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Reviewed by Jamie Michele for Readers' Favorite
In Ray Jorge Ryes Jr.'s House Xrion, Winston Xrion orchestrates the assassination of a House Reston ambassador and subsequently accepts a contract to eliminate the king of House Urian. As negotiations fail between House Reston and House Carthania, House Xrion's military, the Hammer Fleet, takes action, only to face further complications with the arrival of marauders. Xesar, representing House Xrion, questions the source of the marauders' intelligence, while speculation mounts regarding Winston's involvement in the death of King Leopold. As things ratchet up, House Maelstrom detects unidentified ships and remains on high alert, while Winston investigates discrepancies in a House Reston contract. Collaborating with allies like Bah'l Forzon and Solis, Winston races against the clock to suss out what exactly is happening, in the hope of preventing a full-blown war through diplomatic efforts.
Ray Jorge Ryes Jr. does an excellent job in the making of a new space opera series with the first book, House Xrion. The standout character with the hugest arc is Winston Xrion, an anti-hero who has had huge success for House Xrion, but ultimately has to reconcile what the cost was, and how to stop the steamrolling of corruption and betrayal. The book wraps up with a satisfying and well-done conclusion, tying up the biggest loose ends, and mercifully does not end on a straight cliffhanger despite the penchant for series intros to do that. It is a credit to Ryes that he trusts his story, and his ability to deliver it, to allow it to stand on its own two feet. The story is that good, and its delivery is too. I love books that give us hereditary houses and a fully functioning society, for better or for worse, within its universe. As much as I am looking forward to more on Xrion, Ryes' world-building is so good that I would absolutely read tie-ins on the backstories of the other houses. Very highly recommended.