chapters with Jin stuck at the Sammon household also occupied way too much of the novel. That being said, Zahn's writing is as great as ever, and his skillful prose is enough to prevent a mediocre plot from becoming boring. Cobra Bargain also largely redeems itself over its final third, when Jin and her companions finally get to the military installation. I just wish that there was a more satisfying resolution: as with Cobra Strike, much is left unresolved in regard to the broader, Aventine vs. Qasama (vs. Troft) storyline. I suppose we'll have to wait for Zahn's much-belated Cobra War trilogy for that conclusion…
All things considered, Cobra Bargain is a noticeable step down from the first two Cobra novels, but is still engaging enough to land in the top half of my three-star distribution. Well-written space opera with a smattering of military sci-fi, partially let down by an underwhelming story.
Cobra Bargain is set approximately thirty years after Cobra Strike, and it once again centers upon the Moreau family of Aventine. This time our main protagonist is Jin (Jasmine) Moreau- the daughter of Justin (Cobra Strike) and granddaughter of Jonny Moreau (Cobra). Jin desperately wants to become the first female Cobra, and she is given her chance when the Trofts commission another operation to the planet of Qasama. It appears that the xenophobic Qasamans are now on the verge of space travel, and Jin is added to a covert investigation of the Qasama's aeronautical facilities. Unfortunately, the Cobra ship is attacked upon planetfall, leaving Jin as the only survivor. The remainder of the novel follows Jin's time within the household of a local business magnate and, once her cover is blown, she allies with her hosts to infiltrate the nearby military installation. In a secondary storyline, Jin's uncle Corwin (a governor on Aventine) has to stave off a challenge from a virulently anti-Cobra political faction, and the political fate of the Moreau family soon becomes tied to Jin's success.
Seeing as Cobra Strike already had a distinct vibe than Cobra, I didn't know what to expect with Cobra Bargain. I knew the novel was going to include cybernetically enhanced super-soldiers, and I suspected there would be a number of Zahn's of vividly-written action sequences, but that's about it. What I definitely didn't expect was a relatively slow-moving plot where our hero is forced to hide her abilities for most of the story. And I suppose that's my biggest complaint about Cobra Bargain- there's very little "Cobra action" here and, if the book didn't continue the Qasama plotline of Cobra Strike, it easily could've been transplanted to a different universe. The chapters with Jin stuck at the Sammon household also occupied way too much of the novel. That being said, Zahn's writing is as great as ever, and his skillful prose is enough to prevent a mediocre plot from becoming boring. Cobra Bargain also largely redeems itself over its final third, when Jin and her companions finally get to the military installation. I just wish that there was a more satisfying resolution: as with Cobra Strike, much is left unresolved in regard to the broader, Aventine vs. Qasama (vs. Troft) storyline. I suppose we'll have to wait for Zahn's much-belated Cobra War trilogy for that conclusion…
All things considered, Cobra Bargain is a noticeable step down from the first two Cobra novels, but is still engaging enough to land in the top half of my three-star distribution. Well-written space opera with a smattering of military sci-fi, partially let down by an underwhelming story.
May 20, 2019
Classic 80s Sci-Fi...with a twist. I've loved everything Timothy Zahn has written, and this book exemplifies that. It actually lasted a little too long, could've been 50ish pages shorter, but was otherwise a fascinating, gripping read.
Jasmine Moreau is a very compelling character, something that I think was lacking in Cobra Strike. Her arc of wanting to join the Cobras, then having to adjust to the mission on the fly, to befriending one of the Qasamans was fun and interesting to read.
My favorite character, Corwin, really served as a tragic hero. He serves as the person who gives up everything anyone else would have regarding a personal life for his cause and his niece(Jasmine). I think he's my favorite character in the series, and I wish I got more time with his character.
I don't understand all of the terminalogy regarding ships and places, so it's harder for me to follow descriptions, but he did an overall good job.
He also writes PTSD really well. His writing of military members adjusting to civilian life is also incredibly well fleshed out. You can tell that Zahn really respects the military for their service.
The last 100 pages just lasted a little too long, and that's where I think the book could primarily be cut.
Overall, very solid book. Much better than Cobra Strike, but I think the original Cobra is the best. Still, a fun read and I'm happy I read it. 6.7 out of 10!
Jasmine Moreau is a very compelling character, something that I think was lacking in Cobra Strike. Her arc of wanting to join the Cobras, then having to adjust to the mission on the fly, to befriending one of the Qasamans was fun and interesting to read.
My favorite character, Corwin, really served as a tragic hero. He serves as the person who gives up everything anyone else would have regarding a personal life for his cause and his niece(Jasmine). I think he's my favorite character in the series, and I wish I got more time with his character.
I don't understand all of the terminalogy regarding ships and places, so it's harder for me to follow descriptions, but he did an overall good job.
He also writes PTSD really well. His writing of military members adjusting to civilian life is also incredibly well fleshed out. You can tell that Zahn really respects the military for their service.
The last 100 pages just lasted a little too long, and that's where I think the book could primarily be cut.
Overall, very solid book. Much better than Cobra Strike, but I think the original Cobra is the best. Still, a fun read and I'm happy I read it. 6.7 out of 10!
March 7, 2023
This one was the worst of the Cobra books, I didn't like how the woman Cobra thing was handled and the story was pretty boring. Jin is a weak character and proceeds to do all the things that women are stereotyped into when the discussion of women in the military comes up. She spends way too much of her time thinking about how she feels about things, instead of just getting things done. This made the story really boring, she spent too much time talking and weaving stories for her enemy instead of doing any actual spying.
The first half read like a romance novel with a sci-fi theme. Girl crashes on an enemy planet and is saved by enemy man and commences to fall in love. While it didn't get too far into that, it certainly felt like that was where it was headed.
I was excited to read that there would be a woman Cobra, but the character and the story fell far short of the mark. 2 out of 5 stars.
The first half read like a romance novel with a sci-fi theme. Girl crashes on an enemy planet and is saved by enemy man and commences to fall in love. While it didn't get too far into that, it certainly felt like that was where it was headed.
I was excited to read that there would be a woman Cobra, but the character and the story fell far short of the mark. 2 out of 5 stars.
August 12, 2021
Lacks shine, lacks punch, lacks phazasss. The books is naive, shallow and on top of that for a military sci-fi a bit boring. All in all a weak third installment in the Cobra serries...
December 2, 2010
The 3rd book in the Cobra Trilogy. I read them in the combination book that contains all 3. This one was written a tad later, and is a slight change of place. It took the time to look more in depth at several of the characters and the world of the Qasama.
I felt like there was a little too much dwelling on gender roles in this book. Not near the preoccupation of the Honor Harrington novels, but the sexist characters were clearly setup as straw men. We quickly get past this and move on to a story that is less dependent on military maneuver and more dependent on diplomacy than past stories.
Zahn's approach to problem solving is still present and what makes these stories better than similar works by other authors. He has equipped a group of super-soldiers, but what allows these people to actually triumph is using their minds to out thing their opponents.
I felt like there was a little too much dwelling on gender roles in this book. Not near the preoccupation of the Honor Harrington novels, but the sexist characters were clearly setup as straw men. We quickly get past this and move on to a story that is less dependent on military maneuver and more dependent on diplomacy than past stories.
Zahn's approach to problem solving is still present and what makes these stories better than similar works by other authors. He has equipped a group of super-soldiers, but what allows these people to actually triumph is using their minds to out thing their opponents.
June 17, 2016
I felt this was the weakest of the Cobra trilogy. In some ways, I liked the expansion and growth to the universe. I liked that female warriors were introduced, and that Zahn took on some of the controversy of a patriarchal society vs. a more egalitarian one. Unfortunately, I felt that the storytelling itself was just weaker. The villains in particular seemed extremely simplistic, and there were a lot of story threads that just ended up being dropped while new ones were just shoehorned in at the last moment. I'm glad that Cobra Bargain wasn't just a repeat of the previous Cobra novels. I just wish it had been more enjoyable.
July 15, 2012
I'm not reviewing the book, but the book cover. It's amazing. You see the Troft alien in the back, apparently dancing tango. Two humans appear in the front, one woman in pants indifferently firing her fingertip laser (incorrectly, because she should be connecting fingertips to thumb to fire), while a human man in a skirt also indifferently fires a laser gun. They're all, "Yeah, whatever, the future." Love it!
April 6, 2014
The First female cobra, and still a Moreau. Her sex saves her from being identified as a cobra, and she does a wonderful job under difficult circumstances, yet feels at the end that she has failed the family. I really enjoyed how she integrated into another culture, and places where it abraded her.
August 15, 2013
excellent book. I'm impressed with Timothy Zahn's use of diplomacy and relationships, along with firepower and use of tactics, so that solutions become more stable. Forced solutions do not last; diplomacy is intended to create conditions such that peace can last.
December 30, 2013
Didn't like it as much as the second book. Less combat, more relationship.
July 1, 2016
Sometimes it just takes shared peril to bring two enemies together in cooperation.
April 6, 2015
Не че книгата е лоша, но се радвам че поредицата свърши.
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