Genre: Science Fiction
Publisher: Amazon
Published: 2018
Reviewer Rating: 
Reviewer: SJ Higbee
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I’ve read and enjoyed the previous two books in this engrossing, action-packed space opera adventure and very much looked forward to getting hold of this third book.
Hostilities between factions are threatening to explode into a shooting war on the moon of Yakutsk, and the two major galactic military powers, Central Corps and PSI, have sent ships to defuse the situation. But when a strange artifact is discovered, events are set in motion that threaten the entire colonized galaxy–including former Central Corps Commander Elena Shaw.
You can pick this one up and get involved in the adventure without reading the previous two books, but in order to get the very best out of it, I recommend that you go looking for The Cold Between and Remnants of Trust. Not only do these previous books give you a great insight into the world, Bonesteel tends to write her characters with layers and you will miss out on a fair amount if you aren’t aware of some key moments in their back-story.
It was with great pleasure and anticipation that I found myself back in this riven world, where the colonies, Earth, their appointed peacekeepers–the Corp and the shadowy PSI are all at odds with each other. And that doesn’t factor in some of the worrying moves made by a major terraforming mega corporation. So there is a complicated political standoff where tensions are running high. I love the way that Bonesteel juxtaposes these large major concerns with the issues in the lives of her major characters. As ever, the stage is set for a major adventure to kick off–and this time the domed human settlement of Yakutsk is the hub where the action initially begins. However, it isn’t where it ends…
The plot rackets along at a fair lick, which each character in this multi-viewpoint story giving their slice of the adventure. As ever, my main attention is snagged by the two main protagonists, Elena and Greg, who have been at the heart of the story since the first book. But I also really enjoyed learning more about Admiral Herrod, who was one of the main antagonists in the previous book. I always appreciate a writer who gives me a villain who isn’t your typical evil character, but someone trying to do the best they can while making morally wrong decisions along the way–which is the case for most of the ‘bad’ people I’ve encountered in my own lifetime.
This adventure held me until the end and in places really pulled at my heartstrings–it will be a long time before I forget the scene where Greg accompanies Captain Bayandi on his final mission….
All in all, this was another storming addition to an excellent series. I note, with hope, that the ending leaves the way open for more adventures–so fingers crossed, Bonesteel is even now, planning the next slice in Greg and Elena’s lives. Highly recommended for space opera fans.
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