Now, this was very, very good. A definite 4.5. I am only withholding the 5 stars because this doesn't really break any new ground but that is a minor quibble. Also, the protagonist has a touch of the Mary Sue but I have made peace with that being somewhat of a necessity in this type of book.
A nice blend of military sf with the twist that the military in this book are also traders. In a constructed socialist society. The strength here is how the protagonist and supporting cast are developed patiently. The protagonist is an orphan who has been abused and maltreated in the orphanage but she rebels and finds her way into the military. This is all dealt with in like the first 3 chapters. Then, the book takes it's own sweet time getting to the pyrotechnics later on and is all the better for it in my opinion. The protagonist has to be developed, believably, into someone who can affect things in the major way she does later on and that development is still a very interesting journey.
Devoured in 2 sittings and if the sequel had been listed for pre-order I would have done so already. Recommended.