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Peacekeeper #2
A Peace Divided
The second book in the action-packed Peacekeeper series, a continuation of Tanya Huff's military sci-fi Confederation series following Torin Kerr
Gunnery Sergeant Torin Kerr had been the very model of a Confederation Marine. No one who’d ever served with her could imagine any circumstance that would see her walking away from the Corps.
But that was before Torin learned the truth about the war the Confederation was fighting…before she’d been declared dead and had spent time in a prison that shouldn’t exist…before she’d learned about the “plastic” beings who were really behind the war between the Confederation and the Others. That was when Torin left the military for good.
Yet she couldn’t walk away from preserving and protecting everything the Confederation represented. Instead, ex-Gunnery Sergeant Torin Kerr drew together an elite corps of friends and allies—some ex-Marines, some civilians with unique skills—and together they prepared to take on covert missions that the Justice Department and the Corps could not—or would not—officially touch. But after their first major mission, it became obvious that covert operations were not going to be enough.
Although the war is over, the fight goes on and the Justice Department finds its regular Wardens unable to deal with violence and the people trained to use it. Ex-Gunnery Sergeant Torin Kerr has a solution: Strike Teams made up of ex-military personnel, small enough to maneuver quickly, able to work together if necessary. Justice has no choice but to implement her idea and Torin puts her team of independent contractors back into uniform. It isn’t war, it is policing, but it often looks much the same.
When the scientists doing a preliminary archaeological dig on a Class Two planet are taken hostage, Torin’s team is sent to free them. The problem of innocents in the line of fire is further complicated by the fact that the mercenaries holding them are a mix of Confederation and Primacy forces, and are looking for a weapon able to destroy the plastic aliens who’d started and maintained the war.
If Torin weren’t already torn by wanting that weapon in play, she also has to contend with the politics of peace that have added members of the Primacy—former enemies—to her team. Before they confront the mercenaries, Torin will have to sift through shifting loyalties as she discovers that the line between“us” and “them” is anything but straight.
Gunnery Sergeant Torin Kerr had been the very model of a Confederation Marine. No one who’d ever served with her could imagine any circumstance that would see her walking away from the Corps.
But that was before Torin learned the truth about the war the Confederation was fighting…before she’d been declared dead and had spent time in a prison that shouldn’t exist…before she’d learned about the “plastic” beings who were really behind the war between the Confederation and the Others. That was when Torin left the military for good.
Yet she couldn’t walk away from preserving and protecting everything the Confederation represented. Instead, ex-Gunnery Sergeant Torin Kerr drew together an elite corps of friends and allies—some ex-Marines, some civilians with unique skills—and together they prepared to take on covert missions that the Justice Department and the Corps could not—or would not—officially touch. But after their first major mission, it became obvious that covert operations were not going to be enough.
Although the war is over, the fight goes on and the Justice Department finds its regular Wardens unable to deal with violence and the people trained to use it. Ex-Gunnery Sergeant Torin Kerr has a solution: Strike Teams made up of ex-military personnel, small enough to maneuver quickly, able to work together if necessary. Justice has no choice but to implement her idea and Torin puts her team of independent contractors back into uniform. It isn’t war, it is policing, but it often looks much the same.
When the scientists doing a preliminary archaeological dig on a Class Two planet are taken hostage, Torin’s team is sent to free them. The problem of innocents in the line of fire is further complicated by the fact that the mercenaries holding them are a mix of Confederation and Primacy forces, and are looking for a weapon able to destroy the plastic aliens who’d started and maintained the war.
If Torin weren’t already torn by wanting that weapon in play, she also has to contend with the politics of peace that have added members of the Primacy—former enemies—to her team. Before they confront the mercenaries, Torin will have to sift through shifting loyalties as she discovers that the line between“us” and “them” is anything but straight.
379 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 6, 2017
96 people are currently reading
991 people want to read
About the author
Tanya Huff
151 books2,449 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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July 6, 2017
Second in the follow-on series, Peacekeeper (seventh overall in Confederation) and revolving around Marine ex-Gunnery Sergeant Torin Kerr.
My Take
This is not my favorite in the series, as Huff was so incredibly confusing on so many pages. That and the whole hostage thing was stupid. Okay, not taking the hostages, but their reason for doing it. They were so incredibly clueless and didn’t care that their intelligence was faulty. They want it, therefore it will exist.
The third-person subjective point-of-view did humanize it. And I loved the detail Huff put into the various species, although it was difficult to keep track of who/what they all looked like. I keep thinking back to that bar scene in Star Wars with its hive of villainy, etc. The different cultures, style of speech, and appearances were amazing, and yet they were all so Human. No, no, I’m not being patronizing or trying to lump them all into one category. But their thoughts and feelings, ambitions, hopes, and fears are just like ours. Just reinforces that we’re all the same with the same feelings, hopes, and dreams as any other person.
The theme is hate, for a group of Humans are feeling left out, hating that they have to share with so many other species. Sub-themes revolve around weapons and war, and it’s interesting that for as warlike as Torin is, she also hates that tiny gun that can be hidden on one’s person. She’d rather be up in your face. For hate is also subverting the law as small guns that can be concealed on the body are beginning to appear.
I did sympathize with Marteau’s annoyance with the Elder Races not trusting in personal responsibility. We do have that problem here. If only we weren’t so sue-happy…
The first seventy-odd pages sets us up for the real story: the hostage-taking on Threxie where Huff will rev up your anger and then drown you in compassion. Part of that empathy shows through in the side theme between Arniz and Trembley of the importance of life. He’s so young and so full of righteousness, parroting what he’s been told, and yet he finds it difficult to face what his crew are doing to the scientists. With the questions and truths Arniz poses to him.
Arniz is an amazing woman. Strong. Protective. Real. Don’t worry though, you’ll get plenty of action. Arniz’s warm fuzzies are simply part of the build-up.
Get these names sorted out in your head, if only so you know who to cheer on and who to jeer at in the final fight scene.
The Story
Plastic is history in the Confederation and so is war between Confederation and Primacy. As is too common in peacetime, there are many who drift with no purpose and others who take up a new cause. One that is intended to restore Humans to the premier position in this universe.
One step toward that is to find a weapon that will destroy the plastic aliens, and this mercenary group will stop at nothing to find it. Whether it exists or not. And they’ll take a team of scientists hostage to uncover it on the deadly planet of Threxie.
A dangerous world of jungles with hidden pits and threats that endanger all three groups.
The Characters
Torin "Gunny" Kerr, the face of peace in the Confederation, may have retired from the military, but now she heads up Strike Team Alpha, a unit of Peacekeepers for the Confederation. A salvage operator, Craig Ryder, is the pilot of his own ship, Promise, and he’s her lover ( The Better Part of Valor , 2). The rest of her team includes Werst and Ressk who is his mate (both are Krai and great scouts), Binti Mashona who is their Human sniper, and Alamber di’Crikeys who is a di’Taykan genius with tech.
For this mission, Primacy warriors will join the Alpha team: Firiv’vrak and Keeleeki’ka (she was chosen, as her people, the Sekric’teen, maintain the historical records for all their people) are Artek; ex-Durlin Vertic whom Torin greatly respects and Bertecnic are Polint; and, ex-Durlave Kan Freenim and ex-Santav Merinim are Druin and have joined (as a couple). Santav Teffer Dutavar is a "volunteer".
Presit a Tur durValintrisy is a very smart reporter with Sector General News and is a MAJOR PAIN in the tush. Her cameraman is Dalan a Tar canSalvais; both are Katrien. Representative Haminem is a Primacy politician, a Druin, who came along for the ride to Berbar.
Berbar in MidSector Seven is…
…where the Wardens/Peacekeepers are based. The Justice Department is in overall charge of the Wardens and prefers that damage to property be kept to a minimum. As for the paperwork if one of the bad guys is killed, well, you don't wanna know. Commander Lanh Ng, a former lawyer, is the first Human Warden and is in command of the six Strike Teams.
Other Strike Teams include…
…Doug Collins is the Human pilot on Strike Team T’Jaam. Delta is another strike team. Captain Ranjit "Cap" Kaur (Human) is in command of Strike Team Ch’ore; Sirin di’Hajak is her di’Taykan pilot. Porrtir, a Krai, is the Beta Team pilot. Wardens Vesernitic and Nubaneras (both Niln) are investigating weapons thefts.
Dornagin Wardens are in charge of all the paperwork as they just adore paperwork. If they don’t like you, they’ll double, triple, quadruple the number of forms you have to fill out. They also have the most complicated names!!! At first, I thought they were committees or departments or something. They also have a hang-up about saying a person’s FULL title and name every time they speak of or address them. Finds Truth Through Inquiry has long red-gold fur. Analyzes Minutiae To Discover Truth is quite human in his compassion for the scientists. Vimtan Is In The Details is the latest discussion leader; betting is good that, with his sense of humor, he might last past two discussions. Many Pieces Makes a Whole is the Evidence Lockup Administrator. Approves of Redemption is an intake officer.
Dr. Dyell is a Ravka in R&D. Feerar is the station’s chief agricultural scientist. Ex-Petty Officer Gamar di’Tagawa is a mean drunk who wants Alamber. Colonel Hurr is with Intelligence. A C&C is a Clean-Up Crew who show up when the shooting is done. Dr. Erica Allan is the Marine psychologist court-appointed to "help" Torin deal with the aftermath of the violence. Torin is really not impressed, including the fact that Allan never served. Torin figures she’ll switch to Dr. Errir, a Krai therapist, if she has to continue. At least he fought. Saark is a Krai legal aide and part of Ressk’s extended jernine.
Musselman’s is the Strike Teams’ favorite bar, and it’s owned by Paul Musselman. Luiza is a small child fascinated by Polints.
The archeological dig is on Threxie,
…a Class 2 Designate, 33X73, where the scientists (most of them from Alcanton University) intend to map the plateau and do preliminary studies. Harveer Arniz is an older Niln scientist who studies soil. Dzar is her Niln assistant. Dr. Harris Ganes is a Human ex-Navy engineer who keeps everything running, including communications and medical. Harveer Salitwisi is the most irritating archeologist (Niln); his ancillaries (assistants) include Hyrinzatil (one of the two Niln) and a Katrien. Dr. Tyven a Tur durGanthan and Dr. Lows a Tar canHythin are the Katrien geophysicists. Nerpenialzic, a.k.a., Nerpen, and Magyr are Tyven’s ancillaries. Harveer Tilzonicazic, a.k.a., Tilzon, is a xenobotanist with two ancillaries.
Marteau Industries produces…
…weapons. Per Anthony Justin Marteau is in charge. I think Joseph Dion and Major Sujuno di'Kail are some of his ( An Ancient Peace , 1 (6)). Orina Yukari is one of his personal assistants.
Three Points is…
…where their mission opens. The enemy includes Ferin and Shiraz who are Krai, ex-corporal Mthunz "Mack" Mackenzie, Harr who takes over when the chief falls, and Yizaun who is di’Taykan. They were supposed to trade with the Berin gang.
Humans First is…
…a hate group with Richard Varga, their former leader, in prison.
The Mercenaries
Commander Yurrisk, a Krai, was once the helmsman on the Paylent until the ship was destroyed. It was said that he is why they made it out. He and Petty Officer Sareer (Krai), Lieutenant Beyvek (Krai), Lieutenant Gayun di’Dizon (di’Taykan), and Seaman Pyrus di’Himur (di’Taykan) were among the fifteen survivors out of a crew of 330. Now they struggle to keep the DeCaal flying.
Ex-Marine sergeant Robert Martin is a bully who can’t keep a job. Ex-private Emile Trembley (he’s quite the gung-ho boy) and Brenda Zhang are also ex-Marines. Jana Malinowski is an ex-Navy gunner who can’t stop fighting. Mirish di’Yaunah (Gayun’s thytrin), and Gayun de’Dyon are di’Taykan. Camaderiz is black and knows how to fight; Netrovooens is a bay and Tehaven is variegated but these last two haven’t been trained to fight. By the military. Qurn is another of Yurris’ people.
The Confederation is…
…primarily ruled by the Elder Races, and they don’t approve of the violent tendencies of the Younger Races, although they are willing to use that violence. I think the H’san are the oldest of the Eldest. Minister Weta’na. Per Honisch is an administrator. After the conclusion of their war with the Primacy in Confederation, the Elder Races promised the Younger Races support as they moved out into space.
Unofficially, the Mid Races are…
…not among the original members of the Confederation. Ravka are feathered beings with beaks and a stilted way of speaking — not because of the beaks, mind you. The Niln look like lizards and then the Katrien who make me think of beavers. Harveer means doctor.
The Younger Races include…
…Humans and the Primacy. Di’Taykan are "the most sexually indiscriminating species in the Confederation"; they must wear maskers as the pheromones they exude affect anyone with whom they come in contact. Krai can eat absolutely anything. The Silsviss are warlike giant lizards with whom Torin came to an understanding in Valor’s Choice , 1. Ciptrans look like giant praying mantises. Mictoks are giant, sentient spiders who exude a webbing that is a semi-solid mass that can absorb impact…like ammo, etc.
The Primacy is/was…
…the enemy. The group of species the Confederation has been battling for decades and include the Druin and Polint military species.
Past History
The plastic aliens had thrown two galactic civilizations into war as a social experiment. Big Bill had been a pirate. Staff Sergeant Harnett had enslaved Marines ( Valor’s Trial , 4).
Sh’quo Company is…
…Torin’s old unit — Binti and Torin are two of the three who barely survived the Silsviss ( Valor’s Choice ).
The Cover and Title
The cover is a range of greens from pale yellow-green in the light to the khaki green Torin Kerr is wearing in her fatigues, toting one BIG gun, and a, ahem, smaller one on her thigh. It’s a collage of events in the story, for even as Torin carefully listens, laser fire surrounds her, bugs are flitting around, and an ancient city towers in the jungle background.
The title is the state of their universe, A Peace Divided, as different factions plot different goals.
My Take
This is not my favorite in the series, as Huff was so incredibly confusing on so many pages. That and the whole hostage thing was stupid. Okay, not taking the hostages, but their reason for doing it. They were so incredibly clueless and didn’t care that their intelligence was faulty. They want it, therefore it will exist.
The third-person subjective point-of-view did humanize it. And I loved the detail Huff put into the various species, although it was difficult to keep track of who/what they all looked like. I keep thinking back to that bar scene in Star Wars with its hive of villainy, etc. The different cultures, style of speech, and appearances were amazing, and yet they were all so Human. No, no, I’m not being patronizing or trying to lump them all into one category. But their thoughts and feelings, ambitions, hopes, and fears are just like ours. Just reinforces that we’re all the same with the same feelings, hopes, and dreams as any other person.
The theme is hate, for a group of Humans are feeling left out, hating that they have to share with so many other species. Sub-themes revolve around weapons and war, and it’s interesting that for as warlike as Torin is, she also hates that tiny gun that can be hidden on one’s person. She’d rather be up in your face. For hate is also subverting the law as small guns that can be concealed on the body are beginning to appear.
I did sympathize with Marteau’s annoyance with the Elder Races not trusting in personal responsibility. We do have that problem here. If only we weren’t so sue-happy…
The first seventy-odd pages sets us up for the real story: the hostage-taking on Threxie where Huff will rev up your anger and then drown you in compassion. Part of that empathy shows through in the side theme between Arniz and Trembley of the importance of life. He’s so young and so full of righteousness, parroting what he’s been told, and yet he finds it difficult to face what his crew are doing to the scientists. With the questions and truths Arniz poses to him.
Arniz is an amazing woman. Strong. Protective. Real. Don’t worry though, you’ll get plenty of action. Arniz’s warm fuzzies are simply part of the build-up.
Get these names sorted out in your head, if only so you know who to cheer on and who to jeer at in the final fight scene.
The Story
Plastic is history in the Confederation and so is war between Confederation and Primacy. As is too common in peacetime, there are many who drift with no purpose and others who take up a new cause. One that is intended to restore Humans to the premier position in this universe.
One step toward that is to find a weapon that will destroy the plastic aliens, and this mercenary group will stop at nothing to find it. Whether it exists or not. And they’ll take a team of scientists hostage to uncover it on the deadly planet of Threxie.
A dangerous world of jungles with hidden pits and threats that endanger all three groups.
The Characters
Torin "Gunny" Kerr, the face of peace in the Confederation, may have retired from the military, but now she heads up Strike Team Alpha, a unit of Peacekeepers for the Confederation. A salvage operator, Craig Ryder, is the pilot of his own ship, Promise, and he’s her lover ( The Better Part of Valor , 2). The rest of her team includes Werst and Ressk who is his mate (both are Krai and great scouts), Binti Mashona who is their Human sniper, and Alamber di’Crikeys who is a di’Taykan genius with tech.
For this mission, Primacy warriors will join the Alpha team: Firiv’vrak and Keeleeki’ka (she was chosen, as her people, the Sekric’teen, maintain the historical records for all their people) are Artek; ex-Durlin Vertic whom Torin greatly respects and Bertecnic are Polint; and, ex-Durlave Kan Freenim and ex-Santav Merinim are Druin and have joined (as a couple). Santav Teffer Dutavar is a "volunteer".
Presit a Tur durValintrisy is a very smart reporter with Sector General News and is a MAJOR PAIN in the tush. Her cameraman is Dalan a Tar canSalvais; both are Katrien. Representative Haminem is a Primacy politician, a Druin, who came along for the ride to Berbar.
Berbar in MidSector Seven is…
…where the Wardens/Peacekeepers are based. The Justice Department is in overall charge of the Wardens and prefers that damage to property be kept to a minimum. As for the paperwork if one of the bad guys is killed, well, you don't wanna know. Commander Lanh Ng, a former lawyer, is the first Human Warden and is in command of the six Strike Teams.
Other Strike Teams include…
…Doug Collins is the Human pilot on Strike Team T’Jaam. Delta is another strike team. Captain Ranjit "Cap" Kaur (Human) is in command of Strike Team Ch’ore; Sirin di’Hajak is her di’Taykan pilot. Porrtir, a Krai, is the Beta Team pilot. Wardens Vesernitic and Nubaneras (both Niln) are investigating weapons thefts.
Dornagin Wardens are in charge of all the paperwork as they just adore paperwork. If they don’t like you, they’ll double, triple, quadruple the number of forms you have to fill out. They also have the most complicated names!!! At first, I thought they were committees or departments or something. They also have a hang-up about saying a person’s FULL title and name every time they speak of or address them. Finds Truth Through Inquiry has long red-gold fur. Analyzes Minutiae To Discover Truth is quite human in his compassion for the scientists. Vimtan Is In The Details is the latest discussion leader; betting is good that, with his sense of humor, he might last past two discussions. Many Pieces Makes a Whole is the Evidence Lockup Administrator. Approves of Redemption is an intake officer.
Dr. Dyell is a Ravka in R&D. Feerar is the station’s chief agricultural scientist. Ex-Petty Officer Gamar di’Tagawa is a mean drunk who wants Alamber. Colonel Hurr is with Intelligence. A C&C is a Clean-Up Crew who show up when the shooting is done. Dr. Erica Allan is the Marine psychologist court-appointed to "help" Torin deal with the aftermath of the violence. Torin is really not impressed, including the fact that Allan never served. Torin figures she’ll switch to Dr. Errir, a Krai therapist, if she has to continue. At least he fought. Saark is a Krai legal aide and part of Ressk’s extended jernine.
Musselman’s is the Strike Teams’ favorite bar, and it’s owned by Paul Musselman. Luiza is a small child fascinated by Polints.
The archeological dig is on Threxie,
…a Class 2 Designate, 33X73, where the scientists (most of them from Alcanton University) intend to map the plateau and do preliminary studies. Harveer Arniz is an older Niln scientist who studies soil. Dzar is her Niln assistant. Dr. Harris Ganes is a Human ex-Navy engineer who keeps everything running, including communications and medical. Harveer Salitwisi is the most irritating archeologist (Niln); his ancillaries (assistants) include Hyrinzatil (one of the two Niln) and a Katrien. Dr. Tyven a Tur durGanthan and Dr. Lows a Tar canHythin are the Katrien geophysicists. Nerpenialzic, a.k.a., Nerpen, and Magyr are Tyven’s ancillaries. Harveer Tilzonicazic, a.k.a., Tilzon, is a xenobotanist with two ancillaries.
Marteau Industries produces…
…weapons. Per Anthony Justin Marteau is in charge. I think Joseph Dion and Major Sujuno di'Kail are some of his ( An Ancient Peace , 1 (6)). Orina Yukari is one of his personal assistants.
Three Points is…
…where their mission opens. The enemy includes Ferin and Shiraz who are Krai, ex-corporal Mthunz "Mack" Mackenzie, Harr who takes over when the chief falls, and Yizaun who is di’Taykan. They were supposed to trade with the Berin gang.
Humans First is…
…a hate group with Richard Varga, their former leader, in prison.
The Mercenaries
Commander Yurrisk, a Krai, was once the helmsman on the Paylent until the ship was destroyed. It was said that he is why they made it out. He and Petty Officer Sareer (Krai), Lieutenant Beyvek (Krai), Lieutenant Gayun di’Dizon (di’Taykan), and Seaman Pyrus di’Himur (di’Taykan) were among the fifteen survivors out of a crew of 330. Now they struggle to keep the DeCaal flying.
Ex-Marine sergeant Robert Martin is a bully who can’t keep a job. Ex-private Emile Trembley (he’s quite the gung-ho boy) and Brenda Zhang are also ex-Marines. Jana Malinowski is an ex-Navy gunner who can’t stop fighting. Mirish di’Yaunah (Gayun’s thytrin), and Gayun de’Dyon are di’Taykan. Camaderiz is black and knows how to fight; Netrovooens is a bay and Tehaven is variegated but these last two haven’t been trained to fight. By the military. Qurn is another of Yurris’ people.
The Confederation is…
…primarily ruled by the Elder Races, and they don’t approve of the violent tendencies of the Younger Races, although they are willing to use that violence. I think the H’san are the oldest of the Eldest. Minister Weta’na. Per Honisch is an administrator. After the conclusion of their war with the Primacy in Confederation, the Elder Races promised the Younger Races support as they moved out into space.
Unofficially, the Mid Races are…
…not among the original members of the Confederation. Ravka are feathered beings with beaks and a stilted way of speaking — not because of the beaks, mind you. The Niln look like lizards and then the Katrien who make me think of beavers. Harveer means doctor.
The Younger Races include…
…Humans and the Primacy. Di’Taykan are "the most sexually indiscriminating species in the Confederation"; they must wear maskers as the pheromones they exude affect anyone with whom they come in contact. Krai can eat absolutely anything. The Silsviss are warlike giant lizards with whom Torin came to an understanding in Valor’s Choice , 1. Ciptrans look like giant praying mantises. Mictoks are giant, sentient spiders who exude a webbing that is a semi-solid mass that can absorb impact…like ammo, etc.
The Primacy is/was…
…the enemy. The group of species the Confederation has been battling for decades and include the Druin and Polint military species.
Past History
The plastic aliens had thrown two galactic civilizations into war as a social experiment. Big Bill had been a pirate. Staff Sergeant Harnett had enslaved Marines ( Valor’s Trial , 4).
Sh’quo Company is…
…Torin’s old unit — Binti and Torin are two of the three who barely survived the Silsviss ( Valor’s Choice ).
The Cover and Title
The cover is a range of greens from pale yellow-green in the light to the khaki green Torin Kerr is wearing in her fatigues, toting one BIG gun, and a, ahem, smaller one on her thigh. It’s a collage of events in the story, for even as Torin carefully listens, laser fire surrounds her, bugs are flitting around, and an ancient city towers in the jungle background.
The title is the state of their universe, A Peace Divided, as different factions plot different goals.
July 4, 2017
I like this universe and these characters, and I was glad to spend more time with them, but I found this story pretty unsatisfying. The plot makes no sense, which doesn’t always bother me, but that combined with other weaknesses makes this a disappointment.
One of the book’s main themes is gun control, which I find odd in a military sci-fi series which contains so very many gun battles. The reader is expected to believe that the Elder Races have convinced humanity to FORGET that small concealable handguns EVER EXISTED. Now, I can believe they’ve been outlawed; I can believe they are considered morally reprehensible; but I cannot believe that the concept is so foreign that former Marine Gunnery Sergeant Kerr does not recognize a pistol when one is pointed at her.
The series frequently mentions that press photographers carry large cameras with a bright red recording light because privacy laws forbid clandestine recording - but jeez, nobody has forgotten that it’s POSSIBLE to make tiny recording devices.
Between the lectures on bigotry, gun control, and the lack of support for military veterans, there’s a terrible, nonsensical plot involving mercenaries holding scientists hostage to get a possible weapon against the plastic aliens, because some plastic was found in a latrine at an archeological dig. Kerr and crew go down to rescue the hostages and find more mysterious plastic.
I hate the damned plastic aliens. I always hate it when it turns out that godlike aliens have been secretly manipulating events, so I’m dissatisfied with the overall story arc of this series.
The conflict of interest between the Elder and Younger Races is really interesting, when it rises above the level of simple bigotry. The Younger Races were used, and they know it, but they have gained by it, too. Some of the Younger races are angry and suspicious. Some of the Elder races feel guilty; some are afraid; some dismissive.
I think this book gets carried away with too many alien races - there are too many names to remember. For instance, why did we have to learn all the names of the bad guys in the opening gun battle, when they won’t appear in the book again? There’s a character list at the back which at least tells you what race each person is, which is mildly helpful. It does get a little better in the second half when the story settles down with a fixed set of characters.
One of the book’s main themes is gun control, which I find odd in a military sci-fi series which contains so very many gun battles. The reader is expected to believe that the Elder Races have convinced humanity to FORGET that small concealable handguns EVER EXISTED. Now, I can believe they’ve been outlawed; I can believe they are considered morally reprehensible; but I cannot believe that the concept is so foreign that former Marine Gunnery Sergeant Kerr does not recognize a pistol when one is pointed at her.
The series frequently mentions that press photographers carry large cameras with a bright red recording light because privacy laws forbid clandestine recording - but jeez, nobody has forgotten that it’s POSSIBLE to make tiny recording devices.
Between the lectures on bigotry, gun control, and the lack of support for military veterans, there’s a terrible, nonsensical plot involving mercenaries holding scientists hostage to get a possible weapon against the plastic aliens, because some plastic was found in a latrine at an archeological dig. Kerr and crew go down to rescue the hostages and find more mysterious plastic.
I hate the damned plastic aliens. I always hate it when it turns out that godlike aliens have been secretly manipulating events, so I’m dissatisfied with the overall story arc of this series.
The conflict of interest between the Elder and Younger Races is really interesting, when it rises above the level of simple bigotry. The Younger Races were used, and they know it, but they have gained by it, too. Some of the Younger races are angry and suspicious. Some of the Elder races feel guilty; some are afraid; some dismissive.
I think this book gets carried away with too many alien races - there are too many names to remember. For instance, why did we have to learn all the names of the bad guys in the opening gun battle, when they won’t appear in the book again? There’s a character list at the back which at least tells you what race each person is, which is mildly helpful. It does get a little better in the second half when the story settles down with a fixed set of characters.
November 3, 2017
Wonderful book, wonderful series. You'd think I'd get a little tired of one bad situation averted after another but nope, love it. This series (part of an initial series) is the best by this author in my humble opinion.
July 3, 2017
Here is a simple review. I liked this story more than the previous, but there were so many different alien species that I had trouble keeping track. I will keep reading stories about Torin Kerr.
September 17, 2017
Torin Kerr just keeps on keeping on. I love reading about her and her interestingly subversive group of sidekicks, her moments of angst, her care for duty, and her people (her constant touching of her jacket where she kept the remains of those who served) and of course her partner and person extraordinaire, Craig.
A new planet with a huge variety of alien flora and fauna, which are just as happy to eat you as not. The hints of the dreaded plastic, a renegade group looking to find plastics, and of course our favorite galactic reporter.
Fabulous as usual!
A new planet with a huge variety of alien flora and fauna, which are just as happy to eat you as not. The hints of the dreaded plastic, a renegade group looking to find plastics, and of course our favorite galactic reporter.
Fabulous as usual!
March 29, 2021
Nice Military SiFi read. Quick paced and action filled. Recommended
June 11, 2024
Really glad to see the reunion with the Primacy team, and excited to see where this development with the plastic takes us.
Torin is such a great, strong, complex character, and her team is amazing. Love this series.
Re-read June 2024
I love this book, and this series. I loved seeing the Primacy team again, and the difficulty of trying to move past a war that lasted centuries. I loved the complicated characters of the mercenaries. Not the shitty humans, but the other damaged veterans who needed help.
I'm not sure if Huff wants us to feel bad for the Mid and Elder races getting battered, but I don't feel bad at all. This is all on them, their cowardice and their elitism. If Humans First was instead Younger Races First, I'd frankly be on their side - the twits in charge are morons for not leaning into the bonds between the Younger Races after serving together in the war. They were all treated terribly by the rest of the Confederation, they all deserve better, and there needs to be a reckoning. That is, I think, what Torin is trying to do within the structure of society. But she's too forgiving. This book spent a good deal of time in the heads of one of the Elder Race scientists, and even in her POV, she was incredibly condescending and dismissive of the Younger Races. Sometimes she'd realize that she was doing it, but not always, because the bias is that ingrained. What is WRONG with them? Millions of people died for these assholes. And they're left broken and bleeding, while these spoiled narcissists look down on them for being violent.
Frankly, I think the Younger Races should band together with the Primacy, jump to the Core, and start blowing up a couple Elder and Mid race cities. If these supposedly "evolved" dipshits can't be empathetic about the horrors they have made the Younger Races live through then they need to be taught the reality of war the hard way.
Torin is such a great, strong, complex character, and her team is amazing. Love this series.
Re-read June 2024
I love this book, and this series. I loved seeing the Primacy team again, and the difficulty of trying to move past a war that lasted centuries. I loved the complicated characters of the mercenaries. Not the shitty humans, but the other damaged veterans who needed help.
I'm not sure if Huff wants us to feel bad for the Mid and Elder races getting battered, but I don't feel bad at all. This is all on them, their cowardice and their elitism. If Humans First was instead Younger Races First, I'd frankly be on their side - the twits in charge are morons for not leaning into the bonds between the Younger Races after serving together in the war. They were all treated terribly by the rest of the Confederation, they all deserve better, and there needs to be a reckoning. That is, I think, what Torin is trying to do within the structure of society. But she's too forgiving. This book spent a good deal of time in the heads of one of the Elder Race scientists, and even in her POV, she was incredibly condescending and dismissive of the Younger Races. Sometimes she'd realize that she was doing it, but not always, because the bias is that ingrained. What is WRONG with them? Millions of people died for these assholes. And they're left broken and bleeding, while these spoiled narcissists look down on them for being violent.
Frankly, I think the Younger Races should band together with the Primacy, jump to the Core, and start blowing up a couple Elder and Mid race cities. If these supposedly "evolved" dipshits can't be empathetic about the horrors they have made the Younger Races live through then they need to be taught the reality of war the hard way.
June 26, 2018
*Source* Publisher
*Genre* Science Fiction, Military Fiction
*Rating* 3.5
*Thoughts*
A Peace Divided, by author Tanya Huff, is the second installment in the authors' Peacekeeper series, and the seventh installment in the authors' Confederation series. This story takes place one year after the end of An Ancient Peace. Ex-Gunnery Sergeant Torin Kerr is now a member of the Wardens. She has put together small teams of former military that can move quickly from place to place. Her team is Strike Team Alpha, and it includes all of the same team members from the previous installment, as well as the final installment in the Confederation series.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
http://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/201...
*Genre* Science Fiction, Military Fiction
*Rating* 3.5
*Thoughts*
A Peace Divided, by author Tanya Huff, is the second installment in the authors' Peacekeeper series, and the seventh installment in the authors' Confederation series. This story takes place one year after the end of An Ancient Peace. Ex-Gunnery Sergeant Torin Kerr is now a member of the Wardens. She has put together small teams of former military that can move quickly from place to place. Her team is Strike Team Alpha, and it includes all of the same team members from the previous installment, as well as the final installment in the Confederation series.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
http://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/201...
September 4, 2018
3.5 stars.
Now that the war is over, the gang as wardens are hampered by being told to capture the bad guys for "rehabilitation" rather than just shoot and kill.
It's another action-packed installment. However, as I listened to the audio version, I did have trouble keeping the people of the various factions straight, especially with all the difficult names.
Now that the war is over, the gang as wardens are hampered by being told to capture the bad guys for "rehabilitation" rather than just shoot and kill.
It's another action-packed installment. However, as I listened to the audio version, I did have trouble keeping the people of the various factions straight, especially with all the difficult names.
January 20, 2022
Torin Kerr and the rest of her Wardens have to get involved in a hostage mission. I've grown more dissatisfied with the Peacekeeper books, and I'm not sure why. Things just drag far more than they really should. I did like the return of several characters we haven't seen since the original Confederation series.
April 26, 2019
Not my favorite of the series. In truth, it’s probably my least favorite. It’s not that it’s a bad novel or was not a joy to read, it just didn’t grab me the way the rest of the series did. And there wasn’t enough comedy or sexual banter.
Torin is her usual bad-ass self and my favorite characters are back (Werst and Mashona). We still don’t get enough background on Mashona – other than being a sniper and a pretty chill person, we don’t know a lot about her. We know a little more about Werst, Ressk and Craig, but having “known” these characters for several books now, I can’t tell you any of their hobbies or anything about their pasts. I was kind of hoping that each book would give a little more detail on one of the characters, like how each species gets a focus in the first few of the Confederation books. Instead, we have Torin and the gang doing their usual – kicking ass and taking names.
I suppose what made this one less fun was that there was a distinct lack of banter. Most of it in previous novels comes from the Di’Tayken, so it’s possible this was missing because there were not a lot of them this novel. Alamber jumps in now and then, but I was missing my weird alien sex.
My biggest letdown was how flat the Primacy aliens fell. We are given almost no description as to what they look like. We haven’t seen them since Valor's Trial, but we aren’t given a refresher. For some reason I thought the Polint were centaurs, and it was only when I went back to Trial did I recall they were more like cat-things. I should not have had to return to another novel to determine what a species looked like! Compared to the Confederation species, which are very well-drawn with unique and interesting societal traits, the Primacy are bland. We learn nothing about the Druin’s society and very little about the Polint and Artek. I did enjoy the banter between the two Artek, but the other Primacy characters blended together.
This really sucked for me, because I loved their introduction in Trial.
The best sections of the book focus on Arniz, the Niln. Her take was a fresh view of the situation and her “old lady” antics were both amusing and a source of emotional resonance.
I liked the setting – the part where Martin got bugs in his dick made me laugh.
There was a part with a toddler wanting to hug the Artek, which was super cute and funny. It’s possible I only enjoyed this because I have a toddler.
Unfortunately, the plot felt drawn-out and the whole “gun control” aspect was far-fetched. There’s no way we humans would forget that handguns existed. In fact, I always assumed Torin had one. True, she never mentions a handgun, but a lot of Torin’s action scenes are of her directing people where to go rather than her firing weapons herself, so I assumed she never needed to use it. In every futuristic military game I’ve ever played, you are given a large gun and a sidearm (for when the big gun’s ammo runs out). If you’ve never fired an automatic, big calibre rifle before (and I have – an MP5), you have no idea how quickly you burn through a clip. You need a sidearm. And guns are such a big part of our culture (even in places where you can’t have guns, they are still a feature of movies and games), so I find it hard to believe that we collectively forgot about handguns. Do we forget about trebuchets and siege towers? Clearly not.
Similarly, there was a heavy-handed message about bigotry and racism that was just too obvious for my liking. Martin was such a dick, but unlike the previous novel, where the mercenaries are given a perspective and rationale for their actions, these guys are just baddies with a flimsy premise for what they are doing. I’m getting a little tired of the plastic aliens.
Despite what seems like a long list of complaints, I did not dislike the novel! It was fun, there were some funny moments, there were some great action scenes, and I was definitely reading it past my bedtime.
It just didn’t hook me the same way some of the others in the series did. I’ve already pre-ordered the paperback of the next one though, so clearly I’m not giving up on Torin!
Torin is her usual bad-ass self and my favorite characters are back (Werst and Mashona). We still don’t get enough background on Mashona – other than being a sniper and a pretty chill person, we don’t know a lot about her. We know a little more about Werst, Ressk and Craig, but having “known” these characters for several books now, I can’t tell you any of their hobbies or anything about their pasts. I was kind of hoping that each book would give a little more detail on one of the characters, like how each species gets a focus in the first few of the Confederation books. Instead, we have Torin and the gang doing their usual – kicking ass and taking names.
I suppose what made this one less fun was that there was a distinct lack of banter. Most of it in previous novels comes from the Di’Tayken, so it’s possible this was missing because there were not a lot of them this novel. Alamber jumps in now and then, but I was missing my weird alien sex.
My biggest letdown was how flat the Primacy aliens fell. We are given almost no description as to what they look like. We haven’t seen them since Valor's Trial, but we aren’t given a refresher. For some reason I thought the Polint were centaurs, and it was only when I went back to Trial did I recall they were more like cat-things. I should not have had to return to another novel to determine what a species looked like! Compared to the Confederation species, which are very well-drawn with unique and interesting societal traits, the Primacy are bland. We learn nothing about the Druin’s society and very little about the Polint and Artek. I did enjoy the banter between the two Artek, but the other Primacy characters blended together.
This really sucked for me, because I loved their introduction in Trial.
The best sections of the book focus on Arniz, the Niln. Her take was a fresh view of the situation and her “old lady” antics were both amusing and a source of emotional resonance.
I liked the setting – the part where Martin got bugs in his dick made me laugh.
There was a part with a toddler wanting to hug the Artek, which was super cute and funny. It’s possible I only enjoyed this because I have a toddler.
Unfortunately, the plot felt drawn-out and the whole “gun control” aspect was far-fetched. There’s no way we humans would forget that handguns existed. In fact, I always assumed Torin had one. True, she never mentions a handgun, but a lot of Torin’s action scenes are of her directing people where to go rather than her firing weapons herself, so I assumed she never needed to use it. In every futuristic military game I’ve ever played, you are given a large gun and a sidearm (for when the big gun’s ammo runs out). If you’ve never fired an automatic, big calibre rifle before (and I have – an MP5), you have no idea how quickly you burn through a clip. You need a sidearm. And guns are such a big part of our culture (even in places where you can’t have guns, they are still a feature of movies and games), so I find it hard to believe that we collectively forgot about handguns. Do we forget about trebuchets and siege towers? Clearly not.
Similarly, there was a heavy-handed message about bigotry and racism that was just too obvious for my liking. Martin was such a dick, but unlike the previous novel, where the mercenaries are given a perspective and rationale for their actions, these guys are just baddies with a flimsy premise for what they are doing. I’m getting a little tired of the plastic aliens.
Despite what seems like a long list of complaints, I did not dislike the novel! It was fun, there were some funny moments, there were some great action scenes, and I was definitely reading it past my bedtime.
It just didn’t hook me the same way some of the others in the series did. I’ve already pre-ordered the paperback of the next one though, so clearly I’m not giving up on Torin!
June 22, 2017
I really like the premise of this book. In this slice of the campaign against the mysterious plastic beings who have created so much chaos, an archaeological team discover what they think might be traces of plastic in a pre-industrial society. And that is enough to draw down some very unwelcome attention. In multiple viewpoint, story structure is interesting – we have a flurry of action as the hapless archaeologists are overrun and then we are inevitably drawn into the political aspects alongside witnessing how the scientists on the archaeological dig are being brutalised by some very unpleasant mercenaries.
At this point, before Torin’s team are engaged, what keeps the storyline humming is the interaction between them and the politicking around the very sensitive subject of the plastic beings. At no time did my attention wander despite the fact I went into this book expecting lots of fighting and mayhem. Indeed, while there is certainly shooting and violence, there wasn’t the set piece battle I was expecting. As ever, Huff serves up something a bit different.
I particularly appreciated that when the inevitable body count starts to rise, it matters. We care about the people who die because the characters in the middle of the violence also really care. Other than Torin, who I love, my favourite character has to be Arniz, the spiky elderly Niln archaeologist who refuses to be cowed by the bullying Martin – a really satisfactory antagonist I loved to hate. As is often the case in this genre, the blood and gore goes alongside plenty of snarky asides between the team which lightens up the mood, often causing me to grin.
I also liked the fact we also get a real insight into the motivations of the mercenaries, as well as the main antagonist. It gives the story more emotional heft and stops it being merely a fight between the goodies and the baddies. That said, we do have a satisfyingly nasty baddie who is clearly going to continue to be a threat for a while yet as his motivation and strategy puts him on a collision course with Torin’s group, the Wardens.
On a practical note, inevitably, there are a lot of characters from a number of species which means a fair number of difficult names are flying around. I did my usual trick of just plunging in without bothering to look at the contents page – this time around I wish I had. Huff has thoughtfully provided an extremely good Cast of Character list at the back of the book which I would have used and recommend to any other reader. As for the ending, Huff, manages to successfully up the stakes such that I very much wish the next book was already available – did I mention how much I enjoy Huff’s writing?
8/10
At this point, before Torin’s team are engaged, what keeps the storyline humming is the interaction between them and the politicking around the very sensitive subject of the plastic beings. At no time did my attention wander despite the fact I went into this book expecting lots of fighting and mayhem. Indeed, while there is certainly shooting and violence, there wasn’t the set piece battle I was expecting. As ever, Huff serves up something a bit different.
I particularly appreciated that when the inevitable body count starts to rise, it matters. We care about the people who die because the characters in the middle of the violence also really care. Other than Torin, who I love, my favourite character has to be Arniz, the spiky elderly Niln archaeologist who refuses to be cowed by the bullying Martin – a really satisfactory antagonist I loved to hate. As is often the case in this genre, the blood and gore goes alongside plenty of snarky asides between the team which lightens up the mood, often causing me to grin.
I also liked the fact we also get a real insight into the motivations of the mercenaries, as well as the main antagonist. It gives the story more emotional heft and stops it being merely a fight between the goodies and the baddies. That said, we do have a satisfyingly nasty baddie who is clearly going to continue to be a threat for a while yet as his motivation and strategy puts him on a collision course with Torin’s group, the Wardens.
On a practical note, inevitably, there are a lot of characters from a number of species which means a fair number of difficult names are flying around. I did my usual trick of just plunging in without bothering to look at the contents page – this time around I wish I had. Huff has thoughtfully provided an extremely good Cast of Character list at the back of the book which I would have used and recommend to any other reader. As for the ending, Huff, manages to successfully up the stakes such that I very much wish the next book was already available – did I mention how much I enjoy Huff’s writing?
8/10
September 24, 2017
http://delivreenlivres.blogspot.fr/20...
J'ai malheureusement moins aimé ce tome que les précédents.
Un groupe de scientifique a été pris en otage sur une planète reculée et inhabitée. La raison qui fait que cette planète n'a jamais été colonisée est quelle renferme tout un réseau complexe de ruines d'une ancienne civilisation et donc qu'elle a été réservée à la recherche et l'exploration scientifique. La situation se complique quand on se rend compte que les preneurs d'otage sont des mercenaires à la fois de la Confédération et de la Primacy, une association qui n'avait jamais été vue avant. L'équipe du sergeant Torin Kerr va devoir faire équipe avec une sélection d'ancien soldats ennemis pour sauver les scientifiques ...
J'ai trouvé qu'il mettait vraiment longtemps à démarrer, on passait bien une 100ène de pages rien que pour poser le contexte général et parler d'autres choses en rapport avec les tomes précédents pour les nouveaux lecteurs. Et j'ai trouvé ça interminable, parce que rien n'avançait et que ce n'était quasiment que de la redite pour moi.
Surtout qu'ensuite toute la partie politique et "blabla" bureaucratique militaire prend le dessus pendant encore un très long moment et il faut arriver quasiment à 60% du livre pour que ça bouge enfin.
Bon c'est vrai qu'une fois arrivé à ces passages la ça c'est bien mieux passé et j'ai retrouvé tout mon enthousiasme. Surtout que le thème abordé est vraiment très intéressant et concerne directement les aliens en plastiques qui sont le sujet principale et qu'on en apprend vraiment plus à leur sujet ici. Le coté collaboration avec l'ancien ennemi était bien fait aussi, et les retrouvailles de Torin avec d'anciens personnages particulièrement intéressante.
Par contre j'ai trouvé que les mercenaires et leurs commanditaires étaient bête comme leur pied. Enfin pas dans leur façon de prendre des otages mais sur leur raison de le faire. Ils se sont totalement monté la tête sur un sujet et s'imaginent qu'il y a une soit disant arme présente sur la planète. Je n'ai absolument pas trouvé ça crédible. En plus on nous introduit un personnage au début de l'histoire de façon un peu trop évidente sur son lien futur, du coup j'ai trouvé que ça gâchait un peu la surprise sur qui sont les méchants, c'était bien trop évident quoi, pas de surprise.
Du coup au final je suis mitigée, j'ai trouvé le thème et la découverte finale très intéressante et le tout plein d'enseignement sur la guerre et la paix mais le début était bien trop long à se mettre en place, pas très crédible sur les motivations et trop évident sur les coupables.
15.5/20
J'ai malheureusement moins aimé ce tome que les précédents.
Un groupe de scientifique a été pris en otage sur une planète reculée et inhabitée. La raison qui fait que cette planète n'a jamais été colonisée est quelle renferme tout un réseau complexe de ruines d'une ancienne civilisation et donc qu'elle a été réservée à la recherche et l'exploration scientifique. La situation se complique quand on se rend compte que les preneurs d'otage sont des mercenaires à la fois de la Confédération et de la Primacy, une association qui n'avait jamais été vue avant. L'équipe du sergeant Torin Kerr va devoir faire équipe avec une sélection d'ancien soldats ennemis pour sauver les scientifiques ...
J'ai trouvé qu'il mettait vraiment longtemps à démarrer, on passait bien une 100ène de pages rien que pour poser le contexte général et parler d'autres choses en rapport avec les tomes précédents pour les nouveaux lecteurs. Et j'ai trouvé ça interminable, parce que rien n'avançait et que ce n'était quasiment que de la redite pour moi.
Surtout qu'ensuite toute la partie politique et "blabla" bureaucratique militaire prend le dessus pendant encore un très long moment et il faut arriver quasiment à 60% du livre pour que ça bouge enfin.
Bon c'est vrai qu'une fois arrivé à ces passages la ça c'est bien mieux passé et j'ai retrouvé tout mon enthousiasme. Surtout que le thème abordé est vraiment très intéressant et concerne directement les aliens en plastiques qui sont le sujet principale et qu'on en apprend vraiment plus à leur sujet ici. Le coté collaboration avec l'ancien ennemi était bien fait aussi, et les retrouvailles de Torin avec d'anciens personnages particulièrement intéressante.
Par contre j'ai trouvé que les mercenaires et leurs commanditaires étaient bête comme leur pied. Enfin pas dans leur façon de prendre des otages mais sur leur raison de le faire. Ils se sont totalement monté la tête sur un sujet et s'imaginent qu'il y a une soit disant arme présente sur la planète. Je n'ai absolument pas trouvé ça crédible. En plus on nous introduit un personnage au début de l'histoire de façon un peu trop évidente sur son lien futur, du coup j'ai trouvé que ça gâchait un peu la surprise sur qui sont les méchants, c'était bien trop évident quoi, pas de surprise.
Du coup au final je suis mitigée, j'ai trouvé le thème et la découverte finale très intéressante et le tout plein d'enseignement sur la guerre et la paix mais le début était bien trop long à se mettre en place, pas très crédible sur les motivations et trop évident sur les coupables.
15.5/20
June 28, 2017
Appréciation générale : la série Confédération a pour principal personnage Torin Kerr dont on suit les missions dans un contexte sf-militaire bien exploité avec un fil rouge. C’est une série bien écrite, avec de l’action et du suspens et des fausses pistes, des problématiques éthiques et relationnelles humaines et extra-terrestres (syndrome post traumatique par exemple traité dans ce tome), des dialogues vivants, un peu d’humour (juste ce qu’il faut), pas de violences ni cruautés superflues, ni de descriptions portant un jugement sur le physique des personnages. On retrouve des personnages principaux et secondaires nombreux et attachants, humains et non-humains, alliés ou ennemis. Tous ces êtres différents semblent cependant réagir beaucoup comme les humains, ce qui facilite la compréhension inter-espèces (avec traducteur). A l’exception – peut-être – de l’alien manipulateur dans l’ombre. Comme souvent lorsque j’entre dans un nouvel univers complexe, je prends quelques notes depuis le tome 1 pour m’y retrouver; la liste des personnages donnée à la fin de ce tome est bienvenue. Les rappels des actions des tomes précédents ne m’ont pas paru pesants mais intégrés bien à propos dans l’action, et utiles. Cependant, je conseille vivement une lecture chronologique pour profiter au maximum de la série (traduite en français pour les premiers tomes). Le lecteur se trouve bien dans cet univers qui n'est pas dérangeant, je suis devenue citoyenne honoraire de la confédération et j’attends d’y retourner avec une suite. Pas de difficulté pour lire en v.o.
April 11, 2022
Having given up freelancing and become Wardens of the Confederation (the space police, basically), Torin and her team are sent to a planet where a group of archaeologists are being held hostage by a group of extremists looking for an ancient weapon that they could use against the sentient plastic that started and maintained the war between the Confederation and the Primacy for centuries. And since the kidnappers are composed of both Confederation and Primacy species, Torin has to take a group of Primacy in her team as well.
I found this book quite annoying. The main plot driver just didn't make sense to me - you find some plastic in a latrine of a pre-industrial civilisation and my first thought is not that they obviously found a weapon to use against the sentient plastic. This is a galaxy with many, many spacefaring civilisations, some of them very old indeed. How do you know one of them didn't just stop off for a picnic or something? And then you've got Torin's huge leap of logic right at the end of the book about what happened to the dead race under investigation. And the annoying thing is that I bet she's right, but only because she's being a spokesperson for the author, not because it makes any sense at all.
The usual supporting cast are all present and correct, but the new Primacy group added to the team don't really get a lot of characterisation and I struggled to remember who each of them were and what their important relationships were, and also what they looked like a lot of the time (although this last point is true of the main cast too).
In this one, the human extremist group Humans First (they've dropped the apostrophe by now) are still driving events, which is wearying, but the point bears repeating - concepts of "us" and "them" are entirely malleable and prone to changing. In a post-Trump, post-Brexit world, this shouldn't need reinforcing, but it constantly does.
So not the best of the series, but I've already got the next, and last, book lined up. The cover illustration of my edition better not be a spoiler...
I found this book quite annoying. The main plot driver just didn't make sense to me - you find some plastic in a latrine of a pre-industrial civilisation and my first thought is not that they obviously found a weapon to use against the sentient plastic. This is a galaxy with many, many spacefaring civilisations, some of them very old indeed. How do you know one of them didn't just stop off for a picnic or something? And then you've got Torin's huge leap of logic right at the end of the book about what happened to the dead race under investigation. And the annoying thing is that I bet she's right, but only because she's being a spokesperson for the author, not because it makes any sense at all.
The usual supporting cast are all present and correct, but the new Primacy group added to the team don't really get a lot of characterisation and I struggled to remember who each of them were and what their important relationships were, and also what they looked like a lot of the time (although this last point is true of the main cast too).
In this one, the human extremist group Humans First (they've dropped the apostrophe by now) are still driving events, which is wearying, but the point bears repeating - concepts of "us" and "them" are entirely malleable and prone to changing. In a post-Trump, post-Brexit world, this shouldn't need reinforcing, but it constantly does.
So not the best of the series, but I've already got the next, and last, book lined up. The cover illustration of my edition better not be a spoiler...
June 9, 2017
Originally published at Reading Reality
There’s an absolutely kick-ass military SF story in A Peace Divided. And that story is a marvelous continuance of pretty much everything that has happened to Gunnery Sergeant, now Warden, Torin Kerr from her first introduction in Valor's Choice to her re-emergence after the end of her war in An Ancient Peace.
So if you enjoy military SF featuring smart, kick-ass, hard-fighting female soldiers (in this case Kerr is an NCO in the Marines), start at the very beginning with Valor’s Choice. And take good notes, because it seems as if everyone she has ever crossed paths with, or even just run into, makes an appearance in A Peace Divided.
Along with her permanent enemies, and the original instigators of the Confederation’s war with the Primacy.
The future, as was once opined to a very young Dustin Hoffman as Ben Braddock in The Graduate, is in plastics. And that future is nowhere near as benign or profitable as his would-be mentor believed.
Unless, as it turns out, you’re running guns.
Like all of the books in this series so far, A Peace Divided is a part of the branch of SF that makes some interesting and peculiar uses of the concept that what you think is happening is not what is really happening. While that seems to have played a major part of the war between the Confederation and the Primacy, and everything that resulted from that war (as well as the uneasy peace that Kerr now finds herself in) it also applies to the action in this particular story, not just on the part of the plastic aliens, but here primarily on the part of the humans and other sentients who drive this story.
It seems that sentient behavior has a limited number of patterns to follow, whether the beings that follow those patterns are humans, Krai, or di’Tayken, or even whether those sentients are two-legged or four-legged, skinned or furred or carapaced, and every other variant that the writer managed to think of.
As one of the sub-themes of this story is about human (and admittedly other sentient) bigotry, it is ironic that part of the story rides on the concept that people are people, no matter what species those people are from.
There’s a lot going on in A Peace Divided. The story that we follow is that of a band of basically space pirates who have taken an entire archaeological team hostage in the possibly mistaken but certainly partly insane belief that the archaeologists have discovered a weapon that can kill the plastic aliens.
And the other part of the story we follow is, of course, that of Warden Torin Kerr and her, if not merry then certainly snarky band of mostly ex-military peace-keeping wardens, as they set out to rescue the archaeologists and take down the space pirates, hopefully with a minimum of bloodshed.
One of the ongoing issues of this series is that “minimum of bloodshed” is defined much, much differently in the police-like Wardens than it ever was in the Confederation Marines. Being a Marine was a whole lot easier. There were rules and there were orders, there was a strict hierarchy, and there was a lot of security in that, both for the Marines and for the ones giving the orders.
Kerr is now out on her own, in a hierarchy whose rules are occasionally very arcane, and where security is minimal. It’s all on her, not because she wants it to be, but because she can’t seem to find any other way to be.
But it is really, really hard to keep the peace when the other side is doing its level best, and its absolute worst, to start a war.
Escape Rating B+: I loved traveling with Torin Kerr and Company again, and I liked the story, but it really needs the dramatis personae listing in the front and with a lot more detail. Or a summary of the action up till now. I’ve read the whole series, absolutely loved the whole thing, but occasionally I got lost among all the names, races and faces.
Once things get down to the brass-tacks, it klicks along like a ship in warp drive, but it takes a while to get there. I expect that people who are binge-reading the whole series and have everything fresh in their minds are going to eat this one up with a spoon, because it feels like everybody who has ever touched Torin’s life gets at least a mention.
Underneath the story, there are at least three sub-themes going on, one more overt than the other two. And they all add depth to the action, as well as making the reader think about the book well after the last page.
The first, biggest and most obvious is the issue of the returning veterans. Like our own society, the Confederation has done an all too excellent job of training young people, for any and all definitions of people, to set aside their fears and their instincts and become effective and efficient killing machines. The problem they have, just like the one we have, is what to do with those killing machines after their war is over. And just like our own society, the Confederations equivalent of the VA is overworked and understaffed and some people slip through the cracks. Admittedly some also make a hole and dive out, but there are a lot of folks who need help and don’t get the help they need. And a lot of the people that Kerr finds herself dealing with are her former comrades who fell through those cracks and can’t find a way to adjust to being civilians. Kerr and her troupe have plenty of problems with re-adjustment themselves, and they all have each other.
The Marines have a code that they leave no soldier behind. As an NCO, Kerr carried the remains of too many of her soldiers out on her vest, and she’s still carrying them. That there are soldiers that the entire military seems to have left behind feels like failure. Only because it is.
And of course, those folks who are desperate and haven’t adjusted get used by others for their own nefarious ends.
The other two sub-theme layers are about gun control and bigotry. They are more subtle, and it is easy to let them go in the heat of the story, but they are definitely there. And they add color and texture to a story that could have just been gung-ho military SF, but ends up being so much more.
There’s an absolutely kick-ass military SF story in A Peace Divided. And that story is a marvelous continuance of pretty much everything that has happened to Gunnery Sergeant, now Warden, Torin Kerr from her first introduction in Valor's Choice to her re-emergence after the end of her war in An Ancient Peace.
So if you enjoy military SF featuring smart, kick-ass, hard-fighting female soldiers (in this case Kerr is an NCO in the Marines), start at the very beginning with Valor’s Choice. And take good notes, because it seems as if everyone she has ever crossed paths with, or even just run into, makes an appearance in A Peace Divided.
Along with her permanent enemies, and the original instigators of the Confederation’s war with the Primacy.
The future, as was once opined to a very young Dustin Hoffman as Ben Braddock in The Graduate, is in plastics. And that future is nowhere near as benign or profitable as his would-be mentor believed.
Unless, as it turns out, you’re running guns.
Like all of the books in this series so far, A Peace Divided is a part of the branch of SF that makes some interesting and peculiar uses of the concept that what you think is happening is not what is really happening. While that seems to have played a major part of the war between the Confederation and the Primacy, and everything that resulted from that war (as well as the uneasy peace that Kerr now finds herself in) it also applies to the action in this particular story, not just on the part of the plastic aliens, but here primarily on the part of the humans and other sentients who drive this story.
It seems that sentient behavior has a limited number of patterns to follow, whether the beings that follow those patterns are humans, Krai, or di’Tayken, or even whether those sentients are two-legged or four-legged, skinned or furred or carapaced, and every other variant that the writer managed to think of.
As one of the sub-themes of this story is about human (and admittedly other sentient) bigotry, it is ironic that part of the story rides on the concept that people are people, no matter what species those people are from.
There’s a lot going on in A Peace Divided. The story that we follow is that of a band of basically space pirates who have taken an entire archaeological team hostage in the possibly mistaken but certainly partly insane belief that the archaeologists have discovered a weapon that can kill the plastic aliens.
And the other part of the story we follow is, of course, that of Warden Torin Kerr and her, if not merry then certainly snarky band of mostly ex-military peace-keeping wardens, as they set out to rescue the archaeologists and take down the space pirates, hopefully with a minimum of bloodshed.
One of the ongoing issues of this series is that “minimum of bloodshed” is defined much, much differently in the police-like Wardens than it ever was in the Confederation Marines. Being a Marine was a whole lot easier. There were rules and there were orders, there was a strict hierarchy, and there was a lot of security in that, both for the Marines and for the ones giving the orders.
Kerr is now out on her own, in a hierarchy whose rules are occasionally very arcane, and where security is minimal. It’s all on her, not because she wants it to be, but because she can’t seem to find any other way to be.
But it is really, really hard to keep the peace when the other side is doing its level best, and its absolute worst, to start a war.
Escape Rating B+: I loved traveling with Torin Kerr and Company again, and I liked the story, but it really needs the dramatis personae listing in the front and with a lot more detail. Or a summary of the action up till now. I’ve read the whole series, absolutely loved the whole thing, but occasionally I got lost among all the names, races and faces.
Once things get down to the brass-tacks, it klicks along like a ship in warp drive, but it takes a while to get there. I expect that people who are binge-reading the whole series and have everything fresh in their minds are going to eat this one up with a spoon, because it feels like everybody who has ever touched Torin’s life gets at least a mention.
Underneath the story, there are at least three sub-themes going on, one more overt than the other two. And they all add depth to the action, as well as making the reader think about the book well after the last page.
The first, biggest and most obvious is the issue of the returning veterans. Like our own society, the Confederation has done an all too excellent job of training young people, for any and all definitions of people, to set aside their fears and their instincts and become effective and efficient killing machines. The problem they have, just like the one we have, is what to do with those killing machines after their war is over. And just like our own society, the Confederations equivalent of the VA is overworked and understaffed and some people slip through the cracks. Admittedly some also make a hole and dive out, but there are a lot of folks who need help and don’t get the help they need. And a lot of the people that Kerr finds herself dealing with are her former comrades who fell through those cracks and can’t find a way to adjust to being civilians. Kerr and her troupe have plenty of problems with re-adjustment themselves, and they all have each other.
The Marines have a code that they leave no soldier behind. As an NCO, Kerr carried the remains of too many of her soldiers out on her vest, and she’s still carrying them. That there are soldiers that the entire military seems to have left behind feels like failure. Only because it is.
And of course, those folks who are desperate and haven’t adjusted get used by others for their own nefarious ends.
The other two sub-theme layers are about gun control and bigotry. They are more subtle, and it is easy to let them go in the heat of the story, but they are definitely there. And they add color and texture to a story that could have just been gung-ho military SF, but ends up being so much more.
February 21, 2018
Former Confederation Marine Torin Kerr continues to protect and serve the galaxy as a member of a quasi-law-enforcement agency trying to keep a lid on illegal weapons technology trade. In A Peace Divided, she's also still tasked with the job of following leads to legendary ancient weapons made by a now-vanished race. But a group of mercenaries, also led by a former Confederation Marine, has learned of an archaeological dig on a planet that may lead to that technology and they're holding the scientists hostage until they find the clues they want. Torin and her group need to rescue the scientists, learn who's backing the mercenaries, and put a lid on anything else they might find. Oh, and if they find any clues about the sentient plastic-like hive life form that manipulated the galaxy into war a couple of decades ago, that would be a plus.
Tanya Huff served in the Canadian Naval Reserve and has an appreciation for the military thinking and lifestyle that animates and sometimes even drives Torin. She creates a variety of species in this Confederation and offers each one unique physical traits and gifts. She also has a knack for springing one of those differences into the story just when a reader might have forgotten that the characters are of different species. In the Confederation universe, humans and a couple of other Younger Races have been brought into spacefaring civilization because the Elder Races, attacked by a group called the Primacy, had forgotten how to fight with any effectiveness. Torin's group will actually join with some Primacy fighters as well to try to rescue the science team.
Sometimes the narrative details can get a little confusing as Huff moves her story along. Torin is anything but loquacious and her laconic manner flavors the larger story. Divided has an important storyline hinge on the idea that handgun-sized weapons were removed from society hundreds of years ago and their reappearance is a shocking development; it seems unlikely that over the course of centuries no one would look at a gun and say, "You know, I bet we could make one like this you could use with just one hand." Even so, Divided seems more focused and has more depth than the previous "Peacekeeper" book with Torin, and the introduction of the different Primacy races gives it something new to explore. The third and what is now being called the final "Peacekeeper" novel is due in the summer of 2018; what happens to Torin following that remains to be seen.
Original available here.
Tanya Huff served in the Canadian Naval Reserve and has an appreciation for the military thinking and lifestyle that animates and sometimes even drives Torin. She creates a variety of species in this Confederation and offers each one unique physical traits and gifts. She also has a knack for springing one of those differences into the story just when a reader might have forgotten that the characters are of different species. In the Confederation universe, humans and a couple of other Younger Races have been brought into spacefaring civilization because the Elder Races, attacked by a group called the Primacy, had forgotten how to fight with any effectiveness. Torin's group will actually join with some Primacy fighters as well to try to rescue the science team.
Sometimes the narrative details can get a little confusing as Huff moves her story along. Torin is anything but loquacious and her laconic manner flavors the larger story. Divided has an important storyline hinge on the idea that handgun-sized weapons were removed from society hundreds of years ago and their reappearance is a shocking development; it seems unlikely that over the course of centuries no one would look at a gun and say, "You know, I bet we could make one like this you could use with just one hand." Even so, Divided seems more focused and has more depth than the previous "Peacekeeper" book with Torin, and the introduction of the different Primacy races gives it something new to explore. The third and what is now being called the final "Peacekeeper" novel is due in the summer of 2018; what happens to Torin following that remains to be seen.
Original available here.
June 11, 2017
Another exciting outing from Tanya Huff. This series, is my current go-to for military SF: well written, with engaging characters, smart dialog, a nice touch of humor, and lots of action.
The plot is fairly straightforward--a group of scientists on a distant planet is being held hostage by a group of baddies for Reasons. Our heroine, former Marine now Warden, Torin Kerr and her group are being sent out to rescue the hostage. Of course there are complications, twists, and turns before the mission is accomplished.
Long time readers will be happy to catch up with the continuing characters. The author supplies enough backstory for newcomers to be able to follow along.
The plot is fairly straightforward--a group of scientists on a distant planet is being held hostage by a group of baddies for Reasons. Our heroine, former Marine now Warden, Torin Kerr and her group are being sent out to rescue the hostage. Of course there are complications, twists, and turns before the mission is accomplished.
Long time readers will be happy to catch up with the continuing characters. The author supplies enough backstory for newcomers to be able to follow along.
August 17, 2018
A solid entry in a solid series. The many characters are great and their snark abounds, the many aliens are alien, and more twists in the universe and canon are revealed while newer ones are hinted at for future books. I'm always happy to get more time with Torin Kerr and her team, allies old and new, and unwanted hanger-on (Presit).
But one debit is that sometimes I'm not always sure who is talking in the dialogue.
But one debit is that sometimes I'm not always sure who is talking in the dialogue.
January 20, 2020
I can't bring myself to read any more of it. The characters have lost their appeal after the resolution of the first story arc, and the new one just doesn't capture my attention. There isn't the sense of urgency and danger, that propelled the first arc, to kept me reading any further.
March 21, 2021
Interesting
It was really interesting to see Torin work with her old enemy as an ally.
The bad guy's obsession put an interesting spin on things.
It was really interesting to see Torin work with her old enemy as an ally.
The bad guy's obsession put an interesting spin on things.
August 15, 2022
Love Torin so much and could keep reading her stories for a very long time.
April 27, 2020
I LOOOOOVE THESE BOOKS.
"Hanging out with Torin and the gang" is one of my favorite ways to escape reality. I could read these over and over again and never get tired of them.
I am so happy that we get to see a lot more of the other alien races in this installment. I also love the setting of an archaeological dig on a "Class 2 designate planet," and all of the characters working on the dig are very fun to read - especially Harveer Aniz.
"Hanging out with Torin and the gang" is one of my favorite ways to escape reality. I could read these over and over again and never get tired of them.
I am so happy that we get to see a lot more of the other alien races in this installment. I also love the setting of an archaeological dig on a "Class 2 designate planet," and all of the characters working on the dig are very fun to read - especially Harveer Aniz.
March 28, 2017
Second in the Peacekeeper sequence, following retired Gunnery Sergeant Torin Kerr and her loyal band after the end of the war started by the plastic aliens. The Wardens have bowed to the occasional necessity of force and formed strike teams composed of members of the Younger Races, mostly ex-military. Kerr and cohorts are Strike Team Alpha, and they have acquired a bit of a reputation.
When a scientific expedition excavating ruins on a restricted planet turns up evidence of destroyed plastic, a group of mercenaries arrives to find the weapon that they are sure must be there. The scientists, mostly mid-Races Katrien and Niln, are entirely unused to violence. Things do not go well. Strike Team Alpha are sent in to rescue the hostages, along with several members of the Primacy (formerly known as the Enemy). Events develop from there.
This is absorbing, but a bit more diffuse than the first one. There are a lot of characters to keep track of.
Well worth reading.
When a scientific expedition excavating ruins on a restricted planet turns up evidence of destroyed plastic, a group of mercenaries arrives to find the weapon that they are sure must be there. The scientists, mostly mid-Races Katrien and Niln, are entirely unused to violence. Things do not go well. Strike Team Alpha are sent in to rescue the hostages, along with several members of the Primacy (formerly known as the Enemy). Events develop from there.
This is absorbing, but a bit more diffuse than the first one. There are a lot of characters to keep track of.
Well worth reading.
June 26, 2017
3.5 stars
Torin has to be a unique mix of peacekeeper, Marine and politician, in a universe where nothing is *quite* as it is for us. Guns can't be concealed, plastic is either inert or a manipulative intelligent lifeform, and whatever she does there's a mountain of paperwork. Luckily (or not) there's a species that thrives on beauracracy...
And then there is the task at hand. With the opposing teams almost equally balanced, strategy and experience may decide whose long odds are most successful, but it might be too close for comfort.
This wasn't quite as enjoyable as the first, but still good. I would have found it less confusing if I'd reread #1, because then I would have been able to keep the various species' straight. It took me too long to get back into this universe, but that's a failing on my part! Will definitely improve on rereads. (Especially as "watching" alien archeologists at work was quite entertaining.)
Disclaimer: I received a free copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Torin has to be a unique mix of peacekeeper, Marine and politician, in a universe where nothing is *quite* as it is for us. Guns can't be concealed, plastic is either inert or a manipulative intelligent lifeform, and whatever she does there's a mountain of paperwork. Luckily (or not) there's a species that thrives on beauracracy...
And then there is the task at hand. With the opposing teams almost equally balanced, strategy and experience may decide whose long odds are most successful, but it might be too close for comfort.
This wasn't quite as enjoyable as the first, but still good. I would have found it less confusing if I'd reread #1, because then I would have been able to keep the various species' straight. It took me too long to get back into this universe, but that's a failing on my part! Will definitely improve on rereads. (Especially as "watching" alien archeologists at work was quite entertaining.)
Disclaimer: I received a free copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
June 12, 2017
Torin Kerr and company continue to stumble upon seemingly no-win situations with political implications of the inter-galactic variety in A Peace Divided. The mission setup takes about the first 50 pages to really get going, but once it does, Kerr leads her team from one potentially deadly disaster to another.
T.H. continues her reign supreme of combining the edginess of battle-tested/ready warriors with droll humor about government bureaucracy, political intrigue, leadership hierarchies, emotional intimacy, and full-on adventure. A very interesting assortment of portrayals of not/dealing with the personal costs of going to war offer context for a provocative debate about the pros and cons of violence used to keep the peace among private citizens and between nations; civilian versus military intentions.
[Still heavy on the ellipses usage. Maybe not quite as much as in previous titles.]
T.H. continues her reign supreme of combining the edginess of battle-tested/ready warriors with droll humor about government bureaucracy, political intrigue, leadership hierarchies, emotional intimacy, and full-on adventure. A very interesting assortment of portrayals of not/dealing with the personal costs of going to war offer context for a provocative debate about the pros and cons of violence used to keep the peace among private citizens and between nations; civilian versus military intentions.
[Still heavy on the ellipses usage. Maybe not quite as much as in previous titles.]
July 17, 2018
This is the second book in the Peacekeeper series by Tanya Huff and the seventh book in the Confederation series. All the books are about Gunnery Sergeant Torin Kerr. The war with the Primacy is over and Torin and her team are now working for the Justice Department. Their job is to stop armed conflict by pirates and other groups with a minimum of violence. Torin and her team soon find out that although they may be willing to use a minimum of violence the bad guys have other ideas. You can take Gunnery Sergeant Torin Kerr out of the military but you can't take the Gunnery Sergeant out of Torin Kerr. Torin and her crew will do what is necessary to stop the bad guys even though that may mean using just a little more than the minimum of violence. A good read in the Military Science Fiction Genre.
October 24, 2023
It physically pains me to give a Tanya Huff novel a four-star review, but this one just doesn't quite hit the mark. It's close, but ...
Some random thoughts:
- it's a confusing, as she introduces almost two dozen new characters and then switches between them very quickly. Seriously - there are a lot of characters to keep track of.
- some excellent coverage of the issue of veterans and PTSD and the lack of support they get. Relevant in this country right now.
- definitely book two of a trilogy - the important but frustrating connecting material
- some issues that would be important to Torin Kerr are glossed over in the final battle, which I found a little strange.
Read this novel. It's lovely. Just be aware that it's not *quite* perfect. :)
Some random thoughts:
- it's a confusing, as she introduces almost two dozen new characters and then switches between them very quickly. Seriously - there are a lot of characters to keep track of.
- some excellent coverage of the issue of veterans and PTSD and the lack of support they get. Relevant in this country right now.
- definitely book two of a trilogy - the important but frustrating connecting material
- some issues that would be important to Torin Kerr are glossed over in the final battle, which I found a little strange.
Read this novel. It's lovely. Just be aware that it's not *quite* perfect. :)
December 20, 2020
I had several problems with this book that makes it my least favorite in Torin's saga to date.
First of all, the number of characters. Oh my gosh. Okay, there is a list in the back that tell you the 'major' players in the story as well as their race (and, almost without fail, nothing else). This is sort of nice, but only if you want to flip to the back of the book every three pages to remind yourself who these seventy people are. Yes. There is literally seventy names on this list. That is beyond overkill, but what makes it even worse is the way they are handled. In the narration, you are introduced to a minimum of thirty-one of them as three groups. (It takes until well past the halfway point for me to realize there are actually four groups.) Each individual is described only minimally, (to the degree that I got gender's wrong) and they will also often be referred to by race (which I would often get wrong) - though the actual, individual races are described even less than the individual. Some of these characters we actually met three books ago and they are described not at all.
(There is a reason that frequent writing advice is to not introduce groups of people at once. This book is an example of that reason.)
Next, this book is not fun. Not only do the 'characters' not use humor to lighten things as much as they usually do, the very plot doesn't allow much humor. (Perhaps this is why, until this book, my least favorite had been the 'rescue Craig' book. Because when attention is all on how worried we all are (or not) about someone, there are much, much fewer wisecracks.) What also contributes to this is the lack of di'Taykan's. We have four. The three on planet are…there. For a long time, I thought one of the Krai was a di'Taykan - which I think illustrates how di'Taykan the di'Taykan's were acting. Alamber was relegated to support with Craig (thankfully) and we hear him over comms only occasionally.
So, what about all the death, destruction and mayhem, what ex-Gunny Kerr does best? Yeah…First of all, there was none in the first nine (of eleven) chapters. This is a rescue mission. As such, once the skirmish starts, the battle will be, essentially, over. Then, when people do start dropping like flies, I don't care. Because this list of 'characters' are little more than names on a page to me, even by the end of the book. I haven't been able to keep a third of our thirty plus supporting cast (everyone except for Torren & Co.) straight. Without having to think about it, I actually know who three of the hostage-takers are. Out of fourteen. I only remember who three out of fourteen are. Also, I've been known to confuse hostage for hostage-taker and vice-versa. I don't know them so I just don't care.
About out main group? Well, I dislike Craig. Always have. He's…so bland and nothing. If the gender's were reversed, Craig would be every 'girl' the 'hero' gets at the end of his quest. As it is, he's so boring. The rest of the characters…I like them, but we know nothing about Mashona, nothing about Ressk, that Werst grew up station-side, that Torin grew up on a farm (and, I think, has a brother) and barely a little more about Alamber. That's tolerable when we had a full company in the military that we were following. Now that we have six people and they have more of a job and less of a calling… To still know nothing about them is a problem for me.
Finally, a problem that was not the book's fault, I was doomed just a little from the start because the last two Huff books I read have been the first two in her Vicki Nelson series and they worked out poorly for me.
All in all, I will be finishing this series, but this author is yet another 'favorite' that is falling in my estimation.
(Final notes: I do not like the relationship between Craig and Torrin. It's a little too…traditional for me. There are pet names and professions of love around near death experiences and I just don't like it. And the literal ending of this book, like the last page, was seriously creepy. I mean, super creepy. Not the best thought to leave me with.)
First of all, the number of characters. Oh my gosh. Okay, there is a list in the back that tell you the 'major' players in the story as well as their race (and, almost without fail, nothing else). This is sort of nice, but only if you want to flip to the back of the book every three pages to remind yourself who these seventy people are. Yes. There is literally seventy names on this list. That is beyond overkill, but what makes it even worse is the way they are handled. In the narration, you are introduced to a minimum of thirty-one of them as three groups. (It takes until well past the halfway point for me to realize there are actually four groups.) Each individual is described only minimally, (to the degree that I got gender's wrong) and they will also often be referred to by race (which I would often get wrong) - though the actual, individual races are described even less than the individual. Some of these characters we actually met three books ago and they are described not at all.
(There is a reason that frequent writing advice is to not introduce groups of people at once. This book is an example of that reason.)
Next, this book is not fun. Not only do the 'characters' not use humor to lighten things as much as they usually do, the very plot doesn't allow much humor. (Perhaps this is why, until this book, my least favorite had been the 'rescue Craig' book. Because when attention is all on how worried we all are (or not) about someone, there are much, much fewer wisecracks.) What also contributes to this is the lack of di'Taykan's. We have four. The three on planet are…there. For a long time, I thought one of the Krai was a di'Taykan - which I think illustrates how di'Taykan the di'Taykan's were acting. Alamber was relegated to support with Craig (thankfully) and we hear him over comms only occasionally.
So, what about all the death, destruction and mayhem, what ex-Gunny Kerr does best? Yeah…First of all, there was none in the first nine (of eleven) chapters. This is a rescue mission. As such, once the skirmish starts, the battle will be, essentially, over. Then, when people do start dropping like flies, I don't care. Because this list of 'characters' are little more than names on a page to me, even by the end of the book. I haven't been able to keep a third of our thirty plus supporting cast (everyone except for Torren & Co.) straight. Without having to think about it, I actually know who three of the hostage-takers are. Out of fourteen. I only remember who three out of fourteen are. Also, I've been known to confuse hostage for hostage-taker and vice-versa. I don't know them so I just don't care.
About out main group? Well, I dislike Craig. Always have. He's…so bland and nothing. If the gender's were reversed, Craig would be every 'girl' the 'hero' gets at the end of his quest. As it is, he's so boring. The rest of the characters…I like them, but we know nothing about Mashona, nothing about Ressk, that Werst grew up station-side, that Torin grew up on a farm (and, I think, has a brother) and barely a little more about Alamber. That's tolerable when we had a full company in the military that we were following. Now that we have six people and they have more of a job and less of a calling… To still know nothing about them is a problem for me.
Finally, a problem that was not the book's fault, I was doomed just a little from the start because the last two Huff books I read have been the first two in her Vicki Nelson series and they worked out poorly for me.
All in all, I will be finishing this series, but this author is yet another 'favorite' that is falling in my estimation.
(Final notes: I do not like the relationship between Craig and Torrin. It's a little too…traditional for me. There are pet names and professions of love around near death experiences and I just don't like it. And the literal ending of this book, like the last page, was seriously creepy. I mean, super creepy. Not the best thought to leave me with.)
June 12, 2018
Audiobook
Story: B+, Narration: A
Torin and her group of wardens are reunited with some of their old acquaintances when they're assigned to work with Primacy representatives on a mission to free a group of scientists/academics who have been taken hostage while working at a historical site on a remote, abandoned planet. The site was the ruins of a civilization of limited advancement that vanished suddenly, so it was a bit of a surprise (and an anomaly) when traces of plastic were discovered in a latrine pit since everything else indicated they were pre-plastic in their development. When one of the scientists noted the find in one of their reports, it caught the interest of an unknown (not really, since we all know who was behind it) party who was convinced that the ancient species had developed a weapon for use against the plastic aliens and he was determined to get his hands on it. So, he sent a group of mixed Federation and Primacy mercenaries to the planet to find and retrieve the weapon.
Two different groups comprised the mercs: the remnants of a Federation Navy unit led by their former commander, a broken Krai who is trying to keep himself together and his ship running by accepting this job, and the "muscle" group led by a Humans First ex-sergeant and a several Federation and Primacy fighters. Martin, the ex-sergeant, is a nasty piece of work who has his own agenda and is quick to mete out violence and death.
Kerr's group includes her usual Warden team plus Primacy reinforcements, including some of the ex-military she worked with to escape the prison planet where they were all held by the plastic aliens. It was interesting to see them working together under the new dynamic--no one in the military (on either side) anymore, Torin in charge. There was also a lot going on within the Primacy group.
In the end, Kerr's group was mostly successful with (most of) the bad guys captured (some killed), and (most of) the hostages rescued (some killed/injured). But two large issues remained. First, dealing with the Humans First movement and their suspected backer, a wealthy human arms merchant. Second, the fact that hidden plastic was found on the planet--a big data sheet that Wurst thinks may have represented troop movements. Kerr wonders if the PAs were studying the alien civilization and, when they appeared to become a threat, infiltrated them and caused them devolve into a lower order of beings (which may have been the fierce mammals Kerr's team came across).
The book ends with Alamber, using his tech skills, investigating the shady arms dealer. I have to say that I've been worried for Alamber ever since the cover of book #3 was released, and my tension level has been raised even higher due to this development. Don't let anything happen to Alamber! He's been through so much and deserves some happiness.
So, my thoughts about this book. I love Torin Kerr and whole Confederation/Peacekeeper series and would love to have a dozen more books. That said, I struggled with this one a bit. I usually read the books when they first come out, then follow up with the audio. With this one, I put the book down a few chapters in and never finished it. I only just listened to the audio because I wanted to be ready for the new book being released next week. It just seemed to drag at the start (truthfully, I found it a bit slow throughout), and I was also confused by all the players, particularly the Primacy characters from both sides. I never did get it all straight--the different races, names, relationships, physical descriptions, etc.--but I kind of let it flow over me with the audio and didn't even attempt to sort it out. All in all, this was a good, if not great, entry in the series and sets up a lot of action that will presumably occur in the next book. I'm looking forward to it.
A final note about Marguerite Gavin, the narrator. In a word, she's terrific. She IS Torin Kerr. (I've also been listening to the Kate Shugak books and I can say that she's also Kate. LOL.) She's just that good.
Story: B+, Narration: A
Torin and her group of wardens are reunited with some of their old acquaintances when they're assigned to work with Primacy representatives on a mission to free a group of scientists/academics who have been taken hostage while working at a historical site on a remote, abandoned planet. The site was the ruins of a civilization of limited advancement that vanished suddenly, so it was a bit of a surprise (and an anomaly) when traces of plastic were discovered in a latrine pit since everything else indicated they were pre-plastic in their development. When one of the scientists noted the find in one of their reports, it caught the interest of an unknown (not really, since we all know who was behind it) party who was convinced that the ancient species had developed a weapon for use against the plastic aliens and he was determined to get his hands on it. So, he sent a group of mixed Federation and Primacy mercenaries to the planet to find and retrieve the weapon.
Two different groups comprised the mercs: the remnants of a Federation Navy unit led by their former commander, a broken Krai who is trying to keep himself together and his ship running by accepting this job, and the "muscle" group led by a Humans First ex-sergeant and a several Federation and Primacy fighters. Martin, the ex-sergeant, is a nasty piece of work who has his own agenda and is quick to mete out violence and death.
Kerr's group includes her usual Warden team plus Primacy reinforcements, including some of the ex-military she worked with to escape the prison planet where they were all held by the plastic aliens. It was interesting to see them working together under the new dynamic--no one in the military (on either side) anymore, Torin in charge. There was also a lot going on within the Primacy group.
In the end, Kerr's group was mostly successful with (most of) the bad guys captured (some killed), and (most of) the hostages rescued (some killed/injured). But two large issues remained. First, dealing with the Humans First movement and their suspected backer, a wealthy human arms merchant. Second, the fact that hidden plastic was found on the planet--a big data sheet that Wurst thinks may have represented troop movements. Kerr wonders if the PAs were studying the alien civilization and, when they appeared to become a threat, infiltrated them and caused them devolve into a lower order of beings (which may have been the fierce mammals Kerr's team came across).
The book ends with Alamber, using his tech skills, investigating the shady arms dealer. I have to say that I've been worried for Alamber ever since the cover of book #3 was released, and my tension level has been raised even higher due to this development. Don't let anything happen to Alamber! He's been through so much and deserves some happiness.
So, my thoughts about this book. I love Torin Kerr and whole Confederation/Peacekeeper series and would love to have a dozen more books. That said, I struggled with this one a bit. I usually read the books when they first come out, then follow up with the audio. With this one, I put the book down a few chapters in and never finished it. I only just listened to the audio because I wanted to be ready for the new book being released next week. It just seemed to drag at the start (truthfully, I found it a bit slow throughout), and I was also confused by all the players, particularly the Primacy characters from both sides. I never did get it all straight--the different races, names, relationships, physical descriptions, etc.--but I kind of let it flow over me with the audio and didn't even attempt to sort it out. All in all, this was a good, if not great, entry in the series and sets up a lot of action that will presumably occur in the next book. I'm looking forward to it.
A final note about Marguerite Gavin, the narrator. In a word, she's terrific. She IS Torin Kerr. (I've also been listening to the Kate Shugak books and I can say that she's also Kate. LOL.) She's just that good.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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