What do you think?
Rate this book
Carerra #6
The Rods and the Axe
Books #6 in the popular Carrera military science fiction series.
Tarawa. Iwo. Normandy. Names that shine in the military history of two worlds, places where brave men stormed ashore and fought their way to victory no matter the odds. But then there are other names: Marathon. Malta. Gallipoli.
Balboa’s Patricio Carrera has driven the Tauran Union from his adopted country, driven them out with appalling loss and worse humiliation. That’s not enough though. To finally finish his enemies, Carrera needs to draw them back for a more telling defeat. He cannot take the battle to them because, beyond some long range bombardment capability, he cannot reach them. But when they return, they don’t plan to come alone; they insist on having someone else do most of the bleeding for them.
Carrera understands this. And that’s why he’s provoked the Zhong Guo mercilessly, infuriating their ruling Empress. He needs the Zhong in the war, to buck up the Taurans to continue the war to its bitterest end.
But to get to Carrera, the Zhong must take the Isla Real, the strongest island fortress on two worlds. In the process, they’ll learn why Marines never forget those other names. . . .
Gallipoli…Malta…Marathon.
Carrera’s enemies are about to learn why the expression "blood-stained water" is not just a literary allusion.
About Tom Kratman’s Carrera series:
“[I]nterplanetary warfare with. . .[a] visceral story of bravery and sacrifice . . . fans of the military SF of John Ringo and David Webershould enjoy this SF action adventure.”–Library Journal
“Kratman's dystopia is a brisk page turner full of startling twists … [Kratman is] a professional military man … up to speed on military and geopolitical conceits.” –Best-selling author of America Alone Mark Steyn on Tom Kratman’s uncompromising military SF thriller, Califate
“Kratman raises disquieting questions on what it might take to win the war on terror…realistic action sequences, strong characterizations and thoughts on the philosophy of war.” – Publishers Weekly
Carerra Series:
A Desert Called Peace
Carnifex
The Lotus Eaters
The Amazon Legion
Come and Take Them
Rods and the Axe
Tarawa. Iwo. Normandy. Names that shine in the military history of two worlds, places where brave men stormed ashore and fought their way to victory no matter the odds. But then there are other names: Marathon. Malta. Gallipoli.
Balboa’s Patricio Carrera has driven the Tauran Union from his adopted country, driven them out with appalling loss and worse humiliation. That’s not enough though. To finally finish his enemies, Carrera needs to draw them back for a more telling defeat. He cannot take the battle to them because, beyond some long range bombardment capability, he cannot reach them. But when they return, they don’t plan to come alone; they insist on having someone else do most of the bleeding for them.
Carrera understands this. And that’s why he’s provoked the Zhong Guo mercilessly, infuriating their ruling Empress. He needs the Zhong in the war, to buck up the Taurans to continue the war to its bitterest end.
But to get to Carrera, the Zhong must take the Isla Real, the strongest island fortress on two worlds. In the process, they’ll learn why Marines never forget those other names. . . .
Gallipoli…Malta…Marathon.
Carrera’s enemies are about to learn why the expression "blood-stained water" is not just a literary allusion.
About Tom Kratman’s Carrera series:
“[I]nterplanetary warfare with. . .[a] visceral story of bravery and sacrifice . . . fans of the military SF of John Ringo and David Webershould enjoy this SF action adventure.”–Library Journal
“Kratman's dystopia is a brisk page turner full of startling twists … [Kratman is] a professional military man … up to speed on military and geopolitical conceits.” –Best-selling author of America Alone Mark Steyn on Tom Kratman’s uncompromising military SF thriller, Califate
“Kratman raises disquieting questions on what it might take to win the war on terror…realistic action sequences, strong characterizations and thoughts on the philosophy of war.” – Publishers Weekly
Carerra Series:
A Desert Called Peace
Carnifex
The Lotus Eaters
The Amazon Legion
Come and Take Them
Rods and the Axe
496 pages, Hardcover
First published June 15, 2014
30 people are currently reading
132 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
August 16, 2018
I love this series, with it's believable world, engaging stories, courageous characters. Superb!
July 10, 2014
I picked this up as soon as Amazon informed me that it was available, and I wasn't disappointed! And finally we get to the war's commencement! Truthfully, based on (fictional) events as written here, I was surprised that they were able to goad the Taurans into war. It was fun to see remotely piloted aircraft take center stage, in a somewhat unexpected way, and interesting seeing the developments in the long-term story arc that should eventually pit the Balboans (and Federated States?) against the "Earthpigs".
As per usual, we are left hanging at a lull in the battle, and things are in motion that I suspect will form the center of the next book in the series. Sigh. Back to waiting to see what happens. (Thankfully Book 4 gave us a glimpse into the progression of the war as a whole, even though it was from a limited viewpoint.)
As per usual, we are left hanging at a lull in the battle, and things are in motion that I suspect will form the center of the next book in the series. Sigh. Back to waiting to see what happens. (Thankfully Book 4 gave us a glimpse into the progression of the war as a whole, even though it was from a limited viewpoint.)
January 4, 2017
Again, like Books 4 and 5, this book rehashes the same content as was covered up to Book 3, and almost nothing beyond. The series has the potential to be good, but the author needs to actually write some new content rather than review and parallel the existing story.
It got really monotonous re-reading some of the same dialogue and action from Books 4 and 5. I want progress. I want to see the Tauran Union get their asses kicked again and again. I want the UEPF to get their just desserts and the enemies of Balboa destroyed in a tide of blood and fear.
Instead, what I'm left with is the thought "what, this shit again?!" It's been over 2 years since this book was published and there's no sign of a follow-on book. My suspicion is the series, which started with a bang in "A Desert Called Peace" will end with a whimper. If this is all the author can produce, my suggestion is for anyone thinking of reading this series to stop at Book 3.
It got really monotonous re-reading some of the same dialogue and action from Books 4 and 5. I want progress. I want to see the Tauran Union get their asses kicked again and again. I want the UEPF to get their just desserts and the enemies of Balboa destroyed in a tide of blood and fear.
Instead, what I'm left with is the thought "what, this shit again?!" It's been over 2 years since this book was published and there's no sign of a follow-on book. My suspicion is the series, which started with a bang in "A Desert Called Peace" will end with a whimper. If this is all the author can produce, my suggestion is for anyone thinking of reading this series to stop at Book 3.
December 7, 2022
Tough fight!
Non stop action is in compliment to revealed tactics of this story is satisfying to this reader. The reviled hate of the heroes to the progressive ideals is refreshing , supported with cold
Logic and the author's seems to me , accurate estimation of how far off the path of human freedom the insane political policies of progressive s.
Non stop action is in compliment to revealed tactics of this story is satisfying to this reader. The reviled hate of the heroes to the progressive ideals is refreshing , supported with cold
Logic and the author's seems to me , accurate estimation of how far off the path of human freedom the insane political policies of progressive s.
December 5, 2018
A continuation of the Carrera series that focuses on the Zhong Empire's involvement in the attack on Balboa. This volume fills in detail of actions that were briefly covered in earlier volumes. Finally got around to reading this volume just in time for the next volume to come out.
June 10, 2019
I love Tom Kratman's Carerra Series. I've read them all and I hope there are more to come.
January 18, 2021
This is a well constructed book from a series
November 7, 2020
Tom Kratman continues the ongoing saga of Carrera's war on Terra Nova here. There is a great deal of detail given relating to how his tercias continue to prepare and dig in for the anticipated attack from the Tauran Union and the Zhang Empire, some good political shenanigans, and some fun stuff from his "ministry of dirty tricks".
I've learned from watching BSU football games over the years that, even if you're known for having a lot of trick plays up your sleeve (like Carrera), you still have to have a good solid skill set of offensive and defensive strategies and tactics in order to win, and I think that the author is quite aware of that, while still providing enough exciting confusion and misdirection to keep the readers entertained.
Kratman may be the only author I can think of off of the top of my head in the military science fiction field, besides David Weber, who can pull off the massively multi-POV story well. I'm not terribly good at visualizing all of the locations on his world, or keeping track of all of the different officers and soldiers and government officials on the multi-front conflict, but he gives me just enough referents to keep moving along with it.
A good, solid step forward in the story line, which was only irritating in that it ended after four hundred pages or so with "To be continued..." Drat! I was really hoping to see the Zhang and Taurans brought to their knees at last.
I've learned from watching BSU football games over the years that, even if you're known for having a lot of trick plays up your sleeve (like Carrera), you still have to have a good solid skill set of offensive and defensive strategies and tactics in order to win, and I think that the author is quite aware of that, while still providing enough exciting confusion and misdirection to keep the readers entertained.
Kratman may be the only author I can think of off of the top of my head in the military science fiction field, besides David Weber, who can pull off the massively multi-POV story well. I'm not terribly good at visualizing all of the locations on his world, or keeping track of all of the different officers and soldiers and government officials on the multi-front conflict, but he gives me just enough referents to keep moving along with it.
A good, solid step forward in the story line, which was only irritating in that it ended after four hundred pages or so with "To be continued..." Drat! I was really hoping to see the Zhang and Taurans brought to their knees at last.
July 13, 2015
The author spent the first 575 pages on the preparations for the war going into very extensive detail, at great length to the point of being tedious and overdone ! The behind the scene strategy, tricks, and preparations to get to be 2,3 or 4 steps ahead of the enemy was very interesting but began to wear on me after 575 pages of it ! Once the war began and the battles started the last 75 pages was very exciting and worthwhile but then the book just ends abruptly right in the middle of the action with no satisfying conclusion leaving you hanging there having to wait for the next book in this series ! I hope the next book will have a lot more battles and continuous action in the war and not stray off into unnecessary tangents !
October 9, 2016
Continuing (sort of) the story arc of the Carrera epic. This time baiting the Tauran Union and its allies into a full fledged attack. Not a lot I can say that I haven't in prior reviews. Continues to have amusing creative ideas mixed with hammer blows of philosophy.
Also, I'm sort of an idiot, so I can't exactly tell where this fits chronologically with the last 2 books. Its sort of overlaps, and I *think* ends a bit further along than the last ones, but I can't say for sure. Sort of frustrating as I feel like on the one hand I can appreciate the depth of thought that goes into telling a story from so many viewpoints at the same time, on the other, I now feel like the storyline has largely stalled.
Meh. Still will gladly read the next one.
Also, I'm sort of an idiot, so I can't exactly tell where this fits chronologically with the last 2 books. Its sort of overlaps, and I *think* ends a bit further along than the last ones, but I can't say for sure. Sort of frustrating as I feel like on the one hand I can appreciate the depth of thought that goes into telling a story from so many viewpoints at the same time, on the other, I now feel like the storyline has largely stalled.
Meh. Still will gladly read the next one.
August 6, 2015
Compelling installment in the Carerra Series
Again one must not draw correlations between reality and the authors fiction. We may wish that we had a charismatic leader like Carerra, but we know reality. The author can draw on his years of experience and weave it into his fictional world that is a microcosm of today's world and produce a compelling series of books. Highly recommended.
Again one must not draw correlations between reality and the authors fiction. We may wish that we had a charismatic leader like Carerra, but we know reality. The author can draw on his years of experience and weave it into his fictional world that is a microcosm of today's world and produce a compelling series of books. Highly recommended.
August 5, 2019
This was actually my second time reading this one. I'd just picked up "Pillar of Fire by Night" and needed a refresher on the story. Even reading it a second time, I'm still entertained.
Carrera got what he wanted, the war is on. He's not the only one wanting a war though. The "Earthpigs" are the driving force, and both sides have a different desired outcome. Good stuff for the military sci-fi crowd, although not too much sci-fi here. Just a lot of killin'
Carrera got what he wanted, the war is on. He's not the only one wanting a war though. The "Earthpigs" are the driving force, and both sides have a different desired outcome. Good stuff for the military sci-fi crowd, although not too much sci-fi here. Just a lot of killin'
July 20, 2014
Enjoyed this installment, and have enjoyed all the others. I feel unsettled as to the transition from one book to the next as they end suddenly in the middle of the action. However the writing is always engaging as are the stories and the approaches. I have these at the top of my reading list and always bookmark the date for the next one.
May 29, 2014
I like all of this series. The Balboans seem to be several steps ahead of the Tauran Union. I am waiting for them to go back and straighten out earth.
I am still a bit confused about how the end of the book goes with the preface. I'll keep reading it until it makes sense.
I am still a bit confused about how the end of the book goes with the preface. I'll keep reading it until it makes sense.
December 16, 2015
The Carerra story is always interesting. I thought this would be the final book, but it's only half the story it started to be, so the next will finish this episode and I'd guess there are a couple more to come. Addictive reading.
September 20, 2014
Eagerly awaiting Book 7!
There are some things I am guessing at and want to see what he (the author) and the protagonist will do.
There are some things I am guessing at and want to see what he (the author) and the protagonist will do.
August 4, 2014
Yet another hit out of the park by Kratman. It leaves you wanting more to find out how the series ends. Outstanding book.
May 27, 2016
Balboa baits the Tauran Union and Zhong into the war most wanted. The sequel to Come and Take Them.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews