Customer Reviews

Igniting the Reaches 2: Through the Breach

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This is the second book in the Reaches series. This book deals with Piet Ricimer and Stephen Gregg's supposed mission to the asteroid belt that really is a pirate raid through the breach. The breach is a dangerous passage through the Mirror, a block between our universe and another. The other side holds the treasures of the defunct empire, automated factories churning out the chips that hold civilization together. Gentlemen and aristocracy are the linchpins of the society on Venus. Stagnate and intolerant they fund Ricimer and Gregg as privateers to bring home the riches (chips) so they can hold off the North American Federations attempts to pull them back under control.

Ricimer is venerated and protected by the hulking Gregg. Gregg a disposed minor noble is physically and mentally imposing and capable of any act of violence to protect his leader. Gregg is also plagued with doubt about his acts of violence. Jeremy Moore is a dilettante with cyber abilities who discovers to his dismay that he can be a cold blooded killer. The anguish the characters suffer in probing their psyches is well written and seems quite real. Willing to do anything for the cause, right or wrong, but questioning one's soul in the process provides a realistic look at both leaders and followers. A good book as a stand alone but I recommend you read "Igniting the Reaches" before reading this and "Fireships" after you read this. It isn't a monumental trilogy but it is still well worth reading.

This is the second of Drake's Piet Ricimer series based loosely on the history of Sir Frances Drake's struggle against the Spainish Navy [i.e. Ignite the Stars, Thru the Breach, and Fireships]! Placed in the future and based on Venus this is a real swashbuckling type adventure written in Drake's spare and 'less is more' style. Lot's of space travel in a sort of practical 17th century manner & eye to the realities of physics. POV is that of a down on his luck "gentleman" of the times going out to meet fate. Good young adult book. I truly enjoyed the series and have read them more than several times.

Pretty much the same as its predecessor, "Igniting the Reaches". Drake fans will like it, but probably not many others