Honor's Knight

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY DEC 16, 2013

This solid sequel to Fortune's Pawn reveals unexpected complexities in its comic-book future setting. Recovering from a mysterious attack, soldier-for-hire Deviana Morris is plagued by amnesia and distracting hallucinations. Forced to choose between allies who use talented children as expendable munitions and enemies whose malice is leavened with humanitarian values, Devi wrestles with unfamiliar moral quandaries. The simplicities of brutal combat come as a welcome relief in an undeclared war where the fates of planets are at stake and the deadliest weapon of all may be Devi's own blood. In Bach's universe, phantasmal horrors lurk between the stars, but the ability of leaders to forgive themselves for vicious acts of exploitation is all too familiar. The novel raises interesting questions about consent and utilitarian moral compasses while remaining firmly rooted in the traditions of epic space opera and military SF. The result is an interesting balance between introspection and action, a sequel that builds, rather than merely killing time.