Starts well but fades in the latter books as the initial premise seems to be ignored. Strangely it's called an omnibus of 4 books, but it's somewhat unclear how many individual titles are actually contained, as there are several novellas joining together, which sort of group into three main story events, the recruitment of the SO, his first successful mission and it's consequences, and then another based on the reputation hence made. The basic premise is quite fun. In a general space age, humanity is still exploring the vast galaxy through some undescribed 'jump' drive, there's all the usual things one might expect, a formal Navy and it's cast-offs, through to more thoroughly criminal types lurking around the edges. Our hero is a navy Cast-off, having had some darker history he's now a solo explorer with a clever AI making a living charting new systems. One day he's boarded by semi-decent pirates, people not adverse to breaking the law, but mostly just trying to make a living here and there. Their normal modus operandi is to sell such captives on to worlds where slavery is still legal. However our SO have a glib tongue and more importantly he's managed to cultivate fresh fruit and chickens - all worth their weight in whatever currency you'd care to name. And so he's offered parole - the chance to work his freedom on board the equivalent to the amount the crew could have earned from selling him. He accepts, but swears an mental oath to see them all hung whenever this opportunity presents itself, starting with the first mate. She's an Amazon of formidable size, skill beauty and intelligence, a match for him in all respects but glibness.

And that's where it all fall down. For rather than using is cleverness or indeed any actual science skills all the remaining encounters are either solved by his AI which he manages to keep secret from the crew (really?) or else vague references to skills obtained between leaving the Navy and his solo career. There'a no detail given, he just suddenly knows a location/detail/skill that's useful, and which none of the other pirates do. It sort of works the first time, just, and then becomes passe. YOu're left hoping for the encounter with the formal Navy, or a chance to do so. And it never comes. The only remaining amusement is the interplay and oneuppeopleship of the interplay between him and the first mate. It quickly bores.

A clever concept reasonably well written, especially the two central characters, but lacking depth, breadth, and eventually the plot to make it worth continuing with. ( )