I've had this preordered for what seems like forever (okay actually about a year).

The last two in the series just blew me away. 

Not that I wrote good reviews of them; just fired all cylinders for what I want in a good read and a science fiction book in a way I haven't seen in a long time.

Sometimes the 5-star books are the hardest to review.

This reader's personal opinion, ©2019, all rights reserved, not to be quoted, clipped or used in any way by goodreads, Google Play, amazon.com or other commercial booksellers* 

This was just ... great science fiction, great worldbuilding, great characters, great story, incredibly interesting aliens ... 

Gush, gush, gush ...

Ever have one of those books that it's very hard to review because it was pretty perfect?  I had preordered this because fell in love with the first book in series and it did not disappoint (or read like a collaboration).

It's also hard to review without spoilers as more of the politics and aliens and history and worldbuilding is revealed as story unfolds.  Some new and some just surprising at how deep some things went.  Very little purely good or evil.  Doesn't end on a cliffhanger but clearly more is ahead.

Boy is this a suck-y review -- but this series is really getting good.

*©2019.  All rights reserved except permission is granted to author or publisher (except Penumbra Publishing) to reprint/quote in whole or in part. I may also have cross-posted on Libib, LibraryThing, and other sites including retailers like kobo and Barnes and Noble. Posting on any site does not grant that site permission to share with any third parties or indicate release of copyright.  

Ratings scale used in absence of a booklikes suggested rating scale:

★★★★★ = All Time Favorite 
★★★★½ = Extraordinary Book. Really Loved It.
★★★★☆ = Loved It.
★★★½☆ = Really Liked.
★★★☆☆ = Liked.
★★½☆☆ = Liked parts; parts only okay. Would read more by author.
★★☆☆☆ = Average.   Okay. 
★½☆☆☆ = Disliked or meh? but kept reading in hopes would improve.
★☆☆☆☆ = Loathed It. Possibly DNF and a torturous read.
½☆☆☆☆ = So vile was a DNF or should have been. Cannot imagine anyone liking.  (Might also be just an "uploaded" word spew or collection that should not be dignified by calling itself a "published book." If author is going batshit crazy in the blogosphere over reviews -- I now know why they are getting bad reviews.  Or maybe author should take remedial classes for language written in until basic concepts like using sentences sink in. Is author even old enough to sign a publishing contract or do they need a legal guardian to sign for them?)

LOL, I know.  My preorder was published on February 19 -- but I had company where ereader languished last week.

The first book in this series blew me away; best new science fiction book I read last year.

I will finish some library books first -- then no one had better disturb me in real life.

"But nobody had ever been able to command my regard; it couldn’t be taken. It could only be earned. By treating me like a person, by listening when I spoke."

"Nadim [alien ship] might believe his elders wouldn’t do anything shady; I had no such illusions. And maybe my chary nature could save us when the shit hit the fan. "