David Weber Old Soldiers

Old Soldiers

David Weber

Baen, Sep 2005, $26.00

ISBN: 1416508988

Dinochrome Brigade Captain Maneka Trevor is the only human survivor of her brigade at the devastating battle on planet Chartres; her Bolo unit Benjy died in the battle. Lazerus also survived that fight as the only Bolo to make it from the slaughter, but without its human host who died in the combat. Doctors heal Maneka's physical wounds, but she remains with the military because she does not have any options while suffering survivor's guilt. At about the same time, the Bolo technicians repair Lazerus.

Rear Admiral Sedgewood selects Maneka to participate in "Operation Seed Corn", a desperate ploy to save the human race facing extinction against the mighty Melconian Empire, which sacrifices soldiers in exorbitant numbers to overwhelm the enemy. The last hope is to colonize a new planet. To help her, Lazerus is assigned to her though he embellishes her feelings of survival guilt by being there. When the enemy arrives to destroy this mission, a fire fight breaks out leaving both sides mostly dead. Maneka with Lazarus as her chief aid takes charge of the Seed Corn survivors. One year later, the humans settle on "Indrani" while the Melconians prepare for the final battle of Armageddon.

The second Bolo tale (see BOLO) is a terrific military science fiction thriller that symbolizes an American-Chinese conflict. The story line goes into great depth to showcase the short term military strategy with the humans employing higher levels of technology against the much greater in number of soldiers that fight in massive waves but are considered expendable; the acceptable philosophy is that multiples might die for every human killed. Fans will appreciate this deep look at war in outer space as David Weber ventures outside his Harrington universe with this strong tale of intergalactic war between two species.

Harriet Klausner