Customer Reviews

Command Decision (Vatta's War)

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(15)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This latest installment in Moon's Vatta's War saga has all the adventure and thrills of the earlier novels in the series played out on an ever larger canvas. What began as the story of about a disgraced cadet becoming a captain of an old family freighter, has come all the way to interstellar war. Corporate coups on Nexus II, Aunt Gracie running the Slotter Key Department of Defense, and Ky in command of a real space navy-it's all here. On the other hand bigger is not necessarily better. Just adding more ships does not make for a more compelling space battle. The Gary Tobai/Fair Kaleen fight in Marque and Reprisal is more dramatic than the multi-ship engagements here. The other disadvantage with a sprawling universe is that some characters get short shift. While Rafe gets considerable time in the sun and Ky follows her predictable arc to becoming a celebrated leader, Aunt Grace and Stella are largely ignored for much of the book which arguably leaves it a bit out of balance. There is also a bit of middle-book-syndrome as a good bit of time is spent laying the ground work for a climactic clash in the finale. Overall, Moon does not disappoint but leaves the reader eager for the next chapter, which is, I suppose, the point.

In a way there is little to say about the fourth novel in an ongoing sequence. Suffice it to say, perhaps, that Elizabeth Moon makes no major missteps in this book -- if you have been enjoying the Vatta's War series, you will enjoy this one. What else do we need to know?

To begin with, if you haven't been reading this series, I recommend going back and starting with book one. If you enjoy fast-moving space adventure, with involving characters and space war tactics and action and all... these books will work for you. They aren't perfect -- in common with most novels in this subgenre, the main characters are a bit implausibly skilled at the roles they are thrust into, in common with many series novels, the individual novels don't always work ideally on their own.

What of Command Decision, then? By this time essentially four main points of view have been established. Ky Vatta is the nominal protagonist of the series: a young woman unfairly forced out of the Slotter Key Space Academy, who joined her family space transport company and who thus was well-positioned to begin resistance when conspirators destroyed ansibles throughout human space and attacked several systems, including Slotter Key. Stella Vatta is Ky's beautiful cousin, who discovers in herself unsuspected talents for leading a business when most of the Vattas were killed and she was left the only candidate to try to keep the business going. Grace Vatta is Ky and Stella's supposedly dotty Aunt, who turns out to really be a spy, and as one of the few survivors of the attack on Vatta interests at Slotter Key is the natural choice to take a position in the new government. (No Moon books would be complete without a formidable Aunt -- after all, James Nicoll went so far as to dub her previous Space Opera series "Aunts in Space".) And finally Rafe Dunsbarger is a mysterious man, the disgraced son of the CEO of ISC, the company that controls ansible traffic, supposedly a remittance man (i.e. living on an allowance from his family) but actually serving as an undercover ISC agent.

Of these four Rafe's story is most central to this new novel. He has secretly returned to his home planet, Nexus, hoping to find his father and try to understand what's up with ISC and the ansibles. But his father (along with his mother and sister) has disappeared. So Rafe must try to find out what's up with his father -- and in the process figure out what's up with ISC. This forces him to reassess his troubled past life -- and also leads to fun but almost goofy scenes including a shootout in the boardroom.

Meanwhile, Aunt Grace is continuing to root out potential traitors in Slotter Key's government. Stella is pursuing further potentially lucrative business opportunities while still coming to terms with her personal history. And Ky is still trying to expand her fleet, this time with some unexpected help from a very romantic -- and very wealthy -- fellow. She also deals with a nasty system, complete with slavers, and she helps out the Mackensee mercenaries when they are in danger from the pirates. All this means she is faced with another difficult personal choice.

Basically, this is a middle book in a long series. Nothing is really resolved -- but nothing need be resolved at this point. There is plenty of cool action, several engaging good guys to root for in a struggle against some really really bad guys (as ever, Moon's villains are truly villainous). This is pure light Space Opera -- nothing earthshaking, nothing really new, but good fun.

In the same vein as "Sporting Chance, "Hunting Party", and "Winning Colors", Elizabeth Moon has created an inspiring space drama in her Vatta's War series with likeable lead character Captain Kylara Vatta, her cousin Stella, and Rafe Dunbarger, the mysterious ISC spy.

"Command Decision" continues the story of the remnants of the Vatta family, striving to find Trade and Profit out of the chaos that ensued after their families were targets of mysterious pirates. Kylara, Stella, and Rafe split off into their own intriguing stories in this, the fourth book in the series.

Rafe follows his own trail back to his home planet to find that all is not as copacetic as he had thought. Shaken by what he finds, he susses out the problems with the help of some old aquaintances, only to find that in order to correct the problems, he'd have to change who he is.

Meanwhile, Stella has set up shop on super-polite Cascadia and struggles to find balance as the new CEO of Vatta, all the while dealing with rambunctious teenager Toby and his technological genius.

And of course, Captain Kylara Vatta has gone in search of the pirates that are behind the murder and mayhem scattered across the galaxy. She's not alone, but continues to find herself in hairy predicaments.

I was a bit amazed at who ended up being the Slotter Key Spaceforce advisor on the other Slotter Key privateer's ship, and a little disappointed that it wasn't who I thought it was.

One of my favorite characters from "Engaging the Enemy" didn't get near enough page-time (Aunt Gracie Lane Vatta ROCKS!) in this fourth book. Of course, as always with the fantastic and enthralling writing of Elizabeth Moon, the story ended too soon (300 more pages, please!)

Command Decision (2007) is the fourth SF novel in the Vatta's War series, following Engaging the Enemy. In the previous volume, pirates jumped the privateer ships practicing maneuvers in a deserted system and destroyed several of the vessels. Kylara Vatta joined forces with two other ships as they fought their way out of the ambush.

Aunt Grace supervised the laying of the cornerstone for the new Vatta Transport building. Afterward, Master Sergeant MacRobert invited her to tea and then stated that she would be asked to serve in a high position within the government.

In this novel, Rafael Dunbarger lands at Nexus Center Port as Genson Ratanvi, a middle-aged Cascadian business man. He passes Customs and Immigration without problems and heads for the Ambisor where he has stayed before in this identity. After installing his baggage in the room, he goes out to make some calls.

Upon reaching Luce's, a cafe in his former neighborhood, Rafe tries his father's private number and gets a "no longer available" message. When he calls his home phone number, the call is answered by someone he doesn't recognize. Then the voice asks his business and reason for calling. After telling the voice that he is trying to reach Flasic's Bakery Supplies, Rafe is told that he has the wrong number. But then he is asked for his calling location and told to stay on the line.

After he is permitted to hang up, Rafe complains to the proprietor of the cafe about the rudeness of some people. He asks for directions to Flasic's and Luce walks over with him. He makes some inquiries, but finds the transportation costs are too high. Luce walks out with him, yet returns to his cafe. By that time, Rafe is being followed by someone else.

Later Rafe is awakened by a call on his implanted ansible. He doesn't answer immediately, but just waits. Eventually he hears voices and jacks up the sensitivity to listen to three voices. The conversation suggests that someone had gotten his number from his father.

Stella and Toby are doing well on Cascadia Station. Unfortunately, Toby has stacked electronic gear all over the apartment. Stella tries to get him to pick up the mess, but he keeps getting distracted. Since Toby is designing some interesting modifications to the shipboard ansibles, Stella can't just throw the stuff out. Luckily, she has a lead on office and workshop space for the rebuilding Vatta Transport organization.

Ky is having medical problems aboard the Vanguard. Several of her crew have ingested something virulent. Although they identify the substance and treat the crew in the medboxes, Ky needs a medical staff like the professional forces. In addition, she needs to tighten discipline, for the crew should have known not to bring anything unusual onboard without permission. She holds an all-crew meeting while they are in FTL.

Ky visits Gretna Main Station to restock on missiles and gains a bad impression of their ethics. Among other malpractices, the Gretnans have a form of slavery and Ky buys her medical staff as indentured laborers. Of course, she frees the individuals as soon as they come aboard, but she puts her crew on high alert after learning of some other Gretnan tricks from her new medics.

In this story, Rafe continues his masquerade as a Cascadian businessman while gaining assistance from his former classmates to find his family. Toby learns how to connect shipboard ansibles to system ansibles and Stella starts a patent search. Aunt Grace becomes a very high personage in the Slotter Key Defense Ministry.

Ky recruits three other ship captains to her System Defense Force squadron. Captain Ransome and his fellows are much too romantic -- in the swashbuckling sense -- to be trusted fully, but their ships are small, fast, armed and highly maneuverable, making good scouts. Indeed, the crews have some experience boarding pirate ships. Best yet, Ransome is very rich and actually *buys* the shipboard ansibles that he installs in his ships.

This story continues the evolution of a multisystem defense force to fight the pirates. Ky has some setbacks, but also gains much more experience and some influential friends, including stronger ties with the MacKensee Mercenaries.

Highly recommended for Moon fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of naval conflict, corporate intrigue and personal combat.

-Arthur W. Jordin

COMMAND DECISION (2007) is the fourth book of the VATTA'S WAR Series - following ENGAGING THE ENEMY(2006), MARQUE AND REPRISAL(2005), and TRADING IN DANGER(2004). These books follow the exploits of Kylara Vatta, a Space Trader with a military training background, who is forced to turn Space Privateer, in response to an attack by Space Pirates on the Vatta family Space Trading enterprise and the ansible inter-system communication network... the conflict begins to expand to a galactic war in ENGAGING THE ENEMY, and in this book, Ky takes charge of a small fleet at the center of conflicts in the enlarging galactic war.

Near the end of the book, 4 disparate groups of ships (pirates, mercenaries, Ky's new "Space Defense Force" and ISC's force) could meet up in a remote location... but I won't give away what happens - as it is the best scene out of the series.

As usual with this series, there are some overly-coincendental or contrived scenes (the magic "skull ansible" technology in Ky's head... why don't MORE people have it, if it works?) - but they really don't impact the exciting pace and overall quality of the book. While the book isn't perfect, it is very enjoyable, and it gets 4.5 stars - round it up to 5.

Rafe Dunbarger is a man of many identities, a master of disguise, an assassin when need be--and the son of the CEO of ISC, the most powerful corporation throughout the human universe. He left his home planet and was dismissed as a psychotic misfit--but was he?

Ky Vatta is one of the surviving members of the Vatta Transport family. Most were killed, in part due to the treachery of her pirate Uncle Osman. She killed him, reclaimed the spaceship he had stolen from the family and because of her connection with Rafe, discovers a technology pirated from ISC--a ship-based communication system that allows for almost instantaneous communication between ships.

The pirates have disabled much of ISC's monopoly communication technology, leaving many planets and systems blind to their attacks. Rafe returns to his home planet only to discover that his family has been kidnapped and that the company has been slow to effect repairs that will restore vital communications.

Meanwhile, Ky's cousin, Sheila, is trying to restore the Vatta family empire, support her ward , Toby, as he tries to replicate and improve the pirated technology, and aid Ky in cobbling together what she calls the "Space Defense Force."

Moon continues the Vatta's War series and creates characters that you care about, scenarios that keep you turning the pages as quickly as possible and last minute plot twists that keep your pulse climbing.

Armchair Interviews says: This is a page-turner you won't want to miss.

Command Decision (Vatta's War Series) is a ripping good yarn. The story is nicely paced with many realistic touches that deal with the trails of trying to sustain both military and business operations. I would recommend this book to any avid science fiction reader and especially those that are space opera fans.

However, I do have three small criticisms of this book. First, the book is not as much a stand alone work as Ms. Moon's previous works in this series; you should read the previous works to fully appreciate this book. Second, I felt it the ending was a bit contrived and hurried in its development - although I found the ending very enjoyable. Third and foremost, I felt that Ms. Moon has far too many characters that each deserve their own separate stories rather than rolled up into one book.

Again this is a very entertaining story, that is part of a very addictive series, and is a top notch read.

In my reviews I do not give plot summaries since they are readily available elsewhere. I usually do not write reviews of books unless I despise them so much that I want to warn people to save their money (and being somewhat vindictive to prevent the author and publisher from making money on what I consider a poor product). This review is an exception. I have enjoyed all the books in the series, but this one really stands out. It combines excellent plotting, well thought out and interesting characters, good dialog, suspense, and humor (without being farcical). I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys the genre of science fiction.

Its one of the very books with multiple leads that have I ever read

thats at all even palatable and its better than just palatable. Its

very well written. If only Miss Elizabeth had bothered to learn what

a privateer actually is. Since the entire series is built on a false

premise something is lost in the effort.

Privateers are privately owned ships who attack the commercial shipping

of a nation you are at war with. You are in it for profit. Attacking

pirates brings no profit so why do it? If I am going to take my ship

and crew into harms way by attacking a pirate then someone with deep,

government sized pockets better be backing my play. Gee no evidence of

that is there?

Slotter Key, home system of three of the 4 leads is not war with any

other nation. By any of the known modern laws of warfare (1700 and

later) she has no right to issue any letters of marque.

A standing flotilla of privateers is just not believable. For one thing

neutrals won't like agents of another star system bringing armed ships

into their systems. I think something in a plot device could have been

devised to allow all of this but it didn't happen.

I am a fan of Moon from the first two in the series, not so much the third, which has made me hesitant to read her series again just from the knowledge that many of her dialogue sequences are forced by nature, which make for a somewhat unbelievable story. Luckily Moon was able to cut down on her forced plot sequences and dialogues and return her focus back to the task at hand, that of creating a defense force capable of withstanding the pirate hordes.

The book was improved by the necessity to break the narrative up into three sections, four if you count Grace: Ky, Stella and Rafe. Each ahs their own problems to overcome, ultimately leading towards the same goal. Rafe has to return to his home planet in order to discover why he hasn't heard from his parents and why the ansibles are still down across the galaxy. His role plays out more like a special agent, secretly invading and gathering intelligence. Stella has to contend with returning the Vatta Enterprises into a profitable venture, and of course Ky has to create an attack/defense force. All achieve their goals, some more admirably (Ky) than others (Rafe).

Rafes sequence seemed to end abruptly which is the only downside his plot sequence. Other than that I think his would have been much more enjoyable. As is it was cut short. There were still some forced plot sequences, i.e. Ky and Rafe's relationship, but for the most part it was an enjoyable read. I found that I was thinking about the Vatta world a lot after I had finished reading it, which is always a good sign that will have me return to that world soon. Because of that I think that Moon has brought the series back on track and turned it towards a much more enjoyable series, one that I can't wait to continue.

4 stars.