Enemy in the Dark / Jay Allan

Enemy in the Dark
(Far Stars 2)
by Jay Allan

science fiction

copyright 2015
read in July 2016

rated 7/10: well worth reading

Shows how much my rating is based on what I want at the time of reading: This book rates 7, book one rated 8... yet book two is -- in my opinion -- better than book one.

Ah well. A here-and-now review of book one would also give that book a seven. But -- at the time -- I enjoyed it at an eight level. Either that or my rating has shifted... Anything is possible :-) Anyway...

Book one was reviewed in 2015. With a brief footnote from a couple of weeks ago. Enemy in the Dark is similar in style -- but better.

With Enemy, the Far Stars plot is front and centre. The characters still act well over the top but the action is more in keeping with the threat-of-Empire theme. Rather than just buckling their swashes.

There is one sad bit and a few discoveries. Plus a major reveal. The sad bit is unexpected. The discoveries and reveal are not particularly unexpected.

As with book one, there is no attempt to keep the reader ignorant. So the discoveries -- by the good guys -- are already known by the reader. The suspense, for the reader, is in wondering what action the good guys will take to counter the discoveries... I like this approach. I prefer it to the artificial hiding of information.

As for the major reveal... No great surprise other than getting an actual name.

There are no great surprises in Enemy. It's just a good story which rattles along at a great pace. I like the characters because they care for each other. In fact we're told -- far too many times -- that they care for each other.

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23mar19: read it again, enjoyed it again :-)

again, i'm surprised by the sad bit. again, it is sad -- but not in a miserable, make em suffer kind of way. more of a tough decision for the hero -- to show the heroic level of his motivations.

oh, i inserted this extra note too high, the next para is from my original review. and just as true -- in my opinion -- as it was after my first reading. hmm, must get book three :-)

Not a great literary marvel. Just a very enjoyable book.

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Dr Nick Lethbridge / Agamedes Consulting
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"Don't take life so seriously. It isn't permanent." … Tibetan philosophy