Review - "Conquest" by B.V. Larson

I have now completed the fourth novel in the Star Force series. It was a bit downhill from the last "Rebellion" so it fits me perfectly well that the author hasn't finished his fifth book yet. I need a break...

A bit about the book

"Conquest" is the next chapter in the intergalactic war between living beeings and the Makros, the machines. In this fourth novel Riggs has brought peace to Earth, but again for a price. The Makros don't trust him anymore and have decided to get rid of both him and Earth once and for all. The war about Earth starts up again and this time the war scene is Star Force's main base on Andros, Bahamas.

At the same time as the Makros returns Riggs gets into trouble with his girlfriend Sandra. She is convinced there is romance in the air between him and his comm's leutenant. On top of that somebody tries to assasinate Riggs. Is it one of his own marines? While the battle between humans and machines goes on at Earth, Marvin - the willfull robot - has been equipped with a space ship and creates strange happenings around the galaxy. Earth gets unexpected help and Riggs takes even bigger risks. Will human kind and  biological beings survive the machines this time?

My evaluation

This is the first time in the series where I get disappointed. I have maybe had too high expectations about this book? I do like the concept very well and the humour which Larson so successful has incorporated as a valid part of the story, but - this fourth book makes me seriously wonder if I want to continue reading. It gets tiring reading about killing the Makros again and again. Tactics of war takes over from clever humor and fairytale replaces Science Fiction.

Marvin, which earlier was as unpredictable as a teenager in full bloom, is now predictable. The relationship between Riggs and the two "leading ladies" - Sandra and Jasmine - gets foolish after a while and is not very credible. On top of this the digital version I've got of this novel is full of writing errors, strange sentences and completely wrong words. It seems like the last editions aren't done and I feel I read an unfinished book. A few times this gets so annoying it takes my focus away from the action.

I don't know if I'll try out the next one in the series, "Battlestation". Time will show..

My rating

(-) of 5


Format: Kindle Edition
File Size: 523 KB
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services
Language: English
ASIN: B006LX3QP6

Pic of the day: View from our tent - Safari Botswana

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Review - "Rebellion" by B.V. Larson

Just finished the third novel in the "Star Force" series. This is something as original as a funny Sci-Fi series, and I haven't seen any of those for some years now.

A bit about the book

Kyle Riggs is still the head of Star Force, a group of more or less volunteers who defends Earth against invasion from space. To keep the peace with the Macro's - a race which entirely consists of machines - Riggs has made a deal with them. The result is that Star Force for a short period of time will act as assasins for the Macros. After the deal is fulfilled the Macros will leave Earth in peace. This, however, does not happen. Instead Riggs & Co. are forcibly sent on a new mission to do genocide towards the Centaurs.

"Rebellion" is the turning point in the great galactic war between all living creatures and the machines. Star Force is still, forcibly, fighting for the Macros, but for how long? In this third novel Kyle Riggs learns just what kind of war Earth is involved in, and now he is going towards loosing his conscience. Should humans do genocide towards another race to save themselves? Riggs and the Star Force are in for a challenge, and in addition to the war going on they have a brain box which completely does its own stunts - the robot called Marvin...

My evaluation

I caught myself laughing out loud several times on the plane reading the book. Maybe it's just me, but I find a hilarious hero in Kyle Riggs. He isn't a super human "knows it all - does it all", but with his enhanced body he surely knows how to survive. And in between he has some really good ideas. This is actually something as rare as a funny Sci-Fi novel. The story is compex enough, even if Larson writes in a very easy and sometimes naïve way. Here you don't find greatly described worlds with lots of details. This is more hands-on combat, tactics, humor, a little love, sarcasms and improbabilities mixed with action scenes and a strange robot going his own ways.

This novel is, as both of the previous ones in the series, an easy read without it never getting bad for that reason. Larson engages me totally with his writing, and even if I personally ain't a huge fan of details of star wars and war tactics the novel doesn't overdo it at all. This is a Sci-Fi series for those who find Peter F. Hamilton and his likes too heavy and detailed. This is also a series for those who wants to try the Sci-Fi genre but are allergic to too much technical stuff. This series is not complex at all! I liked this novel very much, and I think Larson just writes better and better as the story develops. I have already started book 4 in the series - "Conquest" - the preliminary last one.

Review of the first two books in the series you'll find here:

1. Swarm
2. Extinction

More books from the same author - B.V. Larson - you can find HERE and you can click the above youtube link to hear the author talk about his books and his experience with publishing with Amazon.

My rating

of 5


Format: Kindle Edition
File Size: 535 KB
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services
Language: English
ASIN: B005IQZ8UI

Not quite spring yet - but promising..!!

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