I really enjoyed the first in the series (Star Strike) for what it was: a military sci-fi with cool and interesting aliens, where we stick it to the b..Show More »ad aliens, and with lots of details and blowing up stuff and whatnot.

This one still has the pro-Marines focus and is somewhat detailed (though in this book he sticks to make, model, and serial number details - leaving out the ancestry, color, size and number of buttons that were included in the first).

So, why didn't I like it? Because the aliens are no longer fresh or interesting and there was no wondering 'what will they do next' AND there was a huge portion of the book given over to political discussions (bad politicians, bad govt system, bad decisions) and details of the effects of 'global warming'.

You don't pick up THIS story to hear about failed political systems, or environmental degradation - it's like tuning into Battlestar Galactica and watching a interview with a political figure on why the local river is polluted.

The narration is good though.

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I relistened to Book 2 (Galatic Corps) before listening to this, and I am glad I did not because it made this one more understandable or remember wher..Show More »e last we left off, but because it made realize why I liked this series in the first place. The Mars series and the Inheritance Trilogy were not nearly as preachy or monologue-filled as this novel was. I have seen others rail against people like Tom Clancy or books like "One Second After," and this is the opposite. If you were not of the author's viewpoint, this is one difficult slog of a book.

The second piece of my criticism is that often this book is not even science fiction or more accurately set in a science fiction setting. If I want to listen to a history of famous corps battles, I am sure there are other books to read, but in this situation the constant returning to old Marine battles simply seemed like filler.

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