Prison Planet

What a fun read this was! Fast, action packed and straight to the point. What more can I ask for? I may be overlooking some development issues like the character's backstory, an abrupt and predictable plot change in the last chapter, but, in the end, it delivers.

I find the idea of prison planets (or moons, thank you RAH) very thought-provoking. Dietz made it very compelling with a self-sustainable economy build around each prison planet, and Swamp's economy was centered on monster hunting. These monsters can be hunted for their skins and then sold to the empire although these monsters are a tough nut to crack, especially for their ability to blend in with the background. We also have human monsters that disguise as something good and friendly, like a philanthropist.

And there are ruins! Yes, it seems that there are ruins scattered on many planets created by a race known as the Builders; they're believed to have been extinct eons ago. Of course, the plot didn't develop in that direction. That could have been good... and now it's starting to feel like a déjà vu, this is not the first time this year I find myself saying the same thing about ruins (I'm not thanking RHA this time for not developing the ruins-on-the-moon plot in Rocket Ship Galileo)