Marque of Caine

Caine Riordan, Book 5

By: Charles E. Gannon

Narrated by: Kevin Pariseau

Book 5 in the critically acclaimed Caine Riordan science fiction series by three-time Nebula nominee Charles E. Gannon. Science fiction on a grand scale. Prequels Raising Caine, Trial by Fire, and, Fire with Fire were all Nebula Award finalists. Charles E. Gannon is also the winner of the Compton Crook Award and a Dragon Award nominee.

It’s been two years since Caine Riordan was relieved of his command for following both his orders and his conscience. Now he’s finally received the message he’s been waiting for: a summons to visit the ancient and enigmatic Dornaani. And this time, making direct contact is not just professional, but personal: the Dornaani still have his mortally-wounded love, Elena Corcoran, in their unthinkably advanced medical facilities.

But instead of arranging a swift reunion, Riordan’s new Dornaani hosts are not only disinterested in human affairs, but are in such social disarray that they have lost track of Elena’s surgical cryocell. Riordan must blaze his own trail through dying and dangerous worlds to find the mother of his child, her fate as uncertain as the true agenda of the Dornaani leaders.

However, as new clues and new threats push Caine’s quest beyond the edge of known space, he discovers that the Dornaani empire is not merely decaying; there are subtle signs that its decline is being accelerated from without. Which means that rescuing Elena is just half the mission: Riordan must report that the Dornaani collapse is not only being engineered, but that it is the prelude to a far more malign scheme: to clear a path for a foe bent on destroying Earth.

©2019 Charles E. Gannon (P)2019 Audible, Inc.

great plot and world building. sucky protagonist

the plot is fantastic. the antagonists are believable. the side characters and sci fi world are new twists on on ideas.

but the main character continues to devolve into a gary stu with every book.

everyone likes him and trusts him. he figures out cosmic issues better than ancient philosophers or experts. he's also a brilliant tactician and strategist and super spy and is the best daddy ever who makes his son want to learn and never aggravates him.

the only people who dont like him are the bad guys, and when he bitch slaps another character, they always apologize and he's always in the right (even when he's not)

but the worlds and environments and side characters are so fun to learn about, the cain stu is endurable.

Kind of slow moving

Much of it is an odyssey visit to various odd Dornani characters. The slowest moving Riordan book so far. There are some sections that have good action. The search for Elena continues, but with strange twists.

Another great book in the series.

The pace is good and t raised one interesting questions, but be warned it ends on a real cliff-hanger!

Not actually a story

Normally, I expect a book in this genre to have a protagonist, some challenges, and the world or characters to have changed by the end of the book.

We get a beginning.
We get a middle.

Very different from the earlier books in a series

This book feels like an attempt to squeeze more money of the series. The plot is way to simple and every tense situation end with happy ending. Still I understand why author keeps the series open and don't blame him for making a living out of it.