War By Other Means
The seventh book in The Fall of the Censorate doesn't disappoint.
War By Other Means, the seventh entry in The Fall of the Censorate series by Karl Gallagher is another expertly done genre shift, giving readers a rare glimpse behind the diplomatic lines of war.
That is the most unique aspect of this series. With each entry Gallagher gives us a different look at what it takes to bring down an empire. From adventure, to war, murder mystery, and how to operate an insurgency, The Fall of the Censorate has expertly run through several genres. In this latest entry we see what it takes to hold together a disparate alliance of various liberated worlds, each with unique concerns and cultures.
The Story
Winnie Landry and the many adopted members of Clan Landry travel between the many worlds of the Fieran-led alliance against the tyrannical Censorate, trying to keep them united as cultural rifts begin to show themselves. This is made all the more difficult as the economically challenged Fierans threaten to assert their military might over the worlds they helped to liberate. Meanwhile, the no-longer-Admiral Pinoy is hatching a new plan to strike against the growing rebellion.
The Characters
Like her husband Marcus, Winnie Landry has had to take on a variety of roles throughout the course of the war. Most recently, she has been appointed ambassador by her homeworld of Corwynt. And once again, she proves herself more than capable as she navigates the egos of interplanetary politics.
Most intriguing is Governor Huang. We met him in the previous book when he led the entire Oyun province in joining the rebellion, helping Marcus Landry in achieving a decisive victory over a Censorate invasion fleet. Here, we see him demonstrate his political skill engaging in several maneuvers that could either save the rebellion or put him at the head of a new Censorate.
The World
Set in the far future things still don’t operate much differently than they do in our current world. This is due to Gallagher’s excellent understanding of human nature and how different groups have a way of building their own unique cultures with their own rationales for practices that a neighboring world might find abhorrent. The nuances of the debates make it easy to relate to the difficulties Landry experiences despite taking place in a world with interstellar travel.
Politics
The aforementioned nuances of the interplanetary debates and cultural clashes are handled so well that there is little hint of the personal politics of the author. Political systems on display involve matriarchies, republics, parliamentary systems, slavery, and tribal animosities.
Content Warning
None at all.
Who is it for?
For those who enjoyed the interplay of cultures seen in Star Trek DS9 and Babylon 5 you are going to love this.
Why buy it?
Because it is intriguing, thoughtful, unique and moves the overall story along…by other means.