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“The Last War”

Rating:

5 Small Stars
The Last War

This is a new author to me and a new series. I think i’m going to like it. And of all things, it’s about my old ship, the USS Midway. Only this is now a starship and not the aircraft carrier I was a crew member back in 1970-1973. Those were my much younger days, but I was with the USS Midway when it went to war. We made two tours in Vietnam waters (Tonkin Gulf) and launched many, many, many sorties into North Vietnam. And I worked in CIC (Combat Information Center) so I know what a electronic war looks and sounds like from the inside. Brings back memories, but enough about my reminiscing, let’s get on to this book review.

This book is about a former Captain of the USS Midway, now Admiral Jack Mattis, who longs to be back as the Captain. He’s now part of a diplomatic group coming aboard a joint Chinese and American space station to which the USS Midway just happens to be docked. The Chinese and Americans just finished a war that took many casualties on both sides. Admiral Mattis lost a brother, but things have changed and now he has to play nice to his former enemies. The space station, Freedom Station, as it’s called will be jointly held by the Chinese and Americans with the Chinese taking it over for the first year. Admiral Mattis will be the space stations Commander next year when he takes it back from Admiral Yin, the same Chinese Admiral that killed his brother. So, as you will read, things didn’t start out too well for Admiral Mattis.

While this was going on, something out on the rim of space was also happening. Capella Staton, another small space station out in the middle of know where, has been attacked by unknown assailants. Neither the Chinese or Americans are sure who did this sneak attack, but they both know that the station was totally obliterated. They have also just found out that this unknown enemy is heading straight for Freedom Station. This is where the book get interesting. Admiral Mattis does get what he wants and manages to inflict some damage against this unknown enemy, but it will cost him. At least, with him fighting along side the Chinese, he knows that the Chinese aren’t his enemy, or at least they don’t appear to be. Either way, their new enemy is now heading for Earth and Earth doesn’t have much in the way of protection unless the ships at Freedom station can make it back before they do.

It was kind of strange reading about the USS Midway. I was having a lot of flashbacks while doing so. My time aboard the ship wasn’t all that exciting, nor was it all boring either. Even in war, things can get boring especially on a huge aircraft carrier when you know the enemy doesn’t really have the capability to do you much harm. Oh, we did have our share of flight deck crashes, some very serious, but we all survived. Now, I’m reading about another USS Midway fighting in a much more dangerous situation where she is getting shot at by very capable alien ships. I’m kind of glad I wasn’t on this USS Midway. Still, this was a very interesting book and will be a great series. We don’t have a lot of characters to keep track of, there’s really only Admiral Mattis and I suppose Senator Pitt will have some more to say since his Son has been killed under Admiral Mattis command.

The next book doesn’t appear to be out yet, but I’ve signed up to the authors mailing list so hopefully it will be coming soon.

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