I somehow forgot to make a note about this book when I read it, I suspect because I was travelling at the time. This book was as good as Legion of the Damned and an enjoyable read. The book continues straight on from the previous one, and possibly should have been inside the same volume. A fun read. [isbn: 9780441002177; 044100217X]
This is the third book in the Takeshi Kovaks series. It is similar to the second book, and follows on more strongly from that one that the first book. This is consistent with the overall arc if the series, so it doesn't bother me that it is different from the first book. Overall I liked this book, and read it fairly quickly. I think the end is good and was largely unexpected. [isbn: 0575081279]
At first I thought this book was just a descriptive work about a decidedly interesting alternate culture. That would have been in line with a lot of the Baroque Cycle. However, this book is so much more. There is an adventure store, some really interesting philosophy, and even a bit of romance. I enjoyed this book, even if it took ages to read its over 900 pages. [isbn: 9780061474101] [awards: nominee hugo 2009; nominee prometheus 2009]
This is a quite good combat science fiction book. I'm not really sure how I discovered this series, but I'm glad I did. There are some new ideas here, as well as some that mirror John Ring (incompetence in command) and Keith Laumer (alien invasion). Overall and enjoyable read, and I'll be reading more from this series. [isbn: 9780441480401]
1,000 years after interstellar society has collapsed, a new empire which is suspiciously like Canada rules most of the planets and their most valuable resources -- slaves and automated silicon chip factories. Two gentlemen from Venus set of to make their fortunes as what can only be described as slavers and pirates. They're clearly not nice people, but they are the heros of this book. The book is very readable, and like other books by Drake it is clear that the heros aren't always nice, and are haunted by their crimes. Yet they continue, and in the end might have accidentally done something nice. Overall, a good if different book. [isbn: 0441001793]
A Von Neumann probe is an automated self replicating machine which is sent into space to map and possibly prepare for human exploration. What would happen if we were the victims of someone else's Von Neumann probes run amuck? This book is typical Ringo in that it is about an apocalyptic invasion from outer space, and you just know that most of the worlds population is going to die. However, the book is also exceptionally detailed in its handling of rocketry, and the science behind finding out more about the incoming threat is very well done. Overall and good book that I enjoyed, although the end is definitely fishing for a sequel. [isbn: 1416555307;9781416555308]
This book is very different from John Ringo's books (or at least the ones I have read). This one revolves around a cross between a soccer mom and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Its a fun, relatively light read and doesn't have nearly as much combat as the other Ringo books I've encountered. The book takes the form of two short stories and a novella, with the novella having a pretty obvious dig at David Drake, which I thought was a bit odd. Overall, I enjoyed this book. [isbn: 1416573860;9781416573869]
This book didn't review well, but I thought it was ok. Its not the best book in the Council Wars series, but it is readable and has an interesting story. It doesn't wrap up the story line completely though, so I guess I'll have to wait for the next one to be written. [isbn: 1416555188;9781416555186]
This is the third book in the Council Wars series. This book covers the long promised invasion by New Destiny forces, as well as Megan's continued life in the harem. This book has a theme of incompetence in command, which is quite similar to some of Ringo's other books, such as A Hymn Before Battle and Gust Front. It is not fine literature, but it is a fun read and the characters are likeable. [isbn: 1416520570;9781416520573]
This book is really a book (Emerald Sea) and a novella (In a Time of Darkness) both of which follow on from There Will Be Dragons. Emerald Sea is more self-indulgent than the previous book, and isn't as strong as the first. It is still quite readable. In a Time of Darkness has a very awkward set of subject matter (the keeping of a harem girl against her will), which will make many readers uncomfortable, and isn't as strong a story as either of the first two stories in this series. [isbn: 1416509208;9781416509202]