In Death Ground

Rating:
Summary: A sequel better than the original
Review: "In Death Ground" is the third book to come out in a series which also includes "Insurrection" and "Crusade." "Insurrection" takes place many years after the other two books, however. "In Death Ground" is, chronologically, the sequel to "Crusade"; moreover, it reuses many of the characters from "Crusade," as well as relying on background information provided by that book. So "Crusade" should be read prior to "In Death Ground."

That being said, "In Death Ground" is a book which is superior in many ways to "Crusade." At heart, both books are really nothing but space opera, in which space battles play a major role. But whereas the characters in "Crusade" were flat and there was little change in them from one end of the book to the other, this is no longer the case for "In Death Ground." Finally, what Weber has learned elsewhere gets a chance to shine here. His hand is clearly present at the description of space battles, but some of that great character insight he has shown (in the Honor Harrington series) he is capable of finally makes an appearance in this book.

The plot is straightforward, pitting again the Orion-Earth Federation Alliance against a new foe. Battle after battle follows, but this time we get insight the head of a few of the captains and admirals commanding this battle (something sorely missing from the previous book).

As opposed to both "Insurrection" and "In Death Ground", the issues are NOT resolved in this book; clearly a sequel is planned, and I hope not too far away.

In summary, this book is pure fun space opera, but with some actual three-dimensional, evolving characters thrown in. Fans of mindless space opera will no doubt enjoy it, as will those who require a bit more depth to their science fiction. But beware: you should probably read "Crusade" first, and that is, unfortunately, an inferior book to "In Death Ground."

Rating:
Summary: Top quality "low" science fiction
Review: Cats, birds, caterpillers, and spiders for aliens. Bad physics. Predictable Weberian anti-liberal bias.

None of it matters.

This book is to military sci-fi what John Woo/ Chow Yun-Fat movies are to Hong Kong action. Non-stop battles, well written and engaging. You won't particularly care about the characters but then again you won't want to...

Rating:
Summary: Us or them; there is no other possibility!
Review: The prospect of contact with other life forms in the galaxy has been explored adnauseum, but there are a few works out there that tell a good story. Often, aliens are portrayed as either supremely good or supremely evil, and sometimes they are neither, instead merely following their nature. In Death Ground tells the story of the horrific nature of one such race, the arachnids, who, for the sake of our own survival, must be exterminated. The story is told extremely well, with the feel of actually being present to witness the desperate struggle between man and bug. The only gripe I have with it is how it does not tell the story of the whole war. Oh well, I suppose it gives us something to look forward to in the future.

Rating:
Summary: Sol is not King
Review: This was a great book. I can't wait for the sequal to come out, but reading Crusade first is a must. Or else you wont fully understand some of the main characters especialy Ivan the Terrible. Humans the known galexys ultiment Generalist may have met there match in adaptation. With the bugs approching like a glacier humanity has but one choice TOTAL WAR.

Rating:
Summary: Spellbinder in Space
Review: When I first read the back cover of IN DEATH GROUND, it sounded suspiciously like a rip-off of the great STARSHIP TROOPERS, by Heinlein ("Bugs" and "Arachnids" as the enemy, for gosh sakes). But after the first chapter I was hooked. For readers of sci-fi military lore, this book satisfies on many levels. The detailed and innovative descripton of future military technology ("SBMHAWKS"), the breathtakingly original tactics for fighting battles in deep space between two entrance/exit points (almost like fighting in a 2-dimensional universe, which would be far more difficult than in 3 dimensions), were absolutely riveting. The intrepid admirals, the high-tech battlewagons and carriers fighting a numerically superior and brutally agressive foe, the exciting and dramatic accounts of the desperate battles, and the incredible but realistic casualty rates of such deadly battlegrounds in space kept me glued to the book from start to finish. The only flaw in the book was the somewhat unrealistic use the Bugs had for the inhabitants of their captive planets. However, it detracted very little from the storyline and was easily overlooked in the overall drama of this gigantic campaign for survival of humanity and other allied races. The particular process of interstellar travel in this book, and its implications on strategic thought in this future century, was original and spellbinding. All in all, one of my top ten of all sci-fi books I have read and the equal in many respects to the great STARSHIP TROOPERS (the book, not the film!). Mr. Weber and Mr. White, please write the sequel. I have to know how it ends.

Rating:
Summary: war on a galactic scale
Review: In Death Ground is one of the best book I ever read aside of the Foundation series. If you are looking for a story involving spaceships battling against each other, In Death Ground is the one you are looking for. Weber/White did 3 sequels on same type of background story. They are Crusade, In Death Ground and Insurrection. However all 3 books are not directly related. For example, you won't need to read In Death Ground to read Insurrection. But if you want to read with the timeline of the 3 books in mind you read in the order I mentioned above. One more interesting point is that In Death Ground came out at a much later date than the 2 other books. After reading In Death Ground, you would crave for a sequel to it. Unfortunately, Weber/White does not satisfy us with a direct sequel as Insurrection sets a much later date in the story timeline. If Weber/White is reading this, please give us a true sequel to In Death Ground.

Rating:
Summary: Great writing-- 622 pages gets you half way there!
Review: As a fan of David Weber, I wasn't disappointed. Great detail and creative twists to the battles and strategies. Character development was wonderful. Alas, like many other Weber books, we are left hanging at the end. Weber and White set up many characters that have yet to fulfill their destinies, and the Bugs are still "at the gate". At 3AM today, I was left looking for the sequel!

Rating:
Summary: Classic SF Yarn
Review: The writing is top notch. The story line is old but venerable (us vs. the evil aliens). What makes it special is the attention to detail and characterizations. Don't search for hidden meaning or philosophical points of interes here. There are none. Simply enjoy a specific SF theme crafted at the highest level. If you enjoyed the Borg related episodes of Star Trek, you will probably love this.

Rating:
Summary: Super-size portion of space combat, coming right up!
Review: This novel is simply the history of a war. There are a few characters whose points of view are followed, and they are more or less likeable, but the novel is structured around one blistering, hammering space battle after another. The plotline is nothing more than the relentless necessities of war itself, and reading it reminds one of watching a docu-drama of WWII (actually WWI would be a closer parallel). If you liked the space battle sequences in the Honor Harrington series and wanted more, this book is a gluttonous feast. Weber and White are masters at creating plausible, exciting futuristic battles!

Rating:
Summary: Space combat gallore
Review: Mr. Weber did not mind killing off main characters in this book. I like that. It gives the story a more realistic feel. I feel sorry for the humans and their allies in this novel. The bug's R & D department is vastly superior to the good guy's. Soon (in two years at most), the bugs would even up the battle technology field then overwhelm them with superior numbers. I wonder how or if the good guys can win faced with such a daunting opponent. I agree with the other reviewers. This novel begs for a sequel! If Mr. Weber is reading this, please write the sequel soon, and I wouldn't mind it at all if the sequel is longer and contained more furious combat than this novel.