Claws that Catch - John Ringo & Travis S. Taylor

Baen, 2008, 463 pages
ISBN: 978-1-4391-3133-2
Read: January 2015, age 36

Book 4 of Looking Glass.  The last one, it seems.  The series does not end here, but the published books do.

In which our heroes get promoted beyond their capabilities.

From the back cover:

It's a rough galaxy out there!  Humans have come a long way since the looking glass gates first apperared and an alien menace turned a motley crew of scientists, sailors, and force recon Marines into battle-hardened space adventurers.  Now with other species running scared, it's up to humans to take the lead and mold a weapon capable of checking the Dreen - a galactic cancer that has so far proved unstoppable.

After an "interesting" couple of shakedown cruises, the Vorpal Blade II is dispatched to investigate rumors of an ancient and powerful civilization.  Any remnant technology would be nice but what the Blade finds is much more than they bargained for.  Worse, the ship is infested by an alien species of scorpion-like arachnoids that has the potential to wipe out a world.

Leave it to the oddball geniuses of the Blade to sort it all out.  And the Dreen are not going to like the answers.

Reactions after the break.  There are probably spoilers.

Manxome Foe - John Ringo & Travis S. Taylor

Baen, 2008, 463 pages
ISBN: 978-1-4165-9162-8
Read: January 2015, age 36

Book 3 of Looking Glass

In which the only US space ship gets put through its paces.

From the back cover:

In the midst of recovering from their successful if casualty-prone first mission, the crew of teh Alliance Space Ship Vorpal Blade are suddenly scrambled back into action.  All other priorities take second place as word arrives on Earth of a gate colony which has fallen to an unidentified alien assault.  As the only space ship available to the Human-Adar Alliance, the Vorpal Blade's new mission is to find out what happened to the colony, rescue any survivors, and learn the identity of the attackers - without breaking the ship.

The odd-ball crew of the Vorpal Blade is an unlikely savior, but none dare say they quail at engaging the Manxome Foe.


Reactions after the break.  There are probably spoilers.

Vorpal Blade - John Ringo & Travis S. Taylor

Baen, 2007, 528 pages
ISBN: 978-1-4165-5586-5
Read: December 2015, age 36

Book 2 of Looking Glass

In which the Ringo superman protagonist steps into the background a bit as a converted submarine gets to play USS Enterprise.  With space marines.

From the back cover:

William Weaver, Ph.D., and Chief Miller, SEAL, are back - and they got themselves a ship!  The former USSN Nebrasksa has been jerry-rigged, using alien technology and good ol' American know-how, into a warp ship ready to visit strange new worlds.  But as everyone knows, the people who really are going to bear the brunt of the "exploratory" mission are the poor Security guys, Force Recon Marines, who are, according to their own lore, "kept in the the dark and fed manure all day."  That is, until the Vorpal Blade lands on an alien planet - Security will get partially wiped out and then load back up again, to protect the scientists and crew another day, another world.


Reactions after the break.  There are probably spoilers.

Into the Looking Glass - John Ringo

Baen, 2005, 366 pages
ISBN: 978-1-4165-2105-1
Read: November 2014

Book 1 of Looking Glass

In which the Ringo superman protagonist fights off an invasion by the Zerg... er... Dreen, with help from the advanced, religious Protoss... er... Adar.

From the back cover:

When a 60 kiloton explosion destroys the University of Central Florida, terrorism is the first suspect.  But terrorists don't generally leave doorways to another world in their wake.

With time of the essence, the Secretary of Defense scrounges up the nearest physicist with a high level security clearance.  With doctorates in everything from nuclear physics to electrical engineering, William Weaver, PhD, is the egghead's egghead.  On the other hand, with skills in everything from mountain biking to screaming electric guitar, he's also fast enough and tough enough to survive when the alien gates start disgorging "demons."

As a snap decision, he appears to be the perfect choice: smart, tough, and capable.  Now if he could only get his boss off his back and get his cellphone bill paid.  Oh, yeah, and figure out why the heck these gates keep opening.

As the gates spread and evil aliens spread with them, it is up to Weaver and SEAL Command Master Chief Miller to find a way to stop the proliferation and close the hostile gates.  The problem being that the only way they can see to save the Earth is destroy it.  Then there's not going to be any more girlfriends or cellphones or bosses...

Okay, two out of those three are bad.  Gotta prioritize.  Guess Weaver and Miller are just gonna have to save the world.

Kind of misleading back cover copy, but gets the tone all right.

Reactions after the break.  There are probably spoilers.

Queen of Wands – John Ringo

Baen, 2012, 341 pages

ISBN: 978-1-4516-3830-1

Read:  September 2014

Special Circumstances #2

Continuing on with the series, in the same format – three mostly separate, but connected stories.  There were similar problems as in the first book, and similar strengths, too.  It was a fun, fast read – lots of action, a story set in DragonCon (which… man… if I didn't have kids, I’d be there and at other cons for sure) and just an entertaining time.  The book ends in a way that really, really needs a sequel, but there isn't one, as far as I can tell.  Fun.  But I’m concerned that Mr. Ringo wrote himself into a corner, and we won’t see any more in this setting.

Rating: 3

Princess of Wands – John Ringo

Baen, 2006, 408 pages

ISBN:  978-1-4165-7386-9

Read: September 2014

Special Circumstances #1

There were problems with this book.  Many problems.  Among others, completely unrealistic religion, women whose characterization was based mainly on bust size, and a husband who did exactly nothing to show why our main character was in love and married to him.  

Aside from all the problems, it was a very entertaining series of short stories/novelettes with fantastic action and fun convention scenes.  I really liked the supporting characters, as well – it was just our heroine who seemed flat.  You know… in the character sense.  Mr. Ringo made VERY sure we knew she wasn’t flat-chested.  Sigh.

Rating: 3

The Hot Gate - John Ringo

Baen, 2011, 528 pages
ISBN: 978-1-4516-3818-9
Read:  May 2014

Book 3 of Troy Rising

Fun read, but ultimately disappointing.  Not at all PC - downright offensive, in places.  It felt more like just another installment than the end of a "story in three parts".

Rating 3

Citadel – John Ringo

Baen, 2011, 522 pages

ISBN:  978-1-4516-3757-1

Read: June 2014

Book 2 of Troy Rising

Our hero steps away from the spotlight a bit, and the story works much better with a couple of new viewpoints.  Good, solid castle-building military SF.

Rating: 4

Live Free or Die – John Ringo

Baen, Copyright 2010, 551 pages

ISBN:  978-1-4391-3397-2

Read:  April 2014

Book 1 of Troy Rising

This book felt a bit like the novelization of a movie.  It was short scenes at a panic pace describing the defence of Earth from an advanced alien culture.  Nothing human adaptability can’t cure.  Kinda fun, but a bit odd.

Rating: 3

Tiger by the Tail - John Ringo & Ryan Sear

Baen, Copyright 2013, 458 pages

ISBN: 978-1-4767-3615-0

Read: March 2014, at age 35

So I read book six of this series.  No sign of it ending, but it could end whenever.  Um.  18+ for torture-porn, and plain old porn.  And violence.  And slavery.

From the back cover:

After saving America from Middle Eastern terrorists, even Mike Harmon and the Keldara could use a vacation.  Of course, the Kildar’s idea of relaxation includes taking down pirates in the Singapore Straits for fun and profit.  But when he finds highly classified materials in the pirate booty, Harmon has a new mission thrust upon him – discover how bottom-feeding thieves got their hands on top secret technology. 

From glittering Hong Kong to the slums of Thailand, to the backwoods of Myanmar, Harmon and his Keldara follow a trail of death and deceit across the treacherous underbelly of Southeast Asia.

As their path winds through dark jungle and a slave labor camp to the heart of a newborn democracy, Harmon must devise a way to prevent the overthrow of a nation’s capital by totalitarian tyrants.  But if there’s one thing Mike and the Keldara specialize in, it’s doing whatever it takes to give freedom a chance.

Reactions after the break:

A Deeper Blue - John Ringo

Baen, Copyright 2007, 408 pages

ISBN: 978-1-4165-550-6

Read: December 2011, at age 33

This is the conclusion of a 5-part series.  Start at the beginning (Ghost) and go from there.  If you’ve got this far in the series, certainly read this book.  

Edit – Um.  I guess there are more books coming.  It ends well enough after this that the series could be over.

From the back cover:

VX is not a good way to die.  So when the President of the United States gets confirmed intelligence that a shipload of the stuff is headed for Florida, he orders that every stop be pulled out.  Including bringing in his ultimate weapon:  The Kildar. 

Heart-sick over the deaths of so many of his followers, former SEAL Mike Harmon, hero of Ghost, Kildar, Choosers of the Slain and Unto the Breach, decides to sit this one out.  WMDs headed for the U.S. no longer matter to the newest in an ancient line of mercenary leaders. 

But when his best friend and intel specialist both are seriously wounded in an ambush aimed at him, the Kildar gets his gameface on.  The terrorists will learn to fear the Ghost all over again.

Set in the Bahamas and Florida, A Deeper Blue is a fast-moving thriller that starts off at a rocket pace and never slows down.  The novel proves once again the adage that sometimes it takes bad people to do good things.  Fortunately, Mike Harmon is a very bad man.

Reactions and spoilers after the break:

Unto the Breach - John Ringo

Baen, Copyright 2006, 566 pages

ISBN: 978-1-4165-5535-3

Read: December 2011, at age 33

This is book four of a five book series.  Start at the beginning (Ghost) and go from there.  This book has a *big* battle payoff for the buildup in the series.  Lots of death, destruction, and dismemberment.  If you’ve got this far in the series, certainly read this book.

From the back cover:

Michael Harmon has been there and done that.  Rescued co-eds, killed major terrorists, stopped nuclear assaults.  Now he’d just like to kick back and relax with his harem of lovelies.  Unfortunately, the world keeps turning and Islamic terrorists keep looking for new ways to attack Western civilization.  Mike and the Keldara are back tracking down terrorists, rogue Russian bio-scientists and the doomsday weapon to end all doomsday weapons (.) 

Bad as stopping Armageddon might be, the mission was supposed to be straightforward.  It wasn’t.  Suddenly Mike and the Keldara find themselves locked in battle with two of Islam’s most renowned warriors.  But the Keldara are not known as the Tigers of the Mountains for naught.  When diamond meets diamond, something has to break, but it is not going to be the Tigers.

Reactions and spoilers after the break:

Choosers of the Slain - John Ringo

Baen, Copyright 2006, 564 pages

ISBN: 978-1-4165-7384-5

Read: November 2011, at age 33

This is book three of a five book series.  Start at the beginning (Ghost) and go from there.  This book is less epically bad than the first, and has a better story than the second.  Still not for kids – this book deals with some pretty nasty stuff.

From the back cover:

Former SEAL Michael Harmon, also known as Ghost, has a pretty good life in the country of Georgia..  With his Keldara warriors keeping the area safe from Chechen raiders, and from the various other terrorists that want Ghost's head on their wall, he can settle back, relax in his harem and drink a few beers.

However, a US senator has a problem.  A "major financial contributor's" daughter has been kidnapped into the labyrinthian depths of the Balkans sex-slave trade.  The US government has been unable to find her and the Senator is very interested in changing that condition.  Five million dollars interested.  But as Ghost and his Keldara warriors blast a gaping hole through the middle of the trade, it quickly becomes apparent that there is more to the mission than a “poor missing waif”.  There’s a rot underneath, and the stench is coming from the very floor of the Capitol.

A war with Albanian gangs is deadly ground.  A war with the US Senate is suicide.  But innocents are caught in the middle and Ghost never believed in fighting fair.

My thoughts (spoilers!):

Kildar - John Ringo

Baen, Copyright 2006, 462 pages

ISBN: 978-1-4165-2133-4

Read: September 2011 (at age 33)

First time read.

This is the sequel to the epically bad Ghost.  It’s not as bad, and also not as good.  Don’t read this one first.

From the back cover:

Problems, problems, problems!

All Mike Harmon ever wanted to be was a SEAL.  But after problems in the teams, college student was a decent second best.  However, trouble seemed to follow him where he went.  Now, after having angered every terrorist on Earth and at least five governments, college was no longer an option, and buying a farm in a third world country was looking pretty good. 

Of course, nothing was ever simple for the Ghost.  With Chechen terrorists knocking on the door and tenant farmers with a truly Byzantine culture, the question was whether he could drag the Keldara into the 21^st century before the Chechen blow them back into the 6^th.

Reactions after the break. There are spoilers, but you've already this read, right?  There aren't as many as in there.

Ghost - John Ringo

Baen, Copyright 2005, 502 pages

ISBN: 978-1-4165-2087-0

Read: August 2011 (at age 33)

First time read

If you haven’t read it

Ok, first *massive spoilers*, go read the review here.  It’s an epic review.  Now you know what you’re getting into.  If it seems even remotely appealing, then ok, go nuts.  This book certainly isn’t for everyone.  Oh, and call it a hard R or X-rated.

From the back cover:

Former SEAL Mike Harmon, team name “Ghost,” discharged with partial disabilities, was having trouble fitting in on a very liberal college campus.  But when he observed the kidnapping of a coed, it was time for others to be troubled.

Because underneath his usually placid exterior, Mike Harmon was a bundle of barely controlled fury.  Highly motivated, highly trained fury.  And when terrorists have him the opportunity, he became… himself. 

A series of at the time rational decisions led him, via a raft of tortured terrorist bodies, to a facility in Syria, a “logistics warehouse” called Aleppo Four.  And in the dank basements of that “warehouse” the true, horrible nature of the kidnappers’ plans were revealed:  if the Great Satan would not withdraw over the deaths of aid workers and soldiers, then let them see what could happen to their lovely daughters.  The only fly in the ointment being one banged up former SEAL.

Now Ghost is as free to do his will as the wolf running beneath the moon.  Freed of military regulations, freed of military justice.  And morals and ethics were never his strong suit.

Sometimes it takes a very bad man to do a good job.  In that case, they've got the right SEAL for the job.

Reactions below the break

The Last Centurion – John Ringo

Baen, Copyright 2008, 439 pages.

ISBN: 978-1-4165-5553-7

Read: January, 2011, at age 32

First time read

What to expect:

The Last Centurion is a standalone, near-future military science fiction novel.  It’s first-person-ish, very opinionated, and is told as a retrospective.

From the dust jacket:

In the second decade of the twenty-first century the world is struck by two catastrophes: a new mini-ice age, and nearly simultaneously, a plague to dwarf any in recorded history.

Rising out of the disaster is the character known to history as “Bandit Six,” an American Army officer caught up in the struggle to rebuild the world and prevent the fall of his homeland – despite the best efforts of politicians both elected and military.

The Last Centurion is a memoir of one possible future, a world that is a darkling mirror of our own.  Written blog-style, it pulls no punches in its descriptions of junk science, bad strategy, and organic farming, not to mention all three at once.

To me, the book felt more like sitting at the bar with a crazy old drunk, listening to him telling his life story, than “blog-style”.  It wasn’t episodic, for one – but one long narrative. 

My reactions: (Not much for spoilers in this one)