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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 :-)

★★★★☆ ( )