An uneven, possibly overly long, Adult SF story with some great characters.
When humans and their Jao overlords joined forces in a desperate battle to save the Earth from the malevolent race called the Ekhat, the relationship between the two species was changed forever. Two years later, humans and Jao are learning to work together in an uneasy alliance. Then, in a distant nebula, three Jao ships detect signs of another sentient species during a battle with the Ekhat. Only one of the ships returns, with most of its crew dead or injured.
Ronz sends the Lexington, a massive ship built on Earth and crewed by both human and Jao, to investigate. The Lexington dwarfs any ship ever built by the Jao and even outmasses Ekhat ships, which may enable it to survive the attack that destroyed two of the three Jao ships.
Whispersync Deal Alert*: Kindle + Audible = $8.98 (must purchase Kindle first, prices may change)
Disclosure: GMB uses affiliate links, clicking and making a purchase may result in a small commission for me.
BOOK DETAILS:
The Crucible of Empire by Eric Flint & KD Wentworth, read by Chris Patton, published by Audible Studios (2012) / Length: 16 hrs
SERIES INFO:
This is Book #2 of 3 in the "Jao" trilogy. Book #3 was just recently published, and is not currently available on audio.
**This review contains spoilers for the previous book.**
SUMMARY:
This book was a bit hit or miss for me. There were some parts that I loved, some I didn't enjoy as much, and a few I didn't like at all. In general, it seemed like a side trip. It's been left for the third book to explain why it was necessary.
CHARACTERS:
Tully: Still a favorite. He has really grown & changed, but isn't quite comfortable with that fact yet himself. It is interesting to see a spy who was always on the move try to become a leader.