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Robotech #16
World Killers
The bearlike Karbarrans and the swashbuckling amazons from Praxis, the feral natives of Garuda and the Human Robotech heroes -- these oddly -- met champions banded together with other races, from other planets, to form the Sentinels.
Yet what fighting force could hope to dislodge the Invid hordes from Haydon IV, ethereal world of superscience and hidden emotional conflict; or Spheris, crystalline globe of living minerals and murderous resonances?
The Sentinels launch their attack nevertheless; they've come too far to surrender to tyranny. But the treachery of a megalomanic Human general and a mutating Invid P.O.W. make the war seem hopeless.
The Sentinels battle on, though, because for them it's...
Victory or Death!
Yet what fighting force could hope to dislodge the Invid hordes from Haydon IV, ethereal world of superscience and hidden emotional conflict; or Spheris, crystalline globe of living minerals and murderous resonances?
The Sentinels launch their attack nevertheless; they've come too far to surrender to tyranny. But the treachery of a megalomanic Human general and a mutating Invid P.O.W. make the war seem hopeless.
The Sentinels battle on, though, because for them it's...
Victory or Death!
279 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published June 12, 1988
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
September 25, 2017
The Sentinels’ Robotech War rages on!
This is the fourth prose novel in the five-book series of “The Sentinels”, part of the “Robotech” franchise.
DEATH AND LIFE
The Sentinels thought that liberating Garudan would be complicated, but never that complicated…
…and with so unexpected ramifications.
The atmosphere of the mentioned world is full of elements that they are toxic to every other Local Star Group species, along with Earth’s humans, only Garudans can breath without trouble there.
Of course, that said problems in Garudan’s atmosphere were also troublesome for the Invid Occupation Force, so it was reduced and usually focused in its hives with controlled enviroment.
So, thinking of a small Invid contingent there, the Sentinels thought that it was possible to make the expected liberation there, but it wouldn’t be without terrible complications…
…to key Sentinels’ personnel, leading to the only possible path to…
…the mysterious Haydon IV, that curiously enough, it wasn’t the fourth world in its own solar system but also it was said that Haydon, the even more mysterious almost-religious legend, was supposed to have a direct connection.
However, while the Invid Regis left Haydon IV, taking with her, the half of the Invid army, now the Invid Regent is on Haydon IV with a dangerously fleet of his own, but…
…Haydon IV possess it own defensive system, a system so legendary and feared that even the Invid didn’t try to challenge it, but it has been the only world where the Invid kinda negotiated, but without firing a single shot, settling a military presence there.
The lives of too important Sentinels are in risk and only the high advanced Haydonite medical science can be the hope for those brothers-in-arms. The Sentinels haven’t any alternative than face the Invid Regent and his forces on Haydon IV, along with the fearsome planetary defensive system of the said world.
But, even with several lives in peril, along with the deaths of dear Sentinels…
…there is hope of a new life.
Death and life. The circle of existence. The circle of war.
TRUTH AND LIES
The Sentinels were with full hands with their campaign of liberating the worlds of the Local Star Group, but also there is a dangerous crisis in the heart of the REF base on Tirol space, where the insidious General Edwards is about to take full control of the REF resources with only Dr. Lang as the one trying to stop those nefarious attempts.
So, the Sentinels need to divide once more their forces, keeping their original mission of liberating the worlds of the Local Star Group but also sending a crucial representation to try of cleaning their names before the Plenipotentiary Council to stop General Edwards and his lies.
Truth and lies. The circle of existence. The circle of war.
This is the fourth prose novel in the five-book series of “The Sentinels”, part of the “Robotech” franchise.
DEATH AND LIFE
The Sentinels thought that liberating Garudan would be complicated, but never that complicated…
…and with so unexpected ramifications.
The atmosphere of the mentioned world is full of elements that they are toxic to every other Local Star Group species, along with Earth’s humans, only Garudans can breath without trouble there.
Of course, that said problems in Garudan’s atmosphere were also troublesome for the Invid Occupation Force, so it was reduced and usually focused in its hives with controlled enviroment.
So, thinking of a small Invid contingent there, the Sentinels thought that it was possible to make the expected liberation there, but it wouldn’t be without terrible complications…
…to key Sentinels’ personnel, leading to the only possible path to…
…the mysterious Haydon IV, that curiously enough, it wasn’t the fourth world in its own solar system but also it was said that Haydon, the even more mysterious almost-religious legend, was supposed to have a direct connection.
However, while the Invid Regis left Haydon IV, taking with her, the half of the Invid army, now the Invid Regent is on Haydon IV with a dangerously fleet of his own, but…
…Haydon IV possess it own defensive system, a system so legendary and feared that even the Invid didn’t try to challenge it, but it has been the only world where the Invid kinda negotiated, but without firing a single shot, settling a military presence there.
The lives of too important Sentinels are in risk and only the high advanced Haydonite medical science can be the hope for those brothers-in-arms. The Sentinels haven’t any alternative than face the Invid Regent and his forces on Haydon IV, along with the fearsome planetary defensive system of the said world.
But, even with several lives in peril, along with the deaths of dear Sentinels…
…there is hope of a new life.
Death and life. The circle of existence. The circle of war.
TRUTH AND LIES
The Sentinels were with full hands with their campaign of liberating the worlds of the Local Star Group, but also there is a dangerous crisis in the heart of the REF base on Tirol space, where the insidious General Edwards is about to take full control of the REF resources with only Dr. Lang as the one trying to stop those nefarious attempts.
So, the Sentinels need to divide once more their forces, keeping their original mission of liberating the worlds of the Local Star Group but also sending a crucial representation to try of cleaning their names before the Plenipotentiary Council to stop General Edwards and his lies.
Truth and lies. The circle of existence. The circle of war.
April 20, 2022
Fun continuation of the Robotech Sentinels saga. Though it is hard to picture what some of these aliens look like, as I don't think the descriptions are detailed enough, I still enjoyed cheering for them as they try to rid their planets from the Invid occupations. While I was not fond of the internal conflicts in the ranks of the Robotech Expeditionary Force, I supposed they were necessary to keep the story interesting. There are also some odd scenes that seemed to be included only to retcon the story to mesh in with the disjointed TV series. Despite the obvious flaws, I liked it enough to look forward to the next book in the series.
November 30, 2021
I am a proponent of the Jack McKinney version of the Robotech universe. While I have watched the original series more than a few times, I yearn for the sci-fi changes and overall plot development that McKinney brought to the adaptations. I recall getting into major email fights on Robotech ListServs in the late 90s about what is and isn’t canon. For me, I fell Carl Macek didn’t have the vision necessary to truly make this story work, and Jack McKinney did in spades (despite these books being poorly edited and even creating more plot holes). As McKinney gets further and further away from outline Macek created for the Sentinels, nothing proves this point more than when they visit Haydon IV and Spheris. Then when you add in the political machinations of TR Edwards back on Tirol, it just creates a great, fast moving story that may not be perfect, but it is entertaining.
December 26, 2023
Great continuation with some nice throwbacks to the beginning of the series.
June 3, 2010
I'm enjoying the Sentinels much more than the books based strictly off of the anime series. It's still pulp, it's still shallow, but I like the settings and ideas still. Haydon IV as a more or less artificial world with armless AI infused robots riding flying carpets around geometric landscapes still appeals to me. As does the world of spheris, where crystalline beings can merge with natural rock formations and send their consciousness anywhere on the planet (basically anywhere mineral formations exist) and then exit back into the real world, their body formed from whatever substance they emerge from. That's still neat.
The story-telling is still most suitable for teenagers or emotionally stunted young men. The romances are simplistic and basically from the limited point of view of how a young man perceives the world (there is too much "kissing is magic" and "scantily clad is sexual liberation" and "equality is found when women learn to act more like men" for my taste). Although, having said that, a few of the characters have vaguely feminist moments which I liked. Although I can't remember the specific examples at the moment, I just remember thinking "wait, wait, that's almost interesting!" during the scene.
The narrative itself is bare bones but with no wasted scenes or extraneous content. I really liked that part. Especially the scene where REM is rescued from the regents land cruiser and Breetai calls the landcruiser and simply tells the regent: "We're coming for you." (I am an enigma I know, decrying masculinity one minute, celebrating it the next. The liberation of spheris however is only a few paragraphs beyond the sentence: "and then Teal and Baldan went down and liberated the planet." The real story in the last half of the book is Colonel Edwards versus the REF on Tirol and his subsequent escape. Until they get to the part where he's having a mock wedding ceremony between himself on minmei on the bridge of his stolen ship while he's escaping, with invid robots lined up and decorated. I laughed, but I don't think that's the reaction they were going for. Anyway, another robotech book joins the donation pile.
The story-telling is still most suitable for teenagers or emotionally stunted young men. The romances are simplistic and basically from the limited point of view of how a young man perceives the world (there is too much "kissing is magic" and "scantily clad is sexual liberation" and "equality is found when women learn to act more like men" for my taste). Although, having said that, a few of the characters have vaguely feminist moments which I liked. Although I can't remember the specific examples at the moment, I just remember thinking "wait, wait, that's almost interesting!" during the scene.
The narrative itself is bare bones but with no wasted scenes or extraneous content. I really liked that part. Especially the scene where REM is rescued from the regents land cruiser and Breetai calls the landcruiser and simply tells the regent: "We're coming for you." (I am an enigma I know, decrying masculinity one minute, celebrating it the next. The liberation of spheris however is only a few paragraphs beyond the sentence: "and then Teal and Baldan went down and liberated the planet." The real story in the last half of the book is Colonel Edwards versus the REF on Tirol and his subsequent escape. Until they get to the part where he's having a mock wedding ceremony between himself on minmei on the bridge of his stolen ship while he's escaping, with invid robots lined up and decorated. I laughed, but I don't think that's the reaction they were going for. Anyway, another robotech book joins the donation pile.
March 3, 2012
World Killers, the penultimate volume of the Robotech: Sentinels series, takes the mix-and-matched Sentinels to Haydon IV and Spheris to eradicate Invid presence on both planets. Along the way, one of the prisoners of war - an Invid scientist named Tesla - slowly becomes more powerful as he ingests fruit from each planet visited by the Sentinels. Meanwhile, T.R. Edwards continues his plot against Rick and Lisa Hunter - and all of the universe - in a style reminiscent of Herbert's Dune.[return][return]Much like the rest of the series, World Killers provides an exciting adventure in a universe fleshed-out through both the writing styles (the epigraphs, specifically) and the character and race development. Each of the extraterrestrial species is unique and interesting, as is each planet visited and subsequently freed by the Sentinels. This volume in particular elicits strong feelings across the gamut of human emotion. Karen Penn and Jack Baker are also very similar to a certain Rick and Lisa Hunter from years before (from the original six Robotech volumes).[return][return]This, in conjunction with the rest of the Sentinels series is a must-read for any fan of Robotech, and is interesting and entertaining enough to even draw in casual Science-Fiction fans.
March 29, 2011
Great series of books for kids that enjoy or are interested in science fiction. I read these books in middle school (I'm now in my 30s) and loved each one. The stories are fun, engaging and relatively fast paced. I'd be tempted to reread them now just for old time's sake if I didn't have so many new books on my to-read list.
I knocked it down a peg because, in retrospect, there are some aspects that are a bit too cheesy. I'm sure when my kids are old enough, they'll get thier own copies.
I knocked it down a peg because, in retrospect, there are some aspects that are a bit too cheesy. I'm sure when my kids are old enough, they'll get thier own copies.
February 20, 2008
Forming the fourth act in the Sentinels Saga, World Killers is book #14 in the Chronological order, which occurs during the Southern Cross Saga.
It's been a while since I've read this one, so I'm a bit fuzzy on it at the moment.
It's been a while since I've read this one, so I'm a bit fuzzy on it at the moment.
June 16, 2016
Well, the misspelled words made a strong appearance here. Most notable: umbilical word.
There is an attempt to keep the story that was crafted to be told to children while telling it in a slightly more adult manner. I appreciate that.
There is an attempt to keep the story that was crafted to be told to children while telling it in a slightly more adult manner. I appreciate that.
May 12, 2015
Great SiFi series. Giant battlesuits battling outer space monsters, what more can you ask for. Very recommended
November 24, 2014
looking at the next generation and how they are adapting to the cultural changes
June 2, 2013
Fun, fun, fun!! Can't help but call this book and the others treasures!
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews