Just a quick update today. I just posted chapter 7 up at Wattpad and it continues the character development of the heroine. Last couple of weeks have been pretty busy and I've been tired too so I'm just working again on Chapter 13 today and tomorrow. You can hit the Wattpad link here. If you like it follow me on Wattpad, Facebook or Twitter. Up here in Edmonton the weather's been wet and cool, but nothing like our sister city 300km to the south. Calgary was heavily flooded and a state of emergency has been declared. The city centre was completely flooded to various degrees and I'm wondering how the Calgary Stampede Fair/Rodeo will go in a couple of weeks.
Saturday, 22 June 2013
Sunday, 2 June 2013
Musings About Writing, Military Science Fiction, and SF / Anime in General
I wasn't even planning on writing this post this morning, but it was raining and I didn't want to get electrofried replacing the front door light fixture. Instead of this, I'm going to write about some observations about military SF and mecha anime I've noticed over the last couple of years. I'll also highlight some military SF resources on the Internet that I think are valuable.
I've always liked science fiction and also like military SF. I also used to to play war games that came with hundreds of cardboard counters on paper maps so I'm used to big fat rule books of minutia. Having said that I did not realize how big of a gulf there is between the main SF genre and the military SF sub-genre AND the gulf between anime fans and mecha anime fans. I kind of stepped into the middle of no mans land by trying to write good SF mecha stories with inspiration from mecha anime. So I write in a grey area for two sub-genres and try to mix them. Hmmm... Don't think I'm selling a million copies here, but it is something I want to finish just to tell a good story.
Two years ago I started blogging again (see Tokyo Excess for Japanese pop culture) and then started writing again with Exocrisis Blue six months later. I've been somewhat successful with both endeavors, but I'm not giving up my day job any time soon as a business analyst:
Military SF is the writing of David Drake (Hammer's Slammers), Keith Laumer (Bolo), David Weber (Honor Harrington), H.G. Wells (War of the Worlds), Heinlein (Starship Troopers), etc. I'm not going into a detailed analysis, but it has to have a heavy military element obviously or focus on military operations. You'll see that my categorization is broad is it starts to quickly includes more general SF after point 1 below too.
This genre comes in three main flavours to me:
Observations About Mecha Anime
For non-anime fans out there I'm just going to say that anime / manga is a big genre that ranges from mysteries, romance, historicals, all the way to SF. It isn't just for kids and teenagers, but much of it is oriented at the youth market. In Japan, it is huge, and the closest thing to it in North America is the young adult fiction genre that sells really well right now too. Often the stories are simpler, but they have appeal, and are not over encumbered with a ton of story baggage. There is plenty of good anime science fiction and in fact, the Japanese are often better at futuristic depictions than our own television and movie industries (although this maybe changing with the current generation of shows and movies). As for mecha anime, this is a fairly popular sub-genre, and it has mainstream support in Japan, but not worldwide.
Mecha anime flavours.
Some additional reading about Anime SF / Mecha Anime:
Now that I have discussed the two types of genres that I'm writing under you can see that there is commonality in the 3rd category between mecha anime and military SF where the stories tend to be broader and can appeal to a wider audience. I don't think there is a great deal of crossover in audiences though. You tend to be in one camp and never see the other as far as I can tell - maybe not enough press or something. This is the same idea as serious literature folk not reading SF, but with less of a gulf. However, these sub-genres tend to have avid fans too, so I don't think there is a great deal of general support for something outside type of story you like based on what I've read or seen. I'm hoping my stories appeal to a wide fan base myself as I've enjoyed both types of genres and hopefully I've shed a bit of light on this subject so others do too if they do not already do so.
Resources for Military SF
I've always liked science fiction and also like military SF. I also used to to play war games that came with hundreds of cardboard counters on paper maps so I'm used to big fat rule books of minutia. Having said that I did not realize how big of a gulf there is between the main SF genre and the military SF sub-genre AND the gulf between anime fans and mecha anime fans. I kind of stepped into the middle of no mans land by trying to write good SF mecha stories with inspiration from mecha anime. So I write in a grey area for two sub-genres and try to mix them. Hmmm... Don't think I'm selling a million copies here, but it is something I want to finish just to tell a good story.
Two years ago I started blogging again (see Tokyo Excess for Japanese pop culture) and then started writing again with Exocrisis Blue six months later. I've been somewhat successful with both endeavors, but I'm not giving up my day job any time soon as a business analyst:
- My Tokyo Excess blog has about 450 page views a day right now, not tons, but not a little either. I like Japanese pop culture and it is a good complementary mix with my other writing which is real military SF with an anime-inspired mecha element.
- I've sold hundreds of copies of HARM and Raid on Kahamba, and gave away about fifteen hundred copies or so as promos. I've been pretty explicit about it being military SF with mecha so people don't slam you for something they don't like (e.g. I don't like big robots or I thought this was a romance).
- I'm also continuing the Exocrisis Bue story with two short novels about the Neo-Ace Academy to train the next generation of super mecha pilots. I'm about halfway through the first novel right now, and you can see the draft of the novel at Wattpad here. Follow me there if you want to show support for my writing. The best place to follow me in general is on my twitter feeds. I update the Tostzilla feed the most.
Military SF is the writing of David Drake (Hammer's Slammers), Keith Laumer (Bolo), David Weber (Honor Harrington), H.G. Wells (War of the Worlds), Heinlein (Starship Troopers), etc. I'm not going into a detailed analysis, but it has to have a heavy military element obviously or focus on military operations. You'll see that my categorization is broad is it starts to quickly includes more general SF after point 1 below too.
This genre comes in three main flavours to me:
- Combat oriented. It is all about the fight, the men, the machines. It's gritty, there's blood and circuits everywhere. I'm fighting to just see tomorrow and the honour of the regiment. I think many fans of the genre are in this boat. Bolo falls in this category along with Hammer's Slammers. The Star Carrier series is a recent one in this genre, along with The Lost Fleet series, but I think both of these entertaining series worked well as they were space naval with fleets and some politics, so not super small unit operations.
- Political / Social. Military is mentioned, there might be a description about Operation So-and-So. The main story is about power structures, machinations between political bodies and alien races, and it could be generational. Grunts die, but that's war, lets focus on other things. Foundation by Asimov is in this category.
- Combination. There is a big political or social back story to the fight. What are we really fighting for? There's combat in space, on the ground, and in the political or business arena. Most space opera sits in this one such as David Weber's Harrington series, Mike Shepard's Kris Longknife series, and Peter F. Hamilton's works (e.g. Reality Dysfunction).
Observations About Mecha Anime
For non-anime fans out there I'm just going to say that anime / manga is a big genre that ranges from mysteries, romance, historicals, all the way to SF. It isn't just for kids and teenagers, but much of it is oriented at the youth market. In Japan, it is huge, and the closest thing to it in North America is the young adult fiction genre that sells really well right now too. Often the stories are simpler, but they have appeal, and are not over encumbered with a ton of story baggage. There is plenty of good anime science fiction and in fact, the Japanese are often better at futuristic depictions than our own television and movie industries (although this maybe changing with the current generation of shows and movies). As for mecha anime, this is a fairly popular sub-genre, and it has mainstream support in Japan, but not worldwide.
Mecha anime flavours.
- Big robots / giant mecha. You've all heard about this trope that is comprised of the Iron Giant, Mazinger, Pacific Rim, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Getter Robo, Gunbuster, etc. This is the super robot category where the pilots tend to be hot blooded, call out their robot's signature attacks like a Hong Kong action flick, and the robots are super-awesome with amazing powers and abilities. Who wouldn't want to drive a giant robot?
- Real robot. This is the more realistic type of robot that is not usually at large as the giant robot, but still big, and they behave more like real machines. Macross, Gunparade, Full Metal Panic, Gundam all fall in this category. Still about the robots, but with a wider range of stories.
- Futuristic anime with robots. This is often just science fiction anime. This is the future where man and machine work together and it could be more like a technothriller. Shows like Ghost in the Shell, Gundam 00 (this one is a real robot, but the story begged to be in this category), Patlabor, Bubblegum Crisis, Votoms, Burst Angel, Yukikaze (coming soon with Tom Cruise), Appleseed, etc.
Some additional reading about Anime SF / Mecha Anime:
- Six Favourite Real Robot Anime Mecha
- Science Fiction and Anime Connections (サイエンスフィクションとアニメの接続)
- Six Favourite Science Fiction Anime
- Giant Gundam Statue in Tokyo From My Travelogues
- Pacific Rim and Six Favourite Giant Mecha / Robot Anime
- http://futurewarstories.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/fws-topics-mecha.html
Now that I have discussed the two types of genres that I'm writing under you can see that there is commonality in the 3rd category between mecha anime and military SF where the stories tend to be broader and can appeal to a wider audience. I don't think there is a great deal of crossover in audiences though. You tend to be in one camp and never see the other as far as I can tell - maybe not enough press or something. This is the same idea as serious literature folk not reading SF, but with less of a gulf. However, these sub-genres tend to have avid fans too, so I don't think there is a great deal of general support for something outside type of story you like based on what I've read or seen. I'm hoping my stories appeal to a wide fan base myself as I've enjoyed both types of genres and hopefully I've shed a bit of light on this subject so others do too if they do not already do so.
Resources for Military SF
- I started a thread over at Reddit to discuss my post on Science Fiction Infantry here. Lots of opinions and good ideas. Heated too. Basically, the premise was why are science fiction infantry so under armed? Why are their weaponry, equipment and tactics not better than late 20th century infantry in most writing that happens now?
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_science_fiction
- Politics and Military SF
- About Military SF (an essay)
- Describing What Military SF Is
- Hunters in the Dark (about spaceship combat and weapon systems - a good read)
- An interesting article about Aircraft Carriers in Space
- Autonomous Weapons - Drones on their own.
- Get Ready, the Autonomous Drones are Coming
Exocrisis Blue: Neo-Ace Chapter Four Now Up at Wattpad.
Neo-Ace is set in my Exocrisis Blue universe which takes
place on an Earth that has settled into an uneasy truce with alien
invaders who have carved out their territories. This is near future SF with a mecha robot element that has been well received. Other works in the series are HARM and Raid on Kahamba available at Amazon.
Chapter four of Neo-Ace is now up over at Wattpad. The senior mecha instructor learns more about the secret research program that the cadets are involved in. They are good, but why will they be the best of the best for mecha pilots? Plenty of background material and what is the PRECOG system?
http://www.wattpad.com/17633319-neo-ace-academy-an-exocrisis-blue-story-neo-ace
Chapter four of Neo-Ace is now up over at Wattpad. The senior mecha instructor learns more about the secret research program that the cadets are involved in. They are good, but why will they be the best of the best for mecha pilots? Plenty of background material and what is the PRECOG system?
http://www.wattpad.com/17633319-neo-ace-academy-an-exocrisis-blue-story-neo-ace
Monday, 20 May 2013
Raid on Kahamba Free For A Limited Time At Amazon.com
Raid on Kahamba is no longer free at the end of May 24, 2013. I've used up my KDP free days. Thanks to everyone who participated in the downloads.
Raid on Kahamba is my novella length followup to HARM which introduced my battlefield mechas. These stories are set in a future which has humanity sharing the world with the alien Blue Newts. The Blue Newts invaded the Earth and basically reshaped the global political structure after they carved out their territories. Raid on Kahamba is a fast paced story about a team of commandos backed up by mechas racing to retrieve an alien artifact.
http://www.amazon.com/Raid-on-Kahamba-ebook/dp/B009BTMMC0
I haven't promoted Raid on Kahamba as much as HARM, but it is available free right now as I'm using up a number of my promo days due to it being enrolled in the Amazon KDP program. If you enjoy it, also check out HARM, and I'm serializing the draft of Exocrisis Blue: Neo-Ace at Wattpad too.
Raid on Kahamba is my novella length followup to HARM which introduced my battlefield mechas. These stories are set in a future which has humanity sharing the world with the alien Blue Newts. The Blue Newts invaded the Earth and basically reshaped the global political structure after they carved out their territories. Raid on Kahamba is a fast paced story about a team of commandos backed up by mechas racing to retrieve an alien artifact.
http://www.amazon.com/Raid-on-Kahamba-ebook/dp/B009BTMMC0
I haven't promoted Raid on Kahamba as much as HARM, but it is available free right now as I'm using up a number of my promo days due to it being enrolled in the Amazon KDP program. If you enjoy it, also check out HARM, and I'm serializing the draft of Exocrisis Blue: Neo-Ace at Wattpad too.
Exocrisis Blue: Neo-Ace Chapter Three Now Up at Wattpad.
Just posted chapter three of Neo-Ace. In this chapter, the mecha cadets get the old after action briefing. It was interesting to write this scene as you have to imagine yourself as a senior instructor and a teenage cadet at the same time. Wasn't too bad though. In the previous chapter I had the HARM mechas go into a good fight against the alien Spidermechs and their Hunter mechs. There was plenty of action to go around in that chapter.
http://www.wattpad.com/story/5716078-neo-ace-academy-an-exocrisis-blue-story
http://www.wattpad.com/story/5716078-neo-ace-academy-an-exocrisis-blue-story
Wednesday, 15 May 2013
Serializing Draft Chapters For Exocrisis Blue: Neo-Ace At Wattpad
It has taken longer than I wanted to get the next installment of Exocrisis Blue: Neo-Ace out the door. I figure I'm about halfway done for this short novel, with another to follow after this. I'll be probably writing a short story to fill in between HARM and Raid on Kahamba and releasing the three stories as a new ebook on Amazon this summer. So as an interim step for Neo-Ace I'm going to serialize the chapters as I go in draft form. This way you'll know I'm actually working on it and not slacking off. The final revised version will only be on Amazon. Who knows, maybe I'll even build some buzz for it on Wattpad.
Neo-Ace is available at this link on Wattpad. New installment weekly.
http://www.wattpad.com/17096771-neo-ace-academy-an-exocrisis-blue-story-neo-ace
Neo-Ace is available at this link on Wattpad. New installment weekly.
http://www.wattpad.com/17096771-neo-ace-academy-an-exocrisis-blue-story-neo-ace
Ender's Game Review
Mini-review #11
This is a series of short reviews for military SF and mecha SF. You will not see a review of something I don't like as it isn't worth writing about in that case, but I will tell you what works for me and what doesn't about the stories I did like.
Ender's Game is a classic military SF novel by Orson Scott Card that was first published in 1985. This novel won both the Hugo and Nebula Awards! It is the first of a series of novels set in the same universe involving a Ender Wiggin. Ender is a genetically engineered / bred child who is taken from his parents at a young age to attend Battle School. Here, the International Forces (I.F.) are trying to create the best miltary leader that humanity has ever had. Why are they doing this? Humanity has been attacked twice by the Buggers who are an insectoid alien race and almost wiped out. The Buggers are numerous,quick on the attack, and able to adapt to human tactics with great ease. The people of Earth need the best military leader ever to take on the bugs.
Much of the book is about the childhood development of Ender along with his two siblings. Ender is the only one who makes it into the orbital station where the Battle School is. Here he needs to prove himself and grow to be able to lead the best of the best in military minds. The kids are organized into military platoons to learn zero-g combat and work in 3 D space versus 2D, and learn tactics and strategy. Ender is also a very empathetic character who really doesn't want to hurt anyone, but his abilities are lethal when pushed, so his trainers push him hard.
This is a great character driven story. You can empathize with Ender and the other kids who are losing their childhood to fight the greatest war ever. Well written and a good read. I also wanted to read this boof before I saw the movie and I'm glad I did. I also am glad I wrote the first 10 chapters of Exocrisis Blue: Neo-Ace (which happens at a mecha academy) before I read this as I wouldn't want to crib from it. For some reason I've had the paperback for more than 15 years but never read it! About time I guess.
Does it have a cast of characters listing?
No. There are maybe half a dozen core characters. Story is tightly woven.
What is the scope / scale of the story?
Mainly about Ender and his squad or platoon. Later it is about platoon on platoon training. At the end - I did talk about the greatest war ever in space right?
Does it have likeable characters?
You do like Private Andy and a few of his friends, but man, what a bunch of SOBs for squad mates and the NCOs suck. While they provide good leadership in combat, you do not want this military life, as it seems to be run by bullies if you survive combat. This is gutter trash in the army, the types that don't win the hearts and minds of the enemy in counter insurgency. I do wonder if this "traditional" military culture would shift in the future with a more automated army.
Does it have an entertaining storyline?
Yes. Much of the story is about the story of Ender and how he grows over a few years. He makes friends and loses them. He trains hard and is pushed beyond his limits by the instructors. He grows in confidence, leadership, and other military abilities and it isn't just an easy slog for him.
How is the internal consistency / plausibility?
The story holds together very well and I'd be interested to see what the novella was like. No complaints here. The Battle School is pretty cool. In 1985 there is no Internet and the nets are used in the story. There are crude PCs and computer games in 1985, but the story uses personal desks that must be kind of like Note book computers and very advanced simulation games. 3D holographic war games and displays too. Warsaw Pact exists in the novel, but that was before the complete destruction of it in real life.
What cool bonus features are there?
Zero G infantry combat. Lots of floating, pushing off, and shooting. Well described battles let you visualize the action. Very cool disintegrator type weaponry, FTL ansible communications.
This is a series of short reviews for military SF and mecha SF. You will not see a review of something I don't like as it isn't worth writing about in that case, but I will tell you what works for me and what doesn't about the stories I did like.
Ender's Game is a classic military SF novel by Orson Scott Card that was first published in 1985. This novel won both the Hugo and Nebula Awards! It is the first of a series of novels set in the same universe involving a Ender Wiggin. Ender is a genetically engineered / bred child who is taken from his parents at a young age to attend Battle School. Here, the International Forces (I.F.) are trying to create the best miltary leader that humanity has ever had. Why are they doing this? Humanity has been attacked twice by the Buggers who are an insectoid alien race and almost wiped out. The Buggers are numerous,quick on the attack, and able to adapt to human tactics with great ease. The people of Earth need the best military leader ever to take on the bugs.
Much of the book is about the childhood development of Ender along with his two siblings. Ender is the only one who makes it into the orbital station where the Battle School is. Here he needs to prove himself and grow to be able to lead the best of the best in military minds. The kids are organized into military platoons to learn zero-g combat and work in 3 D space versus 2D, and learn tactics and strategy. Ender is also a very empathetic character who really doesn't want to hurt anyone, but his abilities are lethal when pushed, so his trainers push him hard.
This is a great character driven story. You can empathize with Ender and the other kids who are losing their childhood to fight the greatest war ever. Well written and a good read. I also wanted to read this boof before I saw the movie and I'm glad I did. I also am glad I wrote the first 10 chapters of Exocrisis Blue: Neo-Ace (which happens at a mecha academy) before I read this as I wouldn't want to crib from it. For some reason I've had the paperback for more than 15 years but never read it! About time I guess.
Does it have a cast of characters listing?
No. There are maybe half a dozen core characters. Story is tightly woven.
What is the scope / scale of the story?
Mainly about Ender and his squad or platoon. Later it is about platoon on platoon training. At the end - I did talk about the greatest war ever in space right?
Does it have likeable characters?
You do like Private Andy and a few of his friends, but man, what a bunch of SOBs for squad mates and the NCOs suck. While they provide good leadership in combat, you do not want this military life, as it seems to be run by bullies if you survive combat. This is gutter trash in the army, the types that don't win the hearts and minds of the enemy in counter insurgency. I do wonder if this "traditional" military culture would shift in the future with a more automated army.
Does it have an entertaining storyline?
Yes. Much of the story is about the story of Ender and how he grows over a few years. He makes friends and loses them. He trains hard and is pushed beyond his limits by the instructors. He grows in confidence, leadership, and other military abilities and it isn't just an easy slog for him.
How is the internal consistency / plausibility?
The story holds together very well and I'd be interested to see what the novella was like. No complaints here. The Battle School is pretty cool. In 1985 there is no Internet and the nets are used in the story. There are crude PCs and computer games in 1985, but the story uses personal desks that must be kind of like Note book computers and very advanced simulation games. 3D holographic war games and displays too. Warsaw Pact exists in the novel, but that was before the complete destruction of it in real life.
What cool bonus features are there?
Zero G infantry combat. Lots of floating, pushing off, and shooting. Well described battles let you visualize the action. Very cool disintegrator type weaponry, FTL ansible communications.
Saturday, 20 April 2013
Creativity and Writing
It's been a little while since I posted here. I've been busy working on my other blog Tokyo Excess (see the sidebar) and am still working away at Exocrisis Blue Neo-Ace, the next large installment in the series. I have 8 chapters done so far and figure I'm about 40% of the way through Neo-Ace based on the outline. I'd still like to get it done by the end of summer, but that is only 5 months out so I'm going to have to pick up the pace. Spring also doesn't seem to want to come to Edmonton yet this year, but I'm sure I'll blink and the new flowers will be out soon. Coming up will be review of Ender's Game once I finish reading it too - I want to finish it before the movie is out.
In the last little while I've also watched a couple of Youtube videos about having a creative career and another one about where great ideas come from. They are called Where good ideas come from? and Thoughts on a Creative Career (Thanks go out to my collegue at work for forwarding this to me).
I have to say that I need to pick up the pace on writing too if I follow the advice given in the videos. I am blogging, but I do want to write stories too. The upside is that I know I'm not jumping into this gig full time as my regular job pays way better with much less risk. I'm patient too and am not expecting to get a job in the writing industry or anything either, so things will get finished when they are finished. Two years ago, I hadn't published anything, so I'm definitely already ahead.
Anyhow, catch you later!
In the last little while I've also watched a couple of Youtube videos about having a creative career and another one about where great ideas come from. They are called Where good ideas come from? and Thoughts on a Creative Career (Thanks go out to my collegue at work for forwarding this to me).
I have to say that I need to pick up the pace on writing too if I follow the advice given in the videos. I am blogging, but I do want to write stories too. The upside is that I know I'm not jumping into this gig full time as my regular job pays way better with much less risk. I'm patient too and am not expecting to get a job in the writing industry or anything either, so things will get finished when they are finished. Two years ago, I hadn't published anything, so I'm definitely already ahead.
Anyhow, catch you later!
Sunday, 3 March 2013
C.R.O.W. Review (sci fi infantry combat)
Mini-review #10
This is a series of short reviews for military SF and mecha SF. You will not see a review of something I don't like as it isn't worth writing about in that case, but I will tell you what works for me and what doesn't about the stories I did like.
C.R.O.W. (Combat Replacement of War) by Phillip Richards is a pretty gritty future infantry combat novel. This novel follows a green recruit named Andrew Moralee who has just been assigned as a replacement in the Dropship Infantry. The Dropship Infantry are like the Marines or paratroopers where they are more elite units that are the pointy tip of the spear in any operation. Andy joins his unit and faces very severe hazing, so much so, that you wonder if the poor guy is going to crack. Eventually, he is saved by the start of a new military campaign to seize back the planet of New Earth from the Chinese who betrayed their European allies by taking the planet from them. The battles that follow include trench and tunnel warfare (tunnel warfare seems to be in these days - see Germline too) and show planetary assaults from orbit.
I believe the novel was written by an infantry veteran in the British Army and he has the hard core details nailed down really well. The military jargon, slang, and terminology are of the United Kingdom and the European Union point of view.
I would recommend this book for a read if you are looking for some heavy infantry action in a science fiction setting.
Does it have a cast of characters listing?
No. There are a few core characters, but war is brutal and the cast changes over the course of the first campaign.
What is the scope / scale of the story?
Mainly squad and platoon level, but it flips through company and higher level operations to secure beach heads and consolidate gains made.
Does it have likeable characters?
You do like Private Andy and a few of his friends, but man, what a bunch of SOBs for squad mates and the NCOs suck. While they provide good leadership in combat, you do not want this military life, as it seems to be run by bullies if you survive combat. This is gutter trash in the army, the types that don't win the hearts and minds of the enemy in counter insurgency. I do wonder if this "traditional" military culture would shift in the future with a more automated army.
Does it have an entertaining storyline?
Yes. You slog through pages of adjustment to the platoon with Andy, where his life is hell, but the combat that comes later is gritty and fast paced. There is plenty of variety in the operations from above to below ground, and building clearing.
How is the internal consistency / plausibility?
The internal plausibility is good. The author has set out to tell a gritty infantry story set in the future and it works with plenty of realistic details. However, the technological innovation seen in the story has not changed infantry operations as the soldiers behave like current infantry with better gear. Things like smart grenades and ammo, autonomous air and land drones, extremely integrated electronic battlefield operations do seem to get downplayed. Oh yeah, the Chinese use highly integrated systems, but they can be hacked to be used against them - too much Battlestar here. Casualties are very high in the story and units take 50+% casualties and are reformed into new combat effective units. This is something I wondered about, but the narrative for the events was good. Orbital bombardment effectiveness seems more limited than I would expect - firing high velocity projectiles from orbit if you're overhead should make you rule the battlefield and break up any formation or armour attack.
What cool bonus features are there?
Very powerful battlefield drones are used (run from the saucer!). The infantry use electromagnetic rifles, really smart missile launchers (you fire, they figure out what to hit it seems), and dropship tanks that accompany the dropships from orbit. Well described infantry kit and equipment that adds a very nice depth to the story.
This is a series of short reviews for military SF and mecha SF. You will not see a review of something I don't like as it isn't worth writing about in that case, but I will tell you what works for me and what doesn't about the stories I did like.
C.R.O.W. (Combat Replacement of War) by Phillip Richards is a pretty gritty future infantry combat novel. This novel follows a green recruit named Andrew Moralee who has just been assigned as a replacement in the Dropship Infantry. The Dropship Infantry are like the Marines or paratroopers where they are more elite units that are the pointy tip of the spear in any operation. Andy joins his unit and faces very severe hazing, so much so, that you wonder if the poor guy is going to crack. Eventually, he is saved by the start of a new military campaign to seize back the planet of New Earth from the Chinese who betrayed their European allies by taking the planet from them. The battles that follow include trench and tunnel warfare (tunnel warfare seems to be in these days - see Germline too) and show planetary assaults from orbit.
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| Flickr / bdu_defence_images_uk |
I believe the novel was written by an infantry veteran in the British Army and he has the hard core details nailed down really well. The military jargon, slang, and terminology are of the United Kingdom and the European Union point of view.
I would recommend this book for a read if you are looking for some heavy infantry action in a science fiction setting.
Does it have a cast of characters listing?
No. There are a few core characters, but war is brutal and the cast changes over the course of the first campaign.
What is the scope / scale of the story?
Mainly squad and platoon level, but it flips through company and higher level operations to secure beach heads and consolidate gains made.
Does it have likeable characters?
You do like Private Andy and a few of his friends, but man, what a bunch of SOBs for squad mates and the NCOs suck. While they provide good leadership in combat, you do not want this military life, as it seems to be run by bullies if you survive combat. This is gutter trash in the army, the types that don't win the hearts and minds of the enemy in counter insurgency. I do wonder if this "traditional" military culture would shift in the future with a more automated army.
Does it have an entertaining storyline?
Yes. You slog through pages of adjustment to the platoon with Andy, where his life is hell, but the combat that comes later is gritty and fast paced. There is plenty of variety in the operations from above to below ground, and building clearing.
How is the internal consistency / plausibility?
The internal plausibility is good. The author has set out to tell a gritty infantry story set in the future and it works with plenty of realistic details. However, the technological innovation seen in the story has not changed infantry operations as the soldiers behave like current infantry with better gear. Things like smart grenades and ammo, autonomous air and land drones, extremely integrated electronic battlefield operations do seem to get downplayed. Oh yeah, the Chinese use highly integrated systems, but they can be hacked to be used against them - too much Battlestar here. Casualties are very high in the story and units take 50+% casualties and are reformed into new combat effective units. This is something I wondered about, but the narrative for the events was good. Orbital bombardment effectiveness seems more limited than I would expect - firing high velocity projectiles from orbit if you're overhead should make you rule the battlefield and break up any formation or armour attack.
What cool bonus features are there?
Very powerful battlefield drones are used (run from the saucer!). The infantry use electromagnetic rifles, really smart missile launchers (you fire, they figure out what to hit it seems), and dropship tanks that accompany the dropships from orbit. Well described infantry kit and equipment that adds a very nice depth to the story.
Monday, 11 February 2013
The Forever War Review
Mini-review #9
This is a series of short reviews for military SF and mecha SF. You will not see a review of something I don't like as it isn't worth writing about in that case, but I will tell you what works for me and what doesn't about the stories I did like. When I was writing my Exocrisis Blue stories and trying to find places to post about it or reviews of other mecha SF I was unable to find any, so I'm creating my own hub. Now onto the review. For the master list of reviews, click here.
The Forever War by Joe Haldeman is an old military classic, much like Heinlein's Starship Troopers. Both of these novels feature not just military action, but serious social commentary. In the Forever War, the novel is is an anti-war novel in many respects as it addresses topics such as the alienation of soldiers who have returned from war, conscription, the dehumanizing military machine, and even questions the reasons for engaging in warfare. Haldeman served during the Vietnam War and it is widely believed that this science fiction novel's themes reflect upon his wartime experiences.
I read this novel
years ago and it deeply engaged me on multiple levels. It is a very
well written story that is a Nebula award winner too! There is good
action, plenty of deep science fiction elements, and great characters.
The hero, William Mandella, is a conscript sent out to fight against the
Taurans who apparently attacked human colony ships. There is some
brutal training on Earth then out on a moon of Pluto. Many casualties
ensue between the hostile environments and the use of live weapons.
Later on, they engage in ground combat. At first it is very one sided, but later on the Terrans are outmatched by superior alien weaponry. The war is fought in real time, but transportation happens at relativistic speeds so centuries of time pass between battles. The novel chronicles the problems that the batch of soldiers have in adjusting to "future shock" when society changes on them so they are outcasts that don't fit in. You really have to feel for them.
This is a good read. Rumour has it that Heinlein even said it was the best futuristic military SF he had read.
Does it have a cast of characters listing?
No.
What is the scope / scale of the story?
Mainly platoon, company, and battalion level within a much larger campaign over many worlds and vast stretches of time.
Does it have likeable characters?
Very much so. Characters seem real and caught up in changes beyond their control. Over the centuries of war they remain static - like remnants of the present caught in the far future and unable to cope with massive societal change.
Does it have an entertaining storyline?
Yes. It is a long war story over many campaigns. Our hero becomes a veteran by skill and accident over time. Like I said before, a good story. You do wonder how it will turn out at the end.
How is the internal consistency / plausibility?
Very good. It is well thought out. I like the future society building element a great deal.
What cool bonus features are there?
Time dilation effects as you travel near light speed and the many implications that it causes. Leapfrogging technology as the war continues. Battlesuits, laser rifles, death in hostile terrain or by enemy fire, limb and organ regeneration, cloning all in the proper place.
This is a series of short reviews for military SF and mecha SF. You will not see a review of something I don't like as it isn't worth writing about in that case, but I will tell you what works for me and what doesn't about the stories I did like. When I was writing my Exocrisis Blue stories and trying to find places to post about it or reviews of other mecha SF I was unable to find any, so I'm creating my own hub. Now onto the review. For the master list of reviews, click here.
The Forever War by Joe Haldeman is an old military classic, much like Heinlein's Starship Troopers. Both of these novels feature not just military action, but serious social commentary. In the Forever War, the novel is is an anti-war novel in many respects as it addresses topics such as the alienation of soldiers who have returned from war, conscription, the dehumanizing military machine, and even questions the reasons for engaging in warfare. Haldeman served during the Vietnam War and it is widely believed that this science fiction novel's themes reflect upon his wartime experiences.
 |
| Flickr / procsilas |
Later on, they engage in ground combat. At first it is very one sided, but later on the Terrans are outmatched by superior alien weaponry. The war is fought in real time, but transportation happens at relativistic speeds so centuries of time pass between battles. The novel chronicles the problems that the batch of soldiers have in adjusting to "future shock" when society changes on them so they are outcasts that don't fit in. You really have to feel for them.
This is a good read. Rumour has it that Heinlein even said it was the best futuristic military SF he had read.
Does it have a cast of characters listing?
No.
What is the scope / scale of the story?
Mainly platoon, company, and battalion level within a much larger campaign over many worlds and vast stretches of time.
Does it have likeable characters?
Very much so. Characters seem real and caught up in changes beyond their control. Over the centuries of war they remain static - like remnants of the present caught in the far future and unable to cope with massive societal change.
Does it have an entertaining storyline?
Yes. It is a long war story over many campaigns. Our hero becomes a veteran by skill and accident over time. Like I said before, a good story. You do wonder how it will turn out at the end.
How is the internal consistency / plausibility?
Very good. It is well thought out. I like the future society building element a great deal.
What cool bonus features are there?
Time dilation effects as you travel near light speed and the many implications that it causes. Leapfrogging technology as the war continues. Battlesuits, laser rifles, death in hostile terrain or by enemy fire, limb and organ regeneration, cloning all in the proper place.
Sunday, 10 February 2013
Neo-Ace Academy Emblem For Exocrisis Blue
I'm still working away at this in real time and February has proven to be a very busy month due to work, some travel happening, and the fact I'm going to promote Exocrisis at Soba Bowl in March too. Just writing a star chamberish scene right now and did some work on the emblem for the Neo-Ace academy.
Neo-Ace is the first of two or three short novels (longer than a novella but on the short end for a novel). It basically continues the story from where HARM and Raid on Kahamba left off at a mecha academy and research facility. Joshua Scott, the mecha pilot from these stories is now a Major and a quintuple ace. At the special request of Janet Chan, the inventor of the HARM unit, he has agreed to transfer from regular service to train the next generation of super-mecha pilots. The story just moves on from there.
Here is a brief excerpt from Scene two with the trainees.
...
"Well, they're not breaking through here to Central City," Jake responded. "If we take these guys out, we know they won't be back. We have the initiative and should take it."
Jake looked at the tactical display again. He projected the map for everyone to see and used his finger to point out a position. "We won't move that far out of position if we can take them out before they exit the valley between these two hills. Geraldo, Mayumi, take the left flanking hill. Bing and Toshi, take the right hill. Mary and I will pursue and keep the pressure on. You guys run for those hills and take them out from above."
"The plan sounds good to me," Geraldo spoke out in accented English, his mixed Hispanic heritage coming through. "We should take advantage of the situation."
"I'm in," Mary added. She preferred a standup fight over waiting any day. "Eliminated Newts won't be back."
After bit of hesitation, Bing, assented too.
Mayumi finally agreed when it was obvious that everyone was in. "Okay," she quietly added.
"I don't think we should be doing this," Toshi finally agreed, "but let us try it."
"Thanks, Toshi. All units, move out," Jake ordered. They were going to win this one in a big way.
...
Neo-Ace is the first of two or three short novels (longer than a novella but on the short end for a novel). It basically continues the story from where HARM and Raid on Kahamba left off at a mecha academy and research facility. Joshua Scott, the mecha pilot from these stories is now a Major and a quintuple ace. At the special request of Janet Chan, the inventor of the HARM unit, he has agreed to transfer from regular service to train the next generation of super-mecha pilots. The story just moves on from there.
 |
| Neo-Ace Mecha Academy From Exocrisis Blue |
...
"Well, they're not breaking through here to Central City," Jake responded. "If we take these guys out, we know they won't be back. We have the initiative and should take it."
Jake looked at the tactical display again. He projected the map for everyone to see and used his finger to point out a position. "We won't move that far out of position if we can take them out before they exit the valley between these two hills. Geraldo, Mayumi, take the left flanking hill. Bing and Toshi, take the right hill. Mary and I will pursue and keep the pressure on. You guys run for those hills and take them out from above."
"The plan sounds good to me," Geraldo spoke out in accented English, his mixed Hispanic heritage coming through. "We should take advantage of the situation."
"I'm in," Mary added. She preferred a standup fight over waiting any day. "Eliminated Newts won't be back."
After bit of hesitation, Bing, assented too.
Mayumi finally agreed when it was obvious that everyone was in. "Okay," she quietly added.
"I don't think we should be doing this," Toshi finally agreed, "but let us try it."
"Thanks, Toshi. All units, move out," Jake ordered. They were going to win this one in a big way.
...
Tuesday, 22 January 2013
Review of Mecha Corps - A Novel of the Armor Wars
Mini-review #8
This is a series of short reviews for military SF and mecha SF. You will not see a review of something I don't like as it isn't worth writing about in that case, but I will tell you what works for me and what doesn't about the stories I did like. When I was writing my Exocrisis Blue stories and trying to find places to post about it or reviews of other mecha SF I was unable to find any, so I'm creating my own hub. Now onto the review. For the master list of reviews, click here.
When I was publishing my own stories for Exocrisis I went browsing through the Amazon bookstore to see what other mecha fiction had been published. One of the ones that popped up quickly was Mecha Corps: A Novel of the Armor Wars by Brett Patton. Mecha Corps does a great deal of future world building and introduces the very powerful and amazing biomechs that are piloted by the Union against all enemies.
The story is about Matt Lowell who has qualified to join the elite Mecha Corp as a mecha pilot. He arrives on Earth to begin his training and things take off from there. There isn't much of a boot camp, but there is a brutal qualification to become a pilot. Pilots "mesh" with their mechas by plugging in and becoming integrated with them for sensation and control. You can feel pain as a pilot when your incredibly tough, armoured body is hit. Meshing itself isn't easy and has its own dangers as you get high on it from the sensations of incredible power. The mechas are very agile with the ability to merge with other devices to fly or even other mecha to enhance their abilities. Weapons capability seems to be extremely powerful as they can fight battleships in space and heavy armour on the ground.
The main enemy of the Union is the Corsairs, an elusive faction that preys on Union worlds. They don't have biomecha, but they have plenty of other weapons. Matt was orphaned by a Corsair raid and he has dedicated his life to killing a particular Corsair to avenge his father's death. A new type of mecha called demons are introduced later and they become a central pivot for both character and plot development later. This relatively recent book now has a sequel which doesn't seem to be available as an ebook at the time of writing for Canadians (go figure with these publishers).
This book is a good read for mecha fans as it is entertaining, but not deep on military tactics. If you like the super robot genre you'll like it even more, but you might not like it so much if you're into serious military SF.
Does it have a cast of characters listing?
No.
What is the scope / scale of the story?
Small unit operations, but there are are some epic battles with swarms of ships and mechas involved.
Does it have likeable characters?
Yes and no. Matt is a character who has some unusual genetic modifications as he seems to be an unnaturally gifted mecha pilot (this is a pretty standard trope in Japanese mecha). He is primarily driven by revenge and basically goes berserk at one point with the mesh high. Of course he gets another chance. I can't say I like this character as he felt stock to me and he does dumb things and gets away with it again and again. Like another novel I read, I found the female love interest (something that doesn't seem to develop much despite a meshing of minds) more interesting. Also has a mad scientist type character called Dr. Roth, the inventor of the biomecha. I'm still wondering what motivates him, something that the sequel might answer.
Does it have an entertaining storyline?
Yes. There is plenty of action. Story line develops nicely as the Corsairs step up their raids on the Union. Nice climactic battle. Plenty of plot twists based on the protagonist's past. Some of the twists and character development didn't seem to work quite right as they just seemed kind of forced to me.
How is the internal consistency / plausibility?
Yes. The world building is pretty good and contained to the displacement drive ships, the decayed remnants of Old Earth, and some cool set piece locations. The mecha are well described and almost too powerful, but you can kill them with battleship or tons of firepower. Mechas have a destructive contact fusion attack, an anti-matter zap gun, swarming missile attacks, etc. The demon mechas later are extremely powerful, but this just means you have to ramp up the opposition. Kind of reminds me of the super robot genre of anime and manga (I note Evangelion in the author's bio). All of the cadet pilots become mecha captains without any real military training other than on piloting mechas, but Luke Skywalker becomes a rebel leader without any training either so it must be okay :)
What cool bonus features are there?
Gigantic displacement drive ships to jump between the stars. These ships carry powerful battleships and cruisers inside them (the battlerider concept from Traveller). Demon mechas - the ultimate mecha that isn't anime? Meshing to control the mechas is pretty cool too, but the addictive nature of it seems to be understated. There are some neat story locations to enjoy but I can't give those away.
This is a series of short reviews for military SF and mecha SF. You will not see a review of something I don't like as it isn't worth writing about in that case, but I will tell you what works for me and what doesn't about the stories I did like. When I was writing my Exocrisis Blue stories and trying to find places to post about it or reviews of other mecha SF I was unable to find any, so I'm creating my own hub. Now onto the review. For the master list of reviews, click here.
When I was publishing my own stories for Exocrisis I went browsing through the Amazon bookstore to see what other mecha fiction had been published. One of the ones that popped up quickly was Mecha Corps: A Novel of the Armor Wars by Brett Patton. Mecha Corps does a great deal of future world building and introduces the very powerful and amazing biomechs that are piloted by the Union against all enemies.
 |
| By Leondz / Flickr |
The main enemy of the Union is the Corsairs, an elusive faction that preys on Union worlds. They don't have biomecha, but they have plenty of other weapons. Matt was orphaned by a Corsair raid and he has dedicated his life to killing a particular Corsair to avenge his father's death. A new type of mecha called demons are introduced later and they become a central pivot for both character and plot development later. This relatively recent book now has a sequel which doesn't seem to be available as an ebook at the time of writing for Canadians (go figure with these publishers).
This book is a good read for mecha fans as it is entertaining, but not deep on military tactics. If you like the super robot genre you'll like it even more, but you might not like it so much if you're into serious military SF.
Does it have a cast of characters listing?
No.
What is the scope / scale of the story?
Small unit operations, but there are are some epic battles with swarms of ships and mechas involved.
Does it have likeable characters?
Yes and no. Matt is a character who has some unusual genetic modifications as he seems to be an unnaturally gifted mecha pilot (this is a pretty standard trope in Japanese mecha). He is primarily driven by revenge and basically goes berserk at one point with the mesh high. Of course he gets another chance. I can't say I like this character as he felt stock to me and he does dumb things and gets away with it again and again. Like another novel I read, I found the female love interest (something that doesn't seem to develop much despite a meshing of minds) more interesting. Also has a mad scientist type character called Dr. Roth, the inventor of the biomecha. I'm still wondering what motivates him, something that the sequel might answer.
Does it have an entertaining storyline?
Yes. There is plenty of action. Story line develops nicely as the Corsairs step up their raids on the Union. Nice climactic battle. Plenty of plot twists based on the protagonist's past. Some of the twists and character development didn't seem to work quite right as they just seemed kind of forced to me.
How is the internal consistency / plausibility?
Yes. The world building is pretty good and contained to the displacement drive ships, the decayed remnants of Old Earth, and some cool set piece locations. The mecha are well described and almost too powerful, but you can kill them with battleship or tons of firepower. Mechas have a destructive contact fusion attack, an anti-matter zap gun, swarming missile attacks, etc. The demon mechas later are extremely powerful, but this just means you have to ramp up the opposition. Kind of reminds me of the super robot genre of anime and manga (I note Evangelion in the author's bio). All of the cadet pilots become mecha captains without any real military training other than on piloting mechas, but Luke Skywalker becomes a rebel leader without any training either so it must be okay :)
What cool bonus features are there?
Gigantic displacement drive ships to jump between the stars. These ships carry powerful battleships and cruisers inside them (the battlerider concept from Traveller). Demon mechas - the ultimate mecha that isn't anime? Meshing to control the mechas is pretty cool too, but the addictive nature of it seems to be understated. There are some neat story locations to enjoy but I can't give those away.
Thursday, 10 January 2013
Old Man's War Review (great military SF)
Mini-review #7
This is a series of short reviews for military SF and mecha SF. You will not see a review of something I don't like as it isn't worth writing about in that case, but I will tell you what works for me and what doesn't about the stories I did like. When I was writing my Exocrisis Blue stories and trying to find places to post about it or reviews of other mecha SF I was unable to find any, so I'm creating my own hub. Now onto the review. For the master list of reviews, click here.
The title Old Man's War, by John Scalzi, first attracted my attention to this book years ago. I devoured this book and then the next two books as they are just GOOD, with great characters and good military SF. It is a favourite of mine up there with Starship Troopers so it lives in hallowed company. The followup novel to this is titled The Ghost Brigades (what a great name too!) and concluded with The Last Colony.
The story is about John Perry, a 75 year old man who joins the Colonial Defense Forces to protect humanities interplanetary colonies. After you sign up you cannot ever return to Earth. The novel even plays up this very interesting point with some conspiracy theory-ish fun.
John gets a new body, gets shipped off to boot camp, and begins the life of a super soldier. BUT - you really aren't a super soldier by galactic standards as humans are pretty wimpy and being a super soldier just evens the odds a bit. It turns out that humanity is deeply embroiled in a massive stellar war and things are desperate. John and his buddies are shipped off to their first battle, survive it and then they get involved in a major operation. At this point, I'll let you find out more as the story rolls on with lots of momentum.
This series of books is a highly recommended read.
Does it have a cast of characters listing?
No.
What is the scope / scale of the story?
Small unit operations, battalion level ops within much larger campaigns.
Does it have likeable characters?
Yes. I like John and a number of the other characters. Even the spooky Ghost Brigade special forces have a face that introduce a major character who resembles John's beloved, but deceased wife of many years. You really want to know what happens next with them.
Does it have an entertaining storyline?
Yes. You are taken along for a great ride in learning about the universe off of Earth from the point of view of John who is learning for the first time about everything off of Earth. Good boot camp scenes and scenes about becoming accustomed to their new bodies. Great touch! Intricate, but not byzantine story, makes for interesting reading.
How is the internal consistency / plausibility?
Yes. No problems with the story or universe filled with hostile aliens. It is just fun with excellent world building and tense combat scenes. Brain to brain transfers from an aging 75 year old body into a product improved human body that is stronger, better, faster, and tougher is a very nice touch.
What cool bonus features are there?
Lots of cool tech from the engineered soldier bodies, BrainPal implants to access computers, the Ghost Brigades, skip drives, and orbital elevators - oooh, who doesn't like space elevators.
This is a series of short reviews for military SF and mecha SF. You will not see a review of something I don't like as it isn't worth writing about in that case, but I will tell you what works for me and what doesn't about the stories I did like. When I was writing my Exocrisis Blue stories and trying to find places to post about it or reviews of other mecha SF I was unable to find any, so I'm creating my own hub. Now onto the review. For the master list of reviews, click here.
The title Old Man's War, by John Scalzi, first attracted my attention to this book years ago. I devoured this book and then the next two books as they are just GOOD, with great characters and good military SF. It is a favourite of mine up there with Starship Troopers so it lives in hallowed company. The followup novel to this is titled The Ghost Brigades (what a great name too!) and concluded with The Last Colony.
 |
| xm25 Flickr / peo_soldier |
John gets a new body, gets shipped off to boot camp, and begins the life of a super soldier. BUT - you really aren't a super soldier by galactic standards as humans are pretty wimpy and being a super soldier just evens the odds a bit. It turns out that humanity is deeply embroiled in a massive stellar war and things are desperate. John and his buddies are shipped off to their first battle, survive it and then they get involved in a major operation. At this point, I'll let you find out more as the story rolls on with lots of momentum.
This series of books is a highly recommended read.
Does it have a cast of characters listing?
No.
What is the scope / scale of the story?
Small unit operations, battalion level ops within much larger campaigns.
Does it have likeable characters?
Yes. I like John and a number of the other characters. Even the spooky Ghost Brigade special forces have a face that introduce a major character who resembles John's beloved, but deceased wife of many years. You really want to know what happens next with them.
Does it have an entertaining storyline?
Yes. You are taken along for a great ride in learning about the universe off of Earth from the point of view of John who is learning for the first time about everything off of Earth. Good boot camp scenes and scenes about becoming accustomed to their new bodies. Great touch! Intricate, but not byzantine story, makes for interesting reading.
How is the internal consistency / plausibility?
Yes. No problems with the story or universe filled with hostile aliens. It is just fun with excellent world building and tense combat scenes. Brain to brain transfers from an aging 75 year old body into a product improved human body that is stronger, better, faster, and tougher is a very nice touch.
What cool bonus features are there?
Lots of cool tech from the engineered soldier bodies, BrainPal implants to access computers, the Ghost Brigades, skip drives, and orbital elevators - oooh, who doesn't like space elevators.
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