Funnny thing: the story really picks up after those first nine chapters.

I love this one-star Amazon reader review: "This is an extreme political rant very poorly disguised as an adventure novel. I'm very sorry I ever bought it and kept reading." I love it for the last three words - "and kept reading."

Another one-star reviewer says the "unrelenting insults to the left are over the line" and that "by the end of the story you have no doubt its not the character speaking but the author" -but it seems that one made it to the end of the story too.

In fact, all the one-star reviewers all apparently finished the book, and that's because it's a "page-turner". I intended to read a chapter or two last night and burned through 100+ pages myself.

Those reviwers dislike the central character. Hell, I don't agree with everything about him, but I can say that while he might not be "typical" he reminds me of a lot of guys I actually know who actually do what he does. And while aspects of the situation he and his team find themselves in might not be a likely future (hey - it's science fiction, albeit of the very near-future and very familiar world variety) his responses and actions are very much so. In short, Ringo has nailed a certain type of American. I'd call him the "rough man" - without whom sleep might not be so peaceful. (See Mudville motto.)

I'm only about half way through, but I'm hoping for a sequel. Trust me - highly recommended for milblogers and milblog readers. Money well spent. (And I paid 80 bucks for mine.)

Now I'm off to read another chapter.

I've been reading John Ringo's books for a long time. If you like military science fiction, I think he's your best bet. From the way he writes, you get the impression that he's "been there and done that." (One of his characters laid in a mortar section, correctly!) This book is a departure from his normal SF stuff; it's more like a "what if" story. It's written a lot like a blog, and it is a political rant. However, it's a conservative rant, which is a refreshing change of pace. If you like David Weber, or maybe even Tom Clancy, I recommend this book.

Tom Kratman's "A Desert Called Peace" is another good one.

Another Excellent book from Mr. Ringo. Finished it a few weeks ago

You can do no wrong by reading everything that Ringo has seen fit to put his name on. Those of us who have been reading since the start of the Posleen series call his work, "reader crack"...because once you start, you can't stop. My personal best was 4 hours of reading time, starting the night my wife brought it to me, and the next morning at my 0600 wakeup (hey, it was the weekend!)

All of his books, save one, have a military setting. And Ringo is a serious conservative (but not that far out to the right to scare you.

BTW, his take on the "Religion of Peace" is the sh!t ;)

I reviewed the eARC (electronic advance reader copy) of this a few months back.

http://www.di2.nu/200803/16a.htm