This is what I would call a unique experience.  There have been very few books that have grabbed me as quickly as this one did and those that did are all by big names like Michael Stackpole, Terry Goodkind, and Jim Butcher.  Starshatter is your typical space faring, lovable, overachieving misfits story with some very enjoyable quirks.  Like a quick witted, deadly little hamster for example.  That’s right.  In this universe some of the animals of earth have been “elevated” to have human like intelligence.  It works off an alternative history with aliens visiting earth, shaping it’s future. It’s also one of the few books written in a world built on libertarian principals.  The book quickly introduces us to the various characters and the universe we’ll see throughout the series but none of the stories really feel rushed.  The characters are charming and relatable.  The interactions seem pure and well thought out.  And when it needs to, the book can punch you in the gut with some beautiful, poignant bits of humanity.  

Overall, I think this book is a amazing read.  Cheesy in all the right ways.  All of my problems with this book, and the series in general, are all minor quibbles that don’t really matter.  For example, as English is not the authors first language there are grammatical errors and some things that just don’t sound quite right.  Personally, I don’t think that really detracts from anything but some people might disagree.  Also, because it introduces all the major players, the universe, different technology, and an unfamiliar type of government it can feel a little stifled.  This is because there is a lot of information to get through.  But if you’re looking for some fun sci-fi action then this series is the man for the job so to speak.

4.5/5