The Ninth Circle

The Ninth Circle by R. M. Meluch is straight up space opera.  It is quite enjoyable.  It is part of a series.  Although it can be read alone the characters are established across the series so you will get a clearer idea of who is who if you read them all.  This one centers on political machinations (which in this universe essentially means war) on a planet that has been recently discovered to host DNA based life.  All in all a recommended read for those who like science fiction.