David Drake is justly famous for his Hammer's Slammers stories, but this one-off novel dealing with another mercenary company is actually his best work of military SF. With enough hard-core action to satisfy anyone, it also manages to probe the question of what it means to be REALLY, REALLY good at killing people.

David Drake turns away from his "Hammer's Slammers" universe and gives us a view of mercenaries fighting in a different milieu.

This is about my favourite of Drake's SF -- i'm not sure why, but it's a bit more satisfying than some of his other work.

A mercenary regiment whose Colonel has been assasinated, the crew of a damaged spaceship and a young officer and two enlisted men from the regular army of the side employing the mercenaries must band together and overcome hardships and dangers from foe and friend alike.

A young man becomes truly an adult when command is thrust upon him.

Great book.

I found this book to be thoroughly entertaining. Drake writes about a very specific topic, Military SF, and he does an outstanding job. Allthough I might not have his same background in the U.S. Army I am quite familier U.S. Navy (going on 7 years acvite duty), I still find that his charactors portray an accurate picture of the comman war fighter in any nations army. Well maybe except that the officers are usually the hero. If you are a military member looking for a story written close to home or if you are just looking for a book with well thought out charactors and a excellent plot Mr. Drake can take on all challengers.

This is the standard by which I judge all military fiction. I have never found another that was it's equal. Even when the same authors got together again for books 6 and 7 (which I have reviewed separately) they couldn't recreate the magic of this series.

THE GENERAL series is about a fallen interstellar society which has climbed it's way back up to the technological level of the American Civil War. The hero, Raj Whitehall, has to reunite the planet in order to reach the stars again some day. This involves a lot of fighting and empire building. What gives Raj his edge is the pre-fall computer he has linked with that can see through his eyes.

This series has outstanding character development, a solid and well thought out overall plot line, and good story resolution in each book. The two things that really make the series the top of its genre are the interaction between the computer and the hero, and the realism of the situation. The interaction is a delicate balance that the authors perform magically. If the computer (Center) contributes too much, then the hero has too much of an edge, he doesn't have to try, and the story becomes boring. Without the computer, the hero is just this god like superhuman character that can do no wrong. The computer assistance makes Raj identifiable to the reader, even after he overcomes overwhelming odds to defeat the enemy. The realism comes from the fact that Raj is based on the life of a real person. The whole story is very similar to the story of Byzantine General Belisarius who conquered most of the Mediterranean world for his Emperor after the fall of the Western Roman Empire. That makes it very believable. The characters are very real. Their actions really happened a millenium and a half ago.

This is a must read for any fan of military fiction or empire building.

Book 3 in the most excellent General series. Raj and his companions take on another foe of the Civil Government, the Brigade. Most excellent sci-fi

This is the standard by which I judge all military fiction. I have never found another that was it's equal. Even when the same authors got together again for books 6 and 7 (which I have reviewed separately) they couldn't recreate the magic of this series.

THE GENERAL series is about a fallen interstellar society which has climbed it's way back up to the technological level of the American Civil War. The hero, Raj Whitehall, has to reunite the planet in order to reach the stars again some day. This involves a lot of fighting and empire building. What gives Raj his edge is the pre-fall computer he has linked with that can see through his eyes.

This series has outstanding character development, a solid and well thought out overall plot line, and good story resolution in each book. The two things that really make the series the top of its genre are the interaction between the computer and the hero, and the realism of the situation. The interaction is a delicate balance that the authors perform magically. If the computer (Center) contributes too much, then the hero has too much of an edge, he doesn't have to try, and the story becomes boring. Without the computer, the hero is just this god like superhuman character that can do no wrong. The computer assistance makes Raj identifiable to the reader, even after he overcomes overwhelming odds to defeat the enemy. The realism comes from the fact that Raj is based on the life of a real person. The whole story is very similar to the story of Byzantine General Belisarius who conquered most of the Mediterranean world for his Emperor after the fall of the Western Roman Empire. That makes it very believable. The characters are very real. Their actions really happened a millenium and a half ago.

This is a must read for any fan of military fiction or empire building.

This book is one of the best military-science fiction works I have read. The description of battlefields, defenses, and the confusion on the battlefield is some of best sci-fi literature I have read. I recommend this book (and its predecessor: The Forge) to anyone who enjoys warfare in a science fiction setting.

I have read a lot of Drake's work and he is always good but this novel and the ones that follow are a step up from his previous works. The setting is a futuristic age of re-discovery. Merchant ships are voyaging out from Venus with profit as a main goal and the establishment of trade routes as a close second. The Venarians are opposed by the Federated Earth government that claims all planets outside the solar system for themselves. The main characters lean towards privateerig but will purchase trade goods if possible. This is an adaptation of the voyages of Sir Frances Drake although the ship fires plasma cannon instead of powder and ball. This would make a great movie!

I read this book about eight years ago, but lost my copy. This is the second time I have purchased this novel. As I said, this is the best book, novel or not, that I have read yet. If you like sci-fi, this would be a most worthy investment. Keep it where the dust can't collect, and make sure you read it every couple of years. I'm going for the other two novels in the series, and I think that says a lot.

This is the standard by which I judge all military fiction. I have never found another that was it's equal. Even when the same authors got together again for books 6 and 7 (which I have reviewed separately) they couldn't recreate the magic of this series.

THE GENERAL series is about a fallen interstellar society which has climbed it's way back up to the technological level of the American Civil War. The hero, Raj Whitehall, has to reunite the planet in order to reach the stars again some day. This involves a lot of fighting and empire building. What gives Raj his edge is the pre-fall computer he has linked with that can see through his eyes.

This series has outstanding character development, a solid and well thought out overall plot line, and good story resolution in each book. The two things that really make the series the top of its genre are the interaction between the computer and the hero, and the realism of the situation. The interaction is a delicate balance that the authors perform magically. If the computer (Center) contributes too much, then the hero has too much of an edge, he doesn't have to try, and the story becomes boring. Without the computer, the hero is just this god like superhuman character that can do no wrong. The computer assistance makes Raj identifiable to the reader, even after he overcomes overwhelming odds to defeat the enemy. The realism comes from the fact that Raj is based on the life of a real person. The whole story is very similar to the story of Byzantine General Belisarius who conquered most of the Mediterranean world for his Emperor after the fall of the Western Roman Empire. That makes it very believable. The characters are very real. Their actions really happened a millenium and a half ago.

This is a must read for any fan of military fiction or empire building.

This book move quickly to pull you in to a world of fantasy battles. With the unique mix of old and new technology the story quickly becomes very interesting. Also the use of giant war dogs is just the right twist to really take you off guard. This book and the other is in this series is a must read for a good time.

Elite 26th-century commandos, the ARC Riders patrol time to protect all human history...

The USSR crumbles, Russian hardliners jump from 1991 to AD 9, when their modern weapons can warp the course of the Roman Empire and create a world ruled by the Kremlin-using time technology that doesn't exist in the 20th century...or the 26th.

To solve the mystery, the Riders must split into teams separated by millennia. And while three Riders are trapped between the Roman legions and a blood-maddened barbarian horde, their comrades are at war on the Moscow streets. And fighting an inconceivable enemy.

I picked up the Fleet series as a lark, but now it has me hooked. Book 3 continues an excellent storyline that pits a fragile alliance of humans and aliens against the ravenous Khalia, who are threatening to enslave the entire human race (and have already enslaved quite a few other races). The book in simply a series of short mostly military sci-fi stories. At the end of each story, there is an interlude which kinda a larger more ongoing story in and of itself. While the interludes are a bit lacking in book 3 ( I found them quite amusing in the first 2) The level of writing in book 3 is second to none. Robert Scheckley, Janet Morris, Gary Gygax, heck, I didn't even know Janny Wurts wrote sci-fi(check out her Empire Series with Raymond Feist- AWESOME) And the way the stories intermingle, Mr Drake, you have outdone yourself. Book 1 was just a series of stories that kinda went together, and really needed the brief interludes to introduce you to a new subject.The new stories of book 3 blend together for an entertaining and engaging read. Not only that, many of the same authors have returned to the series and continue the storylines of a whole host of interesting, unique characters. There is a reason I am ordering these books used. They are in 2 words : That Good. I simply wish they were still in print. If you can find them BUY THEM

Loving a story of the determination and courage of one to fight the system, and the pitting of personal honor against expedience and letter of the law. Drake builds a solid, rugged individual in the character of General Merikur, a man forced to choose between the right, and the law. He is placed into a position to spy on a leader accused of treason, and later becomes wrapped up in it himself.

The continuing high quality of the series is nearing its denoument in the Fleet book 6 CRISIS.
Having other authors play in your universe is always difficult, and I find the authors and editing top be consistent and of high quality. The authors write a story like Drake, in his universe, but from a different viewpoint. I have read other series done like this and have often been disappointed, but not here.
The book really sets you up for a book 7 to tie up the loose ends and bring the Fleet into direct conflict with the Families.
It has reminiscences of the fall of Saigon and the evacuation in 75. To have fought in that conflict and find the allies falling to the wayside as the enemy becomes victorious is part of the message I get from the endgame. Especially with the Headhunters and Redhorse. To all my fallen comrades, I salute you.
The elements of humor are interesting as well in keeping with what people in a combat zone or highly stressful profession use to deal with it. Yes, we do find things like that funny or accept them as normal.
I recommend the book as well as the series.

The subject of this watershed book, Dave, the famous Edgefield, South Carolina, poet-potter, was born near Edgefield about the year 1800. He died after 1870, having enjoyed only a few years of freedom. These few stark facts could easily have been all that one could say of this man. Dave's is a wonderful story of survival, especially the survival of the creative, human spirit while laboring under the worst form of tyranny. The author has documented the facts of Dave's life clearly and concisely; however, this book is much more than a list of mere facts. Somehow Dave learned to read and to write a beautiful script. At an early age he was sent to the pottery works near Edgefield, where he became a master potter. One of this splendid poem-jars recently sold at auction for over $80,000. One might well think that surely Dave's story must end here. Fortunately, it does not. Dave, the enslaved African-American potter, was also a "publishing" poet! He "published" his first known poem in 1834 by inscribing the work in the yet soft clay of one of his superb storage jars. He continued to "publish" his poems in this unusual manner for a period of twenty-eight years. His last known poem is dated 3 May 1862. Dave's poems are short, cryptic works. And, until the present work, no one has attempted the delicate task of unraveling their mysterious content. The author has done so with masterly delicacy and skill; moreover, the author's interpretations are presented in a manner which encourage his readers to form their own opinions of what the poet is saying. The author's text and original color illustrations for many of the poems are in perfect harmony with his subject. The portrait of the poet-potter which emerges from the pages of this book is absolutely riveting. Dave is witty and wise. He is the young David who killed the lion. And readers will find, when this book is read through, that Dave could be sexy, too. This book is very far from a commercial production. The author, Samuel J. Hardman, is a publishing poet and a well-known outsider-folk artist. He is also an authority on the 17th century English poet "Ephelia." His important work on the poet has been published in literary journals here and in England and has received notice in the 2nd edition of "An Encyclopedia of British Women Writers." His "Dave's Poems" is undoubtedly an important publication; moreover, it is an immensely artistic and enjoyable work.