The Ninth Circle (Tour of the Merrimack 5) by R. M. Meluch [Book Review]

Nov 282011

Sentient Mammoths, Foxes and Other Aliens

The Ninth Circle continues R. M. Meluch’s Tour of the U.S.S. Merrimack series. This is the fifth installment and the first in what looks like a new major arc into the origin of DNA based life.

Many of my favorite characters return with some well-deserved development but we also get to follow John Farragut’s younger brother with the same name in his new life as a Roman recruit, double exile and space pirate. He and his friend’s life in the ninth circle of hell as they see it is what gives this story its title.

Lieutenant Glenn Hamilton and Dr. Patrick Hamilton are on the planet Zoe on a research holiday when it becomes the focal point for the known galaxy. Life there is based on DNA just like we are. How that came to be is not answered in this book but there is enough resolution anyway.

There are some great scenes when Glenn and Patrick jump the fence and go native among the local sentients. Exploration and learning to know the world is something I enjoy reading about and here R.M. pull out all the stops. When the mammoths were attacked and the fox princess storyline are some of my highlights.

But there wouldn’t be a military science fiction unless there was some strife and battle. It so happens Zoe is under siege by some mysterious space traveling invaders which gets both U.S.S. Merrimack and others to the scene.

The Ninth Circle can probably be read alone but there are references and characters you will enjoy more if you start from the beginning. This is military space opera with a roman empire in conflict with the US of A. Pirates, first contact, ancient mysteries and assorted banter is an enjoyable mix I do recommend.

We can probably expect the next novel in 2012 although it has not been announced yet.

Book Information

The Ninth Circle (Tour of the Merrimack 5) by R. M. Meluch (Daw 2011) – us uk

On the distant world of Zoe, an expedition finds DNA-based life. When alien invaders are also discovered, Glenn Hamilton calls on the U.S.S. Merrimack for help. But the Ninth Circle and the Palatine Empire have also found Zoe. Soon everyone will be on a collision course to determine the fate of this planet.

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Daring (Kris Longknife 9) by Mike Shepherd [Book Review]

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Nov 032011

Bringing Neutronium to a Gun Fight

Kris Longknife is one of my guilty pleasures. It is about one of those Longknifes. Kris always gets into trouble usually on her grandfather’s instigation. She usually gets out of it by herself with the help of a few colorful friends. This time she teams up with her new frenemie Vicky who brings a few battleships to the alien exploration that Mike has teased us with the last two three books.

This is a turning-point novel in many respects in Kris life with her family, with society and with love. What I like with this series are the colorful characters and their bickering. That is me, I like bickering and colorful. Mike leaves the formula a bit with most of the novel taking place in space and out exploring in force. Earlier books usually contained a large planet bound (or station bound) cast.

Another fun thing is Nelly Kris sentient computer and her children. I know it is a gimmick but I love it. Kris also gets three long potent toys to play with. You will love it.

The whole alien mystery gets explored and we learn a bit of what is going on but the door is open for a lot more exploring and development in forthcoming books. The next book is named Furious (Ace October 2012) probably due to Kris state of mind.

I would place Daring above average in the series and well worth reading if you like this kind of thing.

Book information

Daring (Kris Longknife 9) by Mike Shepherd (Ace 2011) – Amazon US | UK

Lieutenant Commander Kris Longknife leads a Fleet of Discovery on a reconnaissance of the vast uncharted regions of space. No one, least of all Kris, expected them to find an alien starship, certainly not one that came out shooting. Faced with a shot first and ask no question situation, Kris shoots back, blowing the ship to bits.

Half a universe away from her superiors, facing a possible mutiny from officers insisting they retreat, Kris holds the fate of humanity in her hands as she struggles to determine the alien threat — and whether or not to start an intersteller war . . .

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Rogue (A Freehold novel) by Michael Z. Williamson [Book Review]

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Oct 182011

Futuristic Manhunt

Mikael Z. Williamson has a flair for military science fiction. Rogue is a standalone sequel to The Weapon. Kenneth Chiniran led Freehold’s Special Forces attack on Earth that turned the war around. But instead of returning a hero he disappeared using his training to start a new peaceful life with the daughter that he brought back from Earth. He is hunted by guilt, not so unreasonable when the attack he led killed billions.

The beginning of the story reminded me of Freehold (my favorite Williamson novel). Kenneth has a wonderful relationship with his daughter and the people around them. Michael also paints a brief picture of the fascinating Freehold society which is painted as something of a utopia. I want to go back and reread Freehold again.

The past catches up to him when one of his pupils goes Rogue as an assassin for hire. Kenneth Chiniran has to take farewell to his very competent but young daughter and go on the hunt. He gets interesting company on the journey and we get to experience a couple of different planets and assassination attempts before the final confrontation.

Rogue won’t win any literary prices but it is a very enjoyable military romp. The characters might be a bit stereotypical but oh so enjoyable and I found myself rooting for them all. The military exploits is more on the anti-terrorist level. As usual there is a bit of sexual tension, ultra violence, gadgets and weapons.

Rogue is a thrilling and fun read I can warmly recommend especially if you like uncomplicated military science fiction.

Book Information

Rogue (A Freehold novel) by Michael Z. Williamson (Baen 2011) – Amazon US | UK

Kenneth Chinran commanded the elite unit assigned to take out an entire planet in a terrible war. Millions died; billions more perished in the aftermath. One doesn’t send a sociopath on such a mission. A sociopath might not stop. Chinran did stop – but in the process nearly lost his sanity and his soul.

But one of Chinran’s men was a sociopath going in. Now he’s a trained sociopath with the knowledge and firepower to take out entire tactical teams, evaporate through security cordons and change identity at will. Who do you send after a killer like that? There’s only one answer: the man who trained him. The man who made him.

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Germline (The Subterrene War Trilogy 1) by T.C. McCarthy (Orbit)

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Aug 162011

Gritty and Painfully Realistic

There is something I like with war correspondents. This is the second book about one this year that I have been impressed by.

Oscar Wendell is down on his luck, addicted to drugs but assigned to be the first reporter allowed to the frontline when the story starts. I have seldom read a story so gritty and painfully realistic about war as this one given of course it is military science fiction.

In the near future wars are fought over metals in the earth crust. The soldiers fight deep underground to protect miners and no one fight more fiercely than the genetics or the Gs as they are called here.

We follow Oscar on a personal journey through different battlefields as he is changed by battle and strife. It is so intense and emotional at times that I can believe myself being there feeling what he feels.

The Gs on the US side are all female so there is the obvious and welcome love connection for Oscar but not without its problems as these soldiers have been created with a best before date and feed a belief system making themselves want to die on their 18th birthday. At first only the US forces have Gs but that soon changes as does the success in the war.

Not all the action takes place underground. We get to experience war from many different sides before the satisfying conclusion. Even though it is mostly about the characters Germline has some interesting technologies and gadgets. Like the battle armor and plasma grenades.

Germline is the first in a trilogy of standalone books that view the Subterrene war from different points of views. The next one Exogene is about one of the Gs and it will be out in March next year.

T. C. McCarthy impresses the hell out of me with this hard-hitting debut. Germline is a gritty and painfully realistic military science fiction that can stand on its own against the best in the genre. It is dark but also very personal up close. If you have the slightest interest in war stories you should read this.

You might also want to read The Big Idea: T. C. McCarthy over at Whatever for more background.

Book information

Germline (The Subterrene War Trilogy 1) by T.C. McCarthy (Orbit) – review copy – Amazon US | UK

Germline (n.) the genetic material contained in a cellular lineage which can be passed to the next generation. Also: secret military program to develop genetically engineered super-soldiers (slang).

War is Oscar Wendell’s ticket to greatness. A reporter for The Stars and Stripes, he has the only one way pass to the front lines of a brutal war over natural resources buried underneath the icy, mineral rich mountains of Kazakhstan.

But war is nothing like he expected. Heavily armored soldiers battle genetically engineered troops hundreds of meters below the surface. The genetics-the germline soldiers-are the key to winning this war, but some inventions can’t be un-done. Some technologies can’t be put back in the box.

Kaz will change everything, not least Oscar himself. Hooked on a dangerous cocktail of adrenaline and drugs, Oscar doesn’t find the war, the war finds him.

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Dreadnaught (Beyond the Frontier 1) by Jack Campbell [Book Review]

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Jun 212011

Slow start and ends in a cliffhanger

Black Jack Geary slept for a hundred years in a defunct life pod only to be rescued by a doomed fleet trapped behind enemy lines. Against all odds he bought them home and found love at the same time. That was the story told in the six novels in the Lost Fleet series.

The Alliance Government is not happy with the returning heroes and half his own fleet plot to make him tyrant. So when he returns from his honeymoon they give him the fleet and send him off to the other side of the syndic empire against the aliens they now know started the war.

Beyond the Frontier is a new series that brings back most of the fleet and characters from the earlier series. The politics inside the fleet continues to be a challenge to Black John Geary and his new wife.

It starts off a bit slow with a few skirmishes in the middle and more major fighting at the end. You should be warned that the book ends in a cliffhanger but the next volume should be out next spring.

I have had great expectations on the aliens since the last three or four books. But don’t expect too much revelation in the first book. I withhold judgment until I have seen more of them but the little we learn is interesting.

This is more of the same as in Lost Fleet and I was a bit disappointed in the pacing. Dreadnaught was a fast and enjoyable read even so and I will certainly get the next book. I recommend that you read the Lost Fleet before this one.

Book Information

Dreadnaught (Lost Fleet: Beyond the Frontier 1) by Jack Campbell (Ace 2011) – Amazon US | UK

The Alliance woke Captain John “Black Jack” Geary from cryogenic sleep to take command of the fleet in the century-long conflict against the Syndicate Worlds. Now Fleet Admiral Geary’s victory has earned him the adoration of the people-and the enmity of politicians convinced that a living hero can be a very inconvenient thing.

Geary knows that members of the military high command and the government question his loyalty to the Alliance and fear his staging a coup-so he can’t help but wonder if the newly christened First Fleet is being deliberately sent to the far side of space on a suicide mission.

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