Some Golden Harbor by David Drake

This book is another in the Daniel Leary series. Daniel and the usual suspects are engaged, once again, against overwhelming odds and implacable foes.

I loved the Horatio Hornblower books and I feel Drake does just as well but sets his Horatio sometime in the future without iron men and wooden ships.

Leary’s most endearing characteristic is his loyalty to his friends. He continually does what he thinks is right as opposed to what perhaps might be the easy way out. His Machiavellian circumvention of orders generally means he is undermanned, under supplied and outgunned whenever he is assigned a task. Yet with gentile charm and superior skills he always triumphs.

Daniel Leary is not a boy scout, he is lethally ruthless when it comes to accomplishing his goals or protecting his people. Adele Mundy, Tovera and Hogg are all back and their quirkiness just adds the mélange of flavors that make Drake’s Leary series so sumptuous.

I can’t help it, I love these books and I highly recommend this book and the whole series.

Body of work of David Drake </a>

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

Devil’s Due by Christie Golden

A space opera with old fashioned riders of the sage feel, this books provides lightweight entertainment.  

Considering how many people love this series I know I am going to tread on some toes.   The book was entertaining but seems more suitable for a graphic novel.   The characters were more like silhouettes than people.   I felt they lacked depth.  

One of the best parts of the book was the afterword that gave an overview of the series and a timeline.   That was interesting and enlightening.   

The book had plenty of action and included moral growth and change that helped.   The lack of nuances and studied action made it a  quick and painless read.  I suspect it will be a huge hit for the adolescent who is reluctant to read and is looking for entertainment alone.  

It is not a bad book, it just seems very light weight, kind of a diet or space opera lite.   Much like the low cal potato chips, the book was worth reading but was lacking in the full bodied, heavy calorie, over salted true space opera.   

I am sure I would have gotten more out of the book had I read more of the series.  

Body of work of Christie Golden

Web site: http://www.christiegolden.com/

Star Soldiers by Andre Norton

Humanity’s aggressive nature causes them to be galactic mercenaries when they burst out of Sol’s gravity well. Molded into a strict regime by Galactic Central Control, man’s creative aspects are ignored as they bleed off their most courageous warriors.

ANDRE NORTON needs to be capitalized for her impact on the entire genre. This book was first printed in 1953 and loses nothing in the ensuing decades. It is a great space opera with extremely humane characters.

Norton does a wonderful job examining motivation and behavior. She paints honorable protagonists and sinister villains. She shows the evils of intolerance and the benefits of integration when racial inequities were still common place in our own nation.


This book follows the initial deployment of Kana Karr an Arch Swordsman. Earth’s mercenaries are divided into Mechs and Archs. Mechs use near state of the art technology while Archs are limited to Roman era weapons with the exception of very basic firearms.

Kana Karr is well characterized as a shiny, new, well trained novice. For military fans, think shiny new 2nd Lt. His growth into a veteran facing not only what he was trained to do but facing Central Control treachery forms the basis of the plot.

Norton always provides wonderful verbal scenery and characterizations. I have read her books for more than 50 years. Arrgghh! I’m old! Gasp!

I strongly recommend the book!

Body of work of Andre Norton

Web site: http://www.andre-norton.org/

Captain Bonny Morgan, The Cassandra Prophesy by Robert “Doc” Gowdy.

I expected more and I got less. This should be billed as erotic scifi. The plot was ok but there was way too much effort spent on titillating. (pun intended). I think it would be a better book with more plot and character development and less sex. If it was billed as an erotic novel I would have probably liked it better but when I expect a rousing space opera and instead just get arousing erotica, I am disappointed.

Captain Morgan was a butt kicking female and I like that type of characterization. The butt kicking could have been done without the intense descriptive account of her lack of attire. I just felt that detracted from the story.

I did like the cover art.

I recommend the book if you are into erotic scifi.

Body of work of Robert “Doc” Gowdy

Web site: http://www.robertdocgowdy.com/