Review of Stark's Command

Ethan Stark is a sergeant in the US Army of the future. A future where citizens are either civilian or military and entire families live that way through generations, crossing over is rare. Stark was such a rarity, born a "civ" now a "mil". The United States owns everything on Earth, his government uses the military to further the causes of America's corporations. When the rest of the world goes to the moon for cheaper, non-US owned, resources, the Army is sent to take the moon for the US.

This is the second book of a trilogy. It picks up 3 years after Stark participates in the initial assault. After he salvages yet another poorly devised offensive by his micromanaging superiors. His actions lead to a general mutiny and Sergeant Stark is now in charge of all lunar military assets. As he approaches relations with the lunar civilians and before he can even contact Earth, the alliance of enemy forces strikes. A tough battle is eventually won but Stark learns that being in charge of an army is much harder than running his squad. The action then expands to diplomacy as Stark, lunar civilians and American authorities work toward their future goals. In the meantime, Stark is joined by the mutinous crew of a Naval space ship, has his headquarters attacked by mercenary assassins, discovers traitors (military and civilian), and exchanges the former lunar forces officers for the families of his army. There are relationships forged between civ and mil, and the question of what the United States really stands for is raised for all to consider.

The US Army is crippled, between the loss of life in the ill-conceived assault that started the mutiny, and the loss of soldiers to the mutiny itself. Their remaining forces are inexperienced in lunar operations, i.e. low gravity. Their Navy could just lay waste to the colony and the forces protecting it but that would be destroying the very thing they were on the moon to get in the first place, and leave the moon to the enemy alone. Stark must trust shifty merchants, and even resorts to exchanging prisoners for supplies with the enemy alliance. The ability of the lunar civs and mils, to sustain themselves is questionable long term. With all this, the forces of the enemy still threaten and although beaten back severely, they still have their support structure behind them.

There is more of what was good about the first book (Stark's War), in this one. I can't wait for the next, and final, book. The characters are real, the science is real enough and the action is provided at a steady pace. As before, I can feel the role-playing possibilities of a campaign based on these books. I can see characters of the following types; civilian lunar residents, Stark's soldiers and sailors, enemy forces, US dispatched forces sent to end the mutiny and merchants looking to profit and survive under these conditions of chaos. What's next and independent moon, another American Revolution, victory for the enemy alliance? Find out for yourself, in case I neglect to review the last book, Stark's Crusade.

John Hemry is an acquaintance of mine (there, are you happy). We met at our children's doctor's office. Our kids suffer from NIDS (nuero immune dysfunction syndromes), do you or yours? You'd be surprised. NIDS encompasses disorders like; autism, PDD, ADD, ADHD, CFS, LD, MS and more. www.neuroimmunedr.com and www.nids.net/index.htm (accuse me of pumping a friend's work and you pay the price by reading our only connection, and cause).

This review appears in Alarums & Excursions #315 (see review archive) and appears here with permission.