Honor Of The Clan [Mass Market Paperback]

While interesting and a decent enough read, the book was sloppy, and chock-full of errors and inconsistencies. I found myself constantly flipping backwards in the chapters, trying to re-read and clarify what just occurred. Little help. This reads more like a work in progress, in software it would be the Alpha version. Nowhere close to beta or release candidate. Full of bugs and problems. Character name and age screw-ups, time line errors and other mistakes.

Iron Mike is once again a minor character. Cally is in the forefront. What really ticked me off is the final "showdown" - as the reader you're asked to believe that the main characters involved are pathetically stupid and lack all common sense. The entire ending could have been changed if either Cally or Papa O'Niel simply said "Hi Mike, it's me." Simple as that. All the clues were already there - the music, fighting style, hell, even Mike's friends were there - anyone could have had a major impact.

It's a really poorly written, slapped-together final few chapters. Not what is expected of this series. But that's what happens when you job out the work to another writer. If this would have been the first book in the series, it would never have seen a second installment. Where's the action, battles, mayhem? Not here. Come on - this is supposed to be a military SF series. Not a darn socio-political put me to sleep fest!

Also a note on the quality of the book itself. The covers warped badly a couple of days into the book, and some pages started to come loose! It's constructed from cheap materials. Hardcover books used to weigh a ton and have bright white pages, and better quality paper (high clay content-weight, durability.) This is strictly paperback quality paper and 2nd rate hard-cover binding. Shame on the publisher! When you retail a book for almost $30, at least spend a couple of bucks when you print the darn thing!!!

As for the editorial review, diamonds don't spark. Never did, never will. A better analogy would have been "when hammer meets anvil, sparks fly" - although none flew in this yawn a minute tome.

This isn't a bad book. But its not very good either. Largely because somebody(s) failed to pay attention to the details. At the end of Cally's War, Cally O'Neal was captured and tortured, but she couldn't have been held for more than a few days. In this book a few days has turned into a month. At the beginning of Sister Time we're introduced to Cally's daughters, Morgan, 6, and Sinda, ~4. In this book (set a few weeks after Sister Time) Morgan has become a 9 or 10 year old named Megan. Sorry John, but Megan is in one of your Council Wars series. There are internal inconsistencies as well. At the end of the book one of the former DAGers says that the Darhel had had his wife and daughter killed, but earlier in the book the child was a little boy. Also one of the operatives goes from being named Denise (Deni) Reardon to Jenny Reardon, and no its not a cover name.

These are the sort of mistakes I would have expected from Anne McCaffrey, not John Ringo.

Other than that, the story is pretty good. Almost gripping. However, if you are buying the book hoping to see a big family reunion at the end, save your money.

Honor of the Clan (2009) is the fourth SF novel in the Legacy of the Aldenata series, following Sister Time. In the previous volume, Cally drove the Darhel Clan Chief of the Epetar Group into lintatai. Then the Bane Sidhe raided the Institute for the Advancement of Human Welfare. During the battle within the building, the platoon from Direct Action Group mutinied and went over to the Bane Sidhe side.

Michelle battled Erick Winchon in mentat style, but Cally fired a .50 caliber bullet into the psychotic mentat. His shields failed and the attacking forces then burned him into ashes. The Indowy Bane Sidhe -- with the exception of Clan Aelool -- were unhappy with the killings and withdrew their support from the humans. They even took away the slab than provided medical miracles.

In this novel, Papa O'Neal goes on a diplomatic mission to the Indowy. He is accompanied by Father O'Reilly's personal assistant to provide tutoring in diplomatic ways and means. It takes most of the trip to get Papa to cooperate somewhat with the PA.

Cally O'Neal becomes acting Head of the Clan. She is no better suited for that job than her grandfather is to diplomacy. Yet, she perseveres and doesn't make too many mistakes.

Michelle O'Neal is still responding to the consequences following the dissolution of the Epetar Group. Indowy clans on Adenast had pulled their workers from her projects and she has deadlines coming up. She requests a meeting with the leader of the Roolnai Clan.

Major General Mike O'Neal is transferred back to Earth. On the five month long voyage, he ponders the meaning of the orders. They had just ordered his deputy to become the acting commander, but hadn't even mentioned a permanent replacement for his job as division commander.

In this story, a middle manager in the Epetar Group arranges for a message to be sent to several Darhel clans and then allows himself to fall into lintatai. When the message reaches its recipients, the Darhels hire humans to exterminate the Bane Sidhe among their Indowy employees. The surviving Indowy Bane Sidhe flee to Earth.

Meanwhile, Tir Dol Ron instructs his chief of dirty tricks to do something about the DAG troops who mutinied against his orders. Johnny Earl Bill Stuart discusses the mission with his cousin Bobby and they select a course of action. The first dependents of the DAG troops are assassinated in their safe houses shortly thereafter.

When Cally becomes aware of the assassinations, she practically glows with icy anger. Bane Sidhe operatives are tasked with finding out who are doing the killings and then Cally sends out her own assassins to terminate the killers. They have a good idea who is behind the killings, but want to be certain. So they take temporary prisoners.

This tale continues the conflict between humans and the Darhel. Some humans are trying to avoid open fighting since galactic affairs need something like the Darhel to keep the economy stable. On the other hand, the Bane Sidhe assumes that they can fix the economy after they eliminate the predators.

This story is another cover to cover conflict, from personal quarrels to small unit battles. Maybe someone can become bored with this book, but many readers will have trouble putting it down. Enjoy!

Highly recommended for Ringo & Cochrane fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of covert operations, galactic politics, and a touch of romance.

-Arthur W. Jordin

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