Winning Colors

IN A NUTSHELL
‘Winning Colors’, the third book in The Serrano Legacy series, lived up to my expectations. It was a fun read with some interesting changes in direction that should sustain the series. I enjoyed the multiple points of view, the expanding cast of characters and the clever plot. I was happy to see what looks like a pivot away from horses towards Military Sci Fi, but I hope we don’t lose the horses altogether.

As she did with ‘’Hunting Party’ and ‘Sporting Chance’, in ‘Winning Colors’ Elizabeth Moon delivered a fast, exciting Science Fiction adventure, enhanced by a unique mix of horse-riding-obsessed aristocrats, competing imperial space fleets and clandestine political manoeuvrings.

I love that, although show more the series is called ‘The Serrano Legacy’, ‘Winning Colors’ isn’t just another step in Captain Serrano’s against-the-odds rise from Space Force dropout to galactic hero. Elizabeth Moon has built up an ensemble cast of characters who are continually entangled with one another. This gives the narrative breadth in terms of the age, social class, and motivations of the characters, and allows for a plot with more tense moments, unexpected twists and deeper world-building. I particularly enjoyed seeing the world from Lady Cecelia’s horse-obsessed, aristocratic and recently rejuvenated point of view. Her sense of entitlement, her access to political and financial power, combined with an absence of any military or political ambition beyond preserving what she has, provided a contrast to Serrano’s simpler, duty-first military perspective.

I enjoyed the various reflections on the consequences of making the wealthiest in society effectively immortal through the availability of repeated rejuvenation. Elizabeth Moon consibered what it feels like to have a mind with eighty years of experience inhabiting a body with the biology of a thirty year old, the ability of the rejuvinated to connect with or feel empathy for the young, the frustration of the next generation when they realise that their wealthy parents may never move aside, and the growing gap not just between those with intergenerationlal wealth wnth the rest, but between those who will live in luxury forever and those who will live and die in their service.

The plot took a sharp turn towards the Military SF genre, with an exciting, if slightly improbable space battle. I liked the way Elizabeth Moon is pulling Serrano back towards her Space Force roots. I think it will give the rest of the series some new angles to work with. show less

Heris Serrano may be the captain of an old lady's space yacht, but her life is by no means complacent. Their recent adventures have left the government in turmoil, with rival planetary systems poised to take advantage. Fortunately, Heris knows she's no longer in disgrace within her former employers, the space military; indeed, her aunt--an admiral--has expressed confidence in Heris' abilities. She'll need that confidence and more as she's forced to defend a backwards agricultural planet against the invading forces of the Compassionate Hand.

This book carried more action like Moon's Vatta's War series, but it still didn't have that same consistent suspense and likeable cast. This is probably the strongest book of the three about Heris show more Serrano, but I was still left with questions and frustrated that some promising characters didn't have a larger role. A good read, but not phenomenal. show less

Heavy into military culture, Heris gets involved in saving a distant planet, loyal to the Families, from being taken over by another culture. But first she has to shuttle her Aunt to a planet which breeds race horses. This shows the ruling class to be irrelevant to real life. Lot of words about battle positions, ansible spyware, missiles. The small last chapter ties up the subplot of tampering with pharmaceuticals & the problem of young adults in a culture where elders can rejuvenate, and gives the dilettante aunties a chance to show how smart they really are.
Not having read any other in the series, I didn't see anything that convinced me the Families were any better as rulers than the Compassionate Hand.
A disappointment, based on only show more having read Remnant Population previously. show less

My first Elizabeth Moon, after years of wondering what she was like. I was pretty pleased; I'd use the adjective Heinleinesque in the best possible way. It's not surprising; she shares a background in the millitary and a love of fencing, and works a certain free-and-easy sexuality into the book.

To narrow the comparison to Heinlein down, I'd compare to say Starship Troopers or Moon is a Harsh Mistress she works in her ruminations on society and politics, but it doesn't overwhelm the narrative in the mode of a Stranger in a Strange Land.

All-in-all I enjoyed it, and I'll be looking to read more of Moon's work.

I love this series with Heris Serrano. The space battle in this one was excellent. The characters and the world builidng are very interesting and although there are a few slow spots, mostly I just wanted to keep reading. This is book 3.

As a result of the happenings in Sporting Chance Heris finds herself owner of Sweet Delight. Initially she takes Lady Cecelia as a charter but suddenly finds herself commanding what for all practical reasons is a Fleet operation.

Intertwined with this is the Famous Five style adventure of the youngsters, as they get sent out to do some covert investigations no adults would be able to handle.

With this as a backdrop there is some elaboration on what happens in a society when those in power never grow old, never turn things over to the next generation; or the stratification that results when the rich lives on forever while the working classes gets born, live and die, without ever getting a chance to change their situation without violence. show more This theme never grows very strong, though, and those wishing for a more complex padding to this adventure will wait in vain.

Despite this I really enjoyed this book, just as I enjoyed the previous two. show less

Fine ending to the trilogy of Heris Serrano. The series continues after this book and I will certainly continue with it. I mean, horses and sci fi. What's not to love?

Exciting space opera/military sci fi, with great women characters who scare the pants off everyone.