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That said, I enjoyed the book a lot. The book is laid out in a way that makes you feel that you're sitting around a table with The Fab Four, just shooting the breeze. Their stories are fascinating, especially the way their memories don't...quite....gel. John, unfortunately, comes off as something of an egomaniac, and a rather pompous one at that. It seems that everything of any worth (in his opinion) was his idea. I'm still a fan of his music, I'm just a little less a fan of the man.
My only real beef with the book is the lack of a narrative voice- The Beatles mention John's car accident, Mary Quant, etc., but there is no narrator to let the unenlightened in on what happened, who that person was, etc. Otherwise, Beatles fans will spend many a happy hour reading this book.
Anthology covers every (well, probably almost every) aspect of the Beatles' life and musical career. It starts as four seperate stories as every band member describes his childhood, then melds into the story of the band. All the interviews from the wonderful Anthology TV series are in the book, but so are many more. There are far more details - especially about the music itself, which was neglected in the series. While in the series some albums were hardly mentioned, in the book the Beatles refer to almost every song, telling a thing or two about its background. Also, more touchy subjects which were avoided in the series appear here - such as, the (phony) death of Paul McCartney, the (real) death of Stuart Sutcliffe, the unfortunate Hell's Angels incident and the terrible case of Charles Manson and his connection to the White Album. The photographs and documents shown in the book are facsinating as well.
And no, it's NOT too long. The only problem with the book is its weight, which makes it quite uncomfortable to read. Anthology is a superb book, which reminded me why I used to love the Beatles so much and got me to hear all their albums again - twice.
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Authors Weber and Ringo do a fine job writing battle scenes. In fact, the frequent joke within the novel--one city, one battle--seems to be the basic plot device in this book.
Roger and the small remnant of human bodyguard marines are trying to get across an entire planet with a fast-ticking clock as their vitamin supplements start to get low. To survive, though, they need to get natives to help them build the ships they need to cross an ocean and the natives that have the technology skills to help them are about to be buried under an angry flood of barbarians. Roger and company set out to save civilization and themselves as well.
The fighting is bloody as Roger and company commit genocide to ensure that the barbarians won't be back. Although we get occasional point-of-view scenes in the barbarian's heads, we never get the idea that they are anything but dumb cannon-fodder which is just as well because that's what they are.
MARCH TO THE SEA keeps you reading, but it isn't nearly the tour de force that MARCH UPCOUNTRY was. Come on, guys, let's have some characters with our battles.
As begun in March Upcountry, Roger and his bodyguards are crashlanded on the planet Marduk, which is a death-planet, and controlled by the enemy besides. And they crash landed all the way around the planet...
Will Prince Roger grow up fast enough to live through this? Will Captain Pahner kill him before he grows up? Will His Evilness be thwarted?
The only way you'll find out the answers to these questions is to buy the book.
The style is reminiscent of Heinlein and Poul Anderson. The pacing is a headlong stampede from the first page to the last.
Along the way, we are treated to some rather deep discussion of philosophy and politics, feminism and cultural imperialism, coated with a veneer of action and adventure.
We have real characters, like Nimashet Despreaux, Sergeant, killer, beautiful woman...and Roger himself, with surprising depth. Even the vignette characters are impressively well drawn.
Weber proves once again that he can write something other than Honor Harrington, while John Ringo showcases his versatility and his continuing growth as a writer.
Eye candy. That's what it is.
Another winner for the big pusher of eye candy, Jim Baen.
The worst part of it is that the story isn't finished, and now I have to wait for the third installment.
I don't wait well.
Guess I'll just have to go re-read March Upcountry and March to the Sea.
Eye candy.
MARCH TO THE SEA is book two in the ongoing series of one Prince Roger, Heir Tertiary to the throne of the Empire of Man. He begins the first book; MARCH UPCOUNTRY, as a spoiled brat who has great potential. By the end of MARCH TO THE SEA he has matured in every way to become the classical hero of Epic proportions.
I won't ruin the plot for you; it is a retelling of an ancient tale, with a few twists of its own. History buffs will see it right away; especially with hints other reviewers will surely give. I will say that buying the first book in the series, MARCH UPCOUNTRY, simply because I needed a Weber fix, opened my eyes to a rising star in the Science Fiction World, one John Ringo. For that alone, the price was worth it; never mind the great story inside the cover.
If you are (im)patiently waiting the next Honor Harrington book by Weber, might I humbly suggest two things:
1) Don't hold your breath, he has other projects and it probably won't be out till early next year if we are lucky.
2) Buy the two books in this series to tide you over until then. You won't be disappointed.
In case I wasn't clear enough:
BUY THIS BOOK!! BUY IT NOW!! BUY _MARCH UPCOUNTRY_ TOO!
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How would mankind adjust to the double shock of knowing that "we are not alone" and the fact that the Earth will soon be ground zero in a seemingly hopeless battle? More specifically, how would the military men and women on the front lines deal with such daunting responsibility? This is the premise of freshman author John Ringo's novel A Hymn before Battle - the first in a proposed trilogy to be published by Baen Books.
Ringo, an Army veteran and admitted fan of such suspense writers as W.E.B. Griffin and Tom Clancy, plunges us into the world of the grunts - the men and women of our armed forces who do all the dirty work, and who must live (or die) with the consequences of incompetent command. This book is tech-heavy and combat-detailed - fellow veterans and fans of the military SF which is Baen's stock-in-trade should love this book. Foul-mouthed, tough and quirky, Ringo's good guys are forced to deal with alien technologies they'd never dreamed of, face foes that make previous human adversaries look like prom dates, and work around short-sighted bureaucrats pursuing personal agendas. In the background, Earth's new allies (a motley collection of intelligent species) are enigmatic and conniving - and it remains to be seen if humanity can trust them in the long run!
Despite a few warts, A Hymn before Battle is a fine first effort and John Ringo a good fit with Baen's stable of writers. With additional experience (and under the tutelage of accomplished SF author David Weber, with whom he is currently writing another trilogy), John Ringo will very likely rise to the top of his game.
It is in a very real sense strictly military science fiction.
A Hymn Before Battle is not the first John Ringo book I've read. Before this one, I read the the books he co-authored with David Weber, March Upcountry and March To The Sea. I did not give either of those books very high marks mainly because in their attempt to create military Sci-fi, they forgot about Characters, plot, and the fact that Aliens probably would act, well, Alien.
Unlike the aforementioned novels, this one managed to keep my attention throughout, though it did not avoid all of the complaints I had about the other novels. The character development is shaky at best. While I have no military experiance, I found some of what the characters did and their reactions to certain situations to be contrived and unbelievable.
The alien tactics however, and human responce to them seem to be well thought-out. Unlike the aliens in the aforementioned novels, the Poslien truly do seem to think in an alien fashion about warfare. I do think we could have done without the "Poslien point of view" snippits in the way they were presented, as they only serve to humanize the threat, and weaken its overall impact.
Overall, A Hymn Before Battle is entertaining and imaginative. I wouldn't suggest it to anyone who isn't into military fiction (the death count in the book ranges into the millions, if you count all the aliens as well as humans), but if you enjoy books by David Weber, David Drake, Heinlien, and the like, you'll probably enjoy this one.
Read this book and then read it again so you catch all of the action. I sincerely hope that there is more to come from John Ringo.
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The first half of Hickey's book is written in what can only be called a "novelistic" form, and it seems that this really should have been published as a novel rather than history. Many of the details given have no possible real source, and the rest are built upon very shaky ground.
I cannot recommend this book to anyone who expects to learn who (if anyone rather than Ringo himself) killed John Ringo.
"John Ringo: The Final Hours" is yet another superb volume on Earpiana from Michael M. Hickey and a must for all true enthusiasts. Like his earlier book which delved into the mystery surrounding the killing of Warren Earp, this work centres on another controversial death, that of John Ringo. Also, like the other book, it is as big as the great outdoors, exhibiting a remarkable generosity in the vast amount of information it has to offer pertaining to the Earp saga. In fact, basically, here is yet another Hickey treasure chest of Earp lore for those of us who just cannot get enough of the doings of Wyatt and Co.
The book is well written and immensely readable. Hickey has the knack of keeping the reader enthralled, never quite sure along which trail he is going to be taken next. His writing style reminds me of the classic whodunit crime writers who always loved to surprise their readers. Such a style is particularly appropriate here for Mr. Hickey is, as he says, telling a "Tale of the Old West", and the first third of the book is a vivid dramatisation of the events immediately leading up to Ringo's assassination as the author sees it.
Michael Hickey has not been afraid to use contemporary hearsay and local legend as a starting point for his theories but he is always determined to find documentary evidence to back it up if at all possible. This is clearly proved by reading the final two thirds of the book which is described as the "Author's Working Notes and Documentation". Here the reader will revel in a veritable cornucopia of reference material: maps (including Wyatt's own map of the Ringo killing), documents of all kinds, letters, newspaper reports, excerpts from other authors' work and, of course, a myriad of photos, each with a detailed caption. Even here, in the "documentary" part of the book, Hickey keeps us guessing, keeps the tension going for the reader as, little by little, he feeds us more and more information about that time and that place.
For this book is far more than just the story of how one notorious outlaw came to meet his end. It is a detailed analysis, told with extraordinary insight, of how Wyatt Earp and his posse put an end to the Cowboy depredations in Cochise County with the backing of Wells Fargo, the Pinkertons, various national and local government agencies and even the U.S. and Mexican governments.
As an author, Michael M. Hickey combines an imaginative and intellectual grasp of the Arizona milieu of the late nineteenth century, the intellectual fervour of a detective determined to ferret out the truth, together with a vivid and most entertaining writing style. Long may he continue to give us these treasures of Earpiana.
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However, if you want sit down and read good book, this is for you. Mr. Ringo brings forward the characters from "A Hymn Before Battle" quite nicely, and fleshes out most of them. Some new characters are introduced, and a welcome addition they are to the series. My only quibble would be the lack of terror that should be felt by the refugees from the fighting. It is touched on in a tangental manner, but we really don't feel it. But that is minor, and possibly these days best left to the reader's imagination anyway.
There was some quibbling about this being some kind of Clancy rip-off. I disagree. The book is long, 700+ pages. But well worth the space. The descriptions of the weapons are needed to show why the soldiers stand and fight the way they do. (Murphy's Law #7 of Combat: If the enemy is in range of you, you are in range of him.) This is important to why the story is done the way it is. As far as a complaint about why the American soldiers don't pick up the weapons of the Posleen and use them, how would they? Remember, the Armored suit troopers (not giving anything away here) are already better armed. The Posleen are ten times as strong as a human. How would a human pick up and use a weapon that is too heavy to field? First maxim of combat: It doesn't matter how good your weapon is if you can't bring it to bear on the enemy. (probably not #1, but it should be)
My final thought on this book is...Go and buy it. You will NOT be sorry.
I do know this. For me, a book with the name "John Ringo" on it has become a "must buy."
The Posleen attack Earth, but much sooner than expected. Earth's defences are half-prepared, the politicians are unprepared, with disastrous and heroic consequences. One of America's most historic cities is attacked, and the defenders make every foot count.
Vignettes of the fighting give a spine-tingling depiction of combat as it really is, down, dirty, and in the mud. Mysterious plots begin to unfold and reluctant private turns into a hero.
GUST FRONT has it all, heroes, smugglers, plotters, politicians, good guys, bad guys and the soldiers on the front lines. Read it, you won't be disappointed.
Leon Jester
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If you enjoy Military SF Ringo is great.
The first book sucked you in, the second was a little slower but good and you said "Hey it'll pick up again" but then the long awaited final installment arrives and... it just creeps along, still good but a lot of hand waving in my opinion, you almost feel like the story is on hold for some reason.
Still if you liked the first one then your hooked, and well... your hooked! Now we have to wait another year for the next "Final" installment!
The only other criticism is he hasn't let us in on the behind the scenes conspiracy. Who are behind the Posleen? Who are the players in the galatic chess game? Come on John add some meat here!
I dont think he can apply the richness that subplot deserves in that last installment, unless this is going to be another 15 book series ala a certain roman alternate history series (Every one of which was suppoesd to be "Wrapping things up")
Anway, he is still better than 80% of the Military SF Wannabee's so take the plunge and buy all 3 (4,5,6,7?)
Ringo actually knows the difference between tactics and strategy so if you like technically correct and interesting military stuff he's your guy. Don't get me wrong he also has a pretty good handle on military culture and his stuff is anything but a dry read...
The things that I liked in "Hymn" have gotten stronger in "Devil"- lots of hardcore military SF action, hard-bitten survivors, and a touch of conspiracy. Some of the things that turned readers off to "Hymn" are still there as well. In particular, Ringo continues to string some subplots along with only minor attention or development. Also, I found the ending of "Devil" irritating- unlike the prior books, which at least told complete stories, this one virtually requires a sequel to let us know what happens next.
Still, I'm glad I pre-ordered and got to read it right away. Anyone who liked "Hymn" will enjoy this book quite a bit. Readers who put "Hymn" down will have no reason to change their minds.
If Ringo could wrap up the battle for Earth in one more volume and then the battles to take over the galaxy from its evil (and still unknown) overlords in one more I would be very surprised. To stop short of that would REALLY be frustrating and upsetting. I fear for the worst in this respect because of his recent association with David Weber who is well known for leaving nascent series to die on the vine. Practically every book Weber writes cries out for a sequel, a cry which is seldom answered - except in the one Honor Harrington series which is almost too much the other way. I do wish that his publisher would get the word to publish hardcovers first instead of later if at all. Both Weber and Ringo are now "big boys" and deserve full scale publication.
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This book is well written, with an interesting world and well developed characters. It is a mix of a military tale with a travel tale, a group of human soldiers travelling across a foreign and barely known world with the odd battle along the way.
I was also pleasantly suprised at the way some of the sub-plots either petered out or wandered off in unexpected directions rather than followed familiar old ways.
A well written military science fiction novel that grabbed me quickly and kept me reading.
Having read and re-read "A Hymn Before Battle" and "Gust Front" I eagerly purchased this collaboration between Ringo and another wondeful author, David Weber.
I was not disappointed.
The story of Prince Roger and his Marine guards is well-written and keeps up a good pace. This new universe is full of imainative characters and creatures and is sure to please many sci-fi fans.
Ringo is clearly one of the best new authors to come along in a number of years. I can't wait to read the next one.
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And isn't it nice Geoffrey Giuliano can take credit for this "monumental" work and collect royalties off it.
Some expert.