A Hymn Before Battle - John Ringo

Advantages: AN OK READ
Disadvantages: NONE

...Gust front. Author - John Ringo. A short review today. This book continues on from 'A Hymn before Battle'. You don't really need to read the first book but it would lay a little more meat on the bones of this story. Initially in the first book the POSLEEN where attempting to invade Earth, however in this book they are HERE. The battle descriptions are quite good and colourfully written, remember this is escapism sci-fi. Which means there is no need for the more 'techno' accuracy, which accompanies some sci-fi books? Some of the old characters from the first book are still here, with a host of new and surprisingly well fleshed out members of the fighting force. A rather odd and to be honest annoying trait appears in this book in which, at the end of a chapter, dialogue is introduced from one of the characters... Read review

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Advantages: A very entertaining thriller
Disadvantages: Definately will not appeal to everybody

...on their behalf" George Orwell. This story is about one of these rough men. We may not like them but I fear that they are necessary and this review is not the place to argue for or against military force. I will state that I do not feel that this book glorifies any use of military force. To anybody who has seen a battlefield, Glory appears in very short supply. To paraphrase Wellington after waterloo, "The only thing worse than a battle lost is a battle won". As I stated there is a free CD attached that gives details of all the other books written by John Ringo, together with artwork from the covers and some music. This is referred to in the first story. A link to Bean is also attached. I have the feeling that this would make an excellent shoot 'em type computer game or perhaps even a film, though I am not certain about the sexual nature... Read review

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Advantages: An entertaining Military science fiction story.
Disadvantages: Definately not for everybody

...physics looking for an odd particle, the type they sometimes was theorised in very large atom smasher equipment. Perhaps he had been right and had found it, to his cost. Then came the report of a second "gateway" from which inimical forces had come and apparently killed some local population. An investigation turned into a full scale alien invasion with the Army, Police and local citizens loosing badly to some weird aliens. So briefly starts the latest book from John Ringo. He burst like a bomb himself on the unprepared world in 2000, and has not looked back since. He writes a good enthralling military hi-Tec adventure type of story. The action in this one starts right at page one and has not let up since. The story reminds me of a BBC television serial that I have seen and ideas similar have cropped up with other writers... Read review

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