The Morning Which Breaks

Loralynn Kennakris #2

by Owen R. O'Neill, Jordan Leah Hunter

It was supposed to be the beginning of a new life—not a replay of her old one . . .

For eight years, Kris was the property of a brutal slaver captain. Now she’s free and a brand-new cadet at the Nereidian League’s military academy. All she brings to this new life is a unique set of skills, a profound ignorance of ‘civilized’ society, and a large chip on her shoulder.

But Kris isn’t quite sure what to make of the Academy, and the Academy isn’t at all sure what to make of her. The medical staff thinks she’s homicidal, her fellow cadets think she’s crazy, and her instructors don’t know what to think.

So when she’s approached about helping capture a terrorist warlord, she’s more than happy to leave the halls of academia behind for awhile. Kris knows she’s not signing up for some pleasure cruise. What she doesn’t know is that the key to the mission’s success is reliving her very worst nightmare . . .

Genres: Science Fiction, Space Opera, Space

754 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 22, 2014

About the author

Owen R. O’Neil is a physicist, a writer, an amateur historian and the descendant of a long line of engineers. After three years working for the US Navy as a missile systems engineer, he became a member of the intelligence community and spent the rest of his career there. One of the last generation of Cold Warriors, he worked on topics as diverse as satellites, telecommunications, infrared semiconductors and C4ISR. He is an expert on technology projection and threat assessment, and did groundbreaking work on IW/IO before it was cool.

These days he writes, exercises a passion for photography he inherited from his father, and indulges in his two principal vices: cooking 'unhealthy' food and ferreting out exceptional but under-appreciated wines. He lives on nine rural acres in northern California where, when not engaged in the foregoing, he listens to his tenants (bullfrogs and coyotes) and watches over his infant vineyard.

He has written several novels and shorter works with Jordan Leah Hunter.

Reviews

[Charles Hash · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a simmering ocean of currents and undertows that drag through the plot in a deliberate, yet organic ecosystem of military politics as they collide with real world grit, forming a well-oiled machine that glides smoothly over the muck and grime that is central to the conflict and development of the characters. Highly polished prose courses the reader through the galaxy, from the heart of the Homeworlds to the fringes of explored territory, where a thriving black market threatens more than the lives and freedoms of those caught within its bloody web.

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

“The Morning Which Breaks” is the 2nd in a series of a complete military SF world.

I think what sets the authors apart; they excel at building and describing – with choice wording – the physical environment in a visibly convincing manner as well as the array of intelligent characters, including the psychological traits and nuances of the protagonists and antagonists and the influence of secondary players. Interwoven events flow well from scene to scene driving the story forward.

In the first installment in the series “The Alecto Initiative”, we meet Kris after 8 years of captivity. She’s released from the atrocities of the predatory slave traders, through the actions of the egalitarian Nereidan League... just before a savvy and highly resourceful Kris takes out the slave vessel “Harlot’s Ruse” on her own with no self regard.
Sensitive subject matter – that which you might imagine – is handled realistically and respectfully with kid-gloves, however this is what Kris will have to work out. Her innate abilities may help her assimilate with others as a top-tier flight cadet at the CEF Academy Orbital Campus - Deimos, Mars, Sol.

Lieutenant Commander Rafe Huron, a member of the liberation team that destroyed the Harlot’s Ruse and set Kris free in the 1st book, who then takes her under his influential wing, continues to have an overseeing personal, though guarded interest.

Commander Trin Wesselby and Chief Inspector Nikolai Taliaferro are trying to piece together the political intrigue, uncovering everything they can, to eradicate infamous slave traders.
Aside, it offers an opportunity for them to become better acquainted.

The military is on high alert with probing missions and skirmishes erupting. The entire world system is under constant tension with the likelihood of a full scale breakout.

Each of the characters have a ‘real feel’. Another young female captive is released and Kris will not tolerate her being further abused through information extraction inquiries, even when it’s to glean bits of information to help with taking down key members of the slave trade.
There’s a scene where a Commander unknowingly makes an very inappropriate pass at cadet Kris at an informal officers’ party. Reprimanded in private by a ranking officer or should I say informed about Kris’s background – what she did to a slaver captain on the Harlot’s Ruse – left the Commander cringing at the prospects of what he escaped. It ends with a strong admonition to find another ship.

I like details. Some may think there’s too much back-story, I find it all contributes. I will say, there are a number of names, locations, and acronyms which can be distracting. There’s a glossary and map available at the authors website, if you like to get deeply involved. Opening the star system map allowed me to get a better overall picture of the events taking place.

All in all, enjoyable. It’s becoming one of my all time favorite SF reads.
If handled appropriately, it has all the makings of a great TV series.

[Coyora Dokusho · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read 2 times

12/6/14

Ooops, I'm just a TAD bit compulsive... JUST A TAD BIT!!! And I was determined to read myself the entire glossary before posting the review, because I is like that... So, yeah, that's not ever gonna happen!!! EVER!!! (well maybe it will XD) But not today!

I was going through, making my shortlists for best first reads and best re-reads of 2014 and got to the end of the barrel and thought "Wait... where's that new Loralynn Kennakris book? I remember really loving that one..." And so I searched. And lo I uncovered it in my currently reading bin. And aw CRAP, because I dunno if I can give an adequate review now, because it's been a million years and IT REALLY DESERVES ONE, because it was awesome. But we's gonna try:

I LIKED IT BETTER THAN THE FIRST ONE!!

It was epic!

I love Loralynn.

IT WAS EPIC!!!!!

I want the next book!

I remember getting to the end, realizing the rest was glossary and having my heart sink, because I WANTED MORE.

*break for brief re-read*

I re-read the ending just now and clapped my hands in the air after, it's so exciting and I really want to read the next one!!!

P.S. I got to letter "D" in the glossary. I recommend hitting up the glossary if you encounter words you don't know the meaning of in the text.

P.P.S. NEXT BOOK, GIMME!!!!!

12/7/14

Dunno why, but on the re-read, now I like the first book more than this one. The first time I read the series I definitely liked the second book better. Maybe it has something to do with getting to know the characters and then going back to become re-acquainted with them with all the later knowledge of their development... hmmm... Anyway! DYING FOR THE NEXT BOOK!!!

[S.J. Higgins · Rating 5 out of 5]

In my experience, when reading a series, quite often the second book can be somewhat of a disappointment. I am happy to say that wasn’t the case here.
Kris is the strongest character I have ever come across in the literary world. She is flawed and real and makes mistakes but owns them. With what she has had to deal with she would be forgiven if she curled in a ball and gave up, yet in this book we follow Kris and her determination to move forward. Even going so far as to re-live her worst nightmares in an attempt to help catch one of the vilest slavers out there.

I loved it. I loved it. I loved it.

[Grady · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good sci-fi story

This the second book in the series follows the main character as she tries to because a fighter pilot with some twists along the way

[multitaskingmomma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Original Blog Post: http://www.multitaskingmommas.com/201...

Loralynn Kennakris' story continues right after agreeing to train as a pilot in the The Morning Which Breaks, Jordan Leah Hunter and Owen R. O'Neill's gripping account of a young girl who'd had a bad start in life and has been given a chance to prove her worth to the entire universe.

Kris finally makes it to the Academy, ready to fulfill her dream of flying and taking revenge on the slavers that abused her for eight long years. As soon as she arrives, she realizes there is something wrong. Her classmates are alternately in awe and afraid of her and her instructors have a hard time accepting and understanding her gifts. It's tough to fit in where you're so obviously set apart. Now what sets her apart, you need to read the book to find out.

After unforeseen events, Huron asks for Kris' help yet again. They're off to another planet to stalk and capture another high-ranking slaver who's quickly gaining power through terrorist means. As his plans slowly reveal themselves, it becomes obvious to Kris and Huron that the only way they can get a bead on him is for Kris to risk her mental stability and relive all the terrors that she'd been through.

Kris visibly grows up. While she was forcibly matured in The Alecto Initiative, there is still a trace remaining of childlike behavior and it slowly falls away with what she has to face chasing Nestor Mankho. There's now more to her life than killing; conversely, it takes death for her to realize that her life is worth something and she has something to live for.

Of all characters, Huron has always been my favorite. To me, he's the quintessential officer and gentleman, the reluctant hero, the brilliant soldier and strategist. Now a Commander, his duties have become more important and it's vital that he succeed. Since his partnership with Kris worked so well before, why not have a repeat? After all, there is no one better informed of slaver ins and outs than this woman. It's also becoming harder for him to hide his growing admiration, although everyone else seems to see it - except Kris!

The returning characters, especially Trin and Nick, are more rounded. Trin's razor sharp observations are clearer and Nick is a wonderful man who just loves to thumb his nose at society in general. These two as a team or as a couple could very well take over several worlds if they'd want to. Huron's father and brothers are no longer shadowy and far away. I'm pretty sure they're going to be more prominent in the next book. And no new character is more interesting than Mariwen's brother, Antoine. He's definitely someone I'm going to be keeping an eye on. Then there is Mariwen herself. Something mysterious is going on, which I think will be explained soon?

The science involved is so intriguing, it's another character all by itself. I never found it intrusive or overwhelming. It's integrated in such a way that it doesn't overshadow nor distract from the main story. There are other books where the science parts numb your mind but thankfully there's none of that here. What you get is pure information that is just as important as the rest of the story. This is where it's an improvement on Alecto.

This sequel is one of the few books that is better than the original. While Alecto was infinitely

interesting, The Morning Which Breaks sucks you in and refuses to let go. From Kris' whirlwind days at the Academy, to chasing terrorists, to heart-stopping lessons for honing military skills, it's hard to find time to breathe! It captures your imagination with its strong auditory feel (I could hear grenades exploding behind me) and its attention-grabbing visuals (can you imagine a barren planet populated by mobile carnivorous plants that SING?), making this a book you must read to believe!



***I was lucky enough to be asked to beta read this book.

[T.A. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Protagonist Kris returns in this sequel to The Alecto Initiative with the same big personality I loved about her in the previous book. This time, she has an even bigger personal stake in the central conflict of the story. We get to see her undertake a variety of new challenges as she navigates her military training and goes on a secret mission where her background and expertise are pivotal. As always, it's clear that she has a big heart...she doesn't always do the best job of expressing herself. That's all part of what makes her such a great character though, and she is still easily the best part of the series thus far. Other favorite characters include Rafe Huron, Trin Wesselby, Nick Taliaferro, Yu, Vasquez (seriously, I would love to see more of her)....ok, honestly, I loved a lot of the characters. Even the villain was well-written and appropriately despicable.

The plot was compelling enough. When it really got going, I was on the edge of my seat. The first 1/3 to 1/2 of the book was really engaging, but towards the middle, my interest started to flag a little. There was a lot of behind-the-scenes politics and background information which didn't feel entirely necessary to me. That made the story feel really long. I'll be honest--I started skimming through it, and I don't feel like I missed anything majorly significant. Maybe that stuff really was important or necessary, and maybe other readers will appreciate all the carefully constructed details. I just didn't care for it, preferring instead to just get on with the story and stick with the characters I already knew or felt were more interesting and significant. In my opinion, a lot of that stuff could have been cut out or at least pared down significantly, and the story would have been better for it. But like I said, other readers might find it more interesting than I did. I did appreciate that in many cases, the scientific or historical explanations/details were interwoven into the story instead of just straight-up told to readers, which was my only complaint about the Alecto Initiative.

Overall, I still really enjoyed the story and I am still a fan of Kris and the series. I look forward to reading the next book.

[Tremont G · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked the actual story and found the characters interesting. What killed this book was the overkill on explanations and the archaic wording. I REALLY hate books set in space, military sci-fi that sounds like a mariners tale from the 1700's! My God! This was so bogged down with inane crap it was ridiculous. Lastly, it was hard to figure out what the hell was going on with all the sectors and worlds. There was really very little background and explanation about that. I don't think I'll be reading any more of this series.

[Tony Hisgett · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a good science fiction story, so why am I a bit disappointed. Well it’s because it could have been great. Right from the start I began to realise that perhaps it wasn’t going to quite live up to my expectations.

The book starts with a Prologue that I presume is meant to set the scene for the coming conflict, but actually it was just boring and irritating. There was far too much explanation about what they were doing, why they were doing it, how they were going to do it, how it was going wrong etc. etc. etc. Then after reading all this, Nothing!!! It just ends mid sentence. OK it’s just a prologue and it might seem a very minor criticism, but it sets the mood for the book, I am now starting a book I was looking forward to, already annoyed.

Then in the next few chapters we get the entire galactic political and military situation in great detail with only brief glimpses of Kris at the Military Academy. In many ways this is the real problem with the book, just too much detail. In some ways it reminds me of the problems with many of David Weber’s Honor Harrington books, brilliant when they concentrated on Honor but overblown and boring when they didn’t.

I think the biggest problem with this book was it is full of glimpses of how good it could have been, nearly all of them when the story concentrated on Kris and didn’t try to describe everybody and explain everything in excruciating detail.

[Kjirstin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kris goes to school! / Kris in Top Gun! I very much enjoyed the continuation of her story in this book, as she's attending school for would-be space fighter pilots (I forget the exact terminology from the book). Great fun, although I was a little mystified as to the point of the long digression between school terms, which ended up feeling like it got nothing accomplished and didn't really advance the plot. (Maybe it would have made more sense as a separate story? I don't know. I just remember feeling, at the end of the story, like I didn't need that whole section. Although it does explain more about Kris as a character.)

However, I greatly enjoyed the school stuff and found myself looking forward to the next installment in the series!

[Vnalord · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the more hidden diamonds in the SciFi genre the Loralynn Kennakris series delivers with an interesting story, believable charakters. Much more interesting from my perspective is the fact that after 2 books there is still plenty of potential personal development and story hinted at. Most importantly I think the world and characters can hold that promise.

If you are still on the fence which book to read next, give this one a try. Especially if you like strong female heroines not suffering from the "finding prince charming within the first chapter of the book" syndrom. I am certainly in for the long haul with this one.

[Elb4966 · Rating 1 out of 5]

Too much extraneous information spread throughout the book and it cuts the story up, which makes for a hard read. Alot of paragraphs should be cut because they do not add to the story; and even more should be condensed. I am tired of reading a back story that does not move the story forward. There were other things that I thought could be improved, but what I mentioned above was the most irritating. I have only read (which includes skiming over unimportant parts) about a third of the book and I doubt I will read it in its entirety.

[Freddiea · Rating 5 out of 5]

absolutely loved the book
it had a different take to the usual sic-fi military books which was refreshing whilst also having a very engaging cast of characters. That the main character also made some pretty major mistakes also added to the sense that the character was a real person and not a two dimensional persona. I highly recommend this book to anyone into sic-fi

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite enjoyable, rather long, drawn out in places, but very good.

[Chris Lewis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unusual but good

Although the book is about a military cadet and her exploits, the background of Kris is so unusual that it makes her a unique asset for the navy. She alone knows slaver’s customs, slang, habits, and the myriad hidden compartments they have on their ships. With her assistance, the navy finally is able to make progress in capturing slaver ships and toward stopping the practice.

However, having endured being a “captain’s bitch” for eight years, as a slave used for sex, Kris isn’t the same as ordinary people. She has some mental differences and that comes out in the book.

One caveat: the book constantly misses connective words such as “to” or “of” in the sentences because it appears to have had no proof reading. At one point it has a short sentence that reads “Quiet soon” instead of quite soon. If errors of this type bother you, then this book will drive you mad. If you can ignore them and read for plot and characterization, then read on. This actually bothered me a lot because it was pervasive, but Kris’s character interested me enough to keep reading.

[Gerri · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm really glad I stuck with the series. A lot of the technical jargon is leveled out in the second book. There is more focus on the politics and strategy, which I'm more in to. The characters are developing and contain a realistic mix of heroes and villains, with no one being all bad or all good. I'm moving on to book 3, and looking forward to continuing.

[Richard · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent second book in the series. The only reason I didn't give it five stars is because I'm beginning to have a tough time following the characters and places - there a lot of them. There is something on-line to tell you about her universe, but I'm reading strictly for entertainment and don't want to go that far (not yet, anyway).

[Karen Robeson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Story

It has been a few years since I have read this series, got stuck waiting for the next book, I think. Now rereading to catch up on the latest works. I have forgotten so much, so really enjoying the details and becoming reacquainted with Kris. Lots of action, smooth reading, Kris thriving but her background still evident. I am looking forward to the next adventure.

[Volpot · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars. Enjoyable if somewhat light. Good story but nothing profound here

[JV Findlay · Rating 3 out of 5]

Young girl named Kris gets sold into slavery and is rescued after eights years as a sex slave to a pirate. She then helps the military secure the local pirates in a huge undertaking and ends up being given special treatment while trying to figure out what she wants to do with her life.
In the process of being repatriated, she meets fellow rescuee super model, and they form a close friendship.

Second book, Kris goes through military training where she is almost top of her class. She is given a role as Midshipman aboard battlecruiser to go hunt pirates where she proves herself a valuable asset.

There were so many echoes of other 'female ex slave to military genius' stories (Sassinak for eg) in this series that it bugged me for a week trying to figure out where I've read 'moments' in these books before. It drove me out of the story every time I though - I'VE READ THAT BEFORE!

First book OK, second had too many 'Ive read that before' moments.

[Amba Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book, with real character development and a intricate yet readable story line. Good action, actions with consequences, interrelated with the hardware and politics of a science fiction universe that's as diverse and extensive as any ever created.