Status
Available
Call number
Series
Publication
New York, NY : DAW Books, c2000.
Description
The first book in Tanya Huff's action-packed military sci-fi adventure Confederation series Staff Sergeant Torin Kerr was a battle-hardened professional. So when she and her platoon were yanked from a well-deserved leave for what was supposed to be "easy" duty as the honor guard for a diplomatic mission to the non-Confederation world of the Silsviss, she was ready for anything. Sure, there'd been rumors of the Others--the sworn enemies of the Confederation--being spotted in this sector of space. But there were always rumors. The key thing was to recruit the Silsviss into the Confederation before the Others attacked or claimed these lizardlike warriors for their side. And everything seemed to be going perfectly. Maybe too perfectly....
User reviews
LibraryThing member wyvernfriend
I read the first in this series and really enjoyed it and this was just as good. Staff Sergeant Torin Kerr is an incredibly realistic and she's a solid character and her trials and tribulations flow from the story. Nothing seems forced, even her relationship with her Second Lieutenant. I want to
This time she's taken early off R&R and told to go on a diplomatic mission. There's rumours of the Others somewhere close but they want to recruit the Silsviss into the Confederation, the Silsviss look like they will add to the interstellar army. When things don't go to plan Torin has to use her knowledge and wits. It's interesting and works well.
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read more but also don't want the series to burn out. So long as Tanya Huff has stories to write about this character both myself and my husband will read them. This is one of the few series both of us read with relish.This time she's taken early off R&R and told to go on a diplomatic mission. There's rumours of the Others somewhere close but they want to recruit the Silsviss into the Confederation, the Silsviss look like they will add to the interstellar army. When things don't go to plan Torin has to use her knowledge and wits. It's interesting and works well.
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LibraryThing member gilroy
I enjoy reading military fiction, as it offers the sense of battle that I tend to not get in my life. This book introduced me to someone who understood being under seige, stuck in a bunker, and doing what it took to survive. The lack of reaction to the deaths that they witness felt cold and
That being said, there were issues within the book that frustrated me as a writer trying to learn. The author set up point of view changes through out the book, most times breaking them between the main character, Torin Kerr, and the others. Some times, she'd slip and do the change from paragraph to paragraph, especially when dealing with one unit from the platoon. It made following the characters more difficult.
Still a good read. Worth a look.
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heartless, but to be stuck in such a situation would require allowing such pain to be bottled until later.That being said, there were issues within the book that frustrated me as a writer trying to learn. The author set up point of view changes through out the book, most times breaking them between the main character, Torin Kerr, and the others. Some times, she'd slip and do the change from paragraph to paragraph, especially when dealing with one unit from the platoon. It made following the characters more difficult.
Still a good read. Worth a look.
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LibraryThing member zjakkelien
Relatively light military SF that stands out for lack of misogyny (well, it's Huff, and she is quite good at that). It's basically marines in space and besides fighting aliens, it's mostly about how the marines relate to each other.
LibraryThing member reading_fox
Pretty standard mil-sf fare, heavier on the mil than normal because it's taken almost directly from history and one of the famous last stands against the Zulus. The heroine is a Staff Sargent, one of those odd military ranks that carries more responsibility than it sounds, as a professional soldier
Slightly unusual opening premise in that this sort of scenario usually occurs later in a series once we've got to know all the characters. The Staff's platoon is picked to be the ceremonial guard for a mixed race of dignitaries assessing a new race hoping to join the Confederation, in their long-term war against The Others (races unspecified). However as you can imagine it all goes wrong and they end up fighting for their lives in the middle of an unknown swamp, hoping that help will get to them in time.
It's not really a matter for laughter, but there's plenty of puns and quips thrown in and none of the solders take it too seriously, even though they are being picked off by the natives. Most of the casualties are just un-named Marines. The primary character is obviously the Staff, and her interactions with her nominal boss the 2nd Lt make up most of the banter - despite all the references to inept Lts, this one appears to be almost competent. There's a good gender balance in the future army with no suggestions anyone's less skilled than another, which doesn't prevent plenty of innuendo to keep morale up.
Like Elizabeth's Vatta's War, Bujold et al, I'll probably read more of them because they're fun, rather than good.
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rather than either a fresh recruit or a titled officer.Slightly unusual opening premise in that this sort of scenario usually occurs later in a series once we've got to know all the characters. The Staff's platoon is picked to be the ceremonial guard for a mixed race of dignitaries assessing a new race hoping to join the Confederation, in their long-term war against The Others (races unspecified). However as you can imagine it all goes wrong and they end up fighting for their lives in the middle of an unknown swamp, hoping that help will get to them in time.
It's not really a matter for laughter, but there's plenty of puns and quips thrown in and none of the solders take it too seriously, even though they are being picked off by the natives. Most of the casualties are just un-named Marines. The primary character is obviously the Staff, and her interactions with her nominal boss the 2nd Lt make up most of the banter - despite all the references to inept Lts, this one appears to be almost competent. There's a good gender balance in the future army with no suggestions anyone's less skilled than another, which doesn't prevent plenty of innuendo to keep morale up.
Like Elizabeth's Vatta's War, Bujold et al, I'll probably read more of them because they're fun, rather than good.
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LibraryThing member SimonW11
A pleasant surprise this. was recommended to me sometime ago by a second hand book dealer in Chester. I am glad I finally got round to trying it. Tanya Huff does military SF surprisingly well. The pompous sincerity and nobility that marks so many of these books is replaced with a lightly Humorous
Our Staff Sergeant heroine finds herself shepherding a new second lieutenant and a troop of veterans on a diplomatic tour of a new planet they wish to recruit to the good guys side. The soldiers act like soldiers rather than the way people, especially diplomats wish soldiers would act.
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touch.. Our Staff Sergeant heroine finds herself shepherding a new second lieutenant and a troop of veterans on a diplomatic tour of a new planet they wish to recruit to the good guys side. The soldiers act like soldiers rather than the way people, especially diplomats wish soldiers would act.
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LibraryThing member Nikkles
This book is a little out of my comfort zone. I don't usually read Millitary fiction and I tend to lean toward fantasy over sci-fi. However, I was getting bored with my normal stuff and ventured out a little bit . . . and was rewarded. Valor's Choice is funny and interesting. In fact it is much
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funnier then I was expecting and much more touching. This is an extremly well written book that I would suggest to all sci-fi and fantasy fans. Show Less
LibraryThing member TadAD
First of all, ignore the cover art. It's pretty bad. :-)
Anyway, this is fairly standard military action science fiction. The action is pretty relentless once it gets going. The plot is OK, if a bit predictable. The main character is your typical wise-cracking Marine sergeant, and I mean that in a
If someone asked me for some military science fiction recommendations, this wouldn't be what lept to mind. However, if you like that subgenre...and I do...go ahead and read this.
Anyway, this is fairly standard military action science fiction. The action is pretty relentless once it gets going. The plot is OK, if a bit predictable. The main character is your typical wise-cracking Marine sergeant, and I mean that in a
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good way...she's funny and familiar. The other characters are not particularly well developed, more stereotypes than actual people.If someone asked me for some military science fiction recommendations, this wouldn't be what lept to mind. However, if you like that subgenre...and I do...go ahead and read this.
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LibraryThing member blodeuedd
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
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.
Now what to compare it too? I have read too few as I can only think of one book. So anyway, if you like action, new worlds, adventure, then this is for you.
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
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know more 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 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.
Now what to compare it too? I have read too few as I can only think of one book. So anyway, if you like action, new worlds, adventure, then this is for you.
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LibraryThing member xiaomarlo
I think this one was just not for me. I'm not really a military science fiction kind of person (except for Star Trek TNG and DS9, if that counts), and although I did appreciate all the different alien species (some delightfully imaginative) and how the Confederation worked out how all the species
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could work together, I found most of the characters to be too superficial, and the plot itself did not grab me. Action scenes in general don't really do it for me, either, so I was pretty bored in the last quarter of the book. Show Less
LibraryThing member cindywho
Whee! Fluffy military sf. It was great for the commute and I always enjoy a kick-ass female protagonist.
LibraryThing member tetisheri
Oh, how I love these books. Tanya Huff is an excellent writer that really puts us in her world. I think that Torin is pretty much BAMF. Tanya Huff really got the whole mentality of a Marine, whether they are in space or not, which makes Torin an even better character, in my opinion. I can't help
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but to read and reread this series a couple of times a year. Show Less
Subjects
Language
Original publication date
2000-04
Physical description
409 p.; 18 cm
ISBN
0886778964 / 9780886778965