I’m posting the review by Adam at Goodreads here, because I agree, but what Every. Single. Review. I found missed out on, is that O’Keefe is addressing genocide (commited by humans) on an universal level here - the issue isn’t fully resolved in this book but seems to be a major plot point in the next. The way it has been introduced in this volume, however, gives me high hopes that the next one should also be one hell of an interesting read.
Stars and stars and more stars. While Velocity Weapon kept both Sanda and Biram bound within their respective enviroments for the majority of the book, Chaos Vector features Sanda and Biram unleashed. And they're going to need every advantage they can find to pull at the thread of the greatest evil sweater that humanity has ever faced. That sure is an analogy. Moving on.
This was space dynamite. Fun factor turned up to 10. You like leaders throwing down some kickass speeches when they’re needed most? So. Many. Inspiring. Speeches. How about some jarring bombshells that you will not see coming? Do you like seeing your favorite characters evolve in strange new directions? Buck up, and get those page-turnin’ fingers ready. They’re gonna get a workout.
I had some trepidation that after all the massive reveals and surprise turns that dropped out of nowhere in Velocity Weapon, they would be lacking in Chaos Vector. There weren't many new characters introduced in this sequel, so how many more times can you manipulate the reader into thinking who is playing who, and why? I am pleased to admit how wrong I was. This is my first O'Keefe series and I now have full faith that she knows exactly where she wants the story to go over the course of the series, and has enough creative fuel to shake the reader to their core whenever she feels like it. My core is shook.
Another aspect I really enjoyed was that however massive a space opera this purports to be, it still keeps its focus on just a few POVs, each with a distinct character voice, and has a strong supporting cast with clearly defined goals and well-defined character-building personalities that add depth beyond their motivations. Even though we never see through the eyes of General Anford or Keeper Vladsen or Nox, we can often predict how they'll react to certain challenges, and it goes a long way in fleshing out the world's enrichment and reader's immersion.
There's not much I didn't like about Chaos Vector. Perhaps there's a couple of a too-strong coincidences where two disparate groups were tied together by two completely random events; This is a bit harder to swallow when we're talking about multiple galaxies instead of a high school reunion. "Oh my gosh, she's your cousin? Wow, she's on my office softball team! And your uncle teaches physics? He was my professor in college! How random!!" But, y'know, across milions of light years. Though it serves the purpose of the story, and that's what we're here for.
Even a rogue AI would five-star this puppy. How do I know? .. .BECAUSE I AM-- err, because it's just an incredbily fun, heart-quickening page-turner that will keep you up late, and make you pump your fist at all the cool parts. And there's a lot of 'em. This is as a great time as any for your brain to get the hell off this planet and go visit some galaxies wayyyyy far away, so start this series post-haste.
