Score: 4.50 / 5 – Reviewer Top Pick

Firestorm is the kind of book that I don’t read often enough and then wonder why. A good part of why I like the book (and what I have read of the series so far) is that it appeals to me on a couple of different levels.

One, it appeals to me on the ‘alternate history’ level in that it is set during what is/was World War II and the author shows the divisions brilliantly.

On another level, it appeals to the SF/F fan in me with the additions of the Grik, the Lemurians, and other creatures such as the whale fish. I really like seeing these additions and how the different people deal with them.

Another reason I find this book (and the series) appealing is how Taylor Anderson takes “what if” something happened (or didn’t) and works it into what really could have been.

Finally, there is the “Holy Dominion”, how it came into being, how it was worked into the story and how things worked out in the end.

I would recommend this book (and the series) to anyone who enjoys science fiction, alternate history and a very good story.

More reviews over at Night Owl Reviews!

Anyway, in the new book I discovered a big mistake in the artwork I previously sent.  In the technology blog back in March there was some discussion about how the 25mm’s were at torpedo tube locations 1 & 2.  However, that obviously changed before book 6 came out like so many things need to do as a story progresses.  Maybe the torpedo tube mounts will be back on locations 1 & 2 as those heavy things would be more towards the center of the ship and will have room to swing.  Hmmmm.  Just maybe, but I guess I’ll have to wait and see on that one!  

So… I have updated my artwork with that change as well as a few other minor corrections. 

The action, which rarely slackens, features splendid naval battles pitting destroyers against wooden-hulled fleets with cannons, land engagements where vastly outnumbered humans and Lemurians face hordes of vicious but none-too-bright dinosaurs, and inflexible Imperials terrorized by fanatically loyal Catholic armies.

You can read the whole review here.

Todd says:

I mean i have been soo inspired that i even built a model of theWalker and im working on one of the Amagi. 

This is the 1/240th scale Revell kit of the Campbeltown. It was built to reflect the USS Walker during her voyage to the New Britain Isles.

I  added a photo etched detail set to the basic kit. Scratch built details include the blower, Coke machine, 25mm guns, various deck and gun details, and the Nancy. The bridge area was also highly modified and detailed.  Patch plates were added to the hull to reflect damage done during battle. Machined brass gun barrels were added to the main 4″ gun mounts.The Nancy was built out of balsa wood and sheet plastic, using the drawings on this site. The rigging was done using transparent nylon thread. The hull was painted overall Gunship Gray, with weathering applied by airbrush.

October 5th, Wednesday
University Bookstore in Seattle , WA @7pm

October 6th, Thursday
Books Inc. in Mountain View , CA @7pm

October 7th, Friday
Barnes & Noble in Huntington Beach, CA @7pm

October 8th, Saturday
US Naval Base Exchange in San Diego , CA @12pm

October 9th, Sunday
Mysterious Galaxy in San Diego , CA @2pm

October 11th, Tuesday
Barnes and Noble in Fort Worth , TX @7pm

October 15th, Saturday
New York Comic Con, Javitz Center

ACCELERATE TO ATTACK SPEED: Military Science Fiction

Military SF/F authors have kept readers at the edge or their seats by incorporating wartime experience and strategies of armed conflict into the far-future and alternate history worlds they create. Not since Luke Skywalker blasted the hell out of the Death Star have we seen such interest in war-inspired science fiction and fantasy. Perhaps a sign of the time we’re in (and whatever might be said, we all bow before Scalzi’s influence) people just want books about good guys defeating unfriendly space invaders and plausible visions of a future military. May the force be with everyone in the audience as Taylor Anderson, Jack Campbell , and Myke Cole, fire up their ammo and discuss this Semper Fi friendly subgenre of popular fiction.

Room 1A02

MODERATOR: Ginjer Buchanan, executive editor Berkley/NAL

David writes:

 This is the ship I built a few years ago based on the old Revel kit.  I chose the Paul Jones and included a sampan to give it a location.  I cut off the bottom of the hull, and scratch built the gun shield the boarding ladder and the searchlight tower.  

The figures are all “N” guage railroad figures, but all but one are female.  The male figures were to tall. The exception is the sailor with his hands on his hips, to great a pose to miss, so I cut him off at the ankles.  Notice the large alien creature trying to land on the rigging in the 2nd shot.  

Hope to see some of you there!

• Autographing: Thu 14:00 (Autographing), Thu 14:00 – 15:00, Hall 2 Autographs (RSCC)
• Ace/Roc (Publisher Presentation), Thu 17:00 – 18:00, A11 (RSCC)
• Why Does the Left Still Love Military Science Fiction? (Panel), Fri 17:00 – 18:00, A05 (RSCC)
• Researching and Understanding Victorian Warfare (Talk), Sat 10:00 – 11:00, A11 (RSCC)
• Reading: Taylor Anderson (Reading), Sat 15:30 – 16:00, A15 (RSCC)