Review: Better than average sci-fi.
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 10 9, 2012
Hegemony starts off suspiciously lacking in the recent trends of self-published science fiction clichés, and somehow never gets around to their inevitable incorporation.  Largely absent is the gratuitous spam of neat-o devices that have no value to plot or character development, and are included apparently as the author's `wish-list for the future'... although there are a few exceptions, such as one apparently required within the hallowed Law Of All Science Fiction, Chapter 1, Page 6, Paragraph 8, "Transportation", Subparagraph 12 that states:  "No work of fiction placed thirty (30) or more years in the future will be without flying automobiles".  An annoying platitude, I'll admit, but one can't very well rebuke an author for obeying the law. Er, all apologies... cup-o-tangent, anyone?  <rolls eyes>.  Another refreshing course change would be characters one actually cares to remember, albeit sometimes in a rather anachronous fashion.  Granted, some bits and pieces I found to be a trifle verbose...specifically exposition pertaining to certain technologies, but I chalk that up to more my personal preference; if  a futuristic gadget is grounded in feasible science, then I can obtain intuitive acceptance rather quickly without being spoon-fed vast amounts of supporting prose.  In contrast, I personally like lots of additional information when the subject is technology/theory residing in the here and now.There is one area of the novel, however, that may be confusing to some people.  I will take it upon myself to attempt to coherently explain this puzzlement.  It involves a primary aspect of ship-to-ship engagements; the Interceptor.`Interceptors' are tiny craft controlled by a single human "mind" (an oddity explained in the book, but at present an irrelevant side-topic unnecessary to this particular irrelevant side topic), and launched to Intercept enemy Interceptors that get too close to the ship sending out Interceptors. A second variety of Interceptor would be the craft used to engage enemy Interceptor at range, in order to prevent them from becoming the first type of enemy Interceptor.  These varieties are referred to as `Interceptors'.  However, there is a third type of strike craft used to engage capital ships, and these are labeled as `Interceptors', and should not be confused with types one or two... even though the numbered type-classification seen here is completely arbitrary and not in any way used in the story itself; it's just a tool used in this review to aid in the understanding process.  These Interceptors may be intercepted by any of the previous Interceptor types, but don't actually intercept anything..  The fourth type of Interceptor, which is a warhead Interceptor, titled in the story an `Interceptor', that does nothing but fly to somewhere and explode rather suddenly, again without doing any actual intercepting... but these types cannot perform the actions of types one, two or three.  Now keep in mind, this final type of Interceptor warhead should not be confused with the munitions carried by the previous Interceptors called Interceptor warheads, which are carried beneath the Interceptors.  However, some larger ships carry anti-Interceptor warheads, which do not intercept warheads launched by Interceptors.  They are warheads designed to intercept the Interceptors themselves... which may or not be an Interceptor warhead (i.e., the fourth type, as was clearly explained previously).  No mention as of yet of what is needed to intercept an anti-interceptor warhead launched at Interceptors intent on intercepting other Interceptors... but it is a safe assumption that whatever it is will be given a distinctive designation to avoid confusion; likely `Interceptor' or even `Interceptor'... though frankly `Interceptor' is not one I would completely rule out.So, in summation, everything intended to attack, defend, soar, damage, whizz, antagonize, shoot-down, slap around, duck, parry, flambé, have tea with, confuse, thumb noses at, pick noses of, zoom, befuddle, deride and flat-out blow thing up is designated an `Interceptor'.  While obviously a lucid and well-structured system it does, unfortunately, lead to story combat descriptions being carpet-bombed with the word `Interceptor' (and derivatives thereof), leading to a semantic satiation that tends to drown out all other story elements... ironically effectively intercepting the story's progression and bringing what should be a rapid-paced sequence of events to an ungainly halt.But silliness aside, it's definitely a good bit of sci-fi for fans of the genre.  I will finish this and look to purchase the sequel or, failing its existence, with the same intent at some future date.