I was fortunate to see the manuscript for this book slightly before publication. Regrettably, I was already behind on other projects and was unable to give suggestions to the author before publication. That being said, there is very little in The Eros Expansion that I would find fault with. Yes, there are a few mistakes every book has them no matter how many eyes look at the text.
About the first quarter of the book I really struggled to get into The Eros Expansion. I’ve read this book twice now well, technically three times if you count the early manuscript and twice reading the purchased copy. I have yet to identify just what I find lacking in the first quarter of the book.
The Eros Expansion takes a large turn from the first two books dropping fantasy characters into a Sci-Fi setting. I generally dislike fantasy mixed with Sci-Fi but there are a few authors who do it well enough that I read their books.
I don’t believe I have ever seen a giant Naga in space so that was something unique. Vale as always is my favorite character and I wondered if she would have trouble moving on smooth metal shipboard floors. Apparently Vale suffered no loss of traction as she moves quite effectively throughout the book.
My first reading of the manuscript and of my purchased copy of The Eros Expansion I found meh. It was during my third reading that I settled into the story. This book changes settings a lot more than the first two books. At first the different settings through me off a bit, but after another read I enjoyed the journey with the characters.
The author shows his creativity detailing unusual and different settings for traditional fantasy characters to experience. Several places where the author could have fallen into the usual tropes was skillfully avoided. Pirates in fantasy are generally there merely for hero cannon fodder, but the author competently used pirates in a unique way.
Ultimately, I just can’t put my fingers on just why I don’t enjoy the beginning of The Eros Expansion. My inability to enunciate my issues should not delay my posting of a good review for a worthy author. I am looking forward to the next book as this one ends on a nice cliffhanger with plenty of foreshadowing.