Order from a Major Online Bookstore
Ultimate Book Price Comparison Engine
Save Your Time And Money
| AnyBook4Less.com | Order from a Major Online Bookstore |
|
| Home | Store List | FAQ | Contact Us | | ||
| Ultimate Book Price Comparison Engine Save Your Time And Money |
||
 |
Title: Men of War by William R. Forstchen ISBN: 0-451-45770-6 Publisher: Roc Pub. Date: December, 1999 Format: Mass Market Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $6.99 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.86 (21 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: Long Live the Republic!
Comment: This is absolutely the best alternate history series that I have ever read- you not only end up caring about the characters, but you want become part of the action. When they say that this series "reads like a bullet" they are not exagerating. Any author that can get me to zip through five or six hundred pages in two or three days is doing something right.
There are scenes that you remember for years- compared with many books these days that you can't remember after a few months.... The idea of Union Soldiers transplanted to an alien world and taking an oath to carry on Mr. Lincoln's war until an entire enslaved planet is free still chokes me up. There are scenes like a brigade strength force forced to form a giant square on an open plain and fighting to the last man (while singing the Battle Hymm of the Republic) that you don't forget. Or a Republic airship sweeping down to rescue Hans and his Zulu and Chin comrades from worse than certain death....powerful images. As for the villians,well, the "Moon Feast" is my definition for evil.
Oh yes, it is also comforting to think that the real life 35th Maine and 44th New York didn't simply dround like rats, but went on to unite Russians, Romans, Chinese, Vikings, Zulus, etc. under the flag of the Republic....
My only real criticism is that if you have any experience in industry and engineering then the speed at which the Yankees manage to industrialise a pre-industrial society (and go into mass production) will drive you nuts!
By the way, this isn't the final book of the series. _Down to the Sea_ brings the Battle of Midway to Keane and the Republic. With any luck Forstchen will bring us even more....
Rating: 5
Summary: MEN OF WAR/ THE ENTIRE SERIES.
Comment: Let me tell you this is one of the, if not the best series, I've ever read. It's fast paced, hard hitting, accurate account of a take no prisoners, no holds bared, battle for survial just blew me away. The advances through the stages of both technilogical and tatical warfare of 75 or more year squeezed into less than 15 years is consice and beleivable. I'm somewhat of a war buff and this series is like a dream come true. On top of that he left the door wide open to continue the series without missing a beat. The Uplift Wars, The Foundation series, or even the Armour series lacks its simplisity and strength. I may not have the greatest grammer in the world, but I know what I like and this series I loved.
Rating: 5
Summary: The Last One?
Comment: I have read the entire saga for the second time from book one to book eight. For little more than a week I left Earth and went to Forstchen's world to live his characters' agonies and triumphs, to worry about the Republic, the Rus, the Roum, the Chin, even the Cartha and, yes, the Tugars, with Muzta leading them as best as he could. But, most of all, I went back to see the Yankees once more transforming a planet like stranded messengers of the best that the human race has to offer. "Men of War" is the end of this saga and I was elated and sad. the Republic wins, but it's not a smashing victory: this one, like all the other ones, will be obtained paying for it with thousands of lives, making terrible mistakes, letting friends die to win hours that may prove to be crucial. Forstchen, a master story-teller, weaves his tapestry from different angles to achieve a rational conclusion, but one that leaves several doors open, including that of more sequels.
Jurak, the troubled, almost noble leader of the Bantag, is back, bringing with him all the revulsion at a segment of his race gone barbarian, and feeling, apparently, all the guilt that a mamber of the hordes needs to feel at what has been done for thousands of years in that world. Keane is back, too. Not in top form (and one doubts he will ever be in top form again, given the ghosts he had to face in order to lead once more), but even at 80% Keane is better than most. A nice touch is the mention --almost literal-- of a poem by Keats, in page 11, that goes "I know that I shall meet my fate/ somewhere among the clouds above;/ those I fight I do not hate/ those I guard I do not love..." (The poem is "An Irish Airman Foresees His Death"), but in this case it is Jurak who remembers such a poem from his own homeworld.
A dear character will be lost at the beginning of the book, another at the end. "Men of War" has an air of closure that, although not total, seems to invite a continuation in the less immediate future. The problems with the names will continue, as well. This does not bother me very much, but I think it requires more attention. Father Casmar becomes Casmir, and Marcus Licinius Graca is mentioned now as Crassus, which does not make much sense. I have already mentioned the Jamul/Jurak problem. These are details, but they might distract readers from the better parts of the books.
"The Lost Regiment" comes to an end. Or does it? I'm not clairvoyant. I have inside information, so, cheer up: we will see more of the Republic yet. "Men of War" is the end of a story, not the end of "the" story. Happy reading.
 |
Title: Battle Hymn by R. William Forstchen, William R. Forstchen ISBN: 0451452860 Publisher: New American Library Pub. Date: January, 1997 List Price(USD): $6.99 |
 |
Title: Fateful Lightning (The Lost Regiment, No. 4) by William R. Forstchen ISBN: 0451451961 Publisher: New American Library Pub. Date: January, 1993 List Price(USD): $6.99 |
 |
Title: Terrible Swift Sword by William R. Forstchen ISBN: 0451451376 Publisher: New American Library Pub. Date: September, 1997 List Price(USD): $6.99 |
 |
Title: The Union Forever by William R. Forstchen ISBN: 0451450604 Publisher: New American Library Pub. Date: September, 1997 List Price(USD): $6.99 |
 |
Title: Rally Cry by William R. Forstchen ISBN: 0451450078 Publisher: New American Library Pub. Date: September, 1997 List Price(USD): $6.99 |
Thank you for visiting www.AnyBook4Less.com and enjoy your savings!
Copyright� 2001-2021 Send your comments
