Product Description

Kylara had to leave a bright future as a military cadet, and was thrown into the brutal world of off-world trading. This subsequent career in the family business was tough: marked by war, mutiny and attempted assassination. But then her home was attacked and her parents killed - their trading empire left in ruins. Now she must save what is left of the family and the business, with few friends and too few assets. She must make full use of her hard-won experience to not just survive, but to restore the shattered fortunes of the Vatta family and their allies. Now, Kylara Vatta, space-trader and sometime privateer, has destined herself for a dangerous and unpredictable future. She will muster an interplanetary taskforce and forge them into a lethal weapon: one that the pirates who destroyed her family will never forget ...

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #43975 in Books
• Published on: 2007-04-05
• Released on: 2007-03-01
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 464 pages

Synopsis
Kylara had to leave a bright future as a military cadet, and was thrown into the brutal world of off-world trading. This subsequent career in the family business was tough: marked by war, mutiny and attempted assassination. But then her home was attacked and her parents killed - their trading empire left in ruins. Now she must save what is left of the family and the business, with few friends and too few assets. She must make full use of her hard-won experience to not just survive, but to restore the shattered fortunes of the Vatta family and their allies. Now, Kylara Vatta, space-trader and sometime privateer, has destined herself for a dangerous and unpredictable future. She will muster an interplanetary taskforce and forge them into a lethal weapon: one that the pirates who destroyed her family will never forget ...

About the Author
Elizabeth Moon joined the US Marine Corps in 1968, reaching the rank of 1st Lieutenant during active duty. She has also earned degrees in history and biology, run for public office and been a columnist on her local newspaper. She lives near Austin, Texas, with her husband and their son.

Customer Reviews

A minor gem
Ms Moon has created a realistic future of autonomous solar systems interacting with other mainly through trade, with intersystem communication controlled by a commercial monopoly which serves as the closest thing to a de facto interstellar government. The 'Vatta's War' series, of which this book is the fourth, considers the vulnerability of such an arrangement to piracy. It's imaginative, well-plotted and engrossing. Ms Moon's writing abilities have improved greatly since her previous Serrano novels, and the characters populating this series are more complex and morally ambiguous, and therefore much more interesting. The author clearly has firmly held opinions regarding what makes people and societies tick, but manages to get these across without compromising the excitement of her story. Good stuff.

The fourth.. and best?
I originally started reading Vatta's War: Trading in danger because it was the only SF book my local bookshop had in that looked remotely appealing (and that I hadn't already read).

I am so glad I did. Vatta's War is turning out to be one of my favourite SF series and this, the fourth book, is almost impossible to put down (suffice to say I am running low on sleep ;))

As the series progresses numerous sub-plots and characters are evolving wonderfully, and unlike many books (including some bestsellers) I am drawn into every one of them, turning each page without a thought as I plunge towards each milestone.

Roll on Book 5.

Book Four of Vatta's War
You really need to read the earlier volumes to get the the best from this book. Most of the main characters are busy doing their separate activities in different systems so it has the effect of being like several amalgamated short stories. Nevertheless it is still a very enjoyable book with lots of plotting,action,and adventure. This is Elizabeth Moon at her best and once started hard to put down.