I received a copy of this book
for free and am leaving this review voluntarily. Note: Sandorn's Prison
is due to be released on March 11, 2023.
Sandorn's Prison is the second book in the Sandorn's
Allegiance series by Thom Bedford. The first book in the series, Sandorn's
Command, introduces the reader to several compelling characters who find
themselves caught up in the middle of a war between two factions, the Alliance,
and the Union.
Tanic Sandorn, former spacer,
finds himself turning from a life of cargo runs to becoming an important player
in the early days of the war on the side of the Alliance. He is joined by
nearly all his crew, but one holds out, claiming the Alliance isn't all it's
made out to be, and the union has been unjustly vilified.
I love space opera and Thom
Bedford's offerings are some of the best I've read. He writes superior
characters set in a backdrop of amazing ships, space stations, and impossible
situations requiring cleverness to resolve. Along with epic battle scenes,
there are political situations, intrigue, and romance.
Sandorn's Prison is the amazing continuation of the saga
in which the principal character finds himself torn between following orders,
or doing what is right and best for the most people.
On Exeter Station, Commander
Tanic Sandorn works his daily routine until he is tapped to command an updated
warship, the Leonidas. He gathers his command crew, a group of
dependable people he has worked with in the past, and is attached to a fleet
charged with the rescue of a large number of prisoners being held on a prison
station.
The fleet commander, Commodore
Flynn, is a glory-seeking, cowardly officer who has no problem sacrificing
others to achieve his goals.
Sandorn disobeys Fynn’s orders
to reduce the losses to the fleet. What's more, he is forced to make a
monumental personal sacrifice, leaving someone very important to him behind.
In the brig, heartsick and
feeling like he's let everyone down, he has to find a way to pull himself
together and make a second trip to the prison station before it's too late.
Tanic Sandorn is a good man. He
is a good soldier and a superb commander respected by his direct commanders and
those he is chosen to command. But he is not the man to follow orders blindly.
When he sees an injustice, he acts on it by doing the right thing, consequences
be damned. In the pages of the two books in this series, Sandorn is the hero
who doesn't set out to be the hero. He doesn't seek glory or laurels; he just
wants to get his job done while minimizing the loss of life. As one reads, he
becomes a real person one can admire and take as an example to follow.
My favorite point of plot in
this tale is how there is a problem brewing behind the scenes that hasn't been
revealed so far. In both books in the series, it is mentioned in a roundabout
way, but not pinpointed. This is just one of the aspects of this series that
keeps me coming back for more.
Another plot point I enjoyed
are the twists and turns. While we know the hero is going to triumph, it is in
no way predictable how Sandorn is going to achieve his goals, and it isn't
guaranteed he will. His ultimate solution to the problem put in his way was
completely unexpected, yet so simple, it could have been child's play. His
solution also gives the reader some insight into the leadership of the
much-maligned Union faction.
Thom is an avid sci-fi fan, and
it really shows itself in his writing. Occasionally, I had to smile as I came
across winks and nods to various other sci-fi franchises.
My takeaway from Sandorn's
Prison is no matter the consequences, a person of good character must stand
by their principles and do what is right.
I give my highest
recommendations for Sandorn's Prison. It is an entertaining read that
runs a full gamut of emotions. This (as well as Sandorn's Command) is
space opera at its best. It seems so plausible that it feels real as one reads
it, and the story will stay with the reader long after the book is closed.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
After studying computer science
at The University of Manchester, he started working as a Software Developer.
Following in his father's footsteps, he worked as a Technical consultant in
London for several years, then in data warehousing back in Manchester.
In his spare time, Thom still
writes, builds models, paints, and programs, but nowadays he also listens to a
lot of music, watches a lot of films, reads, and enjoys playing video games.
His love for science fiction
comes from blockbuster films like Starship Troopers, Star Wars,
and Star Trek. B-movies like Wing Commander, Pitch Black,
and Iron Sky. TV shows like Battlestar Galactica, The Expanse,
and Stargate. Video games like Homeworld, EVE-Online, and Stelaris.
Books Like Jack Campbell's Lost Fleet series, Jasper T. Scott's Dead
Space series, and David Weber's Honor Harrington series. In other
words, sci-fi - particularly space opera - in any media.
Thom currently lives in
Cheshire, England with his wife, Helen, and their two cats.
No comments:
Post a Comment