The Best of Us

I am a Karen Traviss fan and this book doesn't disappoint. She packs a lot into this story - agrarian collapse; dystopian population remnants, planned landing on an exciting earth-like planet, corporate scheming, determined and brave ex-soldiers banding together.... But as always, irrespective of the science and technical stuff, she focuses on characters and their interactions with each other. There's also an AI which is still developing its moral compass - vital, because its mission is one of morality - to determine what is 'the best of us'. The sci fi stuff is sort of just there - it exists without involved explanations but as the story is set in a future where our space capability has significantly expanded, its existence is seamlessly absorbed. There's no space battles or significant hand-to-hand combat, but the plot develops steadily and includes a good dose of nerve-wracking suspense plus a bit of tugging on the heart-strings. Traviss doesn't really deal in tidy HEA stories, but this story hints at future opportunities for wounded souls to heal and forge new, satisfying lives. I'll be buying the next in the series - hope it's not a long wait. Read more

I was a quarter of the way in before I realized the trajectory of the story. I thought there would be unfolding post-apocalyptic shoot outs - survivors vying for resources. The Best of Us is more ambitious. The remnant are looking for a new start on a distant habitable planet. But this begs the question: how do you start over? Or fundamentally: what is the governing principle to organize people in a harmonious manner? Wrap this up within the complex ethical dilemma of "who's worth saving". The story goes on to define "the best of us". The remnant on Earth wrapped up in this drama consist of three main groups: the corporate types, the farmers, and the soldiers. Wittingly or not, in order to define the best of us the story also unfolds the worst of us. The worst of us are the totalitarian corporate types who think they know everything and pridefully think they know what is best for everyone. The story brilliantly shows this in all its complexity, ambiguity, and humanity. What is the best of us? The story defines it as soldiers who are willing to sacrificially lay down their lives for others. Ms. Traviss shows her storytelling skills here. Deeply satisfying that the story defines the best of us by those who are willing to make sacrifices for others. In the story, the ethos seemed to be confined to soldiers. There's a hint that the farmer group shares this ethos but the story does not fully develop this. Totalitarians are frightening and disturbing top-down rulers. The best of us are those who make sacrifices for others in their day-to-day lives. Soldiers do this, absolutely, but so do care givers, nurses, teachers, social workers, parents, friends. It's not confined to an occupation - it's an ethos that absolutely anyone can adopt - God help us, even politicians and those in corporate governance. Sacrificial living is a bottom up approach for a harmonious society - the interpersonal relations which are the sum total that manifest the City upon a Hill. Worth pointing out because we all have a real stake in it - this suspense carries through the story and doesn't let you put it down. Developing this broader ethos would have detracted from the story and made the book tedious, like this review. This Galaxy's Edge story is spot on. Brilliant. Looking forward to what is next in the Nomad series. Read more

I’m a huge follower of galaxy’s edge and this series was recommended. It was a bit a slog with all the development and intrigue but overall a very good story. Read more

Karen Traviss is my go-to sci-fi author. This series doesn't disappoint. Good pacing and character development. I've read the series a couple times and bought them for my son. Read more

I loved this book. Karen Travis writes so well, I immediately started looking for more of her books. This one has an all too plausible dystopian future for our planet, and three small groups trying to survive with some semblance of community. There is the isolated research institute supposedly trying to find a way to restore the environment, a small village farming to support themselves and the institute, and a group of veterans who banded together to save those they could. The tension and cautious interactions between and within these groups is so realistically described that it is impossible not to engage with the characters. Even the AI is very likable. The Nomad mission is revealed as maybe a way out, but for who? The action builds to a highly satisfying climax, and the conclusion is both pleasing and appropriate. Karen Travis knows how to write a full length story, with a opening, a meaty middle, and a well thought out end. Read more

This is definitely one of the better science fiction books I’ve read in a long time. It fits nicely into the Galaxy’s Edge universe. It has many similarities to GE’s style of writing. Great characters and good background information for a multitude of them. There’s really not just one protagonist in the story and that makes it unique and so fun to read. It has a little of everything that an apocalyptic story should have. My daughter and I went through it in one sitting. I was disappointed it had to end, but I’ve heard that there are more related stories to come, so I’ll happily wait patiently for book two. Great tale Karen! Read more