A review by bsparks2112
War Stories: New Military Science Fiction by Jaym Gates, Andrew Liptak, Rich Larson

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

I liked this anthology for its variety and the multiple perspectives on a shared theme that the stories here offer. As these tend to go for me, I found that it had its up and downs, depending on how well I got on with the particular authorial voice of each story; some really made an impression on me, while others were just kind of there. I didn't outright dislike any of them, though. As a collection of meditations on the psychological cost of war and violence, it's pretty effective, and even moreso when considering the impact of rapidly-changing technological and societal factors as the stories reach into their own speculative futures. A lot of these get into pretty dark territory, although all things considered, it's maybe not as violent or action-packed as you might imagine, with some pieces having more of a ruminative quality. But despite the ups and downs, it averages out into a solid collection that anyone with a passing interest in military sci-fi should be able to get something out of.