Sea Without a Shore (Lt Leary #10) by David Drake

Science Fiction/ Space Opera

From Goodreads:

"LEARY AND MUNDY RETURN in the RCN SERIES.

#10 in the nationally best-selling Republic of Cinnabar Navy space adventure series. 

Cinnabar's chief spymaster is a mother also--and her son is determined to search for treasure in the midst of a civil war. Who better to hold the boy's hand—and to take the blows directed at him—than Captain Daniel Leary, the Republic of Cinnabar Navy's troubleshooter, and his friend the cyberspy Adele Mundy?

The only thing certain in the struggle for control of the mining planet Corcyra is that the rival parties are more dangerous to their own allies than to their opponents. Daniel and Adele face kidnappers, hijackers, pirates and a death squad—even before they can get to their real business of ending the war on Corcyra. Only with planetary peace can the boy they're escorting get on with his mission.

The boy thinks the treasure he's looking for is a thousand years old. Daniel and Adele know that it's probably a dream—

But if the treasure is real, it just might be tens of thousands of years older than anyone imagines, and incalculably more valuable!"

Adele Mundy and Daniel Leary are back together again in another exciting adventure.  This time they each have a separate mission but instead of going their separate ways their mission takes them both to Corcyra, a planet in trouble.  Daniel is helping out Mistress Sand by accompanying her son to look for a treasure and Adele is doing a favor for Daniel’s sister and the Leary family. 

This is a much more laid back book.  There are no space battles, their space ship is a freighter instead of a war ship and there are only 20 of the regular crew on the voyage.  We do see a lot more of Adele in this book and continue to get additional insights into her character.   Both Daniel and Adele have to work to outsmart their enemies and in many cases turn them into allies.

David Drake does try to write each book in the series to stand-alone but I recommend starting at the beginning with book one.  You will have a much better grip on the characters and the story.

Baen published Sea Without a Shore by David Drake in 2014.

I received an ARC of Sea Without a Shore from Netgalley.

Waiting on Wednesday (WOW) February 1, 2012

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week I am waiting on The Road to Danger by David Drake, the latest in the RNC series.  It is due out April 1, 2012.   Here is what Baen Publishing has to say about The Road to Danger.  

"Captain Daniel Leary with his friend—and spy—Officer Adele Mundy are sent to a quiet sector to carry out an easy task: helping the local admiral put down a coup before it takes place. But then the jealous admiral gets rid of them by sending them off on a wild goose chase to a sector where commerce is king and business is carried out by extortion and gunfights.

With anarchy and rebellion in the air, a rogue intelligence officer plots the war that will destroy civilization and enlists the help of a brute whom even torturers couldn't stomach.

And, of course, it's up to Leary and Mundy to put a stop to the madness."

What Distant Deeps by David Drake

Science Fiction

I just read a blog entry that said if an author put in a male and female lead character in a science fiction novel there had to be a romantic element between the two characters. (I was going to write down the blog and the entry but forgot and now cannot find it.) That person never read any of David Drakes' Lt Leary Series. In the series Adele Mundy was off planet when Speaker Leary put down a conspiracy against the government of Cinnabar and beheaded Adele’s mother, father and her 10-year-old sister. Daniel Leary is the son of Speaker Leary and an officer in the Republic of Cinnabar’s Navy. When the two meet on Kostroma they should be mortal enemies. However Daniel and his father do not get along. In fact they do not even speak. Daniel is about all action and Adele is all about information. When the two run into danger they form a perfect partnership without any hint of romance.

I just read What Distant Deeps, the latest book in the series. Daniel and Adele go on a milk run mission to deliver a new Commissioner to a distant and relatively unimportant planet. There is peace between Cinnabar and the Alliance but not everyone wants the fighting to be over. Once again they walk into a situation that needs Adele’s skill in getting information and Daniel’s love a action. Someone is trying to start the war again and Daniel, Adele and a former enemy must work together to keep the peace agreement from falling apart. The Lt Leary Series is a fun space opera where action is the king and there is no hint of romance between the two main characters.

I purchased What Distant Deeps from Baen as an eBook and side loaded it on my Nook. I was very disappointed in how the book loaded. Unlike most books I have loaded before the book did not fit the screen. Many times words were cut in half. The copy was not clean and the book did not read easily. What Distant Deeps was offered as an ARC earlier. I purchased the book after it was released but wondered if the ARC was what I got. This is the first time I have had trouble with a Baen eBook but it is also the first time I have loaded one on the Nook instead of my eBookwise reader. I don’t know if the problem was with Baen or with the Nook.

Baen published What Distant Deeps by David Drake in 2010.

In the Stormy Red Sky by David Drake

Space Opera

I have two favorite space opera series. One is the RNC series by David Drake and the other is Jack Campbell’s Lost Fleet series. New books in both series came out this month (May 2009). Look for a post on the new Lost Fleet book later this month.

In the Stormy Red Sky is the 7th book in the RNC series featuring Daniel Leary and Adele Mundy. Daniel and Adele are again sent on a mission that should be peaceful but as we all know nothing is peaceful when Daniel and Adele are involved. The previous books were mostly Daniel’s story; In the Stormy Red Sky is mostly Adele’s story. It makes a nice change of pace. As usual the plot is fast moving and the action intense. The story expands the world building and shows how Adele’s character is growing and changing. In the Stormy Red Sky keeps the series moving at a brisk pace. I loved this book and look forward to more in the RNC series.

Baen released In the Stormy Red Sky by David Drake as a hardcover on May 5th, 2009. I purchased In the Stormy Red Sky as an eBook from Baen for $6.00.

My December 8th, 2008 post highlighted the RNC series. Check it out for all the previous RNC titles.

Baen www.baen.com/
David Drake www.david-drake.com/