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nonesensed's review against another edition
3.0
Subtly kicked out of the military academy she'd dreamed of graduating top of the class at for a long time, Kylara "Ky" Vatta is set adrift, emotionally and career-wise. Being an heir to the massive Vatta transport and trade empire, she's not exactly helpless or destitute, but she has little choice in the solution her family brings her: becoming captain (almost in-name-only) of a ship destined for the scrapheap. Take a year long trip to sell the old ship for scraps and return when the scandal of her sudden dropout has died down. But Ky is a Vatta through and through - and Vattas are terrible at sticking to a pre-planned route when there's possible profit to be made.
A very decent book, with more focus on plot than characters. That's not to say that the characters are flat or one dimensional. No, they have plenty of emotional moments speckled throughout the book, but they're not the main focus of the story. This is a story about war, trade and politics, told from the POV of one person caught up in it all. A book in the science fiction/war genre, this book leans more toward war/politics/trade aka if you switched the space ships for sea ships, the story would be much the same.
That happens to not really be my thing, so I won't continue this series, but there's nothing "wrong" with it. It's well-written and it deals with its subject matter well, so if that sounds like your thing, try this book out!
A very decent book, with more focus on plot than characters. That's not to say that the characters are flat or one dimensional. No, they have plenty of emotional moments speckled throughout the book, but they're not the main focus of the story. This is a story about war, trade and politics, told from the POV of one person caught up in it all. A book in the science fiction/war genre, this book leans more toward war/politics/trade aka if you switched the space ships for sea ships, the story would be much the same.
That happens to not really be my thing, so I won't continue this series, but there's nothing "wrong" with it. It's well-written and it deals with its subject matter well, so if that sounds like your thing, try this book out!
elsazetterljung's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
bltk's review against another edition
1.0
did not hold interest, character's motivations really unclear from the get.
ferallore's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
mary_soon_lee's review against another edition
4.0
It's hard to be certain now, decades later, but I think Elizabeth Moon's Paksenarrion books were the first fantasy novels I read where the heroine was a soldier. And it was partly because of that that they made such a deep impression on me. I had loved other women in fantasy, from Tolkien's Eowyn to Le Guin's Tenar, but, brave as they were, and even though Eowyn did fight, they weren't soldiers per se. Paksenarrion was, and that mattered to me. This book, "Trading in Danger," published in 2003, fifteen years after the first Paksenarrion book, is science fiction not fantasy, but it too has a heroine who is trained as a soldier, a heroine who is young and brave and fierce, but also compassionate, considered, even sensible. It's about thirty years since I met Paksenarrion, and there are now far more books with women as soldiers or spaceship captains, but I still appreciate them. Add in the fact that Moon is an accomplished storyteller, and it will come as no surprise that I found this a thoroughly enjoyable, thoroughly satisfying book. I've already ordered the sequel.
About my book reviews: I try to review every book I read, including those that I don't end up enjoying. The reviews are not scholarly, but just indicate my reaction as a reader, reading being my addiction. I am miserly with 5-star reviews; 4 stars means I liked a book very much; 3 stars means I liked it; 2 stars means I didn't like it (though often the 2-star books are very popular with other readers and/or are by authors whose other work I've loved).
About my book reviews: I try to review every book I read, including those that I don't end up enjoying. The reviews are not scholarly, but just indicate my reaction as a reader, reading being my addiction. I am miserly with 5-star reviews; 4 stars means I liked a book very much; 3 stars means I liked it; 2 stars means I didn't like it (though often the 2-star books are very popular with other readers and/or are by authors whose other work I've loved).
chris_towles's review against another edition
3.0
dialogue and characters we're good. The inconsistent technology of her universe started to bother me by book two.
feastofblaze's review
adventurous
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
muddy_gardener's review against another edition
4.0
After a long time 'off' from speculative fiction due to lack of inspiring recommendations, I really enjoyed chomping my way through this action adventure speculative fiction world with battle planning and thought provoking what-if twists. If you read the first one you'll know if you wanted to read the rest. (I did.)
carriethis's review against another edition
4.0
Elizabeth Moon's Vatta's War series is the best thing in sci fi to have happened to me since Joan Vinge's Summer Queen/Winter Queen books. Enthralling blend of female heroism, character development, and space action. Accompanying Captain Kylara Vatta on her journey to becoming a legend has been a real treat. I am on book 4 out of the total 5, and I don't want the trip to end.
ammbooks's review against another edition
4.0
Yet another Moon book to love. I love the way Ms. Moon creates strong characters with real flaws. Her world building is first class. Story lines are well paced.