pjonsson's review
5.0
This book is most definitely my cup of tea. It’s absolutely excellent. I have actually put off reading it for a while even though I had it on my to-read shelf for quite a while. Although the book is written by the author of Odyssey One (or Into the Black as it’s now called), which I also liked very much, the blurb for the book lead me to believe that this was a marine grunt, dirt-side focused book which is not my favourite kind of story. However, to my very pleasant surprise, this book is just as much about slugging it out in space as it is on the ground.
I’m not really sure what the series is supposed to be called though. On Amazon it seems to be called Warrior’s Wings but on Goodreads it’s called Hayden War Cycle. I decided to stick with the Goodreads name of the series.
Anyway, mysterious aliens with technology way beyond the humans invade one of the human colonies. The humans respond by trying to insert a team of marines but the insertion goes very very bad and a lone marine is all that manages to land on the planet. Fortunately this marine is of the kick-ass type (surprised anyone?) and she goes off to do just that.
That alone could make for a fairly good book but the author adds just as much space action when the human fleet tries to aid the surviving colonists that are now trapped on the planet.
One thing that I liked with Odyssey One and does like with this book as well is that the author is capable of writing science fiction that keep at least one foot on a solid ground of actual science. The laws of nature are still around. Gravity is still a bitch which you cannot ignore. Fleet movements and ship manoeuvres are controlled by it. Evan Currie not only writes some of the more believable science fiction around, he also knows how to use the limitations of the physics to add to the excitement of the action.
This was was a most pleasant surprise. Lot’s of action, some alien mystery, kick-ass people, no political bullshitting. My kind of book indeed. I’ve already bought and started to read the second one in the series (I love the point click, download, start to read speed of acquisition with e-books).
I’m not really sure what the series is supposed to be called though. On Amazon it seems to be called Warrior’s Wings but on Goodreads it’s called Hayden War Cycle. I decided to stick with the Goodreads name of the series.
Anyway, mysterious aliens with technology way beyond the humans invade one of the human colonies. The humans respond by trying to insert a team of marines but the insertion goes very very bad and a lone marine is all that manages to land on the planet. Fortunately this marine is of the kick-ass type (surprised anyone?) and she goes off to do just that.
That alone could make for a fairly good book but the author adds just as much space action when the human fleet tries to aid the surviving colonists that are now trapped on the planet.
One thing that I liked with Odyssey One and does like with this book as well is that the author is capable of writing science fiction that keep at least one foot on a solid ground of actual science. The laws of nature are still around. Gravity is still a bitch which you cannot ignore. Fleet movements and ship manoeuvres are controlled by it. Evan Currie not only writes some of the more believable science fiction around, he also knows how to use the limitations of the physics to add to the excitement of the action.
This was was a most pleasant surprise. Lot’s of action, some alien mystery, kick-ass people, no political bullshitting. My kind of book indeed. I’ve already bought and started to read the second one in the series (I love the point click, download, start to read speed of acquisition with e-books).
thinde's review
2.0
DNF 24%
Have you ever seen those medieval paintings featuring lions savaging knights? Since the artists had never seen an actual lion, their renderings look more like mutated dogs. In the same way, this Science Fiction Military novel by Evan Currie bears little resemblance to actual science or military doctrine.
At one point a space navy captain talks about how short a time her crew could survive under 100 Gs of acceleration... for those who don't get it, the actual time is close to zero seconds. Meanwhile, a special forces soldier, with her rag-tag group of support grunts, is on a mission in hostile territory... without a forward screen or flankers. When attacked, they all focus on the single known enemy, taking no precautions against other threats.
In addition, the supposedly far-future technology is described too specifically, using modern tech equivalents. For example, Sargent Sorila's ocular implants use "OLED" displays. Sigh.
Have you ever seen those medieval paintings featuring lions savaging knights? Since the artists had never seen an actual lion, their renderings look more like mutated dogs. In the same way, this Science Fiction Military novel by Evan Currie bears little resemblance to actual science or military doctrine.
At one point a space navy captain talks about how short a time her crew could survive under 100 Gs of acceleration... for those who don't get it, the actual time is close to zero seconds. Meanwhile, a special forces soldier, with her rag-tag group of support grunts, is on a mission in hostile territory... without a forward screen or flankers. When attacked, they all focus on the single known enemy, taking no precautions against other threats.
In addition, the supposedly far-future technology is described too specifically, using modern tech equivalents. For example, Sargent Sorila's ocular implants use "OLED" displays. Sigh.
shannny2k's review
3.0
Title: On Silver Wings
Series Number: The First of the Hayden War Cycle
Author: Evan Currie
(Audio) Narrator: Dina Pearlman
One sentence summary: Aliens attack a research colony so humans send in a special ops team to investigate, but Sorilla is the only one to survive the landing.
Theme(s): Persistence pays off. Knowledge is power.
(Audio) Narrator review: Wonderful. I’d happily listen to Pearlman again. There were a variety of distinct voices and great accents!
What I liked:
The integration of technology into the military gear and complications that said integration might have when dealing with real combat.
The different scopes and viewpoints. While Sorilla is on the planet dealing with aliens there are others in the home world trying to figure out what to do about the situation with the limited information that they have obtained.
What I disliked:
The ending didn’t pack as much punch as it could have. I suspect that the questions that I want answered (mostly about the aliens and how they function) will be fulfilled further along in the trilogy. The question is am I willing to listen to two more books to get to that point.
I would have liked some more emotional connection to the main characters. I’m not sure how this could have been added without notably increasing the word count, it’s something to mull over for now.
Rating:
6/10 – Solid read. Notably brought down by the ending.
Series Number: The First of the Hayden War Cycle
Author: Evan Currie
(Audio) Narrator: Dina Pearlman
One sentence summary: Aliens attack a research colony so humans send in a special ops team to investigate, but Sorilla is the only one to survive the landing.
Theme(s): Persistence pays off. Knowledge is power.
(Audio) Narrator review: Wonderful. I’d happily listen to Pearlman again. There were a variety of distinct voices and great accents!
What I liked:
The integration of technology into the military gear and complications that said integration might have when dealing with real combat.
The different scopes and viewpoints. While Sorilla is on the planet dealing with aliens there are others in the home world trying to figure out what to do about the situation with the limited information that they have obtained.
What I disliked:
The ending didn’t pack as much punch as it could have. I suspect that the questions that I want answered (mostly about the aliens and how they function) will be fulfilled further along in the trilogy. The question is am I willing to listen to two more books to get to that point.
I would have liked some more emotional connection to the main characters. I’m not sure how this could have been added without notably increasing the word count, it’s something to mull over for now.
Rating:
6/10 – Solid read. Notably brought down by the ending.
tuftymctavish's review
4.0
Action packed military SF; alien worlds, enemies and tactics; space and ground combat; technology. Basically all the stuff I like in an SF adventure story!
nzide's review against another edition
Dnf, just couldn't fully get into it. No particular reason why
fbone's review
2.0
Military space opera with so many improbabilities that I was laughing out loud. This is one book you just go with it and play dumb. The story may continue in the next installment, not everyone died in the end. Writing skill ok-ish. Just a few typos.
pieneman's review
4.0
Niet slecht, lekker snel geschreven. Ben benieuwd waar de heldin nu naar toe gaat
brian's review
4.0
Good military sci-fi after an unnamed alien race destroy a colony and most of the special forces sent in to help out.
With only Sergeant Sorilla Aida left, she helps the survivors to organise and try to find out what is going on.
Good characters and lots of action, both on-planet and in space as rescue fleets try to get past the alien ships.
With only Sergeant Sorilla Aida left, she helps the survivors to organise and try to find out what is going on.
Good characters and lots of action, both on-planet and in space as rescue fleets try to get past the alien ships.
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