The Court Of A Thousand Suns (2000) - Plot & Excerpts
Sten grows up from secret agent to head of Imperial Bodyguard -- and Cole and Bunch get the overarching plot of the series going, as we get into deep Imperial intrigue, get much more face time with the Eternal Emperor, and watch as the galaxy hurtles toward war ...Ripping space opera / military SF, complete with uber-competent spies, in-jokes, and a wicked sense of humor.---------------PREVIOUS (Nov 2001)Sci-Fi Skullduggery - After the first two books of the series set the tone for Cole & Bunch's military/spy space opera, this novel sets the broader themes rolling. Sten, now head of the Eternal Emperor's bodyguard, must deal with traitors within the palace and without, trying to find out who's trying to kill the emperor -- and how to avert interstellar war. Cole & Bunch are endlessly entertaining, mixing blood, puns, action, politics and philosophy into a fast-paced mix. The whole series is great fun and entertainment.
What surprised me most, is that this book is actually more a detective than a space western the two previous books were. I liked the turn though, because while this book had less gore and non-stop action the it's predecessors, the trade-off was a better insight into the empire and The Emperor himself. I'm happy that my previous review of The Wolf Worlds was accurate in believing that this series is getting better with each book, as The Court of a Thousand Suns is a better book than The Wolf Worlds, which is better than Sten. I wonder if this tendency will prevail in further parts of the series, but this book is definitely worth your time.
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