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Pass of Fire

Pass of FirePass of Fire by Taylor Anderson
Series: Destroyermen #14
Published by ROC on 2019
Genres: Type II - Hard/Soft
Format: eBook
Source: Purchased
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four-half-stars
Series Rating: five-stars

After being transported to a strange alternate Earth, Matt Reddy and the crew of the USS Walker have learned desperate times call for desperate measures, in the return to the New York Times bestselling Destroyermen series.

Time is running out for the Grand Human and Lemurian Alliance. The longer they take to prepare for their confrontations with the reptilian Grik, the Holy Dominion, and the League of Tripoli, the stronger their enemies become. Ready or not, they have to move--or the price in blood will break them.

Matt Reddy and his battered old destroyer USS Walker lead the greatest army the humans and their Lemurian allies have ever assembled up the Zambezi toward the ancient Grik capital city. Standing against them is the largest, most dangerous force of Grik yet gathered.

On the far side of the world, General Shinya and his Army of the Sisters are finally prepared for their long-expected assault on the mysterious El Paso del Fuego. Not only is the dreaded Dominion ready and waiting for them; they've formed closer, more sinister ties with the fascist League of Tripoli.

Everything is on the line in both complex, grueling campaigns, and the Grand Alliance is stretched to its breaking point. Victory is the only option, whatever the cost, because there can be no second chances.

Series Review

While sometimes patchy the quality of each individual book never falls below 4 stars. Unfortunately I have become less inclined to pursue the series as Taylor progressively layers villain onto villain in a never ending series, and I gave up on the series after  Deadly Shores (#9). I have returned to finishing the series in Pass of Fire (#14) and Winds of Wrath (#15) after reading Michael Cnuddle’s review a couple of weeks ago (see http://www.somersethousepress.com/2020/10/)

Taylor writes particularly strong battle scenes, and he is not adverse to killing off significant characters to maintain interest/realism to what has developed over the series into a truly world war.

Specific Comments About This Specific Book

While this book is the penultimate in the series, and as a result serves as a curtain raiser for the final book (Winds of Wrath) I found that it quite successfully held my interest while setting up for the final battle(s) in the World War that has engulfed this alternate Earth. 

A warning, for those of you concerned at the destruction of the our Earth’s environment and wildlife you may need to leave your concerns at the door to fully enjoy this one.

four-half-stars

Into the Storm

Into the StormInto the Storm by Taylor Anderson
Series: Destroyermen #1
Published by ROC on 3 June 2008
Genres: Type II - Hard/Soft
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four-half-stars
Series Rating: five-stars

Premise – Point of Divergence (POD)

The dinosaurs aren't wiped out and the Earth continues to develop in new, and particularly vicious ways. The evolution of 'Mountain Fish' which prohibit travel in the deep oceans, and the 'Flasher Fish' that seem to resemble particularly nasty piranhas which occupy many of the shallow seas have resulted in significantly differing evolutionary developments on land. As the series develops it becomes clear that this world is a focus for other alternate realities, and not simply our own.

The Story

Pressed into service when World War II breaks out in the Pacific, the US Walker—a Great War-era destroyer—finds itself retreating from pursuing Japanese battleships. Its captain, Lieutenant Commander Matthew Patrick Reddy, desperately leads the Walker into a squall, hoping it will give them cover—only to emerge into an alternate world. A world where two species have evolved: the cat-like Lemurians and the reptilian Griks, and they are at war.

Series Review

While sometimes patchy the quality of each individual book never falls below 4 stars. Unfortunately I have become less inclined to pursue the series as Taylor progressively layers villain onto villain in a never ending series, and in Deadly Shores in fact stopped reading for a number of months.

Taylor writes particularly strong battle scenes, and he is not adverse to killing off significant characters to maintain interest/realism to what has developed over the series into a truly world war.

Specific Comments About This Specific Book

A strong beginning which certainly grabs your attention and won’t let it go.

four-half-stars