Moving Target - Elizabeth Moon

Publisher:	Orbit
Date:	2004
Size:	438 Pages
Format:	Paperback
Price:	£6.99
ISBN:	1-84149-169-1
Reviewed by:	Rod Cameron
Review Date:	January 2007

This is the second in Elizabeth Moon’s Vatta’s War series. I reviewed the first, Trading in Danger last time. In the first book, Ky(lara) Vatta, whose family run a powerful trading business, having been forced to resign from the local spaceforce academy, is challenged by her family to captain an aged and failing ship. Her task is to command an experienced crew who will take the ship across three planetary systems where it can be scrapped. Of course like all Vattas trading is in her blood and she can see ways to make enough money to have the ship repaired rather than scrapped and sets about doing so. Everything goes along fine until the ship fails in a system where a war has broken out. The series is set in a universe where the vast majority of star systems are peopled by a mixture of different human races. Some enhance themselves with biological, mechanical and IT adaptations. Some individual planetary systems have their own space navies, but there is no force policing the area between star systems. As a result there are pirates and privateers out to make a profit from the weak and unwary.

Moving Target follows on from the first novel. However there is a massive change in direction in that unknown persons have attempted to kill off all of the Vatta family. Ky is one of the few survivors and has to fight for her own survival as well as taking revenge. Fortunately she manages to link up with her black-sheep cousin, Stella, who's been leading a secret life; and with Stella’s “colourful” ex-lover, Rafe. Determined to identify their ruthless mystery enemy and avenge their family, Ky needs not only more firepower but also information to cut through the tangled politics. But her biggest problem is who to trust.

This is a very readable second novel in the series. The change in direction has turned the series into a much more dynamic and unpredictable storyline. It is fast paced and very readable, with a good ending. I have no hesitation in still recommending the series. But, although you could read Moving Target first, I strongly recommend you start with Trading in Danger.