Galactic Empires

Firstborn by Brandon Sanderson ★★★★★★ 
Yes, six stars.  With shades of Ender’s Game and Gemini Man this was the best science fiction short I’ve ever read.  A full story and good glimpse into an imperial world on knife’s edge. Riveted!

Betrayal in Death (In Death #12) by J.D. Robb ★★★★☆

Someone has sent an assassin to kill off Roarke’s people, one silver wire garrote at a time. 

Well, Eve’s not going to stand for that.

Judgment in Death (In Death #11) by J.D. Robb ★★★★☆

Someone’s killing cops and Eve has to face the gut churning fear... that it’s another cop.

Witness in Death (In Death #10) by J.D. Robb ★★★★☆

Is there anything trickier than interviewing actors, than trying to find the truth in those whose profession is to embody a lie? 

Loyalty in Death (In Death #9) by J.D. Robb ★★★★☆

An old terrorist organization has come back from the dead to threaten New York.

Conspiracy in Death (In Death #8) by J.D. Robb ★★★☆☆

Street people are turning up dead with their organs missing. Why would anyone want damaged organs? 

Midnight in Death (In Death #7.5) by J.D. Robb ★★★★☆

David Palmer has escaped! The worst serial killer that Eve ever brought down is back and looking for vengeance.

Holiday in Death (In Death #7) by J.D. Robb ★★★☆☆

It’s Eve & Roarkes first family Christmas. They are decorating trees, throwing a party, and learning what it’s like to be happy and normal.

But someone else is celebrating Christmas by dressing up as Santa and killing people violently.

Vengeance in Death (In Death #6) by J.D. Robb ★★★★☆

Someone is killing old friends of Roarkes and calling it holy vengeance. It’s up to Eve to hunt them down but first she has to face the man her husband was, the terror of the dark streets of Dublin.

Worlds Seen in Passing: Ten Years of Tor.com Short Fiction

These Deathless Bones by Cassandra Khaw ★★★★★ 

Prince Joffrey’s witchy step-mother has officially given her last fuck.  It was hard to read, even briefly, about this waste-of-space prince, but it made watching his bones crawl all the more satisfying.