Field of Dishonor (Honor Harrington #4)

Field of Dishonor by David Weber is the fourth book in his Honor Harrington series - a space captain from the star system of Manticore.

After a large battle with Haven, Honor's ship is limping home. Her armada suffered heavy losses but Haven was stopped from their almost continual expansion.

Meanwhile, back on Manitcore, the Royal Manticoran Navy Judge Advocate General is showing footage of the battle to a grand jury to try one Captain Pavel Young - Honor's nemesis whose ship fled during the battle.

When Honor returns home she will enter into a media frenzy - both for leading the battle and for the coming political fallout for trying a peer of the realm.

While Honor had nothing to do with the cowardice of Young, he will not let that stop him from exacting revenge.

Weber's Honor Harrington series is my favorite military scifi / space opera. It has all of the battles, politics, and science plus a kick ass woman at the center. If you are a fan of science fiction don't miss this series.

Weber, David. (1994). Field of Dishonor. New York: Baen.

Forged in Fire (Sarah Beauhall #3)

Forged in Fire by JA Pitts is the third book in his series featuring Sarah Beauhall - a lesbian blacksmith who lives in a Seattle with dragons, dwarves and witches.

The Black Briar team - a medieval reenactment/fighting group are healing after a battle with a dragon while also focusing on finding a dark magic wielder in the area. There is also the danger of the Dragon Liberation Front who want dragons to rule in public instead of behind the scenes.

Sarah and Katie are recovering after a fight at the home of a fellow blacksmith. The witch Quindra is still trapped inside that home, keeping the forces at bay. In the mean time, Sarah is filling in for Quindra with the dragon Niddog - she who controls the Seattle area.

Pitts has created a fun series for fans of fantasy and mythology. The setting is both familiar and drastically different than our own world, which makes it easier for new readers of fantasy.

Pitts, JA. (2012). Forged in Fire. New York: Tor.

Pacific Burn (Jim Brodie #3)

Pacific Burn by Barry Lancet is the third book in the Jim Brodie series. Brodie owns an antique shop in San Francisco and inherited half of his father's P.I. business based in Tokyo.

Jim Brodie is working the the S.F. mayor on the Pacific Rim Friendship Program - exchanging art with our neighbors around the ocean. Brodie is the liaison with Japan and has convinced his friend and artist Ken Nobuki to come display his art.

A couple of days before the opening of the first art exhibit, Brodie is called by Det. Renna of the SFPD. There has been a death and Brodie is needed. When they arrive in Napa, a young boy is repeating a sentence in Japanese - asking for Brodie.

Shu Nobuki and his father Toru, a sketch artist, have arrived early. But now Toru is dead. The young boy is the only witness to his apparent fall. But Shu says he did it.
Soon a sketch artist is brought in and there is a suspect in the death of Toru Nubuki.

When Shu's grandfather, Ken, arrives in California, he and Brodie are shot at. Someone is targeting the Nobuki family. Brodie Security takes it upon themselves to protect the remaining two siblings as well as guard Ken's wife and grandson who returned to Japan.

An investigation spanning multiple countries, with too many possibilities, beings. Lancet has created a great mystery / thriller. Jim Brodie is a great character who has been compared to Gabriel Allon by Daniel Silva - likely for his expertise in art along with getting into dicey situations because of work. This is a great series - my only complaint is that I now have to wait for him to write another one. Work fast Barry Lancet!

Lancet, Barry. (2016). Pacific Burn. New York: Simon and Schuster.

Tokyo Kill (Jim Brodie #2)

Tokyo Kill by Barry Lancet is the second book in his Jim Brodie mystery series. Brodie owns an antique store in San Fransisco that specializes in Japanese are and furniture, but Brodie also inherited half of his father's PI business based in Tokyo - a job he was groomed for from a young age.

While Brodie is in Japan on an art run, an older man insists on seeing him at Brodie Security. A WWII veteran, the man is convinced someone is targeting the remaining members of his team. During the war they were assigned to Manchuria, China - land conquered by Japan.

At the same time, art that hasn't been seen publicly for decades begins to appear. Paintings by Sengai, one in London and one in Toyko, are starting a buzz in the art world.

After agreeing to protect the older man, a murder shocks Brodie Security, setting off a race through the art world, a Japanese Kendo club, and the backstreets of Tokyo's Chinatown.

Lancet has created a great character in Jim Brodie. He has been compared to Daniel Silva and Jack Reacher. Fans of mystery fiction or Japan will love this well-written series.

Lancet, Barry. (2014). Tokyo Kill. New York: Simon and Schuster.