The Lost Fleet: Dauntless

Don't pay much attention to the cover-art, this book is about an admiral running a fleet. Contrary to what you would suspect based on the cover art, as of five books in, he has never fired a weapon. He's actually never left the ship. I'm not kidding. The story is focused mostly on politics, maintaining shaky alliance by leveraging symbolism. Broad themes include the "old wise man," a literal anachronism, who saves the present with the wisdom of the past. The romance reminds me of old-school "sex" scenes where the camera pans to a window with curtains blowing in the night breeze. I point this last piece out because there is this undercurrent of traditional chivalry/morals (even as far as explicitly connecting a woman's honor with her sexual activities). None of these issues would be as glaring if there were any big changes in the story after FOUR BOOKS into the series. Sorry, really can't recommend this one. Good book for some more conservative older gentlemen though (genuinely, I'd recommend it for that population).

It is a shame the writer has chosen to do exposition through a competent protagonist interacting with an ensemble that is for the most part unrealistically retarded. He has thus created a technically interesting setting but with with the social maturity of small children. The series is saved by genuinely interesting and well-described fleet combat, if one skips through some egregious eye rollers.

Very short read which was good for a change. It was sorta a bummer that there was only one big battle. You get the feeling that there will be 10+ books when all is said and done. I liked it enough that I'll read the next in the series.