Incursion at Elea Station

I am sure I have written this before, but it bears repeating:

No one does character development like McFarlane.

Those of us who joined Liam back when he was a highschool graduate pod-ball jockand miner’s son just trying to help his tiny asteroid colony survive have watched him age, mature, and develop into the type of roguish space ship captain that Space Opera authors love to create, but never build. Liam is what Brian Daily’s Han Solo always saw himself as, but really wasn’t. If you ever wondered how all those Solo, Grimes, Ichobod Drift, Lando (not Calrissian), and the Space Mavericks came into being, Liam’s biography is a pretty good example. Except we are along for the terrifying, painful, heartbreaking, triumphant ride.

As in the other books, Liam, Nick, Marny, Tabby, and Ada are still in it to win it and the 16 other books have left a mark in many ways on all them, Liam most of all. There is a criticism on the others, I’ll get to it.

This novel follows the team on the heels of the last book and its about them adjusting, to the new situation while still fighting for a place for themselves and those they hold dear. There are some unfortunately predictable surprises for them and the action and writing is always excellent.

I would say the real powerful core of this work is the continuing fall out from the relationship issues of the previous, book. McFarlane knows that no matter the resolution pain does not just go away, and when it comes to Liam and Tabby the author has the genius to know that getting through those emotions are where his work shines.

Now the problems with the book.
Back in the beginning of the series, you never knew if someone was gonna die. After 17 novels major character death has become an abstract concept.

Hey look, I don’t want to lose any of the Hoffen clan. I promise you I might stop reading if certain characters bit the dust, but the author did an excellent job of making a scary universe and at some point luck has to give out. Maybe he has plans for that, the clan is into its next generation so maybe Liam, Tabby, Marny and Nick are all slated to go out in a blaze of Glory for House Bold at the end of this trilogy. I certainly couldn’t take reading about Liam trying to live beyond Tabby and I’m kinda worried what Nick might do if Marny dies.

Also growth in this series has been a little too focused on Liam. Tabby has not changed much from the first book, Nick is a little wiser and a little more than a second character, but not enough, Marny has had a kid and some how she has less dimension than before. After 17 novels these are not secondary characters, yet only Liam has aged, emotionally changed or shown any real emotional scarring. Liam has become a little more decisive, more of a warrior, but Tabby is still just a sex kitten that kicks ass. She deserves better, as does Nick, Ada, and Marny, they are good characters, McFarlane is a brilliant author and if it takes a few more pages, he needs to flesh these characters out.

Also, it’s called Privateer Tales, but Liam is starting to talk about the “life of a privateer”. OH GOD NO…..that is the type of emotional short handed crap that miliporn authors use for their space marine, or space mercenary universes to explain one dimensional characters!

“Don’t have the skill to write about psych fall out? Hey then just follow the empty headed, David Drake, space marine method of writing….just say ‘that’s life in a cruel universe’ or some other empty statement and move on to the next big fight and all the freudian joy of the big guns”

That is awful writing.

And is Liam really a Privateer? He’s more a freighter captain thrown into violent confrontations. Liam makes a point of how he is happiest making money, having sex with Tabby, eating Marny’s food, scheming business ventures with Nick and drinking a beer. He can fight, but as Tabby says he thinks he’s a marine, in the end he is a businessman.

Heaven help us if Liam Hoffen, Nicholas Van Rijin, and Slippery Jim Degritz ever formed a company together. I would guess they would hire Retief to do the PR.

What makes the series is not just the fighting, but the commerce. It’s like McFarlane played the Traveller Role Playing game and uses it as a frame work. There is an understandable, economic environment that his characters operate in which is intertwined in the adventures. They have to make money, they have to build, trade and worry about budgets. That gives them depth. The day they just can do whatever they want and money is an afterthought is the day McFarlane should end the series.

So yes, read this book. It is excellent, and Liam and the team are their fantastic selves. Its funny, touching, some unexpected character twists do happen and as always, you will feel that little tug of sadness after the last word when you realize you are leaving wonderful world of the Hoffen clan and must return to day to day. Really, after 17 books who needs Hogwarts?

With this latest installment of the Privateer Tales line we return to the Mhina System after a 20 year absence, only to find the Mendari waiting in ambush. Liam and company meet up with his mom, Silver, and a new family member. Furious battles ensue. Liam maintains his status as being only marginally less hard of space ships than Chris Pine as James Kirk.

This is another excellent read by Jamie McFarlane! Pick this one up. Better yet, pick up the entire series. You won’t regret it!

I can’t wait for the next installment!

I love this crew and would read a book about them eating pizza and drinking beer but there is SO much more going on in each story that a review can’t cover without spoilers. The pressure on the team just keeps building, but what I love most is the comradery of the characters and the world building of the author. Start at the beginning of the series, you’ll fall in love with the characters.

So without the gates and the space fold engines there are only wormholes. FTL works…kind of, but pretty risky. So Sol system is off limits. And so are the 4 other gated systems. Ophir is off the game board. Amon is gone. Several other characters have left during the 20 year brake (I may never forgive you for that McFarlane). Keto is a radioactive cinder. Thanks to the Isstar hating spider-hybrids. t The evil birdmen rule the Consolidated Planets. House Bold is persona non grata in so many places…I’m not happy with where things are…but I aalready bought the rest of the series!

Let me warn you, don’t start this series unless you have time to burn, because you won’t want to stop reading. Great characters, premises, and outstanding story telling.
I’m actually a little relieved this is the latest book because I need the time to do real life things, including sleep.
But that doesn’t mean I don’t eagerly await McFarlane’s next one. What a delightful series!

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