Anthony James (5) (1973–2023)

This was the first space opera book I've read for a while, and I wasn't quite sure what to expect. It was a quick read with clear prose. The two main characters have cool skills (no surprise from the title), and the plot was straightforward and easy to follow.

I didn't feel quite as engaged as I had hoped. Although there's some amusing banter between Keller and Nation, I didn't get a strong sense of either character, even when they were in stressful situations and under attack from all sides. show more Added to that, from the middle of the book onwards, it felt like Keller and Nation were observing and telling each other what was happening, with the narrator occasionally dropping in for a longer explanation - which to my mind bogged down the action.

Overall, the book's a decent afternoon read, but I'm not driven to grab the next in the series. show less