Rating: 
Summary: A downswing for the wildly erratic Elizabeth Moon
Review: There almost seems to be two Elizabeth Moons - the subtle author of _Remnant Population_ and the inept hack of the Serrano novels. _Once a Hero_ was a pleasant surprise - whenever the Altiplano elements appeared in the novel, it shone, and the Fleet bits were innocuous enough to not weigh down the rest. _Rules of Engagement_ reverts to form, unfortunately. The few good bits (the Landsbride sequence) failed to redeem an otherwise awful story. Can we please retire the evil-patriarchal-religious-fanatic trope now? It's the worst kind of bigotry, and makes for a very tired sort of conflict. Also, a certain tendency in recent space opera usually labelled David Weber Syndrome or "We-Love-Honor!" runs rampant in this book. Secondary characters should have lives, agendas, and concerns that do not all revolve around the protagonist. Moon is capable of much more.
Rating: 
Summary: A true sequel to Once A Hero
Review: This book does something very difficult. It doesn't let you down after the superb Once A Hero. This book also brings back the characters that featured the prequels to Once A Hero, slowly preparing ground for, what I expect, will be a BIG war (at this time, the sequel to Change of Command hasn't been published, so I can only guess). :-)If you liked Once A Hero, you'll probably like this book. If you liked Winning Colors, you'll probably like this book. If you are a fan of the series, why are you reading this review at all? :-)
Rating: 
Summary: My Least favorite of the series!
Review: This book is definately the worst of the series. But unfortunately you'll probably have to read it so you know whats going on latter in the series. Personally I found the book a bit over done. It could have been shorted by 100 pages or so and still gotten the same effect. The idea that you can kidnap the "prime minister's" daughter, gang rape her, and then use her for breeding and not expect to have the a whole pile of trouble coming down on your planet is rediculous. The villians are something out of the 1960-1970's and are just plan moronic. I also find it difficult to believe that if inhabitable planets are becoming in rather short supply that you let a bunch of crazy's keep a perfect one to themselves when your military would find it a walk in the park to disarm said crazy's and use the planet for your population! I enjoy Elizabeth Moon's work, but this is one book that should have had a wee bit more editing!
Rating:
Summary: Space Opera!
Review: This book is throughly enjoyable. It somehow reminds me of something in Tom Clancy books, that feeling of a well oiled armed forces, where individual talent and team play combine to produce the most effective results. This is a true Space Opera, with plots and intrigues on political, military and personal levels, and a sense of grandeur. Possibly my favorite Elizabeth Moon book, and, as a matter of fact, the book that made me an Elizabeth Moon reader.
Rating:
Summary: Brisk light action/adventure/romance. 4.5 stars
Review: __________________________________________
Rules is the sequel to Once a Hero (97), and shares some supporting
characters with the "Heris Serrano" trilogy (1993-95). It's reasonably
self-contained, though you'll enjoy it more if you've read some of
the preceeding books, all of which I've liked. Esmay Suiza (the Hero) is a likeably nerdy young officer. Her heroic
exploits overshadow her difficult childhood, her love life is terrible,
she's had a bad-hair *life*... When Brun, rich, spoiled & beautiful,
breezes into her life with hairdressing tips, & then goes after Esmay's
secret beau... Well! Another reviewer (alright, Christina Schulman)
comments that "these confident, decisive people behave like
insecure teenagers when they're thrown together at Command
School..." Ah, but I think that's precisely Moon's point -- Cupid's
tardy arrow will turn someone like Esmay, a seriously repressed
overachiever, to instant mush. Personal resonance here: Ms. Moon
and I were classmates at Rice in the mid-sixties (though I don't
think we ever met), and I'm willing to bet she was a TRG, just as I
was a TRB -- earnest, nerdy, bad hair, socially-awkward, sexually-
repressed... oh god, it's excruciating just to think about those times... Anyway, Moon's delightfully Wodehousian aunts-in-space arrive
just in time to save Esmay's butt (and career), and young love
prevails... As usual, Moon's fast-&-furious action, meticulous military-medical backgrounding, and formidable storytelling skills
carry the day. There's another Suiza-Serrano-Familias novel
coming, and I'm looking forward to it. Rules is Moon's fifth book set in her Familias Regnant
universe -- a rather implausible interstellar plutocracy with
corruption/kleptocracy/rejuvenation problems -- threatened
by, eg, the Bloodhorde barbs-in-space (Hero) and the NuTexas
Godfearing Militia (Rules). This background was light
entertainment for the Heris Serrano series, but Ms. Moon seems
to have a bit deeper intentions for the Esmay Suiza books, and the
backstory creaks ominously under the load. After this OCC (obligatory
critical carp), I should note that she is simply carrying on an historic
space-opera convention, and the the scratchy backstory will interfere
little (if at all) with your reading pleasure. Happy reading!
Pete Tillman
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