The infamous Princess Kristine Longknife of Wardhaven is, surprisingly enough, bored. Sure, she has her very own warship, disguised as a merchant vessel, laden with scientists and researchers intent on exploring beyond the rim of human space, but she’s a creature of action, and the action just isn’t happening. To most people, this would be relief. To her, it’s the sheer knowledge that something will happen, and she’s tired of waiting. And so Kris Longknife goes hunting for pirates and trouble anyway. One hostile ship later, she’s on to something, and that something leads to the troubled planet of Pandemonium, where a rogue expedition seems intent on taking the place over and installing new management. Nothing will do at that point, but for Kris and her people to lead the natives of Pandemonium in a cunning battle for freedom. It’s a shame her enemies always underestimate her. Because once Kris is done mopping up on Pandemonium, she stumbles over the worst problem of the week: a plot to assassinate Henry Peterwald, one of the most powerful men alive and one of her worst enemies… and she’s implicated. Should she fail to prevent this plot, she’ll be blamed, whether it succeeds or not. And so Kris Longknife rushes off, to save her worst enemy, to place herself deep in hostile territory, and to take a terrible risk with thousands of lives on the line, all for a man who hates her. Maybe she should have stayed bored.

As always, the Kris Longknife series is one I turn to when I need some fast, fun military science fiction. It’s action-packed and fast-paced. Mike Shepherd’s distinctive staccato writing and snappy dialogue makes for a quick, constantly-moving story, and he always delivers on the easy-to-visual battle scenes. At this point, six books into the series, I’ve thoroughly bought into the legend of Kris Longknife, willing to believe in her over-the-top ability to escape any situation while still cracking wise and shooting straight. I almost feel sorry for anyone who underestimates her skills or dismisses her offhand, be they friend or foe. Once you get used to the folk hero-esque achievements of Kris and her friends, you realize that Shepherd’s done a great job of creating a memorable, lasting set of myths for the science fiction age. How can I explain it? The more I read in this series, the more I read of Kris Longknife’s exploits, the more I want to compare her to some of the old-fashioned space opera or pulp heroes. Am I reading too much into things? Perhaps. What counts, though, is that Intrepid is a fun addition to the series, and I’ll be looking forward to the next one.

Originally reviewed for SF Site, 2009

Tags: SF Site

Captain John “Black Jack” Geary never asked to be a hero. He never dreamed of becoming a legend. In fact, by all rights, he should be long dead by now, one of the earliest casualties of the war between the Alliance and the Syndics. Instead, thanks to a fluke of fate, he spent a century in suspended animation, only to be rescued and brought back into service, just in time to assume command of the massive Alliance fleet, lost deep within Syndic territory. Ever since then, he’s fought an ongoing battle to keep his people alive as they make the long, circuitous journey home, in possession of information and technology which could put an end to the never-ending war. It hasn’t been easy, with the Syndic forces harrying him from all sides, and a constant undertone of distrust, conspiracy, and mutiny running through his own forces. But if there’s one thing Black Jack Geary does, it’s to survive.

Now his ragtag, exhausted fleet is forced into battle once again, as Geary makes a snap decision to return to the scene of a recent conflict, there to crush the bulk of his enemy’s forces, and rescue as many captured Alliance personnel as possible. It’s a hell of a gambit, but Geary’s allies have gotten used to his unconventional tactics and record for victory. In fact, some of them are muttering that if he can command a fleet this way, why not command the Alliance itself, when they get home? Of course, getting home is still the hard part. Once again, Geary will make some hard choices, and risk everything in order to keep his people alive and get back to Alliance space. But further complicating matters is the revelation that a non-human species may have been interfering in human affairs all along, and their machinations could spell doom for Alliance and Syndics alike. What’s a legend to do?

Jack Campbell continues to entertain and satisfy with Valiant, the fourth book in The Lost Fleet series. It’s clear that he’s working with a larger picture in mind, since in many ways, Valiant is pretty much just like the books that came before it in terms of plot (Geary tries to get closer to home, while dealing with internal strife and external threats, while space battles ensue). On the other hand, there are some significant developments on a personal level, as Geary deals with the women in his life, and continues to grow into the reputation that grew up around his name while he was in suspended animation. Adding to that are some interesting revelations dealing with the Syndics themselves, as well as the theoretical aliens manipulating things, and it’s easy to see the progression of the plot threads that link the series.

This is a great series, at any rate. Campbell’s achieved an interesting dichotomy here, in which he features, quite literally, a cast of thousands, and yet we only see a tiny handful with any real depth to them, making it a rather small and personal story set against an epic backdrop. Apart from Geary, his lover/sometimes antagonist Victoria Rione, his right hand officer Captain Tanya Desjani, and a few of the other high-ranking officers in the fleet, the vast majority of characters to walk through this book are ciphers, there to follow orders or get blown up. In some ways, the ships of the fleet are more important than the people who crew them. It’s a fascinating way to handle things; I couldn’t tell you offhand what the characters look like, and that’s because Campbell seems to eschew physical description for revelation through words and deeds, and we can form our own impressions based on that. It’s a stylized, broad sketch that captures the essence, if not the details, and it works for this series.

Campbell has a knack for writing broad, fluid space battle scenes, involving dozens or hundreds of ships, without letting things get out of control, and yet he manages to make each wounded or destroyed ship mean something in the process, harkening back to my comment about the ships being characters in their own right. Things get pretty busy, but never overwhelming, making for some enjoyable action sequences. These action sequences play out nicely against the quieter scenes of introspection and moral quandaries and political intrigue which keep Geary busy the rest of the time.

This is one of those series where a new installment leaps to the top of my reading pile, because I know it’s going to be a quick, fun, quality read that’ll give me my military science fiction fix for the time being, and I’ll definitely be looking forward to the next book, whenever it comes out. If you like military SF, The Lost Fleet is always enjoyable, and Valiant is a worthy continuation of Black Jack Geary’s saga.

Originally reviewed for SF Site, 2008

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Captain John “Black Jack” Geary is in for the fight of his life. He awoke from a century-long slumber in a survival pod to find himself rescued by a fleet that reveres him for his military record and heroic actions, a fleet that seems to have forgotten everything it once knew about intelligent tactics, smart battle maneuvers, and military strategy. And when the highest-ranking members of the fleet’s command structure were killed, he was forced to assume command by virtue of technical seniority. Trapped deep behind enemy lines in the heart of Syndicate space, possessing a vital piece of information, and in command of the Alliance’s largest space fleet, only “Black Jack” Geary has what it takes to try and get his people home.

It hasn’t been easy in the least. They’ve lost ship after ship, been forced to run from star system to star system, been required to invent new tactics on almost a daily basis, and outguess their enemies over and over. Meanwhile, Geary’s had to contend with internal strife from his fellow captains and commanders, deal with the hero worship, and keep up morale as he teaches the fleet not just how to fight, but to win. And so the Lost Fleet has made its way through Syndic space, leaving behind a trail of destruction and mayhem and shattered Syndic forces, as they overcome the odds repeatedly. But can even Geary sustain a winning record? It’s starting to look grim. The Syndics are starting to catch up to him, starting to understand his tactics. Now he’s got to take the biggest gamble yet. With choices running low and his subordinate captains again challenging his authority, he makes a desperate stab for the Lakota system, which might just offer the way home, if he can make a run for the hypergate stationed there. And that’s when the Syndic flotillas start showing up from every angle. Outgunned, outnumbered, low on fuel and ammunition, Geary’s going to have to make some sacrifices if any of his ships are to survive. And naturally, no plan actually survives first contact with the enemy…

Courageous is the third book in the Lost Fleet series, and it’s almost non-stop action and conflict. When Geary’s not hammering Syndic forces with his unorthodox military tactics, he’s dealing with internal politics from disgruntled subordinates and those who’d rather fight than run. To compound problems, his civilian advisor/lover, Victoria Rione has been acting cold and strange towards him, and his enemies are spreading rumors of an unprofessional relationship with another captain. Geary just can’t seem to catch a break, and that’s before he’s forced to invent desperate new tactics on the fly.

Jack Campbell does an excellent job with the space battles in this book, and I don’t envy him the necessity of keeping dozens of ships spread over multiple fleets and flotillas clear from one another. It’s a hallmark of his talent in this arena that he can coordinate such large battles and make them both exciting and coherent, so that even someone without a military background of their own can follow and enjoy the action. He makes the victories and losses equally powerful, so when a ship dies, it’s like losing a member of the cast. You can feel the tension Geary is under as he deals with the compounding issues and threats and obligations.

There’s very little character description, and very few of the primary cast beyond Geary and his closest confidantes are fleshed out past some identifying traits, and for this series, that’s okay. Campbell’s good at imbuing the characters with enough life to carry them from battle to battle, and let’s face it, this series is about John Geary, a man who as good as came back from the dead to lead his people to safety. I don’t know if that makes him a King Arthuresque figure, or a two-fisted Moses stand-in (and it gets worse once people start muttering about how Geary should overthrow the Alliance government and put an end to a century of war that way…) but Geary plays his role well, trying to live up to a legend and chafing at it nonetheless.

My big complaint is the cliffhanger at the end of this book, and the news that it’ll be another six months before we see the continuation. I like John Geary, and Captain Desjani, and Victoria Rione, and I want to see if they’ll all make it home with the fleet, or if, like Moses, Geary won’t actually enjoy the fruits of his labors. I want to see how they’ll get out of this latest mess, and if their dire predictions are indeed as accurate as they suspect. Do the Syndics really have hidden allies with frightening power, or is a larger game being played?

The Lost Fleet is some of the best military science fiction on the shelves today, and Courageous doesn’t disappoint in the least. I’ll eagerly be awaiting the next installment in the series.

Originally reviewed for SF Site, 2008

Tags: SF Site

Framed by unknown people for massive amounts of embezzling, Sergeant Kendra Pacelli is forced to abandon everything she’s ever known, turn her back on the world she has served faithfully, and flee for her life, claiming sanctuary with the only human settlement to remain independent of the United Nations’ stranglehold: the Freehold of Grainne. Leaving everything behind is hard enough; starting over on a new planet with new rules, new customs, and new people is even worse. Grainne is a place founded on certain principles of independence and self-sufficiency, and Kendra’s forced to adjust quickly if she wants to remain on Grainne, rather than be cut loose to take her chances back on Earth. Soon enough, she has found a new job, and made new friends, and is settling in… just in time for everything to royally explode in her face. For there are factions back on Earth that see Grainne, a prosperous and defiantly independent world, as a threat to their own plans, and before long, war comes to the formerly peaceful planet. Kendra’s own battle to stay free and help her adopted home will test her to the limits, and force her to make a number of hard choices. But will she lose everything in the process of survival?

Freehold’s an interesting book. Combining the sensibilities of Robert A. Heinlein’s Stranger in a Strange Land or Friday, with the all-out brutality of interplanetary war, it feels like several books crammed into one, a dense plot ensuring that careful reading is definitely in order to fully grasp the evolution and journey of the main characters. It’s tempting to compare the military SF sequences to fellow Baen author John Ringo’s works, even though I’ve been assured this wasn’t intentional, nor had Michael Z. Williamson read Ringo at the time he was writing this. Nevertheless, they share similar styles and viewpoints, and it’s unsurprising to see them working together in the upcoming release, The Hero.

I thoroughly enjoyed Freehold. Williamson’s envisioning of a libertarian-inspired society is sound and believable, even made desirable in the presented context, its plot never stops moving, and the characters are three-dimensional and interesting. The jumps in perspective between characters occasionally disrupt the train of thought, and there’s enough going on that it’s easy to miss out on some details, but all in all, Freehold is a satisfactory debut for this new author, and I look forward to his next efforts, including, I hope, a return to the Freehold universe and its characters.

Originally posted on SF Site, 2004

Tags: SF Site

I suppose I should begin with a tiny bit of personal background. There are two books which I consider to be the pinnacle of military science fiction, two books by which I always have, and likely always will, judge that particular subgenre. The first is Robert Heinlein’s Starship Troopers, and the second is Joe Haldeman’s The Forever War. They were some of the earliest adult SF books I recall reading, and barely a year goes by without me rereading one or both, or listening to the audiobook versions. I’m not a huge military SF fan; I enjoy it but it’s not something I automatically gravitate towards. However, I do know what I like when I see it. In recent years, a few books or series have come close to my standards, such as John Ringo’s Legacy of the Aldenata series (A Hymn Before Battle, Gust Front, When the Devil Dances, and Hell’s Faire), John Hemry’s Stark’s War trilogy (Stark’s War, Stark’s Command, and Stark’s Crusade), and William Forstchen’s Star Voyager Academy. However, while I’ve greatly enjoyed all of the above, Hemry’s books came the closest to invoking the same sense of excitement and wonder I first felt upon reading Starship Troopers and The Forever War. So imagine my surprise (and some small outrage at the sheer audacity) to see a new book on the shelves, one that had Joe Haldeman himself compare it to Starship Troopers. A book billing itself as “In the tradition of The Forever War…”

This, you can imagine, was a challenge I couldn’t resist. No book can compare itself to my two favorite SF military novels and hope to escape unscathed. I grabbed Orphanage, found a quiet corner, and began to read. And that was that for me. Robert Buettner not only lived up to expectations, he exceeded them with flying colors.

Orphanage is the first-person account of Jason Wander, an eighteen-year-old citizen of Indianapolis, orphaned when the first Projectile destroyed his hometown and the vast majority of its residents. At first, everyone thought it was the work of a terrorist. But then more Projectiles fell to Earth, devastating more cities, and the truth was painfully evident: we were under attack from outer space. From a base on Ganymede, one of Jupiter’s moons, aliens of unknown origin and motives were systematically wiping out the human race, bringing objects the size of skyscrapers down in controlled crashes. Humanity was under attack, and fighting back was nigh-impossible.

Lost and adrift in the middle of an escalating crisis, Jason ends up enlisting in the army, where his attitude is slowly but surely beaten out of him, replaced by a growing determination to succeed, filled with a new esprit de corps, replacing his lost family with his comrades-at-arms. It’s not an easy path to follow, but bit by bit, he discovers inner strengths and new friends, both of which serve him well as he fulfills his destiny. For humanity has a way to strike back at the so-called “Slugs,” a desperate gamble which will take ten thousand of Earth’s finest, all orphans with nothing left to lose but each other, to Ganymede in a fight to the finish. Out there, millions of miles from home, Jason and his adopted family will avenge their lost loved ones, and each other. But very few will survive this suicide mission, and their efforts may not be enough, unless they’re prepared to make a massive sacrifice.

Orphanage is a military coming-of-age story, a deliberate homage to Starship Troopers that might very well be this generation’s answer to said novel. Jason Wander is the dashing young hero-figure who has to go through numerous trials, physical and mental, before he can shed the last trappings of civilian life and his youth, to become the ideal soldier. His trial by fire is as harrowing as anything Juan Rico endures, and his battlefield promotions are as much a test of his ultimate suitability for the military. It’s easy to see Buettner’s inspirations in Orphanage, but at the same time, it’s most definitely its own work, written in a much different era. While Orphanage and Starship Troopers are both futuristic works, Orphanage seems to come out of a much closer, much more plausible future, one where society and technology have progressed without leaving us completely behind. In fact, the “backsliding” of technology, whereupon a suddenly-overcrowded Army is forced to reopen long-closed bases and break obsolete equipment and materiels out of mothballs in order to train their influx of recruits, is a great twist, grounding the story in the familiar while looking ahead to the technological advances created due to the war’s urgency.

Not only is Jason a likeable (if somewhat abrasive and brash) narrator, but his companions are also memorable. From the overachieving female Egyptian sharpshooter nicknamed “Munchkin” to the cocky pilot Priscilla “Pooh” Hart, from Jason’s best friend-turned war hero, Metzger, to his roommate Ari Klein (mentally bonded to a robotic recon drone), they flesh out the landscape. Buettner manages to instill each character with enough personality that they take on a life of their own, and when some fall victim to the sudden violence of war, their loss is truly felt. Toss in Drill Sergeant Ord (who, like Heinlein’s Zim, and every drill sergeant ever, is the textbook definition of semi-sympathetic badass), and you have everything you need. Again, the Heinlein influences are clearly visible.

I’ve spent a while trying to think of weak points, if any, but in all honesty, none immediately come to mind. Orphanage combines visceral action, first-rate characterization, and solid science to offer up a fast-paced, thoroughly enjoyable read. Ultimately, Orphanage stands a very good chance of being one of the best military SF novels of the year, if not the decade. And I still stand by my suspicion that it could stake a claim towards being this generation’s high point, much like Starship Troopers and The Forever War both represent their respective generations. I eagerly look forward to Buettner’s next book, especially since it’s a sequel to Orphanage. I just hope he can keep it up. If you’re a fan of John Ringo, David Weber, William Forstchen, or any of the other excellent military SF writers out there, you won’t want to pass this book up. And that’s about as blunt as I can get.

Originally posted on SF Site, 2004

Tags: SF Site

A Longknife’s work is never done. Naval lieutenant Kristine Longknife, Princess of Wardhaven, is in dire need of a vacation, after the way things have gone for her over the past few months. Thusly, she packs her bags and her entourage, and hies off to the planet of New Eden, where she hopes things will stay quiet for the time being, while she (reluctantly) fulfills various diplomatic and military obligations, most of which involve standing around and looking pretty and dealing with paperwork. The first assassination attempt suggests that things aren’t going to be quiet; the second clinches that thought, and convinces Kris and her allies that New Eden isn’t the safe haven its name would suggest. Now it’s up to Kris, her bodyguard Jack, her maid Abby, and her sentient computer Nelly, as well as a squad of highly-trained Marines to cut right to the heart of the matter and figure out what’s going on under the surface of New Eden.

As our heroes dig deeper, they discover a deeply conflicted planet on the verge of revolution, where one hand definitely doesn’t know what the other is up to, and where various forces are looking to play out a very deadly game. Unfortunately for the bad guys, they’ve messed with the wrong princess. Kris Longknife tends to shoot back, with prejudice. And New Eden will never be the same after she’s done with it.

The fourth book in this fast-paced, exciting military SF series, Kris Longknife: Audacious continues the saga of a strong heroine who knows how to kick serious ass and make an impression on friends and enemies alike. Mike Shepherd has a great ear for dialogue and talent for injecting dry humor into things at just the right moment. His heroes are capable — perhaps too capable, as it’s hard to ever feel that Kris and friends are ever in real danger — and confident, even if his villains aren’t quite as complex as one might hope. Some people might consider his prose to be a little choppy, but it does keep things moving along at a brisk clip. What matters is that the characters are engaging, and the plot is full of twists and peppered liberally with sharply-described action. I always look forward to installments in the Kris Longknife series, because I know I’m guaranteed a good time with plenty of adventure. Audacious doesn’t disappoint in this regard. Military SF fans are bound to get a kick out of the series as a whole, and fans will be glad to see Kris hasn’t lost any of her edge.

Originally posted on SF Site, 2007

Tags: SF Site