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Type of bind: Mass Market Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 813.54
EAN num: 9780671878719
ISBN number: 0671878719
Label: Baen
Manufacturer: Baen
Quantity: 1
Page Count: 416
Printing Date: April 01, 1998
Publishing house: Baen
Sale Popularity Level: 95990
Studio: Baen
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Rated by buyers 
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This book, as well as Moon's Herris Serrano series, are fun, well thought out, well written, and entertaining millitary space opera. While I usually read more fantasy than sci-fi, and very little military-based stuff, I loved this book (even though I didn't enjoy Moon's fantasy trilogy, The Deed of Paksenarrion). The main character, Esmay, is a deep, likable character who's actions are thoroughly believable and sympathetic, though she's not a boring carbon copy of the standard adventure heroine. While the Herris Serrano trilogy comes directly before this book, I read Once a Hero first, and had no trouble understanding what was going on (all though reading the Heris books did clear up a few things). It's one of the rare sci-fi books with ALL of the qualities of a great novel: a well-rounded and complete plot, intellegent writing complete with actual ideas, and believable and complex characters, and it is still easy and fun reading!
Rated by buyers 
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The Heris Serrano trilogy ended with Serrano beating the bad guys and getting back into the fleet. A fairly minor character who helped her to do that at the end of the 3rd book was Lt. Esmay Suiza who participated in a mutiny in order to recapture her ship from a treasonous captain. After being the senior surviving officer of that mutiny, she led her ship back to help Serrano defeat the enemy. This character is the central person of this story.
Mutinies, however justified, how looked at with jaundiced eyes by naval authorities. Although she was fully exonerated, there is still a taint to Suiza's name and, after the court martial, she finds herself stuck on a depot ship. She demonstrates her talents, though, when the bad guys try to capture the ship along with all of its stores and supplies. Even in her lowly rank, she finds that she has among the most combat experience of anyone on board. That redeems her in some eyes and is continued cause for suspicion in others.
This is a good book, every bit as good as Heris Serrano. If you liked it, you will likely enjoy this one too.
Rated by buyers -
"Once A Hero" and the earlier novels of the Heris Serrano series ("Hunting Party," is the first) are great. Moon comes from a family of Marines, went through officers training school herself, has degrees in history and biology, is a volunteer medical technician, loves horses, and believes women can fulfill military roles. All of this brings colour and originality to her novels; which remind me of the "Horatio Hornblower" novels -- which is saying a lot.
Moon depicts some of the best space battle scenarios I've read. No alien beings. The stories involve more than battles; there are mysteries to solve and villainy afoot of more than one variety.
Moon admires the abilities of women in and out of uniform and reminds us not to underestimate them in a pinch. Nor to underestimate the advantages and disadvantages of family relationships. She enjoys throwing the cultures of space fleet officers and upper class society together, just to see what they both might learn.
Moon notes the limitations that female ship captains might face in finding mates and romance, much less raising children. But, while these women are open to romance if it materializes, they are not looking for it.
On economics, Moon is better than most, admires good business sense and accumulation of wealth, depicts a basically capitalistic society, but doesn't have the proper understanding of capitalism, nor appreciate how free markets would work against some of the social and medical disparities she projects. Still, these are not the main focus of the novels. The main focus is on dedicated women, courageous and competent. You'll like `em.
Rated by buyers -
Esmay Suiza doesn't think of herself as a hero, because she's sure she isn't capable of heroic behavior. Certainly she has no gift for command. All she wants in the universe is a chance to live and die away from her native Altiplano, as an officer (preferably a very ordinary and obscure officer) in the Regular Space Service. But after taking command of the Despite when everyone above her in the command chain either turns traitor or dies in the resulting mutiny - and after becoming, as a result, the lowest-ranked officer who's ever won a battle - Lieutenant (j.g.) Suiza can't go back to her cherished anonymity. So Admiral Vida Serrano tells her between the battle's end and the start of her court martial, and so Esmay learns for sure when she goes back to Altiplano for the very first time since she was 14. The lesson continues in her subsequent assignment, as a full lieutenant aboard the deep space repair ship Koskiusko.
On the Koskiusko Esmay makes the very first opposite-gender friend she's ever had: Vida Serrano's grandson, Ensign Barin Serrano. Her new superiors, understanding that this young woman's command gifts are just that - real gifts, unlocked for the very first time by the events aboard Despite - search in growing frustration for ways to convince Esmay that she must accept who she really is, and develop the talents no one knew she possessed during her very first ten years of RSS life. Then a Bloodhorde commando unit finds its way aboard Koskiusko, and once again Esmay Suiza must rise to the challenge. Once a hero, there's no going back.
Part character study (well done, indeed) and part blood-and-thunder space adventure, this book bogs down at times during its very first half; but after that the action comes fast and furious. Well worth the read.
Rated by buyers -
If you like David Weber's Honor Harrington series and are in the search for another good "Space Opera" series look no further! Elizabeth Moon's Esmay Suiza books definatly fit the bill. Their truely remarkable!
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