Trading in Danger

Elizabeth Moon’s first Vatta’s War novel, Trading in Danger, is not your average space opera. Its’ protagonist, Kylara Vatta, in not automatically the best at what she does. In fact the novel starts out with her expulsion from an officer’s training academy.

Kylara is a very well intentioned person. In fact she is known for getting herself into trouble while helping others. She is also the scion of a very wealthy interstellar trading family, and is desperate to make her own way. Unfortunately due to Kylara’s abrupt exit from military life, that option is taken away from her.

Instead Kylara’s family takes pity on her and sends her off on a “milk run” with an old ship and a very experienced crew. Luckily they expect her to take some initiative and use this as an opportunity to actually make something of herself. What no one expects is that things are definitely not what they seem anymore.

This novel was first published in 2003 and it definitely feels more like a novel from a previous literary era, yet there are still signs of the changes that were occurring in the genre around that time. There is plenty of danger and action, but it is somewhat more blunted or perhaps less viscious than danger in the current literary era. However it is still an enjoyable read.

While this novel has a sound plot arc all its own, Trading in Danger is very definitely the opening act in a much larger saga. This is both the training ground for Kylara as a captain, and a carefully crafted method of giving the reader a lot of background and backstory before the real story arc gets going in the following novel. This is, of course, only my surmise as I have not yet read the next novel. This doesn’t take anything away from Trading in Danger as it is a novel that could stand on its own quite well.

Trading in Danger is a fast paced and fun read. The characters are well crafted and easy to connect with. There are plot twists that the reader doesn’t see coming, and plenty of action. Moon has done a great job building a universe and setting the stage for actions yet to come. I give this novel a 3.5/5.