Rating: 8/10
Synopsis:
When an imperial family is found butchered, Officers of God are called to investigate. Evidence points to a rebel group trying to stab fear into the very heart of the empire. Inspector Khlid begins a harrowing hunt for those responsible, but when a larger conspiracy comes to light, she struggles to trust even the officers around her.
Review:
This novella is one that I was really looking forward to. I preordered the paperback and was excited when it arrived. It is Daniel B. Greene’s debut book and it was a good read. While I both respect Daniel as a reviewer and enjoy the content on his YouTube channel, I wasn’t sure what to expect from him as an author. Breach of Peace was a successful debut and will be a good setup for his future books. Most importantly, it kept my attention. In fact, I read it through in one sitting. Yes, it is only 134 pages. But just because a book is short doesn’t always mean that I can read straight through it. It included mystery, compelling character dynamics, and good action scenes. Below are my thoughts on some of the major elements of the book.
Writing
- A very straightforward style
- Fast paced – there were some good, tense action scenes in a short amount of space
- The prose was simple, but ultimately that did not bother me. I expect Greene will continue to hone his craft with each installment
- There were some moments where the descriptions felt a little bit overwritten
- The dialogue was well done and was one of my favorite aspects of the book
Storyline
- Definitely has a darker tone – the story starts off with a pretty gruesome crime scene
- The plot follows three inspectors trying to figure out who committed this crime and why
- Includes some good twists and turns
- Compact story – the whole novella takes place over the course of about a day, which worked really well for me
Worldbuilding
- I would have liked a little more, but understand considering the length of the book. I’d prefer this scenario rather than an info dump
- Based in an industrial era world that has real potential
- Begins to establish the dynamics of the society
Characters
- Follows three main characters: Khlid, Chapman and Samuel, all Officers of God
- The interactions between these three are the highlight of the book for me
- Enjoyed Khlid and Samuel’s relationship
- Chapman is a quirky and interesting character
- All three felt distinct from one another
Overall, I enjoyed Breach of Peace. It was a solid debut by Greene, and he has set up the next installment nicely. I really like that Daniel is starting with a series of novellas before jumping into his full length books. And I cannot forget to mention how much I love the cover art. Felix Ortiz is one of my favorite cover artists and he has struck gold once again. Go ahead and grab this book and let me know what you think.
Leave a Reply