"SPEC OPS SQUAD
Ace, August 2001, 6.99, 304 pp.
ISBN 0441008348
In the distant future, mankind has developed the hyperdrive that allowed humanity to spread out and colonize planets around the galaxy. The colonization has gone on for centuries before Terrans encountered another species and when they did they learned about the Alliance of Light. The Alliance consists of several different species from many different worlds who banded together to form a trading union.
Earth joined the league as soon as membership was offered, but eventually the Alliance turned to military matters in order to deal with their enemy the Ilion Federation. Soon the Ilion invaded the outer worlds of the Divotect Confederation and began a purge of the native population that amounted to genocide. Although the Alliance had to withdraw from Dintsen when it was first attacked, a special ops interspecies regiment returns to the beleaguered planet, intent on reclaiming it and throwing the Ilions out of that section of space.
Sergeant Bart “Dragon” Drak speaking in the first person gives the reader an up close and personal view of interstellar war. Rick Shelley is terrific at creating alien species that seem real, all with their own look, quirks and beliefs. SPECIAL OPS SQUAD is military science fiction at it's very best.
Harriet Klausner
"
Harriet Klausner, Resident Rick Shelley Scholar
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Overall Review
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Plot
FANTASY or SCIENCE FICTION?
- science fiction story
Spying & Investigations
Yes
What is main char. doing?
- rescue mission/escape from confinement
If an invasion, from Earth/human POV:
- fighting overt invasion (attacking aliens)
War or Invasion
Yes
Major kinds of combat:
- hand to hand
- lasers
Is this an adult or child's book?
- Adult or Young Adult Book
Main Character
Identity:
- Male
Profession/status:
- infantry soldier
Age:
- 20's-30's
How sensitive is this character?
- hard edged
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- average physique
Main Adversary
Identity:
- an entire race
Profession/status:
- infantry soldier
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- an average amount
Setting
A substantial portion of this book takes place on a non-Earth planetary body:
- humans in a futuristic society
- unfriendly aliens
Planet outside solar system?
Yes
Style
Person?
- mostly 1st
Accounts of torture and death?
- moderately detailed references to deaths
scientific jargon? (SF only)
- a fair amount of scientific explanation
How much dialogue?
- roughly even amounts of descript and dialog
