Book Review: The Backlash Mission (Blackcollar #2) by Timothy Zahn
(Three Stars)
“I may not be as good a tactician as you are, but I’ve got hindsight with the best of them.”
Zahn before Mara Jade and Thrawn, but good story telling already evident. Basically, a techno-thriller with ninja. Thin veneer of science fiction; gets the physics right, which is as refreshing as it is unusual.
“Never trust fanatics any farther than you absolutely have to.” “Because they take stupid chances?” “And because they’ll turn on you in a second if you stray half a step off their personal version of the ‘correct’ way.”
Good bad guys and bad good guys, and mixed motives and goals all over the place. He has an author’s eye for the details and behavior which make characters distinctive and believable. Left hooks to a third book which was never written, but the basic plot is obvious.
“Only if you believe in miracles. I gave those up about the same time I stopped believing in Santa Claus.” “Nothing wrong with accepting miracles that come your way.”
First published in 1985, Zahn had folks four centuries into the future still using corded phones and cassettes for data transfer. In less than four decades that was wrong. Standard Star Wars/Trek SF pseudo-science.
“The schools around here don’t go in for recent history?” “I get all the recent history I need from the local news.”
Typos throughout. OCR errors? “…kicking straight, out at the unseen figure his ears, had said was in front of him.” “Dump your, gun onto the floor.”
As a Matter of Fancy 
Lack of proofing after scanning is a major sin – except possibly for someone who might want to fill in or finish a collection, and is just happy to have the volume. How irritating to be taken for granted.
Did you mean 1985?
Hahaha! Speaking of proofreading. Thanks.