I've really enjoyed the Fortunes of War series. That's hardly a shock to me, as much as I like the 'spine' narrative advancement that features Successor Lords and Khans and so on, I often think that BT is at its best when it's writing the small-time merc stories. The guys who are unlikely to make sphere-wide news, who've barely crossed paths with the lords of their realms. This is just such a story, capped by cameos of Julian Davion, but focusing on a Major who commands a mercenary battalion that takes Julian Davion's offer of land and title for service, and the major adjustments he has to make in becoming a Baron in the Outback. It's good. I wish it was longer (as I have with most of the FoW stories). Even more than most, I really felt myself sympathizing with Michael Crown here. Life threw him some curve balls right when he thought he was on top of the world, and it's a bit of a wild ride from there. Really a fun read.
