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Peacekeeper #1
An Ancient Peace
The first book of a thrilling new military science fiction spin-off of Tanya Huff's Confederation series.
Gunnery Sergeant Torin Kerr had been the very model of a Confederation Marine. But when she learned the truth about the war the Confederation was fighting, she left the military for good.
But Torin couldn’t walk away from preserving and protecting everything the Confederation represented. Instead, she drew together an elite corps of friends and allies to take on covert missions that the Justice Department and the Corps could not—or would not—officially touch. Torin just hoped the one they were about to embark on wouldn’t be the death of them.
Ancient H’san grave goods are showing up on the black market—grave goods from just before the formation of the Confederation, when the H’san gave up war and buried their planet-destroying weapons…as grave goods for the death of war. Someone is searching for these weapons and they’re very close to finding them. As the Elder Races have turned away from war, those searchers can only be members of the Younger Races.
Fortunately, only the Corps Intelligence Service has this information. Unfortunately, they can do nothing about it—bound by laws of full disclosure, their every move is monitored.
Though Torin Kerr and her team are no longer a part of the military, the six of them tackling the H’san defenses and the lethally armed grave robbers are the only chance the Confederation has. The only chance to avoid millions more dead.
But the more Torin learns about the relationship between the Elder Races and the Younger, the more she begins to fear war might be an unavoidable result.
Gunnery Sergeant Torin Kerr had been the very model of a Confederation Marine. But when she learned the truth about the war the Confederation was fighting, she left the military for good.
But Torin couldn’t walk away from preserving and protecting everything the Confederation represented. Instead, she drew together an elite corps of friends and allies to take on covert missions that the Justice Department and the Corps could not—or would not—officially touch. Torin just hoped the one they were about to embark on wouldn’t be the death of them.
Ancient H’san grave goods are showing up on the black market—grave goods from just before the formation of the Confederation, when the H’san gave up war and buried their planet-destroying weapons…as grave goods for the death of war. Someone is searching for these weapons and they’re very close to finding them. As the Elder Races have turned away from war, those searchers can only be members of the Younger Races.
Fortunately, only the Corps Intelligence Service has this information. Unfortunately, they can do nothing about it—bound by laws of full disclosure, their every move is monitored.
Though Torin Kerr and her team are no longer a part of the military, the six of them tackling the H’san defenses and the lethally armed grave robbers are the only chance the Confederation has. The only chance to avoid millions more dead.
But the more Torin learns about the relationship between the Elder Races and the Younger, the more she begins to fear war might be an unavoidable result.
328 pages, Hardcover
First published October 6, 2015
247 people are currently reading
2059 people want to read
About the author
Tanya Huff
71 books2,446 followersTanya Sue Huff is a Canadian fantasy author. Her stories have been published since the late 1980s, including five fantasy series and one science fiction series. One of these, her Blood Books series, featuring detective Vicki Nelson, was adapted for television under the title Blood Ties.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 255 reviews
December 21, 2025
Billed as the first in a new series, this is actually a continuation of Huff's Confederation series, building directly on the events of the previous book. As such, it may not mean as much to people who have not read the earlier books. That said, this is solid military SF, without the jingoistic undertones of so much of the subgenre.
Ex-Gunnery Sergeant Torin Kerr and her lover Craig Ryder, along with the remnants of her last unit, have moved on from salvage operations to contract work for the Justice department. They accept an assignment from the military to stop another interstellar war by preventing grave-robbers from disseminating ancient weapons from the H'san's abandoned homeworld. First they have to find said homeworld, then fight their way in--and fight their way out. Hey, no one said it would be easy--if it were, they would have sent someone else.
Recommended--But it's probably best to start at the beginning of the Confederation series. Fortunately, that's no hardship.
Ex-Gunnery Sergeant Torin Kerr and her lover Craig Ryder, along with the remnants of her last unit, have moved on from salvage operations to contract work for the Justice department. They accept an assignment from the military to stop another interstellar war by preventing grave-robbers from disseminating ancient weapons from the H'san's abandoned homeworld. First they have to find said homeworld, then fight their way in--and fight their way out. Hey, no one said it would be easy--if it were, they would have sent someone else.
Recommended--But it's probably best to start at the beginning of the Confederation series. Fortunately, that's no hardship.
March 10, 2016
A fun beginning for this new spin-off of Huff's Confederation series. The plot feels contrived, which is something that often bothers me in these books, but the characters are as enjoyable as always.
Former Gunnery Sergeant Torin Kerr and her crew accept a secret assignment to investigate the theft of ancient artifacts, including weapons, leftover from the time before the Confederation was formed. They visit a dead alien planet and must fight through some pointlessly bizarre obstacles left behind to defend the artifacts.
There’s a lot of grumbling in this book about the treatment of the Confederation’s “Younger races”, those whose primitive violent tendencies proved so useful during the war. This comes across as a slightly forced parallel to contemporary racism. There are some awkward scenes where Kerr and crew are treated like thugs by some of the “Mid” races - they’re snubbed on a train, and run off by some local cops.
I like Huff’s writing, and it’s nice to visit with these characters again. I haven’t yet tired of the endless jokes about the Krai digestive capabilities or the di’Taykan indiscriminate sexual enthusiasm.
Former Gunnery Sergeant Torin Kerr and her crew accept a secret assignment to investigate the theft of ancient artifacts, including weapons, leftover from the time before the Confederation was formed. They visit a dead alien planet and must fight through some pointlessly bizarre obstacles left behind to defend the artifacts.
There’s a lot of grumbling in this book about the treatment of the Confederation’s “Younger races”, those whose primitive violent tendencies proved so useful during the war. This comes across as a slightly forced parallel to contemporary racism. There are some awkward scenes where Kerr and crew are treated like thugs by some of the “Mid” races - they’re snubbed on a train, and run off by some local cops.
I like Huff’s writing, and it’s nice to visit with these characters again. I haven’t yet tired of the endless jokes about the Krai digestive capabilities or the di’Taykan indiscriminate sexual enthusiasm.
June 8, 2024
I really enjoyed it, and on some level, it was great to see Torin and the gang adjusting to life outside the military.
But something was missing. I can't quite put my finger on what. Maybe it was the way that Torin still gave unwavering respect to people with higher ranks, even though the ranks have done nothing but let her down or use her like a pawn for years. Maybe it was seeing the way the other races treat the "Younger Races"... And just letting them get away with that. It's not acceptable. Someone needs to ask them to justify how such "evolved" races are perfectly content to send the very youngest out to die for them. Particularly when these supposed enlightened assholes have zero gratitude for all the death on their behalf. How is this the sign of a more evolved race? Seems like the only thing that is evolved to a higher level is their sense of selfish entitlement. And that needs to be shut down immediately. From what we saw of the Core, they are treating the Younger Races like serfs. They do the dirty work, and we'll give them our castoffs - old tech, they aren't welcome to visit our planets - sure sounds like the Younger Races are slaves to the Elder and Mid Races.
I hope this gets handled.
But something was missing. I can't quite put my finger on what. Maybe it was the way that Torin still gave unwavering respect to people with higher ranks, even though the ranks have done nothing but let her down or use her like a pawn for years. Maybe it was seeing the way the other races treat the "Younger Races"... And just letting them get away with that. It's not acceptable. Someone needs to ask them to justify how such "evolved" races are perfectly content to send the very youngest out to die for them. Particularly when these supposed enlightened assholes have zero gratitude for all the death on their behalf. How is this the sign of a more evolved race? Seems like the only thing that is evolved to a higher level is their sense of selfish entitlement. And that needs to be shut down immediately. From what we saw of the Core, they are treating the Younger Races like serfs. They do the dirty work, and we'll give them our castoffs - old tech, they aren't welcome to visit our planets - sure sounds like the Younger Races are slaves to the Elder and Mid Races.
I hope this gets handled.
June 25, 2018
*Source* Library
*Genre* Science Fiction, Military
*Rating* 3.5-4
*Thoughts*
An Ancient Peace is the first installment in author Tanya Huff's Peacekeeper trilogy. FYI, this is a continuation of the Confederation series. You can either have already read the previous series, or take your chances and push forward into this new chapter for Ex-Gunnery Sergeant Torin Kerr and her team. Torin and her team are now working for the Justice Department chasing down those like Richard Varga and the Humans First movement who are looking to stir up trouble between the so called Younger Races, and the Elder Races.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
http://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/201...
*Genre* Science Fiction, Military
*Rating* 3.5-4
*Thoughts*
An Ancient Peace is the first installment in author Tanya Huff's Peacekeeper trilogy. FYI, this is a continuation of the Confederation series. You can either have already read the previous series, or take your chances and push forward into this new chapter for Ex-Gunnery Sergeant Torin Kerr and her team. Torin and her team are now working for the Justice Department chasing down those like Richard Varga and the Humans First movement who are looking to stir up trouble between the so called Younger Races, and the Elder Races.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
http://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/201...
January 27, 2016
First in the Peacekeeper military science fiction series and sixth in Huff's Confederation series. The focus is on the ill-assorted crew under Gunnery Sergeant Torin Kerr.
My Take
Huff is using An Ancient Peace to push Torin, Craig, and their team onto a new career path. It's one of the longest set-ups I've ever read, and Huff does a great job of it. It takes a bit before I got caught up on the backstory, and I'm still missing some bits, but Huff's storytelling is as enthralling as ever.
The world of Torin, Craig, and company is the weirdest world — those di'Taykan crack me up. They serve up so much innuendo, they make me look like a piker.
Okay, okay, it's not just the di'Taykan and Krai who are funny. It's also a good indication that no matter your species, we all pretty much share a common sense of humor:
It was fascinating how much information the team picked up in Abalae just by wandering around and observing, and yes, hitting the bars, *grin*. They also uncover how far behind they are technologically, which only raises more questions about the Elder Races.
Hmmm, I am not going any further with that speculation about coincidences...such as Presit showing up when she did. It seems like a loose thread. That or Huff is doing some foreshadowing.
In spite of most of what the H'san do and set up with their defenses, I do appreciate that they built things to last…wow…sure wish we could get half of our "stuff" to last twenty years let alone millennia. That said, I gotta agree with Broadbent about that "epitaph" on the H'san plinth: "We stand with you until we are needed." Yep, I think it means they run off if they come under attack too.
At the end, I can't tell if they're leaning toward taking Nadaykin on or not as part of the team. And this type of confusion does crop up at different times within An Ancient Peace. The "confusion" over ranks for several characters (and at least one character whose name kept dropping and adding an n was annoying. I do wish someone had paid more attention to this in the proofreading process.
The Story
The Younger races are barely tolerated by the Elder races, and the thieves hunting for H'san weapons will only increase the prejudice and incite war. Again.
It's up to Tori and her crew to find the grave robbers and put them down without anyone knowing.
The Characters
The very famous ex-Gunnery Sergeant Torin Kerr is known for bringing her people back alive. Craig Ryder is a salvage operator who got caught up in action with Tori. Now they're a couple, and they use Craig's ship, the Promise, to move around. Binit Mashana had been a sniper in the Corps. Alamber, a very young career criminal, is di'Taykan and damaged. His emotional growth was stunted by his lover and the situations she dragged him into. His computer skills, however, are beyond great. Ressk, ex-Corps with mad computer skills, and Master Corporal Werst, a former Marine with unarmed combat skills like Tori, are a bonded Krai couple.
Ventris is…
…the space station where the Justice Department is located. Justice hires on Tori and her crew to clean up messes. One of four such crews. I get the impression that Justice is comprised of Elder Races?? The Wardens seem to be the police side. Dr. Major Ito is the psychologist Tori has to see. Master Corporal Tresk is Dr. Ito's current admin.
The military side includes General Morris, a two-star, is Torin's personal pain;Lieutenant Captain Stedrin is his aide. Lieutenant di'Miru Harym escorts the team to a military intelligence meeting with Major Alie, a di"Taykan, and Colonel Hurrs, a Krai.
Sutton's is a bar on the station where Gunny will always be welcome; Elliot Westbrook is the grandson of the original Sutton owners.
Lanh Ng, the only Human Justice, is based in MidSector Seven at Berbar station. The Dornagain clerks there have some really odd names: Meticulously Records Every Detail and One Who Examines the Facts and Draws Conclusions are two of them.
A benny is a BN-4, a tight-band laser with a molecular disruption charge. The Marine's weapon of choice where a projectile was a bad idea.
Di'Taykan are in almost constant need of touch and sex is definitely touch. Their hair looks like colorful tubes, but are protein-based sensors whose motion gives a fairly good indication of a di'Taykan's emotional state. Qui seems to be when a di'Taykan reaches adulthood or the di'Taykan equivalent. I think thytrins are family members.
Susumi space is a mathematical construct that causes ships to define their own reality?? So, I suspect that a Susumi engine is one that helps you traverse through said space.
The Mid Races include…
…Rakva who give birth via eggs, Niln, and Katrien who look like beavers.
The Elder Races include the…
…H'san, the Eldest of the Elder Races who founded the Confederation, and they dragged the Younger Races in to fight the war against the Primacy because they no longer knew how or wanted to fight. Zegazt is a H'san title. Other Elder Races include Ciptran and Mictok (giant spiders).
Abalae is…
…a Trun planet. Everyone refers to the Trun as zi and zir, as if it means s/he, him / her, I, and ?? Bufush sells used goods over and under the table.
The Mercenaries are…
…under contract to find the H'san weapons. Jamers a Tur fenYenstrakin is Katrien, and a dependent of Presit's house. Jamers is doing the driving. Major Sujuno di'Kail, the leader of this expedition, is a repressed di"Taykan obsessed with registering a progenitor so she can resurrect her family name. She really hates Torin. Professor Dion is a self-proclaimed expert on all things H'san. Lieutenant Verr is a Krai Marine pilot and ex-lieutenant. Wen / Wenn, a Krai with an obsessive love for explosives, is her bonded. Sergeant Yasha Toporov is not very clever even if he is solid and dependable. Nadayki "Pirate" di'Berinango is di'Taykan and touch-deprived. The Human Corporal? Private? Broadbent does well at following orders. Corporal Katherine McKinnon, formerly Corps of Engineers and the team medic, was first into the dust-filled room. Lieutenant? Private? Timin di"geirah was thinking of signing on to Sujuno's new house. Corporal Srey Keo is a heavy gunner with an excellent exoskeleton.
Human's First is…
…a hate group against all other species. Yeah, Tori has a lot to say about that misplaced apostrophe, lol. Of course, they'll kill Humans if they see a need to. Interpret this widely… Richard Varga is a spokesman for them and typical of politicians who "know" all about war without ever having served.
The Cover and Title
The cover is a haze of purplish pink reminiscent of the H'san halls which Gunnery Sergeant Kerr, hefting one big gun, clad in a black T and pants — her combat "suit" — with a belt full of ammunition and more, and her hair cropped to curl under at her shoulders, is preparing to storm the necropolis. It's Werst behind her with his own suit and bigger gun and their crashed shuttle behind them against a tangled mass of jungle.
The title is an anomaly. For the H'san went peaceful millennia ago, An Ancient Peace, and yet, they will keep their weapons.
My Take
Huff is using An Ancient Peace to push Torin, Craig, and their team onto a new career path. It's one of the longest set-ups I've ever read, and Huff does a great job of it. It takes a bit before I got caught up on the backstory, and I'm still missing some bits, but Huff's storytelling is as enthralling as ever.
The world of Torin, Craig, and company is the weirdest world — those di'Taykan crack me up. They serve up so much innuendo, they make me look like a piker.
The Krais attitude about food also provides plenty of room for laughter."My yasha told me that when you remember someone they never really die.'
'Yeah?' Werst snorted. 'My jernil said my jernine repeated on her for days.'"
Okay, okay, it's not just the di'Taykan and Krai who are funny. It's also a good indication that no matter your species, we all pretty much share a common sense of humor:
That begins to tell you about the Confederation. There's so much more with the relationships between the Elder, Mid, and Younger Races; the creative cultures Huff has dreamt up; the plastic aliens that were all over the Confederation series; and, how similar we are in our political maneuverings, emotions, and prejudices."'You need to depress it,' he repeated.
'Tell it it'll never amount to shit,' Wenn snickered.
'Tell it it's weak,' Keo laughed, flexing her exoskeleton.
'Tell it it's all alone,' Nadayki said, voice and hair flat. 'It'll always be all alone.'"
It was fascinating how much information the team picked up in Abalae just by wandering around and observing, and yes, hitting the bars, *grin*. They also uncover how far behind they are technologically, which only raises more questions about the Elder Races.
Hmmm, I am not going any further with that speculation about coincidences...such as Presit showing up when she did. It seems like a loose thread. That or Huff is doing some foreshadowing.
In spite of most of what the H'san do and set up with their defenses, I do appreciate that they built things to last…wow…sure wish we could get half of our "stuff" to last twenty years let alone millennia. That said, I gotta agree with Broadbent about that "epitaph" on the H'san plinth: "We stand with you until we are needed." Yep, I think it means they run off if they come under attack too.
I certainly wouldn't want to go to battle under Sujuno's direction or expect any aid from her. Nor does she like herself. Can't blame her. I don't like her either. She has a lousy attitude toward anyone not her."'I'd have died a hero. Isn't that a Marine thing?'
'Dead heroes are a Navy thing,' Werst growled, 'Marines prefer live heroes; none of that single-use shit.'"
At the end, I can't tell if they're leaning toward taking Nadaykin on or not as part of the team. And this type of confusion does crop up at different times within An Ancient Peace. The "confusion" over ranks for several characters (and at least one character whose name kept dropping and adding an n was annoying. I do wish someone had paid more attention to this in the proofreading process.
The Story
The Younger races are barely tolerated by the Elder races, and the thieves hunting for H'san weapons will only increase the prejudice and incite war. Again.
It's up to Tori and her crew to find the grave robbers and put them down without anyone knowing.
The Characters
The very famous ex-Gunnery Sergeant Torin Kerr is known for bringing her people back alive. Craig Ryder is a salvage operator who got caught up in action with Tori. Now they're a couple, and they use Craig's ship, the Promise, to move around. Binit Mashana had been a sniper in the Corps. Alamber, a very young career criminal, is di'Taykan and damaged. His emotional growth was stunted by his lover and the situations she dragged him into. His computer skills, however, are beyond great. Ressk, ex-Corps with mad computer skills, and Master Corporal Werst, a former Marine with unarmed combat skills like Tori, are a bonded Krai couple.
Tinartin Hur Tain is a Valinstrisy ship, Presit's family name. Presit a Tur durValinstrisy is a dogged Katrien reporter who is friends with Torin and Craig, especially if that can lead to a story. A strectasin is the head of the matriarchal clan; an armenai is either a mother or grandmother. I couldn't tell from the context."Alamber grinned. 'I like feeling naked. I like feeling you na…'
'Gunny?'
'And that's why we keep the guns locked up.'"
Ventris is…
…the space station where the Justice Department is located. Justice hires on Tori and her crew to clean up messes. One of four such crews. I get the impression that Justice is comprised of Elder Races?? The Wardens seem to be the police side. Dr. Major Ito is the psychologist Tori has to see. Master Corporal Tresk is Dr. Ito's current admin.
The military side includes General Morris, a two-star, is Torin's personal pain;
Sutton's is a bar on the station where Gunny will always be welcome; Elliot Westbrook is the grandson of the original Sutton owners.
Lanh Ng, the only Human Justice, is based in MidSector Seven at Berbar station. The Dornagain clerks there have some really odd names: Meticulously Records Every Detail and One Who Examines the Facts and Draws Conclusions are two of them.
A benny is a BN-4, a tight-band laser with a molecular disruption charge. The Marine's weapon of choice where a projectile was a bad idea.
Di'Taykan are in almost constant need of touch and sex is definitely touch. Their hair looks like colorful tubes, but are protein-based sensors whose motion gives a fairly good indication of a di'Taykan's emotional state. Qui seems to be when a di'Taykan reaches adulthood or the di'Taykan equivalent. I think thytrins are family members.
"When the di"Taykans discovered that their pheromones worked on all mammals and some nonmammals more powerfully than they worked on other di"Taykan, they took that to mean the universe intended them to have sex with most of known space."Krai have all-encompassing appetites, i.e., they'll eat absolutely anything, although they do consider Humans particularly tasty.
Susumi space is a mathematical construct that causes ships to define their own reality?? So, I suspect that a Susumi engine is one that helps you traverse through said space.
The Mid Races include…
…Rakva who give birth via eggs, Niln, and Katrien who look like beavers.
The Elder Races include the…
…H'san, the Eldest of the Elder Races who founded the Confederation, and they dragged the Younger Races in to fight the war against the Primacy because they no longer knew how or wanted to fight. Zegazt is a H'san title. Other Elder Races include Ciptran and Mictok (giant spiders).
Abalae is…
…a Trun planet. Everyone refers to the Trun as zi and zir, as if it means s/he, him / her, I, and ?? Bufush sells used goods over and under the table.
The Mercenaries are…
…under contract to find the H'san weapons. Jamers a Tur fenYenstrakin is Katrien, and a dependent of Presit's house. Jamers is doing the driving. Major Sujuno di'Kail, the leader of this expedition, is a repressed di"Taykan obsessed with registering a progenitor so she can resurrect her family name. She really hates Torin. Professor Dion is a self-proclaimed expert on all things H'san. Lieutenant Verr is a Krai Marine pilot and ex-lieutenant. Wen / Wenn, a Krai with an obsessive love for explosives, is her bonded. Sergeant Yasha Toporov is not very clever even if he is solid and dependable. Nadayki "Pirate" di'Berinango is di'Taykan and touch-deprived. The Human Corporal? Private? Broadbent does well at following orders. Corporal Katherine McKinnon, formerly Corps of Engineers and the team medic, was first into the dust-filled room. Lieutenant? Private? Timin di"geirah was thinking of signing on to Sujuno's new house. Corporal Srey Keo is a heavy gunner with an excellent exoskeleton.
Human's First is…
…a hate group against all other species. Yeah, Tori has a lot to say about that misplaced apostrophe, lol. Of course, they'll kill Humans if they see a need to. Interpret this widely… Richard Varga is a spokesman for them and typical of politicians who "know" all about war without ever having served.
The Cover and Title
The cover is a haze of purplish pink reminiscent of the H'san halls which Gunnery Sergeant Kerr, hefting one big gun, clad in a black T and pants — her combat "suit" — with a belt full of ammunition and more, and her hair cropped to curl under at her shoulders, is preparing to storm the necropolis. It's Werst behind her with his own suit and bigger gun and their crashed shuttle behind them against a tangled mass of jungle.
The title is an anomaly. For the H'san went peaceful millennia ago, An Ancient Peace, and yet, they will keep their weapons.
March 1, 2021
Good 1st book in the 2nd story arc of this Military SiFi series. fast paced and action filled read. Recommended
August 31, 2018
In 'An Ancient Peace' Tanya Huff brings back one of my most beloved Space Opera characters with a story-line that is exciting and promises more excitement in the future.
Gunnery Sergeant Torin Kerr resigned from the marines to go off with the Civilian Salvage Operator Craig but an encounter with pirates meant that that life plan was derailed somewhat. That is the backstory from the Valour series and I am not sure how you would go reading this one if you had not read any of the previous Confederation books staring Torin Kerr. Maybe it would be ok.
In this, a continuation of the Confederation and the the first of the 'Peackeeper' series, Torin and her remnant crew of ex-marines and a couple of stragglers are working small independent jobs for the Justice Department. The team is a conglomeration that makes sense in light of past books; they were essentially a result of the previous book. As some escaped pirates, some left the marines a few of which escaped the prison planet with Torin, they are an intensely interesting mix of races and quirks. Again, neither the characters, the quirks or the backstory are over-explained in this novel (Thank goodness - thank you Huff for no re-hashing) it may be hard for a reader new to this series to pick up on the details. I would suggest reading all the Confederation books, more or less in order.
In this book the team are given a mission by the Corp behind the Justice Department's back : Grave goods from one of the older races of the galaxy have been turning up on the black market. The antiquity of the goods suggests that someone is on the planet that the H'san interred their dead on before fleeing their original planets, rumor has it that weapons are also interred there. The Corp is certain that if they are discovered it will mean war and Torin's crew are sent to prevent this.
The small team must locate the planet first and that means going to one of the 'core' planets that their younger races do not normally go to. I thoroughly enjoyed that Huff is exploring and expanding her galaxy. As Torin is not longer fighting a war there is time to expand on all the other factors that make up the races, society and composition of the Confederate and that seems to me to be exactly what this series is setting us up for. There was still plenty of Marine style action but it was different to previous novels. There is a poignancy in the way the book explores the relationship between the ex-marines, who fought on behalf of the older races, and the lack of respect with which those very older races extend to the ex-marines: This is very topical for me, because recently I have read quite a bit of military history and the fact that military personal returning home, often with PTSD or injuries may not always get much recognition at home... I am not sure if Huff was intentionally exploring this social situation or whether, like many great writers, she wrote what seemed to fit and this was very much a commentary on reality. And, lets hear it for sci-fi ect as social commentary! The best sort of fiction!
Also, in this novel I liked the fact that Torin's melt downs of the last novel are acknowledged rather than just being glossed over. In the last novel I was confused by them, but now I feel the are becoming a rather important kind of character development. Torin was so very effective in a military setting, then, cut loose with no structure went off the rails somewhat, now creating structure again, of a different type that will allow different stories.I like it.
And all that seemed very serious; essentially, this was a rollicking good adventure, heaps of multi-species fun, archaeology mysteries to rival Indiana Jones, and zombie aliens thrown in to the mix.
Loved this one, looking forward to more!
Gunnery Sergeant Torin Kerr resigned from the marines to go off with the Civilian Salvage Operator Craig but an encounter with pirates meant that that life plan was derailed somewhat. That is the backstory from the Valour series and I am not sure how you would go reading this one if you had not read any of the previous Confederation books staring Torin Kerr. Maybe it would be ok.
In this, a continuation of the Confederation and the the first of the 'Peackeeper' series, Torin and her remnant crew of ex-marines and a couple of stragglers are working small independent jobs for the Justice Department. The team is a conglomeration that makes sense in light of past books; they were essentially a result of the previous book. As some escaped pirates, some left the marines a few of which escaped the prison planet with Torin, they are an intensely interesting mix of races and quirks. Again, neither the characters, the quirks or the backstory are over-explained in this novel (Thank goodness - thank you Huff for no re-hashing) it may be hard for a reader new to this series to pick up on the details. I would suggest reading all the Confederation books, more or less in order.
In this book the team are given a mission by the Corp behind the Justice Department's back : Grave goods from one of the older races of the galaxy have been turning up on the black market. The antiquity of the goods suggests that someone is on the planet that the H'san interred their dead on before fleeing their original planets, rumor has it that weapons are also interred there. The Corp is certain that if they are discovered it will mean war and Torin's crew are sent to prevent this.
The small team must locate the planet first and that means going to one of the 'core' planets that their younger races do not normally go to. I thoroughly enjoyed that Huff is exploring and expanding her galaxy. As Torin is not longer fighting a war there is time to expand on all the other factors that make up the races, society and composition of the Confederate and that seems to me to be exactly what this series is setting us up for. There was still plenty of Marine style action but it was different to previous novels. There is a poignancy in the way the book explores the relationship between the ex-marines, who fought on behalf of the older races, and the lack of respect with which those very older races extend to the ex-marines: This is very topical for me, because recently I have read quite a bit of military history and the fact that military personal returning home, often with PTSD or injuries may not always get much recognition at home... I am not sure if Huff was intentionally exploring this social situation or whether, like many great writers, she wrote what seemed to fit and this was very much a commentary on reality. And, lets hear it for sci-fi ect as social commentary! The best sort of fiction!
Also, in this novel I liked the fact that Torin's melt downs of the last novel are acknowledged rather than just being glossed over. In the last novel I was confused by them, but now I feel the are becoming a rather important kind of character development. Torin was so very effective in a military setting, then, cut loose with no structure went off the rails somewhat, now creating structure again, of a different type that will allow different stories.I like it.
And all that seemed very serious; essentially, this was a rollicking good adventure, heaps of multi-species fun, archaeology mysteries to rival Indiana Jones, and zombie aliens thrown in to the mix.
Loved this one, looking forward to more!
October 4, 2015
4.5 stars
Gunnery Sergeant Torin Kerr and her crew are adjusting to life outside the Corps... sort of. Their mission is to stop some graverobbers whose larceny may tear apart the Confederation, if only they can track them down before it's too late.
It's been quite a while since I read any SF/F with so many different species, and I don't recall any having the incredible variety of cultures, biology, linguistic interpretation and politics I found here. This is the first in Tanya Huff's new Peacekeepers series, but part of a series already-established (which I now need to start reading), so there's a steep curve for those new to this universe. It's worth it though!
There's a stark contrast between leadership styles the different teams. One leader will take risks to protect her people, and the other won't even touch a member of her team who needs it, deliberately maintaining physical and emotional distance between everyone and treating them all as disposable assets: a risky business in that line of work, and it shows.
I loved the humor and casual affection Torin's team share: they aren't just a team bonded by shared experience and general camaraderie, but are more like a close family. (Expect the normal Marine vs Navy jokes, along with running innuendoes.) Don't be thrown by some grammatical incorrectness in the beginning: it's deliberate, and I started to love Torin when I realized she was twitching as much as I. Some of the later inconsistency is also intentional, so just force yourself past it if that bothers you.
This is military science fiction at its best. There aren't any quick Kirk-style fixes here, or universal translators. Winning is painful, success is rewarded by paperwork (at least failure gets you a pass, even though you're dead), alien species aren't always bipedal, and you can't always make alien tech work.
Disclaimer: I received a free ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Gunnery Sergeant Torin Kerr and her crew are adjusting to life outside the Corps... sort of. Their mission is to stop some graverobbers whose larceny may tear apart the Confederation, if only they can track them down before it's too late.
It's been quite a while since I read any SF/F with so many different species, and I don't recall any having the incredible variety of cultures, biology, linguistic interpretation and politics I found here. This is the first in Tanya Huff's new Peacekeepers series, but part of a series already-established (which I now need to start reading), so there's a steep curve for those new to this universe. It's worth it though!
There's a stark contrast between leadership styles the different teams. One leader will take risks to protect her people, and the other won't even touch a member of her team who needs it, deliberately maintaining physical and emotional distance between everyone and treating them all as disposable assets: a risky business in that line of work, and it shows.
I loved the humor and casual affection Torin's team share: they aren't just a team bonded by shared experience and general camaraderie, but are more like a close family. (Expect the normal Marine vs Navy jokes, along with running innuendoes.) Don't be thrown by some grammatical incorrectness in the beginning: it's deliberate, and I started to love Torin when I realized she was twitching as much as I. Some of the later inconsistency is also intentional, so just force yourself past it if that bothers you.
This is military science fiction at its best. There aren't any quick Kirk-style fixes here, or universal translators. Winning is painful, success is rewarded by paperwork (at least failure gets you a pass, even though you're dead), alien species aren't always bipedal, and you can't always make alien tech work.
Disclaimer: I received a free ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
December 4, 2016
Fantastic book. I'm so glad that Torin is taking her life in a slightly different direction and her friends are tagging along. This author really knows how to write sci-fi! 5 out of 5 stars
November 11, 2021
I made it less than five pages in.
I'm not entirely sure how Tanya Huff ended up on my to-reads list. Perhaps someone recommended her to me. Perhaps I saw a title that looked interesting. Perhaps she was on a good reads list.
Who knows.
She ended up on my list.
I started reading.
I very quickly stopped reading.
My reasons are: 1. It sounds an awful lot like "The Long way round to a small and angry planet." The protagonist is an uber powerful female who has internal monologues judging all of the people around her who do not live up to her exalted moral standards. 2. It sounds an awful lot like 'the long way round to a small and angry planet' in that there are scum of the universe humans who think that they are better than all of the other inhabitants of the galaxy and refuse to live in cosmopolitan multicultural peace with them. I always wonder...why aren't there any other species who think they are the best in the world and want to demolish all others, why is it always the humans? That's one reason I like Tokyo Ghoul, it's a far more realistic portrayal of this dynamic, both species are out for each others' throats, both are committing atrocities, both are seeking for solutions. It's not one or more species sitting up there occupying the moral high ground sniffing at the reprehensible and unenlightened masses down below. Oh, let us not forget the few elites of the one race who are up there with them, sniffing at the other, deplorable members of their own race. Gag. 3. It sounds a lot like 'the long way round to a small and angry planet' in that within the first five pages words like specist are already being bandied about and used to label all of the most morally reprehensible people. 4. It sounds a lot like way too many things written after 2010 where the core characters are wonderfully in sync with themselves and with their emotions and are constantly checking up on the mental health of every other person in their in-group and every person is equally invested in these group/pair therapy sessions...from the very first three pages. Gag me with a spoon. Who talks like this? And finally, number 5, perhaps the worst sin in my personal opinion, the torturous diction. Again, like small and angry planet, she is twisting the language and torturing it to try and sound edgy or alien, and it just comes out being impossible to read. If the only way that you can create a special dialect for your alien is to destroy all grammar and make it impossible to read, you have failed. For lack of a better example, look at Yoda, he sounds weird, he sounds alien, but he's still perfectly decipherable. You don't have to sit there and reread each sentence he utters four or five times until you finally comprehend what is going on. It flows, it doesn't cause your brain to stutter and stumble and make you confused. This author's writing makes you do all of those things. My non-native English speakers produced scripts that flowed better than this.
Nope. Just a hard no.
This is so bad I'm deleting all of this author from my to read list, it's not worth it.
I'm not entirely sure how Tanya Huff ended up on my to-reads list. Perhaps someone recommended her to me. Perhaps I saw a title that looked interesting. Perhaps she was on a good reads list.
Who knows.
She ended up on my list.
I started reading.
I very quickly stopped reading.
My reasons are: 1. It sounds an awful lot like "The Long way round to a small and angry planet." The protagonist is an uber powerful female who has internal monologues judging all of the people around her who do not live up to her exalted moral standards. 2. It sounds an awful lot like 'the long way round to a small and angry planet' in that there are scum of the universe humans who think that they are better than all of the other inhabitants of the galaxy and refuse to live in cosmopolitan multicultural peace with them. I always wonder...why aren't there any other species who think they are the best in the world and want to demolish all others, why is it always the humans? That's one reason I like Tokyo Ghoul, it's a far more realistic portrayal of this dynamic, both species are out for each others' throats, both are committing atrocities, both are seeking for solutions. It's not one or more species sitting up there occupying the moral high ground sniffing at the reprehensible and unenlightened masses down below. Oh, let us not forget the few elites of the one race who are up there with them, sniffing at the other, deplorable members of their own race. Gag. 3. It sounds a lot like 'the long way round to a small and angry planet' in that within the first five pages words like specist are already being bandied about and used to label all of the most morally reprehensible people. 4. It sounds a lot like way too many things written after 2010 where the core characters are wonderfully in sync with themselves and with their emotions and are constantly checking up on the mental health of every other person in their in-group and every person is equally invested in these group/pair therapy sessions...from the very first three pages. Gag me with a spoon. Who talks like this? And finally, number 5, perhaps the worst sin in my personal opinion, the torturous diction. Again, like small and angry planet, she is twisting the language and torturing it to try and sound edgy or alien, and it just comes out being impossible to read. If the only way that you can create a special dialect for your alien is to destroy all grammar and make it impossible to read, you have failed. For lack of a better example, look at Yoda, he sounds weird, he sounds alien, but he's still perfectly decipherable. You don't have to sit there and reread each sentence he utters four or five times until you finally comprehend what is going on. It flows, it doesn't cause your brain to stutter and stumble and make you confused. This author's writing makes you do all of those things. My non-native English speakers produced scripts that flowed better than this.
Nope. Just a hard no.
This is so bad I'm deleting all of this author from my to read list, it's not worth it.
November 1, 2015
So yes this is the start of a new series, but be warned, it's also book 6 of her adventures. But new series and all. In that way, yes it could work as a standalone. But you would miss how she fought in their wars, had her adventures, found a conspiracy, and ended up with Craig. But, it works like it is.
Torin is ex-marine. She is tough nails and she was so very military. But the previous series threw some punches and now she is out. But when you are out, they pull you back in! She has her crew, they get a job and they take it.
The world may be at peace, but those others are still out there. Some humans are making noise about humans first. Other alien races not touched by the war is all murderers, idiots! When you have Elder races, telling younger races to fight their wars, while middle races sit it out, oh will this confederation really last? And now someone is trying to steal big bad weapons. Peace in space, not an easy thing to have.
This is military scifi. There will be fights, tech, weapons and lots and lots of danger. Those H'San sure knew how to invent stuff. But it's not non stop action all the way. Torin still has time to worry about a teammate, who really needs someone of his own kind (long story, but they really really need others). She is a good woman.
I do wonder where this new business will take them. Lots of space still to explore.
Torin is ex-marine. She is tough nails and she was so very military. But the previous series threw some punches and now she is out. But when you are out, they pull you back in! She has her crew, they get a job and they take it.
The world may be at peace, but those others are still out there. Some humans are making noise about humans first. Other alien races not touched by the war is all murderers, idiots! When you have Elder races, telling younger races to fight their wars, while middle races sit it out, oh will this confederation really last? And now someone is trying to steal big bad weapons. Peace in space, not an easy thing to have.
This is military scifi. There will be fights, tech, weapons and lots and lots of danger. Those H'San sure knew how to invent stuff. But it's not non stop action all the way. Torin still has time to worry about a teammate, who really needs someone of his own kind (long story, but they really really need others). She is a good woman.
I do wonder where this new business will take them. Lots of space still to explore.
March 20, 2017
Well this is a very different story from the first series about Gunnery Sargent Torin Kerr. She's now a civilian - sort of, and is chasing after tomb raiders seeking centuries-old wealth. Her team still has the usual mix of species and their quirks, and some old friends pop up here and there.
If you are looking for military tactics and space battles, those are in the past now. But if you like Torin, this is a solid story of her new life.
If you are looking for military tactics and space battles, those are in the past now. But if you like Torin, this is a solid story of her new life.
January 31, 2019
What to look for in sf ? Pyramids !!!! undergroung, full of danger, and some really funny shit.
Torin plays Tomb Raider in this one and it's a very nice entertainment, full of things blowing up, absurd sense of humor, and some interesting ideas about inclusion/exclusion, modernity, sense of self after war for soldiers and their psychological trauma
Torin plays Tomb Raider in this one and it's a very nice entertainment, full of things blowing up, absurd sense of humor, and some interesting ideas about inclusion/exclusion, modernity, sense of self after war for soldiers and their psychological trauma
November 12, 2015
I found this on Huff's literary agent's site as the next Torin (Confederation) novel.
http://awfulagent.com/jabclients/huff
I am looking forward to the continuation of this series. I find your writing a joy. Please keep it up.
http://awfulagent.com/jabclients/huff
I am looking forward to the continuation of this series. I find your writing a joy. Please keep it up.
October 22, 2015
OMG! I didn't even know it was coming out! I was so exited. This is my favorite sci-fi series with the most amazing and believable battle scenes.
The book didn't disappoint. I will even re-read it:) I hope there are even more books to come.
The book didn't disappoint. I will even re-read it:) I hope there are even more books to come.
sampled
July 2, 2018Really intriguing, but not at 12 bucks for an ebook, sorry.
July 17, 2022
Rep: bi mcs, gay mcs, nonbinary side characters
November 8, 2015
More reviews (and no fluff) on the blog http://surrealtalvi.wordpress.com/
An Ancient Peace was one heck of a very fun ride. Taking the Confederation series on a new angle was a smart move - it provides purpose again for Torin Kerr as well as keeping her involved in big-scale political/military action. So although this is the start of a new series - with Kerr inhabiting a new military role as a Peacekeeper (and bringing Craig in with her) - we still have the same great world building and continuing storyline. And I have to say, Huff has really nailed these characters and their snark and action - the wordsmithing is staccato, clever, and very organic. I loved every single minute of it (especially since we have the same Audible narrator as with the previous books).Story: When an ancient weapons cache is discovered, the government needs a non-military figure to go in and prevent the further discover/sale of those dangerous items. Kerr's motley crew seems the likely candidates. But as they track down the pirates and 'lost' planet, why do the coincidences keep piling up? Constantly looking over her shoulder for plastic aliens hidden in plain sight, Kerr will have to thwart the pirates and yet still survive the heavily booby-trapped alien tomb.
So yes, we do have a strong Lara Croft/Tomb Raider influence here as Kerr and group infiltrate the millenia-old tomb of an evolved species. As with previous books, we get the POVs of the bad guys as well - they are one step ahead of Kerr but that means they have to trip all the traps themselves. Huff does an admirable job of making Kerr tough but not indestructible. As well, having a love interest in the form of Craig in no way 'emasculates' her into a weepy soppy mess. He provides his own strengths (and weaknesses) in a very grounded way.
To say that I enjoyed the Audible narration is an understatement - I loved it. Marguerite Gavin does an impressive job with the different aliens (especially Prezit!) and the narration really elevates the print. At times, it was hard not to break into a big smile and pump a fist into the air as Torin takes out the bad guys in the beginning of the book. I greatly look forward to the next in the series!
October 19, 2015
Well, I really enjoyed it, peeps, but don't make the same mistake as me, don't read this spin off of Confederation series as a standalone. You'll be missing out on a thousand nuances.
This was my introduction to Tanya Huff as a sci-fi author, and I can definitely say I will go back and start her previous series from the beginning. The character cast is solid, and as it's well established by now, I was reading the banter and the mentions of numerous past events with regret. I wanted to be part of their previous adventures to understand it fully.
Apparently Torin Kerr is a big deal, a celebrity soldier who stopped the war. Now she and her crew (which reminded me of Firefly by the way) do miscellaneous work for The Justice Department, and one of the jobs coming their way has to be accomplished on the quiet.
Someone is attempting to discover H'San's ancient weaponry and restart another war, blaming it on Younger Races (which includes humans). H'San buried their weapons on a planet-size grave site a millenia ago, and when Torin and the crew finally discover which planet it is, they have to get through various inventive traps and deathly pits to catch up to the grave robbers and arrest them.
The plot is split between robbers' point of view and Torin's crew adventures. It's explosive, snarky and full of interesting details which I'd have appreciated much more if I knew what the book was talking about. All An Ancient Peace did for me was to wet my appetite for more. I'll be starting Confederation series from the first instalment, and strongly advise you to do the same. Otherwise, it's a solid, strong read.
This was my introduction to Tanya Huff as a sci-fi author, and I can definitely say I will go back and start her previous series from the beginning. The character cast is solid, and as it's well established by now, I was reading the banter and the mentions of numerous past events with regret. I wanted to be part of their previous adventures to understand it fully.
Apparently Torin Kerr is a big deal, a celebrity soldier who stopped the war. Now she and her crew (which reminded me of Firefly by the way) do miscellaneous work for The Justice Department, and one of the jobs coming their way has to be accomplished on the quiet.
Someone is attempting to discover H'San's ancient weaponry and restart another war, blaming it on Younger Races (which includes humans). H'San buried their weapons on a planet-size grave site a millenia ago, and when Torin and the crew finally discover which planet it is, they have to get through various inventive traps and deathly pits to catch up to the grave robbers and arrest them.
The plot is split between robbers' point of view and Torin's crew adventures. It's explosive, snarky and full of interesting details which I'd have appreciated much more if I knew what the book was talking about. All An Ancient Peace did for me was to wet my appetite for more. I'll be starting Confederation series from the first instalment, and strongly advise you to do the same. Otherwise, it's a solid, strong read.
October 23, 2015
I love Huff's Valor series, and while this it supposedly the start of a new series, it's a direct continuation of the older one. Keep that in mind if you want to start here; you'd be better advised to read through the Valor books first, since much of this one is based on things that happened previously.
Premise: upon maturing past violence as a species, the H'san chose to bury their old- and very functional- weaponry in an underground labyrinth complete with all kinds of booby traps. This was probably not a savvy move, because the rumors of this hoard have spread, and someone sends a crew to retrieve them.
Torrin and the rest of her comrades are sent off, subrosa, to prevent that crew from succeeding, since its success may lead to a civil war right when a perilous peace has mostly been achieved.
Huff is one of my favorite space opera writers, especially of the military sort. She manages to make individuals of various species both consistent with their species characteristics, AND quirky and identifiable individuals in their own rights- in Torrin's party, and the mercenary crew, and various others encountered along the way. Even the unlikable sorts were interesting to spend time with.
The plot and pacing were excellently done, and definitely kept me turning the pages!
I am very much looking forward to "Peacekeeper #2"!
Premise: upon maturing past violence as a species, the H'san chose to bury their old- and very functional- weaponry in an underground labyrinth complete with all kinds of booby traps. This was probably not a savvy move, because the rumors of this hoard have spread, and someone sends a crew to retrieve them.
Torrin and the rest of her comrades are sent off, subrosa, to prevent that crew from succeeding, since its success may lead to a civil war right when a perilous peace has mostly been achieved.
Huff is one of my favorite space opera writers, especially of the military sort. She manages to make individuals of various species both consistent with their species characteristics, AND quirky and identifiable individuals in their own rights- in Torrin's party, and the mercenary crew, and various others encountered along the way. Even the unlikable sorts were interesting to spend time with.
The plot and pacing were excellently done, and definitely kept me turning the pages!
I am very much looking forward to "Peacekeeper #2"!
July 2, 2018
Ms Huff and I will never be BFF, I liked a couple of her books and started three of her series, but I never read past book 2.
I will read book two of Peacekeepers for the only reason that I bought both books in Stockholm at their famous Science Fiction bokhandeln in the Old Town.
It took me a while to get into the story, mostly because it clearly isn't book one, but book six. I don't know if in the other books the world building was somewhat explained, but here everything was taken for granted. If this simply meant that, character wise, I wasn't invested in the story from the beginning (it took me quite a hefty number of pages), the lack of basic understanding of the world meant I got no idea, except for some details, how the different species looked like. Or if there's a governing body for the Confederation. Or... Etc etc.
Honestly I am happy I haven't payed the 12$ for the ebook.
I will read book two of Peacekeepers for the only reason that I bought both books in Stockholm at their famous Science Fiction bokhandeln in the Old Town.
It took me a while to get into the story, mostly because it clearly isn't book one, but book six. I don't know if in the other books the world building was somewhat explained, but here everything was taken for granted. If this simply meant that, character wise, I wasn't invested in the story from the beginning (it took me quite a hefty number of pages), the lack of basic understanding of the world meant I got no idea, except for some details, how the different species looked like. Or if there's a governing body for the Confederation. Or... Etc etc.
Honestly I am happy I haven't payed the 12$ for the ebook.
March 9, 2019
-- Did not finish --
/.../ the launch of a brand-new series /.../
Peacekeeper #1
In the first novel of /.../
Nowhere on my version of the physical book did it say that this is actually part 6 of a different series. So I would like to warn would be readers that they lie on the cover and in the blurb.
Once I realized this wasn't the first part, I stopped reading. But I'll review the part I did read (the first chapter).
It was a struggle getting through the first chapter. The book feels poorly written. The sentence and paragraph structure is a confusing mess, I got constantly bombarded with new names and made up words, I had no idea what was going on, and I never got a picture of what the goal was. I couldn't separate what was exposition and what was actually happening.
/.../ the launch of a brand-new series /.../
Peacekeeper #1
In the first novel of /.../
Nowhere on my version of the physical book did it say that this is actually part 6 of a different series. So I would like to warn would be readers that they lie on the cover and in the blurb.
Once I realized this wasn't the first part, I stopped reading. But I'll review the part I did read (the first chapter).
It was a struggle getting through the first chapter. The book feels poorly written. The sentence and paragraph structure is a confusing mess, I got constantly bombarded with new names and made up words, I had no idea what was going on, and I never got a picture of what the goal was. I couldn't separate what was exposition and what was actually happening.
October 12, 2015
It is always fun to spend time with Torin, Craig and their crew. Once again they are off on a dangerous mission. This time the mission is to prevent another war. If you have followed this series you know that the last book finished a story arc. An Ancient Peace is the start of a new series and story arc.
The action is non-stop and the plot interesting. All is told from two viewpoints – Torin and her crew and the group of grave robbers. The mission is successful but does leave some things hanging. That is the set-up for the new role for Torin and crew.
I recommend reading the previous books in the Confederation series before reading An Ancient Peace. The present is always influenced by the past. A lot of the action and dialog is based on the action in the previous series.
The action is non-stop and the plot interesting. All is told from two viewpoints – Torin and her crew and the group of grave robbers. The mission is successful but does leave some things hanging. That is the set-up for the new role for Torin and crew.
I recommend reading the previous books in the Confederation series before reading An Ancient Peace. The present is always influenced by the past. A lot of the action and dialog is based on the action in the previous series.
December 1, 2015
3.5
I am a big fan of the Valor series and this new spin-off boasts a great premise: a misfit band of favorite characters from the original series coming together to tackle problems in their brave new post-war universe. That being said, the storytelling in this felt more disjointed and confusing than previous books, and overall the plotline seemed a bit too familiar without pushing into new areas for either characters or political/thematic development. Huff is a talented enough writer that this is still a good read, and I will unquestionably stay with the series, but I was disappointed that the opener of the Peacekeeper series ended up being the weakest book from the Valor universe.
I am a big fan of the Valor series and this new spin-off boasts a great premise: a misfit band of favorite characters from the original series coming together to tackle problems in their brave new post-war universe. That being said, the storytelling in this felt more disjointed and confusing than previous books, and overall the plotline seemed a bit too familiar without pushing into new areas for either characters or political/thematic development. Huff is a talented enough writer that this is still a good read, and I will unquestionably stay with the series, but I was disappointed that the opener of the Peacekeeper series ended up being the weakest book from the Valor universe.
Read
November 19, 2015I've read almost half of this but am now admitting defeat as it's becoming a struggle to turn the pages. Never a good sign. Reading it, I can't help feeling that I've read elements of it all before. Its a tiny thing but I also couldn't understand the constant use of 'fuk' throughout the book! Other words aren't changed, so why this one? And if it's to avoid giving offence, why not avoid it all together? Not for me.
September 23, 2019
Start with book 2. This book was boring AF. Torin and team are chasing (slowly and boringly) another (boring) mob. Much of the book narrates what is going on with the other boring mob. Lots of description of the boring place. It’s so boring!
There are revelations. Happily, just read books two and three which advert to the revelations (which are kinda deeply unsurprising and we kinda already knew).
Books 2 and 3 are good. Don’t let this book put you off the rest of the series.
There are revelations. Happily, just read books two and three which advert to the revelations (which are kinda deeply unsurprising and we kinda already knew).
Books 2 and 3 are good. Don’t let this book put you off the rest of the series.
February 7, 2017
ASDASFKLFJDKJ!!!
Flrble whargrrbl there are NO COHERENT WORDS! NONE!
Flrble whargrrbl there are NO COHERENT WORDS! NONE!
March 29, 2022
Out of the military, Torin Kerr now leads a small band of ex-marines and others in a freelance capacity, doing the work that the Justice department can't be seen to be doing. And now Military Intelligence wants them to find the long-lost homeworld of the H'San, now a peaceful race and one of the founders of the Confederation, but then a warlike race, who left large caches of weapons behind, and stop grave robbers from starting a new war.
This is a fun book that keeps up a good pace. I love a bit of competency porn, and no-longer-Gunnery-Sergeant Kerr is a great example as she charges through every obstacle with a combination of careful, intelligent thought and brute force. I'd hoped that now that she's out of the military, we'd get some characterisation for the group around her, as usually characterisation was a surefire indication that they were going to die. But other than Alamber, who they rescued at the end of the last book, there's not much of that around. Still, this is military SF and there's a satisfying amount of explosions and punches to make up for it.
As the war ramps down in the series, the politics of the situation is starting to take its place, to some degree. There was a little of that here, with the Human's [sic] First nationalist organisation appearing (and yes, that misplaced apostrophe gets snarked on a lot) and a coda at the end connecting some dots that hadn't been before. There's tension between the elder races who have "evolved beyond violence" and the younger races that they recruited to do their fighting for them. I'm looking forward to seeing how the situation plays out over the course of the rest of the series.
This is a fun book that keeps up a good pace. I love a bit of competency porn, and no-longer-Gunnery-Sergeant Kerr is a great example as she charges through every obstacle with a combination of careful, intelligent thought and brute force. I'd hoped that now that she's out of the military, we'd get some characterisation for the group around her, as usually characterisation was a surefire indication that they were going to die. But other than Alamber, who they rescued at the end of the last book, there's not much of that around. Still, this is military SF and there's a satisfying amount of explosions and punches to make up for it.
As the war ramps down in the series, the politics of the situation is starting to take its place, to some degree. There was a little of that here, with the Human's [sic] First nationalist organisation appearing (and yes, that misplaced apostrophe gets snarked on a lot) and a coda at the end connecting some dots that hadn't been before. There's tension between the elder races who have "evolved beyond violence" and the younger races that they recruited to do their fighting for them. I'm looking forward to seeing how the situation plays out over the course of the rest of the series.
July 4, 2020
Adventure. Mysteries. Detective Work. New Worlds. Torin. What's not to like?
The mystery about the H'san planet and the weapons was interesting. I loved to see the world in the core and how the people there live.
I love Torin and her team. I love to see how they do being out of the Marines (even if they still behave/act/react like Marines in some cases). I love that they have grown and still care for each other.
I would have loved to see some more on the reason why the Major did what she did.
I'm curious who is behind everything.
Also, I want this as a good TV show.
The mystery about the H'san planet and the weapons was interesting. I loved to see the world in the core and how the people there live.
I love Torin and her team. I love to see how they do being out of the Marines (even if they still behave/act/react like Marines in some cases). I love that they have grown and still care for each other.
I would have loved to see some more on the reason why the Major did what she did.
I'm curious who is behind everything.
Also, I want this as a good TV show.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 15, 2021
So, we saw Marine Torin. We saw Civilian Salvage Operator Torin. Now we get a new Torin. The thing is, I think this one is kind of combo of the other two.
I really like watching Torin and her crew figure out how to settle into civilian life and try to figure out where they all live in that world now.
I really like the Elder Races vs. the Younger Races thing that we're really starting to see. I never really like the idea of the Elder Races anyway, so I'm really looking forward to what happens soon.
I really like watching Torin and her crew figure out how to settle into civilian life and try to figure out where they all live in that world now.
I really like the Elder Races vs. the Younger Races thing that we're really starting to see. I never really like the idea of the Elder Races anyway, so I'm really looking forward to what happens soon.
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