Rating:  Summary: This book is amazing!! Review: Tanya Huff has written a lot of great books, but her "Valor" series is turning out to be my favorite. Torin Kerr, her main character is everything you want a believable hero (rather heroine) to be during war. I've read reviews that compare "Valor" to the Aliens movies, but these are better. I also liked the fact that you don't have to read "Valor's Choice" to understand "The Better Part of Valor", they are two seperate stories about one character. I do however highly recommend that people read both books. They are both very well written, and the reader can clearly see the incredible world Tanya Huff has created. Humor, drama, and ACTION...what more could a reader want? I hope Tanya Huff decides to write more in this series, because it's a promise that I'll buy more books about Staff Sergeant Torin Kerr.
Rating:  Summary: This book is amazing!! Review: Tanya Huff has written a lot of great books, but her "Valor" series is turning out to be my favorite. Torin Kerr, her main character is everything you want a believable hero (rather heroine) to be during war. I've read reviews that compare "Valor" to the Aliens movies, but these are better. I also liked the fact that you don't have to read "Valor's Choice" to understand "The Better Part of Valor", they are two seperate stories about one character. I do however highly recommend that people read both books. They are both very well written, and the reader can clearly see the incredible world Tanya Huff has created. Humor, drama, and ACTION...what more could a reader want? I hope Tanya Huff decides to write more in this series, because it's a promise that I'll buy more books about Staff Sergeant Torin Kerr.
Rating:  Summary: Torin strikes again Review: Tanya Huff returns to the galaxy of the Confederation and super-competent Marine Staff Sergeant Torin Kerr in this military SF sequel to "Valor's Price".
The set-up is that humans, along with two other species, the di'Taykan and the Krai, are recruited into the Confederation, a union of highly advanced species, in order to provide it with the ability to defend itself against the violent Others, who are invading Confederation space. Other Confederation species have either never practiced warfare or have developed to the point where it is a part of their ancient history, so they need some less-advanced races to help out when they are faced with the requirement to resist military aggression.
Kerr's latest mission is to protect scientists while they examine an extremely large space ship which has been located, apparently drifting as a derelict, in Confederation space. In this I don't think Huff has really thought out her premise. The Confederation is supposed to be an ultra-advanced society of ancient races, but their technology, excepting SF-standard FTL space ships and artificial gravity, isn't really that impressive - there's very little that humans couldn't easily develop on their own by the date of this story, roughly early 23rd Century. Much of it seems downright primitive for a galaxy-spanning culture. They have no AI, no nanotechnology, and apparently no robotics - they seem to have no clue about sending unmanned scouts into potentially hazardous situations, for which they just use Marines. When they encounter this ship, which it soon becomes clear is truly advanced, the Confederation scientists are pretty much useless.
Apart from this conceptual problem, I liked nearly everything about this book. The plot is interesting, with unpredictable twists, and, unlike the prequel, Torin wasn't the only character who was properly developed. There's a sexual tension between Torin and the salvage operator who discovered the ship to keep a romantic subplot running. And there are political subplots in Torin's conflicts with General Morris, returned from the prequel, and the incompetent CO he has assigned to her unit, who is more familiar with - and more interested in - media relations than the mission.
Although I liked most of the story, I do agree with reviewers who said that there isn't much payoff at the end. But this novel is a diverting story and a pleasure to read.
Rating:  Summary: Marines in a Maze Review: The Better Part of Valor is the second novel in the Confederation series. After bringing home the surviving marines from Silsvah, Staff Sergeant Torin Kerr is detached to a recon unit investigating "an unidentified alien vessel drifting dead in space". ...This novel differs in many respects from Valor's Choice. The naval problems are mostly a sideshow and the Others soldiers are just more of the same. The real problem is the personnel, particularly Captain Tarvik, and the alien ship. All indications are that the ship is running rats in a maze, setting puzzles to be solved by both parties in competition. Torin, of course, is mainly concerned with getting her group home without further casualties and could otherwise care less about the ship's agenda. Recommended for all Huff fans and anyone who enjoys tense military interaction dramas, with a touch of jarhead humor.
Rating:  Summary: Marines in a Maze Review: The Better Part of Valor is the second novel in the Confederation series. After bringing home the surviving marines from Silsvah, Staff Sergeant Torin Kerr is detached to a recon unit investigating "an unidentified alien vessel drifting dead in space". ... This novel differs in many respects from Valor's Choice. The naval problems are mostly a sideshow and the Others soldiers are just more of the same. The real problem is the personnel, particularly Captain Tarvik, and the alien ship. All indications are that the ship is running rats in a maze, setting puzzles to be solved by both parties in competition. Torin, of course, is mainly concerned with getting her group home without further casualties and could otherwise care less about the ship's agenda. Recommended for all Huff fans and anyone who enjoys tense military interaction dramas, with a touch of jarhead humor.
Rating:  Summary: Good SF action with a few flaws Review: This book is well-written and will certainly keep the reader's interest until the end. All-in-all a pretty good read, but a few flaws tempered my enjoyment of the book. First of all, the main character, Torin, just doesn't resonate with me -- likely because I can't think of one character trait that differentiates her from the standard 'competant, tough female action lead' character. Secondly, the alien ship was pretty intriguing, but by the end of the book, it seemed more of a major plot device rather than the 'inscrutable alien artifact' that it should be. Even alien artifacts should have there own motives and strange logic -- this alien ship seemed to be a slave to the author to set up conveniently dramatic scenarios. I enjoyed reading this book, but because of the generic hero and transparent plot manipulation by the author, I probably won't actively follow this series.
Rating:  Summary: HUMOR, ACTION, SUSPENSE Review: This is a fast-paced novel that will keep you on the edge of your seat. I loved the quirky humor and the diversity of the characters.
Rating:  Summary: HUMOR, ACTION, SUSPENSE Review: This is a fast-paced novel that will keep you on the edge of your seat. I loved the quirky humor and the diversity of the characters.
Rating:  Summary: You will SEE the future Review: You'll see the future because that is how convincingly written the details of this book are.
I was initially disappointed that this book had nothing to do with Ms. Huff's earlier novels, but that soon faded. Instead, I was swept into a world where the military has endured and expanded but never loses its 'human' element (and what IS human, anyway, when one deals with other sentient species?).
There is bloody action here, and heartbreak NOT of the romantic kind. Personally, I think all those who are in government and the military ought to read this book and discuss its ethical elements -- which exist, even though the story itself will catch you up and take you for a ride until you've turned the last page!
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