I don't consume a lot of sci-fi content these days, but I grew up as a huge Star Wars fan and the books in their "Legends" era were some of my favorites. I've never read any Star Trek books, but I enjoyed some of the motion pictures and watched The Next Generation show when it first came out. Star Wars vs Star Trek is one of the most storied rivalries in fiction, and I'm happy to report that whichever side of that debate you fall on, "StarFire Dragons" has something you'll enjoy.

The plot, with its interpersonal drama and political wrangling, evokes a feeling of Star Trek, but this universe isn't all bright and shiny. It feels rough and lived-in, giving it that rawness of Star Wars and similar space opera type stories. There is also a smattering of action throughout, most especially at the thrilling climax.

While the story unfolds at a rather leisurely pace, I never found myself bored. The writing is compelling and the characters engrossing and three-dimensional. The author employs the well-used trope of races from a single planet having one defining characteristic, but she weaves a great deal of nuance and internal conflict that feels very natural and not at all forced. The main characters are all well rounded and distinctive, and even the unlikeable ones have believable motivations. Themes of generational prejudice, duty, and retribution are woven throughout the narrative, with several conflicting viewpoints presented.

Although this is unquestionably a science fiction work, with fantastical science and technology throughout, I never felt overwhelmed by technobabble. The author provides a helpful glossary at the end, but I never had to refer to it. Everything I needed to know was either explained outright or gleaned from context. I also appreciate there were a handful of curses and epithets in other languages whose precise definitions are not revealed in the narration. It's all done in such an easy, fluent way that conveys the spirit of the words without my needing to know exactly what they meant.

Overall, I enjoyed this book very much. I will definitely be adding the rest of the series to my TBR, and if you have any interest at all in stories with Star- in the name, you should too!