Command Decision

COMMAND DECISION (2007) is the fourth book of the VATTA'S WAR Series - following ENGAGING THE ENEMY(2006), MARQUE AND REPRISAL(2005), and TRADING IN DANGER(2004). These books follow the exploits of Kylara Vatta, a Space Trader with a military training background, who is forced to turn Space Privateer, in response to an attack by Space Pirates on the Vatta family Space Trading enterprise and the ansible inter-system communication network... the conflict begins to expand to a galactic war in ENGAGING THE ENEMY, and in this book, Ky takes charge of a small fleet at the center of conflicts in the enlarging galactic war. Near the end of the book, 4 disparate groups of ships (pirates, mercenaries, Ky's new "Space Defense Force" and ISC's force) could meet up in a remote location... but I won't give away what happens - as it is the best scene out of the series. As usual with this series, there are some overly-coincendental or contrived scenes (the magic "skull ansible" technology in Ky's head... why don't MORE people have it, if it works?) - but they really don't impact the exciting pace and overall quality of the book. While the book isn't perfect, it is very enjoyable, and it gets 4.5 stars - round it up to 5.

Command Decision (2007) is the fourth SF novel in the Vatta's War series, following Engaging the Enemy. In the previous volume, pirates jumped the privateer ships practicing maneuvers in a deserted system and destroyed several of the vessels. Kylara Vatta joined forces with two other ships as they fought their way out of the ambush. Aunt Grace supervised the laying of the cornerstone for the new Vatta Transport building. Afterward, Master Sergeant MacRobert invited her to tea and then stated that she would be asked to serve in a high position within the government. In this novel, Rafael Dunbarger lands at Nexus Center Port as Genson Ratanvi, a middle-aged Cascadian business man. He passes Customs and Immigration without problems and heads for the Ambisor where he has stayed before in this identity. After installing his baggage in the room, he goes out to make some calls. Upon reaching Luce's, a cafe in his former neighborhood, Rafe tries his father's private number and gets a "no longer available" message. When he calls his home phone number, the call is answered by someone he doesn't recognize. Then the voice asks his business and reason for calling. After telling the voice that he is trying to reach Flasic's Bakery Supplies, Rafe is told that he has the wrong number. But then he is asked for his calling location and told to stay on the line. After he is permitted to hang up, Rafe complains to the proprietor of the cafe about the rudeness of some people. He asks for directions to Flasic's and Luce walks over with him. He makes some inquiries, but finds the transportation costs are too high. Luce walks out with him, yet returns to his cafe. By that time, Rafe is being followed by someone else. Later Rafe is awakened by a call on his implanted ansible. He doesn't answer immediately, but just waits. Eventually he hears voices and jacks up the sensitivity to listen to three voices. The conversation suggests that someone had gotten his number from his father. Stella and Toby are doing well on Cascadia Station. Unfortunately, Toby has stacked electronic gear all over the apartment. Stella tries to get him to pick up the mess, but he keeps getting distracted. Since Toby is designing some interesting modifications to the shipboard ansibles, Stella can't just throw the stuff out. Luckily, she has a lead on office and workshop space for the rebuilding Vatta Transport organization. Ky is having medical problems aboard the Vanguard. Several of her crew have ingested something virulent. Although they identify the substance and treat the crew in the medboxes, Ky needs a medical staff like the professional forces. In addition, she needs to tighten discipline, for the crew should have known not to bring anything unusual onboard without permission. She holds an all-crew meeting while they are in FTL. Ky visits Gretna Main Station to restock on missiles and gains a bad impression of their ethics. Among other malpractices, the Gret

In my reviews I do not give plot summaries since they are readily available elsewhere. I usually do not write reviews of books unless I despise them so much that I want to warn people to save their money (and being somewhat vindictive to prevent the author and publisher from making money on what I consider a poor product). This review is an exception. I have enjoyed all the books in the series, but this one really stands out. It combines excellent plotting, well thought out and interesting characters, good dialog, suspense, and humor (without being farcical). I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys the genre of science fiction.

Rafe Dunbarger is a man of many identities, a master of disguise, an assassin when need be--and the son of the CEO of ISC, the most powerful corporation throughout the human universe. He left his home planet and was dismissed as a psychotic misfit--but was he? Ky Vatta is one of the surviving members of the Vatta Transport family. Most were killed, in part due to the treachery of her pirate Uncle Osman. She killed him, reclaimed the spaceship he had stolen from the family and because of her connection with Rafe, discovers a technology pirated from ISC--a ship-based communication system that allows for almost instantaneous communication between ships. The pirates have disabled much of ISC's monopoly communication technology, leaving many planets and systems blind to their attacks. Rafe returns to his home planet only to discover that his family has been kidnapped and that the company has been slow to effect repairs that will restore vital communications. Meanwhile, Ky's cousin, Sheila, is trying to restore the Vatta family empire, support her ward , Toby, as he tries to replicate and improve the pirated technology, and aid Ky in cobbling together what she calls the "Space Defense Force." Moon continues the Vatta's War series and creates characters that you care about, scenarios that keep you turning the pages as quickly as possible and last minute plot twists that keep your pulse climbing. Armchair Interviews says: This is a page-turner you won't want to miss.

In the same vein as "Sporting Chance, "Hunting Party", and "Winning Colors", Elizabeth Moon has created an inspiring space drama in her Vatta's War series with likeable lead character Captain Kylara Vatta, her cousin Stella, and Rafe Dunbarger, the mysterious ISC spy. "Command Decision" continues the story of the remnants of the Vatta family, striving to find Trade and Profit out of the chaos that ensued after their families were targets of mysterious pirates. Kylara, Stella, and Rafe split off into their own intriguing stories in this, the fourth book in the series. Rafe follows his own trail back to his home planet to find that all is not as copacetic as he had thought. Shaken by what he finds, he susses out the problems with the help of some old aquaintances, only to find that in order to correct the problems, he'd have to change who he is. Meanwhile, Stella has set up shop on super-polite Cascadia and struggles to find balance as the new CEO of Vatta, all the while dealing with rambunctious teenager Toby and his technological genius. And of course, Captain Kylara Vatta has gone in search of the pirates that are behind the murder and mayhem scattered across the galaxy. She's not alone, but continues to find herself in hairy predicaments. I was a bit amazed at who ended up being the Slotter Key Spaceforce advisor on the other Slotter Key privateer's ship, and a little disappointed that it wasn't who I thought it was. One of my favorite characters from "Engaging the Enemy" didn't get near enough page-time (Aunt Gracie Lane Vatta ROCKS!) in this fourth book. Of course, as always with the fantastic and enthralling writing of Elizabeth Moon, the story ended too soon (300 more pages, please!)