Sincere thanks for all the kind messages. It is much appreciated. I will overcome and be back.
Sincere thanks for all the kind messages. It is much appreciated. I will overcome and be back.
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Synopsis: The war between the Alliance and the Syndic worlds has gone on for a long time. There has built up a great legacy of distrust, suspicion and even hatred between the two sides. It wasn't always so but now atrocity is matched by atrocity.
The Alliance thought it had a chance to strike a knock out blow and so end the war. But this has gone badly. Their fleet is faced by an even bigger Syndic fleet in the Syndic's home system.
On the way to the battle site, the Alliance fleet was able to rescue a survivor from a previous battle, one that had taken place about 100 years before. The sole survivor is a Captain John Geary who was assumed lost in this previous battle and been promoted to legendary hero status.
He has been asked to assume command of the fleet and to get it home at all costs. Now he is faced with newer technology and getting the fleet back to their own sector of space. Captain John Geary is a man who has the older ideas of honour and duty and is determined to do his duty as he sees it.
What you have is a bit of a clash of culture. A man who was lost and thought dead has now been placed in command of a modern fleet. A man who was hero worshiped when he was thought dead but now his crews are faced with the living man who man not be the hero they imagined. And these crews may not meet the standards of the older generations. A man who is a human and does not think himself a legendary hero.
The physics of the space battles are rather well described
sticking closer to the actual physics than many an author's battles with sensors and communications that react faster than light. The tactics and strategy described are truer than a 'Star Wars' universe scenario. This I can approve of not that I am denigrating 'Star Wars' in any way, I did enjoy the film. (I could write a dissertation on the various types of space ships and their weapons I have read about over the years. I have several Gigabytes of notes already)
This novel does not linger on the technicalities of either the space ships or descriptions of the ships in combat. This story is more about the people and their beliefs.
The characters do seem to be well constructed. Here I would think that the authors has drawn upon his own experience as a naval officer and projected those qualities and failings into a future setting. Mankind does not seem to have evolved whatever the technology might be. The characters do seem to be somewhat believable rather than the cardboard cut outs that sometimes populate these works. I have no doubt that if this is to be an ongoing series then more details of each character will emerge.
By its very nature, war is not a civilised occupation. That is why there have been many attempts to limit the damage by introducing various 'Laws of War'. How to treat non-combatants, prisoners etc. But when a war is fought over a very long period of time, then these standards start to fall. Never through any written orders, but through small understandings. Rules get 'bent', always for the best of reasons, and these small bends get larger and we never notice. It takes somebody from outside the system to see how things have changed. It is always easy to demonise the enemy, to treat them as uncivilised and barbarians. (There are too many examples from our history to list) This makes it easier to kill them in prohibition to several major religions.
War has been noted as long periods of boredom punctuated by moments of sheer terror. Yet somehow this is also seen as glorious. Heroic defences and stunning victories. From a distant country or a long period of time the glory may show. From the ground it does not.
I cannot say why we are so fascinated by war, reading books or watching films, TV documentaries or dramas but we do seem to be. There are many quotes by politicians, philosophers, writers, statesman and generals all about wars. There are even some from the ordinary soldier, though these do seem to be a bit more pithy and far more poignant.
I first bought this book thinking that it would be just another space adventure type book but it has proved to be rather more. The hero is a man who has command thrust upon him. He has to deal with many problems that this carries not least how out of touch he feels. There are the clashes of personality from his time and way of doing things to what is done now. Trust and hero worship also have their parts to play as does ambition. These are all things that we can find in many situations but methods to overcome problems without creating an even bigger problem particularly in military units where obedience to lawful command and unit loyalty are factors that have to be taken into account.
This seems to be an interesting book. Whilst it may not ask us to examine just why we go to war in the first place it does show how a war can change a society and make us question our motives not just what the politicians say. That alone makes it worth while for me. Part of it is the intellectual fun of trying to envisage the society, culture and ethos of the cast of characters. Good authors do not have to give you every little detail, you can infer a lot from what is written and from what is not. With a film you are given the interpretation by somebody else of what everything looks like and how the parts would work together. You have to do this for yourself with a book. With combat stories you can imagine the forces involved and roll play in your imagination and on a computer, the battles and try out the strategy and tactics involved to see if they would actually work. (Yes I know. Sad isn't it. Perhaps I should get a life as its termed, but I already have had one!)
Like many of my readings, this is an American import. Specialist shops may carry a copy or could get one for you. They are on sale at Amazon.co.uk priced £3.62 for the paperback version. Mass Market Paperback: 293 pages Publisher: Ace Books (Jul 2006) ISBN-10: 0441014186 ISBN-13: 978-0441014187
This is possibly the first in a series of books written by Jack Campbell. This name is a pseudonym for John G Hemry, who is an American writer and former naval officer.
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Indeed...the rules of engagement (the laws of war? I like that!) do get bent...in the same way that a Möbius strip is curved... Excellent review as ever. Lx
RICHADA 13.03.2007 20:26
You obviously had my good self in mind in your "Disadvantages" comment! A fine review though Sir, your enthusiasm for the genre always comes through in your reviews. Richard.
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