Customer Reviews

Lt Leary, Commanding

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Drake can be a spotty author, with a tendency toward overly graphic violence and language and a sloppy sense of continuity. None of that detracts from this book, which is the best (along with companion novel "With the Lightnings" which should be read first) of recent space opera (meaning the last couple of Weber or Moon novels.) Engaging characters, interesting non-military themes (library and data science, natural history) running through the books, and rollicking adventure. Also the only really engaging space battle I have ever read. A homage to Aubrey and Maturin that works and is a great addition to Drake's canon.

Very readable, as always with Drake, but less brutally descriptive of battle injuries than his early work. Action without angst if you will. Less obsessed with convincing us of the horror of war than was the younger Drake.

Without spoiling the plot, Lt Leary's success in the first episode of this series ("With The Lightnings") brings attention that makes him the intended pawn in a political scheme. Action is the essence of the book rather than debate about the issues. (If you care about the issues, they are sketched from actual historical conflicts, so pick up any non-fiction book about the period from 1500 to 1900 and meditate away. Drake assumes you took a history class or two and know where to find such discussions. This book entertains you with the people, not the issues.)

The characters are easy to enjoy, but not to understand, unless you read the first book in the series where their relationships are formed. Having done that makes evident the development in the characters. The earlier comparison to Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey and Maturin is apt. A good many references in POB novels are obscure if you haven't read the early books, and the interaction between the POB characters occasionally startles you, if you don't know their shared background.

The books of this Drake series offer a light meal from the same ingredients POB uses to create a banguet. I'd give POB five stars for most of his novels and I'm only rating this one four. I've read the POB books several times and still found more each time. I'm not sure that's a recommendation for POB if you just want a "cracking good yarn" to fill an evening. Drake provides that. Worth buying.

Normally, I can't stand Drake's writing because I can't get to know or like his characters. This series different, Lt Leary is perfect as the dashing shipmaster Capt Aubrey and Officer Mundy superb as the ingenious (and clumsy) Dr. Maturin. Drake remained true to Mr. O'Brians swashbuckling series set during Napoleonic Wars... I loved it and hope for many more books. Complicated plot, heavy on the action and weak on the character... just like O'Brian. I am really amazed at how the role of the communications officer was so integral to the mission! I think I'll start on Belisarius series next. Mr. Drake is growing on me.

I hope I can keep up the standard of the other reviewers, all three of whom were clear and concise.

This is a good space opera. It's also an interesting combination of the aftermath of the Cataline Conspiracy, Ceasar (guys, this author knows Rome), Nelson's navy (note the requirements for advancement, and the majority of details of ship handling), and (as Drake openly warns us) a quick slice of American naval history.

First of all, let's get to the bare bones assessment:

Buy it, and enjoy. I can't say you'll keep it, especially if your bookcases are in the state mine are, but it's worth your money in hardbound.

Now the discussion of why I think this:

The relationship between Leary and my favorite viewpoint character, Adele Mundy, is very good. A portrayal of an unlikely friendship that benefits both sides, one personality analyzing it, the other simply pleased to have it, is great. Also, Drake gets to use Adele to explain the Navy through Leary's lectures, and Adele to explain politics.

No one has yet touched on that part of it, and it's important. Adele Mundy may be a touch morbid, but with the history we're shown, she should be. The detachment, the precision, and the ability to empty herself of emotion, or at least treat emotion just as another factor, not be overwhelmed by it (except with regard to the house, and three cheers for her attack on the parvenu vulgarity she tosses out), is an excellent examination of the requirements to survive a (how shall I put this?) coup of naked force. Compare Adele to the character of Vaughn. They have very different interests, granted. But which of them would you want beside you?

Drake always delivers on the action. This time, without being heavy handed (a sin of his in some other books), he handles historical politics with imagination and flair.

The other reviewers are right. Read "With the Lightnings" first. There are too many references back to that book for this to stand on its own. This is one of the few times when I can honestly say, though, that the sequel is better than the first book.

First off, this is highly reminiscent of Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey/Maturin series--Leary is the girl-chasing overweight but likable hero and Adele is the intellectual spy/killer sidekick. So what? Aubrey/Maturin is great and it's still great when Drake does it in Space Opera.

David Drake weaves together appealing (not always likable) characters and a plot that escalates from personal danger (lots of that) to threats to whole worlds. The unspoken sexual tension between Leary and Adele adds to the reader appeal without being heavyhanded.

Maybe it's just me, but I enjoyed a space battle that didn't come down to the recently invented brilliant weapon which the other side didn't expect and did exactly the wrong thing.

Maybe it won't stick to you forever, but you won't put it down either.

David Drake fans will enjoy this book immensely. Lt. Leary sails into danger, politics, and intrigue aboard a starship using sails to exceed light speed. Quite fast paced, this second installment of what promises to be very long series delivered exactly what was promised. Fans of Webber or Turtledove will fall right into the book.

The one problem I do have with Mr. Drake has to be how many projects he has ongoing at once. Between Rome and Space the installments seem to be a bit far apart. I also wish the book was a bit longer!

Cross O'Bryan's Aubrey-Maturin novels with Weber's Honor Harrington series and you've got a pretty good idea of where Lt.Leary Commanding is going to take you. Drake delivers all the action and adventure we've come to expect, but it is a perhaps less expected pleasure to discover that the true strength of this tale is in the depth and development of his characters. Drake has really found the zone and hit his stride and in that respect does Weber one better, spreading before us, like the varied and delectable delights of a dessert cart: the cool and ever precise Adele Mundy; the sociopath, Tovera; Leary, hisownself, a cheerful and sunny soul, but all business and absolutely fearless in a crisis... I could go on, but you get the picture. Actually, the interaction between Mundy and Leary is intriguing in part because Drake has taken the platonic affection of the Aubrey-Maturin bond and given it a male-female gender twist. Few authors attempt to portray a deep, compelling, yet non-sexual, friendship between a man and a woman, and even fewer do so convincingly, or manage to keep it interesting. In this regard, the relationship, if not the distribution of emotional qualities, is reminiscent of the Willie Garvin - Modest Blaise relationship (for those of you willing to forgive the genre skipping and passage of 30 years <g>). Drake has delivered an entertaining and rewarding yarn. Good stuff.

Before read my review of this book, you must know that this is one of the first science fiction books I've read - I usually keep to fantasy.

Despite my fears of gaining "trekkie" associations by reading sci-fi, I found Drake's book quite interesting. I launched straight into this book (the first of the series was not available at my store), but did not find myself lacking intimate details on the characters. Drake neatly links in both Mundy as well as Lt Leary's backgrounds.

The story had intrigue, although it could perhaps have been developed a little beyond what was essentially a basic plot. I had trouble, however, with some of the connotations of flying in outer space and visiting new planets, pirate astrogators and what not. For a newcomer to this genre, I found I quickly lost myself in Drake's descriptions of what was going on with the (command) of the ship and the meaning of the Matrix. I believe that somehow this experience was supposed to be profound, yet I could not help but find it slightly boring.

The characters are fun and it's easy to understand what they represent, although perhaps they needed some further fleshing out. Officer Mundy seems completely nerveless, a librarian, data/information freak who is shoots a mean gun; almost inhuman - though not quite as inhuman as her servant is suggested to be. I find it extremely difficult to believe that her consistent (information) hacking never, ever seems to fail. It's too good to be true, and certainly not representative of real life (let's consider all the viruses that have been affecting our internet).

All in all, not a bad book, but I found something was lacking. I'll probably try another few authors in sci-fi before I dismiss the genre, however, since Drake touches the edges of what could be a really good book.

This book contains good space sailor's yarn: Leary & Mundy are in space again and fighting for their Republic of Cinnabar, a cross between old pre-Caesar Rome and early Imperial Britain.

However the characters hardly evolve. We learn about Daniel Leary's skills in sailing the matrix and Adele Mundy's in retrieving data from enemies, but they don't have to face their nightmares and find inner strength like in „With the Lightnings".

The plot is without much depth, its basically the two heroes going on with their business. A lot of potentially interesting sub-plots get started but somehow get lost. The story ark seems to evolve slowly but then ends with a quick bang as if the author had to speed up to meet a time-table.

But again: good yarn. Easy reading for a long flight or after-work hours. And with the characters of Leary & Mundy the potential for a great series is there. I'll look forward for the next book.

David Drake's 2nd book following the adventures of Republic of Cinnabar Naval Lt. Daniel Leary, a scientifically inclined, politically connected, slightly overweight skirt chaser, and Signal Officer Adele Mundy, a former librarian, deadly shot, information expert and spy, takes the reader to new levels of emjoyment and entertainment.

This series is a sci-fi descendant of Patrick O'Brian's New York Times best-selling "Aubrey-Maturin" series, which is high praise indeed.

This book is sheer fun, as Leary and Mundy are caught up in high intrigue as Daniel's first command, the corvette, "Princess Cecile", sets out on its first mission.

Drake does a nice job of establishing the worlds upon which his characters live and visit, painting an intriguing portrait of Cinnabar and other environs.

Leary and Mundy find themselves in high adventure, as they must deal with plots by exiled royalty, the dangers of being marooned, a prig of a commanding officer who just doesn't take a liking for young Lt. Leary, the dangers of interstellar travel, the unexpected appearance of powerful enemies, deal with pirates and have a face-off in a desperate showdown.

Drake truly expands the Leary-Mundy universe in this book, and there is a lively sense of humor throughout this adventure. Plus, there's a great supporting cast of characters, starting off with Leary's man-servant Hogg, and Mundy's equally deadly servant, Tovera.

This book is intelligent, humourous, and swashbuckling space opera at its finest, ranking right with David Weber's "Honor Harrington" series.