Could have been great, but needs tightening up.

More from the black ocean, but not as good as Outlaws or Mercy.

The stories are good, but much of the series drags on. Characters seem to grow, but then regress to retread the same growth again – or simply make uncharacteristic choices. A few instances of plot progression just seem to get forgotten.

Some of this is likely due to me listening to the completed series. Maybe I would not have noticed if I listened to the books spaced out as in their original release schedule.

I am not sure if I liked the beginning better or if I just lost patience with retreads and loose plot threads by the end, but I feel like I enjoyed the first 1/3-1/2 more.

In any case, this selection could really benefit from cutting and tightening up the story. A heartless editor could cut it in half or less by focusing on the main story, cutting side characters and not getting so repetetive – a fan editor could easily cut out a third of it.

I struggled to finish it, but I believe in J.S. Morin. I will continue with his novels. While I highly recommend Galaxy Outlaws and also Mercy for Hire, I cannot recommend Astral Prime.