T2: Infiltrator

This book is the answer to every T fan's longing! S. M. Sterling gives a brilliant storyline with awesome characterization. The I-950 idea is brilliant and terrifying. It was hard for me to put down. S. M. Sterling even compensates for the movies' downfalls by explaining obvious questions fans may have. I always wanted to read a T novel and this book is everything that I'd hoped it would be.

I didn't expect this to be more than a rehash of the two movies and therefore it came as a most pleasant surprise. First, I quite appreciated the story being told from different perspectives, especially from that of Serena, the infiltrator of the title. This gives a deeper understanding of just what Skynet is up to and importantly, why. Secondly, the character of Dieter von Rossbach was a true inspiration. There is a logic here. Certainly, those who designed the first robots would use a human model, and a brave, intrepid secret agent would be a logical one. Less logical is his meeting Sarah Connor, but as each would seek an area of privacy but also access to illegal arms, forged papers, etc., it isn't completely out of the realm of possibility that they'd be in the same place at the same time.Thirdly, the story is a development of the original, and the emphasis is on the story with sufficient action and violence but not enough to overwhelm the story itself. The ending has enough of a hook to it that you'll likely be ready to read T2: RISING STORM after finishing this one.This is much more than just a movie novel.

I found this book somewhat dissapointing after reading the sequel to T2: Infiltrator: T2: Rising Storm. This book was very good, a good balance of strong and weak, but a couple things that are just unbelievable. Probably the only thing wrong with this book is that it goes around showing viewpoints from the Villains, the heroes, the accomplices and others, so you have to read every single small black print that goes for on and on.(ex. "Sarah connor's sanatarium-Present" , or H/K Mission-2089.)this was a very good book, but the sequel is better. You will have to read this to make all the series click in your mind, but it's well worth it. The last book in this trilogy is T2: the Future War, coming out august 2003. I am looking forward to it. (don't try and search for s.m. sterling; bad results.)They say that some of the elements of this book are going into T3: Rise of the Machines. (Notice T2: (Ris)ing storm and T3: "Rise" of the Machines.) This is a very good book well worth a read.

Ordinarily I avoid movie/book tie-ins like the plague. But I bought this entirely on the strength of the author, and I wasn't disappointed. Stirling stays within the Terminator world, but adds his own touches. And he leaves things open for a sequel!Worth the price even in hardcover.

In the present, Cyberdene built a computer chip to power Skynet, a military computer that eliminates the human error. Problems begin when Skynet turns sentient and attacks its former masters deeming them unfit to live. Sarah Connor and her son have knowledge of a future where the lad will lead the human resistance against Skynet. Sarah felt that with the death of the Skynet creator and the Cyberdene complex burned to the ground, the future would change. However, the American government declares the Connors as terrorists forcing them to flee to Paraguay.In 2021 John Connor, the resistance leader, tries to destroy Skynet, which has created a new weapon to end all counter insurgence. Cyborgs are attached to a neural link to send Serena back to the present to insure Skynet is built. The weapon system Serena becomes head of Cyberdene security and actively tries to kill the Connors, once again having Sarah and John fighting for their lives and that of the future of humanity.It has been about a decade since T2 hit the screen, yet S.M. Stirling captures the essence of the movie while taking it one step further beyond the icons. The story line is as exciting and fluid as the two movies so that even James Cameron will not want to terminate this series; judging it as worthy.Harriet Klausner