Starfist: Kingdom's Swords

In the previous volume of this series, HANGFIRE, readers were set up for some nastiness by the "skinks" without ever finding out just what they were up too. All we knew was that it would not be good for humanity or the marines. We learn more in this book and it is not good for either. Once again, Sherman and Cragg demonstrate a liking for pursing widely variant plotlines simultaneously. They did an adequate job of this before but their skills are improving in this one. The main plot involves the committal of the 34th FIST to action on the world of Kingdom. They think they are headed in to suppress a peasant revolt but it turns out that it is the skinks who are the cause of the problems and they are major problems. To make matters worse, Kingdom is a theocracy and the marines must face a local government that is as potentially dangerous as the real enemy. Just to keep the pot stirred up, there are also dissident elements at work within Kingdom that have a strong desire to hurt the marines, the Kingdom government, the confederacy and anyone one else who disagrees with them. To make matters worse, many do not believe in the aliens the marines are fighting and believe it all to be some sort of convoluted plot. The second plotline concerns Captain Coronado, CO of L Company. A few volumes back he was involved in a hush-hush operation dealing with another alien sentient species. In that book, he did the right thing, against the cruel and inhumane orders of the scientific leader of the post, and is returning to earth to face court martial. This puts strains on his family situations in ways recognizable to anyone who has ever tried to serve both a family and the military. Needless to say, the gallant captain has his own adventures along the way and improvises, adapts and overcomes....just the way a good jarhead is expected to do. This is actually probably the best book in the series so far. There are a few surprises and new twists. Its going to take at least one more book and some significant reinforcements to get the marines out of this mess.

I really enjoyed the book. Although, I will have to wait for the next book to conclude my opinion on this book. The cliffhanger is kind of weird since the whole story of the book doesn't seem to end. Also, for the first time, the authors tried to do more than one storyline and it feels kind of weird. One of the storyline brings nothing to the actual story or the 34th FIST Marine. This could explain on why they did not conclude the story since they had already too much.Overall, it is still a good StarFist book. Different from the previous one but this is what bring the joy in reading :o)

I've enjoyed every book in this series. Just marvelous fun. Starfist 7 not only continues the adventures of heroes we've come to know and care deeply about, but it further deepens the characters, which is very hard to do after so many books. And, as always, the authors' knowledge of fighting men--in any time and place--is vividly on display. No armchair fantasist could portray combat, present or future, as well as these two deeply experienced men have done. Very, very good reading. And far more resonance than most science fiction works--really, this has become a classic series. Take a break from the grind and read this delightful book.

The book is a great return to the good old days of Starfist action. Its a great mix of the small but intense action of Gunny Bass and his 3rd platoon on Elneal (Book One) and the Campaign agiasnt Sy. Cyr's corporate armies (book three.) Easily this is the best book of them all yet.

The book was very well written. Maybe even better than the one before! There were a few typos with who did what in what book. And the ending! That is a really well done cliffhanger! I would have liked to have seen more of Dean but I like the majority of the characters and I liked the introduction of the new characters!