The "Kris Longknife" series is great - it's pure fun in the best way while also delivering great character development, a solid story, and entertaining prose. That's what I've come to expect from this series. Since Shepherd has a knack for dropping just enough of a hook to make reading the next novel a priority, I started "Audacious," the fifth book in this open-ended series, almost as soon as I'd finished "Resolute." I often find myself turning to this series when I find myself wanting some rollicking, space-themed entertainment...and this novel definitely did not disappoint. Spoilers follow.
"Audacious" wastes no time in getting Kris into trouble...in fact, it opens with her running from some would-be assassins that are bound determined to take her out of the picture. After taking care of that problem, Kris quickly realizes that her seemingly mundane task of collecting "office supplies" (really licenses for software) on New Eden is anything but. The attempt on her life doesn't even make local news; in fact, the media is so tightly controlled that very little of interest is reported on since the powers that be seem more interested in maintaining a good face than keeping the planet's people safe. This on top of some pretty harsh discrimination leading to certain groups being denied voting rights, gang violence, and security being suspiciously tight quickly makes it apparent that New Eden is hardly the paradise its name would imply. Add to that a plot to brutally eliminate most of the planet's governmental figures and the emergence of a new Peterwald heir, and Kris may have more on her plate than she initially bargained for.
The novel takes place planet-side rather than in space, as the previous two novels have. This was something of a point of contention with some readers in the last novel that took Kris out of the space-navy scene ("Deserter"), but worry not since the story certainly isn't boring and still packs an entertaining wallop. Despite this change of setting, the book doesn't stray from the overarching plot - it just follows it somewhere new. While the last book that took place on the ground focused on Kris getting used to her new role as a princess and perhaps suffered a little for it, Shepherd seems to have learned from his mistakes and corrected them in "Audacious." Rather than descriptions of Kris's clothing and her attempts to navigate in a social environment, we get weapons, intrigue, and our heroine trying to get to the bottom of numerous attempts on her life while minimizing the death toll to Eden's elite. If the book has a "gimmick", it's the presence of Wardhaven's Marines, but they end up working pretty well to still give the story a military feel while taking it decidedly out of a typical sci-fi military setting. So, yes, this installment has Kris and friends stuck dirt-side, but it both maintains the story and manages to provide the same space-military atmosphere from the previous novels.
The story presented is solid and complete. In a departure from the previous two installments, "Audacious" mostly focuses on one central plot rather than having Kris experience a couple distinct adventures ("Resolute," for example, had Kris exploring alien worlds and then coming back just in time to thwart Greenfeld's takeover attempt). Sure, Kris still gets into some antics, rescuing her grandmother from a militant group and retrieving a kidnap victim from a local gang, but the story stays pretty solidly on figuring out what's happening on the secretive New Eden and how the Peterwalds are involved. Shepherd really excels in pacing the novel. The story never meanders off course or slows to the point of detriment. The author knows when there needs to be action and when there needs to be slower character/plot development. He has a handle in keeping the book interesting, exciting, and always moving forward while also maintaining the characters and their growth. This results in a book that is never boring or tedious. There's always something happening, whether it's an action-packed fight, some intriguing investigation, or character development, and it makes for a very satisfying read. I also appreciate that the novel doesn't end on a cliff-hanger. As I mentioned above, Shepherd provides a hook into the next book, but doesn't leave the ending wide open; if you wanted to stop here, you'd get this book's full story...but I don't know why you wouldn't want to read on.
Shepherd's writing style is great for this type of book. Much like his series and characters, his writing is witty and entertaining. It's full of personality and effectively gives colour to his world and the people who inhabit it. He clearly knows a lot about the military, which makes sections involving the Navy and Marines interesting and gives those aspects a very authentic feel with his sometimes informal word usage and jargon (though he never uses so much jargon as to lose the reader - it's always obvious what he's talking about). His writing flows well, never feeling stilted or forced, and it aids in weaving an entertaining story. He also knows when to halt the descriptive passages, character introspection, and subplot exploration in order to sprint to the finale, ensuring that the climax will be full of non-stop excitement without pulling the readers away to focus on something inconsequential to what's occurring. I often find myself smiling and sometimes chuckling when I read and am unable to put the book down once things start to pick up. I read "Kris Longknife" partially for the entertainment factor - and Shepherd's writing has yet to disappoint.
Character-wise, "Audacious" marks the point when Kris starts to grow up. She's been developing nicely as the series' heroine up to this point, but this is when she really begins to mature and figure out who she is as a princess, a naval officer, and "one of those Longknifes." Despite the fast-paced nature of the book, character development doesn't fall by the wayside. In earlier novels, Kris was an eager young woman, ready to prove herself capable of following commands and quick to implement her own solutions if necessary. However, after the civilian death toll in "Defiant," struggling with survivor's guilt and being faced with the decision to put more lives in danger in "Resolute," and then having the lives of both her Marines and New Eden's political heads on the line in this book, she's become a little more wary of both those in charge and her own ideas. Rather than jumping to the first idea that comes to her, she's beginning to carefully self-evaluate her own plans and motivations before putting them into action, and she's realizing that her first ideas aren't always the best ones. Kris is also beginning to realize that she can't always trust the admiralty, either, since their withholding information from her about New Eden left her with a huge mess and a high body count. And, as always, she's reminded that she can't trust her family, especially her Grampa Ray, who seems to delight in sending her unprepared into potentially dangerous situations to see how she'll react. The rift in her family has widened, and Kris wants to take a more active role in her future, even if it potentially means leaving the Navy. On a personal level, Kris is still struggling with the necessity to sometimes send good men to their deaths, but she never becomes mired in it and instead uses it as a jump-off point to move forward. She's also starting to think that it might be nice to have a boyfriend, but she has the unfortunate tendency to jump on these things too late, as all of her potential romantic interests seem to get married before she can make her interest in them known. Shepherd manages to make Kris's character growth feel very natural and waves it seamlessly into the story, never bogging the plot down to focus on the main character's internal struggles. Kris is a wonderful protagonist: she's competent and effective as a leader, but is still sympathetic and relatable. Her personal battles make her feel more real and her physical battles put her right at home in the sci-fi military setting. And, perhaps most importantly to me, she's actually growing as the series progresses.
The other characters are equally interesting. We finally get to know Abby's origins, and it's both interesting and rather sad. It definitely puts the mysterious maid in a new light and helps us better understand why she is the way she is and why she's gone through some great lengths to keep her background in the dark. Jack is his drawling, sarcastic self, as per usual, and Penny is equally en pointe. We're introduced to a new villain: Vicky Peterwald, the never-spoken-of sister of Hank. Though not as well known as her late brother, she's easily more dangerous, even borderline psychotic, and has the potential of being a deadly threat. We don't see too much of her in this installment, so she's rather two-dimensional at this point - I'm hoping Shepherd better fleshes her out in later books. The Marines are all a lot of fun and portray a great sense of camaraderie both with each other and Kris. The characters all do their parts and none seem superfluous or unneeded. The dialogue between them is also quite a treat; these are all witty, sometimes scathingly sarcastic individuals and their discussions very much tend to reflect that. They know when to stop snarking at one another and get to business, and even then their interactions are amusing. This is a group that works well as a team, despite their individual flaws and quirks, and I look forward to seeing their dynamic develop in the next books.
My one character complaint would have to be Cara. It's not so much that she's a bad character. Like everyone else, she has her role and is decently characterized as a typical twelve-year old. She's also important to Abby, which means we see a decent amount of her. My issue comes with the idea that she'll be hanging around for at least the next book and maybe beyond. Maybe it's just because I don't like kids in general; maybe it's because having a kid on a ship that's heading out for exploration seems incredibly pointless and potentially detrimental to all involved; maybe it's something else entirely...whatever the reason, I can see Cara getting really annoying really fast. I hope I'm wrong, I really do...I guess I'll have to see how it plays out in the next book.
"Audacious" is a solid entry in the "Kris Longknife" series. It's vastly entertaining with witty writing and characters that are getting better and better. I love that Kris is growing as a character and I'm enjoying watching her world unfold and become more complex with each new adventure. I read for entertainment, and this book is that and then some. I'll happily give it 5 stars.
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Top reviews from other countries
FallenGrace
Another rousing Longknife adventure.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 17, 2015humanitysdarkerside
Still refreshing reading
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 25, 2008