A Choice of Treasons

By J.L. Doty

As a lifer in the Imperial Navy, fighting in a war that has lasted for generations, York Ballin’s only hope at an honorable discharge is the grave. Matters only get worse when the emperor's daughter, princess Aeya, decides to do a little slumming with her entourage on a remote planet, and York and his fellow crewmen are forced to rescue her. But after returning her safely into the empress' care on the planet Dumark, the entire planet is hit by a massive Directorate assault. To evacuate the empress along with the rest of the imperial embassy, York is ordered to commandeer the imperial cruiser Cinesstar, which is crewless and undergoing repairs in the Dumark Navy Yard. And after a narrow escape York finds himself deep behind enemy lines, on a commandeered imperial cruiser without a trained crew, commanded by an incompetent nobleman, with the empress and 200 civilians as passengers, and the enemy, the Directorate, pulling out all stops to destroy them. But, from a strategic or military standpoint, the assault on Dumark was an unwarranted waste of the Directorate's resources, and it becomes clear the empress, and a member or Aeya's entourage, are carrying a dangerous secret, so dangerous it threatens power structures of both the Empire and the Directorate, so even their own comrades in the empire want them eliminated. And with everyone now hell-bent on turning Cinesstar and all those aboard her into a cloud of radioactive vapor, it falls to York to save them all. But he must choose between saving them, or saving himself, and he finds his options are limited to a choice of treasons.

• Language: English
• Publisher: J.L. Doty
• Release date: Aug 21, 2011
• ISBN: 9781937387136

J.L. Doty

Trained as a scientist with a PhD in Electrical Engineering (specializing in laser physics), J. L. DOTY has been writing science fiction and fantasy for over thirty years. He has nine published novels, including the three series: The Treasons Cycle, The Gods Within, and The Dead Among Us. Born in Seattle, he now lives in Arizona with his wife and three cats. He writes full-time now and continues to focus on speculative fiction, but never with lasers as a weapon, since most writers invariably get that wrong.

Reviews for A Choice of Treasons

[conalo-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

An excellent military sci-fi story that was brought to life by a great narrator (Noah Levine). Though I felt frustration from time to time with the MC, I really enjoyed a full story told in a single novel with lots of action and a great ending.

4.5 Stars for a great listen and recommended for any fan of military science fiction (or just science fiction in general)

[eyes92c · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Riveting military space opera!Lieutenant York Ballin, a naval combat lifer, with more experience and determination in his little finger than the whole Imperial Fleet commanders put together is caught in a cat and mouse game of pursuit spanning deep space--and the pursuers are mounting. The Federal Directorate of the Republic of Syndon and his own Imperial forces want to blast his ship, the cruiser Cinesstar, into nothingness, and for what? True on board is the Empress and the Princess. Who wants them dead? A let's not forget the silent hunter who's tracked him from the beginning.Then there's the mysterious references to Ballin's antecedents that he himself has only just gotten a fix on. Oh, and let's not forget Ballin's arch enemy on the deck, Sierka.Political and economic power and greed are accompanying contributors behind this situation those on the Cinesstar are subjected to. This war has dragged on for over two years. Millions of lives have been wasted. And the Empress is up to something that's embroiled them all.The drama drew me in. I hear echoes of David Drake and John Ringo. There's maybe a smidgin of Tanya Huff with the portrayal of the Master Sergeant, Mieka Palevi, a character I thoroughly enjoyed. When Ballin is made an acting marine CO, Palevi is the one who shepherds him through the transition. Palevi is the one who has his back.This was a truly enthralling read. I am fascinated by the Kinathin and their breed warriors, allies of the 'feddie's' and hope to hear more about their culture.Action is swift, the plot moves along at a hectic pace, and I'm definitely hooked!I await the next book with baited breath! Bravo!A NetGalley ARC