Review: 'Honor and Duty' Describes It Perfectly
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 05 5, 2014
The few authors I know aren't fond of being compared to other authors but hey, that's how we readers think.  In this case, I'll compare "Vengeance from Ashes" favorably to David Weber's earlier, compact works.  The title puns on the hero's name--Ash--who was railroaded two years ago by a military court martial to cover up stupid and illegal orders by her superiors that got most of Ash's command killed.  She's sent to a prison planet that's a nice slice of Hell, which is where we find her.  Her sense of honor and obligation to the troops who were sent to prison with her have kept Ash sane and, if anything, sharpened her feelings about duty.  When her friends in the military get Ash's conviction overturned and she's returned to duty, the people whose financial interests led to the situation in the first place.Like Weber, there are believable, human characters, even among the baddies, and the military aspects are reasonably accurate.  Ash's self-reconstruction from almost-broken prisoner to military commander was very well written, though I would have liked to get into her head more.  I also would have liked a greater understanding of just why she's so well-respected by the people around her.  There are dialog snippets that touch on this, but greater explanation or a flashback or three in the right places would have helped a lot.While they don't take away from the story overall, some observations:  There's not a lot of science here; this is more of a military thriller than a sci-fi novel, interplanetary travel notwithstanding.  Also, some of the surprises could have been foreshadowed, a technique I always enjoy, as it motivates me to re-read the story to pick up the references.  The linearity of the plot and the gaps in back story were really the deciders that kept me from giving this five stars.As always, I'm pleased to read a story with few (there are always at least a couple) typos, particularly when I'm such a manticore (Ha! Weber reference!!) when the proofing is bad.Overall, a very good read.  Sam, please consider adding a bit more background on the central characters.  A bit more science in the universe would always be appreciated, as well.  I'm not looking for a Weber-verse, but some indication that science has affected day-to-day life over the next few thousand years would be good.