Rating: 
Summary: McDevitt's Best
Review: .Please disregard the title and cover art: they were awful choices and terribly misleading. I read this book when it first came out, and have read every title by McDevitt since, on the strength of this one. I have read it twice more since, discovering clues and nuances I missed the first time. The story is an historical mystery, set in the future: the protagonist becomes caught up in solving a mystery involving a war hero from 200 years prior. Not only is the mystery itself fascinating, but the rising pressure on the protagonist to find the answers is compelling, as well. The main character is not a professional, and becomes involved unintentionally, so the challenges are very fresh and uncliched. The only bit of suspension of disbelief required is that you ignore how likely it is that the decendents of today's investigative reporters would have dogged the mystery long before two centuries had elapsed. :)
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Summary: A Grand Stirring Saga for a Backdrop
Review: A grand, sweeping tale that will appeal especially to those with a classical education. By deliberately using the histories of ancient Greece as the underlayer of this story, he imbues it with a stirring, mythic flavour. Done in many explicit ways. The wife of Sim, the lost hero, is an instructor in Greek philosophy and history. Sim himself, before the way, is depicted as writing a book on the war between Greece and Persia. The main events of the war are two hundred years before the contemporary events. McDevitt uses this to add a sepia tone of nostalgia. Akin to Americans looking back at their Civil War. McDevitt adds amusing little sidenotes for detailed depth. All this is set in the far future, in a high technological star-spanning setting. Yet McDevitt has the narrator say how the advances of the narrator's time has taken the romance out of daily life, unlike the stirring days of the war. The narrator's search across space to solve the mystery is akin to that in Asimov's Foundation Trilogy, in the last volume, when members of the First Foundation search for the Second. There are other similarities. Firstly in style. McDevitt cultivates a sparse descriptive narrative, much like that used by Asimov throughout his books. But there is something more. Joseph Patrouch in the late 70s wrote "The Science Fiction of Isaac Asimov", where he critiqued the Foundation Trilogy. He noted that the major action events were not usually described directly ("in real time"). Rather, Asimov would have his characters recall the events, after they had occurred. McDevitt's book resembles this. To large extent, it is not really a book on military science fiction. A reader of Drake, Weber, Pournelle or Stirling would see this quickly. But at a subtler level, the saga-like backdrop does give this book such a cadence.
Rating: 
Summary: Be warned!
Review: Based on a little research, this book seems to be in very high demand, I had thought due to a quality story, low print run, or several other factors. I finally located a used copy, and I'm mystified as to the popularity of this book. "A Talent for War" is the third book I've read by Jack McDevitt, and just like the previous two, I was not impressed. McDevitt's forte seems to be shallow characterization, convenient cookbook plots, and too much peripheral junk, presumedly to cover up the first two. The plot involves the protagonist pursuing the work of his late uncle, who had uncovered some hidden information about a galactic war hero (Christopher Sim) from 200 years before. This information could show that Sim was a fraud. The protagonist then has to resolve the mystery. Sounds like a great idea, but it's not well-done. This book was filled with characters who seemed to have no purpose other than to fall into the protagonist's lap exactly when he needed them. I find it odd that a secret of this magnitude is solved so easily with such generosity and convenience. It seems that everyone he speaks to knows that the story of Sim isn't right, so then why is this search such a big deal? It's like there's a universal conspiracy afoot that every single person knows of but won't admit. The apparent simplicity with which the mystery is solved makes me wonder why it wasn't obvious to so many other characters. As detailed in the book, volumes had been written about Sim, and his exploits had been researched in detail, so is this something that could really be covered up from the entire galaxy? The plot is a good idea, but it needs a serious rewrite.
Rating:
Summary: Be warned!
Review: Based on a little research, this book seems to be in very high demand, I had thought due to a quality story, low print run, or several other factors. I finally located a used copy, and I'm mystified as to the popularity of this book. "A Talent for War" is the third book I've read by Jack McDevitt, and just like the previous two, I was not impressed. McDevitt's forte seems to be shallow characterization, convenient cookbook plots, and too much peripheral junk, presumedly to cover up the first two. The plot involves the protagonist pursuing the work of his late uncle, who had uncovered some hidden information about a galactic war hero (Christopher Sim) from 200 years before. This information could show that Sim was a fraud. The protagonist then has to resolve the mystery. Sounds like a great idea, but it's not well-done. This book was filled with characters who seemed to have no purpose other than to fall into the protagonist's lap exactly when he needed them. I find it odd that a secret of this magnitude is solved so easily with such generosity and convenience. It seems that everyone he speaks to knows that the story of Sim isn't right, so then why is this search such a big deal? It's like there's a universal conspiracy afoot that every single person knows of but won't admit. The apparent simplicity with which the mystery is solved makes me wonder why it wasn't obvious to so many other characters. As detailed in the book, volumes had been written about Sim, and his exploits had been researched in detail, so is this something that could really be covered up from the entire galaxy? The plot is a good idea, but it needs a serious rewrite.
Rating: 
Summary: This Book has MORE than Meets the Eye...
Review: Being one of McDevitt's earliest books, I does suffer from a few of those small flaws in characterization and plot, I'll admit.
If any have noticed though, McDevitt DID re-write "The Hercules Text", and I for one was quite satisified. "A Talent for War" was the first book I read by him, and I was astounded. I still am. But I see the book from a much different perspective. There are two things about McDevitt's writing that impress me a great deal: His grasp of history, and his understanding of the human mind in regards to the unknown. You'll notice how the story parallels the situation in Classical Greece, with the Greeks struggle against the Persians. Stirring stuff, for sure. The passion McDevitt has for these issues is for me the strongest part of the novel. What also inpressed me was how the aliens aren't really the problem in the story, and this is a theme that McDevitt uses repeatedly throughout his books. The problem lies in an inablity for HUMANS to not let fear rule their reaction to the presence of aliens, and the subsequent political consequenses of over-emotional mob rule. Thought provoking stuff that for me not only has a great deal of relavence in the story, but in today's world as well.
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Summary: Talent is a mystery, rather than military SF
Review: Despite its title, A TALENT FOR WAR is not military SF. It is rather an account of the effort to unravel a mystery arising from a legendary military engagement several hundred years earlier
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Summary: The Best Science Fiction Book Ever Written
Review: For the friend who loves reading, this is the best science fiction book to recommend. I lamment that I have loaned several copies out and have never seen them again. This book has all of the wonderful elements making this a book you can't set down. A centuries old mystery contained in another mystery, anthropology (yes, it can be fun), aliens of overwhelming power, the curse of slow space travel, and a double climactic ending which changes the fate of all mankind forever. And all with the technocratic expertise of a cut-up Tom Clancy novel being reconstructed page by page. I have read and re-read this book. I never tire of it. And each time it always astounds me. How I wish Steven Speilberg would make it into a movie! Enjoy. . . if you can find a copy.
Rating: 
Summary: I am the dissenter in the group
Review: I am a rabid fan of Jack McDevitt and have read his books in reverse order. I read all of this latest befor reading his first publications. Maybe this is why I found "Talent for War" less enjoyable reading than "Chindi" or his others. It is certainly good writing, yet I found myself bogged down and waiting for something to happen. It struck me more as a mystery novel in a science fiction setting. If you are looking for high tech and action-packed, this is not the story for you. But, if you want a well written story that has a mystery..then you will probably enjoy this. Either way, for me, his other novels are his best--IMHO. ;-)
Rating:
Summary: Great Book!
Review: I am so glad I stumbled upon the reviews here at Amazon. This Book has to be one of the best kept secret's in modern Sci Fi history. Even though the book is out of print get a copy if you can . You will be glad you did.
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Summary: Some doubts
Review: I can see where all the raving reviews come from. There is some truly outstanding writing in this book. After reading it I bought a second copy to give away sometime; I also expected to have fun rereading it. However I didn't. I am not sure why, but I guess that the book lacks unity. There is great military SF here, as well as political reflection, as well as human tragedy, as well as an alien race, and all this within the framework of a mystery novel. So I can see why, in spite of some truly mindblowing stuff, this book was remaindered.
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