GALACTIC CORPS

EOS

Written by Ian Douglas

Copyright 2008 by William H. Keith, Jr.

Cover art by Fred Gambino

In Galactic Corps, Book Two of The Inheritance Trilogy, after searching for centuries, intelligence has found the home world of Earth's foe. The Xul, otherwise known as The Hunters of the Dawn, has been found deep in the Galactic Core. The 1st Marine Interstellar Expeditionary Force is sent to strike at the Xul, but political forces on Earth do not support the Marines and their mission.

Because the people of Earth have forgotten that the human race was nearly destroyed centuries before by the Xul from an asteroid attack from space, political groups have a different approach and are more concerned with the various human space governments being at war with each other. The current administration is more intent on exploiting the Marines for their own military agenda. As a result, they want to stop the Marine strike force from engaging the Xul, and bringing them home to use on the other governments, by creating a compromise which ensues that the 1st Marine Interstellar Expeditionary Force become part of a Peace Mission with the Xul. It is fortunate that the Marines have a strong sense of Marine history, which includes various Marine offensives against the Xul - including a star ship full of Marines that was absorbed by the Xul.

It is amazing how the Internet and computer usage has changed over the centuries. When you consider how much you can do on your phone, having virtual reality conferences through Marine-issued artificial-intelligence implants is mind-boggling.

Pancho
All people smile in the same language.

STAR WARS - 501st

A Del Rey Mass Market Original

Written by Karen Traviss

Copyright 2009 by Lucasfilm Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

501st, an Imperial Commando novel, has, after the Great Purge of the Jedi, several clones deserting the Grand Army of the Republic and joining former clone trainer Kal Skirita's group of adopted clones at a secret hideout on the planet Mandalore who is making a safe haven for the clones. While Kal has the best scientists in the galaxy trying to find a cure to the clones rapid aging. A couple of clones formally of Kal's group are now serving as Imperial Commandos in the 501st Legion searching for refugee Jedi survivors after the infamous Order 66.

What is sad is that the book really is not about the 501st, but more about Kal Skirata and his clones. Even with Darman and Niner in the 501st, the story really is about them than the 501st. As much as I love Kal's clones, the title can be misleading if you wanted to learn a lot more about the 501st Legion.

The Jedi are not as well loved in this book with many ordinary people having grievances with the Jedi as well as believing the Jedi are traitors to the Republic. The Jedi also are not portrayed as being very enlightened either. As much as the clones were originally bred to serve the Jedi, the clones have grown not to trust the Jedi. It is rather disconcerting that the Jedi are not the heroes of the galaxy that we always believed them to be. Having Darman actively hating Jedi and trying to capture/kill refugee Jedi is also rather tragic as he is trying to protect his Jedi son from being taken by the Jedi. This also seems contradictory since he was married to a Jedi and refuses to return home to his son.

It is sad that this is the last of Karen Traviss's books for the Star Wars books. I was hoping that she would be able to finish her clone series, at least one more book with Darman and Niner eventually getting out of the 501st Legion and returning home.

Pancho
All people smile in the same language.

STAR FIST - STEEL GAUNTLET

A Del Rey Book

Written by David Sherman and Dan Cragg

Copyright 1999 by David Sherman and Dan Cragg

In Steel Gauntlet, Book III of the Starfist series, the planet Diamunde has been taken over from the corporations by industrialist Martin St. Cyr with an army of tanks in a form of civil war. The Confederation Marines must take back the planet with weapons 300 years out of date.

St. Cyr is a sadistic tyrant who graphically deals with the people in his way - even the alien Woos, which is almost like child abuse against the Woos. As tanks with their artillery have not been used in 300 years, the Confederate Marines must learn old/new tactics to defeat the tanks - along with learning how to use the 300 year old rocket weapons that made tanks obsolete in the first place. The lack of these shoulder-launched rockets puts a damper on the Marines ability to deal with a planet full of tanks.

With the Army waiting in space for the Marines to secure a planetary beachhead for the Army to land, the Marines are getting their butts kicked in what was supposed to be an easy beachhead, according to the military planners, for the Marines to take.

The ambassador sent to broker a peace treaty with St. Cyr has a disdain for Marines in general. Arrogant Ambassador Wellington-Humphreys was so sure of her being able to broker a peace treaty - until St. Cyr has her and her Marine guard kidnapped. The Marines desperately want to get the ambassador and the Marines back, and get St. Cyr - especially after the way he killed his Marine prisoners.

Pancho
All people smile in the same language.

STAR TREK - DEEP SPACE NINE - THE SOUL KEY

POCKET BOOKS

Written by Olivia Woods

Copyright 2009 by CBS Studios Inc.

The Soul Key, has insane Cardassian agent Iliana Ghemor from an alternate universe - who was trained to be the double for Kira Nerys - dreaming to be the one true Emissary of the alternate universe.

When reading about the Mirror/alternate Universe, it is often difficult to remember which universe you are in. What makes it even more difficult to keep track of which universe you are in, is that Iliana wants to conquer and eliminate all the other Kira Nerys/Iliana Ghemor in the other universes as well. With this messiah complex, Iliana also wants to gain access to the Celestial Temple so the Prophets can make her the one true emissary. Insane, power-hungry Iliana has Intendant Kira from the Mirror Universe killed and takes her place. While you recognize the other characters, it can be disorienting to see them performing in other roles. These roles are often roles that would have been appropriate for the characters if the series were revamped. We have good guys being bad guys and bad guys being good guys in the alternate universes. The crew of Deep Space Nine are now resistance fighters, with Deep Space Nine/Terok Nor targeting Cardassian cities on Bajor.

After a method of communication with the Mirror Universe is developed, Commander Vaughn is sent from our home universe to the Mirror universe to go after the insane Iliana. It is painful to see his relationship with his Mirror Universe's daughter - especially after meeting his infirmed self in the Mirror Universe. A sane Iliana Ghemor from the Mirror Universe tries to help our universe's Captain Kira Nerys in stopping her insane counterpart, despite Kira's mistrust of Iliana.

Pancho 
All people smile in the same language.

STAR WARS - THE JEDI ACADEMY TRILOGY - DARK APPRENTICE

BANTAM SPECTRA

Written by Kevin J. Anderson

Copyright 1994 by Lucasfilm Ltd.

Cover art by John Alvin.

In Dark Apprentice, Volume 2 of the Jedi Academy Trilogy, the New Republic wonders what to do with the captured super-weapon the Sun Crusher - while rogue Imperial Admiral Daala, in retaliation for the New Republic stealing the Sun Crusher from her, attacks Admiral Ackbar's watery homeworld from space. Meanwhile, at the Jedi Academy, a brilliant Jedi student is influenced by an ancient Sith Master.

Admiral Ackbar, after coming out of voluntary exile when he accidentally destroyed the holy Cathedral of Winds and killing numerous Vors with his starfighter on the planet Vortex, defends his homeworld from Imperial Admiral Daala' Star Destroyers. Since both Ackbar and Daala were under the influence of the late Gran Moff Tarkin, Ackbar was able to defeat Daala's tactics of using her Imperial Star Destroyers against his Mon Calamari homeworld.

It is nice to see the students at the Jedi Academy that Luke Skywalker created for learning about the ways of the Force. Mara Jade has decided to join them at the Academy for a short time, but you can see that Jedi student Kyp Durron becoming dissatisfied with Master Luke's limited teachings on Kyp's quest for power. Kyp then becomes a student of the spirit of an ancient Sith Lord Exar Kun. Determined in his quest for power, and vengeance for the loss of his parents, Kyp recovers the super-weapon The Sun Crusher with the Force from inside the gas giant planet Yavin for vengeance against the Empire. He soon declares himself the new Dark Lord of the Sith. After encountering Exar Kun, what happens to Luke is very ominous.

Watching Wedge fall in love was nice to see - until Kyp gets to Wedge's scientist charge, Doctor Qwi Xux. Kyp mentally rapes her as a form of capital punishment, which is understandable since Qwi was the weapons scientist whose research designed the Sun Crusher - as well as designing the Death Star. As a result of this loss of memory, Qwi can never construct a superweapon again.

Pancho
All people smile in the same language.

STAR WARS - THE NEW JEDI ORDER - DARK TIDE II: RUIN

LUCAS BOOKS
A Del Rey Book
Publishing by The Ballantine Publishing Group

Written by Michael A. Stackpole

Copyright 2000 by Lucasfilm Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

In Michael A. Stackpole's  STAR WARS - THE NEW JEDI ORDER - DARK TIDE II: RUIN, the sequel to Onslaught, has Jedi Knights Corran Horn and Jacen Solo going on a scouting mission to the planet Garqi, a world occupied by the Yuuzhan Vong, "The Choosen Race" - a race that has no Force presence that the Jedi can sense. The Caamasi Senator, Elegos, is a political prisoner of the Yuuzhan Vong as they invade the galaxy, and Luke and Anakin go after a vengeful Jedi.

With the discovery of bafforr tree pollen as a biological defense against the Yuuzhan Vong living armor found on Gargi, the Jedi destroy the biological defense on Gargi before the Vong realizes what and where the bafforr tree pollen came from. Having a biological defense against the Yuuzhan Vong is most apropos as the Vong only use organic weapons, creatures that were born and bred for their tasks, since they fanatically abhor machines. Imperial Remnant Admiral Pellaeon joins forces with Republic Admiral Kre'fey in New Republic space for the global defense of Ithor, the the lush jungle planet that would help grow and develop the new biological defense against the Yuuzhan Vong. The fact that Ithor was also in the direct path of the Yuuzhan Vong invasion was also a factor in the Vong attack against Ithor.

As a result of Corran Horn's possession of the ancestor's bones of Shedao Shai, the leader of the Yuuzhan Vong forces, Elegos is returned home. Angered at what has happened to Elegos, Jedi Knight Corran Horn duels Shedao Shai - with the planet Ithor at stake. One wonders how all of this will eventually effect Horn with the high cost of victory against Shedao Shai.

Pancho
All people smile in the same language.

9-11 SEPTEMBER 11TH 2001 THE WORLDS FINEST COMIC BOOK WRITERS & ARTISTS TELL STORIES TO REMEMBER VOLUME 2

DC Comics

Written and Illustrated by Various Writers and Artists

Except as noted, Copyright 2002. All rights reserved.

"The Real Thing" Copyright 2002 by
Will Eisner. All rights reserved.
STATIC SHOCK: "Wednesday Afternoon" Copyright 2002 by Milestone Media, Inc. All rights reserved.
ASTRO CITY: "Since the Fire" Copyright 2002 by Juke Box Productions. All rights reserved.
I PAPPARAZI: Copyright 2002 by Pat McGreal, Stephen John Phillips and Steven Parke. All rights reserved.
SCENE OF THE CRIME: "Still Life" Copyright 2002 by Ed Brubaker and Michael Lark. All rights reserved.


In the graphic novel 9-11 SEPTEMBER 11TH 2001 THE WORLDS FINEST COMIC BOOK WRITERS & ARTISTS TELL STORIES TO REMEMBER VOLUME 2 various comic book writers and artists tell stories about 9/11.

I purchased this book when the book first came out soon after 9/11, but it was too painful for me to read at the time. After all these years, I have just finished reading the book. These are wonderful stories, most of which are 2-4 pages long. Some of these stories are painful to read and they have powerful images. As a result they still make me tear up, but the stories have a positive attitude behind them. For a graphic novel, there are hardly any "super-heroes" in the book and those super-heroes that are depicted are usually in the story after the fact of the event. In one story depicted, Superman laments that he is not real and can not do anything.

When I recently started to finally read this book, I did not realize the 10th anniversary was coming up. I think it took that long for me to heal enough for me to read the book without it becoming too painful. To finish the book just in time for the 10th anniversary is a poignant coincidence. I only got Volume 2 of the series at the time because the cover appealed to me more than Volume 1 did. The cover is reminiscent of an old Justice League of America cover with a boy and his dog looking up at a billboard of super-heroes. Superman and his superdog Krypto looking up at a billboard of real-life heroes is a much more poignant cover than the cover for Volume 1. God Bless Them All.

Originally all proceeds for this book went to various 9-11 charity organizations, which are listed at the back of the book. I do not know if this is still true that proceeds still go to the charities if one buys the book today, or how well the response was, but it was a very generous gesture by a united comic book industry after a terrorist attack on our home shores. With contributions from the comic industry's writers and artists, which includes such people as Neil Gaiman, Michael Moorcock, Stan Lee, Sergio Aragones, and Will Eisner - the father of the graphic novel, this is a great book to have in your collection.

Pancho
All people smile in the same language.