I was between a 4 and 5 star but went with 5 because I didn't agree with the 2 & 3 reviews. I thought it should have been shorter and if you want mostly space war. I enjoyed the focus on diplomacy and politics which in the real world are a major part of war. People seem to forget HH is now an Admiral and their function in war is different then a ship commander. One of my favorite real world Commanders Raymond Spruance was much like HH in this novel. I like this series because it provides a believable fantasy world without BEM's or beating the readers over the head with their personal philosophy. But then I find Politics as exciting as war.