The Blackheart: A Space Opera Novella by Thom Bedford - An Excellent Short Story In The Sandorn's Allegiance Series

The Blackheart: A Space Opera Novella by Thom Bedford

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: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Thom grew up in suburban Cheshire, England with his parents and a brother. Since childhood, he has had a propensity for creativity, whether it be writing, building models, painting, designing graphics and technology, or programming.

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.

Sandorn's Prison: A Military Space Opera (Sandorn's Allegiance Book 2) By Thom Bedford

Sandorn's Prison: A Military Space Opera (Sandorn's Allegiance Book 2) by Thom Bedford

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: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Thom grew up in Cheshire, England, with his parents and brother. Since childhood, he has had a propensity for creativity, whether it be writing, building models, painting, designing graphics and technology, or programming.

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.