Interesting premise with much in the balance. This has danger and tension. Add great characters and you have a hard SciFi novel for all fans

Captain Morrigan became a hero for taking aggressive action against an advanced tech force that risked her ship destruction but saved Earth from total annihilation by an alien galactic AI race who demanded humanity’s subjugation. In appreciation, Morrigan was promoted to Admiral and given command of a thousand-plus ship armada; its aims to hit back at the Galactics and show them the cost of messing with humanity's developmental freedom. Morrigan’s successes in driving out the Galactics from a few of the adjoining star systems they controlled frightened the Galactics. Being AI’s, whose individual existence can span thousands of years results in their fearing the lost of that individual existence more than humans fear death. The Galactics flee a space battle sooner than organics do when their losses mount. Despite being technologically advanced, that trait is what makes their defeat possible.

Space opera genre books are my favorite for escapism and relaxation. I very much enjoyed the uncomplicated nature of the background and character-building Ian Douglas engaged in during Galaxy Raiders's first half. Morrigan’s chapter-long diatribe on religion in the second half, however, didn’t add to the story and should have been left out by his editor. But, I’m hooked on the series and am looking forward to the next book in the series.

I live to read futuristic high stakes military space opera like "Galaxy Raiders: Abyss" by Ian Douglas. Exploring the universe while waging desperate combat to save humanity. The achievements that human civilization Douglas creates is both understandable, exciting, and impressive. But will it be enough to hold off the nearly incomprehensible knowledge, resources, and abilities of the enemy? The main characters hold reader interest as we learn about the insurmountable odds that humanity is facing with admirable courage. Fortunately, this is the first book of a new series. I really look forward to reading many more books about the Galaxy Raiders quest into the heart of the Galaxy!

I thank Ian Douglas and Harper Voyager for graciously providing an electronic advanced review copy of this excellent work.

Ian Douglas (William Keith) is back with an enjoyable but very familiar space opera/miil SF story, the start of a new series. Lead character Admiral Alexandra Morrigan is preternaturally good at defeating alien foes and blazes a trail of victories across the galaxy. Good e Pugh that she is dubbed both The Morrigan, after the Irish goddess, and Alexandra the Great. Some nice speculative concepts are thrown in and Keith is happy to speculate intelligently on machine intelligence, virtual immortality, and other interesting themes.

I just feel he has done this before. Several times. Even in the far future there are plucky American stargazers and marines, somehow winning against superior alien technology and adverse odds, at least one by using a relativistic weapon. While he has perhaps found a winning formula, I would like something new.

Will I read the sequel? Sure. I'm a sucker for the stories Douglas writes. And I think he is a capable writer who actually explores some interesting topics. But I wish he pushed himself for something totally new. P

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.