An Ancient Peace - Tanya Huff

The first book of a thrilling new military science fiction spin-off of Tanya Huff's Confederation series.

Gunnery Sergeant Torin Kerr had been the very model of a Confederation Marine. But when she learned the truth about the war the Confederation was fighting, she left the military for good. But Torin couldn’t walk away from preserving and protecting everything the Confederation represented. Instead, she drew together an elite corps of friends and allies to take on covert missions that the Justice Department and the Corps could not—or would not—officially touch. 

Ancient H’san grave goods are showing up on the black market—grave goods from just before the formation of the Confederation, when the H’san gave up war and buried their planet-destroying weapons. Someone is searching for these weapons and they’re very close to finding them. 

Fortunately, only the Corps Intelligence Service has this information. Unfortunately, they can do nothing about it. Though Torin Kerr and her team are no longer a part of the military, the six of them tackling the H’san defenses  are the only chance the Confederation has. The only chance to avoid millions more dead. 

My thoughts:

So yes this is the start of a new series, but be warned, it's also book 6 of her adventures. But new series and all. In that way, yes it could work as a standalone. But you would miss how she fought in their wars, had her adventures, found a conspiracy, and ended up with Craig. But, sure it works like it is.

Torin is ex-marine. She is tough nails and she was so very military. But the previous series threw some punches and now she is out. But when you are out, they pull you back in! She has her crew, they get a job and they take it.

The world may be at peace, but those others are still out there. Some humans are making noise about humans first. Other alien races not touched by the war is all murderers, idiots! When you have Elder races, telling younger races to fight their wars, while middle races sit it out, oh will this confederation really last? And now someone is trying to steal big bad weapons. Peace in space, not an easy thing to have.

This is military scifi. There will be fights, tech, weapons and lots and lots of danger. Those H'San sure knew how to invent stuff. But it's not non stop action all the way. Torin still has time to worry about a teammate, who really needs someone of his own kind (long story, but they really really need others). She is a good woman.

Conclusion

I do wonder where this new business will take them. Lots of space still to explore.

Cover

Cool

Paperback, 400 pages
Published October 6th 2015 by Titan Books
Peacekeeper, #1, Confederation #6
Sci.fi
For revew

The Silvered - Tanya Huff

The Empire has declared war on the small, were-ruled kingdom of Aydori, capturing five women of the Mage-Pack, including the wife of the were Pack-leader. With the Pack off defending the border, it falls to Mirian Maylin and Tomas Hagen—she a low-level mage, he younger brother to the Pack-leader—to save them. Together the two set out on the kidnappers’ trail, racing into the heart of enemy territory. But with every step the odds against their survival, let alone their success, grow steeper..

My thoughts:

I liked this, it was fantasy, but at the same time it did not even feel like fantasy all the time cos it was different.

We have the BIG Empire that wants more land. They, oh let's say they are steampunk, or well just industrialized. But you get the point.

Then there is Aydori. Where Mages and Pack live together. Mages who if they canm marry Pack and have more mages or puppies.

Then the bad Empire comes with soldiers and silver bullets. FU Empire! They call the Pack abominations and if you can show a pelt you get money. Innocents are dying and the Emperor is insane.

I know right, what a good premise!

Our hero is Mirian a failed mage escapes being captures and then sets out to save others. Her I liked, and what she could do.

Then we have Thomas, a wolf, who helps her because the road is long and many dangers lay ahead.

We also gets to see how the captured mages are faring. I kept rooting for them, and Mirian, and hoped to see the Empire burn.

I liked how most are flawed. Shit goes down. It gets bad. People are people and will do what they must to survive

Conclusion:

The end, is an ending. But I do want more. The world was so fascinating and I'd like to explore it more. But for now I am happy with a book that ended in one.

My favorite Huff book to date.

Cover

eh, ok I guess

Paperback, 496 pages
Published November 5th 2013 by DAW
Fantasy
own

Truth of Valour - Tanya Huff

Disillusioned with the manipulative Confederation, a so-called “peaceful” alliance of alien species, Gunnery Sergeant Torin Kerr retires from the Marines to start a new life with Salvage Operator Craig Ryder. 

But when their salvage ship Promise is attacked by pirates, civilian life becomes a lot rougher than Torin had expected. After Craig is kidnapped during a brutal ambush, Torin enlists the help of a few old friends to mount a rescue. Along the way she discovers why the salvagers are being targeted, and her mission suddenly has the potential to change the balance of power throughout known space…"

My thoughts:

Right so in the last book we learned that plastic aliens are behind everything, and I mean everything. There is no real war in a sense, just a bunch of plastic aliens watching and monitoring. So no wonder that Torin quits her job and becomes a civilian.

Most of this is a space book or a space station book, and I must confess that I do prefer when she is on land to to say. More things seem to happen then, like the prison planet and the escape from it. Anyway Torin and Craig is a team, salvaging stuff in space. But like she could keep away from trouble, as if. She seeks trouble and enemies like it's her destiny in life, but then she is a soldier.

Pirates are attacking salvaging operators. And soon they will be in the middle of it. She can take down anything and everything. The hunt for wicked pirates begin.

And the end, ha, yes, I guess we will see more of...that. I can't spoil it.

Conclusion:

The war is not over and what will she do next? I do wonder how this series will end

Paperback, 400 pages
Published June 6th 2014 by Titan Books (first published August 19th 2010)
Confederation #5
Military sci-fi
For review

Valour's trial - Tanya Huff

Gunnery Sergeant Torin Kerr is a Confederation Marines marine. She's survived more deadly encounters and kept more of her officers and enlistees alive than anyone in the Corps. Unexpectedly pulled from battle, Torin finds herself in an underground POW camp that shouldn't exist, where her fellow marine prisoners seem to have lost all will to escape. Now, Torin must fight her way not only out of the prison but also past the growing compulsion to sit down and give up not realizing that her escape could mean the end of the war.

My thoughts:

I have been waiting for this book ever since I read book 1 (yes I read the blurbs for the rest of the books, I am too curious). Anyway, great premise so I waited.

It's starts with Torin getting ready for battle and then bam! (it takes a while for the bam but bear with me). So bam! Torin wakes up in a tunnel, she is now a POW. All while Craig refuses to believe she died in battle and tries to find her.

That was the premise I was interesting in. Torin in a POW camp, and not any POW camp. A weird underground jail where they do not know who put them there in the first place. And Torin wants out, and nothing stops Torin cos she is a kick-ass marine who never gives up.

I was also curious about the war thing as I started to wonder about things (just like Torin), like why they are even fighting. No one knows. And we do learn a few things about the whole war.

Conclusion:

This book does not have as much action as previous book, it's more of an adventure of sorts and I liked it. Still fast and furious.

Cover

They are all the same

Paperback, 400 pages
Published April 17th 2014 by Titan Books Ltd (first published May 27th 2008)
Confederation #4
Military sci-fi
For review

The Wild Ways - Tanya Huff

Alysha Gale's cousin Charlotte is a Wild Power, who allies herself with a family of Selkies in a fight against offshore oil drilling. The oil company has hired another of the Gale family's Wild Powers, the fearsome Auntie Catherine, to steal the Selkies' sealskins. To defeat her, Charlotte will have to learn what born to be Wild really means in the Gale family...

My thoughts:

Anyone who have read book 1 know that the Gale's are a bit strange, and for you who haven't, well then you are in for a surprise and I will not say more.

Book 1 was about Allie and now it's her cousin Charlie's turn. Charlie is a wild power and has not really found herself (in the magical meaning). So she becomes involved with helping some selkies, and no she does not go there on her own free will. A meddling aunt is behind it. Charlie was fun, full of live, loving her music and family.

The plot about helping the selkies, Charlie finding herself and also a bit about Charlie's new relative Jack, who also has to find himself as he is a Gale now.

But, the book had some issues, well one issue. It felt jumpy, like she at times went from thought to another thought as she was writing. I can't remember if book 1 was like that too. But it did not feel like I ever got used to it.

Conclusion:

An urban fantasy that feels very different from the run of the mill UF books out there.

Cover

eh

Paperback, 320 pages
Published April 17th 2014 by Titan Books (first published November 1st 2011)
Gale Women #2 Enchantment Emporium #2
Urban fantasy
For review

The Heart of Valour - Tanya Huff

Gunnery Sergeant Torin Kerr is a Confederation Marine's marine. Sidelined since her last mission, she jumped at the chance to go to Cruciblethe Marine Corps training planet. While the exercise is underway, the drones begin acting aggressively, without regard to fail-safes or their programming. Kerr finds herself caught in a desperate fight to keep a platoon of Marine recruits alive...

My thoughts:

Torin is in a hot mess as usual. In this book she escorts a major and his doctor to a marine training planet, and of course there are a bunch of recruits too that will finish their training. And then boom the planet turns on them. But Torin can sure handle herself, and see to that people around her stays alive. She is so very kick-ass.

But what I liked the most was that Torin started to question things, and I never questioned things either but now I did that too. Humans and other beings help The Elder races fight The others. But, here is the but, why are the fighting? I realized that I did not know, cos yes Torin did not know. And only The Elder races has ever been in peace talk. Sure I wondered about The Others before but now I really wonder. And because of that I want more, because I need to know now.

Of course there are other things going on that I can't get into, why the planet turned on them. Things that has to do with book 2 and of course the whole aspect of Torin wondering what the hell is going on.

Conclusion:

Kick-ass action, a few dilemmas on the way ;) trust me on that. And did I say action? Lots of action and shooting.

Cover

eh

Paperback, 400 pages
Published February 7th 2014 by Titan Books (first published June 5th 2007)
Confederation #3Sci-fi
For Review

Review: The Enchantment Emporium - Tanya Huff

The Gale family can change the world with the charms they cast. Alysha Gale is tired of having all her aunts try to run her life. So when her Gran leaves her a ""junk"" shop in Calgary, Alysha jumps at the chance. It isn't until she gets there that she realizes her customers are fey. And no one told her there's trouble brewing in Calgary-trouble so big that even calling in the family may not save the day...

My thoughts:

First I must say that the family breeding program was pretty messed up. It was a keep in the family policy, but because there were so many girls then some got to breed outside the family. If the guy was accepted. But to be honest it never truly bothered me, Allie was not chosen by a cousin so I was a bit, ok, I can deal.

Allie left her family to start over in Calgary and take over her gran's weird shop. And of course things goes wrong at once. She meets a Fae, she sees...things I shall not mention but oh my. She meets someone who interests her. And as things starts to go down hill more of the family shows up to help her or just hang out. Calgary is the place to be.

The Gale family sure was an interesting bunch of people, I wonder how their powers came to be. Then I get to see that there is a lot of other beings out there too, and then there is Under the Hill.

The book gets its conclusion here. The next book is about Allie's cousin. I did like that because I knew where I left Allie at least then. It all come together.

I do hope book 3 is about her brother though, I want to know what happens to him, but no blurb on that book yet.

Conclusion:

Powers, beings, some ass-kicking and family issues.

cover

Maybe I am in the mood today but this cover actually works (or maybe cos I saw an older cover that was really bleh)

Paperback, 400 pages
Published January 17th 2014 by Titan Books (first published January 1st 2009)
Gale Women #1
Urban Fantasy for review

Review: The Better part of Valour - Tanya Huff

Best known for her Quarters series and vampire novels, Tanya Huff stunned critics and fans with Valor's Choice, her first military science fiction novel. This thrilling sequel follows the Confederation's investigation of a seemingly abandoned alien spaceship.

My thoughts:

Torin continues to kick ass in this book, though kick ass is not the right thing to say in a way. She is a marine, she does her duty, the follows orders (tries too), she takes care of those serving with her.

The old gang is not in this book as she has to work with new people and a idiot who is hungry for media attention. Yeah, one of those idiots who gets his squad killed and manages to come out looking like a hero. I did not like him or the politics for promoting him. While regular soldiers got to suffer and die under him.

It was more space ship action here, and I do tend to enjoy it more when they are on...land or what I should call it. But it would sure make a cool action movie. Creepy alien space ship that I did not know what to make up, insert some music of doom and we are all set.

Conclusion:

Action, danger, and a strange space ship stranded in space. Death and destruction promised.

Cover

This was the reason I was meh over cove 1, they are the same except for the background and color

Paperback, 348 pages
Published December 2013 by Titan Books (first published March 1st 2002)
Confederation #2
Sci.fi
For review

Review: Valour's Choice - Tanya Huff

In the distant future, humans and several other races have been granted membership in the Confederation--at a price. They must act as soldier/protectors of the far more civilized races who have long since turned away from war....

My thoughts:

Sci-fi, military and action. That is what you get when you read this book. And for the history buffs out there one of the battles is based on a battle in the Zulu war.

In the future a confederation of planets is formed to guard against the threat of an alien race called The Others (I totally want to know more about them btw). Humans are welcomed to serve as the military as those who formed this federation do not fight. But many others fight too so in Torin's (our heroine) squad there are many more lifeforms, "elves", big spiders, the gluttony alien, you get the picture.

Torin is a true marine, kicking ass, liking the life. Even if she is higher up than the foot soldiers they can trust her. She is a good leader and in this book she gets to prove it too.

There is lots of fighting, but also an interesting introduction to a new planet that wants to join. Reptiles who really likes to fight, and I would not want to meet them. They are pretty crazy.

Conclusion:

Now what to compare it too? I have read too few as I can only think of one book by Jean Johnson, but not in every way. So anyway, if you like action, new worlds, adventure, then this is for you.

cover

Eh

Paperback, 320 pages
Published 2013 by Titan Books (first published April 1st 2000)
Confederation #1
Sci-fi
For review