Review: Ho-Hum begining, redemption at the end
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 07 30, 2013
I've read the Author's Invasion series and enjoyed them, I've also read the first book in his sci-fi series and did not enjoy it, so I thought I would give this one a chance, best 2 out of 3 thing.  First off the Humans as mercenaries using bio-armor was done in Mick Farrens "Their Masters War" and the use and tech behind it were "extremely" coincindental. That said it wasn't what made the book a so-so read for me at the start. I found the lead charachter, over the top and not very engaging. I found his back-story to be unbelievable and took away from the empathy that may have developed. He was sent to adult prison for beating his abusive step-father, even though his father was a famous pilot, could he have not went to him and asked for help and the judge was a "friend" of the step-father, so he had to do hard time, did his mother care so little for him? He was given a choice of more time or join the army, REALLY?  You realize that his felony conviction would have barred his admitance?  You should have had the judge offer that BEFORE he went to prison.Yet as the story wore on, I almost gave up after the first few chapters, it became much better and much more interesting. After the introduction of the evil alien the story seemed to flow much better. The parsing of the alien motivations throughout the story was a nice touch and kept me reading. The battle scenes were well written and the tech not so overwhelming they took away from the story but added to it. The ending was a big, pleasant, surprise and did not end on a cliffhanger, in an attempt to sell future books, but was satisfying on it's own, and yet leaving room for further development, something I wish more authors would do.If they had a 3.5 star rating I would give it that and will buy any further novels, I just hope if the series continues that the author does not pull a Larson and make the guy so over-the-top, superhuman and unbelievable the story becomes idiotic, he's a leader he doesn't need to micro-manage everything and charge into set defenses without getting a scratch.