I wasn’t sure what this new series by one of my favorite authors was going to be about. Then, right off, I see that it’s about Rade Galaal. He’s one of my favorite characters. I’ve followed him all the way through MOTH (MObile Tactical Human) through most of his career as a MOTH and up to Chief. He’s even shown up in “The Captain’s Curcible” series. One of the great things about this character was his purpose for fighting. He was a member of the United Systems Navy and fought for freedom and their way of life. Now, that’s all changed. He’s out of the Navy, no longer a MOTH (althought they say, “Once a MOTH, always a MOTH”). I don’t believe he retired because he doesn’t seem to old yet. Still, not being in the Navy means he’s something else, a “Security Consultant” which kind of translates into mercenary! That didn’t set well with me, at first.
It also seems that his entire former MOTH team has left the Navy also and joined Rade’s security consulting firm, including Shaw. If you remember, Shaw was an astronavigator on one of the ships that carried the MOTHs on a mission. She and Rade got together and heated up the ship something terrible. Yet, Shaw didn’t think their relationship could last the Navy. So she made a point to avoid Rade as much as possible until she almost got killed on one mission that brought them together. Now, both are out of the Navy and apparently nothing is keeping them apart, even clothes! Yeah, they heat up the place in this book too. I won’t go into naming all the other team members because they’re the same one’s as before, now altogether doing whatever it takes to get paid. Shaw seems to have bankrolled the purchase of a small ship, the “Argonaut” and that’s how they get around.
So, they are flying from one place to another, trying to do some work that isn’t illegal or not obviously so. They aren’t real successful in finding clients. There seems to be a lot of mercenaries available to do worse things that Unlimited Universe Consulting Incorporated will not do. They just started a job only to find out their client was into human trafficking and Rade couldn’t let that stand. So after freeing the slaved humans and almost tearing his employers palace down and then getting away without too much damage, he’s looking for a new client. Oh, and he didn’t get paid by the last client, of course! Then they meet Ms. Emilia Bounty, Green Systems, and she has a job for Rade’s company. Where this job takes them is very, very interesting and could lead to bigger and better things, if they can survive!
This is the start of a great series. Although I liked it better when the MOTHs where part of the Navy, this might work. Still, they are now worried about the cost of all their equipment more so then the cost of their lives. Rade’s supposed to be in-charge, which he definitely is, but he’s suffering a bad case of PTSD! In fact, most of his team probably has a bad case of PTSD, but they fight through it, but it does effect Rade’s performance sometimes. I would be leery about relying on him in some situations. Then there’s Shaw and him. If there’s on thing I don’t like about this book is that Shaw and Rade are just too much in love! They can’t think of practically anything but each other, especially Rade of Shaw. It could easily get him killed and he will obviously let the team go to hell if Shaw were in danger. Heck, he even decided to rescue Shaw and not try and save two-million people instead. I think the author went overboard with the Shaw and Rade romance thing. They are a danger to every mission because they can’t get their heads on straight from worrying about each other.
Still, this looks like a great beginning to a new series. The ending of this book kind of sets the stage for the next three which I think the author has already written and published. I know book two, “You Are Prey”, is out and I have it already. I suggest you get this book and start reading.