CHOP Line: The Sim War: Book Four

Sim War #4

by Henry V. O'Neil

The fourth book in Henry V. O'Neil's Sim War series ratchets up the tension, and sets the stage for a thrilling conclusion to the series in book five

Things are looking grim for the Alliance. A slave revolt on Celestia has split its leaders on how to proceed, and many are blaming Chairwoman Reena Mortas for the whole debacle. Her husband, Olech Mortas, remains missing. And no one is any closer to figuring out the mystery of the Step--or who is responsible for the Sims.

After Jander Mortas's platoon in the Orphan Brigade survives a battle with horse-sized wolves, Jander is sent on a secret mission that brings him closer than ever to communication with the Sims.

Meanwhile, Ayliss has joined the Banshees, an elite, all-female group of warriors. Their training is brutal, though it will prepare them for a test the likes of which they never could have imagined.

Meanwhile, Jander and Ayliss and making discoveries about the Step--and what it might mean for the whereabouts of their father.

Genres: Science Fiction

384 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 29, 2016

About the author

Henry 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.

Reviews

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book Four in The Sim War series finds Lieutenant Jander Mortas fighting a ground war against the Sims, a race of beings who resemble humans but who are artificially created. Once again, he encounters an alien species related to the one he met in the first book of this series. This creature offers hope that he can end the war, but can Jander trust him? Meanwhile, his sister Ayliss joins the Banshee force and his mother, Alliance Chairwoman Reena Mortas, tracks her husband who disappeared in the Step while seeking answers to all their questions. The characters are well-drawn and sympathetic as they engage in battles, dodge political foes and face potential betrayal. Can they rescue Jander’s father, find out who is creating the Sims, and end the war? Tune in to the sequel to find out.

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome book, great entry in the series.

[Robert Enzenauer · Rating 5 out of 5]

O'Neill continues his SIM WAR series. I really like this author, but this book has a lot more "politics" while attempts are made to negotiate a peace between the Sims and the humans. So there are less combat scenes that I have really liked in the previous novels of the series. Yet there still are many scenes of combat leadership by LT Mortas, including a fight sequence when Jander's unit is about to be overrun, and he calls in artillery support "danger close" - sounding much like the scenes of Vietnam books and movies, like WE WERE SOLDIERS. The main characters are well developed, but for me, it helps to have read the earlier books in the series. Strong work O'Neil, and I look forward to the finish - so don't take "too long" for Book 5.