After the first volume “The Course of Empire”, this second volume is even better I should say. In this second tome we see in full regalia the centre leitmotiv of the book: nature by association/cooperation. Neuroscientist António Damásio a Portuguese countryman of mine, is far from being a despot/tyrant, and he would agree with the basic premise of the novel. In fact, in Damásio’s book on Spinoza (“Looking for Spinoza: Joy, Sorrow, and the Feeling Brain”, he cites research which actually proves that cooperation floods the brain with dopamine and brings on a high. It's a product of our human evolution and therefore can be said to be much more expressive of human nature than the attribute of selfishness which capitalism forces us to adopt if we are to survive. In Paleolithic times, cooperation was not something imposed by the state, because there was no state. Nor was it imposed by an all powerful leader. It grew naturally from the tasks people had to do together to survive. Early societies had no authoritarian structures, such as fascism (as epithomised by the Narva caste). To put it in the words of Chief Wanadi in John Boorman's film, “The Emerald Forest”, "If I tell a man to do what he does not want to do, I would no longer be chief." This is the all point of the first and second volumes of this wonderful duology (I’m not counting the third volume as belonging to this same universe because the pedigree is not the same). The Apache chose Geronimo as their leader, but that doesn't mean they had to obey him, if they didn't like the orders he gave. The same with Allie Pluthrak. In the Apache they could vote with their feet. Their freedom to do as they pleased in that respect in no way lessened their ability to cooperate. Despot/Tyrant (epithomised by Oppuk), on the other hand, demands absolute obedience.

Humans are cooperative for short periods when individual needs happen to coincide, once the target is met we all start being individuals again. This not down to our individual natures and is not because of capitalism or any other ism. We are the way we are because that is how nearly all of us are wired. Imperfect? Certainly but better than being like an ant colony with no minds of our own.

All of these in a SF novel (*gasp*). Who could have imagined SF could produce something of such quality as this…unheard of to say the least! ( )

I found this book after re-reading Black on Black and Stars over Stars. Those two books impressed me with the worldbuilding of the alien race. I was equally impressed with Crucible of Empire. The story has at least three elements going for it. It has conflict between space faring races, strange but interesting cultural traits and habits of the races, and characters that I was intersted in. Caitlin, Tully, Captain Dannet, Jihan and the Krants are the most interesting. The authors introduce a great deal about the relationships of power and decisionmaking in the four cultures. I could see a school class spending a full semester using this book to explore alternative political power relations. The Ekhat would be the simplest. I really wanted to know what would happen to each character. Even minor characters are introduced with interesting stories.

The relationship between the Jao and the humans of Earth is complicated. Some love and some hate exists in the history and present. Fear, distrust, trust and promise have built the relationship and guide the decisions made by the members of the Jao-human alliance in their exploration of the Nebula where they find the Lleix. This two year alliance has led to the Terra taif which is a new political entity in the Jao culture and is fraught with tension and the potential for misunderstanding. There are many terms to explain the cultural differences the four races have, but I found them easy to follow because of the good writing.

The world building is very impressive. There are four fully sentient races described in the story, the Humans, Jao, Lleix and Ekhat. Each has its strengths, weaknesses, oddities and traditions. I kept thinking that this reminds me of humans. The same 4 points could be made about me and all the people I know. This is a great way to relate the strange alien races to my own life and understanding.

The greatest tension in the book, after the difficulty of the different races communicating successfully across their barriers of difference is the looming threat of the Ekhat battle ships that will destroy anyone they encounter that are not Ekhat. This continues the threat from the previous book, but is a minor dangerous thread throughout the book, while not distracting from the interesting stories being told. I recommend this book to readers who enjoy military sci-fi or cross-cultural fiction.

The Terra taif is defined as a kochan-in-formation.
There is a glossary after the story of Jao and Lleix terms which is great, although perhaps not needed, as a careful reader can build their own glossary from the context given in the story.

The end of the book contains a history of the Ekhat race that is the major villain in the series. Also an explanation of the faster than light technology used in the series. The frame point network is a unique addition to faster-than-light travel in science fiction and might possibly end up having some similarity to an actual technological solution to ftl, if humans ever achieve that.

When I reached the last page I was ready to plunge into the next step in the story. Alas, I learned K. D. Wentworth died in 2012 and the next book in the series was not finished. My best wishes go to her family and friends. ( )

Even more enjoyable than the first book. The cultures of the different main types of aliens are very well described and the comparison between them makes for interesting reading. Obviously doing the shakedown cruise of such a new vessel directly in arms way is way too far fetched... ( )

Two years ago, humans and their conquerers the Jao formed an alliance and fought off an Ekhat fleet sent to destroy Earth. Now evidence has been found that the Jao's ancient benefactors and victims, the Lleix, may not be extinct after all. A new ship, the Lexington, is sent to investigate, with a mixed human-Jao crew. But there are still tensions between the two peoples, and the Lleix, waiting for the Ekhat to return and kill them all, have good reason to fear and distrust the Jao. Misunderstandings may yet doom the expedition. And the Ekhat have sent more ships.

Flint and Wentworth succeed in creating another different yet plausible alien society. Characterizations are not all fully rounded, but sufficient. The military action, brief though it is, is exciting and well-described. This is not as fresh as the first book, but sequels almost never are. I was most interested in the Krant kochan, who give a different view of Jao society. Thus, I was sorry to switch to Lleix point of view for the second section, but I got over it. ( )

Second in a continuing series. This novel moves from conquest-of-earth-by-scary-aliens to space opera in which formerly scary aliens and smart humans are engaged in interstellar struggle (and, this being Flint) labour organising. This has got to be the first novel in which class struggle precedes saving an alien species from extinction.