Stark's War

Rating:
Summary: A Well-Written but Hard-Reading Book
Review: This book is in some ways the flip side of Ian Douglas' Heritage Trilogy. In both stories, American soldiers are fighting United Nations troops in space for similar reasons, but in the Heritage Trilogy the Marines wear the white hats, while Stark's platoon is fighting to protect greedy corporations with extremely idiotic officers calling the shots. The characters are well-drawn and likable, but the overall story is very depressing, and you'll be tempted at many points in the book to go buy a gun and shoot yourself to keep from seeing any of these trends come to pass. So, if you're looking for more of the hoo-rah gung-ho military SF that's standard fare nowadays (and just so there's no hard feelings, I personally love that hoo-rah gung-ho stuff), this book isn't it. If, however, you want something hard and gritty, then this is about as gritty as it gets.

Rating:
Summary: Great Military Fiction
Review: This was an Excellent book. Stark's war is a great addition to anyone's library. Its a cross between military fiction and science fiction. The detail's concerning the geopolitical status of the world and the militaries reactions to it, are well thought and detailed. I highly recommend this book. I loved it!

Rating:
Summary: Fun and entertaining, but not very realistic.
Review: When I bought this book I was prepared for the old 'leader dies and main character has to take command' book. I was pretty much surprised, which makes this book worth reading. Basically, Stark is a warrior fighting a war that is run by people who don't know war and politicians backed by American companies. Everything takes place from the point of view of Stark, and although there are a few time lags that are annoying, it comes out well. It is the old 'don't want to be a hero just save my men' kind of hero story, where he only tries to do what is right and ends up getting far more than he wants. The action is pretty good, and interesting, even involving some armored (tanks) combat. If you are looking for some fun on the moon and some rebelious action against your (insane) superiors then Stark's War is for you.