Treecat Wars (Star Kingdom)
Now that the Fire Season on Sphinx is over, Stephanie Harrington and her fellow provisional ranger Karl are offered the unique chance to study in the forestry service program on the nearby planet Manticore. It’s an exciting opportunity, and while Stephanie worries how it will affect her burgeoning romance with the dashing Anders, it’s too good to pass up, especially given that the program is accommodating her unique relationship with the treecat Lionheart, with which she is deeply bonded. Of course, nothing is as simple as it appears, and both Steph and Karl are soon caught up in the political intrigue centered around the treecats. This continuation of the Star Kingdom series may leave newcomers a bit lost, but as the authors’ nimbly build the background of Weber’s Honorverse, the history and complex connections will fall into place, and those who missed the series’ start, A Beautiful Friendship (2011), will want to follow up and discover what they missed. Grades 9-12. --Tina Coleman