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RCN #8
What Distant Deeps:
David Drake [is] the reason a lot of people got started reading military science fiction, because it's always a good idea to start with the best.--David Weber
The jackals are moving in! The barbarians of the outer reaches intend to play both Cinnabar and Cinnabar’s sworn enemy, the totalitarian Alliance, against each other and bring both empires down like an enormous house of cards. The barbarian pirates have commandeered and hot-rodded starships that can outmaneuver even Captain Leary’s trusty RCN corvette. But speed and tech don’t count for everything. The Princess Cecile has the incomparable Daniel Leary and his trusted aide and friend Adele Mundy in command. Faced with such grit, bravery and intelligent misdirection the pirates might find they’ve bitten off more than they can chew.
483 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2010
36 people are currently reading
468 people want to read
About the author
David Drake
318 books888 followersDavid Drake is an American author of science fiction and fantasy literature. A Vietnam War veteran who has worked as a lawyer, he is now one of the major authors of the military science fiction genre.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
June 25, 2020
6/20/17 4th reread. Yet another very enjoyable read in this great series.
May 7, 2011
I've enjoyed every book in this series (which is consciously modeled after the Aubrey/Maturin books). This one shows no signs of disappointment so far. (A relief after a series of less-than-fun books.) (Currently listening to audible version.)
January 11, 2015
An interesting space opera that builds on the traditions of Horatio Hornblower. If 19th century naval fiction is up your alley, this is the book for you.
October 1, 2020
yet another excellent story in this series. This time, Daniel and Adele have been sent on a simple 'delivery' mission, delivering a new Commissioner to Zenobia. In addition, Adele is supposed to 'spy' on a member of Zenobian nobility, who was recently the companion to the head of the Alliance, Cinnabar's enemy.
Once they have delivered the Commissioner, he reveals that there are some strange purchases made in Cinnabar's name, and they realise that a plot to invade Zenobia by one of their neighbours, with the supposed 'help' of Cinnabar, is about to take place. Along with two Alliance destroyers, Daniel must battle the invading fleet from Palmyra, or risk the flimsy peace that has begun between the Alliance and Cinnabar.
It's a ripping read, with you being left wondering if our heroes will triumph or not.
Once they have delivered the Commissioner, he reveals that there are some strange purchases made in Cinnabar's name, and they realise that a plot to invade Zenobia by one of their neighbours, with the supposed 'help' of Cinnabar, is about to take place. Along with two Alliance destroyers, Daniel must battle the invading fleet from Palmyra, or risk the flimsy peace that has begun between the Alliance and Cinnabar.
It's a ripping read, with you being left wondering if our heroes will triumph or not.
May 3, 2022
A peace treaty has been signed by the Republic of Cinnabar and the Alliance, and both sides want to keep the peace. The two superpowers are worn out, overtaxed and tired from years of warfare. Daniel Leary is given a simple assignment: ferry a diplomatic official and his family to a "barbarian" world far from the center of things. But Daniel and signal office Adele Mundy discover a plot involving a local autocrat that threatens to overthrow the local government in a way that would implicate Cinnabar and potentially restart the war. Daniel must ally with the local Alliance commander to stop this from happening.
This is another enjoyable entry in the Leary/Mundy series. Once again we have a slate of by now familiar characters (who actually develop as the series goes on), as well as some great action scenes. This is my favorite current military space opera series.
This is another enjoyable entry in the Leary/Mundy series. Once again we have a slate of by now familiar characters (who actually develop as the series goes on), as well as some great action scenes. This is my favorite current military space opera series.
May 16, 2024
This is the first one of the series I almost set down. The Space Captain Hornblower and his faithful noble intel officer are sent on a charter mission to deliver a diplomat to the backwater, and also do intel.
Both have been a little stiff and overly proud the entire series, but this time the intel O turns into a class one bitch to everyone, even to the hardworking local intel department who are trying to tell her, and the entire agency, that things are very wrong-- because they didn't kiss her shoes correctly.
Then there is an adventure, but not much happens.
Both have been a little stiff and overly proud the entire series, but this time the intel O turns into a class one bitch to everyone, even to the hardworking local intel department who are trying to tell her, and the entire agency, that things are very wrong-- because they didn't kiss her shoes correctly.
Then there is an adventure, but not much happens.
July 18, 2018
Peace - what's it good for?
If you're a Captain in the RCN, it likely means waiting for an assignment or getting placed on half-pay status. Certainly not good times.
Captain Daniel Leary - he's got a reputation, one for getting things done.
His new assignment?
He's to deliver a diplomat & his family to some backwater location.
Fortunately, he's using the Princess Cecile & has his crack crew to back him up.
What could possibly go wrong?
If you're a Captain in the RCN, it likely means waiting for an assignment or getting placed on half-pay status. Certainly not good times.
Captain Daniel Leary - he's got a reputation, one for getting things done.
His new assignment?
He's to deliver a diplomat & his family to some backwater location.
Fortunately, he's using the Princess Cecile & has his crack crew to back him up.
What could possibly go wrong?
July 22, 2024
Good space fighting sequence, funny turn out about alliance help. I would’ve loved more explanation/ interaction with the small ships.The biology part was repetitive (unless there will be an alien encounter in a later book) but I get the each character has different interests. The experience of bubble universes is too much for me. Unfortunately I didn’t have the ebook and had to listen to the audio book (still don’t like it and I lose track).
May 15, 2021
Political intrigue mixed with thrilling action
The novel further develops its main characters deftly and gives the reader a taste of the intrigue and dangers of political unrest, together with the gallantry of honorable adversaries and exciting naval action. Having read, listened and liked Drake's previous seven titles in this series I wholeheartedly recommend it.
The novel further develops its main characters deftly and gives the reader a taste of the intrigue and dangers of political unrest, together with the gallantry of honorable adversaries and exciting naval action. Having read, listened and liked Drake's previous seven titles in this series I wholeheartedly recommend it.
January 20, 2026
7.75/10
Adele Mundy continues to be my favorite character in this series, although her inner demons & bleak outlook seemed more prevalent in this installment. The secondary characters are well-written. I’m glad to see Daniel Leary’s womanizing has decreased as he has matured.
Adele Mundy continues to be my favorite character in this series, although her inner demons & bleak outlook seemed more prevalent in this installment. The secondary characters are well-written. I’m glad to see Daniel Leary’s womanizing has decreased as he has matured.
June 2, 2020
This series is just escapist fun of the first order.
July 23, 2025
I still love sails in space. And the ridiculous social constructs.
October 19, 2025
Great story. It’s been said this is master and commander in space. But so much better. It doesn’t languish in details.
October 23, 2025
Good novel. Space opera theme, centred around neo-Roman society and 18th century sailing techniques. [edit]
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October 26, 2025Why you might like it: RCN series: Aubrey/Maturin in space, with logistics. Rubric match: not yet scored. Uses your engineering/rigor/first-contact/world-building rubric. Tags: military-sf, ops
July 18, 2019
Good overall. More minutia than I prefer regarding the fauna.
February 28, 2024
An elegant masterpiece
Our heroes, Leary and Mundy, are off to a far flung territory seeking intelligence when they stumble on plot that threatens general peace.
This, the eighth in the late David Drake’s RCN series, shows the pair at their best. An epic space battle, which brings unlikely allies together, jumps from the pages like a hypersonic missile.
You don’t need to have binge read the earlier books like I have in recent weeks, but if you enjoy intelligent and subtle writing, mixed with tarragon of space opera and the cinnamon of platonic love, this is for you.
I know this series will end, like all good stories do. But I rather wish they didn’t, so much do I enjoy them.
Our heroes, Leary and Mundy, are off to a far flung territory seeking intelligence when they stumble on plot that threatens general peace.
This, the eighth in the late David Drake’s RCN series, shows the pair at their best. An epic space battle, which brings unlikely allies together, jumps from the pages like a hypersonic missile.
You don’t need to have binge read the earlier books like I have in recent weeks, but if you enjoy intelligent and subtle writing, mixed with tarragon of space opera and the cinnamon of platonic love, this is for you.
I know this series will end, like all good stories do. But I rather wish they didn’t, so much do I enjoy them.
April 24, 2017
I struggled with this one. I later learned that this was part of a bigger series so there was a lot of background information I had to learn. There were so many characters and places I struggled to.keep track. I listed them on a piece of paper but ran out of space and patience when the list reached 110 characters and places. Why couldn't they just print a list you could refer to? Also I kept missing the subtleties of the story. Perhaps it was the lack of background. I knew I was missing things but I just felt in the dark about a lot of what was going on, even when I reread pages. Looking back, a lot of those places and characters were not important and contributed little to the story.
I seem to be out of step with most reviewers who are familiar with the RCN series and rate it highly.
I seem to be out of step with most reviewers who are familiar with the RCN series and rate it highly.
February 28, 2017
Totally enjoyed book
In the best traditions of Lieutenant Larry I can't recommend this book to highly it's been a great read I hope everyone else enjoyed
In the best traditions of Lieutenant Larry I can't recommend this book to highly it's been a great read I hope everyone else enjoyed
July 25, 2016
Drake once again brings us an exciting tale of Captain Leary and his good friend Adele Mundy.
We can't wait to see more of course as this daring leader and his partner continue to go head first into danger and often face defeat moments before they find victory. This tale, perhaps dwells too long on a combat that is hard enough to keep track of, though because of the unique war Drake envisions space combat, we are introduced again to how it all must be explained, and near half the book is given over to one combat, with a few pages at the end to resolve matters.
Perhaps the minutia of combat may need to be listed in a four or five page brief, and the story could flow more easily, for the characters tasked with guiding us through the battle, and points of view we see, make it seem artificial. Now the physics of the Leary universe begin to get in the way of the storytelling. Something that when looking at the tales of Hornblower and CS Forester (where all ship to ship combat stories and series seem to have their roots in) does not need.
And then in the opening notes we are told that the 200s had a similar plot as that of our own Palmyra. I do not mind that at all. But perhaps changing the names from our world and history to the universe that is so many centuries ahead (Reference to Earth and times does mean that Leary's people look back at us-so the grand times of the French Revolution, the Napoleonic Wars, and even Roman ambitions all adding real historical names seems somewhat uncreative.)
In Leary we have a hero who has advanced tactics ahead of those he fights. Who understands that risk will have its costs. There is one loss in this story, but after so long now, it may be time to kill those close secondary characters who also seem to have a charmed life along with the hero. Nowhere near the super invulnerability of a Honor Herrington, but time for Leary to lose some of the guides who have been with him since the first book.
Otherwise, a good, fast paced read. And worthy of a reread when Drake has decided that the series has reached its end.
We can't wait to see more of course as this daring leader and his partner continue to go head first into danger and often face defeat moments before they find victory. This tale, perhaps dwells too long on a combat that is hard enough to keep track of, though because of the unique war Drake envisions space combat, we are introduced again to how it all must be explained, and near half the book is given over to one combat, with a few pages at the end to resolve matters.
Perhaps the minutia of combat may need to be listed in a four or five page brief, and the story could flow more easily, for the characters tasked with guiding us through the battle, and points of view we see, make it seem artificial. Now the physics of the Leary universe begin to get in the way of the storytelling. Something that when looking at the tales of Hornblower and CS Forester (where all ship to ship combat stories and series seem to have their roots in) does not need.
And then in the opening notes we are told that the 200s had a similar plot as that of our own Palmyra. I do not mind that at all. But perhaps changing the names from our world and history to the universe that is so many centuries ahead (Reference to Earth and times does mean that Leary's people look back at us-so the grand times of the French Revolution, the Napoleonic Wars, and even Roman ambitions all adding real historical names seems somewhat uncreative.)
In Leary we have a hero who has advanced tactics ahead of those he fights. Who understands that risk will have its costs. There is one loss in this story, but after so long now, it may be time to kill those close secondary characters who also seem to have a charmed life along with the hero. Nowhere near the super invulnerability of a Honor Herrington, but time for Leary to lose some of the guides who have been with him since the first book.
Otherwise, a good, fast paced read. And worthy of a reread when Drake has decided that the series has reached its end.
June 10, 2015
Over the course of this book I went from kind of critical and confused to loving all the main characters and wishing I'd read this before some of his other books.
David Drake writes about people who are cold and numb because they've suffered a lot. In this book, we have Captain Daniel Leary, a wildly successful war hero returning home after the signing of a peace treaty in a badly damaged ship. His best friend and communications officer, Adele Mundy, grew up alone in a slum after every other member of her aristocratic family-- including her ten-year-old sister-- was executed for political reasons. They've both seen a lot of death, and because they're so matter-of-fact about it, it can be hard to see that they actually do have emotions. The things that show their personalities-- that establish them as characters, rather than the implacable robots they sometimes have to be to do their jobs-- are all very subtle. But once I caught on, I fell in love with both Daniel and Adele.
I also appreciate the attention paid to why the main conflict of the story-- an attempted takeover of a very minor backwater planet by a slightly less minor empire-- happens at all. Though I probably wouldn't have noticed if the author didn't explain it in the introduction.
And I like how Daniel is notionally the main character-- he's the captain of the ship, the book starts with him and his family, the blurb makes it sound like he's the main character-- but as much or more of the book is from Adele's point of view, rather than his. Many similar books are really about a man and his female sidekick, but What Distant Deeps is about a man and a woman, with very different perspectives and skills, who care about each other and make an excellent team.
May 31, 2015
What Distant Deeps, Number Eight in the Royal Cinnabar Navy (RCN) Series, could be titled "The Problem With Proxies."
Ordered to escort a new ambassador to the planet of Palmyra, Daniel Leary and Adele Mundy discover the Palmyrans are secretly pursuing their own agenda. With the help of some corrupt Cinnabar citizens, Psycho Queen Irene, plans to conquer neighboring Zenobia. The problem is, Zenobia is allied with Cinnabar's former enemy, the Alliance of Free Stars (a Peoples Republic of Tyranny).
Should Zenobia fall to the Palmyrans, Gaurantor Porra, the BigBad of the Alliance of Free Stars, will consider this an act of war and will resume hostilities with Cinnabar.
To thwart the Palmyran plan, Leary and Mundy team-up with an Alliance naval officer commanding two destroyers and set out to save the day.
What I enjoyed most about the book is the character interactions of True Companions Daniel and Adele, along with their Ragtag Bunch of Misfits crew.
Although, after reading the other reviews on Amazon, there's a growing sense of fatigue among the readers, even the 4-star raters. The most common comments are the RCN stories have become formulaic: Adele manages to hack into the bad guys computer systems, then Daniel out-sails or outmaneuvers them in a space battle...lather, rinse and repeat.
While this pattern is certainly evident, I still find the series entertaining and intend to buy and read more of David Drake's "Aubrey-Martin IN SPACE!"
Ordered to escort a new ambassador to the planet of Palmyra, Daniel Leary and Adele Mundy discover the Palmyrans are secretly pursuing their own agenda. With the help of some corrupt Cinnabar citizens, Psycho Queen Irene, plans to conquer neighboring Zenobia. The problem is, Zenobia is allied with Cinnabar's former enemy, the Alliance of Free Stars (a Peoples Republic of Tyranny).
Should Zenobia fall to the Palmyrans, Gaurantor Porra, the BigBad of the Alliance of Free Stars, will consider this an act of war and will resume hostilities with Cinnabar.
To thwart the Palmyran plan, Leary and Mundy team-up with an Alliance naval officer commanding two destroyers and set out to save the day.
What I enjoyed most about the book is the character interactions of True Companions Daniel and Adele, along with their Ragtag Bunch of Misfits crew.
Although, after reading the other reviews on Amazon, there's a growing sense of fatigue among the readers, even the 4-star raters. The most common comments are the RCN stories have become formulaic: Adele manages to hack into the bad guys computer systems, then Daniel out-sails or outmaneuvers them in a space battle...lather, rinse and repeat.
While this pattern is certainly evident, I still find the series entertaining and intend to buy and read more of David Drake's "Aubrey-Martin IN SPACE!"
September 25, 2010
This is such a wonderful series. Swashbuckling military SF in the best sense.
Peace has broken out between Cinnabar and The Alliance, and neither side can afford to resume hostilities--they are both too broke and too beat-up. Alas, there are other fringe worlds who are looking to take advantage of that. One such world is Palmyra, which has its eye on Zenobia.
So Leary, Adele and all our familiar RCN spacers are headed out on a civilian mission--to deliver the new Cinnabar Commissioner to Zenobia. At least that's their stated mission. Once they are on Zenobia, though....
Drake always writes intelligent, even witty, books. There is no bloat (sorry, Weber, I'm looking at you) and the characters are fully realized--no cardboard cut-outs here. And there is character growth from book to book as well.
There is enough back story hinted at that readers new to the series won't be totally lost, and the action is wrapped up completely in this volume. However, for maximum enjoyment, you need to start at the beginning (With The Lightnings) and work your way through.
Peace has broken out between Cinnabar and The Alliance, and neither side can afford to resume hostilities--they are both too broke and too beat-up. Alas, there are other fringe worlds who are looking to take advantage of that. One such world is Palmyra, which has its eye on Zenobia.
So Leary, Adele and all our familiar RCN spacers are headed out on a civilian mission--to deliver the new Cinnabar Commissioner to Zenobia. At least that's their stated mission. Once they are on Zenobia, though....
Drake always writes intelligent, even witty, books. There is no bloat (sorry, Weber, I'm looking at you) and the characters are fully realized--no cardboard cut-outs here. And there is character growth from book to book as well.
There is enough back story hinted at that readers new to the series won't be totally lost, and the action is wrapped up completely in this volume. However, for maximum enjoyment, you need to start at the beginning (With The Lightnings) and work your way through.
July 29, 2016
Drake's RCN series features the military leader Daniel Leary and his friend Adele Mundy, librarian extraordinaire, along with a delightful, ever-expanding cast of support characters such as Daniels' family and his servant, Hogg, Adele's socially-challenged assistant Tovera, his shipmates, the incomparable Sissies, etc. (And there's usually a despicable character named Platt.) The stories are all solidly grounded on some interesting historical situation, which he explains in the books' introductions. They're well-told and exciting adventure stories that always offer some good food for thought and reflection, and the characters have depth and facets that always add a lot to the story as a whole. (For example, Daniel has a deep interest in the biological sciences that he rarely has time to pursue.) The books are a lot of fun and definitely among the very best space-opera style stories that I've encountered.
October 29, 2010
Captain Daniel Leary is an expert at navigating through the Matrix. Lady Adele Mundy is an expert at navigating through masses of information. Both of these skills will be extremely tested while they are dealing with an apparent innocuous non-military mission to deliver a new Cinnabar commissioner and his family to the backwater world of Zenobia. A simple courier mission fraught with the complication that the destination is in Alliance space and the recent treaty maybe be signed but not fully enacted by all of its members. Another rousing adventure with the unlikely duo and their eccentric but deadly associates.
November 18, 2011
Peace has broken out between the Republic of Cinnabar and The Alliance of Free Stars. Captain Leary and the Princess Cecile are tasked with taking a new commissioner to the backwater planet of Zenobia. It is supposed to be a quiet and uncomplicated mission, but of course danger and intrigue are lurking. A plot by a local planetary ruler to invade Zenobia soon throws a wrench in the works.
I enjoyed this one greatly. Leary and Mundy are in fine form, The space action is very good, especially the final battle which takes up a good chunk of the book. There is also an abundance of colorful characters, even more than usual for the RCN series.
http://www.books.rosboch.net/?p=1371
I enjoyed this one greatly. Leary and Mundy are in fine form, The space action is very good, especially the final battle which takes up a good chunk of the book. There is also an abundance of colorful characters, even more than usual for the RCN series.
http://www.books.rosboch.net/?p=1371
August 24, 2011
Leary and Mundy take on wogs with designs on setting up a tinpot empire on the edge of Cinnabar space. As usual the storytelling is good, the characters are terrific, the writing is really annoying---Drake repeats himself over and over again repeatedly, explains the same insights into characters over and over, has Adele "grin" about 90 times and reflect on her own emotional detachment repeatedly over and over. It's like the author is writing for readers who can't remember anything that happened more than a few pages ago.
Best read by skimming---and it repays that, believe it or not.
Best read by skimming---and it repays that, believe it or not.
March 12, 2011
I really enjoy David Drake's books and this one is no exception. This is not his best work, and it's not anywhere near the best book in the series. The character development is pretty much stalled, but Leary's beginning to get to know some important people outside of Cinnabar, which opens some pretty interesting opportunities for future books in the series.
All that said, it's still better than most other books out there. Worth the read.
All that said, it's still better than most other books out there. Worth the read.
October 29, 2014
More incredible Military Scifi from David Drake. I enjoy the lack of ambiguous morality of it all. The bad-guys are generally crazy and/or greedy. The good-guys are honorable. Which side of the Cinnabar/Alliance War they are on is irrelevant. There's no real betrayal or serious dilemma or other 'real-life' circumstances, just space opera heroes with dark parts that they keep in check and use as strengths when the time is needed.
May 1, 2024
RCN Forever
Not as good as the previous books in the series but that was always going to be a very hard task. It doesn't mean this is a bad book or hard to read. Leary and Mundy are their normal, if they can be called normal, selves. Action is fast and furious and I like the series!!
Not as good as the previous books in the series but that was always going to be a very hard task. It doesn't mean this is a bad book or hard to read. Leary and Mundy are their normal, if they can be called normal, selves. Action is fast and furious and I like the series!!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews