Book Review: Kris Longknife: Resolute by Mike Shepherd

Kris Longknife: Resolute
Author: Mike Shepherd
Series: Kris Longknife (Book 4)
Publication: Ace (October 31, 2006)

Description: Kris Longknife has been given her first independent command in the very remote system of Chance, an assignment that's as much exile as promotion.

But Kris isn't on the job long when she captures pirates hiding the location of an uncharted and unpopulated planet of miraculous technology.

My Thoughts: Kris Longknife has her first independent command. She's been sent to command Naval District 41 orbiting the planet Chance. When she arrives along with Penny, her bodyguard Jack, her maid Abby, and a Naval Chief named Beni, she finds the place empty. She learns that Lieutenant in charge had put in his tweny years and retired - as a lieutenant. 

She visits the planet to see what is going on and soon learns that the planet is filled with rugged individualists who don't see the need to have Wardhaven's protection and certainly don't want a Longknife there. A number of the older citizens had served with one or the other of Kris's great-grandfathers and knew that Longknifes were trouble magnets.

But Kris has another issue besides her unstaffed and mothballed station. Her computer Nelly wants to go exploring using some of the maps left by the ancient races that have long disappeared. She sends Penny and Abby off to rent a ship since the only one at the station was state of the art when her Great-Grandpa King Ray took it into battle many, many years ago and is now suitable mainly as a museum. 

Their explorations lead to the discovery of a couple of planets with remnants of those long-gone aliens. The first is in poor condition, but the second looks like someone could move in if they could defeat the automated defenses. Determined to bring the news of her discover back to Wardhaven, Kris returns to Naval District 41 to find that four Peterwald ships have come through the jump commanded by Kris's old rival Hank Peterwald. Their goal is to conquer Chance and add it to the Peterwald empire. 

Neither Kris nor the citizens of Chance are in favor of this, but both are radically outgunned. Luckily, the brains are on Kris's side. I enjoyed seeing all the different plans that were developed to defeat the Peterwald fleet, hopefully, without bloodshed or lives lost. 

This was another great episode in an engaging Space Opera series. I liked seeing how Kris is growing in responsibilities and getting to know herself and her companions. 

Favorite Quote:

"Why send a fleet when a certain princess will make do?" Jack said.

Which almost made Kris miss a step. Was she getting so good at yanking miracles out of hats that someone thought all they had to do was send a hat and her?

I bought this one in 2006 or 2007. I know it has been sitting on my TBR stack since February 2008. You can buy your copy here.