Review: A surprisingly good military scifi tale of survival
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 06 17, 2012
I expected a typical mindless military scifi action story, and that's how this book starts.  Then, it becomes a survival tale with a little mystery.  This story delivered more than I expected, and I enjoyed it more for that.The story follows six members of a Marine special ops team as they spearhead an assault on an enemy outpost on a distant world.  When they are cut off from their extraction point, they end up stranded deep underground where they find a huge derelict spaceship.  As they try to treat their injuries, resupply and seek a means of escape, they find that they are not alone.Almost all of the action is concentrated in the beginning and end of the book, but when the action starts, it is intense.  That's not to say that much of the book is dull as writer Michael Marks manages to drive the story with suspense and mystery.  The Marines' exploration of the ship reminded me of the scene in the movie Aliens where the Colonial Marines stalk through a deserted colony.  Marks writes well - his descriptions are very detailed.  Descriptions of the Marines' gear are also very detailed - enough to make them plausible, not outlandish.  Marks doesn't skimp on the science either.  The science behind the tech in the story is explained well - it's not the techiest that I've read, but it's enough to make it believable.I do have some gripes.  First of all, the characters are too cliched and not well developed.  Only one of the characters really comes out of this adventure a different person.  Some of the characters seem to be way too tough to be real.  However, thinking of all the stories of heroism and sacrifice by special forces soldiers, maybe it isn't so far fetched.  Some of the plot points were just a little too contrived.In all, I enjoyed this book very much, and I look forward to reading more from Michael Marks.