Rating: 
Summary: Purposeless
Review: Once upon a time Moon wrote a great book, "Once A Hero." It dealt with the human concerns and exciting triumphs of a talented, growing woman. Then she wrote what was billed as a sequal, but which had little to do with Esmay or space adventure; i.e., the subjects than made the first book so interesting. Still, it was well done, about another remarkable woman, and dealt with issues (however, depressing and outside the mainstream) that Moon feels are important and need to be dealt with. Now we have another supposed sequal, which has little to do with either of the first two main characters, in fact has no main character, is disjointed, little excitement, and no point. The only interesting activity dealt with a woman killing the murder of her husband. Even this would have been more satisfying if she has spent less time unnecessarially kissing up to him. This book was obviously turned out only for the December Xmas market, and only to cash in on fans of her earlier space series books (no one else could find any interest in it). I assume that there will be another December book...? I suspect it will be just a rambling. The publisher has simply been dishonest in the cover design and teasers.
Rating:
Summary: Wait for the paper back
Review: Or get it from the library. This book is definetly a setup for another sequel, and nowhere near as good as her previous work. I hope she gets back on track in her next book.
Rating: 
Summary: Not Honor Harrington, but not bad
Review: Pop fiction is highly imitative. If a new novel sparks a genre, thereare sure to be those that [imitate]. Just as Alexander Kent[imitated] Forester's Hornblower, Elizabeth Moon [imitated] David Weber's Honor Harrington. That the lead character, Esmay Suiza, is a plucky Honor Harrington wannabee is obvious from the start. What is less obvious is that Moon hasn't done that bad a job. Esmay, and the other protaganists are real people with interesting problems. Still, in many ways this is a science fiction Romance novel written for girl geeks. The bright gal who works at Microsoft writing code. Yet, I wish that Moon had spent more time developing the society, history and political culture that Esmay lives in. Its this very detail that raises David Weber above space opera and keeps Elizabeth Moon within its ranks. Even tho I am a guy, I still found Esmay interesting enough to want to follow her career in future episodes.
Rating: 
Summary: what it really is
Review: The disappointed tone of many of the customer reviews of C of C come from a misunderstanding of the genre of this particular volume. It is an *Expansion of the Canvas*. Think of "Two Towers," where the trick is performed to perfection. A lot happens, many new characters appear, but not much of the overall action advances. My own opinion is that Moon doesn't do a bad job at all. What generates the disappointment, I believe, is a feature she shares with others who learned much of their craft at the feet of Anne McCaffrey, a certain mechanical tying of loose ends. McCaffrey herself is really bad about it. You can almost hear the click click whirr of the Hollerith cardsorter. "We haven't tied an end for a while. What shall we tie? (Click click whirr) Ah so (copy card contents. insert.)" By comparison Moon is artistic. But face it. At some point she *had* to expand the canvas.
Rating:
Summary: Turning point for Familias Regnant series
Review: The Familias Regnant is discovering that "the center cannot hold." Perhaps this is why Ms. Moon chose to tell this story from so many POVs, demonstrating that this empire is tottering not from a single mighty blow, but from many seemingly minor events forming a disastrous cascade. It is not a book which can stand alone, but it is an excellent illustration of how the success of a political system depends on its members' actions.
Rating:
Summary: Enjoyable, but
Review: This book gives a great overall view of the world of Esmay Suiza and friends. She fills in alot of background about her universe. The book jumps around somewhat because it covers so many different aspects of the universe. I also felt that it is a setup for the next book (which I certainly hope comes soon) and I would have preferred a long book which answered more questions than it creates. I usually run quickly through Elizabeth Moon's books once to get the action and then read them again for the finer points - I won't read this one again until the sequel it seems to point to is ready to come out. Still, I am looking forward to more books by Moon, and I am glad I have this one now.
Rating: 
Summary: First third of a book
Review: This book reads almost as well as her earlier ones, but there is no unifying theme, plot, or situation. It is a Familias book with a hodge-podge of subplots instead of a Suiza book. Sometimes it is hard to tell which events in one area are happening at the same time as other events in other subplots. It ends so abruptly I got the impression the author had to finish the book in 3 days instead of 6 months. An additional 200 (or more) pages to finish this book would be a great improvement.
Rating: 
Summary: Leaves you wanting more
Review: This book sets up for the next very nicely. I can't wait for the sequel but that doesn't mean I didn't enjoy this one.
Rating:
Summary: Disappointing Space Opera
Review: This is an extremely disappointing follow-up to Rules of Engagement. Moon makes the BIG mistake of thrusting a faceless cast of thousands in our faces instead of focusing on the main characters from her previous two novels in this series. I liked the first two books because Esmay was a brash and courageous young woman with an interesting back story. Here, she is a mere decoration that is as important as a flyspeck on the wall of the Familias Regnant (think I got that right). Save your money and run for the hills.
Rating:
Summary: Not up to par - read Rules of Engagement again instead
Review: This is the latest in E Moons Familias series of Space Opera with humour(with Heris Serrano and Esmay Suiza.) The previous books were Once a Hero & Rules of Engagement both good value and now available in paperback. This books starts lots of threads, with at least three sets of assassins, mutiny and space siege and most of the females from the previous book having to take on greater responsiblities. We lose Brun's father and the whole book is about the Hobart Conselline speakership but suffers from lack of focus though the individual parts are well done. Things are just hotting up when < The End > arrives with most threads unfinished. Really the book is two interlaced half books with little communication. Suggestion - read or reread Rules of Engagement and wait for the next in the series.
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