cover image A Peace Divided: Peacekeeper, Book 2

A Peace Divided: Peacekeeper, Book 2

Tanya Huff. DAW, $26 (384p) ISBN 978-0-7564-1150-3

Huff’s second Peacekeeper military SF series (after An Ancient Peace) finds canny ex-Confederation Gunnery Sgt. Torin Kerr and her multispecies team trying to rescue a group of kidnapped archaeologists who may have uncovered critical evidence of a weapon that can kill the deadly aliens responsible for an interstellar war. Leading a “police” force for the Justice Department, Torin is used to going head to head with gunrunners and Humans First terrorists, but having civilians caught in the middle adds unwanted complexity to a mission that’s already testing loyalties between team members, who have complex ties to their individual backgrounds, and the powerful Elder Races who lead the Confederation. Although the war has been over for years and Torin hates politics, there’s no way to avoid the influence of either on a dangerous mission that could spark fresh hostilities. Huff weaves a fast-paced thriller bristling with treachery and intrigue. Fans of military science fiction will enjoy this tense adventure and its intricately constructed setting. (June)