Harriet Klausner's Review Archive
In the far distant future, Earth joins the Confederation with the stipulation that the inhabitants would become soldiers in their war with the Others. Since fighting is a part of the genetic make-up of earthlings, they quickly accept the terms and join the races that have access to the stars.
Four generations later, the Kras and the Taykans unite with the humans to create a powerful military machine. When the Others invade the space inhabited by the sentient reptilian race the Silsviss, the Confederation makes a move to gain their allegiance. Diplomacy with the combative Silsviss requires shows of strength and power. A missile shoots down the space ship containing the Confederation marines, headed by Staff Sergeant Torin Kerr. The marines land in an isolated reserve where aggressive adolescent natives want to kill them. Kerr feels responsible for her troops and will do what it takes to keep them safe even as she wonders who fired the missile.
Tanya Huff is renowned for her paranormal mysteries and epic fantasies. VALOR'S CHOICE is her initial entry into science fiction. Though exciting, the human characters seem more symbolic than real and the other races fail the believability criteria. This leaves the well-written story line grasping for an audience beyond the shoot-em-up space opera crowd. Ms. Huff demonstrates her immense talent, but this novel is no choice for anyone except those who prefer 100 per cent pure action.