(8.00)447 pages. Acknowledgments.
First book in The Universe After series.
The protagonist is a mysterious galactic agent, who doesn't give out her name, whose job involves rescuing children with psychic abilities from backward worlds and recruiting them for her sect (the Justified). Her ship/AI is her partner, Scheherazade. She is full of secrets, which are slowly revealed in the course of the story.
In her galaxy/universe (the novel uses the terms interchangeably), it is a century since the Pulse – a form of radiation – forced most worlds randomly back along the technological curve.
Just as she collects her latest child on a world set back to medieval tech, the Pax invade the planet. As the Pulse tears their dreadnought apart as it hovers over a city, they drop an army to attempt to claim the psychic girl for their sect. The Pax believe in forced equality of all alien races, and peace through strength.
Thus begins an epic tale of adventure, spanning multiple star systems and alien races, encountering more characters and sub-plots until the fate of the galaxy itself is at stake. This story is full of action, mostly tactical fights planetside, but including gigantic space battles as well.
While this novel is amazingly action-packed, it took me a while to warm up to the characters. I also thought the concept of the Pulse was silly, though interesting.
Can you game it? The entire novel is packed with episodes that could be gamed.
Definitely recommended if you are looking for Space Opera action.
Reviewed by 
Editor in Chief Bill 
.