Light, fun and easy read.

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I selected this book. While I have read a lot of Scott Meyer’s other titles never really popped out. However, I was pleasantly surprised after I started reading/listening to it.
While the plot line is a bit slow to start it does pickup as the character development comes through. That said I did find the plot line light and what kept me reading was the character development, and supporting story lines that the book has.

Luke Daniels does well to develop the characters but it takes a bit to hear his subtle voice changes that identify each character.

Overall I found it to be a quick, light and fun read for anyone looking for a one off read/listen.

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1 person found this helpful

Social comedy in space

I enjoyed this audiobook. For context, I wasn't familiar with the book, the author, or the narrator previously. All three were a pleasant surprise.
It's important to note that the enjoyment of the story comes in the way things happen, not the big plot. There is intricate social and political maneuvering going on, filled with subtle humour, but it's all about the details. I wouldn't classify this as comedy, but there is an undertone throughout the book. There's also an element of parody, but that's also very subtle.

The story revolves around the noble families, and the servants of House Jakobitis. There are also darker notes of the story, which isn't surprising as the main plot takes place during an interstellar war. In a nutshell, House Jakobitis has the opportunity to foster the son of the opposing House Hahn, the teenage Hennik. Unfortunately he's obnoxious. There's more to it than that, but finding out the details is a big part of the impact of the book. Events happen like an avalanche, slowly at first, than more and more problems cascading as a result of the decisions that made so much sense at the start.

The narrator was good. Differences between speakers were obvious as the narration differed between characters. One character, Hennik, was slightly irritating to listen to. This may have been intentional as Hennik was a teenage boy doing his best to be as obnoxious as possible. His portrayal was a bit over the top, but it didn't really detract from the story.
Overall, I found this a pleasant diversion. I'd recommend it for someone looking for something light that has some humour but doesn't mind a few darker elements of the story. I don't see myself listening to it again, and am currently neutral about purchasing further works from the author or narrator. It would really depend on whether or not the plot appealed.

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