KCR: Slanted Jack (scifi, adventure, space)

A sequel to "One Jump Ahead", the nano-enhanced soldier Jon Moore, and his sentient gunship Lobo seem always heading into some sort of trouble. This time, the trouble came looking for him...

Premise: Slanted Jack, a con man from Jon's past, came to seek his help. He needs to protect a child, who supposedly have special powers... and a lot of people want the kid. A religious fanatic who moonlights as an arms dealer... a notorious and ruthless gang boss... and a high government official out to clean up the frontier, each wanting Jon's allegiance, each with the power to crush Jon and Lobo. Then there's the kid... How does Jon and Lobo get out of this one?

Problem with Slanted Jack is the characters came across as a bit flat, with Jon being the only one with any depth. Every body else came across as cold-hearted people out to use other people to their own purposes for little reason other it it suits them. The book is sort of adventure where the hero tries to play off one side against another. The result is satisfying, though it's a bit shallow.

If you like sci-fi action, with a bit of intrigue, go right ahead.

KCR: The Tuloriad (scifi, adventure, space)

Image via WikipediaThe Tuloriad by John Ringo and Tom Kratman is perhaps one of the weakest books in the "Posleen series", IMHO. In fact, I wonder why the book's written at all, as it doesn't really fit in any where except to provide filler material for the other books later as teasers of this plotline.

The premise was that Earth was 95% destroyed by the invading Posleen horde. However, the horde was finally destroyed (at the conclusion of "Hell's Faire"). Only a few remnants of Posleen remained on Earth. One band was "rescued" by a slightly insane Indowy, supposed allies of Earthlings, and sent on a journey to rediscover the roots of the Posleen, and a human cruiser was sent to chase after them. The humans and Posleen end up fighting a war over... religion... on the ground, in hand-to-hand combat, with the Posleen (who look like Reptilian centaurs) with swords fighting the Swiss Guard wielding pikes. (yes, that's on the cover).

The setup was really really contrived, and madness doesn't offer a convincing explanation of why the Indowy would do such a thing, or even why the humans would sent a ship after this rogue Posleen ship any way. The setup to the battle is fine, but what lead up to it is not.

If you can get past the absurdness of the premise, then the book is enjoyable as sort of adventure, albeit a very... contrived one.

I mainly got this book to complete the series. I would have skipped it if it wasn't just for the collection.

Rating: Skip it (unless you need to complete the collection)

The Tuloriad (The Legacy of the Aldenata)  (on Amazon)

and just to mention the series...

Hell's Faire (Posleen War Series #4)  (on Amazon)