Aardvark, Andrew Van. Katie Kincaid Ensign. Katie Kincaid No. 3. Kindle, 2021.
Katie has graduated from the academy and is now a junior officer in the Space Force. She is assigned to a ship headed to the outer system, which is not the best thing for her career. Because of her experience growing up in the asteroid belt she is given double training duties, jeopardizing her chance to make Lieutenant on her first try. But in the tradition of C. S. Forester, her story illustrates the training truism that what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. I like some of the minor characters in this one: neither the captain nor the XO are just the cardboard figures I was expecting, and Katie’s nurturing roommate is a nicely drawn character. There is just enough action to keep interest alive. The prose is routine at best, but I have read a lot worse in the genre. 3.5 stars. ( )

Honor Harrington in an earlier space/time rendition. Katie has made it through the Academy but is still an overachieving outlier. Her first voyage has many challenges some self-initiated but she prevails. ( )