Peter Grant’s new novel, The Stones of Silence, is set in his science-fiction universe, sharing it with his two other series starting with Take the Star Road and War to the knife. It’s unclear to me if the setting is intended to be the same, or just happens to be similar in a generic science fiction way. The setup for his new series is interesting, but shares the flaws of the earlier works. In particular, the protagonist appears to wear plot armor. While his efforts to be prepared justify the resulting success, it significantly reduces the sense of peril – not to mention the sense of realism. The story remains entertaining, but lacks a certain vigor and immediacy.
Stylistically, it’s a cross between a Heinlein juvenile and one of David Webber’s Honor Harrington books, except not quite as good as either.
