Hey Jared,

Ha! Finally finished the trilogy and it was well worth it.

Title: Going Dark
Series: The Red; Book 3
Author: Linda Nagata
Genre: Science Fiction, Military Scifi
Audience: Adult
ROTS Setting: CU, Modern/Near-Future,
Synopsis: James Shelley has left his lover, Delphi, and his companion-in-arms, Jayne Vasquez, with a fortune acquired from a fallen oligarch. They believe him to be dead, and he doesn’t try to set the record straight. His long-running question has been answered: There are other soldiers like him who have served the purposes of the Red—and he has accepted his place among them. As a soldier of the Red he pursues covert missions designed to nudge history away from existential threats—but that doesn’t mean the world is growing more orderly. It’s only in the froth of a “managed chaos” that human potential can grow and thrive. Shelley’s missions eventually take him into orbit—and into conflict with those he loves—Delphi and Jaynie—who are determined to escape the influence of the Red.
Recommendation: Highly recommended! For mature readers. Graphic violence.

Continue reading “The Red – Book 3: Going Dark – By Linda Nagata” →

Hey Jared,

Finally going to try and get this trilogy finished! The first book was just a strong start, I just don’t want to leave it hanging for long.

Title: The Trials
Series: The Red; Book 2
Author: Linda Nagata
Genre: Science Fiction, Military Scifi
Audience: Adult
ROTS Setting: CU, Modern/Near-Future,
Synopsis: Lieutenant James Shelley and his squad of US Army soldiers were on a quest for justice when they carried out the unauthorized mission known as First Light. They returned home to America to face a court-martial, determined to expose the corruption in the chain of command that compelled their actions. But in a country still reeling from the nuclear terrorism of Coma Day, the courtroom is only one battlefield. A new cycle of violence ignites when rumors of the elusive, rogue AI known as the Red go public—and Shelley is, once again, pulled into the fray. Challenged by his enemies, driven by ideals, Shelley feels compelled to act—but are the harrowing choices he makes really his own, or are they made for him, by the Red? With millions of lives at stake in a game of nuclear cat-and-mouse, does it even matter? (Hazard Notice: contains military grade profanity.)
Recommendation: Highly recommended! For mature readers. Graphic violence and explicit sex scenes.

Continue reading “The Red – Book 2: The Trials – By Linda Nagata” →

Hey Jared,

I really wanted to read this book before getting to Ms. Nagata’s new book, The Last Good Man, coming out next month because I wanted some context when it comes to her writing style and ability. The Red: First Light does this because it was first published under her own imprint before being picked up by a publisher. And boy does it create a high bar.

Title: The Red: First Light
Series: The Red; Book 1
Author: Linda Nagata
Genre: Science Fiction, Military Scifi
Audience: Adult
ROTS Setting: CU, Modern/Near-Future,
Synopsis: Lieutenant James Shelley, who has an uncanny knack for premeditating danger, leads a squad of advanced US Army military tasked with enforcing the peace around a conflict in sub-Saharan Africa. The squad members are linked wirelessly 24/7 to themselves and a central intelligence that guides them via drone relay—and unbeknownst to Shelley and his team, they are being recorded for a reality TV show. When an airstrike almost destroys their outpost, a plot begins to unravel that’s worthy of Crichton and Clancy’s best. The conflict soon involves rogue defense contractors, corrupt US politicians, and homegrown terrorists who possess nuclear bombs. Soon Shelley must accept that the helpful warnings in his head could be AI. But what is the cost of serving its agenda?
Recommendation: Highly recommended! For mature readers. Graphic violence and explicit sex scenes.

Continue reading “The Red – Book 1: First Light – By Linda Nagata” →