Echoes of Issel: Book Two of the Sergey Chronicles

I really enjoyed this second installment of Thornley's trilogy. The writing is more crisp, the action scenes gripping, and most of all, the character development is much better than in your typical SF novel.Once again, Thornley has managed to balance an insider's view of military operations with the elements of good fiction. Unlike the technical sterility of Tom Clancy, she is sensitive to her characters, and that makes us care about them, too.Anyway, the plot itself is the continuation of the first book, as Tristan and his parents struggle to adapt to their new lives. More to the point, the action of the individuals is well balanced against the setting of interplanetary conflict.All in all, very well done, and I'm looking forward to reading the final book in the series.