April 3, 2023
Shirley (Halo: Broken Circle) veers from gaming fiction to near-future military techno-thriller in this competent, straightforward novel of U.S. Army Rangers in space. Lt. Art Burkett’s marriage is failing due to his wife’s worries over his continuous insertion into dangerous missions, when he is yanked away yet again, this time into a hostage rescue that involves a drop from space. The mission runs into complications: an undercover agent is killed by friendly fire, the agent’s brother vows vengeance, and the Russians look to solidify their hold on near-Earth orbit by finishing off the spacecraft carrying Burkett and company back to safety. Shirley includes most of the archetypes common to military adventure fiction, including the officer torn between public and private duty, the spy whose suspicions are not mere paranoia, the gruff leader who stands up to the Big Brass, and the Big Brass themselves, whose pettiness is paid for by personal sacrifice. Sure-footed descriptions of spaceflight and the toils of working without gravity enhance the plot without the technobabble ever pulling focus from the soldiers as they fight for their lives and honor. Shirley’s fans will be pleased.
April 21, 2023
Shirley's (Stormland) exciting novel is an immersive near-future military adventure that proves that doing the job doesn't count for much if you don't make it home in one piece. The story follows a group of soldiers led by Lt. Art Burkett, U.S. Rangers Airborne, who is sent halfway around the world on an urgent rescue mission to save the life of a key scientist whose mind is filled with important information. Burkett and his team take off in an off-the-books rocket-turned-airplane, which is able to quickly bring the team into action. The mission goes smoothly until the team tries to get home and runs into trouble in space. The beauty of Shirley's novel comes from its laser-focused attention to military tactics, which helps to sell its squad-level action. Its haunting near-future setting reads like a story that could be happening right now, giving the text a healthy dose of realism. VERDICT This is a tight military procedural for fans looking for something like Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan transported to space, with rockets flying, ruthless Russians scheming, and unvarnished trust in the American way.--Jeremiah Rood
Copyright 2023 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
May 31, 2023
Lt. Art Burkett has been deployed with the U.S. Army Rangers on Suborbital 7. Their mission is to rescue three scientists who have been taken hostage by the terrorist group ""Thieves in Law,"" which has ties to Moscow. In a covert operation, Suborbital 7 drops Burkett and his crew undetected in Moldava and they rescue the hostages. As the ship is returning to base it is attacked by a missile launched by Russian Battle Station Gogol-1. Badly damaged, Suborbital 7 is thrown off course in Earth's orbit. In the meantime, Gogol-1 has positioned itself to launch an attack on SubBase 1 from orbit. Obtaining more supplies, including oxygen, from an abandoned Japanese orbital station, Burkett and Suborbital 7 prepare to attack Gogol-1. Readers of military sf will enjoy this fine novel, a suspenseful thriller with a swiftly paced narrative and lots of technical detail.
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