Rating: 
Summary: There is no such thing as an easy mission.
Review: "School of Fire" (ISBN 0-345-40623-0) by David Sherman and Dan Cragg is the second book in the series chronicling the history of the 34th Fleet Initial Strike Team (FIST) L Company Third Platoon of the Confederation Marine Corps. The authors, in my view, have again brought the reader into the realm of the infantryman. Returning to Thorsfinni World the 34th FIST has begun replacing the men and equipment lost on Elneal. Staff Sergeant Charlie Bass' exploits during the mission has added to his legendary status in the Marine Corps, Ensign Vanden Hoyt, Third Platoon's new officer, Private First Classes Joe Dean and Rackman Claypoole have proven themselves in combat and learned how to overcome the fears of the battlefield. A new mission deploys the 34th FIST, before the unit has replaced all the Marines lost on Elneal, to the Confederation world of Wanderjahr. Wanderjahr's nine-member government has attempted to stop a rebellion that threatens the political and economic stability of the world by forming a paramilitary police force, called the Feldpolizei, to deal with the rebels. The Feldpolizei fail to stop the rebels because the force is not properly trained in modern military tactics. The 34th FIST's assignment is to train the Feldpolizei to counter the rebel threat. Private First Classes Joe Dean and Rackman Claypoole of L Company Third platoon are assigned to Headquarters' F-2 Intelligence section as analysts, while Staff Sergeant Bass and the rest of platoon train the Field Police of Wanderjahr. However the Marines soon find that there is hidden power struggle going on behind the scenes that makes their job harder. Another good story by the team of David Sherman and Dan Cragg.
Rating: 
Summary: Not as good as #1, or #3
Review: I enjoyed the first book in the Starfist series so I thought I'd pick up some of the others. Unfortunatley, the second in the series "School of Fire" really leaves alot to be desired. Slow, predictable story line and a poor ending really make this a hard story to get through. But, if you can get through this one, the 3rd in the series "Steel Gauntlet" is much better, and really worth picking up. If you like the "Marines kicking Butt in Space" theme, this series is worth a look overall, however #2 in the series is definitely not the best.
Rating: 
Summary: Pure "sci-fi" (in the Ellisonian sense of the word...)
Review: I gave StarFist One, "First to Fight", two stars. "School of Fire" gets three for two reasons: 1) Having read book one, I knew what I was getting into when I picked up book two and; 2) Now that I know what to expect, these books just keep getting funnier.The strengths of the series are the writer's personal military experience, knowledge of contemporary combat tactics and familiarity with Marine Corps history. Sherman and Craggs combine these strengths with technically correct writing skills to create crisp, fast-paced combat scenes and believable descriptions of a military planning staff in action. The weaknesses of the series are creativity and believability. The writers rolled the clock forward while simultaneously presenting both civil and military societies that have either stalled or experienced outright retrograde motion. Women are conspicuously absent from Sherman and Craggs' future Marine Corps, while the few female characters presented are either barmaids and prostitutes or authority figures looking for a man to sleep with and subordinate to. Equally incongruous are societies of interstellar colonists in the StarFist universe who apparently traveled through the depths of space to new homes, but left behind their copy of "On War" and purged all historical knowledge of combat and tactics from their minds. Book one gave us the 25th century "charge of the light brigade." Book two brings us parade formations in the jungles firing en masse on command. Though Sherman and Craggs effectively stripped the fifth, fourth, and possibly even the third dimension from contemplation of future space (and most of their characters), they managed to create a series that delivers clean, simple, mind-numbing fun. I look forward to reading book three out of pure perverse curiosity. This series is just ludicrous enough to be enjoyable.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderfuly written! How can I put this down?
Review: I read this book in one night, and the only regret I have is that it is over. The authors paint a picture very vivid and real. One can imagine himself there with the characters. That is very hard to do with science fiction. My compliments to Sherman and Cragg.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderfuly written! How can I put this down?
Review: I read this book in one night, and the only regret I have is that it is over. The authors paint a picture very vivid and real. One can imagine himself there with the characters. That is very hard to do with science fiction. My compliments to Sherman and Cragg.
Rating:
Summary: Move over, Drake, Haldeman and Pournelle
Review: If you like Mil-SF, you NEED to read this book. If you might ever have to train and lead troops, especially in a military assistance program, you REALLY NEED to read this book. If you ever have had to work a military assistance program, well, Chapter 7 gives you an entertaining look at several good ways to train indiginous forces, all of them good. Personal experience, I've used all of these techniques sucessfully. To me, it was worth the price of the book all by itself. Which is not to say that this is a military textbook with a slight fictional overlay. There's a well-thought out world scenario, extremely realistic 3D characters, a plot with more twists and turns than a mountain road, lots of plausible technology, lots of action - a definite page-turner. As a military professional, I can place a real-life name of a personal acquaintance to just about GI in this book. But the people of Wanderjahr, on both sides of the war, are also rich, detailed, believable characte! ! rs. The situations, given the assumed technology, are also totally believable. About the only "flaw" here, is that these guys always do it right, and the technology never lets them down. You might find that a little hard to swallow, but I went to Joint Endeavour, so yeah, I gotta agree that this is really possible. The first book in this series was good - this one makes me hungry for the next one. IMHO, if you want high-tech, mil-SF, in a believable scenario, with realistic characters, you're a fool if you don't get this one.
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Summary: they should have consulted a german dictionary
Review: In this book the authors used a lot of German words and phrases because the culture they chose for the planet of "Wanderjahr" is descended from German culture, what they tell us repeatedly. But if you actually understand the words used, you might be shocked or amused about the way the authors use them. For example the name of the county, where most of the action takes place, "Arschland" consist of Arsch and land. Land is just the same as in English, but the other word is a rather strong German insult. There is also an ambassador "Misthaufen", which can be translated as dung-pile. There are many other cases which make the book almost unreadable to people who know German language. The story itself is rather simple, the Marines win the day, as always, get all the girls, as always and are the toughest fighters in the universe. Hey, the authors should know the stuff they write about firsthand. If you like simple military fiction, it is no waste of time to read it, if if the very large animals are transferred right out of Jurassic Park.
Rating:
Summary: if you speak German, don't read this...
Review: Mmh. Everyone else rated this book high. I cannot do the same. The authors tried to integrate German language and culture into their story, but failed miserably. I was actually shocked when I had to read some of their "German" words and phrases. Some examples shall be given here: The county Arschland (If you know that "Arsch" actually is a strong insult in German, you find it hard to accept, that someone is actually called Arschmann, or calls his domain Arschland); Ambassador Misthaufen would be called heap of manure in English; Grafshaftsbezirk <> Grafschaftsbezirk; Wanderjahrer is never ever a German name, they invented it solely to call the planet Wanderjahr; many supposedly German words do not even exist or are totally false, like grospalms, hochbaums etc. If they wanted to use German language, they should have taken the time to use it correctly. Apart from that, the story glorifies the U.S. oops, the Confederate Marines (who get all the girls actually) and is just plain simple to the point of boredom. I cannot understand why someone would want to read this book more than once.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent book, good story line about ground troops.
Review: The authors show that regardless of technological advances ground troops will still be needed to train and hold ground. The Marines have always been the first in troops. I liked the story line and the outcome despite the odds. STS1/SS
Rating:
Summary: One amazing read
Review: The first book of the series (Starfist: First to Fight) was great. This one is, in my opinion, even better. It will keep you guessing all the way to the end. It is a must read for warfare and science fiction lovers. The writers' style is great for keeping you hooked. All in all, it is one of the best books I have ever read.
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