Into the Stars is the first volume of a projected six-volume series of space operas. The disjointed story arc of the first one does not bode well for the series. We begin with a background chapter about the end of World War III. Then, somehow, all the problems get fixed, and we are mining asteroids. But then there are space pirates. Then we are training space marines, but they don’t deal with the pirates. Will there be aliens? Of course.
I prefer a more tightly focused story. Asteroid mining and pirates are enough. Save the aliens for later volumes. ( )