This is a frustrating book. It's not even the author's fault. The premise of the whole novel is a bit of a bore: Operation Serpent's trip into CSJ space. There's an interesting surprise at the end, but really, Gressman's given the thankless task of making something interesting happen during an exercise in logistics.

No Clan interaction of merit, the Marik Knight Paul Masters is portrayed as a chivalrous buffoon and the rest of the Inner Sphere members of the task force are respectively true to stereotype. There's just not much to like besides a single chapter our of nowhere about a quick-thinking Clan bondsman.

The novel comes after a good start to the series and a serviceable "great game" plot for book 2, so it's a really tough slog in comparison when the plot is non-existent and the characters are basically having meetings and planning sessions for the duration of the book. ( )