I’m going through this series way too fast, but it’s just that kind of series. These books are not short, they’re rather long and actually continue a few pages into the next book. That is kind of unique, but since the author has already written and published the next book, it’s not too bad. I have hopped right from one book to the next before, but that’s not usual. I hate to wait so, Isaac Hooke has me for a reader just because of this series.
We’re again back with Rade Galaal, only this time, he took a heavy dose of stupid pills. I don’t know what’s with him in this book, but he can’t think straight in several parts and he sure can’t seem to fight like a MOTH is trained to fight. Even with all the time he spends in the gym on-board ship or at a duty station, he still manages to get thrown around pretty easily by some Marine woman/girl. It was pretty pathetic. Even his actions to met with the woman after having kind of rescued her, were pretty stupid. He’s an LPO (Leading Petty Officer) for Team Seven, but he sure doesn’t act like it in this book. I think the Chief and the LTC are going to take care of that situation.
The Team is now on another planet where the Marines are supposed to be putting down an insurrection by an Franco-Italian village that’s gone rogue. Turns out the village has well over fifty-thousand inhabitants, almost triple that number if you counted the bots and other support androids or “artificials”. Team Seven is attached to a Marine Company as support and find themselves staggering through the rubble of what’s left of the “village”. They had a little trouble getting down to the planet in that their ship, the Intrepid was split in half just prior to their planned jump time. Still, they managed to get the team into their “Zeus” mechs and make the jump relatively intact. Now the fun really starts.
I was not really happy with the way Rade acted in this book. He seems to not want to be the LPO. I don’t know if that’s truly his reason for acting the way he does, but it’s the way it happened. He even manages to get himself captured which was incredibly stupid for a MOTH. Fortunately, he does manage to fix that problem, but it’s not the only problem he and his Team will face. The action is pretty intense and fast paced. I don’t understand this whole mech business. It seems most of the troops are equipment with exoskeleton suits that make them stronger and faster, but doesn’t provide much protection. Meanwhile, the MOTH Team stomps around in these super protected mechanical suits and still they get ripped to shreds. I don’t know how the regular Marines can survive at all since they must fight with much less protections, yet they seem to be doing well for the most part.
So, on to the next book, “Titan”. I thought I had already “bought” this book, but I found out I hadn’t so I corrected that right away. I’m going to continue to get Issac Hooke books since he’s fast becoming my favorite author.