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Title: Chasing the Dragon
Series: Galaxy’s Edge: Tyrus Rechs #2
Author: Jason Anspach & Nick Cole
Rating: 4 of 5 Stars
Genre: SF/Space Opera
Pages: 243
Words: 75.5K
| Synopsis: |
From Galaxysedge.fandom.com & Me
They all want the Dragon dead.
The Dragon was trained from his youth to operate as a lethal killing machine. He has tangled with crime lords, dangerous insurgents, even Nether Ops… and none of these forces has been able to bring the elusive warrior to heel.
Enter the notorious bounty hunter Tyrus Rechs.
Rechs takes on the job as a favor to an old Savage Wars buddy. Only Rechs isn’t out to kill the Dragon—his mission is to save the kid’s life. Unless the Dragon kills Rechs first.
The Dragon is the last of an experiment from the Savage Wars, an experiment meant to duplicate Tyrus Rechs. With speed, endurance, healing and other capabilities, the Dragon is a one man army meant to train an army. As a Sinasian, he’s now using his skills to train the Sinasian worlds to break free from the Republic.
That war, justified or not, will cost billions of lives and Rechs can’t let it happen. In league with a Nether Ops agent who wants the Dragon to live out a life of peace, Rechs must find the Dragon, convince him to stop and then get him to safety. When the Nether Ops agent shows her true colors and double crosses Rechs, a Republic Destroyer is on hand to use a crustbuster on the world the Dragon is on. Rechs rescues the Dragon and delivers him to a couple of Dark Ops agents who want what the Nether Ops agent claimed to want.
The books ends with the Dragon dying of old age surrounded by his family and him holding on until Rechs shows up.
| My Thoughts: |
I have to admit, this book made me feel really bad for the man known as Tyrus Rechs. He carries such a weight on his shoulders and his memories of his past are simply fading away. He remembers Earth, now mythical in status. He knows he’s been around for thousands of years and knows there was a purpose he was meant to fulfill, but details escape him. The unstoppable killing machine he’s become seems to be the only way for him to keep going. That is just very pathos filled.
As an action story, this was great. Rechs is facing off against someone who appears to be just as powerful as him. He’s also going against Sinasians gangs, Sinasian ninjas, Sinasian special forces, Nether Ops, Legionnaires from the Republic as well as other bounty hunters.
It also excels at providing glimpses of backstory for the universe we’re currently reading about. I never felt infodumped on or that “So Bob, let me explain….” feeling that sometimes happens. It really felt organic and like it was directly from Tyrus.
Another fantastic entry in the Galaxy’s Edge universe. In terms of pure enjoyment, this is beating out even Asher’s Polity series. I don’t know how it will stand up to re-reads though. I guess I’ll find out in a decade or so 🙂
Bookstooge's Reviews on the Road 
Are there actual Riverdancing Predators in the book, or just on the cover?
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They have a whole line up. I think one chapter is all about getting the choreography right so if they get picked for the movie, they’ll be ready.
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Awesome, I’m in!
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Sorry, you don’t have the Pred Creds.
5skull minimum….
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How about an alien spine and a couple of half-used skulls?
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Unless you logged the kills at PredCred.com and have video proof that you did the skinning, you’re out of luck.
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Curses inaudibly *
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I know, right? The ONE time you don’t do the whole “selfie” thing, it comes back to bite you….
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Wow, that’s a high praise indeed! I think I might be getting convinced to give it a try!
Should I check out this or the main series first?
(That’s me, Ola G, if that blasted WP once again hides my identity you’ll know! We need a code word or something 🤣)
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That is so weird that it continues to happen to you. Have you tried “liking” the post before commenting? I’ve done that at Lashaan’s before and it seems to kickstart the site into recognizing me as a wp user.
I would read season one of Galaxy’s Edge before this. It explains who Rechs is and this trilogy builds on that knowledge even while being a prequel.
I think that maybe “Hammertime!” with a little hammer emoji 🔨 should be the codeword.
Hammertime! 🔨
😉
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and never mind. I see by the time stamp that you did like the post first. Sigh…..
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Hammertime! 🔨 it is, then! 😄 Galaxy’s Edge s01, next Rechs – got it!
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♪Can’t touch this!♪
Just be aware that the first GE book is an almost straight up MilSF and then the tone changes abruptly in the second book.
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I’m fine with milSF if it makes sense and is not constant nonstop fighting – I even went through a Gaunt novel 😂 what does the tone change to, though? More like a SW adventure?
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It is not non-stop fighting, at least in my opinion. Even though maybe it is? I guess it depends on what your definition of non-stop is, hahahaha 😀
Actually, action-wise, the first book would be comparable to a Gaunt book. So prepare yourself?
Yes, it changes to Space Opera in book 2 and I was NOT prepared for it. I liked it better but was thrown by my expectations not being met.
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This sounds great, I felt sorry for the Dargon and Mr. Rech’s.
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Me too. Rechs is very much cast in the melancholic heroic mold who you know is going to fail at some point in time. He reminds me of Obi Wan from Star Wars if Obi Wan had been an ultra kickass warrior….
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I was never a Star Wars aficionado so only remember Obi Wan as an old man, Alex Guinness played him I think. I thought all Jedi’s were kick ass warriors?
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In the original Star Wars that IS how the Jedi were portrayed. Then in the prequels we got Whahnakin Skybabywalker and things went downhill into millennial mama’s baby’s whiner pants 😦
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I only saw the first one properly, sounds like that was a good place to stop.
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I liked the original trilogy. Everything else that came after was complete rubbish….
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No mention of opium in the story, then?
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Sorry to disappoint, but nope. 😀
Well, not to my knowledge anyway. If there were any references it would have gone right over my head.
Going to have to find your fix in some other book 😉
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😃 Chasing the dragon is old British-via-Hong Kong slang for inhaling the vapours of burning opium. I only knew this because of a song from the early 1990s. Useless fact of the day for you, sir.
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Well, always glad to expand my knowledge of useless trivia. Never know when aliens might abduct me and request such info.
Better safe than probed! 😀
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Pretty awesome how strong this series is for you! I was going to make a similar comment as Wakizashi but he beat me to it. I imagine the author wanted to play around with the expression (as in… to constantly chase after that experience you first had with something that seems to be never re-experienced afterward).
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That theme of chasing the ever elusive past fits in perfectly with Tyrus Rechs. I know my thoughts on him are colored (hahahaha, you thought I was going to write “coloured” didn’t you? 😉 ) because I know what happens to him in the regular Galaxy’s Edge series.
This GE universe is pushing ALL the right buttons for me on so many levels. I’m pretty thankful.
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