If you love Han Solo in Star Wars but feel that the film spends too much time with Luke Skywalker, read The Griffin: Ashes of Honor. You can sense Philip and Cat William's love for galactic space drama that has gone missing from much of the naval-gazing science fiction of today. The writers carefully craft a similar yet unique universe that readily stands out to Star Wars fans.

I won't go into the plot, since it's covered in other reviews, but Philip happily takes pains to move away from the mystical nature of Star Wars, instead letting his heroes rely on technology, grit and determination. The result is a little less fantasy but a lot more believability. Key characters reveal themselves in a manner that shows they are deeper than those found in Star Wars. Despite the better grounding in reality, the visual descriptions of Garrand's ship and the worlds he visits are stunning.

While there are a few confusing points in the story, none stop the reader cold. It's obvious the authors put their heart into this series, which is a joy to read.

Disclosure: I've been friends with Philip for almost 10 years, but I would not give a positive review unless I thought the book was worthwhile.

—BL, Scottsdale