Introducing the crew of the Harpy: a ragtag group of spacers hauling cargo in the outer rim. Until someone tries to blow them out of the Black.Alcohol, women, and space, that’s what keeps Captain Kael Jameson going. Plus the crew he’s managed to gather in place of a family.But when he’s forced to destroy something precious in order to save the ones he loves most, his world is turned upside down … loves most, his world is turned upside down in a heartbeat.
Things get bad after that, and he already had a hangover.
Alien hitmen, political intrigue leading to civil war, and a cunning pirate overlord; you’d think it couldn’t get any worse. But it does. When an unidentified enemy enters the known systems and starts picking New Earth’s allies off, one by one, life as we know it falls apart.
Either Kael and his crew beat them. Or get beaten. It’s going to be a close call.
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4.5 Stars! Looking for an unforgettable Star Trek experience? Look no further than Nicola Claire’s The Sector Fleet and brand new spin-off The Sector Wars.
Summary:
Captain Kael Jameson is happy with his life. He has his ship, alcohol, his crew, and the freedom of the black. It wasn’t always that way, but he’s a different man than he used to be. Then he stumbles into trouble and is forced to destroy one of the most important things in his life. He did what he had to do, but irrevocably changed his life in an instant. And it’s all downhill from there. It’s been three hundred years since the last of humanity escaped a dying planet and made their way to New Earth. The human race has survived, but not alone. Alien species have been identified, made contact, and become allies (in some cases, tentatively). Humans achieved what was once thought impossible, and advanced their technology. Still, politics and the thirst for power hasn’t changed, and war is still war. Kael thought being in the middle of what could be a civil war was bad, until an unknown enemy takes center stage. The focus is on New Earth’s allies, but how long before it turns to New Earth itself? Life in the known systems is in danger, with Kael and the Harpy the only ones with a chance to stop it. Or are they? They’ll have to navigate high-security prisons, a mysterious and cunning pirate overlord, and sabotage in order to make their move. And that’s if the unseen enemy doesn’t get to them first.
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No matter how many of Nicola’s books I read, she still manages to astound and enthrall me! I mean, how does she do it every single time? I don’t even really care how as long as she keeps doing it. Lol. When she released The Sector Fleet, I was wary because I wasn’t a huge Sci-Fi reader. I quickly fell in love with the world and characters, though. And now with The Sector Wars I’m once again in awe of the complex and intriguing world that Nicola has created. This book, although still set in space, is different than the original series. Captain Kael Jameson is our main character and he alone guides us through the story. I ended up liking Kael quite a lot. He’s a strong leader, brave, compassionate, and smart, but he has his secrets, too. He had some hard decisions to make, but always with a mind to doing the right thing. His relationships with his crew was rocky at times, but always with an underlying familial love and loyalty. This made for an unbreakable foundation. They each had their own vulnerabilities, doubts, guilt, and confusion, but these qualities only enhanced them as characters and helped me connect with them. In the end, I became so engrossed in the journey and getting to know the key players, that I was surprised to turn the last page. I didn’t want it to end. The storyline was action-packed, giving us all we needed to immerse ourselves in the Black, but only revealing enough to keep us coming back for more. I will admit to being a smidge confused in the beginning, what with learning new species, characters and environments. Luckily, it all came into better focus as I kept reading, and I think added to the thrills in the book. As with The Sector Fleet, AI’s are a large part of the world. Cassi is a major part of Kael’s crew and family, and has a spitfire personality all her own. I adored Pavo, Vela, Corvus, and Aquila. I’m still getting to know Cassi, but the potential to love her just as much is there. Another difference from the original series is the absence of tangible romance. There is the very, very early start of what could be one, though. Instead, our attention is turned more to the plot, enhanced environment, and complex characters and their relationships. This is looking to be an ongoing series centering on the same characters throughout, so I’m happy to fall in love with the characters as they fall for each other. This was a fantastic start to a new series. It opened a vast new world of possibilities while still managing to pay homage to the original series. I definitely want more, and cannot wait to see where Kael, his crew, and the Harpy take us next!