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apryde6226's review
4.0
They say not to judge a book by its cover, and that's the case here. This is classic military science fiction with strategy, space combat, and nasty stinking bugs which view humans as a food source.
At one point, some of the characters are thinking that humans left on the planets they've conquered were just wiped out, but then they find a planet where the inhabitants were being farmed, and had been for hundreds if not thousands of years.
The book ends after a campaign were more than 200,000 members of the Terran Federation Navy have been lost, followed by a warp point defense where they stopped the bugs at a horrific cost.
The next book in the series is the Shiva Option. It's also one of my favorites.
At one point, some of the characters are thinking that humans left on the planets they've conquered were just wiped out, but then they find a planet where the inhabitants were being farmed, and had been for hundreds if not thousands of years.
The book ends after a campaign were more than 200,000 members of the Terran Federation Navy have been lost, followed by a warp point defense where they stopped the bugs at a horrific cost.
The next book in the series is the Shiva Option. It's also one of my favorites.
pjonsson's review
5.0
It’s a good thing that I continued reading this series after having read the first book. The first book is quite okay but, surprisingly, it has little the do with the rest of the series. The first book is not the first in the actual time line to start with and has a lot more space opera and politics in the mix than the following ones.
The latter books, including this one, are great books. They are exactly my cup of tea. Very little politics and heavy focus on military strategy in space and, of course, space battles. There is a tiny little bit of politics where the left-wingers are allowed to be their usual incompetent loud mouthed assholes but it is not much. The bad guys are really bad guys. No need to even contemplate negotiations, just shoot to kill or these guys will not kill you but eat you. The end result is the same though.
I wish that David Weber had brought some more of this space action that he is so good at into his latest Honor Harrington books. The battles are detailed and you get to follow the strategic decisions and build ups to battle. Also the strategy is largely left in the hand where they belong this time, that is in the military hands.
My only gripe in the book is some personnel losses that I could have been without but I guess it’s a way of bringing new characters to the front line, literally.
I hope the next one is as good as this one. I have already started to read it and it looks promising.
The latter books, including this one, are great books. They are exactly my cup of tea. Very little politics and heavy focus on military strategy in space and, of course, space battles. There is a tiny little bit of politics where the left-wingers are allowed to be their usual incompetent loud mouthed assholes but it is not much. The bad guys are really bad guys. No need to even contemplate negotiations, just shoot to kill or these guys will not kill you but eat you. The end result is the same though.
I wish that David Weber had brought some more of this space action that he is so good at into his latest Honor Harrington books. The battles are detailed and you get to follow the strategic decisions and build ups to battle. Also the strategy is largely left in the hand where they belong this time, that is in the military hands.
My only gripe in the book is some personnel losses that I could have been without but I guess it’s a way of bringing new characters to the front line, literally.
I hope the next one is as good as this one. I have already started to read it and it looks promising.
wetdryvac's review
4.0
An interesting space opera. This and The Shiva Option both read a lot like tabletop tactical, and that's a good thing.
nukehavoc's review
3.0
In Death Ground (3/5) draws inspiration from Heinlein & Niven for a tale of galactic invasion by bug-like aliens. I enjoyed the "better mouse trap" arms race depicted between the humanity-led federation and the all-consuming Bugs, but the writing can be dry in places as the action reads more like a battle report, and less like a novel.
There are a few notable, and well-fleshed out, military characters, but these tend to be admirals or other high-ranking characters. The book occasionally switches to the point of view of grunts, but not for long; more of that would have helped break up the battles-turned-butchers' bills.
The book's non-military characters are almost uniformaly portraited as opportunistic, political buffons who stand between the military and their job of defending humanity. The political could have added some real drama to the book, but the homefront vs. battlefront tensions never materialize.
In Death Ground is a decent book, and it scratched that military SF/starship battle itch I've had all summer. Military SF fans should enjoy it, as should anyone who's spent their weekends playing marathon sessions of Starship Battles or Battlefleet Gothic should love it.
There are a few notable, and well-fleshed out, military characters, but these tend to be admirals or other high-ranking characters. The book occasionally switches to the point of view of grunts, but not for long; more of that would have helped break up the battles-turned-butchers' bills.
The book's non-military characters are almost uniformaly portraited as opportunistic, political buffons who stand between the military and their job of defending humanity. The political could have added some real drama to the book, but the homefront vs. battlefront tensions never materialize.
In Death Ground is a decent book, and it scratched that military SF/starship battle itch I've had all summer. Military SF fans should enjoy it, as should anyone who's spent their weekends playing marathon sessions of Starship Battles or Battlefleet Gothic should love it.
henryarmitage's review
3.0
600+ pages of pretty much nonstop space combat. This was fun at first,
but it got tiresome after a while. And there's a 'to be continued' ending.
Reminded me at times of the Skylark series of E. E. 'Doc' Smith, or of
'The Mote in God's Eye'.
The Orion species bore a suspicious resemblance to the Kzinti. Oh, and there's
another friendly race called the Gorm (like in Star Trek).
Overall, the execution didn't quite live up to the cool premise.
but it got tiresome after a while. And there's a 'to be continued' ending.
Reminded me at times of the Skylark series of E. E. 'Doc' Smith, or of
'The Mote in God's Eye'.
The Orion species bore a suspicious resemblance to the Kzinti. Oh, and there's
another friendly race called the Gorm (like in Star Trek).
Overall, the execution didn't quite live up to the cool premise.
remocpi's review
4.0
Segunda parte de la serie de Starfire. El primero me gustó mucho y en este segundo hay menos de todo salvo batallas espaciales. En una gran guerra de movimientos, presenciamos asalto tras asalto de los Bichos y de la Federación. En algún momento, dado que las batallas son tantas, hay alguna impresión de que las cosas se repiten. pero en general está muy entretenido. ya estoy con la tercera.
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