Elizabeth Moon - Trader Kylara Vatta series

[Cheryl]

This series currently consistes of 3 books:
Trading in Danger
Marque and Reprisal
Engaging the Enemy

I just finished reading the third book which was released a month or so ago. I've enjoyed all three books, though I don't find them as appealing as Moon's other series (Serrano/Suiza, and Paks) and one-offs, and the central character Ky just isn't as memorable or sympathetic as other heroines of Moon's.

I specifically didn't find this book as good. It really felt like a bridger novel, not having a real climax or conclusion to the plot. The action bits are good, with one nice space battle near the end, and there are funny bits here and there, but in between the exposition didn't wow me that much.

There's a pretty harsh review from Publisher's Weekly printed on amazon. While I think the review is over-harsh, it's not far off the mark in it's criticisms, in my opinion.

Anyone else read it yet? How did you like it?

[Greenrider Tresa]

I've read the first 2, but am holding back on getting the third. With only 2 bookshelves already overburdened, I prefer paperbacks - they can be stacked in less space!
And I agree with you, Cheryl, Kylara Vatta isn't as interesting as the Serrano/Suiza books. I like them a little better than I liked Paks, though. Maybe I'm just not as interested in magic.
I do hope if it's a bridger, that means there's more to come. In which case it'll almost be forgiveable.

[Kesal]

I have read it, and enjoyed it to a degree..was very disappointed with the ending, and found many of the twists quite predictable.

But I did still enjoy it, and found it readable, which is more than I can say for, say, Anne's Acorna series among others.

[Anareth]

I haven't read the third one yet, as I'm not buying new hardbacks now and I haven't had time to find the local library here. But honestly, I liked them. I've never read anything else by Moon (and never made it far into the books she coauthored with Anne) but I rather enjoyed these. I looked at "The Deeds of Pak-whatsername" in the bookstore and put it back. I'm losnig my patience for weighty fantasy, I think.

[Brenda]

I would suggest reading "Once a Hero" if you like the Vatta series. The trilogy that precedes it (Hunting Party, Sporting Chance, and Winning Colors) are less military and more Space Opera - high society people on their space yachts who all meet on someone's estate (which happens to be the whole planet) to ride to hounds!

[Pam]

I just finished the third and I like them quite a bit, but they seem like a big soap opera. There's never a satisfactory End. There is an ending, but its not of the proportion that I feel the End of a book should have. However, I still really like them and the end isn't left too raw as I'm not sitting here cursing the author's name for leaving us in that spot.


Now, a Spoiler... (it shouldn't ruin the book at all if you accidentally read it)





I'm convinced Hal is Captain Argelos' advisor.

[Cheryl]

Me too, Pam (about Argelos's advisor).

The end doesn't leave you cursing, as it's not a cliffhanger. The story just kinda stops.

[Kesal]

Yeah, it definately looks like it was meant to be longer...maybe it was too long and had to be split up?

and I had the same feeling about Hal, Pam.

[murphy]

I think the ending left open the way for more books about Vatta. I liked them myself, but then I have liked all her books beginning with the Paks books.

[Cheryl]

The fourth book in the series was released a few days ago. It's called Command Decision.

[Pam]

Its already on its way to my house

[Brenda]

I'll have to check these out! I read the first one some time ago and then kind of forgot about them!

Are they still good? I began losing interest toward the end of the Heris Serrano/Esmay Suiza books.

[Cheryl]

I have a hard time remembering what's going on between book release dates. I really liked the first one, but was more confused by the later two because I hadn't reread what came before. And the third book changes direction from the first two quite a bit, as I recall (I won't say why as it's a major plot point).

I don't know if that really answers the question, but I am looking forward to getting the book and may take the time to reread them all when I do.

[Moonlady]

Elizabeth Moon's Speed of Dark is an awesome stand alone and the best fictional portrayal of a autistic individual.

[Brenda]

Yes, I agree... it's quite reminiscent of Flowers for Algernon.

[Pam]

Okay, just finished the new one, Command Decision. Its... okay. Not bad, but after just reading all the Heris Serrano/Esmay Suiza books I think I'm Elizabeth Moon'd out. Interesting things going on with Rafe. The series is starting to read like a soap opera... there was a lack of a really concrete ending IMO.

[Brenda]

That probably means there's another on the way.

[Kesal]

ack. I'm halfway through. And I thought it was meant to be a quadrilogy, no more. She must have more books contracted then...

[Cheryl]

Just finished Command Decision. It's an average Moon book -- entertaining but not spectacular like Speed of Dark or Remnant Population. I think it suffers a bit for having several disparate threads which take a while to tie together. About 3/4ths in some pieces fall into to place to make for a tense climax.

I'd compare the book to a game of chess in some ways. Different things are going on, that don't seem to be building anywhere in particular, until things suddenly all snick into place at the 3/4 mark where the deadly endgame begins.

Satisfying, entertaining, but not deeply compelling.

[Cheryl]

On another note, I wonder if one could make a productive drinking game (ie - one that could get you drunk) out of noting every time a name of Pernese origin is mentioned in the Vatta books. Maybe it's just Kylara and Sharra that she's used, but they stand out given Moon's known association with Anne.

Certainly it was daring for her to name her heroine after a notable Pern villian, and I'm curious to the backstory there -- why Moon decided to use it and what (if any) conversation she might have had with Anne about it.

[Brenda]

My favorite is a cameo - in Deed of Paksenarrion the soldiers like to hang out at an inn/tavern called The White Dragon!

[Pam]

Next Vatta book due in Feb Victory Conditions

[murphy]

Oooooh. Thanks for the update. Will go put it on my wish list at B&N.

[edith]

I've just started these. Trouble is bookshops round here stock the newest series for some stupid reason and so I have the two preludes to the Paks books (discount bookshop), The 1st Paks book (2nd hand) The 2nd book of the Serrano Legacy (gather) and Command decision (faulty from discount bookshop).
If I want to buy them new- only the Vatta series is available of all her stuff i the local shops.

[murphy]

Have you tried Amazon?

[edith]

I like bookshops. I prefer buying books myself if possible unless I really can't do without it!

[murphy]

Can and will your bookshops order for you? I used to have bookshops order books I wanted and couldn't find before the interenet.

[Cheryl]

Oooh, Elizabeth Moon has a signing near me!

ELIZABETH MOON, author of the new Vatta's War novel VICTORY CONDITIONS, will be appearing at the locations below.
2/19 @ 7:00pm
Barnes & Noble
14709 US Hwy 31 North
Carmel, IN 46032.

2/20 @ 7:30pm
Borders Books & Music
5871 Crossroads Center Way
Baileys Crossroads, VA 22041

2/21 @ 7:00pm
Barnes & Noble
Johns Hopkins University
3330 St. Paul Street
Baltimore, MD 21218

2/23 @ 2:00pm
Joseph-Beth Booksellers
161 Lexington Green Circle
Lexington, KY 40503

2/28 @ 7:00 PM
BookPeople
603 N. Lamar Blvd
Austin, Texas 78703

[edith]

Originally Posted by murphy

Can and will your bookshops order for you? I used to have bookshops order books I wanted and couldn't find before the interenet.

I might as well buy online then. I'll get round to it eventually!

[Cheryl]

The fifth and final book of this series was recently released: Victory Conditions.

I finished it in two days -- once it gets going, the action is pretty non-stop and it's engrossing as usual for Moon. It provides a solid ending to the series, wrapping up the major loose ends and even with a romantic resolution (which isn't as common for Moon).

As I haven't reread the prior books in between releases, I'd forgotten a lot of the minor characters and at times felt a little lost. But you can mostly just go with the flow of the story and relearn the characters as you go.

All in all, I did enjoy the book, but I don't think the series is as strong as the Serrano/Suiza series. I am going to be curious to see if a re-read of the entire series without delay between books makes it feel as if the whole series hangs together better, and improves my view of it.

[murphy]

It's in my TBR pile (which seems to grow and grow in spite of all my efforts, and no, I will not stop buying new books). Will have to get to it in the next week or so.

[Greenrider Tresa]

What does it say about the book that right now I can barely remember Marque and Reprisal? I did read it fairly quickly, though, so it was good. Probably I've just been reading so much that they're running together.

[laya]

I stumbled across this author because of the books she co-authored with Anne. I absolutely HATED Kylara the weyrwoman in Dragonquest, and had an aversion to the name, so that I almost didn't want to read Trading in Danger. When I finished it I liked Kylara Vatta! Still looking for the third book though. She and Esmay Suiza (Once A Hero) are my favorites, although I have to admit I like Esmay a little bit better than her...

[Cheryl]

Welcome to MoM, Laya! Feel free to go introduce yourself in the Cafe if you like.

I rather think that Moon must have liked the name Kylara and thought it needed to be reclaimed for a good character (much like McCaffrey thought that good dragons needed writing about).

[Pam]

Originally Posted by laya

She and Esmay Suiza (Once A Hero) are my favorites, although I have to admit I like Esmay a little bit better than her...

I love Esmay Suiza, though I like Heris Serrano even more

[Shalyn]

Originally Posted by Cheryl

Certainly it was daring for her to name her heroine after a notable Pern villian, and I'm curious to the backstory there -- why Moon decided to use it and what (if any) conversation she might have had with Anne about it.

Maybe she secretly thinks that Kylara got a bad rap in DQ...or that Anne could have fleshed her character out more.

Personally, I like the name.

I haven't read this series. I did read the Serrano books and loved them, then got burnt out on her so never continued with the Suiza series.

I've learned not to read books by the same author back to back. No matter how much I might like the books, it burns me out fast on the author, and I can't read any more by them for a long time.