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angrywombat's review
2.0
Hmm...
Some of this I enjoyed. I liked reading more about the Amtrak Federation. This underground culture is not as "perfect" as Our MC believed in the first book... We get to see more of the First Family's controlling abilities, their lies and trickery - as well as how many "code-breakers" there are.
So Steve (our MC) gets himself sent to the janitorial staff.. then jumps at a chance to get back overland as a "secret agent" and get back to the Mutes.... but things (of course) go wrong.
We also get to meet the "Iron Masters" - a third group of survivors who (for some unknown reason) have chosen to model their society on the Japanese Samurai and the society of that time... This is what really annoyed me. I can understand the Amtrak - military survivors from the US army and how that developed. The Mutes were a stretch, but I can stretch a bit. But why would anyone try to recreate the culture of 17th century japan... Thats just a little too far for me I guess.
I hope there is an explanation... and given that the next book is call "The Iron Masters" I am hoping for something :)
Overall its an OK book - but feels a little too much like filler designed to get our MC out of the Federation and into the Iron Master territory...
Some of this I enjoyed. I liked reading more about the Amtrak Federation. This underground culture is not as "perfect" as Our MC believed in the first book... We get to see more of the First Family's controlling abilities, their lies and trickery - as well as how many "code-breakers" there are.
So Steve (our MC) gets himself sent to the janitorial staff.. then jumps at a chance to get back overland as a "secret agent" and get back to the Mutes.... but things (of course) go wrong.
We also get to meet the "Iron Masters" - a third group of survivors who (for some unknown reason) have chosen to model their society on the Japanese Samurai and the society of that time... This is what really annoyed me. I can understand the Amtrak - military survivors from the US army and how that developed. The Mutes were a stretch, but I can stretch a bit. But why would anyone try to recreate the culture of 17th century japan... Thats just a little too far for me I guess.
I hope there is an explanation... and given that the next book is call "The Iron Masters" I am hoping for something :)
Overall its an OK book - but feels a little too much like filler designed to get our MC out of the Federation and into the Iron Master territory...
bookhero6's review
4.0
Steve Brickman's journey continues in First Family. A note to readers: this series is definitely meant to be read in order. It's less 6 books than one story told in six books, so please start from the beginning (Cloud Warrior). That said, since it really is one big story broken up into six parts, each book isn't strictly self-contained. The first book ended just as it got going and this one, while focusing mainly on Steve introduces us to the shadowy and secretive (and evil) Federation. There is still a whole lot of story to go and while Steve goes through some changes in this book, it feels like we're really just starting to get into the meat of the story. Onto book 3.
nightwyrm's review
4.0
A bit slow at the start but quickly settled into an interesting setup for the next book.
brian's review
4.0
Following on directly from book 1, this sees Steve Brickman heading back to the Federation and suddenly finding himself on the radar of the top brass.
It's not all plain sailing as he finds himself demoted after expecting a hero's welcome and having to slum it in the lower levels.
Learning some home truth's along the way he is sent on another mission to the Mutes above ground where he hopes to run into Clearwater again.
Quite a bit going on in this book and there are plots within plots as Brickman tries to keep to his own agenda and appear to be on the side of both the Federation and the Mutes.
It's not all plain sailing as he finds himself demoted after expecting a hero's welcome and having to slum it in the lower levels.
Learning some home truth's along the way he is sent on another mission to the Mutes above ground where he hopes to run into Clearwater again.
Quite a bit going on in this book and there are plots within plots as Brickman tries to keep to his own agenda and appear to be on the side of both the Federation and the Mutes.
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