Soldier of the Legion

Rating:
Summary: Midwest Book Review - enthusiastic recommendation
Review: "A rough truce divides the known galaxy between the System, the despotic slave empire that rules the inner systems, and the Confederation of Free Worlds." That brief beginning blurb on the back cover of this book did not prepare me for the exciting read I found in Soldier of the Legion. Heart pounding action.
Mind blowing battles. Adrenalin pumping encounters with alien life. Mr. Thomas packs that and more into this futuristic sci fi masterpiece.

From first page to last, the action stopped just long enough to let me catch my breath. The story unfolds through the eyes of Thinker, a Legion warrior who joined up after a broken romance. Thinker and his fellow warriors are kept young and strong, immortal, through biotechnology beyond our present imagination. The barren worlds they face and alien life they battle become real through the author's creative mind and skillful writing style.

Horrific other-worldly combat assignments come alive through Mr. Thomas's prose. Eerie images of fire and destruction dance on the face plates of their armor as our heroic warriors slog their way through blood, fire, slime, and body parts to hard-won victories. From fossilized cities that once housed vanished civilizations, to violent volcanic worlds, Thinker and his Beta unit take on forces that are bent on destroying life. All human life. These immortal warriors face horror and human degradation beyond imagination. But ruthless slavers and hives of terrifying alien maneaters barely prepare them for the scourge of all creation, the soulless Omnis.

Times of respite are few and far between for soldiers of the Legion. Thinker has the violently possessive Valkyrie and tender-hearted Priestess to take his mind off warring. Except for those rare occasions, Thinkers mind is seldom far from thoughts of battles, past and future. It's the way of the Legion.

At the end of Soldier of the Legion, the author sets us up for what will no doubt be an equally exciting sequel. If what follows is as good as his first, Marshall Thomas should soon be a major name in futuristic sci fi. I enthusiastically recommend this book to fans of the genre as well as those who simply enjoy excellent story telling.

Rating:
Summary: From MyShelf.com
Review: Beta 3, called "Thinker," because others see his capacity to reason even though he has been trained to react instantly as a part of a military team, is sent with his detachment to Andrion 2 to secure the planet. He is part of "The Legion," an army sworn to protect to the death. And death is the price a soldier of the Legion must be willing to pay to defend the Confederation of Free Worlds against the "System." Although an uneasy truce exists between "ConFree" and the System, unusual activity on Andrion 2 leads the Legion to speculate about possible illegal actions from the "Systies." Thinker is part of a unit. Each soldier has a unique personality. Some, Thinker is convinced, are insane. But in the Legion, they are brothers. One mind - one heart - and one life.

The planet is inhabited by a people the soldiers refer to rather derisively as "Scalers." These people, actually called the "Taka," attack the Legion. But, when they are saved by the soldiers from the disgusting exosegs, horrible, deadly creatures that aren't supposed to be on Andrion 2, the Taka declare their loyalty to the Legion.

What is happening on the planet? Are the Systies there? How did the exosegs get to Andrion 2? Nothing makes sense. Thinker's sense of alarm is muted by his desire for another soldier, Priestess - and the conflict he feels when a past love from his training days on Planet Hell shows up and declares that she and Thinker are tied together for eternity. Where is his heart? Does it belong to Priestess or Valkyrie? Is this emotional battle compromising his ability to sense danger? Thinker needs all of his wits and training - because there is a surprise on Andrion 2. One more diabolic and dangerous than any of the soldiers have prepared themselves for.

SOLIDER OF THE LEGION is a deep, rich story that captures the heart of Sci-fi while bringing the elements of suspense, mystery, horror, and romance together and blending them into a perfect story that everyone will enjoy. Thomas's talent as a writer shines through the action, making the dialogue captivating, and in many passages, moving. His protagonist, Thinker, may be involved in a life that few of us have experienced, but Thomas keeps Thinker so human that we are able to experience the joy, the pain, and the fear that a soldier of the Legion endures while putting his or her life on the line without question.

I highly recommend SOLDIER OF THE LEGION, one the best books I've read this year! Watch for the next books in this exciting series!

Rating:
Summary: A perilous, exciting space saga
Review: Book one of the "Beta 3" series, Soldier Of The Legion by Marshall S. Thomas is an epic science fiction novel. Set in the far-flung future, Soldier Of The Legion chronicles the struggles of a brave squad of Legionnaires who must fight to survive horrific battles against a corrupt, slave-raiding empire -- and a far worse force of inhumans. A perilous, exciting space saga, Soldier Of The Legion is enthusiastically recommended reading for fans of the science fiction action/adventure genre.