Eye of the Storm-John Ringo

Eye of the Storm
John Ringo
Baen, Jul 7 2009, $26.00
ISBN 9781439132739

As the Posleen horde invade the Earth, Lieutenant General Michael O’Neal is shocked with the proof he has found that that the Machiavellian Darhel oligarchy of the Galactic Confederation has controlled humans like puppeteer with puppets; most humans are pleased with the arrangement. O’Neal considers a countermeasure, but his vaunted military unit is destroyed by the more powerful Galactic Fleet and he is arrested as an insurgent heading to Fleet Penal Facility after a rigged trial.

However, the Hedren attack the Galactic Confederation putting it at risk of being conquered. The only person capable of a military counter attack is heading to prison. Darhel leader Tir Dal Ron must decide between freeing O’Neal to lead the human troops or watch his Confederation go down in flames; if he chooses his prisoner he must also find a way to persuade the general that saving the Darhel is the only way to save his species.

The latest in the Human-Posleen saga (see A HYMN BEFORE BATTLE and SISTER TIME) is a terrific military science fiction thriller with social and political implications. LTG O’Neal struggles between the desire to overthrow the oligopoly and the knowledge people are satisfied with their lot. As always the battle scenes ring true and are great fun to follow. Although some key points set up in previous entries in the saga (helps to have read them though not absolutely critical) are flash-points instead of developed consequences of prior actions, fans will enjoy John Ringo’s exciting return to his human-Posleen worlds as a new threat has arrived.

Harriet Klausner