After a break from the Starship's Mage series for a year, I started UnArcana Stars and rolled into Sword of Mars without pause. Glynn Stewart's breakneck pace continues here, with the plot steamrolling deep into the consequences of the events of the previous novel. All the requisite elements of fantastic Space Opera are on display: intricate world-building, galaxy-spanning economies and solar system-wide military actions filling the pages. And of course, don't expect the author to settle into any sort of status quo.

I find it difficult to praise without spoiling, so all I can say is that the open conflict referred to by the back of the book is massive in scope and bloody in consequence. It's everything I expect, but mostly fear as I do love the universe and many of the characters. Damien Montgomery is in fine form as Sword of Mars effortlessly blends military space battles alongside heroic adventures that put Star Wars to shame. All that said, I'm going to take another break. The pace of these novels just goes so fast that I need time to sit back and absorb the latest reality.

Highly Recommended.