Books: Lines of Departure

"Lines of Departure" is the sequel to Marko Kloos's first novel, "Terms of Enlistment," and it's a pretty good read for any fan of military science fiction. The book, like its predecessor, follows Andrew Grayson and humanity's battle with the "Lankies," giant aliens so advanced that they consider our species as pests, not threats. Aside from a brief sojourn on an overpopulated Earth, Grayson flits from deployment to deployment, waging war against both Lankies and (depressingly) other humans.

I liked "Lines of Departure" a lot, though there are still some things that could be improved. As with the first book, Grayson is essentially the perfect soldier, hyper-competent and loyal to his comrades, without ever really being afraid or outfoxed. Likewise, the Lankies make for an imposing, inscrutable enemy, but the eventual weapon used against them seems a little too convenient (and obvious), so much so that Marko had to explain it on his blog (SPOILER ALERT).

All that said, this is good sci-fi that had me turning pages well into the night, and it's well worth a look.