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Sim War #1
Glory Main: The Sim War: Book One
We are closer to the Sims than we think …
For decades, mankind has been locked in a war with an alien enemy that resembles the human race so closely they are known as the Sims. Both sides battle for control of habitable planets across the galaxies—often at any cost.
Lieutenant Jander Mortas is fresh out of officer training and new to the war zone but eager to prove himself. There's just one problem: disaster strikes while he's traveling to his first assignment. He wakes to find himself marooned on a planet that appears deserted, with the only other survivors: a psychoanalyst, a conscientious objector, and a bitter veteran of a brutal slave-scout detachment. As the group struggles to reach safety on a nearby base, Glory Main, they discover a Sim colony—which could mean their salvation, or their demise.
Thrown together, they must fight the harsh elements, an ever-present enemy, and possibly each other.
For decades, mankind has been locked in a war with an alien enemy that resembles the human race so closely they are known as the Sims. Both sides battle for control of habitable planets across the galaxies—often at any cost.
Lieutenant Jander Mortas is fresh out of officer training and new to the war zone but eager to prove himself. There's just one problem: disaster strikes while he's traveling to his first assignment. He wakes to find himself marooned on a planet that appears deserted, with the only other survivors: a psychoanalyst, a conscientious objector, and a bitter veteran of a brutal slave-scout detachment. As the group struggles to reach safety on a nearby base, Glory Main, they discover a Sim colony—which could mean their salvation, or their demise.
Thrown together, they must fight the harsh elements, an ever-present enemy, and possibly each other.
320 pages, ebook
First published August 17, 2012
12 people are currently reading
474 people want to read
About the author
Henry V. O'Neil
14 books9 followersHenry V. O’Neil is the name under which Malice Award-winning mystery novelist Vincent H. O’Neil publishes his science fiction work. In 2017 HarperCollins released the fifth and final novel in his military science Sim War series (Glory Main, Orphan Brigade, Dire Steps, CHOP Line, and Live Echoes).
After graduating from West Point, he served in the US Army Infantry with the Tenth Mountain Division at Fort Drum, New York and the 1st Battalion (Airborne) of the 508th Infantry in Panama. He holds a Master’s degree in International Business from The Fletcher School of Law & Diplomacy.
In 2005 he won the St. Martin’s Press “Malice Domestic” writing award for his debut novel Murder in Exile. Murder in Exile was the first book in the Frank Cole/Exile series, and was followed by Reduced Circumstances, Exile Trust, and Contest of Wills.
He is also the author of the theater-themed murder mystery Death Troupe and two horror novels called Interlands and Denizens.
After graduating from West Point, he served in the US Army Infantry with the Tenth Mountain Division at Fort Drum, New York and the 1st Battalion (Airborne) of the 508th Infantry in Panama. He holds a Master’s degree in International Business from The Fletcher School of Law & Diplomacy.
In 2005 he won the St. Martin’s Press “Malice Domestic” writing award for his debut novel Murder in Exile. Murder in Exile was the first book in the Frank Cole/Exile series, and was followed by Reduced Circumstances, Exile Trust, and Contest of Wills.
He is also the author of the theater-themed murder mystery Death Troupe and two horror novels called Interlands and Denizens.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
February 20, 2014
Picked up this book at a science fiction convention. I have a soft spot for hardcore military science fiction, and this book did not disappoint. The first chapter was a wee bit choppy getting into the protagonist's head, but then it worked and what a ride! The characters felt real, and its depiction of survival on a harsh, enemy-infested alien world worked, and the big coup d'etat at the end was also gritty and realistic like a good military scifi novel should be. There is a surprise twist at the end which I will not spoil, but it was a great twist. I had my suspicions early on, but the peppering of hints was subtle so I was not certain until the very end.
Great book! 5 Starry Spaceships
Great book! 5 Starry Spaceships
August 13, 2014
I'm not normally a science fiction fan, but I love a good military story where there is a good chance that the good side wins in the end. I loved this fast paced read. Enjoyed all the characters. Got it wrong on the female possible romantic interest character. Darn! But I love twists in the plot and this twist surprised me. Hope you will enjoy this. I'm looking forward to the 2nd book in the series.
October 10, 2014
REVIEW SUMMARY: A strong military science fiction debut.
MY RATING: 3.5 stars
BRIEF SYNOPSIS: Lieutenant Jander Mortas and three other shuttle crash survivors seek escape from a harsh alien planet that may be even more dangerous than they first assume.
MY REVIEW
PROS: Satisfying character arc, interesting and original aliens, gripping fight for survival, lots of potential for future entries in series, killer ending.
CONS: The story would benefit from stronger characterization.
BOTTOM LINE: Henry V. O'Neil's Glory Main is an unexpected, yet satisfying, military sf novel.
Though the majority of my reading these days consists of fantasy and urban fantasy titles, military science fiction will always be my favorite sub-genre of fiction. It's been a while since I read any military science fiction but I've been playing a good amount of the video game Destiny lately and it rekindled my interest in good ol' fashion space war. Fortunately I stumbled upon Henry V. O'Neil's novel Glory Main: The Sim War Book One, one of the winners of the Harper Voyage digital submission contest. If Glory Main is to serve as any indication, Harper Voyager Impulse is publishing some quality novels and well worth keeping an eye on.
We are locked in a decades old conflict with the Sims, an alien race that closely resembles humanity in almost every way. The battle for habitable planets rages across the stars, consuming countless lives. In the midst of this intergalactic battlefield Lieutenant Jander Mortas is stranded on a seemingly lifeless planet en route to his first field posting. Along with a psychoanalyst, a pacifist, and a scout-slave Jander's training is put to the ultimate test in a life and death struggle to escape the planet. As it turns out the planet may not be as lifeless as first assumed and soon the four crash survivors face a threat far greater than the hostile environment.
Glory Main isn't a typical military science fiction novel, it defied a lot of my expectations. Most of the mil sf I've read features futuristic vehicles, gear, and weapons. It's become one of the aspects I most anticipate about reading these kinds of stories. I'm endlessly fascinated with predictions of how warfare might be waged decades and centuries from now. In Glory Main our protagonists are stripped of all this from the very start -- Lieutenant Jander Mortas and crew have nothing but their wits and the clothes on their backs. Henry V. O'Neil snatches away the safety blanket provided by dropships and power armor and laser rifles and this serves to heighten the stakes. It is later discovered that the planet is already inhabited by the Sims and for a brief while our protagonists link up with a ragtag human assault element but for the majority of the novel Jander, Cranther, Trent and Gorman are alone and mostly unarmed. I found that the soft opening of Glory Main and the landscape of the alien planet really emphasizes this sense of isolation.
The thirst, the hunger, the weary hopelessness of the situation is a constant throughout the story. Each of the four characters has a particular skill set that is utilized over the course of the novel. The main character is Lieutenant Jander Mortas, a young man seeking adventure and glory. Glory Main sees his transformation from officer fresh out of candidate school to seasoned veteran. He starts off naive and eager to prove himself, yet easily likable, and learns the hard lessons of leadership and survival. The most obviously useful soldier in his crew is Corporal Cranther, a Spartacan scout that is accustomed to operating behind enemy lines with little to no support network. In relating past experiences on the battlefield Cranther serves to smash Jander's preconceived notions of war against the Sims. The two other characters, a pacifist chartist and a psychoanalyst, also play important roles in the story, though would have been improved with additional characterization. Glory Main is a novel of personal survival at impossible odds rather than a star-spanning campaign and so an added degree of connection between Jander and the people he finds himself stranded with would have made a big difference.
One of the most interesting aspects of Glory Main is the enigma of the Sims. They look human but they can't eat the food that we eat or speak in a way that we've been able to translate in forty years of fighting. They are relatively low tech and have a tendency for reverse engineering human technology or just stealing it outright. What they lack in sophistication they more than make up for with numbers and tenacity. There are a lot of mysteries surrounding the Sims and a lot of possibilities for O'Neil to explore in future entries to the series.
Glory Main is not an average military science fiction novel. The characters spend more time fighting starvation and thirst than aliens but that is not to say that this novel lacks action. On the contrary, the book is filled with tension and excitement. If the first third of the novel seems a little slow I ask that readers stick with it because the middle and final acts are intense. Glory Main is not the book I expected to read when I first picked it up and I'm quite pleased it turned out to be something else entirely. Jander's character arc is well executed and the twist at the end of the novel delivers a gut punch. Glory Main is a satisfying story of survival against all odds and I look forward to whatever The Sim War Book Two has to offer.
Nick Sharps
SF Signal
MY RATING: 3.5 stars
BRIEF SYNOPSIS: Lieutenant Jander Mortas and three other shuttle crash survivors seek escape from a harsh alien planet that may be even more dangerous than they first assume.
MY REVIEW
PROS: Satisfying character arc, interesting and original aliens, gripping fight for survival, lots of potential for future entries in series, killer ending.
CONS: The story would benefit from stronger characterization.
BOTTOM LINE: Henry V. O'Neil's Glory Main is an unexpected, yet satisfying, military sf novel.
Though the majority of my reading these days consists of fantasy and urban fantasy titles, military science fiction will always be my favorite sub-genre of fiction. It's been a while since I read any military science fiction but I've been playing a good amount of the video game Destiny lately and it rekindled my interest in good ol' fashion space war. Fortunately I stumbled upon Henry V. O'Neil's novel Glory Main: The Sim War Book One, one of the winners of the Harper Voyage digital submission contest. If Glory Main is to serve as any indication, Harper Voyager Impulse is publishing some quality novels and well worth keeping an eye on.
We are locked in a decades old conflict with the Sims, an alien race that closely resembles humanity in almost every way. The battle for habitable planets rages across the stars, consuming countless lives. In the midst of this intergalactic battlefield Lieutenant Jander Mortas is stranded on a seemingly lifeless planet en route to his first field posting. Along with a psychoanalyst, a pacifist, and a scout-slave Jander's training is put to the ultimate test in a life and death struggle to escape the planet. As it turns out the planet may not be as lifeless as first assumed and soon the four crash survivors face a threat far greater than the hostile environment.
Glory Main isn't a typical military science fiction novel, it defied a lot of my expectations. Most of the mil sf I've read features futuristic vehicles, gear, and weapons. It's become one of the aspects I most anticipate about reading these kinds of stories. I'm endlessly fascinated with predictions of how warfare might be waged decades and centuries from now. In Glory Main our protagonists are stripped of all this from the very start -- Lieutenant Jander Mortas and crew have nothing but their wits and the clothes on their backs. Henry V. O'Neil snatches away the safety blanket provided by dropships and power armor and laser rifles and this serves to heighten the stakes. It is later discovered that the planet is already inhabited by the Sims and for a brief while our protagonists link up with a ragtag human assault element but for the majority of the novel Jander, Cranther, Trent and Gorman are alone and mostly unarmed. I found that the soft opening of Glory Main and the landscape of the alien planet really emphasizes this sense of isolation.
The thirst, the hunger, the weary hopelessness of the situation is a constant throughout the story. Each of the four characters has a particular skill set that is utilized over the course of the novel. The main character is Lieutenant Jander Mortas, a young man seeking adventure and glory. Glory Main sees his transformation from officer fresh out of candidate school to seasoned veteran. He starts off naive and eager to prove himself, yet easily likable, and learns the hard lessons of leadership and survival. The most obviously useful soldier in his crew is Corporal Cranther, a Spartacan scout that is accustomed to operating behind enemy lines with little to no support network. In relating past experiences on the battlefield Cranther serves to smash Jander's preconceived notions of war against the Sims. The two other characters, a pacifist chartist and a psychoanalyst, also play important roles in the story, though would have been improved with additional characterization. Glory Main is a novel of personal survival at impossible odds rather than a star-spanning campaign and so an added degree of connection between Jander and the people he finds himself stranded with would have made a big difference.
One of the most interesting aspects of Glory Main is the enigma of the Sims. They look human but they can't eat the food that we eat or speak in a way that we've been able to translate in forty years of fighting. They are relatively low tech and have a tendency for reverse engineering human technology or just stealing it outright. What they lack in sophistication they more than make up for with numbers and tenacity. There are a lot of mysteries surrounding the Sims and a lot of possibilities for O'Neil to explore in future entries to the series.
Glory Main is not an average military science fiction novel. The characters spend more time fighting starvation and thirst than aliens but that is not to say that this novel lacks action. On the contrary, the book is filled with tension and excitement. If the first third of the novel seems a little slow I ask that readers stick with it because the middle and final acts are intense. Glory Main is not the book I expected to read when I first picked it up and I'm quite pleased it turned out to be something else entirely. Jander's character arc is well executed and the twist at the end of the novel delivers a gut punch. Glory Main is a satisfying story of survival against all odds and I look forward to whatever The Sim War Book Two has to offer.
Nick Sharps
SF Signal
August 26, 2012
The following is Andrew Kerber's Amazon review of GLORY MAIN:
This is a well done military Science Fiction story, especially for a new author in the field. O'Neill started out in the mystery genre and has graduated into Military Science Fiction. O'Neill brings those skill he first showed in the Mysteries such as Death Troupe into the new genre, creating an exciting and interesting page turner.
The story starts with our hero crash landing with 3 other people on a planet thought to be uninhabited. Our hero is a new graduate of Officers Basic. His companions are a psychologist, a devout pacifist drafted for non-combatant duties, and an elite scout. We soon find out that the planet has been recently settled by the sims, the enemy. The story tells of their escape from the planet, and as they work to escape the planet, we also learn more about the complex political situation on the human planets. The ending is unique, and completely unexpected. I am eagerly awaiting the next volume.
This is a well done military Science Fiction story, especially for a new author in the field. O'Neill started out in the mystery genre and has graduated into Military Science Fiction. O'Neill brings those skill he first showed in the Mysteries such as Death Troupe into the new genre, creating an exciting and interesting page turner.
The story starts with our hero crash landing with 3 other people on a planet thought to be uninhabited. Our hero is a new graduate of Officers Basic. His companions are a psychologist, a devout pacifist drafted for non-combatant duties, and an elite scout. We soon find out that the planet has been recently settled by the sims, the enemy. The story tells of their escape from the planet, and as they work to escape the planet, we also learn more about the complex political situation on the human planets. The ending is unique, and completely unexpected. I am eagerly awaiting the next volume.
November 24, 2014
I feel guilty that I've had this book for two months and had not gotten around to reading it. My excuse is that I owned it and the library stack had to be read first so I wouldn't have to pay late fees. The stack finally became manageable and I sat down to finally read "Glory Main". Science fiction is not a genre that I normally read, but I really enjoyed this. The story kept my interest and I could totally relate to LT Mortas' feelings as an unproven leader, albeit his circumstances were much more dire than any I ever encountered. I look forward to the next book and this time I won't wait two months to read it!
October 27, 2014
Stranded on an Empty Planet with an odd mix personnel after a crash, Lt. Mortas has to try to find a way to let the Earth know he's not lost and defeat the Sim threat. The author knows his military and the book is very enjoyable military science fiction along the lines of some of the older space adventures or maybe the movie Enemy Mine. The ending was a surprise but I won't ruin it for you other readers. Where's your hot chow?
June 3, 2018
The Sim War: Book One finds Lieutenant Jander Mortas new to the war zone when his ship crashes on a deserted planet. Stranded with him are a psychoanalyst, a pacifist with astronavigation skills, and a special ops scout. Together, they struggle through the hostile environment toward safety. But there’s one problem. They discover an enemy encampment and a troop of their own forces in a desperate battle for survival. Can Mortas keep his team together and alive long enough to steal a shuttle and fly them out of there? A fast-paced story with a sympathetic protagonist in a world that feels real. It will make you appreciate the comforts of home all the more.
January 31, 2019
I had zero interest in Military Sci-Fi, but a friend encouraged me to read this. I loved it. Very clever premise, some amazing 'special effects' in weaponry, and an ending that will really twist your knickers.
August 2, 2014
More reviews (and no fluff) on the blog http://surrealtalvi.wordpress.com/
Glory Main is a fairly short but riveting science fiction/survival read with quite a few plot twists and very interesting world building. Diverse, distinct characters with a compelling plot, non-stop tension, and plenty of surprises all add up to one heck of a great book.Story: Young, newly minted lieutenant Jandar Mortas, son of a high ranked politician, joined the space military to prove himself and fight the alien Sims. But on his first assignment, he wakes from deep sleep to find himself marooned on a strange planet with only a few survivors: a chartsman, a headshrink, and a Spartacan scout (highly trained elite but dispensable super-soldiers). Together, they quickly discover that the Sims have beat them to the planet - and their only hope of surviving both the unknown and potentially fatal flora and flauna as well as the enemy, is to find a way off the planet before being discovered. Mortas will have to utilize all of his small group's talents, with no resources, food or water, in order to get vital enemy information back to the humans.
Even without the monumental twists at the end, this was quite an entertaining read. The story of their hardships, triumphs, and bitter setbacks were buoyed by very well drawn personalities in all the characters. Each felt very real and distinct but also as much an unknown as would be expected from a story told from one person's POV (which I greatly appreciated - so many military sci fi have multiple POVs these days). Mortas is sensible but also doubts and though he felt a bit older than 22, I enjoyed his dialogue and was rooting for him to succeed. The other three characters were also really well fleshed out and felt 'real' throughout the story.
The plot itself, though starting out as a very compelling story of survival, eventually turned into something much more, with a huge shocker at the end that had me smiling, it was so unexpected. Even without the twist, I was very glad I had a chance to read the story. But upon finishing, I am now greatly looking forward the next book. There were a lot of hints at a much larger world, from politics to the enemy, that I can't wait to see expounded upon and explored. O'Neill never gives too much away and never did the story feel overwritten. The language, descriptions, and world building never overshadowed the characters or plot and the pace was perfect throughout. Some military sci fi tend to be about the science or the war - this story was very much about the people in the war.
In all, a very thrilling read with a great ending. The next in the series can't be published soon enough.
Reviewed from an ARC.
October 21, 2013
Lieutenant Jander Mortas is a newbie dreaming his way into his first Infantry platoon in an...interstellar war...with a race of biped mammalian clones that really seem to be pretty much like humans. He makes all kinds of newbie mistakes and only barely manages to maintain his focus on surviving and protecting apparently driven by all the war zone hero stuff he grew up with as a kid in place of other things a child could use. The reason he has to focus so hard on surviving is that he and three others have crash landed on an inhospitable yet habitable world.
Chance has given Mortas his first unit and it is an unlikely bunch. They must prioritize to survive this seemingly unpopulated world and get back to the zone. He is in charge after he convinces the others or does he? There are a lot of plot twists to ensure that the reader will not get bored and only a very few will guess correctly.
The editing was excellent and it was a very enjoyable read. I will caution on the one piece of weak armor that I discovered and that was in the science...fiction part. The use in the plot of a device referred to as the Step needs some more meat to it or the tossing around of intergalactic jumps pushes this story beyond reach. It is enough for us to just accept that we might be able to travel between star systems but if you want to do galaxies I would challenge you to suspend my disbelief by hitting us with a primer on...The Step.
I recommend this read to anyone who likes military science fiction like that of Joe Haldeman. It will also appeal to readers who enjoy Philip K Dick's stories like The Other Variety which made it to film as Screamers. Excellent job.
http://www.amazon.com/Glory-Main-Stor...
Chance has given Mortas his first unit and it is an unlikely bunch. They must prioritize to survive this seemingly unpopulated world and get back to the zone. He is in charge after he convinces the others or does he? There are a lot of plot twists to ensure that the reader will not get bored and only a very few will guess correctly.
The editing was excellent and it was a very enjoyable read. I will caution on the one piece of weak armor that I discovered and that was in the science...fiction part. The use in the plot of a device referred to as the Step needs some more meat to it or the tossing around of intergalactic jumps pushes this story beyond reach. It is enough for us to just accept that we might be able to travel between star systems but if you want to do galaxies I would challenge you to suspend my disbelief by hitting us with a primer on...The Step.
I recommend this read to anyone who likes military science fiction like that of Joe Haldeman. It will also appeal to readers who enjoy Philip K Dick's stories like The Other Variety which made it to film as Screamers. Excellent job.
http://www.amazon.com/Glory-Main-Stor...
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April 4, 2019The following is Desmond M. Hassing's review of GLORY MAIN from the Amazon site:
"Glory Main" is an enjoyable and well crafted Military SciFi novel which does an excellent job of mixing elements of classical Military Scifi like Robert Heinlein's "Starship Troopers" and "The Moon is a Harsh Mistress" and Joe Haldeman's "The Forever War" (In which Governments and Political Movements are rarely a Grunt's best friend) with the more modern approach to Military SciFi embraced by author's like Rick Shelley - "The Fires of Coventry", "The Dirigent Mercenary Corps" (That focus on the role of regular infantrymen in the future world without suits of armor and giant lasers like in "Starship Troopers").
On top of all this Mr. O'Neil gives us a moving story of a young and idealistic lieutenant trapped behind enemy lines with a ragtag group of support personnel, under armed and without food and water, who must find a way to survive, avoid the enemy and find a way to escape an enemy held planet which reminded me of many 60's movies about World War Two starring the likes of Alec Guinness and Frank Sinatra.
I truly enjoyed reading this book and I hope Mr. O'Neil returns to this story soon, I for one will be buying any sequel he writes. I'm giving this book 5 stars and if you want to check out my other reviews you'll see that I really have to like something to give it a 5 star rating. If you like authors like Robert Heinlein, Joe Haldeman, John Ringo, David Weber, and Eric Flint I believe you will like this book.
"Glory Main" is an enjoyable and well crafted Military SciFi novel which does an excellent job of mixing elements of classical Military Scifi like Robert Heinlein's "Starship Troopers" and "The Moon is a Harsh Mistress" and Joe Haldeman's "The Forever War" (In which Governments and Political Movements are rarely a Grunt's best friend) with the more modern approach to Military SciFi embraced by author's like Rick Shelley - "The Fires of Coventry", "The Dirigent Mercenary Corps" (That focus on the role of regular infantrymen in the future world without suits of armor and giant lasers like in "Starship Troopers").
On top of all this Mr. O'Neil gives us a moving story of a young and idealistic lieutenant trapped behind enemy lines with a ragtag group of support personnel, under armed and without food and water, who must find a way to survive, avoid the enemy and find a way to escape an enemy held planet which reminded me of many 60's movies about World War Two starring the likes of Alec Guinness and Frank Sinatra.
I truly enjoyed reading this book and I hope Mr. O'Neil returns to this story soon, I for one will be buying any sequel he writes. I'm giving this book 5 stars and if you want to check out my other reviews you'll see that I really have to like something to give it a 5 star rating. If you like authors like Robert Heinlein, Joe Haldeman, John Ringo, David Weber, and Eric Flint I believe you will like this book.
April 21, 2016
I received this book as part of GoodReads First Reads giveaway.
That was great! Glory Main is the story of how the survivors of a (space)ship wreck evade hostile aliens and connive to escape back to the sector headquarters (the eponymous Glory Main). Along the way, the four strangers become a tight knit squad.
The author did an excellent job of conveying the desperation of the main characters. First how they had to search for food and water and then solving the mystery of what happened on the planet. And second, how the main characters worked to get off planet and deliver the information about a new alien weapon back to military headquarters.
And, I've got to say. I didn't see the twist at the end coming at all. Genuinely surprise. Though in retrospect I can see the hints that were being dropped all along. Left a great sequel hook and I'll be looking forward to Book Two.
Finally, I've got to comment on the world building. The origins of the war remains a mystery but over the course of the book we get continual hints that the humans aren't such good guys. Basically, they practice slavery, are run by a corrupt coup and honestly, the zerg seem to care more about individual soldier's lives. It never becomes a plot point (in this book!) but it's hinted at often enough to give me the chills.
Anyway, long story short, wow, awesome, definitely looking forward to Book Two.
That was great! Glory Main is the story of how the survivors of a (space)ship wreck evade hostile aliens and connive to escape back to the sector headquarters (the eponymous Glory Main). Along the way, the four strangers become a tight knit squad.
The author did an excellent job of conveying the desperation of the main characters. First how they had to search for food and water and then solving the mystery of what happened on the planet. And second, how the main characters worked to get off planet and deliver the information about a new alien weapon back to military headquarters.
And, I've got to say. I didn't see the twist at the end coming at all. Genuinely surprise. Though in retrospect I can see the hints that were being dropped all along. Left a great sequel hook and I'll be looking forward to Book Two.
Finally, I've got to comment on the world building. The origins of the war remains a mystery but over the course of the book we get continual hints that the humans aren't such good guys. Basically, they practice slavery, are run by a corrupt coup and honestly, the zerg seem to care more about individual soldier's lives. It never becomes a plot point (in this book!) but it's hinted at often enough to give me the chills.
Anyway, long story short, wow, awesome, definitely looking forward to Book Two.
May 18, 2015
I received a copy of Glory Main by Henry V. O’Neil for free through Goodreads First Reads.
This is a Military/sci-fi/alien novel. This isn’t my primary genre so I may be a bit inept in my review. Humans are at war with the Sims, an alien race that mirrors mankind. Both races are at war for control of habitable planets throughout the galaxy. The primary character is Jander Mortas. He is an eager newbie from officer training on his way to his first assignment. He finds himself on a deserted planet with three other survivors. They encounter a Sim colony as they make their way to Glory Main, a nearby base.
4 star read for me. I liked the characters and I found them to be believable. They are faced with the struggles of a harsh planet and the Sim colony increases the danger. They had to work hard at survival and escape. I made some misconceptions about where the book was going and was pleasantly surprised that the ending was not predictable. I see book two in my reading future.
This review, or links to this review, may also be found on my profile pages as follows:
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This is a Military/sci-fi/alien novel. This isn’t my primary genre so I may be a bit inept in my review. Humans are at war with the Sims, an alien race that mirrors mankind. Both races are at war for control of habitable planets throughout the galaxy. The primary character is Jander Mortas. He is an eager newbie from officer training on his way to his first assignment. He finds himself on a deserted planet with three other survivors. They encounter a Sim colony as they make their way to Glory Main, a nearby base.
4 star read for me. I liked the characters and I found them to be believable. They are faced with the struggles of a harsh planet and the Sim colony increases the danger. They had to work hard at survival and escape. I made some misconceptions about where the book was going and was pleasantly surprised that the ending was not predictable. I see book two in my reading future.
This review, or links to this review, may also be found on my profile pages as follows:
Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/2...
Amazon http://www.amazon.com/gp/profile/A3RJ...
Pintrest http://www.pinterest.com/baltimore333/
Twitter https://twitter.com/chb548s
Google+ https://plus.google.com/u/0/107592987...
July 10, 2016
O'Neil has joined my list of favorite military science-fiction authors. He joins my previous favorite David Sherman and Dan Cragg - also military veterans who wrote the STARFIST series. Or the best of Heinlein - STARSHIP TROOPERS. O'Neil describes a future where future humanity is locked in a long war with the Sims, an alien race that closely resembles humans in almost every superficial way. The young LT Mortas (great name) is stranded with small group of unlikely survivors after they crash land on a planet that was thought to be uninhabited who have to fight the elements and the enemy in order to survive. This is an incredibly Book One of a series. I really enjoyed the author's portrayal of both the young soldiers, the young military leaders, the more experienced senior non-commissioned officer, and the stereotypical technical specialist - in this book, a psychologist. The author's military experience most certainly helps to make both the dialogue and military combat descriptions sound very true to life. I have already purchased Book Two - but it has now been awarded a higher position in my pile of "to be read" books. Congratulations O'Neil. Also, for those readers like me who really enjoy this book, consider picking up Vincent O'Neil's Frank Cole mystery series. I read these mysteries first and then found O'Neil's military sci fi when looking up O'Neil on Amazon.
January 2, 2015
un petit livre dans le genre sf militaire, bien écrit, avec moults rebondissements et des caractères bien trempés Un page turner que j'ai dévoré qui m'a ouvert l'appétit pour en savoir plus sur l'univers créé par l'auteur. C'est donc une introduction rythmée qui donne une furieuse envie d'en lire plus avec comme axe central une guerre dans laquelle le héros, naïf au début,s'engage mais ouvre peu à peu les yeux comme il nous ouvre les nôtres, les évènements étayant nos propres réflexions (qu'est ce qu'un ennemi ? qui sont ceux qui décident et vous envoie à l'abattoir etc) sans perdre de vue l'action bien rendue sur une planète très visuelle J'ai beaucoup aimé le concept des éclaireurs "spartacans" (entre autres) A suivre
May 9, 2016
This is a strange one for me. I obviously like the book (I read it in 3 days), but I can't give it more than 3 stars... Everything is well done, the writing, the pacing, the setting but the actual story is a little to much on the introspective side for my taste. The novel is about a small group of army personel that as to survive (and try to leave) an hostile planet after their transport crash landed. There is no big action set piece and all the action is kept to subtle and tactical skirmishs. There is more than enough in this book for me to be intrigue about the sequels and now that I know the style of military sci-fi that the author is offering I will probably enjoy the sequels more.
November 9, 2012
This is a very different book. I liked it. It didn't fit with the other novels I've read by the author, Henry V. O'Neil or Vincent O'Neil. I loved the mysteries from the Frank Cole series. This science fiction/fantasy novel was a new genre for me. I thought I knew what would happen at different points in the book. Not true. My expectations for the ending were not confirmed...but that's what makes it so good. It wasn't what I thought I was going to read. But the suprises taught me about my own way of seeing the world versus others. It had great suprises.
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October 3, 2015GLORY MAIN was an entertaining read. It's blurb reads like it is Military Scifi but it's a bit more than that.
The wordsmithing is excellent. The characters are sympathetic and likable.
I think regular scifi readers might want to consider it. At the basic level there as story of survival on a less than habitable planet. There's more than that but I shan't disclose even a hint because a short review I read sort of ruined the plot for me by merely calling out to my >>adjective omitted>> nature.
The wordsmithing is excellent. The characters are sympathetic and likable.
I think regular scifi readers might want to consider it. At the basic level there as story of survival on a less than habitable planet. There's more than that but I shan't disclose even a hint because a short review I read sort of ruined the plot for me by merely calling out to my >>adjective omitted>> nature.
July 2, 2018
Really couldn't get into this - sat in the glorious sunshine reading about our intrepid heroes struggling after crash landing into what appears to be an uninhabited desert planet started off nice... but despite getting half way through, I couldn't tell you want happened next!
Didn't connect with the characters and kept thinking about Admiral, which is the most recent book I've read which did the "crash and escape" trope really well!
Didn't connect with the characters and kept thinking about Admiral, which is the most recent book I've read which did the "crash and escape" trope really well!
January 21, 2016
Fast moving mil/scifi thriller about four crash survivors, led by a young green Lt, stranded on an alien-controlled planet in a time of war. As another reviewer noted, I also detected echoes of Heinlein and David Webber, as well as other war-writers. The pace was fast and the action was well done. The military hierarchy was portrayed mainly as uncaring and ruthless at best, and sadistic at worst. There was a real twist at the end that I wish hadn't happened, but it packs a dramatic punch.
December 8, 2012
Vincent's Army Infantry and Ranger experience makes this a gripping story. Great action and suspense sequence. I'm looking forward to the sequel!
November 13, 2012
I don't often read sci-fi, but I found this book to be well written and engrossing. I'm hoping there's a sequel!
November 18, 2014
I liked it. A little slow in the middle but over all it was a good story and the ending caught me off guard.
February 7, 2015
I received a free copy of this book from the GoodReads First Reads giveaways in exchange for an honest review. Although I don't read many Science Fiction novels, I enjoyed this book.
June 12, 2015
It started slow but then gained pace. A good read.
February 14, 2018
This book had a great premise and opening scene. A crash landing on an unknown planet; it pulled me in. The characters were interesting, and as the plot developed there was a lot of potential directions it could have gone. However, it was very heavy on the technical combat and survival information and at times seemed to drag on as the author got caught up in telling us all the little details. I did like the enemy alien race, and throughout the book, there was a feeling that everything was not as it seems that had me questioning everything. The ending I found predictable and I had hoped the twist at the end would go farther than it did. But overall an enjoyable read.
September 5, 2017
I'll probably read the next in the 5 book series to see if it improves over the first. Too many huge leaps in this one.
March 22, 2020
Fairly good story. Kept me reading but I sure didn’t see the twist coming. MC is special yet not. Will be reading more.
September 21, 2020
Good, but not my kind of story, to be honest.
November 15, 2014
First the legalese: I'm part of Harper Voyager's Super Reader program, which means that I get free books (egalley in this case) in return for honest reviews. No problem, I try to post a review on everything I read anyhow, now I just get more to read!
I'm pretty heavy into scifi and fantasy, so when I received an email suggesting this book I thought "Sweet, right up my alley!" And, to a point, it was. Our protagonist is stranded on an alien planet with a small group of fellow military types, and as he's the ranking officer the responsibility for everyone's survival falls on his shoulders.
And that's pretty much the story. Yeah there's some action, some -minor- space stuff (I'd love to see a story about the Banshees, really...there's a lot of possibility there), but the major chunk is just...navel gazing. Don't take my words as damning with faint praise, because this isn't a -bad- novel. Rather, it feels like O'Neil took the least interesting aspect of the story and focused on it rather than taking the awesome ass-kicking parts and running with them.
If we were grading this like homework, I'd give it a B minus minus. Not enough to drop to a C, but could have been better.
I'm pretty heavy into scifi and fantasy, so when I received an email suggesting this book I thought "Sweet, right up my alley!" And, to a point, it was. Our protagonist is stranded on an alien planet with a small group of fellow military types, and as he's the ranking officer the responsibility for everyone's survival falls on his shoulders.
And that's pretty much the story. Yeah there's some action, some -minor- space stuff (I'd love to see a story about the Banshees, really...there's a lot of possibility there), but the major chunk is just...navel gazing. Don't take my words as damning with faint praise, because this isn't a -bad- novel. Rather, it feels like O'Neil took the least interesting aspect of the story and focused on it rather than taking the awesome ass-kicking parts and running with them.
If we were grading this like homework, I'd give it a B minus minus. Not enough to drop to a C, but could have been better.
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