Vigilante: A Major Ariane Kedros Novel [Mass Market Paperback]

Laura E. Reeve (Author)

Book Description

Release date: October 6, 2009 | Series: ARIANE KEDROS (Book 2)

Amidst an uneasy peace between the Autonomists and the Terrans, Major Ariane Kedros and her partner, Matthew Journey, have discovered alien ruins on a remote planet?ruins that bear evidence to an ancient and highly advanced technology. But their discovery has drawn the interest of high stakes players from every corner of the universe?including that of the rogue leader of a fringe Terran sect. Ari must find a way to stop him, before they all become ancient history...

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Thanks to an intriguing ensemble cast and their varied takes on the nicely complex universe, readers who missed 2008's Peacekeeper will find it easy to catch up in this entertaining second military SF adventure for Ariane Kedros, a secret agent of the Consortium of Autonomous Worlds. Kedros and her pilot, Matt Journey, are co-opted into transporting CAW Master Sergeant Joyce to system G-145, home to an anomaly of interest to multiple parties, including the mysterious alien Minoans and the Terran Expansion League. When terrorists arrive with a stolen temporal-distortion bomb, seeking vengeance for perceived wrongs of the past, alliances form and shift as the tension mounts. Reeve immediately immerses the reader in her universe's vernacular, acronyms and backstory, an approach most rewarding to those who are versed in learning from context. (Oct.)
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About the Author

Laura's civilian jobs have run the gamut from research chemist to software development lead. She holds degrees in chemistry, systems analysis, and spent nine years as a US Air Force officer. She currently lives in Monument, Colorado with her husband, who is her scientific adviser.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Roc; Original edition (October 6, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 045146298X
• ISBN-13: 978-0451462985
• Product Dimensions: 1 x 4.1 x 6.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,057,956 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I'm a Science Fiction and Fantasy author. My first series is the Major Ariane Kedros Novels from Roc (NAL/Penguin). Peacekeeper is the first of the series, Vigilante the second, and the third is named Pathfinder. I'm also a semi-retired software engineer and a former U.S. Air Force Officer, which helped shape my military-flavored science fiction.

I live in Monument, CO (USA) with my husband, who is my scientific advisor. My hobbies range from xeriscape gardening with native species, to digital art, to gaming. Read more about me at www.AncestralStars.com.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars Vigilante December 29, 2010

By Helen J. Keever

Format:Mass Market Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

I have been reading SF for 40 yrs and I still couldn't understand what the heck was going on. The text was so filled with military abbreviations that I had trouboe following the story. I read the whole book because I had bought the 3 in the series expecting something like Kris Longknife or Huff's gunnery sergeant. This one has absolutely no sense of humour. I ploughed my way through it but I have no idea of the plot. I don't think I shall even try the next 2. I am sorry that it wasn't my cup of tea because I like a series.
I bought the book from Amazon and hope I can sell it back.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Fast-paced and very satisfying February 24, 2010

By Summer Ficarrotta

Format:Mass Market Paperback

While I enjoyed "Peacekeeper", "Vigilante" really reached another level. Once I started reading it I had difficulty putting it down, which for me is the best way to gauge how much I like a book. Suspenseful, wry dialog,characters I actually cared about, and just the right amount of action, which never dropped to the level of gratuitous violence. Definitely thumbs up.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Space colonization March 8, 2010

By Sci-fi and history reader

Format:Kindle Edition

Laura Reeve creates a vivid future earth, colonies, and universe. The main storyline of space exploration and searching for the relics of ancient technology doesn't progress that much. The main character Ariane, does not evolve or learn to shake her vice, even though it nearly cost her life in the previous book, and again in this book. Which is true of human nature, to shake a vice is difficult, but a true hero will understand the vice and weakness but find some way to beat it for their evolution and survival.

The book does pit a doomed misogynistic religious sect of the human race in their quest in conflict with the human space colonists, other human factions, and the technologically superior alien race that monitors the peace between the different human factions.

There is a little action in trying to survive the crisis and Ariane is still a character unsure of herself, hesitant, and unable to act decisively. For a military trained expert, she is a character just waiting to kill herself through her vice or by inaction, due to her survivor's guilt and decisions made in the past. This is what makes the character "real", she has weaknesses. But will she become a truly heroic figure, to overcome her vices, face her inner demons to be at peace with herself and live independently for her future, not in fear of the past that haunts her?

This is a good second book in the series, looking forward to reading future installments.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars exciting military science fiction thriller October 11, 2009

By Harriet Klausner #1 HALL OF FAME

Format:Mass Market Paperback

Everyone who knows of Armed Forces Consortium of Autonomous Worlds (AFCAW) Reserve Major N-pilot Ariane Kedros besides her partner Matthew Journey sees her differently. The Terran Exploration League (TEL) believes the Aether Exploration pilot is a war criminal who needs execution for the murder of billions in one of their solar systems (see PEACEKEEPER); her side the Autominists believes her to be a war hero. Although she did her duty she agrees with the Terrans that she deserves to die, but refuses to surrender to them.

Someone with obvious insider help, strong connections and capital steals a temporal distortion bomb at the same time that tension mounts between the Autominists and the Terrans. The AFCAW directs Kedros and Journey to fly Master Sergeant Joyce to G-145, an enigmatic orb that seems in the middle of nowhere yet has drawn strong attention from both sides of the hostile Cold War and the unknown alien Minoans. As Kedros arrives with her human CAW cargo, the terrorists who stole the bomb also have come to this remote planet with plans to ignite it on G-145 as their leader has vengeance and justice in mind for past crimes.

This exciting military science fiction thriller obviously stars Kedros who is overloaded with guilt because she knows she can never make right what she did though her side of the hostilities appreciates her following orders; an interesting ethical dilemma that remains valid in real life. However, although Kedros is the attraction, the fast-paced story line works because of the multiple differing viewpoints re right and wrong between species and within a species. VIGILANTE is a strong action-packed sequel to the exciting PEACEKEEPER; driven to hyperspeed by a deep characterization who make the Reeve universe feel genuine....

Harriet Klausner Read more ›

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Love this series! March 3, 2011

By Sophia Hogan

Format:Mass Market Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

I've always been a big fan of science fiction but lately I have been reading the sub-genre of military science fiction Some of my favorite authors of this genre so far are Elizabeth Moon and Tanya Huff.

The Ariane Kedros series is a thrilling read fully loaded with espionage, double-crossing, and lots of dark secrets. The protagonist, Major Ariane Kedros, is a well developed character that exudes both admirable and flawed characteristics as she confronts her internal demons. Without giving anything away, the series winds its way around many political and social turmoils such as corruption, racial intolerance, and territorial conflicts while confronting intriguing ethical dilemmas such as war crime retribution and redemption. Reeve explores these many societal challenges that can be found in civilizations past, present, and future.

I thoroughly enjoyed the world in which Reeve has created full of fascinating cultures both alien and human alike!

These are just my quick attempts to provide my thumbs up for this book for anyone who loves Military Science fiction. For full story summary, see editorial review.