Parley

We don’t get much of hard science fiction these days, at least not like this. We get to spend a fair amount of time with our belter characters (they call themselves ‘spacers’ ie-people born in zero gravity. They live in the asteroid belt) as they move about outside their ship.
The characters are good people, people with strong morals and a sense of duty to others. This is refreshing.
I found the plot points believable. I especially like how the author had developed the society in the asteroid belt, the small mining communities, and the people who live in them. Also, the larger society, the big nations that vie for influence in the far corners of the solar system.
I am enjoying the series so far and plan to continue. Lucky for fans, the series is huge.

Privateers is a good read with well-developed characters and an entertaining story line. It is the first series that I have read in a very long time that had well developed foundational science on which the rest of the story framework is based. The use of AI, smart fabric, and Internet of things, was very well integrated into the story and extended into the future. The only nits I have to pick with the series are the improbable interrelationships between some of the characters, the illogical expansion from the Milky Way to the Dwingeloo galaxy, which is 10 million light-year away from Earth. There are many other choices much closer, such as Andromeda, at 2.5 million. Additionally, it is unlikely that the 100 to 400 billion stars within the Milky Way could have been explored. One last nick pick, was the reference to the Marny Bertrand, a former Marine, who is referred to as a Master Chief, which is a Navy rank. The correct rank for a Marine E9 would be Master Gunnery Sergeant, or Gunny.

Wow, Jamie gets a little better each time. The characters are growing into dynamic entities who you can cheer for or hiss at depending on their role in the story.

This story is almost a direct sequel to Privateer tales Book 1, with some cameos from characters in book 2. The cameos don’t really add much, but the return to Liam, Nick and their ship is a definite step in the right direction for the narrative. Liam is a solid focal character and his hatred of pirates makes sense.

The action scenes are decent, but not all that special. Jamie seems to jumble the actions together until the characters aren’t sure what’s going on, and that means the descriptions can be a bit tangled. It’s not a major problem as this story is definitely character and plot driven, but it did become noticeable.

Overall, this is the best of the series by a fairly new author. The strong characters and interesting plot make for an enjoyable and quick read. My only major complaint would be the intelligence of many of the characters. This story is filled with intrigue and backstabbing, but most of the characters blunder into multiple situations without proper preparation.

Every installment of The Privateer Tales notches up the action and character development. Liam, Nick, and the rest of the crew keep finding trouble and inventive ways to somehow get out of seemingly impossible situations alive. Book 3 is very different from the origin tale of book 1, and Parley will reward current fans and those that enjoy good sci-fi. As of now, I’ve read all the way to book 18 of this captivating series, and am hoping it never ends. Now if only they could fix those septic systems…

~ Kort

It’s been a long time since I’ve read a trilogy where all three were equally good. Don’t read this one until you have read 1 & 2. They are all fast reads and loads of fun. If you love space operas where the heroes are not military and the adventure is fast paced then Jamie McFarlane is your author. The heroes remind me of Starbuck from Battlestar Galactica. Crazy, off-the-radar stunts that fool the seasoned officers or pirates (take your pick). This is a book you could recommend to your very young sci-fi enthusiast without reservation (it’s nice to read a story that doesn’t need adult language or pornography to entice readers)! The story is strong without embellishment. Put on your vacsuit and sail!

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