As a civilised recreation of battle, chess is popular in fiction as a symbol of conflict and for the diversity of irreconcilable views it can represent. Not new to Doctor Who, and often employed in the McCoy era, never has the game been the focus of a plot to such an extent as in Dreams of Empire.

By writing as many as four novels in a year, Justin Richards might have over-stretched himself. It's pleasant then to report that after a recent distinct sag in the quality of both this series and his work, this story of the inglorious end to a civil war in the Haddron republic scores another instance of a regular contributor producing his best novel.

Although the plot is driven by the conflict between soldier and diplomat, between republic and empire, the characters are more than just symbols. Justin's emphasis on their individual and collective strengths and weaknesses is pleasing. Praised for their treatment of prisoners, yet condemned for the fashion in which they run their empire, their reliance on tactics to achieve their ends is also stressed - everyone knows more than he admits.

The chess motif is over-stated, though. The dark cell containing two figures intent on the game is a strong image, but references to the game excessively permeate the dialogue, the conflicts and the chapter titles in a fashion recalling this author's references to the stage in Theatre of War. I think he does, however, manage to avoid referring to any protagonists as 'pawns'. The suggestion that the game exists in virtually the same form on all civilised worlds is probably deeply significant, although I found it evoked Douglas Adams' gin and tonics, while tumbling empires, robotic warriors and dusty banqueting halls inevitably bring Warriors' Gate to mind.

Justin surprises several times - just as I was smug at having guessed a plot twist, he presented another which I didn't see coming. And the final solution is blindingly obvious - but pleasingly, only in retrospect.

A weak late paragraph stresses the more personal nature of politics too strongly - we'd have got the point without it. Other than this, the book improves as it proceeds, from a strong start, and ended up exceeding my expectations.