The Lotus Eaters (Carrera book 3) by Tom Kratman

Books 2 Responses »
Jul 312010

Title: The Lotus Eaters
Series: Carrera book 3
Author: Tom Kratman
Genre: Military Science Fiction
Hardcover: 496 0ages
Publisher: Baen 2010

Order from: Amazon US | UK | B&N | sfbok

Sometimes paranoia is just a heightened state of awareness.

Carrera’s won his war, and inflicted a horrific revenge upon his enemies. But there are wars after wars. The Tauran Union is planning an attack. The criminals of neighboring states are already attacking, and threatening to embroil him in a war with the planet’s premier power. His only living son is under fire among the windswept mountains of Pashtia. An enemy fleet is hunting his submarines. His organization has been infiltrated by spies. One of the two governments of his adopted country, Balboa, is trying to destroy everything he’s built and reinstitute rule by a corrupt oligarchy. Worst of all, perhaps, he, himself, bearing a crushing burden of guilt, isn’t quite the man he once was.

Fortunately, the man he once was, was lucky enough to marry the right woman….

Information

The book is dedicated to Julia and starts with a “What has gone before” section.

This whole series is about Patricio Carrera a self made man who found a home in Balboa, the country he once fought. Now he fights for freedom both for his corrupt homeland and against the depraved old earth. It all takes place on Terra Nova. Earth’s first and only interstellar colony.

The Author

I have read Tom Kratman before. It would be wrong to say that he is politically correct. Especially his first books where not to my liking. I think Tom likes it when people criticizes his work, he used to have a wall of fame over the most angry ones (still have one). His works are usually on the edge on what I can tolerate to read. But he provides a different point of view and thats worth something.

World Building

It is a rather sordid world Tom has painted. Earth is ruled by renegade international humanitarian organizations like Amnesty and different United Nations departments. Liberals are the new master slaves and new religions even practice human sacrifice.

Terra Nova reminds a great deal of todays earth and there are many parallels just twisted a bit. Carrera has fought in their ‘middle-east’ and now his ‘Panama’ faces the drug cartels.

The philosophy and assumption reminds of Heinlein’s Starship Troopers to a great deal.

Plot

Carrera is not the man he used to be after all the death he caused in the last book so the first obstacle is to restore him to sound mind.

Carrera prepares for the war with earth while he has to deal with his occupied land and its corrupted leadership.

The ‘US’ threatens to invade if he does nothing against the drug cartels so he makes that his agenda. But the cartels have deep pockets and there are traitors among Carrera’s men and they go after him and his closest.

Characterization

The characters are a bit two dimensional but they are entertaining.

My View

This is decent military science fiction that might not be for everyone.

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Amy Pond on Doctor Who [Female Protagonists on SF TV]

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Jul 302010

Amy Pond is the companion of the 11th Doctor. She first meets him as a little girl when the 11th reincarnation crashlands the TARDIS in her back yard. He behaves really weird even for the Doctor but I guess it is compelling to small children. Amy was cute as a child but that is nothing against what she looks like when she grows up.

Next time she meets him she is dressed as a police woman. She kicks the Doctor’s ass and make a citizen’s arrest because she is dressed like that for her kissogram job

The new companion has been a bit controversial, she is way too sexy for some and when she came on to the Doctor it was widely discussed especially since she was engaged. The Doctor sort it out and take the happy two on an extended honeymoon on the TARDIS. Executive producer Piers Wenger stated that Amy was intended to be “feisty and outspoken and a bit of a number. Amy is probably the wildest companion that the Doctor has travelled with, but she isn’t promiscuous.”

This installment of the Doctor feels more adult and grownup humor.

Name: Amy Pond
Portrayed by: Karen Gillian
TV show: Doctor Who, 11th Incarnation
Genre: Science Fiction
Status: She will return next season

Karen Gillian

Karen was born 28 November 1987 and is best known for her role as Amy Pond in Doctor Who. She was born and raised in Inverness, Scotland.

She did some model job before and also played in Fires of Pompeii

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  3. Erica Evans on V
  4. Molly Anne Caffrey on Threshold
  5. Wendy ‘Dub-Dub’ Watson on The Middleman
  6. Jane Vasco on Painkiller Jane
  7. Æon Flux on Æon Flux
  8. Dana Scully on The X-Files
  9. Myka Bering on Warehouse 13
  10. Dr. Helena Magnus on Sanctuary
  11. Sarah on Chuck
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  13. Amy Pond on Doctor Who
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Posted by ove at 12:00 Tagged with: , ,

Formidable Female Protagonists in Science Fiction Part 16

Books 18 Responses »
Jul 302010



I prefer female protagonists and this series of posts is homage to some of the most formidable female main characters in science fiction novels or series. This is the last one I got material for at the moment but I am pretty sure there are some formidable female protagonists in a science fiction novel or series that need to be here. This is your last chance to add to my list before I have to close the list.

I added a list of all the characters so far at the end of this post. Please add more suggestions. 100 is a better number than 80.

  1. Paula Myo – Intrepid Investigator (Peter F. Hamilton)
  2. Sissy – High Priestess of Harmony (C. F. Bentley)
  3. Paula Mendoza – Unconventional Negotiator (Cecelia Holland)
  4. Casseia Majumdar – Scientific Revolutionary (Greg Bear)
  5. Dirisha Zuri – the Matadora (Steve Perry)

Paula Myo – Intrepid Investigator

Books: Pandora’s Star (2004), Judas Unchained (2005)
Series: Commonwealth Saga
Author: Peter F. Hamilton
Genre: Space opera
Publisher: MacMillan UK, Del Rey, Pan

Paula Myo is only one of the characters in the Commonwealth saga. She is a famous investigator that realizes the Starflyer is real and a threat to humanity. It was a few years since I read these books and they are huge, not as huge as his Night’s Dawn trilogy but big enough. Good interesting space opera with multiple main characters.

[up]

Sissy – High Priestess of Harmony

Books: Harmony (2008), Enigma (2009)
Series: Harmony
Author: C. F. Bentley (Irene Radford)
Genre: Military Science Fiction | Fantasy
Publisher: Daw

I just finished reading Harmony an liked it a lot; it is a mixture of military science fiction, space opera and romance. Sissy is born with the mark of all seven casts. Normally that would make here an outcast to be killed but she hides the marks with the help of her family. Their planet Harmony is becoming unstable and a catastrophic earthquake threatens to destroy the capital. But Sissy finds out she has the power to divert the power of the quake and save the city. The High Priestess is killed and the surviving High Priest sees an opportunity in using this young uneducated girl with real powers to strengthening his position on the ruling council. Thing is that Sissy have other ideas.

There is a lovely love story in there to you can check out my review.

[up]

Paula Mendoza – Unconventional Negotiator

Books: Floating Wolds (1976)
Author: Cecelia Holland
Genre: Feminist Science Fiction
Publisher: Knopf, Gollancz, Pocket, Sphere, VGSF.

New to me both of them. According to Wikipedia “This novel is notable for its sexual content, its feminist theme, and its literary quality—all comparable to the mid-70s work of Joanna Russ and Ursula K. Le Guin.” that sounds like something I would like to read. This also goes on my to-read list.

When an aggressive race of mutants from Uranus and Saturn launch pirate raids on ships from Mars, the task of negotiating peace falls to the resourceful and unpredictable Paula Mendoza.

Though highly skeptical of her “anarchist” government, gutsy Paula Mendoza rises from the ranks of the unemployed Earthish to become its peace negotiator in the escalating war between the Middle Planets and the Gas Planets in this latest by Cecelia Holland (The Pillar of the Sky), whom the Chicago Tribune has compared to Arthur C. Clarke and Ursula Le Guin. Paula’s methods (which include sleeping with the enemy) are innovative, to say the least, and they land her in troubled waters in the startling and epic Floating Worlds

[up]

Casseia Majumdar – Scientific Revolutionary

Books: Moving Mars (1993)
Series: Queen of Angels book 3
Author: Greg Bear
Genre: Coming of Age | Revolution
Publisher: Tor, Legend, Orb, The Easton Press, Brilliance Audio

This is a coming of age story about Casseia Majumdar at the backdrop of the brewing revolution. Sounds like a good book I have to read soon.

Mars is a colonial world governed by corporate interests on Earth. The citizens of Mars are hardworking, brave, and intelligent, but held back by their lack of access to the best education, and the desire of Earthly powers to keep the best inventions for themselves. The young Martians – the second and third generation born on Mars – have little loyalty to the Earth, and strong belief that their planet can be independent. The revolution begins slowly, but matures to its inevitable conclusion.

[up]

Dirisha Zuri – The Matadora

Books: Matadora (1986)
Series: Matador
Author: Steve Perry
Genre: Military Science Fiction
Publisher: Ace , Sphere

Matadora is new to me while Steve Perry is not, I read Target Earth before and it was quite enjoyable. This book is part of a longer series all covering the Matador’s revolution.

On some worlds, the name of Khadaji is a prayer for resistance fighters…

Khadaji… master warrior, martyr, legend. The one-man resistance to the Confed on Greaves. Known as “The Man Who Never Missed,” he only let himself be taken when he’d done what he’d set out to do. With his death, Khadaji became the inspiration and idol of students of martial arts everhwere.

Matador Villa… the training center for the best fighters in the galaxy, disciples of the great Khadaji. A rigorous program of political tactics and psychological warfare, physical discipline and martial force. A mysterious school on the planet Renault… its ultimate motives unknown.

Dirisha Zuri… a dangerous drifter, a dark-skinned beauty, Khadaji’s colleague. A ronin, whose expertise in body control and knowledge of the fighting arts drew the attention of Matador Villa. The school wanted her talents… and the galaxy desperately needed her deadly skills.

Matadora The legend of the Man Who Never Missed becomes the incredible mission of a single woman… The Matadora.

[up]

List

Miss anyone?

Read part 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | afterword

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Harmony (Harmony 1) by C. F. Bentley (Daw) Review

Books 1 Response »
Jul 292010

Title: Harmony
Series: Harmony 1
Author: C. F. Bentley (Irene Radford)
Genre: Military Science Fiction | Fantasy
Paperback: 480 pages
Publisher: Daw 2008

Order from: Daw | Amazon US | UK | B&N | sfbok

The launch of a brand new series that blends the best elements of science fiction and fantasy.

The world of Harmony, along with its close-knit colony planets, long ago isolated itself from the rest of the universe. But in a universe where the human-based Confederate Star System fleet finds itself hard-pressed to stand against ever-increasing attacks by the alien Marillon Empire, the Harmonic Empire cannot be left alone. For if the CSS cannot win an alliance with Harmony, the Marils will surely find a way to invade the planet and seize control of the unique and invaluable metal, which only the Harmonites can produce.

Yet invasion is far from the only threat the people of Harmony face. The gulf between rich and poor, rulers and ruled continues to widen, threatening to destroy the very structure of their society—while the planet itself is becoming increasingly unstable. In this time of crisis, one young woman

Information

The book is dedicated to Father Richard Toll and there is an excerpt from the sequel Enigma at the end of the book.

This is a book about a historical conspiracy and the pressure of change that will rip any static society apart.

The protagonists are Jake, a spy sent by mainstream humanity to obtain the secret of the Badger Metal and Sissy born with the mark of all seven castes, soon to become High Priestess of Harmony.

The Author

C. F. Bentley is a pseudonym Irene Radford uses for her science fiction novels. Harmony is the first novel by her I ever read but I think I will read more. From what it looks like she has written a number of fantasy books. The theme seems to be dragons and Merlin. More information on Irene’s homepage www.ireneradford.com.

World building

The Confederated Star System is at war with the alien Marillon Empire and they both need Badger Metal for their starships. Harmony is the only supplier which is why Jake is sent there to find out the secret on how to make it. Harmony is a seven world pocket empire that was founded by an earth cult. It closed its borders fifty years ago and they have had no outside contact ever since including no export of Badger Metal.

Harmony with its rigid cast society is like an onion of deception where we see layer after layer being stripped off. Marriages between casts are forbidden and when you are born into a cast (carry the cast mark) you are there for life.

The world is consistent, interesting and realistic even if it borders on on the absurd at times. There is a slight resemblance in feel from some Harry Harrison novels even if the world is much more complex here.

Plot

Jake used to be a fighter pilot before he screwed up and was saved by a secret intelligence organization that takes on space opera manners. There is sex very early in the novel but not very descriptive. He is first sent to The Lost Colony of Harmony (they broke of communication with their mother world and formed a new casteless society) to try to obtain an alternative to Badger Metal but it fails so he is sent to Harmony undercover as one of the Military Cast and he eventually end up as Sissy’s bodyguard.

Harmony is going through an unstable period with freaky weather and earthquakes which the cultists see as the planet being upset. Sissy is a mutant, born and raised by Worker parents but with all seven cast markings, usually that would make her an outcast of society to be eventually exterminated in one of their concentration camps/asylum but she hides it with cosmetics. During a catastrophic earthquake she discovers that she can channel its energy and commune with Harmony saving the city from destruction. The High Priest finds her and makes her the new High Priestess against the wishes of the former’s family who have had that title for generations. The High Priest thinks she will be easy to manipulate with her simple upbringing. He couldn’t be more wrong as she starts to put things right.

What follows is political intrigue, assassination attempts, deception but also revelation of the truth about their pasts. It is fast paced with unexpected twists and a lovely love story just like I like it.

Characterization

Jake is well developed with his doubt about the mission and the moral dilemma he faces. He is also appalled by the rigid caste society and the way the high casts manipulate the lower.

Sissy grows from ignorant worker to a formidable leader of her people. She is a strong believer in family and the high castes ways disgust her. You root for her from the beginning as she is so easy to love.

My View

There is a quite a bit of social commentary in this story and the characters, which makes it more than just a good rump. I like Harmony, it mixes military with space opera and romance in a fast flowing easy to read experience. It was also a damn fun book to read. I had to laugh out loud in delight at some of the twists the story took to the amusement of my dear ones. In conclusion Harmony is not great literature but it is a fun read which should please both readers of military science fiction, space opera and romance.

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Pathfinder (Major Ariane Kedros 3) by Laura E. Reeve (Roc)

Books 1 Response »
Jul 282010

Title: Pathfinder
Series: Major Ariane Kedros book 3
Author: Laura E. Reeve
Genre: Military Science Fiction
Paperback: 336 pages
Publisher: Roc 2010

Order from: Amazon US | UK | B&N | sfbok

Wars may end. But vengeance is forver.

Reserve Major Ariane Kedros needs a shot at redemption-and the mysterious aliens known as the Minoans need an extraordinary human pilot with a rejuv-stimulated metabolism like Ariane for a dangerous expedition to a distant solar system. But there’s a catch. The Minoans have to implant their technology in Ariane’s body, and it might not be removable. Ariane is willing, but as she begins the perilous journey, there is an old enemy hiding within the exploration team who is determined to see them fail…

Information

Major Ariane Kedros is back as the guilt ridden heroine here in a new book that is mostly about the aftermath of the last book where she saved the system from destruction when she pushed a terrorist temporal bomb into N-space where it went off.

The alien culture that gave humanity the temporal technology to reach the stars is called Minoans since they share symbols from the Greek equivalent. Generation ships travel from star to star setting up Temporal Buoys as they go binding worlds together with FTL travel.

The Consortium of Autonomous Worlds was formed by the outermost colonies and their war with the Terran Expansion League (XL) ended less than 20 years ago. Major Ariane Kedros was pilot on the ship that deployed the Temporal Displacement Weapon that ended the war. Now she and everyone in their line of command have been given new identities by the government. Terra has declared them all war criminals but her identity is known to some Terran officials and attempts have been made on her life. What really ended the war was the Minoans declaring Pax Minoan and outlawed the use of Temporal Displacement Weapons, and the humans damn better follow it.

The Author

Laura is a great world builder. Her Minoan Space is greatly influenced by Greek culture and the alien are alien. I really like the characterization in her books too. It took me a while before I started reading her first book Peacekeeper, the cover and everything said yet another military science fiction with the usual female protagonist, love story, alien artifacts, and bad memories from the war, misunderstood and under appreciated military until I started reading. Her books are nothing like that, her characters are real people and the society around them is plausible in a refreshingly new way.

World Building

We knew from before that the very advanced and old ancient race that is called the Minoans has been around a long time and here we learn more about them. This is something I like reading about, alien mysteries that are slowly revealed.

As usual much of the plot centers around politics and clandestine maneuvers in the dark by the main powers but there is a shift in this book over to something different.

Plot

Most of the ‘action’ in this book centers around the inquiry into what went on the last book. That might sound boring but it is not. Laura makes it all come to life and become interesting. It should be noted that she served as a Military Inspector.

All the fractions involved have their own hidden agendas even the Minoans and Ariane is at the center of it.

In the end of the book and far, far less than the synopsis make likely she takes on a mission involving yet another mysterious alien race called the Builders. The ones that built that powered down Temporal Buoy is of interests to the Minoans so they hire Ariane to go.

Much is revealed on that trip, there is a conspiracy to kill Ariane but this time there is something much bigger going on that will have consequences for the next couple of books.

Characterization

This is Laura’s strength, her characters pop out of the pages likable, lifelike, imperfect and driven. There is as usual a love story here between Ariane and her boss, but I am afraid we are in for the long run there.

The illegal AI they have in their ship is getting more and more interesting, I have this thing for sentient ships since Mutineers’ Moon.

My View

Pathfinder is a great military science fiction with a little less action than I expected especially since reading the synopsis that only feels like 15% right (this is not the writers fault, I blame the publishers for that). I continue to love the setting and the characters and can’t wait on the next book.

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The Unincorporated Man by Dani & Eytan Kollin (Review on TLR)

Books No Responses »
Jul 272010

Please read my review on Temple Library Review.

Title: The Unincorporated Man
Series: The Unincorporated Man book 1
Author: Dani & Eytan Kollin
Genre: Science Fiction
Paperback: 496 pages
Publisher: Tor (1st ed 2009)

Order From: Tor | Amazon US | UK | B&N | sfbok

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