Through The Breach by David Drake

This is the second book in the Reaches series. This book deals with Piet Ricimer and Stephen Gregg’s supposed mission to the asteroid belt that really is a pirate raid through the breach. The breach is a dangerous passage through the Mirror, a block between our universe and another. The other side holds the treasures of the defunct empire, automated factories churning out the chips that hold civilization together. Gentlemen and aristocracy are the linchpins of the society on Venus. Stagnate and intolerant they fund Ricimer and Gregg as privateers to bring home the riches (chips) so they can hold off the North American Federations attempts to pull them back under control.

Ricimer is venerated and protected by the hulking Gregg. Gregg a disposed minor noble is physically and mentally imposing and capable of any act of violence to protect his leader. Gregg is also plagued with doubt about his acts of violence. Jeremy Moore is a dilettante with cyber abilities who discovers to his dismay that he can be a cold blooded killer. The anguish the characters suffer in probing their psyches is well written and seems quite real. Willing to do anything for the cause, right or wrong, but questioning one’s soul in the process provides a realistic look at both leaders and followers. A good book as a stand alone but
I recommend you read “Igniting the Reaches” before reading this and “Fireships” after you read this. It isn’t a monumental trilogy but it is still well worth reading.


Body of work of David Drake


Web Site: http://www.david-drake.com/


Review: none found

Homefall by Chris Bunch--Last of the Lost Legion

This is the fourth and last of the Lost Legion Books. The ending left me with the feeling that Bunch intended to do more books in the series. Sadly he has passed away and that won’t be possible. The series overall was good. This book seemed more like a group of short stories with a common theme. Succinctly, with their enemies temporarily subdued in the volatile Cumbre star system, the isolate Last Legion embarks on a perilous mission to find out what has happened to the Confederation, the human government that controls a thousand star systems. The boys can’t help themselves in impacting multiple governments on planets they visit. Their discovery of the “cause” of the missing confederation is pretty much anticlimactic.

Body of work of Chris Bunch

Review:
http://www.thebookbag.co.uk/reviews/index.php/Homefall_(Last_Legion)_by_Chris_Bunch

Firemask by Chris Bunch

“Firemask” is number two in the four book series The Last Legion. I found “Firemask” more enjoyable than the first book. I thought the detailing was better done and the story line was more inspiring. The characters are fleshed out better which was one of my complaints about the first book, “The Last Legion”. Interestingly the review below felt that the first book was better. Goes to show how subjective this stuff is. I enjoyed the book and recommend both books I have read.

Body of work of Chris Bunch

Review of Firemask: http://www.thebookbag.co.uk/reviews/index.php/Firemask