Fire in a Faraway Place

by Robert A. Frezza

Six years after Lt.-Colonel Anton Vereshcagin's 1st Battalion, 35th Imperial Infantry Regiment (Rifle) quelled the revolt that marooned it on Suid-Africa, another fleet appears in the skies: Earth has not forgtten Suid-Afrika, nor has the Japanese company that once ran the planet.
The fleet is to reintroduce what the Japanese think of as order--ever higher production norms for the metals that make interstellar flight possible, and compelled obedience to the company's rules. There are no Caucasians among the new forces, and even the soldiers of the Manchurian regiment are led by the Japanese.
Despite Lt.-Col. Vereschagin's efforts to prevent bloodshed, war eventually begins, and he sides with the colonists. Vereschagin realizes that Tokyo cannot overlook the loss of a planet to rebellion; it has an interstellar empire to protect. No, Tokyo must be convinced that further attacks are dangerous--and to do that, Vereschagin has a plan....

Genres: Science Fiction, Military Science Fiction, Fiction

307 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 31, 1994

About the author

An American writer who began publishing SF with "Max Weber's War" for Amazing, January 1987.

Reviews

[Thomas Vera · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this book. Reminded me of Clancy style and very detailed in military tactics. I actually read this before I read A Small Colonial War. You don't have to read the first book but after going back, it explained the characters in more depth. I have read this 5 times now and still enjoy it!

[C. S. · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of five excellent books by Frezza, and the second in a trilogy of some of the best military SF I know. That Del Ray didn’t do more to develop Frezza’s career is a clear sign of how the imprint was declining .

[Howl · Rating 4 out of 5]

The last book ended with the 1/35th Rifles having defeated the Afrikaaner radicals and then turning over the planet to a democratically elected government (a move sure to meet with disapproval from the corporation USS and the Imperial Japanese government).

This book shows what happens when it's time to pay the piper and the bill is due. Vereschagin and his men (as well as the Afrikaaners) have a choice, submit to the Imperial government and go back to being effectively serfs for the USS or to fight for the slim chance that they can defeat the task force sent to bring Suid Afrika back under corporate control.

Outgunned, outmanned, outnumbered, but not outplanned; the people of Suid Afrika, both Afrikaaner and former Imperial alike elect to struggle for their freedom but at a terrible price.

This book is divided into two halves, the battle for Suid Afrika and what comes after. In a lot of ways its what comes after that makes this a good book. The choices made to attempt to defend Suid Afrika have consequences, and some of those consequences are heart-breaking. It's not quite George R.R. Martin-level, but being a character with a large amount of development does not make you any safer.

It's engaging and the plot moves along quickly. I actually ended up re-reading this mostly in one sitting, staying up until 2:30 to finish it despite having read it previously ad knowing how it was all going to turn out.

It's interesting, thinking about this there are definitely parallels between this and Michael Z. Williamson's The Weapon. I strongly disliked "The Weapon", in part because of the indiscriminate slaughter of people who had no connection to the actions of Earth's government. The raid on Tokyo has a similar purpose, to shock the Imperial government and force them to consider another course of action for Earth and it's colonies. However in "Fire in A Faraway Place" the targets (while they include civilians) have at least some connection to the choices that have lead to the oppression of colonies like Suid Afrika. The raiders deliberately try to minimize loss of life to innocent bystanders, and Vereschagin refuses to consider the use of nuclear weapons against Tokyo because the loss of life would be to great to countenance. In addition, some of the team deliberately choose to spend their lives in the assault, both because of grief over their losses, and to lend "sincerity" to their cause of action. To me it is an altogether different message despite the similarities. Additionally Vereschagin's soldiers (and the text itself) exhibit none of the contempt for the unaware civilians found in Williamson's writing.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Start by defining how I use stars.

5 means I have re-read the book, which is the best recommendation for me.
4 means I enjoyed this book and might re-read it at some future date, but I haven't so far. Life is short and there are many books to read.
3 means I enjoyed the book but I don't feel the need to re-read it.
2 means not for me, but you may like it.
1 means I couldn't get into it, or finish it and didn't enjoy the read, which sometimes is a sad thing, other times not so much.

[Tim Clouse · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sequel to A Small Colonial War. If you like one, you will like the other.

[Steven Vaughan-Nichols · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another brilliant, but difficult, military SF novel.