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- Griffin's continuation of Semper Fi
- Griffin is masterful!
- Another CORPS Novel from WEB Griffin
- Just fine as a semi-historical war novel
- detailed description of US Marines
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Call to Arms: Corps 02 (Corps)
W. E. B. Griffin
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ASIN: 0515093491 |
Book Description
W.E.B. Griffin's epic story of the Marine Corps continues with an elite fraternity known as the Raiders taking form after the attack on Pearl Harbor.
Customer Reviews:
Griffin's continuation of Semper Fi.......2007-08-18
In this second book of the Corps series, "Killer" McCoy is recruited by some Marine Corps brass to spy, not on the Japanese, but on Colonel Evans Carlson, an unconventional officer with connections to President Roosevelt who is forming an unconventional unit to conduct guerrilla attacks on isolated Japanese held islands. He joins the unit, reports on Carlson, plays his role in training, and participates in the first action - which is only cursorily described by Griffin, who does not seem much interested in action scenes.
There is also a continuation of the love story between McCoy and his rich girlfriend, and a new love story between Pick Pickering and the widow of a dead pilot.
There is plenty to like about Griffin's books: his attention to historical accuracy, his technical detail, his insightful characterization of the life and backgrounds of professional soldiers. Griffin is a very competent professional writer with a clear love of the people he portrays. However there are also many flaws.
The love stories, and the characters themselves, are pretty simple adolescent dreams of life. The two Marines (McCoy and Pick) live in lavish quarters. They have access to resources that few real Marines could ever have. McCoy is not just smart, brave, and a real killer Marine, he's also fluent in four languages that he picked up entirely on his own. Pick is not just a good pilot, he's a natural born aviator who can do things in his first flight in an airplane that most cannot do until the end of training. The prostitutes they visit are not just young and good looking, they're the best of the best. Their girlfriends are not just pretty, they're rich, well connected and willing to break all the social conventions to give their men what they need.
I guess this is the stuff that young soldiers dream about and never have. Griffin's books help them to dream on. One reviewer here called it soap opera, and it's hard to disagree.
For those interested in grittier and perhaps more realistic, if less technical, views of military life, have a look at Irwin Shaw's _The Young Lions_, or Norman Mailer's _The Naked and the Dead_, or James Jones' _From Here to Eternity_.
I can't deny however that it wasn't a bad read.
Griffin is masterful!.......2007-05-07
This book is part of the Corps series and the entire series is superbly written. Griffin develops his characters so they are realistic and a twisting plot that leads the reader through the lives of the characters.
Another CORPS Novel from WEB Griffin.......2007-03-13
THE CORPS is the best novel series I have read. It is FICTION, PEOPLE. Some complain about the re telling of the previous characters in every book. This makes the series readable non-sequentially. I bought most of the series used, out of sequence, and could easily keep up with the story. Good historical fiction is an artform, Griffin has painted his Guernica in the form of this series. It has encouraged me to delve into 20th century USMC research further. I hope they make a movie out of it someday. I would see it 50 times and buy the DVD.
Just fine as a semi-historical war novel.......2007-01-14
If you buy a W E B Griffin novel looking for shootin' and lootin' combat action, you'll probably be a little disappointed. For new readers, I strongly recommend the first two volumes of The Corps series. As an ensemble, the characters are the most compelling of Griffin's works and the stories follow a mostly historical time line. Readers whose view of WWll comes from old B&W movies may find the carousing a little rugged although the "Platoon" and "Apocalypse Now" generation will find the sex and drinking pretty conventional.
Griffin provides his readers a slightly different angle or angles, offering multiple intertwined stories which are more or less connected within the context of the whole. Sometimes, this works well, sometimes less so, depending really upon how well he manages to tie the whole thing together in the last few pages.
If this appeals to you there are a couple of other things you may want to consider before beginning your journey into Griffin's micro version of history. The most obvious is that the books are written in series form, "The Corps", Brotherhood of War", "Honorbound", etc, and while you probably will want to read them in their proper order, (numbered for your convenience, Book l, Book ll, and so on), you may find reading them straight through a bit wearisome. This is due to the Author's practice of bringing new readers up to speed on the reoccurring characters, (reading the story on Ken McCoy's nickname for the third or fourth time, if done in too short a time frame, is off putting).
Another artistic conceit is Griffin's love of the "small world phenomena", (think Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon), all of his primary cast not only know each other through family, or business associations, or mutual friends or a shared experience, they somehow manage to be tied to famous persons of the time. To enjoy the Griffin books you'll just have to suspend reality a bit and just go with it. Get used to guest appearances by "Dugout Doug MacArthur and FDR.
You also may be a little impatient with some of the editing and although most folks who read these as military or history buffs won't mind the routine technical references to uniforms, weapons, rations, and other gear, the casual reader might. I found the earliest "Corps" and "Brotherhood" stories strongest and his later work, and the "Badge of Honor" series to be a little less focused.
detailed description of US Marines.......2006-11-26
This novel hasn't much deep in treating characters, as the protagonist, the hard Marine Ken Mc Coy and the other personages are described in a simple way of good/ bad people, the first, with Mc Coy at head, brave and fortunate soldiers, the late, coward or at less, stupid.
The strong point of this book is I think the description of US military and particularly Marine Corps in the decade of 1940's seems to me very exact and plenty of details the author had to know form first hand. A deception for me: the Thompson machine gun, I think the most beautiful light weapon is described as very difficult and worrying to use excepting for very few men with exceptional skills. Garand is described as an excellent rifle, and still better the Johnson rifle, although for some people this is debatable. Carbine M 1 is qualified as a mediocre weapon. Also there's a problem with the Kodacolor film, as Mc Coy says when he spies the Japanese, in the light of dawn this clas of film is ruined in spite of the Leica camera; I don't know the reason for that. Well, this book remembers to me a little, the excellent movie "From here to eternity".
Book Description
1817 and 1818 have not been good years for Matthew Hervey. His beloved wife Henrietta is dead and he is no longer in the Sixth regiment. Now he is kicking his heels in a corrupt and unruly England far removed from its once glorious past. 1819 sees Hervey in Rome with his sister Elizabeth where a chance meeting with man of letters Percy Bysshe Shelley leads him to rethink his future. Realizing just how much he misses the excitement of military action and the camaraderie of his regiment, Hervey hurriedly purchases a new commission and is refitted for the uniform of the 6th Light Dragoons. Hervey’s most immediate task is to raise a new troop and to organize transport, for his men and horses are to set sail for India with immediate effect.
What Hervey and his greenhorn soldiers cannot know is that in India they will face one of their toughest trials. A large number of Burmese warboats are being assembled near the headwaters of the river leading to Chittagong, and the only way to thwart their advance involves an arduous and hazardous march through jungle territory. What begins as a relatively simple operation becomes a journey into the heart of darkness, as Hervey and his troop find themselves in the midst of hot and bloody action once more.
From the Hardcover edition.
Customer Reviews:
Another Fine Addition To The Hervey Series........2004-07-08
Yet again, Mallinson provides a worthy and highly recommended addition to the Matthew Hervey series - the study of the life and culture of a post Napoleonic-era British cavalry officer.
A brief synopsis - the book starts with Hervey and his sister, vacationing in Italy. The sights and culture of Italy, are vividly described, and serve well as a different backdrop to young Hervey, as tries to come to terms with his current lot in life. There are encounters with noteworthy characters - the poet Shelley for example - which serve to touch Hervey as he seeks to find himself after his recent personal tragedy. (See Book Three - "A Regimental Affair".) Hervey begins to see his way clear - and purchases a new commission with his old regiment, soon to be posted to India. Upon arrival, old 'friends' re-introduce themselves into his life - the Somerviles - and help him to get his feet planted and moving forward again. The naivete of Hervey is almost gone - except for the opposite sex - and a much harder, more resolute officer remains. Also, the trials and tribulations of establishing a new troop in a foreign posting, are nicely described here. The troop battle or action scene, where Hervey eliminates most of his lingering self-doubt regarding his capabilities and prospects as a leader, showed a discerning touch.
In sum, Mallinson provides a thoroughly engrossing depiction of England and India during the time period, with all its complexity of class, religion, and politics. The story is well paced, and balanced with the 'much' anticipated development of certain characters - Sergeant Armstrong, Elizabeth Hervey, the Somerviles, and not the least Hervey. There is sufficient military action to keep the reader's interest as well, with fascinating depictions of the 'family' called a cavalry troop.
If you enjoy historical fiction of the Napoleonic era, especially the cavalry - try this book, you won't be disappointed.
Product Description
"Homeland security" is the most serious issue challenging Americans today. How they deal with this problem will determine whether the United States will preserve individual liberty and economic prosperity, or degenerate into a centralized bureaucratic police state. This book explains why "the Militia of the several States" are the only establishments the Constitution explicitly empowers to provide the crucial elements of homeland security. And it describes the practical steps Americans should take to revitalize the constitutional Militia in each of the States.
Customer Reviews:
Required reading for EVERY American .......2007-05-29
Presently, our republic is seething with citizen discontent on a range of important issues: the burgeoning police state under a proto-fascist "homeland security" banner...the cultural and economic threat of unchecked Mexican immigration...the increasing strictures on our God-given right (reiterated by the Second Amendment)...the hokey "War on Terror".
How in the world can the citizens of these 50 sovereign States, return to the liberty and self-government that we supposedly assured ourselves when "We the People" assented to the U.S. Constitution as our means of limiting the Leviathan State?
In this trenchant little guidebook for American citizens, constitutional scholar Dr. Edwin Vieira, Jr leads us back to the rule of law, step by constitutional step! What an erudite, plain-speaking, and eminently "do-able" plan the author presents!
This is no guidebook for rifle-toting "Montana Freemen" nut-cases; it is a measured, historically documented plan of action for truly reclaiming our liberty and our "homeland security", one neighborhood at a time, in concert with local "first responders" (police, fire dept, EMS, et al) but entirely on a volunteer basis: orderly, law-abiding, serious-minded citizenship, just as our colonial-era forefathers -- and the framers of the Constitution -- intended!
After you read this book (believe me, you'll be full of hope and ready to say, "Let's Roll!") just imagine the 4th of July, 2010...in 535 American towns and cities, holding an "AMERICA AGAIN!" rally, to institute the "Citizens' Homeland Security Associations" that Dr. Vieira introduces in this masterful book! I tell you, never in my life have I had such hope in the future of this republic -- if only people will read such books as this one, and actually take them to heart.
Are you sick of the repetitive news cycles and foreign wars? Tired of being told that America is inexorably becoming a police state, or will soon be overrun by illegal immigrants?
Get this book TODAY; you'll finish the last page with more hope than you've had for years.
Book Description
MechWarrior-aspirant Raul Ortega finds himself called to battle when warring factions-who have seceded from the Republic-wage war on his home world to obtain one of the few working interstellar communication nets.
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"A REPUBLIC IN PERIL Months have passed since the interplanetary communications net was destroyed, isolating planets across the Republic of the Sphere. Achernar is one of the few worlds still in possession of a working Hyperpulse Generator Station, capable of communications across the galaxy-and a much sought-after prize for the splintering factions of the Republic to acquire. Raul Ortega failed to qualify as an active MechWarrior, finding some solace in the Republic's military reserves on Achernar and dreaming of the day he might know the adventure and glory of real combat. The Republic-loyal forces of Achernar whom Raul serves are supported by a loose alliance with the Swordsworn, a faction pledged to House Davion, whose leaders have an agenda of their own. When the planet falls under siege by yet another splinter group, the Steel Wolves, who are intent on capturing the HPG station, Raul is called to active duty. But when the Swordsworn desert Achernar in its time of need, Raul discovers that there's little honor in the brutal realities of war and the subtle nuances of treachery. "
Customer Reviews:
A complex, action-packed Mechwarrior thriller.......2004-03-06
Whereas the first book in the Mechwarrior Dark Age series features rather sparse military engagements, this second book in the saga, Loren L. Coleman's A Call to Arms puts the metallic behemoths in the field and supplies us with one battle scene after another. As a BattleTech newbie, I was more than ready to see somebody bring out the big guns and have a hot and heavy free-for-all. This novel is not all about action, however, and herein lies its real strength. The main character is a very human, likeable, and essentially normal young man whom we watch mature as a citizen, patriot, leader, and hero; by the end of the book, he is a far cry from the young man we met early on. The most commanding presence in the book, strangely enough, is not the main character at all but a ravishing, mysterious female Mechwarrior who remains elusive in the minds of the reader throughout the entire story.
Raul Ortega never wanted to be anything but a Mechwarrior; even though the Republic thrived under an extended era of peace, Raul thirsted for combat and a chance to prove himself. His dream almost came true, but by the narrowest of margins Raul came up short in his Mechwarrior qualification tests. Now he is a customs agent on Achernar, his dreams of leading a Mechwarrior into combat seemingly dashed. Then the Steel Wolves arrive and bring war to Raul's planet. Achernar's military significance in the universal scheme of things is its working Hyperpulse Generator Station. Some 85 percent of the planets in the Republic lie in isolation following recent, coordinated, very effective attacks on the interplanetary communication network. The Steel Wolves, genetically engineered soldiers, come to Achernar determined to gain control of the HPG station. The planetary militia is initially unprepared and outgunned by the awesome and swift attack of Steel Wolf forces, and the dicey military situation on the planet is further complicated by the Achernar militia's questionable alliance with the Swordsworn on the planet, a group with an agenda entirely their own. When military engagements take place, the dynamics of different groups working together and sometimes against one another makes it difficult to predict how everything will play out.
Then there is Tassa Kay, a mysterious visitor to Achernar who just so happens to be a highly skilled Mechwarrior herself. She joins forces with the militia, marching her own personal Legionnaire into one fight after another. Tassa proves to be a most enticing and unquantifiable player in events. Owing no allegiance to the Republic or, seemingly, to any entity besides herself, she is a hard nut to crack, and the secrets she obviously carries keep the suspense of the story alive and kicking over the course of the entire novel. Tassa also plays a key role in the human element of the story. Raul is fascinated by her, and his odd but continually evolving relationship with this woman he barely knows spells trouble with a capital T between Raul and his fiancée. This romantic angle of the story may help the reader forge a personal bond of sort with the characters, but in my opinion it is the only real weakness in the book. While the complexity of Raul's relationship with Tassa makes for a compelling angle to the story, I never sensed any kind of truly significant connection between Raul and Jessica, and I oftentimes thought of Jessica as standing outside the story looking in.
I waited quite a while to dip my foot into the BattleTech universe, holding in my head the unqualified assumption that these books were somehow a second-rate form of science fiction. I could not have been more wrong. A Call to Arms features fascinating characters, thrilling military clashes, ever-building suspense and mystery, and an overall complexity I found quite impressive indeed.
The Cast of Characters.......2003-12-10
For once it was nice to have a hard-luck, not hugely skilled protagonist. After years of Kai, Victor, Phelan, Natasha Kerensky, and other warrior luminaries, seeing Joe Average was a good change of pace.
And as for the new mystery babe Tassa Kay, once you figure out who she is, all you old-school Wolf's Dragoons loyalists will laugh so hard you cry.
Balance of Action and Intrigue.......2003-07-16
This book is one of the very best BattleTech novels I've read. It combines a nice balance of "palace intrigue" and guns-blazing action.
We follow the strategies of the Steel Wolf clan's commander, Torrent, who is trying to take over the planet for his clan. Also, the conflict is heated further by the meddlings of a kind of private army called the "Swordsworn." These Swordsworn pretend to be defending the Republic, but they have a hidden agenda that is self-serving, and a raw grab for power. Then last, there is the planet's native government, trying to defend against these factions.
All these intrigues explode into conflict, and they result in hot action at a number of points in the book. But as in many of these books, bullets alone cannot solve the problem. Raul and the planet's defenders have to unravel the skein of entangled betrayals and loyalties. In the end, strategy and craftiness by Raul and his friends prevail where bullets alone have failed.
Another fascinating character is Tassa Kay, a beautiful and mysterious woman who flirts with Raul repeatedly. She is also a master mechwarrior. Her Ruyken mech is a fascinating ride for a fascinating pilot. Bring her back in future novels, please!
The book's protagonist, Raul, is a kind of futuristic "Horatio Alger" -- the poor "loser" who makes good and prevails. Raul is a failure who has "washed out" from military cadet training. But with the onset of a war, and because of several extraordinary happenings, he winds up piloting one of the planet's few battlemechs. And piloting it very well-- turns out that Raul is a "natural" -- a gifted mechwarrior.
Every aspect of this book deserves praise. The descriptions, the characters -- who seem sympathetic and real -- and the plotting. As for the "Dark Age" setting of the current battletech books-- I am still groping to understand it, but am willing to give it a chance. I do wish the editors would include more graphics such as drawings or maps. The maps that are supplied seem wrong somehow. One cannot find some of the very planets that are key to the story. Are these old graphics that were dragged out of someone's drawer, rather than commission new graphics?
There are some "dumb" errors in dates. Some of the chapter heading dates substitute "May" for "March," which is what they should read. There are a few other inconsistencies or errors of detail that suggest the copy editing is pretty thin at the publisher's. However, these books are not Shakespeare-- they are intended to meet a popular demand and probably go through the publishing cycle pretty rapidly. So we can live with it.
Some of us have read a number of Loren L. Coleman novels during the years that BattleTech novels have been coming out. We have seen him go from a green rookie writer toward greater experience. At this point, he is really getting good. Keep it up, Mr. Coleman!
All in all, folks, purchase of this book is money well spent.
Patrick J. Callahan
Not bad for Loren L. Coleman.......2003-07-16
I do have to say that I was one of many who groaned about Loren L. Coleman writing this book but I was definitely and pleasantly surprised.
Great story and great characters! I love the idea of the not-so-great pilot redeeming himself and becoming a hero. Many of the BT novels told stories of gifted pilots who just needed a chance to hone or test their skills and prove to everyone that blah, blah, blah... I definitely prefer the story of the underdog as opposed to some mechwarrior prodigy like Kai Allard Laio or Morgan Hasek Davion.
Like I said, great story with some awesome characters (look for Tassa Kay to show up later). Also to Loren L. Coleman, great job with the Classic Battletech site. It is definitely appreciated.
Great Start to new seris.......2003-06-16
I found this book to be a great starting point for the new Mech warrior: Dark Ages. I hope the books will continue this trend.
Average customer rating:
- poorly written military science fiction
- Hooray for Humans!
- Well-paced, story-driven, natural language science fiction
- Good despite its flaws
- Best book in the trilogy
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Call to Arms (The Damned, Book 1)
Alan Dean Foster
Manufacturer: Del Rey
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Binding: Mass Market Paperback
Foster, Alan Dean
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ASIN: 0345375742
Release Date: 1992-02-23 |
Book Description
For eons, the Amplitur had searched space for intelligent species, each of which was joyously welcomed to take part in the fulfillment of the Amplitur Purpose. Whether it wanted to or not. When the Amplitur and their allies stumbled upon the races called the Weave, the Purpose seemed poised for a great leap forward. But the Weave's surprising unity also gave it the ability to fight the Amplitur and their cause. And fight it did -- for thousands of years.
Will Dulac was a New Orleans composer who thought the tiny reef off Belize would be the perfect spot to drop anchor and finish his latest symphony in solitude. What he found instead was a group of alien visitors -- a scouting party for the Weave, looking. for allies among what they believed to be a uniquely warlike race: Humans.
Will tried to convince the aliens that Man was fundamentally peaceful, for he understood that Human involvement would destroy the race. But all too soon, it didn't matter. The Amplitur had discovered Earth...
First Time in Paperback
Customer Reviews:
poorly written military science fiction.......2006-07-03
This is the first book in its trilogy, and the best written. However, best is really not that good, compared to works by other authors. Foster takes an interesting idea and tries to write something approximating military science fiction. But if you have read Pournelle, Weber, Stirling or Laumer, then Foster really does a mediocre job.
In this book, the narrative is not bad and can capture the reader's interest. But towards the end, we see descriptions of actual battles. These do not match in drama or detail or intensity those you can often see in the other authors' writings.
In the 2 subsequent books of this trilogy, we see a scenario of interstellar conflict between many races. But the descriptions of the futuristic weapons and tactics are rudimentary. Granted, Foster concentrates more on the politics. But the grand idea in the first book lacks something in its instantiation.
Hooray for Humans!.......2006-05-25
I picked this book up off of a desk somewhere during a former job. It was late, I was bored and the cover looked interesting. The book was a bit slow to start, but interesting once the pace increased. I found myself disappointed when I reached the last page because the job's library didn't have books two or three.
What I liked:
The characters were engaging:
The Weave aliens behaved in an unexpected...but entirely understandable way to their new "Allies" the Humans. The "Bad Guys" in many ways mimic many of the loathesome qualities of many fictitious, and real life, antagonisitic forces all the while giving the overall impression of being beneficent.
The struggle was believable and understandable:
The "Bad Guys" seek to assimilate and redirect every species they encounter to the "Purpose". This is a common theme for a reason; humans are, by and large, fiercely individualistic. The Borg, the "Body Snatchers", Vampires, Zombies all have the underlying, if not primary, purpose of "Making you one of Them".
Humans were not portrayed as weak or inferior:
Though not superior in any given area, other than warfare and ferocity, humans were considered better than all of the allied and enemy races in that humans were exceptional, even the aged humans, in all of the desired areas (strength, reaction speed, endurance, eye sight, hearing etc). It was refreshing to not read about "Puny Humans".
What I did not like:
The Main Character:
Though this may seem like a fatal flaw, it really isn't. What I didn't like about the Main character were his seemingly endless crys that humanity wants peace...even when the evidence of our blood thirstiness is staring him in the face. Now, I am all for peace, don't get me wrong, but I accept a few basic things about my brothers and sisters; we only really do two things REALLY well, kill each other and make babies. Were I put in the position of the main character, faced with probable genocide because Humans just couldn't cope with the rest of the universe's outlook on civilized behavior, I am sure that I would cry that we COULD learn to be peaceful, too.
All in all, I really enjoyed this book, I have read it at least twice, and recommend it.
Well-paced, story-driven, natural language science fiction.......2006-03-13
The Amplitur are a race of four-legged, tentacles-on-the-head telepaths that are out to get humanity and everything and everybody in the galaxy to serve the Purpose. They're locked in a centuries-long war with the Weave, a diverse coalition of free races who are opposed to being genetically re-engineered into leading Purpose-driven lives. Go figure.
Enter humanity. When the Weave's exploratory ships discover Earth, they're amazed at our violent tendencies and capabilities. You see, most of the Weave's races - and the Amplitur and the allies too, for that matter - are incapable of violence or just very bad at it. So lucky us - we can be their new foot soldiers.
Now, A Call To Arms isn't the first or the last to portray humans as having a small talent for war, but I think it has a fresh quality to it. The story is well-paced; it's a natural page-turner. There's little pseudo-scientific jargon. The author makes no attempt to introduce esoteric weapons or describe battle after battle. In fact, there's very little combat "stuff" until near the very end of the book.
So it's difficult to categorize the book. It isn't one of those military science fiction novels like Weber's Insurrection where you're dealing with extensive battle descriptions. It's far-better written than Ringo's A Hymn Before Battle which is another military-focused intergalactic war novel. It's little like the Kzin stories or Saberhagen's Berserker fiction. Hmmm...
How to determine if you'll like it? I don't know. I do think if you're seeking a novel containing plenty of combat with unique weapons lovingly described in detail, along with a battle every thirty pages or so, this is not it. It is, however, a story very clearly told, about how humanity's strength and competitive edge is also its weakness and burden.
I enjoyed reading it, particularly if you're seeking some conflict-driven story without wanting to go to some starship soldier boot training indoctrination. I'm trying to say that young adults and up can get into this without feeling they have to keep their laser pistols handy.
Good despite its flaws.......2004-04-20
I'll be honest. Some of the ideas in this book are silly, such as Earth being tectonically active alone among thousands of inhabited planets, like one reviewer already pointed out. Never mind how the aliens are completely ignorant of tectonics despite all of their other wonderful science.
The main reason I like the book is because it panders to biased view of humanity as princes among carbon-based lifeforms. I like the vision of humans being the strongest, fastest and most vicious species in the stars, and Foster did a good job of portraying the shock of the other races at this.
I see more and more flaws in the plot as the years go by, but I gave it four stars because it's kept me thinking about the subject for such a long time.
Best book in the trilogy.......2003-06-03
A very good book, one of my all time favorites. Although, I somewhat disagree with Fosters recurrent theme of humanity's violent tendencies (presented a bit simplistic or naive in a way) it didn't keep me from enjoying this book. It is a great start to the series, and by far the best of the trilogy.
There is also a little twist in the first contact theory. Humans carry some advantages that aren't often represented in most scifi stories. I also enjoyed the switching between POVs during the initial encounters, judgments that are made about each side.
Book Description
Based on
"Call to Arms"
written by Ira Steven Behr & Robert Hewitt Wolfe
"A Time to Stand"
written by Ira Steven Behr & Hans Beimler
"Sons and Daughters"
written by Bradley Thompson & David Weddle
"Rocks and Shoals"
written by Ronald D. Moore
"Behind the Lines"
written by Rene Echevarria
"Favor the Bold"
written by Ira Steven Behr & Hans Beimler
"Sacrifice of Angels"
written by Ira Steven Behr & Hans Beimler
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Captain Sisko and the Deep Space Nine crew must find a way to close down the wormhole to the Gamma Quadrant before all of the Federation is enslaved by the Dominion.
Customer Reviews:
Too many characters for a novel.......2006-12-27
The Federation is locked into a brutal interstellar war with the Dominion, a group let by the Founders, a society of shape shifters. The Dominion is extremely well ordered with the founders at the peak, then the Vorta who fill the role of field commanders followed by the genetically engineered Jem Hadar soldiers. The sole purpose of the Jem Hadar is to fight and die for the founders. That is what they have been bred to do and that is all that they can possibly do. Control over the Jem Hadar is maintained by their dependence on Ketracel White, a combination narcotic and nutrient. At this time, the Cardassians are allied with the Dominion, and their combined power is more than the Federation can handle.
The Federation is in full retreat from the might of the Dominion/Cardassian forces. Although they were able to mine the wormhole so that no new Dominion forces can come through, the Federation was forced to abandon Deep Space Nine, destroying it as much as possible before leaving. At the urging of Cisco, the Bajorans signed a treaty to remain neutral in the conflict, an action that many Bajorans find difficult to accept.
Cisco leads his team in several actions against the Dominion, successfully destroying a major White processing station. However, they are damaged in their retreat and crash land on a planet, their ship sinking in an ocean. A Jem Hadar ship that was pursuing them also crashes on the planet and the two forces fight it out on the ground. The Federation party emerges victorious and is eventually rescued. The story closes with Cisco and his crew back in the fight and preparing to launch additional raids against the Dominion.
This novelization stays very close to the action of the TV series. That is both a positive and a negative. On the positive side, the struggle between the Federation and the Dominion is explained in great detail as the Federation forces continue to retreat. The negative side is that there are too many characters that are involved to keep a novel on track. Cisco's son Jake stays on Deep Space Nine as well as Quark, Odo and Kira. The action moves back and forth between the actions of Cisco and his crew and what is going on at Deep Space Nine. This bouncing back and forth can more easily be done in a visual medium where you have had time to flesh out the characters but is very difficult in print. If you have not seen these episodes of the television series, then you will it very difficult to follow. In my opinion, some of what occurred in the series should have been dropped from the novelization.
Good story, bad writing........2004-08-18
This is not Diane Carey's worst effort, not by a long shot. Still, as is frequently the case in her writing, there are places where her word choice is, to put it charitably, questionable. It's never as bad here as it is in, say, "The Search", or some of her other earlier works, but it is still noticeable that she's trying too hard to be "clever and creative", and generally succeeding only in being distractingly odd. The story itself, being mostly an adaptation of several episodes of the "Deep Space Nine" television show from the time period of the "Dominion War" of the book's title, is good, and the changes that Ms. Carey has made are as often improvements as not, and generally don't seem to detract anything from what we saw onscreen. But as of the writing of this book, at least, she had yet to learn that being a "wordsmith" (which seems to be what she wants to think of herself as) does NOT involve playing such games with the language as to distract attention from the story she's telling.
Would have read better had I not seen the show first........2003-12-25
Books 1 and 3 should really be part 1 of the Dominion War, and books 2 and 4, part 2 (or vice-versa) since there is no overlap between the two whatsoever. So it is ok to start reading book 2 having not read book 1. I believe had I not just watched DS9 on DVD that I would have enjoyed book 2 and 4 more than I did. The episodes were among my favorite, but reading it, much of which is taken word for word from the show, hardly offered new exciting twists. I agree you get a lot deeper insight into characters, especially Sisko and Martok's plan to do something about the War. At times I questioned whether Carey was right about some of the inner thoughts of Sisko and whether the producers of DS9 had the same views, or if Carey just invented them. Either way, it works. It's also good to see more of what happens when the Defiant goes off on a mission, esp. when Dax is in command. It was also good to see Charlie Reynolds and his crew. For that, I give this book 4 stars rather than 3, and also because I believe if one hasn't seen these episodes, that the books will be quite enjoyable. Seeing O'Brien on a suicide mission was quite funny, although the Tex character seemed very odd and out-of-place. Personally I prefered TNG books (1&3) more.
From the small screen to print.......2003-08-08
Everyone say the book is always better then the movie. Diane Carey's novelization of these Deep Space Nine episodes holds to the same standards. We get to see into the minds of the characters and understand the choices they made on screen. We get to see specific outcomes of events never fully disclosed during the series.
There were a few new characters introduced but the development of the regular cast was great. Captain Sisko's development and the insight into his choices I felt were completely in character. General Martok showed new depth into his character but having read the two part series by J. Hertzler, am not sure of some of this character's actions.
Overall, a wonderful read and I enjoyed pushing through it quickly. As a four part series, I was hoping for some interaction and cross over with the first book. From what I have read so far, I see two, two-book series, rather then an interconnected four part I was hoping for.
Not the Dominion War, maybe JR. ST........2003-05-18
This review is for the Dominion War (DW) 4 book set. I hoped that the people in charge of star trek could have written a series of books that gave us some of the grand sweep of the war in our galaxy that earth could have lost. THIS WAS NOT THAT SERIES. A better Title would have been SNIPPETS FROM THE DOMINION WAR (a lttle french military inuendo there) as we learn very little about the Dominion War.
Star fleet takes their greatest leader Picard (is kirk dead again?) and puts him in charge of a commando operation that has little chance of success in a tiny back water to a great war. We see virtually nothing of that war, only that the federation getting slaughtered. At least Picard knows to use two teams, instead on relying on only one team.
Of course it is not the publishers fault that I assumed they would fill in new information about the DW story with fuller richer detail. That would have been to much work. What was i expecting from a non-Shantner book.
SPOILER!!. At least they don't kill a popular character, which is why i gave 2 stars instead of 1.
I knew the plant from the beginning. Cone on. How many of you were shocked to learn who the saboteur was. A slow piece of junk defeats 3 enemies? Enterprise shows up right on time WAY behind the lines of the most guarded thing the dominion has?
This series would have better placed a Junior Star War series, featuring Picards, Rikers Troys geordis and datas children.
Book Description
Babylon 5 - Space Combat is a stand alone boxed roleplaying game that concentrates on combat between ships in the Babylon 5 universe. Featuring two books and easy-to-follow reference sheets, this game takes space combat within Babylon 5 to a new level. While not requiring the Babylon 5 roleplaying game, Space Combat is an excellent addition to the roleplaying game and will be an invaluable resource for any player wishing to take combat to the depths of space.
Book Description
Sybil Ludington earned a place in American history on a rainy night in 1777 when she rode 40 miles through enemy-infested woods to summon her father's regiment to halt a British raid on Connecticut and New York. Though Paul Revere is the most celebrated revolutionary to sound the call to arms, Sybil Ludington's ride was bolder and far more dangerous, and she was only sixteen years old. Widowed young, she became a successful businesswoman in a profession then dominated by men and raised her son to become a man of stature in his community. This is her first biography.
Book Description
The United States health care system is killing Americans at an alarming rate, even though we spend over fifteen percent of the Gross National Product (GNP) on health care. According to the Journal of the American Medical Association, our health care outcomes ranked only fifteenth among twenty-five industrialized nations worldwide. Adverse effects from prescription drugs have become the third-leading killer of Americans. Only heart disease and cancer claim more lives. We trust our doctors to inform us and our government to protect us from medical malfeasance that may put profits ahead of consumer health and safety. But the fine line walked by the FDA between the interests of the pharmaceutical manufacturers and the American public has continually been crossed. The result is the unleashing of an unprecedented number of lethal drugs on the U.S. market!
Gwen Olsen learned firsthand the danger that lurks in every American's medicine cabinet, working in the pharmaceutical industry. But her most poignant education would come as a victim and, ultimately, as a survivor.
Rigorously researched and documented, Confessions of an Rx Drug Pusher: God's Call to Loving Arms is a moving, human drama that illustrates the catastrophic consequences of a health care system run amuck!
Customer Reviews:
A Wake Up Call to the Human Race.......2007-05-19
One of Ms. Olsen's most vital messages is that life's problems are spiritual in nature, not medical. As long as our society looks to "experts" who do not admit the existence of the human spirit and view us as animals and collections of chemicals, the solutions we are offered will continue to bark up the wrong tree. And the concept that some people's brains are "wired differently" denies people their personal sense of responsibility for their own health and happiness. This is particularly cruel and tragic when it is done to children.
This book should be required reading at all medical schools and pharmacy colleges. It should be on the shelves of every university book store, law library, theological seminary, and teaching college. Ms. Olsen has given a wake-up call to the human race, and it's one that we dare not ignore!
A must read!.......2007-04-02
This was a real eye opener on what's happening with the pharmaceutical industry especially with the psychiatric medications. Convinced me I'd never use that stuff and that there are many options that don't require those meds. Great book.
I use to be scared...NOW I AM TERRIFIED!.......2007-02-26
What an amazing book, what an amazing woman. I had the opportunity not only to read this book but to meet Ms. Olsen. Her book is chock full of examples, citations and proof. Her motivation is beautiful and selfless. Her message is right on. This is excellent reading for anyone who is even considering putting their child on drugs. No one else has the tenacity and willingness to put themselves out their to tell the truth. Kudo's Ms. Olsen. You have made me even more compissionate!
A presentation that tries to include too many areas.......2007-01-03
Although the author of this book has tried to expose the corruption and malice of the drug industry, I have the feeling she is like a member of
AA who is trying to accomplish the twelve steps by correcting all her mistakes to clear her conscience.
The presentation certainly airs the training of drug reps. and how for power and dollars, they are duped into thinking they are serving physicians and patients.
The author gets into medical explanations regarding the drugs, a field
in which she is not trained and a field of expertise that she should leave to professionals.
The end of the book deals with her spiritual discovery and that is admirable, but I question whether it is properly placed in a book that has tried to courageously stepped forward to inform the public about the corruption of the drug industry and those who support it.
Illegal or legal brain targeting drugs do what drugs do: they usurp life. .......2006-11-03
This book is filled with beauty, passion, science, conscience, dedication.
. . and some inspiring poetry. Gwen Olsen has the work ethic that success
in life is made of: get a college degree, get a well paying job, work
hard. She also has the beauty and manners that attracts confidence. After
college she was hired as a drug representative to sell new drugs to
doctors. She won selling awards and was hired by leading drug
companies. But she also has a conscience. She quit her "drug pushing to
doctors" job and soon after, her niece, also a beautiful girl inside and
out, committed suicide while withdrawing from drugs prescribed to her
for depression. Just one of the hundreds of thousands of prescription drug
fatalities each year. The questions needing to be asked are asked
here, and answered. The cure of mental illness is cognitive education.
(The 12 steps cured me of suicidal and homicidal "paranoid schizophrenia."
)This book is a must read for everyone in the medical profession and anyone
who takes or might consider taking prescription drugs. It could save your
life, or the life of someone you love.
Clover Smith-Greene, Author, Escape from Psychiatry, Founder, Welcome
World.org
Average customer rating:
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A Call to Arms: Propaganda, Public Opinion, and Newspapers in the Great War (Perspectives on the Twentieth Century)
Manufacturer: Praeger Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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Book Description
World War I highlighted the influence of newspapers in rousing and maintaining public support for the war effort. Discussions of the role of the press in the Great War have, to date, largely focused on atrocity stories. This book offers the first comparative analysis of how newspapers in Great Britain, France, Russia, Germany, and Austria-Hungary attempted to define war, its objectives, and the enemy. Presented country-by-country, expert essays examine, through use of translated articles from the contemporary press, how newspapers of different nations defined the war for their readership and the ideals they used to justify a war and support governments that some segments of the press had opposed just a few months earlier. During the opening months of the war, governments attempted to influence public opinion functioned in a largely negative fashion, for example, the censoring of military information or criticisms of government policies. There was little effort to provide a positive message to sway readers. As a result, newspapers had a relatively free hand in justifying the war and the reasons for their respective nation's involvement. Partisan politics was a staple of the pre-war press; thus, newspapers could and did define the war in terms that reflected their own political ideals and agenda. Conservative, liberal, and socialist newspapers all largely supported the war (the ones that did not were shut down immediately), but they did so for different reasons and hoped for different outcomes if their side was victorious.
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- Deep Storm: A Novel
- Deep Storm: A Novel
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- Eating the Big Fish: How Challenger Brands Can Compete Against Brand Leaders (Adweek Book S.)
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