I’m back with one of my favorite series which, considering it’s now only book 2, says quite a lot. And, yes, this is a very good second book in the Earth at War series. Going back to the first book, we read where, now Major Andy Clanton and the Heltans, did an outstanding job of protecting Earth from a potential invasion by the Tevynians. The Tevynians, as you’ll remember, are the humans who were transplanted by the Elders when the Earth was just barely evolving. These humans were picked up and placed on another planet and began their evolution. They and four other species from Earth got the same treatment and have evolved on their own unknown to their place of origin, Earth! Now, the Helta, an evolved species of Kola Bears has attempted to form an Alliance of these races, but the Tevynians have turned hostile and want to take over the entire galaxy.
So, one Helta starship Captain named Joon-Pah, took his ship to Earth to ask the humans for help! That was in violation of Helta law and was not necessarily going to sit well with the Helta leadership. Earth and contact with its Humans was forbidden. But, the deed was done and, due to Major Clanton’s quick thinking, the Heltans actually defeated a Tevynian starship near the Earth’s Moon. Now the plan is to take a US diplomat back to Helta Prime and ask to join their alliance. It is not known how the leadership of the Helta will react to this request or even the visit. Stilll, it is feared that without an alliance between the humans of Earth and the Helta, they might lose any war against the Tervynians.
Major Andy Clanton won the Medal presented to him by the President of the United States for his actions in book 1. He was also promoted to Major and assigned to a Delta Team which he had worked with in his past Marine Corp service. The leader of that Delta Team was an Army Master Sergeant who became a close friend of Andy’s. Unfortunately, Master Sergeant Jambo was killed in that previous action. Now, Major Clanton has been appointed the leader of the Delta team. He doesn’t necessarily feel that he’s qualified to do this since he’s definitely not as highly trained as a Delta Special Forces Operator. Yet, that’s the job he’s been given and he’s going to follow his orders.
Earth sends the only operational starship they have, the USS James Bowie (named after MSgt. Jambo), with Captain Joon-Pah’s starship, the Truthseeker. They have to stop at a planet named Wellspring and discussed with a friend of Captain Joon-Pah the idea of leaving the USS James Bowie here while they went to the Helta home planet. The Truthseeker would take Major Clanton and his Delta Force and the US Deputy Ambassador Delia Strawbridge to meet with the Helta leadership, if they would even consent to the meeting. No one was sure they would.
In the meantime, it was found out through a Tevynian prisoner, that the Tevynians were gearing up for an all out assault of Helta Prime within the next two weeks. As it was, that might give the Helta and the humans from Earth time to discuss and form some kind of common defenses if the Tevynians didn’t attack sooner. Of course, nothing works out like you want. There’s more fighting coming and it’s not a sure thing the Helta’s with the humans help can stop everything the Tevynians might throw at them.
A very good second book in this series. I’m already looking for the next book, “Return Fire, Book 3 in the Earth at War series!