It is written in present tense, and I am not a fan of that writing style. There isn’t much that I have to criticize in this one. It’s a wonderful story, and I'm looking forward to the next book. Friendship and loyalty play a pivotal role, but so does legacy and birthright, and the importance of the past in shaping the future.
Fast-paced, character-driven, military science fiction with a strong coming-of-age element and characters you love and ache for isn’t available on every bookstore shelf. I loved every moment of it, and the climax is suitably tense and thrilling. There are also themes of friendship, love, and divided loyalties that are weaved seamlessly throughout the story.
In Bonds of Brass, the characters have to deal with the violence they commit, even violence committed in self-defense, and the way that said violence affects them psychologically. Too often in science fiction and fantasy, violence is largely perpetrated without consequence. Another thing I loved about this one is how violence is not seen as a panacea. In the midst of that, Skrutskie also manages to introduce a good deal of world building and relevant history. All this happens by about the tenth page, which is an impressive feat. Those two characters are easy to love and we instantly care about them, their concerns, and what is going to happen to them. We’re thrown into the action, but just as quickly we’re introduced to the two main characters - best friends and roommates - through the action. From the first moments of the novel it’s obvious that Skrutskie isn’t waiting around. There were just enough moments to catch your breath for the fast-paced action to feel natural. The pacing, in particular, was excellent. There are plenty of things worth praising in Skrutskie’s novel. It’s easy to love the two main characters, and the story pulls you along making it difficult to put the book down. It’s one part coming of age story, one part military sci-fi, and one part YA romance. We’re introduced to two fighter-pilots-in-training one of whom turns out to be the heir to the throne of an evil space empire. Emily Skrutskie’s Bonds of Brass is a fast-paced YA space opera with plenty to love.
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