December Reads

• Battle Cruiser (Lost Colonies Trilogy #1) by B.V. Larson
• A giant solar flare knocks a rapidly expanding Earth back, affecting the technology as well as the transportation system that Earth used to get to its colonies 160 years before the start of this book. The main character, LCDR Sparhawk, is a member of the ruling (this is a hereditary democracy (not that we can comment, Bush family for example), complicated by cloning. They are called *cough* Public Servants *cough* and Sparhawk has rebelled and joined the Space Guard) families and after long isolation the universe is coming to visit the Earth again. As it often happens, a lot of big activities all center around our hero.
  Overall a fun read, complicated by... interesting politics and some really odd 180's by some characters, this story kept me entertained for a long day of driving. (3/5)
• The Nightmare Stacks (Laundry Files #7) by Charles Stross
• This story changes a lot of the Laundry Universe. While the last book introduced giving the perspective of a non-Bob character, this one pretty much removes him from the equation completely (except for a few references and borrows Bob's most notable sidekicks, Pinky and Brain). Told from the perspective of Alex, the moderately capable vampire (don't be silly, Vampires don't exist) and in Leeds (vs London). So much happens that my head is spinning a bit and I am deeply curious how things, given that the Laundry basically gets aired by the time everything is done.
  This is probably the most approachable (and one of the top 3 of the series) book of the series other than the first book, since while it helps to have read the first 6 books you really could come into this book cold and be able to understand what is going on. (4/5)

March "Reads"/Reads

Long books plus long runs seems to even's out my audiobook listening. 

Hell's Foundations Quiver (Safehold #8) by David Weber

• Long book, long series. I think things are slowly coming to a head. Weber's villians, in this case Clinton, are always appropriately hatable that you feel sorry for the people on their team. Almost. David Weber is wordy but the sheer concept of this story keeps me coming back, the combination of "older" tech being aided by futuristic capabilities to help the good guys win really does make this a fun series to read. 4/5 (AB)

Eruption (Supervolcano #1) by Harry Turtledove

• Disappointing. I have been a fan of Harry Turtledove for most of my life so I bought this on his name alone. And while the concept is interesting (The Yellowstone Supervolcano erupts!) it just doesn't feel like his other books. I get it, the idea is to abstract this massive, world changing event and put it up against a personal perspective of the people who are being affected. But this felt more like the disaster films I grew up on in the 80's and early 90's, right down to the corny characters. I don't think I can bring myself to get the next book of the series. I was bored. 2/5 (AB)

Terms of Enlistment  (Frontlines #1) by Marko Kloos

• Good start to a series. Overall this book entertained (always the highest praise from me). The near future looks somewhat bright (at least there is star travel, though Earth itself is looking pretty grim). Following the story of someone from the modern equivalent of the projects (and on the dole) who earned the right to enlist, it is always interesting to me as someone who went through basic training in the USA to compare. Nothing too egregious leapt out at me and the progress of Andrew to first the local Army and then eventually to the Navy was entertaining (I like how when he showed up on his first ship the XO accuses him of being a PX Ranger (bought some awards at the PX that he didn't earn), though I suspect any real XO worth his salt wouldn't have given him the the chance). Overall I was excited to get started on the next book. 4/5 (AB)

Watch on the Rhine (Posleen War: Sidestories #1) by John Ringo, Tom Kratman

• If there is ever a book I have read that most clearly got started over a few drinks, this book is it. I imagine it went something like: "I bet you I can write a story where the nominal good guys wear Sigruden (the Lightning bolt of the SS)" "Hah, good luck with that"  And with that we have this book, which started as a short story and became this full length novel. Where the fricking remainder of the SS is rejuvenated to help Germany fight off the oncoming Posleen horde. Now I share some convictions with the author, Tom Kratman, a retired US Army Officer, so the way that certain parts of Germany are handled came off quite satisfying to me, but overall, like all the Posleen (Legacy of the Aldentia) world this is a grim world. Overall it was a solid addition to the the universe that was created by John Ringo. 4/5 (DB)

Lines of Departure (Frontlines #2) by Marko Kloos

• Continuing a solid series. The storyline flashes forward 5 years to the re-enlistment of Andrew and his Girlfriend. The fight against the against the aliens is going not so well. Andrew has shifted from being a regular swabbie (after converting from being a regular grunt in the first book) to becoming a Combat Controller (basically a JTAC from my military experience. Still part of the space service but down in the mud coordinating air and space support). The best part of this was the humanizing of his relationship with Mother when he is down on leave, taking her out of the PRC and letting her experience some of the world around her). And after getting engaged to his girlfriend (and promising to be back in 6 months) he heads off to fight... not the aliens but the other part of humanity that has colonized deep space (Russian/China coalition). And then things get worse. Finally he is basically exiled (with a whole bunch of other people) onto some ice world.  And then things get worse again. 4/5 (AB)

Angles of Attack (Frontlines #3) by Marko Kloos

• Surviving the trials of the last book, Andrew is now stuck out on the ice world. With a ragtag group of ships from both sides they finally start working together against the enemy menace. After going back to Earth-space, coming back to the ice world and then finally returning to Earth (and linking up with his fiancee) things of course take another bad turn. Looking forward to the next book to see where things go from there. (4/5) AB

Midst Toil and Tribulation (Safehold #6) by David Weber

Midst Toil and Tribulation (Safehold #6)

by David Weber

Treading water. When you get a series that has such breadth and scope such as the Safehold series (in particular when you are talking about a book that spans the entire world where the fastest objects are moving at around 20mph) you sometimes have a book where most of the story is spent getting things tidied up from the last book and preparing the ground for the next.  Midst Toil and Tribulation is one of those rebuilding books.

Sure, some things happened.  Fights occurred, progress was made, troops were moving across the world. But in the end you find yourself wanting, waiting for the next book because that is when the interesting stuff is going to happen.  I appreciate the series and look forward to the next book but this book just whets your appetite for the next book, leaving you unfulfilled and wanting.

The Lost Stars: Tarnished Knight (Lost Stars #1) by Jack Campbell

The Lost Stars: Tarnished Knight (Lost Stars #1)

by Jack Campbell

What a great spinoff concept. Prior to this book the Syndicate, controlled by nefarious CEO's, were nothing more than relative stick figures. In this case we get to delve deeper into Syndicate society in the post-Geary age.  The main characters were tangentially introduced in the main series, but now we have a chance to see the desperate fight of the leadership of Midway to separate themselves from the central control of the Syndicate.

This is much more of a political novel than the Lost Fleet books.  Yes, there is space combat as well as ground combat, but a lot of the book is devoted to the truly twisted political realm of the CEO's, where you cannot trust anyone. Even though they must work together to wring a small hole of safety for both themselves and the people of Midway, the sheer level of scheming is intense (where every move is never taken at face value and no one is what they seem to be). But the two leaders, Drakon and Iceni, seem to see the value of cooperation and realize that the system that they were born into needs to be changed (but realizing that it cannot be done overnight).

A very solid book and I very much look forward to the next (with a cliffhanger like Jack dropped at the end of the book, it is a given that there needs to be another book).

Furious (Kris Longknife #10)

by Mike Shepherd

This is the style of SF that I grew up on.  I guess that is why I have read the past 9 books, making this one a no-brainer.

In a lot of ways this is perhaps the most boring of the series. No cataclismic fight against overwhelming odds and very little fleet action (even the ground fighting/espionage, another big factor for this series, was tame).  Mainly just a bunch of hiding/escaping from pursuers, a break in, more fleeing and then a courtroom drama (set in the Japanese empire, which is entertaining).  And oddly enough, more romance than we have seen in almost the entire series combined.

Kris starts the story exiled, stuck on a planet far away, seperated from most of her friends (except Abbie). After yet another assaination attempt coupled with some key intel that needs to be resolved back in Wardhaven, she promptly escapes. Making things difficult for her is that her father and her grandfather have both sworn out warrants against her, and her other grandfather locks her out of her massive funds.

Overall entertaining popcorn novel.  The most frustrating part of the book was the end, which so horribly teases the next book I was kind of annoyed......

March to the Stars

March to the Stars (Empire of Man #3)

by David Weber, John Ringo

At long last, Prince Roger finally gets to the point where he can get to the starport and leave Marduk. But really, based on the previous books, did you think it was going to be that easy?

The defining plot turn of this series has been the steady movement of the Bronze Barbarians and their rapdily evolving charge, Prince Roger, from the frying pan into a much hotter fire. And boy, did they find the (quite literal) frying pan on the other end of the ocean. Rogers entourage has grown to include some of the notable allies that have decided to hitch their wagons to his rapidly moving star, so in the end Roger is sailing out of Kvern Cove with not just his human bodyguards but a number of Disporians and Vashin's as well.

After encountering great sea beasts and pirates, they finally run into the local culture, that it turns out, quite literally wants to kill and eat some of them as the price for passing through their territory. Fighting out of that, they find that they have picked up quite a pursing force as they find refuge with the mountain people.

The most anti climatic element of the story is the actual taking of the starport, which with the inside help from an IBI Agent is almost rushed over. But Roger and Company are not done, since in the end they must seize a starship.... Which of course, unknown until they actually board it, is staffed by a Saint Special Forces Unit (Greenpiece Brigade.... hehe).

This book also could just be called... "Slimies in Spaaaaacccceeeeee!"

March Upcountry

March Upcountry (Empire of Man #1)

by David Weber, John Ringo

In a complete out of character thing for me this is one of the few books that I have read multiple times. Here you have a book written by my two favorite authors, combining Science Fiction with a smattering of fantasy and just plain gritty writing.

The book is a lot of plain old fun. Starting with the SF standard of an intergalactic empire engaged in a long term dispute with the significant opponents. That is where Prince Roger MacClintock comes into the scene. Spoiled, petulant and whiny, a clotheshorse fop who is stuck in the petulant teenage-mode of believing that the world has screwed him.  His mother, the empress, sends him off to an out of the way locale to basically get him out of her hair (and maybe protect him from palace intrigue).

Then things go wrong... The ship he is on is sabotaged, forcing it into a no-win scenario where they must drop Roger (and the Company of Marine Bodyguards, the Bronze Barbarians) off into the basically uncharted planet of Marduk.  Because the spaceport on the planet is presumed to be under the control of the enemy (the Saints, an empire run by eco-fascists) they must drop on the far side and make the long trek to take over the spaceport.

Marduk is murder on the Marines, hot, humid and full of lots of things that want to kill them.  Even after gaining some local support the Marines seem to be most effective at going from the frying pan into the fire, on a continuous basis.  Throughout the book (and subsequent books) Roger is slowly redeemed, mostly through the actions of Captain Pahner (head of the Marine Company) and the local who becomes bonded to him, Cord.

One note though.... John Ringo is murder on characters. Literally, since the one key thing when reading his books is that there is going to be a sizable death count on the good-guys team (normally an even bigger body count on the bad guys). David Weber has been known to kill characters as well but not with even a fraction compared to John.

Firestorm (Destroyermen #6)

by Taylor Anderson

Can things get worse? For the crew of Walker and her allies, the only answer is yes. Now solidly engaged in a two front war against opponents that individually outnumber the entire alliance, the scope of this story continues to grow (my biggest concern is that every books seems to be making the scope bigger! There really doesn't appear to be an end in sight).

Now forced to stave off an attack by the Holy Dominion while simultaneously continuing to strike at the Grik, the story is steadly expanding to a global scope. The focus of this book is the expansion of air. Both by the HD with their trained attack flying Grik and by the Grik themselves with the introduction of Zeppelins developed by the Japanese cruisermen.

The best part is the Captain Reddy finally gets to be reunited with his love, even if just for a little while.

Republic

Republic by Charles Sheehan-Miles

Civil war is not the way to go. Particularily if you are a small state, not prepared and have little support from anyone around you.

West Virginia in this tale has suffered an increasing number of indignities by the federal government. In this case a crony of the President closes the major employer in a small WV town and plans to move it overseas. After the people of the town reject that decision, even going to the point of breaking into the plant and pretending that things were okay, the favorite bogeyman of the far Right (and the far Left), DHS, storms the place and kills some of the occupiers.  Things go downhill from there....

The characters introduced are likable and, since most of them are military people, quite relateable to me. The author constructs situations where I as a Army NG Officer am forced to sit back and think what I would do in a similar situation (the most notable was the Army CPT intervenes when DHS agents randomly round up all middle-eastern males over 13 by kicking in doors and dragging them out).

Events slowly escalate to the point where WV makes the decision to secede and the author plays out the eventual result of that action (of a state poorly prepared, with little munitions and fuel, no real outside support, forces that are in shreds due to desertions due to torn loyalties, and facing the the Active Duty Armed Forces). A solid read that kept me turning the page to see how it played out.

Freehold

Freehold by Michael Z. Williamson. I am at heart a libertarian, but in all fairness this book is sorta like libertarian porn. Because libertarian societies have difficulties coexisting with non-libertarian societies (we have a lot of people in current society who take and don't give, and any change from that will not be peaceful) Michael simplifies things and allows a libertarian society to come about with the introduction of star travel.  

Basically a bunch of like minded libertarians founded Freehold and let it grow into the society we see in the first 2/3's of the book. But then the libertarian's favorite bad guy, the UN (the biggest, most bureaucratic and ineffective government out there) comes in and messes things up. 

The whole story is told from the perspective of Kendra Pacelli, a member of the UN Peacekeeping Force who is set up and forced to flee to Freehold. She is slowly introduced to the Freehold society (and by proxy the reader, of whom some of these concepts is quite foreign) and to it's military.

It really is a fun read and is a nice dream.

The Man with the Iron Heart

The Man with the Iron Heart by Harry Turtledove. I wanted to like this book more, as I I have read a lot of his other works and enjoyed them a lot. Really, I did. But unlike a lot of Turledove's books this one felt really heavy handed in the manner in which he overlaid post WW2 Germanywith contemporary events. 

With the non-death of Reinhard Heydrich the Allies encounters a true opposition in post-defeat Germany. Heydrich has had 3 years to prepare for the downfall and subsequent resistance inside Germany. And to anyone who has followed the news in the past decade, every tool that Al Quada has deployed is in the arsenal of Heydrich's Werewolves. Suicide truck bombs, suicide bombers, IED's, other traps  and even the kidnapping and execution of service members (caught on camera of course).

Maybe this book works for other people but I personally am exhausted from our own War against Terror that uses the same tactics, reading about them set into 1945-48 just felt like a chore. 

The War With Earth

The War With Earth by Leo Frankowski is classic style SF. I grew up on the likes of the Stainless Steel Rat, with a super competent main character (and often a loving wife) outwitting the rest of society. This story is right off that block, with main character being a Soldier in charge of a super battle tank that is powered with by a sentient AI. Working with his wife and other members of his command staff his team thwart both the public (by protecting the secrets of the Kabushian Expeditionary Force) and the Earth invaders.

Things come awfully easily to Mickolai. The opposition is shown as dreadfully incompetent (let's face it, competent can be a pain) and with the aid of the AI's very few things slow him and his team down for long. A neat part of this book is the concept of Dreamworld, where a user linked to the computer can experience things at multiples (17-30 times) real life. Makes basic training or even earning a PhD possible in very short time.

All in all a fun fast read.