3.5 stars Originally posted at FanLit. http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...After being kicked out of the officer’s academy, getting dumped by her fiancé, and taking a position as a captain in her father’s shipping empire, Kylara Vatta is not living the life she planned. She barely escaped the events in Trading in Danger and was considering severing ties with Vatta Transport until tragedy struck. An unknown enemy has declared war on Vatta Transportation, bombed their buildings and killed most of the family. But Ky has no time to grieve. The enemy is after her, too, and she has no idea what to do or, more importantly, who to trust. As she learns in this installment, Marque and Reprisal, even family members can be enemies. (I so wanted to use the phrase “traitor trader” there, but I spared you.)Marque and Reprisal picks up right where Trading in Danger left off and those who were pleased with the first installment of VATTA’S WAR will likely be pleased with this one. Ky desperately needs some allies which gives Elizabeth Moon the opportunity to freshen up the story with several new characters: Stella Vatta, Ky’s sexy blonde cousin with the bad reputation who turns out to be smarter than most people would guess; Rafe, Stella’s ex-lover who has deep secrets of his own; Toby Vatta, a 14 year old cousin who’s now an orphan; Martin, Ky’s newly hired bodyguard; An entire fleet of interstellar mercenaries; Jim, a young stowaway; and a puppy.Ky and the crew deal with a series of misfortunes which keeps the story moving quickly. As Ky learns that the real world doesn’t follow her ethical code, she’s just beginning to adapt, though she’s not quite sure where the line she doesn’t want to cross is or whether perhaps she’s already crossed it. There’s plenty of death and destruction in this story so far and it’s clear that Ky has a lot of fighting left to do, both physical and emotional, to recuperate from the mess she’s in, to get revenge on her family’s unknown enemies, and to rebuild Vatta Enterprises.The greatest strength of this series is that it’s emotionally compelling, unpredictable, and often exciting (the climactic fight scene in Marque and Reprisal is awesome). There are some definite issues that will turn some readers off: a few long slightly technical sections where Ky and her crew are prepping the ship and getting armed, repetitive dialog as Ky goes over the plans or history with each new character, too frequent reminders that Ky is worried about her possible killer instinct, a lack of distinctive flavor for the different planets and ports we visit, a few plot devices that seem contrived (especially the little twist at the end of this book), and I suspect that Ky’s unwillingness to think about her dead family has more to do with Moon’s reluctance to write about it than Ky’s reluctance to think about it. But even so, I’m enjoying the story well enough to forgive these flaws.I’m listening to the audio production narrated by Cynthia Holloway. As soon as I finished Marque and Reprisal I spent one of my precious Audible credits to download the third VATTA’S WAR novel, Engaging the Enemy. I’m really rooting for Kylara Vatta, but I’m kind of scared of her, too.
Second book in the Vatta series. First book was Trading in Danger. I found the second book to be as engaging as the first, if not a little slow to start as we watch the crisis unfold and Kylara stocking up with weapons and supplies. I did notice a trend that anyone in an authority position automatically assume the worst and try to add to Kylara's problems. Once or twice, I could see, but every time? There is something about Moon's dialog that still seems "off" to me. Again the impression of an almost formal give and take between characters, not the easy flow of two people or a group of people talking. My main complaint with this book came toward the end (without revealing anything plot-wise) with the whole Sexual Attraction Discussion between her, the Mercenaries, and the ISC man. I think it was meant to be humorous, but it came across as patronizing and out of place. It was awkward, didn't fit with the rest of the book and, dare I say it...downright stupid?Paraphrasing here:Mercenary Man: "You're a young female Captain. You must be attracted to this handsome older man."Kaylara, "No, I'm not. He's much too old for me and not my type."ISC Man, "I don't find her attractive either."Mercenary Man, "I don't believe you Captain. He's a rougish man, you are a nubile female, you have to be attracted to him and it's impaired your judgement."Kaylara, "No. My judgement is just fine. I don't like his good looks and have no urge to bed him or any other male on my crew."And so it went for several pages, several pages too many. Overall, a worthwhile read, a bit predictable, but good for vacation or light reading. Recommended.
Do You like book Marque And Reprisal (2005)?
The second book in the Vatta's War series amps up the action and pacing, not that the first one was that slow. The reading is brisk, and the ending sneaks up on you, which may mot please people who enjoy drawn out resolutions. If anything, the structure indicates this book is part of a series. Even if I wasn't reading this well-after it was published, it was very clear another novel was forthcoming. If you like hardscrabble casts of characters who think their way out of tough situations (with the occasional fight here of there), not to mention a solid female lead with believable abilities, oh, and space ships, you're good to go. Read this book, obviously, but this is a solid sophomore offering in a series.
—Senzanom
"Marque and Reprisal" is book #2 of Vatta's War. It has a lot of action and I really liked it.The Story: The Vatta family's merchant carrier service is attacked. It's war and Captain Kylara Vatta is stuck in deep space with a slow, old, unarmed ship and someone is trying to kill her.Any problems with the novel? It is an ongoing theme that Captain Kylara Vatta can defend herself and even kill. She feels guilty that when she must kill she actually enjoys it. She is working though this problem. The violence is obvious but not disgusting. It's the stuff that happens in assassination attempts and spaceship battles.Reading info on A Letter of Marque is probably in order. They were used during the 30 Years' War and were outlawed by treaty back in the 1600s as I recall my reading. Essentially it was a government granting permission to a ship to act as official pirates against its enemies. It was a way for a government to raise a navy on the cheap.One more thing... the author tends to knock religion a little in this book. It's not specific about a religion but religion in general using that old complaint, "If there is a God, then why didn't He protect my Aunt Sadie from being run over by a bus?" Well... there are several answers to this question, none of which threatens the existence of God. I assume the author is smarter than this and that this is a plot point that will be fleshed out later on. I'd read this book again and I've started the next book in the series already.
—Alex
Moon's weaknesses as a writer are starting to dominate in this series. While I still read this book cover to cover more or less in a single sitting, that is definitely much more a reflection of my love for space opera than the quality of the work. The palette of "real" characters (as opposed to transparent props) has expanded a little, but the new faces don't have serious pyschological depth. Perhaps even more serious, deus ex machina is reaching ridiculous proportions: in a civilization spanning many, many star systems, what is the likelihood that you'll meet someone you know when you duck into the backdoor of a shop on a space-station you have never visited before? "Of all the bars in all the towns in all the world, she has to walk into mine..."? Indeed.If I compare this series with C.J. Cherryh's "Alliance-Union" series, or Lee & Miller's "Liaden Universe" books... well, there is no comparison. The other two have created believable and richly textured worlds filled with complex characters. Moon has written a children's book.But I do love space opera.
—Guy
