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kimberely's review against another edition
5.0
Mike Shepherd, I have to thank you for new installment of Kris Longknife. The ability of finding new and evolving story lines for her and the hole crew is a great achievement. I can hardly wait to find for this new chapter in Kris Longknife's story.
pjonsson's review against another edition
4.0
This book ended up in the category of books that I got because it was part of a series that I liked but I had my doubts about this particular book so it gathered imaginary dust on my virtual shelf for quite a while.
The reason I had my doubts about the book was the title and the book blurb. Kris as an emissary sounded way too much like a story focusing on politics and the usual scheming and backstabbing related to that subject which is not at all what I am looking for in a book.
Sure enough there is a fair bit of this but as I found out while reading, it is Iteeche politics and, as I also found out, Iteeche politics can be a real killer (pun intended).
Actually it does not take long at all for Kris’ to have to rely more on her battlecruisers than her negotiation skills. Not surprisingly Kris’ mission is not exactly a mission for a traditional emissary, at least not one in human terms, and there is more than one surprise in store for her as she enters deeper and deeper into Iteeche space as well as their social and political structures.
That the Iteeche are different from the humans was clear from the beginning. Now it becomes clear how different they are. Well maybe I should say different from the humans in the part of the globe where I live. I am sure quite a few people would say that the Iteeche are pictured after this or that society or religion but I leave that to each one to decide.
Anyway, as it turns out, the Iteeche are stubborn, deeply racist, oppressive towards the females of their society, fanatic about procedures, as far from a democracy that you can get and quick to resort to violent and less than honorable methods for solving their “issues”. I am sure that you can see one or two small problems assigning Kris’ as an emissary for a situation like this. At least if you were expecting a peaceful solution.
Well, the Iteeche did not really want an emissary anyway but what they actually wanted (some of them at least) actually surprised both Kris and myself as a reader.
Unfortunately I personally feel that the author went somewhat over the top with some of the Iteeche fanaticism and strange thinking. It just did not feel very believable at times. Same goes for the (over)use of smart metal. It is really a bit over the top now. Have a problem? Just throw some smart metal at it.
Overall the book is very good but these two things are dragging it down for me. It does set up quite an interesting scenario for the next book though which I am now quite looking forward to.
The reason I had my doubts about the book was the title and the book blurb. Kris as an emissary sounded way too much like a story focusing on politics and the usual scheming and backstabbing related to that subject which is not at all what I am looking for in a book.
Sure enough there is a fair bit of this but as I found out while reading, it is Iteeche politics and, as I also found out, Iteeche politics can be a real killer (pun intended).
Actually it does not take long at all for Kris’ to have to rely more on her battlecruisers than her negotiation skills. Not surprisingly Kris’ mission is not exactly a mission for a traditional emissary, at least not one in human terms, and there is more than one surprise in store for her as she enters deeper and deeper into Iteeche space as well as their social and political structures.
That the Iteeche are different from the humans was clear from the beginning. Now it becomes clear how different they are. Well maybe I should say different from the humans in the part of the globe where I live. I am sure quite a few people would say that the Iteeche are pictured after this or that society or religion but I leave that to each one to decide.
Anyway, as it turns out, the Iteeche are stubborn, deeply racist, oppressive towards the females of their society, fanatic about procedures, as far from a democracy that you can get and quick to resort to violent and less than honorable methods for solving their “issues”. I am sure that you can see one or two small problems assigning Kris’ as an emissary for a situation like this. At least if you were expecting a peaceful solution.
Well, the Iteeche did not really want an emissary anyway but what they actually wanted (some of them at least) actually surprised both Kris and myself as a reader.
Unfortunately I personally feel that the author went somewhat over the top with some of the Iteeche fanaticism and strange thinking. It just did not feel very believable at times. Same goes for the (over)use of smart metal. It is really a bit over the top now. Have a problem? Just throw some smart metal at it.
Overall the book is very good but these two things are dragging it down for me. It does set up quite an interesting scenario for the next book though which I am now quite looking forward to.
mistressop's review against another edition
3.0
This review is one big mutha of spoilers.
not as strong as it could have been. The 99 cent books are kinda starting to piss me off. I see other authors giving away that kinda stuff in newsletters.
this is a transitional book. It kinda goes somewhere and kinda doesn't. Kara and Abby don't get used effectively. Which I love when abby and kara and all the gang get used effectively. Love to see a bit more with the kids as well. who are they as little people. I get the little boy is a big ball of energy fun and adventurism but who is the daughter? We have a high character count and author who is now allowed to write books as long or as short as he likes but we still have characters not really being used well. Just kinda dump into a plot and lets say wait for it. For example, Libby refers to the kids being stolen we get the reflection of the real fear that kris has which is kidnapping. why she's dragging her kids everywhere. We don't get an alone moment with abby. I see kara becoming abby. she has the skill set. to be her daughters abby. also, the reasons for kara just up and leave is kinda weak. this author for some reason is super focused on everyone getting married, or everyone's relationship being everything for female characters. Which is great and everything cos it is like that for some women but kara could just be about sticking with Libby and Bruce. even though she's older. she still has past fears about being abandoned so forth. (she wants to protect them) which could be a shift in the way she sees herself in the world. it doesn't have to be run from a bad breakup. seriously?
I think what sold me on this series was the audio books. I just sorta made it past the hump and this series always had moments I enjoyed. so I ended up reading the whole thing and becoming a fan. good audio books. at the same time........................................................................................ I'm shocked how much more reading it the whole issues that niggled me stick out more. The obsession the with breast, not very well written female characters, I like her being with Jack.. but it's like over the top sometimes. like in a 1960s kinda way.. i almost expect characters to say EARS looking at you kid.
over all I'm just pumped to get this book out of the way.. I LOVED THE IDEA of the empire. i always have and the cup of apology always cracked me up. So please get the next book out! also...............pls pls pls. don't i mean don't...................waste kara and abby. i love them lol
not as strong as it could have been. The 99 cent books are kinda starting to piss me off. I see other authors giving away that kinda stuff in newsletters.
this is a transitional book. It kinda goes somewhere and kinda doesn't. Kara and Abby don't get used effectively. Which I love when abby and kara and all the gang get used effectively. Love to see a bit more with the kids as well. who are they as little people. I get the little boy is a big ball of energy fun and adventurism but who is the daughter? We have a high character count and author who is now allowed to write books as long or as short as he likes but we still have characters not really being used well. Just kinda dump into a plot and lets say wait for it. For example, Libby refers to the kids being stolen we get the reflection of the real fear that kris has which is kidnapping. why she's dragging her kids everywhere. We don't get an alone moment with abby. I see kara becoming abby. she has the skill set. to be her daughters abby. also, the reasons for kara just up and leave is kinda weak. this author for some reason is super focused on everyone getting married, or everyone's relationship being everything for female characters. Which is great and everything cos it is like that for some women but kara could just be about sticking with Libby and Bruce. even though she's older. she still has past fears about being abandoned so forth. (she wants to protect them) which could be a shift in the way she sees herself in the world. it doesn't have to be run from a bad breakup. seriously?
I think what sold me on this series was the audio books. I just sorta made it past the hump and this series always had moments I enjoyed. so I ended up reading the whole thing and becoming a fan. good audio books. at the same time........................................................................................ I'm shocked how much more reading it the whole issues that niggled me stick out more. The obsession the with breast, not very well written female characters, I like her being with Jack.. but it's like over the top sometimes. like in a 1960s kinda way.. i almost expect characters to say EARS looking at you kid.
over all I'm just pumped to get this book out of the way.. I LOVED THE IDEA of the empire. i always have and the cup of apology always cracked me up. So please get the next book out! also...............pls pls pls. don't i mean don't...................waste kara and abby. i love them lol
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