Terrible Swift Sword

When Newt Gingrich was considering the alternate history series that started with Gettysburg, he needed another author to do much of the writing. Based on this excellent series, Gingrich selected William Forstchen for a very good reason, the man can write Civil War fiction. This author combines an understanding of the military with the ability to make convincing characters. The result is a fun to read hybrid story that combines time travel, space travel, exploration and deadly battles with a Civil War regiment's actions. This is the third book in the Lost Regiment series is a neat blend of science fiction, fantasy and historical fiction. The republic is established; but technology is no longer under their control. A new enemy, much nastier but more interesting can invent too. This book becomes an arms race as humans try to catch up and then get ahead. Faced with a well organized foe that controls the air, the 35th Maine fights for their lives again. As always, this book is great fun and good reading!

I like this guy because he never tries to sell you something other than what you know you are already getting. Sure his charecters in the 35th Maine can wax, wane and moan about the injustice of slavery and the horror of canabalism but it is always limited. Eventually he just shuts up and tells a good story. Therefore this book is engaging and you can turn off your mind. You still care for the charecters on some level but you do not have to think a lot.

I have read the whole "missing regiment" series. It's good, addictive and very, very thorough and realistic. Some people may be shocked by the cruelty of some scenes, but the books try to show part of what a conflict is.You will have to read most or all the books in the series to really appreciate it. Pity that for now Mr. Forstchen has interrupted this series.

War is changing in Forstchen's world. Good! This sort of war without prisoners, without mercy, a war of total anihilation, gets to be a little more modern still by the end of "Terrible Swift Sword." Keane will make a decision that will buy his Republic time at the price of tens of thousands of lives. The enemy will also understand that things cannot go back to be the way they were before the Yankees arrived. "Terrible Swift Sword" moves fast, like all the other noves in the series, and is an absolute cliffhanger. Again the Cartha are trapped (part their fault, part fate) between mortal enemies who will use them mercilessly to gain advantage. And Muzta of the Tugars will become one of the most interesting aliens ever. The Republic hangs from a thread. The folly of its leaders is balanced by their intelligence during the worst of times. One of the best things about this series is that, in spite of showing humans as the "good" guys, the author presents many of our species as what we are so good at producing: murderous, selfish, cowardly men who have a tough time accepting responsibility for freedom. This book prepares the way for an epic fourth installment of scorched earth. Excellent.

It doesn't get any better than this... Okay, maybe it does, but not by much. I like how Tamuka was attempting to get the Merki to advance into a new age free of "cattle" by wholly slaughtering the lot of humans, but then Jubadi and the other elders wanted to supress the Republic and go back to munching on us people. There was some nice tension with that. And I totally hated Vincent Hawthorne in this book; Forstchen did a good job of transforming his character from a pious Quaker into a bloodthirsty maniac who'd shoot the enemy while they're nailed to a cross. The description of the Moon Feast was gloriously nauseating. And the retreat and subsequent burning of Rus showed just how desparate the humans were to prevent the Merki from taking their beloved land. Yuri's endeavors toward the end of the book were exciting, as well. Although, my only real complaint was the horrendous editing problems, which seem to run rampant throughout the entire series. ie. Hank Petracci--Jack Petracci, and so on. In short, Terrible Swift Sword was a great novel that moved with the speed of a bullet.