A new Lt. Leary Novel by David Drake
Baen Books http://www.baen.com
ISBN: 1416520805

The war between the Alliance and the Republic of Cinnabar continues, and Daniel Leary, recently promoted to Commander has a special mission, to save Dunbar's World from an attack by the planet Pellegrino.
As Nathaniel Arruns, son of the present dictator of Pellegrino, lands with a large army to make himself the ruling warlord and to enslave the planets population.
Dunbar's World is relatively peaceful, with little more then a small police force to fight Arruns, they have asked for help.
Leary is once more in command of the corvette Princess Cecile, but this time she is unarmed and many would rather see him fail then succeed in his mission.
Somehow, Leary must defeat a large military force on an island defended by a powerful plasma cannon along with ship killing missiles not to mention a very heavily armed warship in orbit, with a small and virtually weaponless ship.
But Leary has a secret weapon; Signals Officer Adele Mundy, who is sort of like Richard Pryor was in Superman 3 but a lot better looking and way more talented. Under her, computer systems are not able to do the impossible, it just seems that way.
Another winner in the Lt. Leary series, Some Golden Harbor is filled with the sort of stuff that Drake always brings to the table. Intrigue, sinister people with ulterior motives and lots of action.
In a story that slows down only occasionally, Drake weaves a plot that is sometimes confusing but in the end always works out with seemingly little trouble. Personally, I always wonder if some writers don't just sit down to type with no idea of what is going to happen, and is just as shocked as the reader when it does.
New comers might be nervous about the phrase "A NEW Leary" novel. Don't worry about it; unlike some writers Drake still uses character development with his people, even when he has already introduced them over and over again.
And older readers take heart because once more we learn more about each returning character, falling deeper and deeper into a relationship with them. And don't tell me you can't have a relationship with a fictional character. Dejah Thoris and I will invite you over for ribs sometime.
From the opening play between Mundy and a politician she needs information out of and who once tried to murder her to the Leary telling the family of a slain crewmate about his last action to what I thought was one of the wisest things ever said by Mundy the book is, well 'intense' does not do it justice.
Drake proves himself over and over as a master of the written word and over Military Science Fiction. It is an honor to review his books, and I always look forward to them.
Once more, thank you Mr. Drake for constantly bringing out books that almost make a grown man wince at certain passages.