Another excellent read! Tense, intriguing and with just enough mystery to keep you guessing. The pacing is also just right, and this book left me wanting more.

Author Marko Kloos http://www.markokloos.com published the novel “Ballistic” in 2020. Mr. Kloos has published ten novels with this being the second of his ‘Palladium Wars’ series.

I categorize this book as ‘R’ because of violence and mature language. The main character is Aden Jansen. But that is only the name that the crew of the Zephyr knows him by.

The novel is set in the far future. Jansen is approaching middle age and is trying to keep a low profile. No one knows that he is part of the wealthy Ragnar family. Or that he was an officer in the Gretian military. He just wants to assume the role of linguist aboard the merchant ship. That she also sometimes smuggles critical goods does not help him maintain his anonymity.

Insurgents are stirring up unrest on the planet Gretia. Political conspiracy and intrigue add to the mix. Then the crew finds that a ‘special cargo’ they are carrying is a powerful weapon. They must make some decisions, and they may not be in Jansen’s best interests. He also may be forced to contact his estranged family.

I enjoyed the 7.5+ hours I spent reading this 355-page science fiction novel. I have read three novels by Kloos and enjoyed them all. I did think that this novel ended a bit abruptly. I do like the chosen cover art. I rate this book as a 4.4 (rounded down to a 4) out of 5.

You can access more of my book reviews on my Blog ( https://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/).

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This is the second in a new series. It’s tight, well written and has left me wishing my pre-ordered copy of the next in the series was arriving tomorrow. I am enjoying the interplay between the major players and would definitely recommend that the first book in the series be your first purchase if you are going to give this series a try. I think you’ll be happy if you do.

Thanks to Netgally for the ARC of this book. I enjoy Science Fiction mostly and this one was right up my alley.

Ballistic, the second installment of the Palladium Wars by Marko Kloos, is an epic story that feels like a fluid transition from the first book. It picks up right where we left off after the gorgeous, albeit frustrating cliffhanger from the first installment in the series, Aftershocks. As this is a very character-driven series, world creation and tensions are very important to the plot; however, the characters are where this novel shines. Backstory wise, the story is centered within a six planet system in the Gaia system. In the first book, we are introduced to the very shaky tensions between planets and cultures after a long-drawn-out war. In many ways, their relations are a powder keg that could tip at any time.

"when every economy in the system had been churning out weapons and war material to shovel into the furnace of conflict."

We have four main characters, the most interesting and I think could be considered the main protagonist of Aden Robertson. He is a former Gretian soldier, and an intelligence officer is masquerading as a Palladian. After a long stint in a POW camp, Aden is released in the first novel and is slowly trying to put some semblance of a life together. The violence of the past continually overshadows him. Because Aden's mother is a Palladian, he was able to buy a new identity and back story and is slowly attempting to assimilate into the world. Aden is able to take a job working as a linguist on a merchant crew. When the crew's newest job has them accidentally moving illegal and deadly goods, Aden's past starts to catch up to him.

Along with Aden, we have Solveig Aden's sister and heir to their families' wealthy empire. There is a comfort that Kloos has written between the two of them. Even though they hadn't seen each other for 17 years, and they are very different people now, there is a connection between the two of them. I enjoyed the slow rebuilding of their relationship and how Solveig had to sneak around to see Aden. I foresee a tense reuniting between Aden and his father in the next book.

"It was a pretty good evening, though," Tess said. "I mean, except for the part with the knives and the blood and the death threats."

Idina played a foil to Aden in the first book. Idina is a born and bred Palladian and has lost so many people both in the war and after. She has many grudges against Grecians because of it. Instead of being written as a character that sits opposite Aden politically, Idina is much more fleshed out in this book. I think that was necessary for Kloos to do; if she had remained as she was, she would have been a token character. Now, though, I am interested in her future and her journey. As it stands, Idina has been transferred to a new position and has developed a friendship with her partner named Dahl. This friendship is changing who Idina is and how she views the world.

The last protagonist is Dunstan, a commander in the Rhodian Navy. We don't have as much interaction with him as I would have liked. He is a strong character in both personality and morals. His beliefs are central to who he is. He and Aden had some limited interaction, but I am looking forward to seeing more out of this character in future books.

"Odin's Wolves," Dahl said next to her in a tired voice. "Gods and predators. At what point in all our histories has anything good happened whenever some fool put those on a single banner to march under?"

The main crux of this installment in the series is Aden's identity and finding a dangerous weapon in Aden's crew's care. There is a sense of forewarning in this. It seems like no matter what Aden does to leave his past behind; it always comes clawing back. There is undoubtedly a robust military aspect to this story, but secondary to the character's journeys. I find that refreshing as many military based science fiction stories bogged down in the minutiae forsaken character growth. If you are very much into Military science fiction, you may like this story as I did, but you should know ahead of time what kind of book this is.

Ending wise, this story throws some huge things out there. I was not prepared for the drama of the story's last moments. It is not for everyone; we are again left with a bit of a cliffhanger. But I don't think Ballistic is structured like most serial novels. It feels much more like one long, stretched out book that has been partitioned because of length.

Ballistic is an exciting and satisfying second helping of the Palladium Wars. There is character growth, military strategy, and excitement. The pacing is solid, and I am very excited to read the next book and see how the four protagonists' lives get even more intertwined.

An excellent continuation of the series - i can't wait for more! The space sequences are interesting and easily visualized, and the characters are all very fun.

This book is part of an amazing series. I would not suggest picking this book up as a starting point. Start with the first book of the series or you might be a bit lost. Highly recommend though and will be purchasing for library.

This is the second book in this series and whilst it can be read as a standalone reading the first would be of benefit .
We return to our four main characters , Aden, a former soldier, his sister Solvieg, heir to her family’s empire , Idina, a Palladian now working as part of the occupying force on Gretia; and Dunstan, a commander in the Rhodian Navy
Aden and his crew mates are trying to make some cash as a transport ship when they take on a package bigger than they expected - this is a mess that they might have trouble getting out of alive .
Whilst Dunstan and his crew come across a a destroyed battleship - what has happened ?
Meanwhile Idina and her police parnter are investigating an illegal weapons ring .
Throughout all these activities Solvieg is doing her best to to keep the family company alive .
What a cliff hanger !! - I both hate and love when an Author does this , as long as it fits the plot well .

The plot lines are fast paced , full of action and suspense , with great characters .

I was given an arc of this book by NeyGalley and the Author in exchange for an honest review

Hands down, The Palladium Wars by Marko Kloos is one of most character-oriented military sci-fi series I’ve ever read, and I think that’s why I’m enjoying these books so much. Ballistic is the second installment following hot on the heels of Aftershocks, picking up shortly after the cliffhanger we were left with, and fans will be happy to know it maintains a snappy pace and continues the trend of telling personal stories.

In Ballistic, we return to our four main characters: Aden, a former soldier for the Gretians; his sister Solvieg, heir to her family’s corporate empire; Idina, a Palladian now working as part of the occupying force on Gretia; and Dunstan, a commander in the Rhodian Navy. Through the eyes of these four characters, we watch as this incredible space epic continues to unfold, with a keen awareness that everything is pointing to another inter-planetary war between the three major factions.

For Aden, his problems just don’t seem to end, even after his release from a prisoner-of-war camp. Having fought for the Gretians, who are now on everyone’s shit list, he’s hoping a new identity and a new job on a merchant ship crew will be enough to start fresh. However, their team’s newest contract have them smuggling potentially illegal goods through dangerous space, which might bring unwanted attention to his credentials and blow his cover. His new crewmates have been good to him, but he’s not sure how long that would last once they realize who he really is. Meanwhile on Gretia, Idina has been transferred to a new post following the ambush that killed all her squad mates. She thought she would resent the job, but instead finds an unexpected camaraderie with her new partner, a highly competent law enforcer named Dahl. Within the Rhodian fleet, Dunstan is also coming to terms with the responsibilities of his position, handling space patrols and answering the calls of distressed ships. A feeling of foreboding settles upon him though, when he and his crew come upon the remains of a ruined vessel, at a loss as to what destroyed it.

It almost feels as though history is repeating itself, and everyone who can remember the last war knows just how bad this news is indeed. No one is more aware of this than Solvieg, who barely knows her brother because of the falling out between him and their family when the conflict started. Now she’s poised to take over more of the family business but still finds herself chafing under the overbearing thumb of her father, who expects complete obedience.

Without a doubt, the characters are the strongest aspect of this series, and this remains evident in Ballistic. A lot of military sci-fi gets hung up on politics, warfare, and the tech—after all, who doesn’t love powered suits of armor, laser pulse weapons and that cool stuff? The great thing about The Palladium Wars, though, is that it features all of this without forgetting the human factor. Kloos makes it a point to explore the effects of war on populations and also the individual soldier; whether we’re seeing the story from Aden, Idina, Dunstan, or Solvieg’s points of view, we’re focusing on their relationships and motivations on a very intimate level. With that said, if you’re a reader who prefers more tactical strategy and combat in your MilSF, this would not be so much up your alley, but if you enjoy rich character development and relationship dynamics, then you’ll probably love this.

Speaking of which, I’m struggling to decide which of the four main characters is my favorite this time. I was quite partial to Aden and Idina in Aftershocks, but in this sequel, all the POVs are quite strong. Aden’s chapters are perhaps the most suspenseful and adventurous, traveling around in deep space with the crew of the Zephyr as they play smuggler with an unknown and highly suspicious piece of cargo. Idina’s sections were most heartwarming, as I simply adored the unlikely friendship that developed between her and Dahl, which spoke to themes of putting aside differences and finding common ground. Dunstan, who admittedly wasn’t too inspiring in the first book, became quite an interesting character in this one, as he headed up a mysterious story arc that immediately put me on edge (in a good way). Even Solvieg, who didn’t really get a chance to shine before, got to step up into a leadership role and show her father that she is her own woman.

The ending really knocked me for a loop too. Similar to the way Aftershocks concluded, we’re left with a momentous, earthshattering event that will greatly alter the course of the characters’ lives, but readers are left holding their breath to see what will happen next. It’ll doubtlessly annoy some people, but at the same time, if you’ve already made it past the first book to this one, then this type of cliffhanger ending was probably expected and shouldn’t bother you too much.

Still, not gonna lie, it’s going to be another tough wait. Marko Kloos really knows how to keep readers begging for more, and I am looking forward to getting my hands on the next book—no way I’m missing it!

<i>Ballistic</i> follows the characters from the first novel. Aden and his crew mates are trying to make some cash as a transport ship when they take on a package bigger than they expected. They are left wandering how they will get out of this mess while trying to stay alive. Dunstan and his crew find themselves in a scary situation as they realize what they thought was impossible has happened after coming across a destroyed battleship. Idina and her Gretian police partner are investigating an illegal weapons ring when things quickly spiral out of control. Solvieg is trying to keep her fathers company alive and gain some independence from said father.

The plot was great with lots of action, suspense and some world building. I'm glad there wasn't a lot of world building as the first novel in the series did a great job of detailing the solar system, planets and politics already. If it was included in this novel it would have just felt like repetition. The conclusion left on such an intense cliffhanger that left me shocked. I really did not see that happening and has left me needing to learn what happens.

The characters were good with Solvieg and Idina being my favorite. I liked reading about Solvieg trying to gain some independence from her father. Idina was amazing as she was strong, determined and smart. I liked how she was willing to forgive past misdeeds and willing to work with Gretians, even though they have the planet on such a tight lock down.

There wasn't too much science or weapons talk, which was good. I find some sci-fi novels (even space operas) get bogged down with too much information on weapons systems or display panels.

Overall this was a great space opera with an intense cliffhanger. I would strongly suggest it to all fans.

Thank you to NetGalley and 47North for this ARC.

Ballistic jumps is a solid follow up to Aftershocks. There is a lot of character growth, the pacing is better than in book 1 and the action is more even throughout.

Ballistic is a great follow on to Aftershocks. The character development through the first 2 books has been fun to watch. Seeing each of the main characters that the story follows (along with some of the side characters) grow and develop is well done. Each has a depth and uniqueness that is satisfying without going too deep into the details that causes them to get lost in the minutiae.

The overall storyline plays well together. The different aspects of each character's world gives numerous individual plots to follow that all eventually tie together nicely. A lot of times when stories use this type of format, it can be clunky and hard to follow. Marko Kloos does a great job here.

I am excited for the follow on books in this series as I believe the work thus far has set up the possibility of a great epic for many books to come. There are a number of different ways this story can go and I cannot wait to ride along.

I received a pre-release copy of this book from NetGalley.

Ballistic is the second book in Marko Kloos's Palladium Wars series. As with the first book, this one follows four different characters through four separate story arcs. These threads do briefly converge from time to time, but for the most part they are all pieces to a larger story going on in the background.

The groundwork and worldbuilding laid down in the first book definitely pay off here. I recall when reading the first book that I spent the whole thing waiting for something to happen. Well, things definitely happen in the second book. I won't spoil anything, but there are a few key events that have me definitely looking forward to see what happens next. This is a quick read, which usually I'm okay with, but since I read it pre-release, it means I have a long wait until the next one...

Ahoy there me mateys!  I received this sci-fi eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  While I try to post no spoilers, if ye haven’t read the first book then ye might want to skip this post. If ye keep reading this log then ye have been forewarned and continue at yer own peril . . .

I really enjoyed book one of this series but was worried because a lot of of the details had faded by the time I picked up book two.  I gave meself a quick refresher by reading me review of aftershocks and jumped back in.  No worries, this was fun and engrossing.

While the blurb makes it seem that Aden is the only character, really this series has multiple points of view.  Ye follow four folks:

Aden - a POW from the losing side of the battle who is released five years after defeat to start anew;
Idina - a soldier from the winning side who holds a grudge, she is part of the occupying military force on the defeated planet;
Dunstan - a member of the winning naval space fleet whose simple guard duty turns into a mess with epic ramifications; and
Solvieg - a civilian who was a minor during the war now has to deal with the consequences of her planet's loss and what it means for the family business.

Marko Kloos writes excellent popcorn sci-fi with characters that shine.  One of the best parts about this series is that the characters are from different planets and backgrounds.  In this installment ye get to see more of six worlds and other character perspectives and I loved feeling that the worldview has expanded.  There is enough action without sacrificing character development.  And I loved how the characters' lives intersect without seeming forced.  They come together and then diverge again in fun ways.  I kept changing me mind about who me favorite character was (including minor characters).  I love that!

Again these books end on rather abrupt notes that still set up what's to come.  Some readers might not enjoy that type of ending.  Just like with the first book, I ended this with a "Dang it!  I want more!"  I will avidly be waiting for the next installment and will pick it up as soon as it is released.  Arrrr!

So lastly . . .

Thank you 47 North!

Thank you NetGalley and 47North for this eARC. As a fan of the Frontline series, I was happy to see Marko Kloos step back from it to write something different. I feel that the two books in this series have been his best and bode well for Book 7 of Frontlines.

This four viewpoint book takes a look at the fallout of a local system interplanetary war. These perspectives are from an heiress of a company on the losing side, a fleet commander from the winning side, a member of the force occupying the losing side and a member of the losing side just released from military prison. The characters have barely crossed paths in two books, but some of the most tense scenes occur when they do.

This book does an excellent job of blending Kloos` well establish military sci-fi with slice of life storylines. I am really excited for the next installment

Ballistic is the second book of The Palladium Wars and needs be read after Aftershocks, the story of a place five years after a war and the repercussions felt over six different worlds.

I really enjoyed getting to see an expanded world. For instance, one of the planets, Acheron, we get to visit this time is toxically gaseous. People live in planned, domed cities that float in the atmosphere. The way of life there is very pleasure based and if you have the credits, you can get just about anything your heart desires. It reminded me of Vegas if it was floating and a little cleaner.

Ballistic follows four different PoVs to give the reader the full scope of the story happening in multiple places. Aden (former PoW), Solvieg (Aden’s sister and heir to a huge corporation), Dunstan (Palladian Space Police), and Idina (Alien ground military on Gretia). Each PoV add to the worldbuilding/galaxy building of the story and add a unique perspective.

In Aftershocks, I felt it was very much Aden’s story. Ballistic incorporated the other characters PoVs more, opening up the world and the characters in it. Aden’s PoVs were definitely my favorites in the first book of the series but I found myself really warming to a few of the other characters this time around.

Aden has found a multinational crew to work with running cargo. Most of it is legal everyday supply type runs. However, they have one of the fastest ships around and take on a job that is less than reputable. What was supposed to be a basic run has some very serious consequences and Aden and crew are in some really tight spots.

Solvieg works for her father’s company. He isn’t allowed to be a part of it anymore since Gretia lost the war and that company was one that supplied weapons for the Gretian soldiers. It has been held for her to take a spot at the executive table as a way for him to still have some control of the company. Solvieg doesn’t really want to be his puppet and is trying to make her own way as well as build a relationship with Aden, the brother once thought dead without her father knowing.

Dunstan’s PoV was one of the most interesting for me in this series. He is the captain of a military ship and is on space patrols. Something strange is happening though, he gets the sense that possibly he and his men are in over their heads when he comes upon a destroyed vessel and can’t figure out what went wrong with it and how it was destroyed. He is about to be a key player in a rebellion that seems destined to get started and the rebels don’t seem above guerilla warfare.

Idina is foreign police on Gretia. She is there to work with the Gretian police to keep law and order. As an occupying army, there are a lot of mixed feeling towards her, but she has at least made a few connections on planet. The reader gets to experience some of the prejudices and hard feelings since the war through her and see what is happening planet side that might tie in with what Dunstan is dealing with in space. Someone isn’t happy the war is over and less so that they lost. There might be some looking to spark another interstellar war.

Ballistic ends on a bang and things are really starting to happen. All of our characters are left in pretty precarious situations and it will be interesting to see what they all do after the fallout that happens at the end of this book.

Overall a completely engaging and interesting story.

Ballistic is the second book by Marko Kloos in The Palladium Wars series. The first, Aftershocks, was primarily used to develop the characters in the series. By the end of Aftershocks, I suspected but was not sure, who the main characters in the series books would be. With Ballistic, those characters were solidified and the story jumps from the perspective on each one in succeeding chapters.

The war had been fought by three planets, Rhodia, Pallas, and Gretia with the latter being the aggressor. The four main characters are:
• Aden Ragnar, a Gretian whose life to date has been driven by a need to escape his wealthy overbearing father,

• Rhodian Navy Lieutenant Commander Dunstan, an aging piece force space ship captain who is honor bent to uphold traditional military discipline while policing the inter-planetary trade routes in a powerful, but outdated, spaceship,

• Pallas ground force Captain Idina who, along with her Gretian Police Captain counterpart, is policing a militarily defeated planet called Gretia,

• And Aden’s sister, Solveig Ragnar, left behind to grow up and take over an inter-planetary sales company owned by her and Aden’s father.

A Gretian résistance rising in the inter-planetary system becomes more evident in this book. It is driven by former well train Gretian soldiers and intelligence agents. As the four characters attempt to get on with the peaceful existence they’re each seeking, they increasingly find themselves faced with the disruptive effect of the résistance.

The Paladian War series is shaping up to be a long story told via succeeding series books. While I sometimes suspect that an author’s decision to break a story up in installments is driven by a profit motive, in this case, the break up is necessary. Kloos’ story unfolds at a slow pace at times due to the depth of his character and storyline building. Were he not to break up the story as he did, the result would be a very thick and expensive book that few of us would want to pay for or commit the time to read.

Kloos’ storytelling is good, but I hope he picks up his publishing pace as I’m anxious to see where the next series installment takes me.

I debated giving this installment 4 stars, because I really like Kloos's writing, but "oh good, the story's finally beginning" is not what a reader should be thinking at the end of Book 2. If Aftershocks read like an extended prologue, Ballistic reads like the first few chapters of the story: we get a lot of quiet background, pieces seem to be moved into place, but just as the main action appears to begin . . . roll credits.

This book and Aftershocks could have been smushed together into a single novel, and I think it still would've read like an extended prologue to the main action. Frankly, I think a reader could easily skip the first book and jump right in here, which isn't what you want to see in a series like this.

I'll pick up Book 3, because again, I really like Kloos's writing. But I'll do so with the stated hope that I'll stop feeling like I'm waiting for the main story to finally begin.

I received a free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Much more fast paced and engaging than the first book.. There's still a few characters I couldn't really become interested in, but I really enjoy the stories of Aden and Solveig and I look forwards to reading future books in this series, especially after the ending of this book.

This is a good book. I really enjoyed it. The characters are well developed and the story is packed with action and adventure. The author does a great job delivering a story with a solid plot and interesting subplots in the second book of The Palladium Wars series.