A Confederation of Valor

I'm not overly fond of apples. It's not that I don't like them - they're a perfectly fine snack, they're good for you, and they're fairly inexpensive as far as foodstuffs go. I can see the arguments in favour of apples; I'm just not someone that would consider myself an apple fan.

This changes every year, around the end of September/early October. Because that, my friends, is apple picking season. The apples have spent the summer ripening, and you go and fill a big bag full of fresh off-the-branch apples. And they are the Most Delicious Thing Ever. They're tasty, they're crisp, and they're so juicy that it feels almost like you're biting into an orange, the apple juice running out of your mouth and into your beard. My wife and I usually go and get a bunch, and it's a one-month ticket to Flavourtown. Population: Apple.

So, if military sci-fi is fruit, Valor's Choice is most definitely apple-picking season. It's funny, it's exciting, it's got intriguing and diverse alien cultures, and it's got Torin Kerr, an interesting and witty main character. The story seems to be about introducing her as much as it is about the actual plot, and successfully makes you interested in seeing how the rest of the series goes.

Note: I actually read Valor's Choice in the A Confederation of Valor omnibus, but I'm counting both books in it separately since they're, you know, separate books.

I should also note that I read this as part of an effort to read as many novels written by women this month as a way to celebrate Women's History Month.

Anyways, I enjoyed Valor's Choice. It's a fun military SF novel that doesn't take itself too seriously in that there's a healthy mix of action, drama, and humor. The interplay between the characters, especially the enlisted marines, reminded me of Robert Asprin's Phule's Company and that's one of the things I enjoyed so much about that novel.

All in all, a very good novel.