Fire in a Faraway Place

Continuing the story of the 35th Imperial Rifles and the Sud-Afrikan peoples. As with the first book, I care for these people and hurt when one of them dies...and Frezza allows beloved characters to die. The death of a character you like is gut wrenching, but real. There is no sugarcoating of war here. Read this book, but read "A Small Colonial War" first. Then read "Cain's Land" to end the trilogy. I recommend these books to anyone who wants to try and understand a little about war and warriors. These are books I keep and reread as "old friends".

Believable likeable military characters; asynchronous warfare that would have impressed Joyn Boyd.

Robert Frezza, who is a military veteran, writes a very believable and engaging sequel to his first book ``A Small Colonial War'' that told the story of Lt. Col. Anton Vereshchagin's 35th Imperial Rifle Battalion and its efforts to put down a revolt on the colonial planet of Suid-Afrika. Now, the Japanese empire has returned in the form of another fleet and Vereshchagin's men, who have integrated themselves into the Suid-Afrikan body politic and society, must decide whether to accept the yoke of Imperial control or rebel along with the planet. Great development of characters and fine storytelling.

"Fire" is a worthy sequel to A Small Colonial War. Robert Frezza's universe and characters are equal to David Weber's Honor Harrington series and arguably are even better. Superb military SF.