After the Coup

If you like John Scalzi's 'Old Man's War' books or 'The Human Division' I think your will like this. It is a short story, (I read it on the Kindle for 38p in the UK at the time of writing). It concerns the things some of the characters have to do, to gain success on a diplomatic missions. In this case one of the character's has to fight (and lose) as a form of 'champion' for humanity a representative of the alien race. The story is imaginative, and like good short stories is great for a quick satisfying read.

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Ghost Brigades

Ghost Brigades

John Scalzi

A scientist who has turned traitor escapes by killing a clone of himself, but leaves a copy of consciousness behind. To understand what happened the consciousness get put into a modified soldier clone of the ‘Ghost Brigade’, but doesn’t take initially. The story revolves around the nobody is completely sure whether to trust the clone, especially when bits of the memory start coming back. Is this clone going to be becomes a traitor? Is he going to become the scientist or he is a person in his own right? What happens if the a super-enhanced soldier has the mind of a traitorous scientist? So you could say it - whether it is nature or nurture.

Mostly this book sets the background for one of the most interesting groups from the book “Old Man’s War” – The Ghost Brigade. A force of special forces soldiers who are cloned from people who are dead, and who are born, as adults, knowing they are soldiers and their destiny is to protect humanity.

If you enjoyed Old Man’s War this is also forms it’s sequel and is well worth reading.

Old Man's War - John Scalzi

Read this book, it is one of the most enjoyable Sci-Fi books I have read for a while. I have been reading the Scalzi's Human Division series books and they are good, but this is better.

The concept of 75 year old's enlisting (after starting the process 10 years before) to become soliders in an off-world force (Colonial Defence Force), giving up all their rights and breaking all contact with anyone left on Earth is not something you read everyday. The book is logical in terms of how a pensioner on Earth can become a superhuman soldier, the method is not really a surprise but that is an advantage.

Action is fast paced, with the effects of being a soldier consider and then moves on. John Perry is the central character, who we see going from enlistment, meeting new friends, physically becoming the superhuman solider, training, fighting a number of aliens and becoming a veteran - all in a very short period of time. Along the way we see him make and lose friends.



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We Only Need The Heads - John Scalzi

The strangely titled book (the reason is quite clear half way through this book/chapter) is the third in the Human Division series. The heroes from the first book B-Team are back and in difficulty. This book, unlike the previous two, leaves you with a cliffhanger, the team split over two related locations.

These books do need to be read in sequence, but I not sure I want to keep reading them installments, would it be worth waiting for the whole collection as one book? I am unsure. What it has done though, is lead me to by other John Scalzi books.

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Walk the Plank - John Scalzi

This is the second in the thirteen part Human Division series on the Kindle.

The book is delivered as a dialogue on a 'Wild-cat' planet and is a very short (but worthwhile) story that is a quick read. It concerns hard decisions that have to be made for the good of the colony.

How it relates to the first book is not clear but I am curious to fine out (see Human Division 3 book below).

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The B-Team by John Scalzi

The first part of the Human Division series that is being released on the Kindle. For a while these books have being popping up on the list recommendations and I have being ignoring them. I am glad I stopped ignoring them and gave it a try especially at the price (65p).

The story revolves around
- a diplomatic mission that has gone to pieces (literally in this case) with the one of the best diplomatic team being killed and negotiations going wrong even before they have started;
- Earth and an alliance of human populated planets not getting along;
- Alien fractions forming alliances that are potentially not in the human's best interest;
- The eponymous B-Team, they don't know they are called that, a team of diplomats and naval-types who at the start of the story don't get the most high profile jobs, but have to step in to save the day in their own way.

There is good character development in such as short book, with characters that are quickly being fleshed out with their likes and dislikes; their faults and strengths coming out. Both for the B-Team itself but also the powers behind them Egan and Rigney and the political games they play.

This book did surprise me, in that I enjoyed it so much. I am looking forward to reading Walk the Plank, the next episode - downloaded and ready. If you are after a good quick read with plenty of action consider this book.

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