I received a copy of this book for free and am leaving this review
voluntarily.
The Blackheart is a novella following the first two books in the
Sandorn's Allegiance series of novels. The series' novels include Sandorn's
Command and Sandorn's Prison. I have read and enthusiastically enjoyed both
stories, and the same sentiment applies to The Blackheart.
In the novels, Thom introduces the exploits of Tanic Sandorn, a man who
finds himself caught up in an escalating conflict between two factions, the
Combined Systems Alliance, and the Free Planetary Union. The Blackheart
takes a detour in the Sandorn Universe and follows Tanic's older sister,
Felysta Sandorn, the captain of the Alliance's naval ship, Blackheart.
The quality of the stories in this series is top-notch, and the characters
are believable. They are intelligent and resourceful but are also flawed in the
same ways that normal humans are. The universe the author has created feels
real and the descriptions of the places his characters move in are colorful and
fit the story well.
Overall, I have found the entire series to be of superior entertainment
value
War is coming.
Following a failed sabotage attempt on her home port, Felysta Sandorn is
sent into another system to put down pirate activity. She leads a small group
of fast ships into the system where surprises await her, and none of them are
pleasant or wanted. The situation is not what she was expecting, and she finds
betrayal and the pirates she was sent after are the least of her problems.
There aren't overly many characters to keep track of in this short story,
but it introduces Felysta. She is the captain of the Blackheart and
there is no doubt she is in command. She is tough when she needs to be but
appears also to be compassionate enough to be a good person. I like this
character because of her being complete. The reader will get enough background
on Felysta to give her quite a bit of depth. She is fiercely loyal to the
Alliance and believes in what she does in her service.
Along with Felysta, my favorite point of plot in this story are developments
in the political situation between the Alliance and the Union. It isn't completely
clear who the "good guys" are in the saga yet. There are differences
of opinion that arose in previous books and carries into Blackheart.
While politics are not overly belabored, they are present and add a dimension
that makes the characters even more interesting and real for me.
My takeaway from Blackheart is to remember when you are in command of
a group of people, take nothing or no one for granted. You may think you know
someone, but you cannot always know what's in their heart.
The Blackheart is an excellent addition to the Sandorn's
Allegiance series, and it left me wanting more. A lot more. Thom Bedford is
an excellent writer and tells a hell of a story. He packs a huge amount of
story in a small space in this novella and I cannot help but think that Felysta
and the other characters from this story will figure into the more novels going
forward (a la David Weber in the Honor Harrington series). There is no
space wasted in Blackheart and the action is nonstop. It is a fast read
and I recommend it. However, one should read the first two books in the series
before this one. They are both excellent as well.
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 Stellaris. 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.
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