Starfist: A World of Hurt
David Sherman and Dan Cragg
Del Rey, Nov 2004, $19.95, 312 pp.
ISBN: 0345460529

When mankind went into space, it thought that it was the only sentient race, but soon found worlds with intelligent species, just none as technologically advanced. The 34th Fist of the Confederation encountered intelligent and hostile space-faring Skinks on two orbs and defeated them in battles, the war continues. The human populace remains unaware that the 34th Fist is under quarantine on Thorsfinni's World until humanity learns about the Skinks and other species.

Just after gunnery sergeant Charles Bass is promoted, his unit, the 34th Fist goes to Maugham's Station because of the recent deaths by acid of colonists there; Skinks use acid guns as part of their weaponry. While exploring the valleys of death, the marines come under attack by acid, but no reports of Skinks have surfaced. While they seek the truth, an armada from the planet We're Here is traveling to the beleaguered station because they believe that an illegal mining operation has occurred on The Rock and the planet believes it is part of their empire. They think Maugham's Station is behind that operation and a trigger-happy admiral is willing to go to war to stop them from mining that uninhabited, mineral rich planet.

Fans of military outer space science fiction will find action-packed STARFIST: A WORLD OF HURT fascinating. Surprisingly the hero is not featured doing solo deeds as the encounter scenes involve groups, not individuals. Maugham's Station is described in vivid detail so that readers can picture the planet almost as much as filmgoers can mentally see the cantina scene of Star Wars. Though in some ways all over the galaxy, David Sherman and Dan Cragg provide a terrific tale that makes military enterprises seem plausible in the deep reaches of space (see STAR WARS: JEDI TRIAL A CLONE WARS NOVEL - also released this month).

Harriet Klausner