The Valkyrie Protocol (Gordian Division Book 2)

"The Valkyrie protocol" by David Weber and Jacob Holo is a sequel to "The Gordian protocol" and like that novel is vast in scope but moves at hurricane pace. Many of Weber's original fans who have been less keen on much of his recent work will love both these books.It is an all-action novel which ranges from a Justinian's Byzantine empire in 451 AD to 2980 AD, through multiple timelines and universes, and in which some of the characters spend time in both real and virtual realities.All the characters in the first book were fictional, but this one includes Samuel Pepys, Emperor Justinian, Generals Belisarius and Narses, Empress Theodora, Antonina, and Saint Ephraim of Antioch - all of whom are portrayed in a way which is more than little whimsical but pretty true to the characters of these historical figures.This book begins with the wedding of two of the characters from the previous book, but soon explodes into action as several of the participants in that series attempt a "First contact" with another universe - and arrive in time to witness a catastrophe of immense proportions.Meanwhile two of the people responsible for the worst disaster in history and desperately trying to redeem themselves come up with a madcap idea to create a new universe, in which they would start by curing the plague and then try to avoid all the ghastly mistakes mankind had made in both the history of the SysGov" and "Admin" universes.Can they do it and create a much better world?Or are they risking the destruction of both the new universe they aim to create and the old universe they came from?Or are both things true?Meanwhile the leadership of the "Admin" alternative universe which was discovered in the first book is watching events and arming itself to the teeth. They could become an ally - or a most deadly enemy.I strongly recommend this book.

The first half had a lot of back story, introspection, etc without advancing the plot. I found this less than compelling read. The second half picks up the pace , mostly predictable but with some twists and turns. I read it because I read the first book in this series.