Virtues of War

Canadian Naval veteran Coles (All Quiet on the Temporal Front) opens a military SF trilogy with gripping battle scenarios and intriguing future science, but little in the way of character development. The action kicks off with newly-minted strike team leader Lt. Katja Emmes's first time heading up a mission. She's seeking rebel agents on a reported warlord base on planet Cerberus, an event that escalates into increasingly higher-stakes confrontations. Emmes's warship, Rapier, is commanded by ambitious Lt. Cmdr. Thomas Kane; he and Emmes's bunkmate, navigator Lt. Charity "Breeze" Brisebois, both place personal goals above all else, including loyalty to their fellow crew. Meanwhile, Sublieutenant Jack Mallory, an amiable young pilot, is positioned to make critical observations of activity in the extra-dimensional transportation system called the brane. Insights into military operations, including internal alliances and adversaries, help balance the characters' thin personalities. (June)