Review: Very Good Debut
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 08 24, 2011
Trying to define space opera? This title is a fine example of the genre, warts and all. There's a lot to like here and a lot that needs some work.The premise and set up are pretty standard tropes. Anybody familiar with the early works of Heinlein will find familiar ground. The "dumb aliens" trope made me groan, but Locke executes it passably well. I admit that I spent way too much time reading when I should have been working.Personally, I found the plot quite adequate - taken as a whole - but as some have pointed out, the resolution feels disjointed--even rushed. There is a point in the story where Peters' relationship with his colleagues changes. That would have been a good ending point for this book. It marked the real end of his "temporary duty." Ending there would have left a nice bit of business to begin the sequel, giving that last quarter of the book room to develop more naturally. It would also have helped keep this book's story focused while keeping the story arc intact.The characters were a bit cardboardy with a lot of stock figures -- martinet commanding officer, sympathetic chief, aloof captain, smarmy salesmen, trusty sidekick, etc. -- but the main character did grow and develop. Locke did a nice job showing that change over time and I could see the changes as a function of the plot, so the book hung together nicely. I think it could have been stronger had we seen some similar growth in the supporting cast. Bolton and Joshua, in particular, seemed inconsistent in their interactions--showing some changes in the middle portions of the book only to revert to stereotype later with no justification.All told, I enjoyed this read. Locke managed to keep me pressing the next button just to find out what improbable thing Peters would get up to next. As somebody pointed out in another review, there's a lot of schlock, but that's not necessarily a bad thing.Looking for a light, fun, read? This one is a good choice. Grab a sample and see for yourself.