Honor the Threat

The Revelations Cycle #12

by Kevin Ikenberry

Peacemakers. The Galactic Union’s most capable enforcers and resolute negotiators, their name alone elicits fear and awe among the Union’s citizenry. Except for Jessica Francis. Not only is she the newest Peacemaker, Jessica is also the first Human Peacemaker, and she commands the respect of few, both inside and outside the Peacemaker’s Guild. No one believes humanity is ready to take on the mantle of being a Peacemaker, and Jessica is stuck flying a desk. That is, until a species-induction mission comes along, and she is in the right time and place to get assigned to it. The jungle world of Weqq was terraformed millennia ago and seeded to grow medicinal herbs to be used in the event of war. But when a routine MinSha collection mission stumbles upon a young TriRusk, a race that can synthesize diamonds and hasn’t been seen in centuries, the mission’s leader knows that more than just the MinSha will be interested in the creature, and that a Peacemaker’s aid will be necessary to protect the species. With mercenaries sent to kill everyone on the planet and an administrator reluctant to turn over the young TriRusk, a negotiated solution may be impossible, despite Jessica’s best intentions. Outnumbered and outgunned, there’s only one thing Jessica knows; she’s got them right where she wants them.

Genres: Science Fiction

469 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 13, 2018

About the author

Kevin’s head has been in the clouds since he was old enough to read. Ask him and he’ll tell you that he still wants to be an astronaut. Kevin has a diverse background in space and space science education. As an adult, he's managed the world-renowned U.S. Space Camp program and operated two Challenger Learning Centers. A retired Army officer, Kevin continues to work with space every day.

Kevin is the author of the science fiction novel SLEEPER PROTOCOL (2016) which Publisher's Weekly called "an emotionally powerful debut." His military science fiction novel RUNS IN THE FAMILY (2016) has gained a growing legion of fans. He continues to work on sequels for both novels as well as short fiction and an alternate history novel.

Reviews

[Kevin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amazing

This series just gets better and better. The universal plot unwinds, characters and motives are revealed and further developed.
This writer does a superb job of keeping the action detail tight gripping g and real.

[Pat Patterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I obtained this book through the Kindle Unlimited program.

I have little doubt as to the reason the Most Wicked Villain developed into the contemptible specimen that he is. It's because his parents hated him.

Raleigh Reilly? It's close to a death sentence. True, they could have named him “Stink Between My Toes Reilly,” but I suppose that would have been too obvious.

Little kids can't spell; they just hear sounds. So, instead of perceiving the somewhat possibly distinguished name 'Raleigh,' they hear the clown-shaped word 'Rollie.' You have to have a handlebar mustache and lead the major leagues in saves in order to sport the name 'Rollie' and get away with it. Add the surname 'Reilly to that, and starting in pre-school, he hears the chant:

Raleigh Reilly
Never Smiley
Rarely Ruly
Raleigh Reilly!

...and becomes a psychopath. It was inevitable.

Admittedly, he COULD have just remained at home and become a serial killer, but there was very little money in that. He liked whiskey. So, it's the mercenary life for him. Lots of endorsed murder with big honken bang-sticks, recruits to abuse, and an unending supply of whiskey.

I don't THINK this is a spoiler, because it is revealed very early in the story, but skip the next paragraph if you are highly spoiler-averse. Like I said, I don't THINK it's a spoiler.
I wonder: if influential members of the United Nations had realized at the beginning that ALL that it took for genocide to become an approved practice, was for a contract to be issued calling for that: would they have agreed to sign up? I would hope not. But truly, that is the deal. It's only a slight shift from the (repudiated) defense of “I was only following orders” to “I was fulfilling a legal contract.” But, whereas on Earth, humans have applied a higher standard to behavior, no such standard exists for the Galactic Union.

What in the heck are the MinSha doing on the planet? There is no one there to kill. Science? MinSha doing SCIENCE? Surely you jest! (No, I'm NOT jesting and...never mind.) However, even among the placid and hallowed halls of **SCIENCE**, there are strange things happening. (Parenthetical note: In any academic or industrial science environment, with the +possible+ exception of a well-run, financially secure community college, strange things will be happening. Budgets. Office space. Advancement. Parking! It will always be something. At least, that's my experience.)

And there is something very strange going on in the bushes. (No, not that! MinSha don't do that.) Certain figures have appeared that really shouldn't be there. I'll not go further, because this really COULD be the Spoiler We Haven't Been Looking For, but I will go so far as to remind you of the story of the goose and shiny eggs.

At the center of it all is the first Human Peacemaker, the lovely, deadly, conflicted fixer of insanely difficult problems, without being a Mary Sue: Jessica Francis. Always professional, always determined to use all resources to solve whatever problem she faces, Francis has had almost no opportunity to form human friendships. Her one human friend, Tara Mason, has been cast adrift by circumstances I have yet to discover (maybe I'm missing something?). Jessica really has no hope of that relationship being restored; for one thing, surely Tara is somewhere else. It's a semi-large galaxy/universe/space, after all.

GREAT characters; lots of action, with exploding spaceships; MUCH, MUCH intrigue; problems which are have no solution, but MUST be solved. I keep thinking that each book is the best so far, and I thought that with this one as well. HOWEVER!!!!!!! In the course of reading THIS, I had to go back and do some re-reading of prior books in both Revelations Cycle and Omega War, and they were still excellent reading. So, I am forced to conclude that it is just the fact that each book engages me, much as a kiss from my gift-from-God, happily-ever-after trophy wife Vanessa, the elegant, foxy, praying black grandmother of Woodstock, GA, engages me. Therefore, each book I am reading is the best, just as each kiss I am a part of is the best.

If that makes no sense to you, then find your significant other, and make at least PART of that a reality.

You'll thank me for it.

[John Davies · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great book set in the 4HU universe. Kevin writes great characters, and this book is no exception.

Jessica is a Peacemaker, sent to a planet on request of a colony of MinSha that have just re-discovered a colony of TriRusk. As a potential "first contact", Jessica is supposed to evaluate if they should be brought into the Galactic Union or not. What she doesn't know, is that the Mercenary Guild have sent a group of human mercenaries to kill every living creature on the planet, Human, MinSha and TriRusk.

Finding herself in a fight that she technically can't win, Jessica will need to epitomise the Peacemaker motto of "Stand or Fall" to prevent a genocide being committed by humans, as the universe begins to go to war against the Humans.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

strap yourself in as this is a wild rollercoaster ride

wow, i was not sure what this story was going to be like but it it like being on a rollercoaster and you certainly are in for one heck of a ride

i enjoyed the characters development as the story progressed

i look forward to finding out what Jessica's new mission is and hopefully we get a book with Tara's mission as well

[Ann Zdunczyk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read

I was waiting for another one to come out and I was not disappointed when it finally did. Someone is trying to kill her and she finds a lost group that disappeared several hundred years ago. You will have to read it to see all that goes on, you will not be disappointed!!!

[Andy Riedel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Locked and loaded

Another gripping book in this series! Slowly the plans of the mercenary guild are revealed and maybe there could be a future for the human race in the Union. Plots within Plots! Eagerly awaiting the next instalment

[Justin Cramer · Rating 5 out of 5]

So many stories lines from the first 11 books are brought together masterfully in this book. There are still a few things that were left hanging, but I am hoping to pick those up in another 4HU book.

[Bill · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Revelations Cycle gets better and better. Peacemaker Jessica Francis continues to be my favorite human character. Looking forward to the next book.

[Riho-Rene Ellermaa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thumbs up

Fine piece of action and worthy following of the series. New species are introduced (in my mind like Jetty). Keep it coming.

[David Beck · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like the Peacekeeper involved stories in this series and this one lived up to my hopes. Great story in which many butts were kicked. Jessica is bad ass and her ability to overcome is top notch.

[Cal Evans · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book

[Captain Dunsel · Rating 5 out of 5]

A few hard-to-swallow bits, but otherwise very entertaining. The plot against Humanity is still being tantalizingly uncovered.