John Ringo's (and some friends) "Legends of the Aldenata" series.a re-printed review of mine
This beginning is an editing add-on. I started this review a few days ago, and stopped because I had just finished a book ("Carnifex", Tom Kratman) and I decided to write that review first. I didn't return to this one, because I wore out my writing finger (three quick ones in two days). Today, Tom Kratman came and commented on my review. He seems like a nice guy, and he IS a good writer. Two novels by him are part of this review, and his presence DOES NOT change the way I review these books. A few years ago, I bought a book. I thought it was a stand-alone (at that time, it was) It was called "A Hymn Before Battle" By the end of the first chapter, I was hooked. At the end, I was pissed. As usual, I buy a book, and find out that the rest of an apparently AWESOME series isn't even written yet. A little info about me. I read 750 words per minute when a book sucks me in. I finished this book in a day or so, went to Barnes and Noble, and found out HE WROTE NOTHING ELSE! I put him on my watch list, and as a new one came out, I bought it. I never buy hardcovers. I have the next 3 in hardcover. I was hooked. The set-up is simple.Earth is going to be invaded in 5 or so years. Apparently good aliens come, and tell us it is coming, and they need killers to protect the galaxy from the Posleen (More on these beauts later). Why the primitive humans? Weeell, the Galactic Federation is full of pacifists. If the Darhel pull a trigger, it dies. The Himmit are too cowardly to fight, but they are awesome sneaks. The Tch Ptt! are hyperactive crabs, they can build anything, but they won't fight. And the Indowey (all 14 TRILLION of them) are effectively slave labor, although we don't realize THAT until later. Sentient machines are prohibited. So Darhel have built warships, point them at the posleen, one Darhel pulls the trigger, dies, next one steps up. The Federation, needless to say, is losing. They plan to use humans as cannon fodder, and they are willing to rejuvenate ALL living former soldiers in order to get what they need. If you want details, start reading books, I'm not gonna ruin them for you. And I won't spill secrets as to plot twists. Now, to the meat of the matter.
"A Hymn Before Battle" Meet Mike O'Neal. A short, incredibly powerful guy, with a talent for mayhem. He is a Sci-Fi freak, a former military man, and friend of a high-ranking general, re-called to help plan the defense of the galaxy. Mike is the driving force behind the development of the ACS (Armored Combat Suit). Think "Starship Troopers" MI on steroids. We meet many other characters, and many run throughout the series. Lots of battles, covert recon, and a lot of political intrigue. As an interesting side-note, Ringo loves Rudyard Kipling. Every chapter starts with segments of various Kipling poems (Mostly "Recessional" in Hymn), and he got ME into RK, as well.
"Gust Front" The Posleen arrive. They are the size of a large pony or a small horse. They will eat EVERYTHING meatlike, including us and each other. They begin eating their way through the Human population of Earth, using us as "Thresh" (food). Our soldiers are "Threshkreen" (Food with stingers). Full of military successes and sacrifices, political chicanery and screwups. and awesome battle scenes. "Nuff said.
"When the Devil Dances" Things are getting desperate, Earth is suffering badly, humanity slowly disappearing, and the Earth slowly being rendered into a Posleen planet. We meet Cally (Mike's daughter) and his dad (Mike Sr), and I won't say much about them, it would be a spoiler. Many other great characters appear, ot continue through the book. Due to contractual obligations, John has to end the book (9-11 screwed up the writing, and a deadline came), so....
"Hell's Faire" ends the Earthbound portion of the series. NO, I won't spill any beans, don't ask, read the books.
This ends the ones John wrote alone, and they all rock. UNFORTUNATELY, there are some others that don't. I don't pretend to know the criteria he used to select certain authors, and I can't say he made bad choices. They all are excellent writers in their own rights. Some (Kratman and Williamson) make my list of authors to follow. I did not like Michael Z. Williamson's "The Hero" in this series, but I have enjoyed other novels by him. The first time I read "Watch on the Rhine" I quit in the middle, not due to quality, but due to an overall dissatisfaction with the plot line. Later, I read it again, and couldn't put it down. Maybe I was having a bad week the first time, I don't know, because the second time, it grabbed me by the throat and wouldn't let go. If you read "Yellow Eyes" and are male, you will understand the following- I want to have sex with a battle ship. And so will you! Both were excellent reads. Now, for the bad news. I detested "Cally's War" and the following novels in the Julie Cochrane set of books. It will be hard to explain without putting out spoilers, so I will leave it at this; these books do so much wrong to some of my favorite characters from earlier in the series that i won't re-read them. I have read each of them, only so I know what may be referred to in their books by others, but I truly resent wasting the money on them. My 15 year old son is a huge fan of Ringo, Kratman, and Williamson, but I can't let him read the Cochrane books, too much of the sex is far too twisted for a 15 yr old to handle (Same as John's "Ghost" series, but that is for another day).
Over-all, if you love balls to the wall military SF, with awesome characters, humor, heartbreak, vile villains, and twists you won't see coming, read these books. And, if you see something in the ones I don't like, and think I might enjoy them if I re-read them from another viewpoint, let me know- I would love to find the good side of them. DO NOT take my word on the ones I didn't like, I have very strong opinions, and I might be wrong.