Rating: 
Summary: Funny, intelligent, and even redeeming
Review: Not my usual sub-genre -- military sf (sort of, anyway). Boy, am I glad I picked it up. I laughed a lot, the ideas were great, the characters surprisingly interesting (who would have thought I'd like a rat?), and it was really hard to put down once I got into it. In fact, I couldn't. After I was about halfway through, I just put off my life until I was done with the book. Watch for more from these two -- they are good!Oh -- and if you like a good battle-- you'll like this for that reason as well.
Rating:
Summary: Outstanding!
Review: Original, fast paced, hilarious at points, fascinating... this is the best science fiction adventure novel I have ever read. Period. The original space colonists of a distant planet and their descendents live like kings with a subordinate social class composed of "Vats", cloned humans used for menial labor. Small but deadly insect-like alien invaders arrive and begin waging trench warfare against the unprepared settlers. The vats are drafted and sent into battle, along with hurriedly genetically engineered talking rat and bat helpers. The story picks up when one hapless vat, 6 bats, and 7 rats are separated from the main force by a cave-in and forced to look for another way back to friendly territory. The seize-the-day attitudes of the little soldiers, facing a naturally short life span compounded by a high risk of death in combat, is the icing on the cake of one hell of an entertaining story. I couldn't put it down.
Rating:
Summary: Outstanding!
Review: Original, fast paced, hilarious at points, fascinating... this is the best science fiction adventure novel I have ever read. Period. The original space colonists of a distant planet and their descendents live like kings with a subordinate social class composed of "Vats", cloned humans used for menial labor. Small but deadly insect-like alien invaders arrive and begin waging trench warfare against the unprepared settlers. The vats are drafted and sent into battle, along with hurriedly genetically engineered talking rat and bat helpers. The story picks up when one hapless vat, 6 bats, and 7 rats are separated from the main force by a cave-in and forced to look for another way back to friendly territory. The seize-the-day attitudes of the little soldiers, facing a naturally short life span compounded by a high risk of death in combat, is the icing on the cake of one hell of an entertaining story. I couldn't put it down.
Rating:
Summary: A very fun read
Review: Rats, Bats, and Vats review by Sun Shadow Authors: Eric Flint and Dave Freer Publisher: Baen Books We open on the planet of Harmony and Reason, or as the locals affectionally call it, Hardeharhar. The locals, known as the Vats, are clones of people who could not afford to move to a new planet, so they sent their DNA instead. The Vats are indentured servants to the aristocracy on the planet, the Shareholders of HAR. If a Vat can pay off his expenses, then he is freed. A giant insect-like race of aliens known at the Magh' have invaded HAR, and the Vats are conscripted as soldiers in a desperate war; worse, a war without hope. Another race of aliens, the Korozhet, come to the aid of the humans in their desperate war. The Korozhet provide weapons and cybernetic implants to enhance two genetic experiments in intelligence. Genetically enhanced rats become foot soldiers, capable of human speech and thought but holding to the general values of rats such as strong drink, food, and sex. Bats gained intelligence, speach and the knowledge of explosives. With the Rats on the front line and the Bats able to fly and place explosive traps, the humans suddenly have a fighting chance in the war. The only human surviver of his unit, Chip, gets trapped in an enemy force dome with seven rats and five bats miles behind the front lines. As enlisted grunts, they made the only sensible move; they ran for cover. They ran to an abandoned vineyard with enough wine and brandy to swim in. The Rats, in seventh heaven, never want to leave, while the Bats think the Rats are nothing but drunken fools, and our would-be hero Chip bemoans his fate. Pulling everyone together, Chip with his merry menagerie go hunting and manage to rescue a damsel in distress. Virginia Shaw, a daughter of the shareholders, was held captive with her Korozhet tutor called the Professor. A wild, face paced, explosive suicide mission on an aged tractor with no brakes ensues, to save themselves and possibly the planet. Outside the dome, Major Conrad Fitzhugh has been trying desperately to get the ineffective High Command to realize that the war was not a game but a fight for the survival of the colony. Bending the rule-book until it snaps, he manages to get the war moving on the right footing at last. Using satellites, he manages to track Chip and company's explosive path. The Major might just be able to get there in time to save them and the entire colony.... The Bad The romance between Virginia and Chip seems forced, and does not flow as naturally as the rest of the book The Good Flint and Freer have done wonders with making the Rats and Bats intelligent and believable characters. The way the two authors placed a serious core in the form of class conflicts, the rights of clones and other genetically engineered beings into a comedy is masterful. The Big Picture The story makes a wonderful read. The authors have hidden ideas in several levels of the story that pop up full-blown in your mind as you unravel their plot. The writing was done with great skill and humor, which is the mark of truly great writers.
Rating:
Summary: Hysterical Improvision
Review: So what would you do if you were trapped behind enemy lines? And your only comrades were militant intellegent bats and drunken (whenever possible) intellegent rats? Well, first you rescue the princess...
Rating: 
Summary: This is fun!
Review: This book manages to combine military SF, comedy (both slapstick and wordplay), satire, class wars, cloning, and genetic engineering with a little romance and still come out swinging. These collaborators can really, well, collaborate. The hero is the sole human survivor of his platoon. Chip is trapped behind enemy lines ("way behind enemy lines" as one chapter title puts it). His compatriots are genetically engineered "rats" and bats. Imagine if Shakespeare's comical secondary characters were forced to spend time in close quarters with rebellious Irish poets, and you get the general idea of the chaos. Mix with the daughter of a wealthy shareholder, her alien tutor, and her fluffy companion. Add the clashes between a military commander who knows what he's doing and lots and lots of "authority" figures who don't. Shake and stir. I read this in the e-book edition (which you can purchase through Baen's Webscription program), but I enjoyed it enough that I'd like to buy the paperback when it comes out. It will be worth it for the cover alone. My only real problem is that I kinda sorta figured out a major surprise a little too early. But I didn't figure out all the implications of that right away. Anne M. Marble Reviewer, All About Romance
Rating:
Summary: buy this book
Review: this is a great book that has an interesting and funny storyline. I'd reccomend this book to any sci-fi fan.
Rating:
Summary: Read this book!
Review: This is a prime example of what great fun sci-fi can be in the hands of a good author. Genetically engineered bats, rats, and "vats" (human clones serving as indentured servants) combine with the sci-fi staple of vicious bugs who imperil a small human colony in a fast read. There's a recipe for explosives and how to make a brandy flamethrower! Flint is an imaginative writer, there are few others who would make genetically engineered bats Irish anarchists at heart, and a cloned sous chef a hero.
Rating:
Summary: Read this book!
Review: This is a prime example of what great fun sci-fi can be in the hands of a good author. Genetically engineered bats, rats, and "vats" (human clones serving as indentured servants) combine with the sci-fi staple of vicious bugs who imperil a small human colony in a fast read. There's a recipe for explosives and how to make a brandy flamethrower! Flint is an imaginative writer, there are few others who would make genetically engineered bats Irish anarchists at heart, and a cloned sous chef a hero.
Rating:
Summary: Rats, Bats and Vats
Review: This is the best science fiction book I've read in a decade. By combining futuristic DNA manipulation with a rollicking good time, Dave Freer has produced a truly great book. The layers of complexity in this story are exceeded only by the unexpected twists and turns. The setting, a colony planet, is beautifully drawn and so realistic it's almost scary. A cloned slave-grunt soldier, the lone human survivor of his platoon, takes on giant maggot aliens in a series of battles that swing between terrifying and hysterically funny. The grunt's companions are genetically engineered bats and rats, which were designed to help fight the human war and seem to be a cross between Mafia rejects and members of a biker gang. A high-ranking, disgruntled officer takes on the whole inept army beaurocracy. The romance between a naïve rich girl and the cynical army grunt adds extra color and hilarity. Even the bad guys turn out to be even badder than the reader expects, forcing the other characters to deal with betrayal and misinformation. The happy ending is satisfactory without being sugary-sweet or predictable. There are just enough ends left loose that the authors could conceivably write a sequal (hopeful hint!). Very highly recommended.
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