The Chosen

General Raj Whitehall, Book 6

The hottest team in military SF is back in action - with Book I of a red-hot sequel to The General series!

Planted by interstellar probes on hundreds of human-occupied worlds, the downloaded personalities of Raj Whitehall and the ancient battle computer known as Center work together for planetary unity. Their goal is to prepare those worlds for membership in the Second Federation of Man. But on one planet they do the opposite: on Visager they work to prevent unity. For on Visager a nation-state of vicious militarists is about to start the final war to unite their world - once that is accomplished and their technology has matured they will turn outward, bringing their fatal racist infection to the stars.   

John Hosten is the son of a high general of the Chosen. Jeffrey Fair is the son of an admiral of the only nation on Visager that might be capable of halting the onslaught. Through a strange twist of fate they have become as brothers united in their hatred of all that the Chosen hope to do. Only they - with the aid of the disembodied voices of their mentors from the stars - stand between eternal tyranny for their world and eternal war for the galaxy.

©2012 S. M. Stirling (P)2020 Recorded Books, Inc.

an excellent continuation

I first read this book decades ago... and it is still a solid work. Franklin Pierson does an outstanding job bringing these characters to life. even giving them accents where needed.

Dream Team

David Drake and SM Stirling are a military science fiction dream team. Their writing styles are complimentary and entertaining. I have enjoyed this series tremendously.

Warning: This is Not a Raj Whitehall Story

I was looking forward to continuing Raj’s storyline. Unfortunately, I was disappointed that it doesn’t continue in The Chosen — It ended in the last book, with Center’s stochastic explanation of Belleview/Earth’s possible future(s).
This book is an unrefined, unedited version of other people on other worlds. It’s not remotely as good as the “original” General series. There’s zero character development, making it impossible to care for the two main characters, John and Jeff.
Stop at the last book. Trust me, please.

Poor compared to previous in series

Yawn factor is 10. I really struggled to get through this book. Because I loved the first five in the series so much, I had high expectations. I was disappointed...
First off, the plot bogs down in the minutia of logistics. Boring details. Long on politics, sorely lacking in action. Secondly, no energy in either the story or the narration. Reminds me of quarterly sales meetings and as difficult to stay attentive to the narrative. Many times, I found myself zoned out and lost in the story and restarting a chapter. I can't finish it. I am at chapter 24 and it's just starting on the grand final campaign I think and... I don't care. I am done. Sorry David, love about 90% of your books, this isn't part of that.