[Apache]

I have read a number of books since I last posted.
To Honor You Call Us and For Honor We Stand are the first two in the Man of War Trilogy. This is Military Sci Fi and is good. If you like Honor Harrington and the Aubrey–Maturin series I think you will like these books.
http://www.amazon.com/To-Honor-You-C...or+you+call+us

The Terran Union has spent the last thirty years fighting a vast interstellar war spanning a thousand light years and encompassing hundreds of worlds. The Union’s enemies in this war are the Krag, implacable aliens whose goal is to exterminate the human race. Now, in the year 2315, with the future of mankind hanging in the balance, wily 28 year old Cajun Max Robichaux is promoted to command of the U.S.S. Cumberland, a Destroyer with state of the art capabilities but a combat record so bad that she is known throughout the fleet as the “Cumberland Gap.” Captain Robichaux’s first mission: take his compact warship among the independent systems of the Free Corridor where the Krag have been secretly purchasing strategic materials, and seize or destroy any ships carrying cargo for the enemy. Max must shoot it out with the Krag convoys or, if he is outgunned, win the day by liberal use of guile, ruse, and military deception. Far from the fleet and under enforced radio silence, the young skipper can rely only on his determination, his wits and, to his surprise, the support, advice, and, increasingly, the friendship, of his Chief Medical Officer, the brilliant and mysterious Doctor Ibrahim Sahin, surgeon, trader, scientist, swordsman, and diplomat. But, while facing the Cumberland’s shipboard problems and carrying out her dangerous assignment, Max and Doctor Sahin suddenly discover that the Cumberland and her misfit crew are all that stands in the way of a deadly all-out Krag attack that exploits a hidden flaw in the Union’s defenses to strike deep into the heart of the Human Space, threatening to end the war and spell the extinction of humanity.

To Honor You Call Us combines the gritty slice of life naval realism found in the classic “Ships of Wood and Men of Iron” novels with the razzle-dazzle of a Cold War Techno-Thriller, all placed in a believable galactic military setting 300 years in the future. Authors H. Paul Honsinger and Harvey G. Phillips immerse the reader in a richly-imagined universe, bringing to vivid life the officers, men, ships, weapons, tactics, and strategy of space combat in the year 2315, giving the reader a healthy dose of exciting battle action as well as opening a window into the conflict, camaraderie, and customs of the wardroom and the lower decks. But, beyond the hardware and the clash of arms, To Honor You Call Us is a sweeping tale in the classic mold, of honor and courage, friendship and loyalty, daring and sacrifice, and of the unconquerable human spirit.

http://www.amazon.com/For-Honor-Stan...or+you+call+us

Max is back! Captain Max Robichaux, Doctor Ibrahim Sahin, and the crew of the Union Space Navy Khyber Class Destroyer, USS Cumberland, return for more dangerous missions in For Honor We Stand, Volume II of the Man of War trilogy, the exciting sequel to the military science-fiction best-seller To Honor You Call Us.

The date is March 15, 2315. The Earth Union has been at war with the Krag Hegemony for more than thirty years. The Krag are slowly winning. With less than two months of warship command under his belt, 28 year old Captain Max Robichaux faces a series of challenges that would daunt the fleet’s most experienced skippers. His trials include playing a life and death game of hide and seek among the complex moon system of an exotic alien planet, defending a critical diplomatic convoy against ruthless Krag assault, and working with allied commanders to save their moored fleet from a Pearl Harbor-like sneak attack. And, when he isn’t dodging nuclear-tipped missiles and pulse cannon blasts, the young skipper must navigate his way through encounters with dangerous and advanced aliens, thorny crew training and proficiency issues, clashes with superiors, and a below-decks conspiracy that threatens the lives of every man on board.

Meanwhile, Doctor Sahin receives a coded message summoning him to a secret meeting that could forge an alliance changing the balance of power in Known Space. But, first, he has to get past the fighter ships and heavily armed special forces troops of the traitorous Emir trying to kill him before he can even sit down at the negotiating table. On the heels of these adventures, both men must call upon their developing skills and their growing friendship to bear the burden of carrying between the Krag Hegemony and the Earth Union a fateful ultimatum and the shocking answer: an answer that could spell eternal slavery, or even extinction, for all mankind.

For Honor We Stand is a twenty-fourth century swashbuckler, combining elements of Military Science Fiction, Space Opera and the classic English novels about the Age of Sail into what the authors call “Space Naval Fiction.” It is both timeless and futuristic: the age old tale of men going to war in ships--played out, not on the Earth’s turbulent oceans, but in the cold, dark, vast battleground of space. For Honor We Stand is a full length, 154,000 + word novel and is the second volume of the Man of War trilogy. The third volume, Brothers in Valor, is planned for release in mid-2013. After completion of the Man of War series, the authors plan many more books following the further adventures of Captain Robichaux and Doctor Sahin. The next trilogy is tentatively entitled The Sting of Battle. Its first volume, now with the working title of Blood, Toil, Tears and Sweat is currently planned for release in late 2013 or early 2014.

I next read Terms of Enlistment by Marko Kloos. I also enjoyed this one and will read it again. It reminded me of Starship Troopers in some ways.
http://www.amazon.com/Terms-of-Enlis...+of+enlistment

The year is 2108, and the North American Commonwealth is bursting at the seams. For welfare rats like Andrew Grayson, there are only two ways out of the crime-ridden and filthy welfare tenements, where you're restricted to 2,000 calories of badly flavored soy every day:
You can hope to win the lottery and draw a ticket on a colony ship settling off-world, or you can join the service.

With the colony lottery a pipe-dream, Andrew chooses to enlist in the armed forces for a shot at real food, a retirement bonus, and maybe a ticket off Earth. But as he starts a career of supposed privilege, he soon learns that the good food and decent health care come at a steep price…and that the settled galaxy holds far greater dangers than military bureaucrats or the gangs that rule the slums.

The debut novel from Marko Kloos, Terms of Enlistment is a new addition to the great military sci-fi tradition of Robert Heinlein, Joe Haldeman, and John Scalzi.

Next was The Privateer by William Zellmann. I seem to be on a Sci Fi kick right now. This was another enjoyable read.

http://www.amazon.com/The-Privateer-...1149929&sr=1-2

Adventure for space opera fans! John Smith was a crusading attorney on Peltir IV, whose crusade ended in a rigged trial and a sentence of slavery in the mines – a death sentence. He and his fellow slaves escaped and stole an ore carrier. They failed at trade, and desperation and hatred drove them to piracy. John was a huge success at piracy, building an entire fleet, until forced to confront the horrors committed by his men. He grabs a ship and a collection of gems, and runs away, in hopes of regaining the honor and self-respect he had once had. Pursued by his former colleagues, he must change both his and his ship's identities and appearance, and then convert his gems into more useful form before seeking a sanctuary. Along the way, he learns that his ship is much more than a simple yacht, deals with a stowaway girl, buys an orbital scrap yard almost by accident, finds himself responsible for a beautiful young woman, fights off a pirate attack, makes a friend, and learns that his defenseless proposed refuge has been invaded by another planet. John, now Cale, and his friends formulate a plan to use derelicts from his scrap yard to free his sanctuary planet from the invading forces. But can a bunch of resurrected hulks really defeat a planetary fleet? and what IS a Privateer, anyway?

The new Longmire book was next. A Serpent's Tooth by Craig Johnson. In my opinion this is the best book of the series yet. I definitely recommend this one.
http://www.amazon.com/Serpents-Tooth...1150294&sr=1-1

The success of Craig Johnson’s Walt Longmire series that began with The Cold Dish continues to grow after A&E’s hit show Longmire introduced new fans to the Wyoming sheriff. As the Crow Flies marked the series’ highest debut on the New York Times bestseller list. Now, in his ninth Western mystery, Longmire stares down his most dangerous foes yet.

It’s homecoming in Absaroka County, but the football and festivities are interrupted when a homeless boy wanders into town. A Mormon “lost boy,” Cord Lynear is searching for his missing mother but clues are scarce. Longmire and his companions, feisty deputy Victoria Moretti and longtime friend Henry Standing Bear, embark on a high plains scavenger hunt in hopes of reuniting mother and son. The trail leads them to an interstate polygamy group that’s presiding over a stockpile of weapons and harboring a vicious vendetta.

Next up was The Resistance Man by Martin Walker. this is the newest in his Bruno Chief of Police novels. I also like this series a lot and recommend it highly. Unfortunately, if you live in the US of A you will have to have an account with Amazon UK or wait until February 25, 2014 to buy it.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Resistance-B...resistance+man

Bruno, chief of police, can't get a moment's peace. He's uncovered a cache of old bank notes and is also dealing with a wave of burglaries. The victims include the recently retired head of Britain's Joint Intelligence Committee, which brings old flame Isabelle back to St Denis.

The next burglary ends in murder: the victim's bludgeoned body found by his lover - the prime suspect. But Bruno is on another track.

Meanwhile, the Mayor introduces Bruno to Jacqueline, who is researching the theory that American funds were used to prevent Communism in France, which led the US to give clandestine support to the nuclear program.

When Jacqueline's home is subsequently burgled, the stakes become much higher. Jacqueline's work, suggests the Mayor, is political dynamite.

I am currently reading The Return of the Marines by Col. Jonathan P. Brazee. He is a retired marine and this series is good. This is an omnibus of the trilogy comprised of The Few, The Proud and The Marines. Buying the omnibus is like getting one book free. I have finished the first book and have started the second. I definitely recommend this series. Especially if you liked WEB Griffin's The Corps Series.
http://www.amazon.com/The-Return-Mar...of+the+marines

The Few: Book 1

Gunnery Sergeant Jacob McCardle is the commander of the Marine Detachment at the US Embassy, New Delhi, when the president of the United States arrives on an official visit, the same man who, as a Congressman, sponsored the bill that had decimated the Corps in a cost-cutting effort. As the president arrives, the embassy is attacked and isolated by a mob of nationalists. With the Indian government seemingly unwilling to take action to restore order and with an ambitious vice-president seizing this as an opportunity to move up to the White House, it is up to Gunny McCardle and his small band of Marines to keep the president alive. Faced with tremendous odds, Gunny has to lead his Marines in an almost impossible task. That is nothing new to the US Marines. Impossible tasks are the Corps' forte. But can his small detachment keep up the tradition of the Corps and succeed despite tremendous odds?


The Proud: Book 2

After the events at the US Embassy in New Delhi, the Marines are being brought back as a combat unit. Newly commissioned 2dLt Anthony Niimoto, a hero of the embassy takeover, is with the first Marine battalion to get back into the deployment cycle. Assigned to anti-piracy, this is supposed to be a dull deployment. But when a US ship is seized by Somali pirates, it's First Platoon, K 3/6 at the tip of the spear. With SSgt Davidson, an ex-Ranger who returns to his Marines roots, the two of them must lead their platoon into harms way, ever conscious of Black Hawk Down, the Battle of Mogadishu.

Was Tony Niimoto a one-shot wonder in New Delhi, or does he really have what it takes to be a leader of Marines?


The Marines: Book 3

China is growing in power and in need of raw materials. When an aggressive general, with encouragement from an unnamed puppet master in the Politburo, moves to seize the Spratly Islands from The Philippines and Taiwan, the Marines of the 15th MEU are the only unit in position to do anything about it. What makes things more difficult is that the Chinese have made great strides in cyber-warfare that have negated America's technological superiority. What will be the result of years of letting China manufacture electronic components and even parts for the US aircraft, satellites, and communications systems?

"Every Marine is a rifleman" has never been more true when the ultimate weapon in the nation's arsenal is the basic infantryman. But can Captain Tony Niimoto, a hero of both the embassy takeover in New Delhi and the hostage rescue in Somalia, lead his company against an overwhelming force of the finest of the People's Liberation Army? Can Sergeant Harrington Steptoe, Sergeant "Jay" McNamara, and First Lieutenant Peter Van Slyke step up into the mantle of leadership when all the odds are against them?

Apache