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.

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 . . .

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.

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.

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.

A new John Ringo book is something I enjoy and look forward to. The story flows smoothly with catchy edgy characters and a bit of bickering dialogue. It reminds me of times when life was easier at the same time it woos me with shiny science fiction paraphernalia.

The Hot Gate is the third novel in the Troy Rising series. The feisty female pilot Comet is the main point of view character once again even if Tyler Vernon comes in as close second. We also get inside the heads of some of the alien commanders which I like. Earth is under siege and huge battle stations guard the wormgate. Attack after attack has been beaten off but the aliens are getting smarter. If that was not enough wait until you see what meets Comets when she transferes to a new squadron. There are interesting cultural clashes with southern American male culture as well as some bigoted warriors that see any woman without cover as a whore. Unfortunately for them they tell Comet to her face. This all works out the American way but not quite. The not quite is an important difference. Overall John is rather mellowed in his political undertones compared to many others in the military science fiction bracket.

I like the main character to be in trouble and overcome problems. That is exactly what John Ringo does. The main arc is her new leadership challenge but Comet also has time for an interesting relationship development and some girl talk with a loopy AI before the Hot Gate. This wouldn’t be complete without a great space battle and what a space battle it is. It is a fiery forge that test the mettle of humanity’s newest battle station. You will get your fill of lingo, trash talk and weapon discharges.

Troy Rising is supposed to be on the pulp and humor side of the genre I love built as it is on Howard Tayler’s Schlock Mercenary’s Universe (please check it out)  a couple of thousand years before the comic. It’s all done with consent, but the author calls it a rip-off. The cartoons are quite funny and they portray aliens and humans quite alike with the same kind of motivations and life, for good and bad. But it works for me, both there and here.

The Hot Gate is clever characters bickering and bashing aliens like in the good old days. What’s not to love? I wonder when the new one will be out?

Book Information

My reviews of Live Free or Die (Baen 2010) and Citadel (Baen 2011).

The Hot Gate (Troy Rising 3) by John Ringo – Baen (2011) – Amazon US | UK

he fight to free the Earth from alien domination began in Live Free or Die, and continued in Citadel. Now Tyler Vernon, and his troops aboard the gigantic battle station Troy, face a desperate battle with the forces of galactic tyranny. And the very survival of the Earth and its people is not all that is at stake. The galaxy itself must choose to live free or die-and if the tyrants win this battle, darkness will fall across the galaxy for millennia to come.

This is a classic pulp fiction about young spacer John Grimes fresh out of the academy. He is confronted with reality on his first trip. He meets peoples from the Rim Worlds that are feed up with the lack of support and protection from the core worlds against pirates and opportunistic warlords. When they meet up with another trader who just suffered a pirate attack from the Waldegrenese he should follow regulations and wait on military assistance but that is hard to do with a damsel in distress.

The characters are more than a bit two-dimensional and archetypical but it was good fun reading. The ingenuity and pioneer spirit of the Rim world rebels are expected and reminds me of other patriotic stories. Another thing that differs from the norm is damsel in distress love story. I think this story survived the times pretty well.

This is also a good example of a common trope in science fiction – the American revolution. The new world/Rim secedes from the old world. It is about to happen in the near future here and guess on whose side John Grimes is going to be.

I am very happy I bought this omnibus from Baen, two more are scheduled for this year First Command (August) and Galactic Courier (December) I am sure to get.

Book Information

The Road to the Rim (The John Grimes Saga book 1 read as part of To the Galactic Rim Omnibus) by A. Bertram Chandler (Baen 2011, 1st 1967) – Bought from Amazon US | UK

Meet John Grimes at the very beginning of a career that will lead him to fame and glory out at the edge of the galaxy, out where the laws of men are nonexistent, and those of nature itself are sometimes tenuous.

Someday Grimes will be a Commodore in the secessionist Rim Worlds Navy, but for now he is merely a very junior Lieutenant in another space navy entirely, that of the Federation. If he keeps his nose clean, one day he can be an Admiral in that Service, all he has to do is follow regulations regardless of the consequences, and obey orders regardless of whether they are right or wrong—and he is determined to do just that.

But being John Grimes, he will find it a more difficult task than he expects-especially when he must turn a blind eye to the piratical acts of the Waldegrenese Navy, or ignore the plight of a beauteous damsel in distress. That’s why, although he doesn’t know it yet, he is already on

I got this as recommendation from a commentator. It is a classic pulp fiction. In this universe humanity has colonized the stars through wormholes. But then a massive star, Antares goes supernova and disrupts them, closes some and creates new connections.

The human colonist on Alta looses all contact with the rest of humanity that fateful day in 2512. Now more than a century later a huge warship appears out of the wormhole. It is has extensive battle-damage and the crew is dead. There is obviously a war going on and if one ship can come through the ones who did that to the ship could be next. This is a potential threat to the colony so they decide something has to be done.

The protagonists are Captain Lieutenant Richard Drake and Bethany Lindquist, the niece of the mostly ceremonial ambassador from Earth on Alta. There is a beautiful story of duty in how the Ambassador and his descendants keep the office running for a century without contact with the home office.

In many respects the story reminds me of stories by David Weber, Ian McDonald and John Ringo where aliens tries to exterminate the human race. There is a more human twist to it here though.

This first book in the Antares trilogy describes how the lost colony ventures out and learn something of what have happened outside their home system the last century. I will not spoil the details of the story but there are xenophobic aliens, mysterious ruins and a love story you will enjoy.

The colony’s political and social life is interesting and ties into the story. The traditional foolish politicians of military science fiction are there to a certain extent. I like the way the political life ties in to the lives of the protagonists and their social life.

Antares Dawn was a fun science fiction read I enjoyed a lot. It is fast paced and the twists and turns kept me interested. The characters are okay but not very deep but I found I was rooting for them anyway. This might not be for anyone but if you like pulp and military science fiction you will most certainly find this good.

Book information

Antares Dawn (Antares 1) by Michael McCollum (Sci Fi Arizona 2009) – Bought from Amazon US |  UK

When the supergiant star Antares exploded in 2512, the human colony on Alta found their pathway to the stars gone, isolating them from the rest of human space for more than a century. Then one day, a powerful warship materialized in the system without warning. Alarmed by the sudden appearance of such behemoth, the commanders of the Altan Space Navy dispatched one of their most powerful ships to investigate. What ASNS Discovery finds when they finally catch the intruder is a battered hulk manned by a dead crew.

That is disturbing news for the Altans. For the dead battleship could easily have defeated the whole of the Altan navy. If it could find Alta, then so could whoever it was that beat it. Something would have to be done.

From Vulcan and Back Again

This is my first contact with Sten, his universe and the authors that created him. Sten has been recommended in comments to My Top Military Science Fiction Series posts so I had pretty high expectations going in.

Young Karl Sten witnesses his parents being killed in an industrial cover up, they where indentured workers or debt slaves to the company that runs the heavy Industrial planet Vulcan.  He rebels and has to run away and joins the youth gangs, that literary live in the crack of the system. Vulcan is a high-g world with poisonous atmosphere so the only place humans can survive is in the metal world of the company.

That part of the story is much of a coming of age story which is something I am rather fond of. The authors use it to establish Sten’s background. He is a survivor, a thinking smart survivor with a bone to pick with the company and the man responsible for his family’s death.

One night Sten saves a man from the guards and that is going to change his life forever. Without spoiling too much I can say that he takes him under his wings and bring him off planet and into the military and eventually back again.

The pacing is good and the action scenes vivid. The social structures and the characters are rather simple in comparison, some of it can be explained by the social settings on a slave labor planet and the military but I expected more. It doesn’t ruin the book for me, far from it but don’t read this expecting deep characters. This is simple entertaining action and the best parts are the battles and the suspense that builds before them.

I liked Sten. It didn’t exactly rock my world but if you take it for what it is it a fun read. It is also the first book in a concluded series, Sten Chronicles consist of eight novels and I have read three of them so far. This omnibus from Orbit is a great introduction with the first three novels I can recommend if you take it for what it is and can live with plain entertaining military space opera.

Book information

Battlecry: Sten Omnibus 1 (Sten, The Wolf Worlds, The Court of a Thousand Suns) by Cris Bunch & Allan Cole (Orbit 2010) – I bought this copy on Amazon UK

Vulcan is a factory planet: centuries old, Company run, ugly as sin and unfeeling as death. Vulcan breeds just two types of native – complacent or tough. Sten is tough.

When his family is killed in a mysterious accident, Sten rebels, harassing the Company from the metal world’s endless maze-like warrens. It’s a fool’s errand, of course – no man can stand against the might of the Company and expect to live. But Sten isn’t just any man.

From the corrupt and brutal factories of Vulcan to the plots and intrigues of the Imperial Court, the galaxy is about to come face to face with the ultimate warrior. Sten’s already learned how to survive – now he wants more; he wants control of his own destiny. And he’ll do whatever it takes to get it.

No compromise, no retreat, no surrender. Only Sten.

We are on Eighty-Six, a planet with a peace-keeping operation that might be the first real war in an interstellar cold war. Lex Falk is an acclaimed and seasoned war correspondent and he sees straight through the stonewalling from the military. Determined to find out the truth he allows himself to be embedded in the mind of one of the soldiers fighting the insurgency. But the soldier takes a bullet under the eye that scrambles his brain and the only thing keeping him alive is Falk who has to survive the ambush and get them out.

I enjoyed how the military tried to control the media and Falk’s inner commentary as well as his interaction with his fellow journalists. There are some obvious contemporary commentary embedded in this novel about the military and the media. He comes across some old friends and he rekindles his friendship with them in a way that makes me want to know more of his previous life and paints a picture of the universe in an elegant way without using info dumps. There is also this initially annoying but tenacious young rookie out on her first assignment that we see evolve as the story goes along.

Falk himself has a serious case of ennui in the beginning but as the going gets though he gets going. His character reminded me in some ways of Humphrey Bogart or someone out of a Hemingway novel. Falk is reasonable competent as a soldier and his personal flaws make him human. He has to keep up appearance with the soldiers he comes across while he brings his man home from enemy territory. Layer after layer of what is going on is revealed as they hike. The military action is up personal and you keep guessing what is really going on and when you think you know you are wrong. I had all kinds of theories up until we saw Embedded revealed.

Dan Abnett is an author that knows his craft and the story is easy to read and I had trouble putting the book down. Now I don’t know why I haven’t read anything of him before because this was really good. I have this general principle of not getting involved in TV or game tie-ins but I am seriously considering Dan’s Warhammer 40k novels.

Embedded has character, personality, action, combat, mysteries and a love interest. It fulfills my high expectations and makes me hungry for more. This is a standalone novel and the ending is conclusive but I can’t avoid wishing for more stories about Falk and the universe herein. I wonder if Dan Abnett has written any more stories in this universe.

Information

Title: Embedded
Author: Dan Abnett
Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: Angry Robot (2011)
Copy: Review copy
Order from: Amazon US | UK

The stunning military science fiction novel from the New York Times bestselling author of Prospero Burns.

The colony planet of Eighty-Six looks as dull as all its fellow new worlds to veteran journalist Lex Falk, but when a local squabble starts to turn violent, and the media start getting the runaround from the military high command, his interest is seriously piqued.

Forbidden from approaching the battlezone, he gets himself chipped inside the head of a combat veteran – and uncovers the story of a lifetime. When the soldier is killed, however, Falk must use all his resourcefulness to get back home again… and blow the lid off the whole damn thing.

FILE UNDER: Science Fiction [ Future War | Breaking News | A Dead Host | Long Way Home

Ian Douglas likes the theme of humanity against a huge galactic empire where the American military by human ingenuity and flexibility overcomes both the aliens and the stupid civilian administration that tries to lead them astray. The civilians are not so over the top stupid this time but that is not to say they are smart.

Center of Gravity starts in the aftermath of Earth Strike and Admiral Alexander Koenig and his crew are officially the heroes that saved the day. The closeness of it all scares the political leadership so much that they want to pull more forces back to defend earth, a posture that would put the center of gravity of the conflict right on top of earth. Admiral Koenig knows a strong defense is futile against an aggressor with overwhelming resources. He has to take the initiative and bring the fight to the Sh’daar. He eventually gets a reduced task force he has to sneak away with fully knowing that an order to stay and bolster earth defenses is only hours away.

As usual in Ian Douglas series the focus is on the military actions with vivid descriptions of combat and what is happening with the people involved including the alien point of view. The humans are a bit bland compared to the aliens’ interesting psychology. Ian introduces a few more races and starts to reveal more about the Sh’daar, the mystic race leading the galactic empire and their motivation behind the edict against transcendence technologies that started the war.

The humans all have their struggles beside the obvious military ones Alexander struggles with the death of Karyn Mendelson in the recent destruction of the synchorbital military base Phobia above Mars while Lieutenant Trevor Gray struggles both with prejudices against Prims and his feelings for Angela who he had to enroll for to pay for the treatment that saved her life but also made her another person, a person not in love with him.

Center of Gravity was all in all an enjoyable read but it is on familiar grounds. I hope Ian Douglas deviate more from the formula in forthcoming books. I still want to read the next book No Return when it comes out in 2012.

Information

Ian Douglas is a pen name for William H. Keith.

Title: Center of Gravity
Series: Star Carrier book 2
Author: Ian Douglas
Genre: Military Science Fiction
Paperback: 389 pages
Publisher: Harper Voyager (2011)
Order from: Amazon US | UK
Copy: bought it from Amazon

In the evolution of every sentient race, there is a turning point when the species achieves transcendence through technology.

The warlike Sh’daar are determined that this monumental milestone will never be achieved by the creatures known as human.

On the far side of known human space, the Marines are under siege, battling the relentless servant races of the Sh’daar aggressor. With a task force stripped to the bone and the Terran Confederation of States racked by dissent, rogue Admiral Alexander Koenig must make the momentous decision that will seal his fate and the fate of humankind. A strong defensive posture is futile, so Koenig will seize the initiative and turn the gargantuan Star Carrier America toward the unknown. For the element of surprise is the only hope of stalling the Sh’daar assault on Earth’s solar system—and the war for humankind’s survival must be taken directly to the enemy.

The second book in Troy Rising focuses on Dana Parker; a young Engineering Apprentice just arrived on Troy, the huge battle station that saved humanity’s behind in Live Free or Die. And I like the way the author uncovers the wonders and the engineering work to make the station battle ready.

In the first book Tyler Vernon a cartoonist and jack of all trades fought the Maple war, launched space mirrors, went to the stars and back, liberated earth from the Horvath and forged Troy. Tyler figures in this novel too but not as prominently. He is the driving force behind the defense of earth though and the author don’t miss many chances on demonstrating how ineffectual the government is and how much more effectual private enterprise is. But he never passes over to political agitation that others in this bracket does. I really don’t know why I had to tell you that now since this ought to be an entertaining read whatever your political affiliation is.

The second wave of trouble is about to hit earth as the Rangora Empire attack and crushes Earth’s only ally. It becomes a race of time and buildup where Tyler’s unconventional technical solutions are Humanity’s last hope of survival. So we watch a bit from Tylers perspective but experience it under the skin of a formidable female protagonist (I have to make a new post soon). I like the way the two POV complement each other. That worked really well for me. John Ringo writes likeable characters with some depth. The alien POV is always a nice touch.

The part about spacesuits and space safety got a bit tedious but otherwise I have no major complains on this book.

Earth threatened by alien invasion and genocide and a few special individuals stand between us and total destruction or slavery has been done often in military space opera but John Ringo brings his own flavor to the table and it is fun, fast and enjoyable. I doubt it would win any literary prizes but who cares. I can’t wait on the next book in the series The Hot Gate out in May this year.

Information

Title: Citadel
Series: Troy Rising book 2
Author: John Ringo
Genre: Military Space Opera
Hardcover: 389 pages
Publisher: Baen (2010)
Order from: Amazon US | UK

Of all the hosts of Eurotas the Troias were the most fell. For they were born of Winter.

Between the Solar Array Pumped Laser and Troy, the two trillion ton nickel-iron battlestation created by eccentric billionaire Tyler Vernon, Earth has managed to recapture the Sol system from their Horvath conquerors and begin entering the galactic millieu.

But when the Rangora Empire rapidly crushes humanity’s only ally it becomes clear the war is just beginning. At the heart of nickel iron and starlight are the people, Marines, Navy and civilians, who make Troy a living, breathing, engine of war. Survivors of apocalypse, they know the cost of failure.

If this Troy falls, no one will be left to write the epic.

Citadel continues the saga begun in Live Free or Die, following the paths of several characters during the first years of The Spiral Arm Wars culminating in the First Battle of E Eridani.

This is an anthology of short stories that almost works as a complete novel telling the story of an counter insurgency campaign in the Pollo Mountains from the point of view of the people in Troop A, 2/4 Cavalry. First Lieutenant Karen Juniper leads her unit as a professional soldier through the mission that also involves testing out a new tactical transport vehicle.

I am usually not fond of short stories but for me it works quite well here since they tell parts of the same story even if the main story gets a bit unconnected at times but Karen as a character keeps it well together. What appealed to me most with the stories is that they are told by someone with real experience. It was an easy read; I plowed through it in one day.

You know I am a character reader and I found the characters and their interaction believable and sometimes intriguing. They feel like human beings most of the time even if they lack some dept (Mind you this is short stories, not a novel). Karen is no super soldier and she has her doubts and makes mistakes too.

It is not David Drake quality but it is quite decent fan fiction with a core of real experience in it. I will probably read more by Eric Johnson in the future.

Title: A New Hope
Series: A Troop, 2/4 Cavalry
Universe: David Drake’s Hammer Slammers (with permission)
Author: Eric Johnson
Genre: Military Science Fiction
Kindle e-book:  413 kb
Publisher: Self published (2010)
Copy: Review copy from the author

Order from: Amazon US

Based in the universe created by David Drake (with his permission) A New Hope chronicles, in anthology format the exploits of A Troop, 2/4 Cavalry. Designed to solely test out a new type (though of old ideas) of vehicles and tactics, the troopers are challenged by an insurgency campaign set in the mountainous Pollo Mountains.

Based off of some experiences from past conflicts, to include my tour in Afghanistan.

NOTE: This is in no way connected to Star Wars, even though it has the same title as the first movie. IT IS used in the Hammers Slammers universe. .

Eric’s Blurb on Goodreads: First off, it’s an extrapolation of my tour in Afghanistan set in a futuristic setting, set on the planetary colony of New Hope. A criminal gang, resorted to an insurgency campaign in order to fight the government. Naturally most national militaries aren’t as trained as the more numerous and capable mercenary units, what we call PMCs today. Some of the events covered are experiences that I experienced during my tour there, as well as some from other units, events in history that I felt would make a good adaptation, as well as some situations that were completely made up, but that is rare. A short abstract starts off the event, and then the story follows. So it has some personal views, experiences that I did my best to transcribe in a different way, given the universe that David Drake started with Hammer’s Slammers, in which my stories are set, just in a different way.The basic gist is a set of chronicles of short stories that are done in chronilogical order, unlike a novel format. I prefer this format compared to the novel format, as it to me, “highlights” the more important events over a nine month period. Towards the end are other “independent” events that came to mind after I completed the main campaign.And including the other editors, thanks to Karen Paulaskis and Chester Moore in their help with this e-book

They promoted Kris to commodore and gave her the command over the fleet of pirate hunters outside the Rim. First they stumble on a little pirate  operation and the hunt for their base of operation leads her straight to a heavy industrialized world inside her family’s old enemies the Peterwald’s sphere of interests.

This is just what the doctor ordered a good military space opera romp with secret conspiracies, freedom fighters, pirates and damn good retribution.

There is a bit less interpersonal shenanigans in this book as the personal stuff centers on her relationship with the Peterwalds. Remember she saved the life of their head of state in an assassination attempt a while back. Turning a coup attempt into civil war and a purge of their old and unreliable security apparatus. Here she reaps some of the the fruit of her labors .

I enjoyed it immensely but this is the second novel Mike teases an alien threat. Mike, no more suspense and procrastinating in sideshows please. Tell me Kris will take a look at this mystery, please.

Next book in the series, Daring is on contract for next year. I expect it next Fall.

Title: Redoubtable
Series: Kris Longkrife 8
Author: Mike Shepherd
Paperback: 336 pages
Publisher: Ace (2010)

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Lieutenant Commander Kris Longknife has precise orders: seek out, engage, and destroy pirates, slavers, and drug lords operating beyond the rim of human space-without interfering in Peterwald family affairs. But when slavers kidnap a twelve-year-old girl, Kris’s mission becomes personal. And if destroying the pirate compound flattens some Peterwald interests-well, to hell with politics.

Children No More

Rebels and equally dubious government officials are willing to use children as soldiers in their war and Jon and Lobo are hired to free the child-soldiers during an interstellar inspection when they are all hidden away in a secluded rebel base. They are hired by a group of former mercenary colleges lead by Alissa Lim for the attack so their job is done when the camp is secured and the government troops deployed around the camp for protection while Alissa’s group starts to rehabilitate the children, but Jon stays on deeply affected by the situation which is lucky since the government on this banana republic planet is about as trustworthy as far as you can throw their fat behinds.

Maggie Park the woman Jon once thought was the love of his life is funding Alissa’s group. She represents The Children of Pinkelponker and their interest is to save one particular kid in the group but we are never told who. But she is not the only old friend that returns. Jon also hires Slanted Jack to help with the government official. It is quite a spectacular con job that they use to defuse the situation.

Jon remembers his life on Pinkelponker after his sister was taken away and he was dumped on an island with other failed mutations. He is turned into a young killer much like children in the camp by Benny the camp leader. That’s why he can relate so well to the children. It affects him deeply emotionally and it is great character development.

Jon’s relation both with Lobo and Maggie Park is well developed and presented. I feel a deeper connection with the characters in this book than in previous books. In many ways it is a more ‘mature’ story and not only because of the subject matter.

Children should be allowed to be children and never have to fight in war but if they do ‘it is not their fault’ is the message of this heedful novel. I thought it was great because of the message and because of the character development. We learn how Jon become the man he is today something I wanted to know since book one. Children No More gets a warm recommendation; it is both good action and a good deed.

Information

Title: Children No More
Series: Jon & Lobo 4
Author: Mark L. van Name
Genre: Military Science Fiction
Paperback: 400
Publisher: Baen 2010
Copy: Bought from Amazon

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No child should ever be a soldier.

Jon Moore knew that better than most, having learned to fight to survive before he’d hit puberty. So when a former comrade, Alissa Lim, asks for his help in rescuing a group of children pressed into service by rebels on a planet no one cares to save, he agrees. Only later does he realize he’s signed up to do far more than he’d ever imagined.

Jon’s commitment hurtles him and Lobo, the hyper-intelligent assault vehicle who is his only real friend, into confrontations with the horrors the children have experienced and with a dark chapter from his past. The mission grows ever more complicated as they deal with:

• An assault on a rebel fortress deep in the jungle
• A government whose full agenda is never clear
• A woman Jon once loved and who still loves him–but who will sacrifice anything for her cause
• The best con man they’ve ever known
• And, toughest of all, their own demons, as we learn for the first time what happened after his home planet’s government yanked Jon’s sister out of his life

Jon and Lobo rush straight into the darkness at the heart of humanity to save a group of child soldiers—and then face an even tougher challenge:

When we’ve trained our children to kill, what do we do with them when the fighting is over?

Because the plight of these children is so near to the author, he is donating 100% of his hardback proceeds (including his advance) to a non-profit that helps to reintegrate children soldiers in the Congo. For every hardback book that sells, Falling Whistles will get a donation from the author. (fallingwhistles.com). For more details, please see childrennomore.com

The Jon & Lobo Series

1. One Jump Ahead
2. Slanted Jack
3. Overthrowing Heaven

The plot is mainly about Zak Cato a Xeno which is some kind of elite paramilitary police force of empaths. He is something of a misfit in his outfit because he drinks and fails to show the proper respect but he loses his whole team when an opportunistic planetary leader decides to liberate and use his shape shifting prisoner to assassinate a powerful imperial envoy. Zak is the only one that can stop him since he was away buying supplies when the raiders came. OK, he might have been drinking too.

Now he has to catch the shape shifter again and foil the conspiracy against the Empire that is brewing on the planet (Why do you think they have to kill a snoopy envoy for else?).

He sets himself against some avian barbarian clans and a planetary governor with a sinister plot but mostly against a shape shifter out to get him and any other humans he can get a bite off.

It is kind of a mix of military scifi, a lone star sheriff hunting his man and barbarian planet adventure and I can’t say that it is great literature, most of the characters are rather two dimensional but it is a fun read, good action with a little romance. It also has a nice humor that at times reminds me a little of Harry Harrison and the Stainless Steel Rat even if it is never that over the top ironic.

If you are down on your dose of military science fiction and want something new and maybe with a slightly different angle At Empire’s Edge might be the right book for you but don’t expect extensive world building or complex characters this is fun uncomplicated warrior action.

Information

Title: At Empire’s Edge
Series: Zak Cato
Author: William C. Dietz
Genre: Military Science Fiction
Hard Cover: 320 pages
Publisher: Ace 2009
Copy: Bought by me from Amazon

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In a far-distant future, the Uman Empire has spread to the stars and beyond, conquering and colonizing worlds, ruling with a benevolent-but iron-fist. The Pax Umana reigns, and all is well. But on one planet, the remnants of a violent, shape-shifting race called the Sagathis are confined, kept captive by xeno-cops, who have been bio-engineered to be able to see through their guises. Still, sometimes one manages to escape.

Zak Cato is a xeno-cop. He’s returning a fugitive Sagathi when things go horribly wrong. Cato- the only survivor after the rest of his men are slaughtered-must now figure out who betrayed them and bring the alien in, whatever the cost.

It is a about Alexandra McLaughlin a Navy commander who have had to jump out, leaving friends and comrades behind to warn Earth of a Xan-Sskarn surprise attack. She is riddled with survivor’s guilt but determined to pay the aliens back. But there is a human traitor on the loose and the Xan-Sskarn victories starts to threaten the very survival of the human race. Eventually she might be the only one standing between them and eternal slavery or extinction.

There is some world building but not very extensive instead it is the characters that stand out. Patrick spends a lot of time honing out Alexandra and she is really good. There are some other memorable characters like Barbie the fighter pilot and her new team mates. The Marine Recon squad is also pretty awesome and interesting character wise. I hope we will get to know their background a little more in the next book as they come across a bit shallow in this book.

With a little more effort into the world building this would have been an awesome debut instead of just a very good one. On the other hand this is a book about a war and not about the lives of civilians so I guess Patrick might have made a good choice with dwelling further into leadership problems, staff meetings and the occasional military party.

Ragnarok is a fitting name on this book because in a way it is much more that than I expected and the ending did surprise me a bit even if it felt very satisfying, I want to read the second book in this series soon but I have no idea when it will be out.

Information

Title: Ragnarok
Series: Xan-Sskarn War book 1
Author: Patrick A. Vanner
Genre: Military Science Fiction | Space Opera
Paperback:  352 pages
Publisher: Baen 2010
Copy: Brought from Amazon

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Captain Alexandra “Alex” McLaughlin is not a woman to be underestimated. Under her petite exterior is a spine of solid steel and a disposition to laugh in the face of impending death. A former member of the Terran Navy’s elite force, the Dead Jokers, electronic-warfare pilots with a mortality rate to match that of old Japan’s Kamikazes, Alex is a born survivor. But sometimes survival can be a curse.

Humanity is locked in a war of survival with the Xan-Sskarn, an alien race that refuses to acknowledge the rights of “weaker” creatures to live. It is a war that will not end with a peace treaty, but only the complete subjugation of one species to the other. And right now, the alien side is winning.

However, the enemy on the outside is not the only one to be faced. As the battles take on an eerily familiar pattern of no-win scenarios, Alex realized the horrifying truth; humanity has a traitor, and it’s somebody close. As each battle brings more death, Alex’s ghosts grow and so does her desire for vengeance. There is only one way for this to end, and Alex is just the human to take it there—to Ragnarok.

There is a bit more world building here but the mysteries from the earlier books are not explained further. Instead we peek into the life of the salvage-operators that have been living on the fringes of society but with Tanya Huff we get the personal touch. They are visiting Craig’s family. The characterization is getting better and better. I miss the military jargon and banter from earlier books but that is to be expected from civilians.

Torin and Craig try to make a life for themselves but Pirates intervene. Craig is taken and Torrin is left for dead. The kidnapping scene is vivid and well executed. I really feel what Craig and Torrin are going through. Torrin is my hero but Craig does a good job here too. That is good for equality, we can’t let the women have all the glory.

Kidnapped by Pirates, what would you do?

Torrin has a journey of discovery of more than tracking down the pirates. Different parts of society start to come to life. I would very much like Tanya to return with more stories in this universe because it is damn interesting. She keeps the ‘world building’ to what is relevant for the story and the characters at hand. That helps with the pacing and the flow of the story but I would not mind an info dump or two.

The Truth of Valor is different from the previous books in the respect that it is not a military setting. Torrin doesn’t get to ‘assist’ the officers and to lead the troops. This is something I really have enjoyed in this series but it feels right to do something more personal and close this time. Don’t worry too much though. Torrin gets to lead some soldiers before it is over. The final confrontation is really satisfying and I think this is a book I will go back to again just to catch the feeling.

The new Valor book lives up to my expectations and it was hard to put down. I read it in one go. Some books are like that, you start to read and suddenly it is the middle of the night. I would still classify it as a military science fiction and I guess you can read this pretty much standalone but I would start with Valor’s Choice for the experience and the wonderful dialog.

Information

Title: The Truth of Valor
Series: Confederation of Valor book 5
Author: Tanya Huff
Genre: Military Science Fiction
Hardcover: 368 pages
Publisher: Daw 2010
Copy: Bought by me from Amazon

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Former Marine Gunnery Sergeant Torin Kerr is attempting to build a new life with salvage operator Craig Ryder on his ship, the Promise. Turns out civilian life is a lot rougher than she’d imagined-salvage operators are losing both cargo and lives to pirates. And when they attack the Promise, Craig is taken prisoner and Torin is left for dead.

When Torin finds out why the pirates needed Craig, she calls in the Marines to get him back-and to stop the pirates from changing the balance of power in known space.

Related Posts

The Confederation of Valor Series

1. Valor’s Choice
2. Better Part of Valor
3. The Heart of Valor
4. Valor’s Trial
5. Thruth of Valor (Daw 2010)

The Cinnabar government starts downsizing the fleet with the ink still wet on the peace treaty, putting most officers on half-pay and sending ships to the breakers. Daniel Leary is sent on a mission to deliver a new Cinnabar Commissioner to Zenobia. Spy mistress Sands sends Adele to gather information on the Principality of Palmyra who seems very god at policing piracy in the region.

On Zenobia they soon start to uncover a plot to rekindle the war with the Alliance and for RCN to take the fall for a power grab by the Palmyrenes. Their mission takes them to mysterious alien ruins with an equally alien eco system that takes a role in the story but not what you would expect though.

The final battle is very vivid and well told. Battles are really one of David Drakes strong points.

I find his characters more developed and ‘deeper’ in this book. They have been likable and quirky from the beginning but here they are more alive than ever.

Adele Mundy is my favorite character in a series with lots of good and memorable characters. She is a sharpshooting master spy librarian with a traumatic and dark past. Her up to then respected noble family was killed in the Proscriptions ordered by Daniels father. She survived by being away. She found solace as a librarian and in an obsession with information. I think Adele Mundy’s character references much from the returning Vietnam veterans’ struggles and their feelings of alienation. This might be an obvious reference to many of you but it just occurred to me. It does, knowing David’s past shine a new light on her for me and explains why she feels so well developed.

What Distant Deeps is an entertaining military science fiction with a spice of space opera.

Information

Title: What Distant Deeps
Series: RCN
Author: David Drake
Genre: Military Science Fiction
Hardcover; 384 pages
Publisher: Baen 2010
Copy: bought from Amazon

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NO REST FOR THE WEARY

Captain Daniel Leary and his friend, the spy Adele Mundy, have been in the front lines of Cinnabar’s struggle against the totalitarian Alliance. Now these galactic superpowers have signed a peace of mutual exhaustion–

But the jackals are moving in!

The Republic of Cinnabar was on the verge of collapse under the weight of taxes, casualties, and war’s disruption of trade. That the Alliance of Free Stars was in even worse condition helped only because it has made peace possible.

Years of war have been hard on Daniel and harder still on Adele, whose life outside information-gathering is a tightrope between despair and deadly violence. Their masters in the RCN and the Republic’s intelligence service have sent them to the fringes of human space to relax away from danger.

But the barbarians of the outer reaches have their own plans, plans which will bring down both Cinnabar and the Alliance. The enemies of peace include traitors, giant reptiles, and barbarian pirates whose ships can outsail even Daniel Leary’s splendid corvette, the Princess Cecile.

Unless Daniel, Adele, and their unlikely allies succeed, galactic civilization will disintegrate into blood and chaos.

So they will succeed—or they’ll die trying!

The RCN Series

Royal Cinnabar Navy series also goes under the name Lt Leary sometimes.

1. With the Lightnings (1998)—Author’s note (read online)
2. Lt. Leary, Commanding (2000) (read online)
3. The Far Side of The Stars (2003) (read online)
4. The Way to Glory (2005) (read online)
5. Some Golden Harbor (2006) (read online)
6. When the Tide Rises (2008) (read online)
7. In the Stormy Red Sky (2009) [My reading notes]
8. What Distant Deeps (2010)

Related Posts

• 13 SF Books for the Rest of 2010 July 5, 2010
• 10010 Top Military Science Fiction Series April 21, 2010
• New Science Fiction to Read 2010 January 9, 2010
• In the Stormy Red Sky (RCN 7) by David Drake April 18, 2010

It has the same cast of bodyguards except that this time they are not rescuing the rightful president on a banana republic planet.

This time they are hired to protect the richest heiress in the known galaxy. She is young sexy and resent having to live such a sheltered life. Deep down she is a decent person but she likes to tease her bodyguards more than should be allowed. Especially before she got into trouble and learned some tough lessons.

Being richer than ‘God’ brings people who want to take advantage. Some of them are ruthless and there seems to be a more determined lot than usual trying to get to her and her father as the mission starts.

The whole operation to protect their principal, the steps the guards take, their training and their interaction is all entertaining. The first half is protection duty on Earth and the second part brings them to the inhospitable mining planet that is the source to their principal’s wealth. Their fight against all odds there to protect their principal is hardboiled epic action like the one I remember and liked from the last novel.

The characters, especially Elke Sykor, Alex Marlow and their principal Caron Elain Prescot are also interesting and feels more well developed here than in the previous book. I enjoyed Alex having to keep his face cool as Caron did her best to make him loose it, including screwing a boyfriend on the sofa in front of him. There are a number of similar situation in the book.

Elke’s compulsive behavior with explosives is something that defines her as a character but I feel a bit sorry we never dive into what made her so. She is very entertaining to read as she is but I imagine a bit more back story would propel her into unforgettable.

I take this novel for what it is, an entertaining not overly complicated military science fiction with good action, some weapon pornography and friendly banter along the way. Michael Z. Williamson has done a good job with Do Unto Others even it is not in pair with Freehold and I will definitely buy the next book in this series.

Information

Title: Do Unto Others
Series: Freehold Universe
Author: Michael Z Williamson
Genre: Military Science Fiction
Hardcover: 336 pages
Publisher: Baen 17 Aug 2010

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The Prescot family were miners. At one time, they were contracted to develop technology for a mineral rich but uninhabitable system. Gradually, all the investors shied away. Then the Prescots broke through with the technology needed to exploit entire planets, and incidentally develop domed playgrounds for the perversely rich, including indoor ski slopes and cable cars over megavolcanos, casinos and rides. This created the economic problem of being the richest people in the universe, having more money than most governments and effectively unlimited resources. Money is a small blessing when enemies are quite willing to spend billions for the chance at trillions. Bryan Prescot and his daughter might as well have targets painted on their backs for the thugs, kidnappers, and assassins their competitors would throw at them. Bodyguards were necessary – highly trained bodyguards who could be bought once and be utterly loyal no matter the circumstances. Caron Prescot has only six bodyguards against an army, but she has two aces in the hole: The miners are on her side, and Elke, Ripple Creek’s psychotic demolition expert, has a nuke. The problem with Elke having a nuke is that Elke WILL use it!

Related Posts

• New Science Fiction Books in August 2010 Revisited August 1, 2010

From Books

Williamson, Michael Z
Freehold Universe
- Contact with Chaos
Grainne War (Freehold)
1. Freehold
2. The Weapon
Freehold bodyguards (Freehold)
1. Better to beg Forgivness… (Baen 2009)
2. Do Unto Others … (Baen 2010)