Rating: 
Summary: Something different
Review: A detail rich space opera, this book has the tone and style of Gunga Din, (or possibly the Flashman series.) Set within a sprawling British colonial style military culture, it is both entertaining, and a ripping tale. Walter Jon Williams has produced another excellent novel, that defies the standard model for SF.
Rating:
Summary: Science Fiction at its best
Review: H. Beam Piper was a favorite author of mine, Walter Jon Williams is a favorite today. His "Ambassador of Progress" and "Hardwired" are two of the best Science Fiction novels ever written. In the past few years I have lost my taste for fiction, generally, but the Science Fiction of this author is the exception.This opening tale of "The Praxis" is some of his finest work; the book was impossible for me to put down, and I searched until I found a copy of "The Sundering", the second novel in the series, and couldn't put it down until I finished it, either.
Rating:
Summary: Science Fiction at its best
Review: H. Beam Piper was a favorite author of mine, Walter Jon Williams is a favorite today. His "Ambassador of Progress" and "Hardwired" are two of the best Science Fiction novels ever written. In the past few years I have lost my taste for fiction, generally, but the Science Fiction of this author is the exception. This opening tale of "The Praxis" is some of his finest work; the book was impossible for me to put down, and I searched until I found a copy of "The Sundering", the second novel in the series, and couldn't put it down until I finished it, either.
Rating:
Summary: Best Hornblower in Space, but....
Review: I concur with another reviewer who remarked that space opera has not yet seen its Aubrey-Maturin saga (not counting of course, Star Trek's Kirk and Spock). Walter Jon Willams has done a superb job elevating space opera to a high literary art form, writing a captivating tale about the demise of a long-lived, despotic interstellar empire. It's a compelling saga focusing on two young Terran naval officers, Lady Caroline Sula, and especially, Lieutenant Gareth Martinez; it is Martinez who uncovers a plot by the Naxids, the second oldest member species of the empire, to seize control and become the new masters of the empire. Although I questioned originally Williams' decision to reveal some pivotal moments in Sulla's history, these moments are crucial in revealing her personality and motives to the reader. Williams has written splendid work in cyberpunk fiction and a successful fusion of it with space opera, so I am not at all surprised that he's been able to pull this off. Fans of David Weber's "Honorverse" may find this novel not only more compelling, but also, much better written than any by Weber and his colleagues about Honor Harrington and other characters in Weber's ongoing space opera series.
Rating:
Summary: well written and entertaining
Review: I picked this book while waiting for the new Dune book to come out expecting to read a few chapters and put it down as i do with most books i get because they end up boring me. I finnished it in two days. The depth and thought that went into creating the soceity and characters is great i felt like i was there. WHile the book is low on action it is high on story. You get a real feel for how the society in the book works and I fully intend to pick up the next installment the Sundering.
Rating: 
Summary: Keep on writing, Walter Jon!!!
Review: I've always liked Walter Jon Williams's novels. A while ago he wrote a very underrated novel called, "Days of Atonement", which still remains one of my favorite time travel books ever. Prior to that he wrote some very good sci-fi novels, but recently has gotten away from that. I am very happy to see him go back to his roots and write a hard core sci-fi series. The Praxis is the first of a series that promises to be entertaining and rewarding. I really enjoyed this book and can't wait for the next. The characters were rich, believable and well placed within their culture and universe. Williams does a great job of writing about a futuristic military where form takes place over substance. The main character, Gareth Martinez is a wonderful personage and the best part of the book is watching him shake off his upbringing nad useless training as he figures out how to command a spaceship in an actual war. How hard is it for an ancient and traditional service to actually fight a space battle when no one in the whole fleet has ever fought one before? Well, read this book to find out. I highly recommend this one for anyone looking for a good science fiction novel with a touch of humor so welcome as it is so lacking in many works nowadays. I despise the term, "Space Opera" which is thrown around so frequently these days. Read it for what it is and enjoy it.
Rating:
Summary: Keep on writing, Walter Jon!!!
Review: I've always liked Walter Jon Williams's novels. A while ago he wrote a very underrated novel called, "Days of Atonement", which still remains one of my favorite time travel books ever. Prior to that he wrote some very good sci-fi novels, but recently has gotten away from that. I am very happy to see him go back to his roots and write a hard core sci-fi series. The Praxis is the first of a series that promises to be entertaining and rewarding. I really enjoyed this book and can't wait for the next. The characters were rich, believable and well placed within their culture and universe. Williams does a great job of writing about a futuristic military where form takes place over substance. The main character, Gareth Martinez is a wonderful personage and the best part of the book is watching him shake off his upbringing nad useless training as he figures out how to command a spaceship in an actual war. How hard is it for an ancient and traditional service to actually fight a space battle when no one in the whole fleet has ever fought one before? Well, read this book to find out. I highly recommend this one for anyone looking for a good science fiction novel with a touch of humor so welcome as it is so lacking in many works nowadays. I despise the term, "Space Opera" which is thrown around so frequently these days. Read it for what it is and enjoy it.
Rating:
Summary: Keep on writing, Walter Jon!!!
Review: I've always liked Walter Jon Williams's novels. A while ago he wrote a very underrated novel called, "Days of Atonement", which still remains one of my favorite time travel books ever. Prior to that he wrote some very good sci-fi novels, but recently has gotten away from that. I am very happy to see him go back to his roots and write a hard core sci-fi series. The Praxis is the first of a series that promises to be entertaining and rewarding. I really enjoyed this book and can't wait for the next. The characters were rich, believable and well placed within their culture and universe. Williams does a great job of writing about a futuristic military where form takes place over substance. The main character, Gareth Martinez is a wonderful personage and the best part of the book is watching him shake off his upbringing nad useless training as he figures out how to command a spaceship in an actual war. How hard is it for an ancient and traditional service to actually fight a space battle when no one in the whole fleet has ever fought one before? Well, read this book to find out. I highly recommend this one for anyone looking for a good science fiction novel with a touch of humor so welcome as it is so lacking in many works nowadays. I despise the term, "Space Opera" which is thrown around so frequently these days. Read it for what it is and enjoy it.
Rating: 
Summary: Dragged on and on
Review: The back cover description of this book was very misleading. Unless you're a big fan of reading about upper class bloodlines, formal balls, and the like, this book is likely to put you to sleep. I was patient... I waded through many pages, waiting for the intergalactic battle to start. The characterization is strong, I'll give it that; a couple of the characters are rich and interesting. But not only was the Shaa society stiff and overly formal, the plot was too. Save your money. This one's a snore.
Rating:
Summary: Well written and engaging space opera
Review: The last of the Shaa is about to die and the great empire of the Praxis trembles in anticipation. For Lieutenant Gareth Martinez, the future looks bad. His boss and mentor has decided to commit suicide to mark the Shaa's passage and Martinez is abandoned. But a space yacht accident gives Martinez a chance to plan a rescue--and to meet the beautiful but troubled Cadet Caroline Sula. Any chance at bliss falls quickly when Sula runs and Martinez detects a plot by the Naxid, formerly one of the races subject to the Shaa (along with humans and others). Author Walter Jon Williams creates an exciting SF adventure that will remind readers of classic space opera. Williams balances political maneuvers with military maneuvers, develops the beginnings of a romance between the two lead characters, and provides enough science to satisfy hard-core SF readers. Of the characters, Sula is the deeper and more fascinating. Sula hides a secret that is likely to be discovered at any time and that will destroy her when the government finally learns it. Her brutal past motivated her actions and molded her into the person she is in the story. Some readers, including me, will be uncomfortable with how she finally replaced Caro Sula despite all of Williams' efforts to make Caro an unsympathetic character. Williams' writing is strong and engaging and he develops a number of secondary characters (especially Martinez's football crazy Captain) to the point where they come alive.
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