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Sim War #4
CHOP Line: The Sim War: Book Four
THE FOURTH INSTALLMENT IN THE GRIPPING SIM WAR SERIES
Things are looking grim for the human Alliance against the Sims. A revolution on Celestia is draining the war zone of badly needed troops, and Alliance Chairwoman Reena Mortas is being blamed for the debacle. Her husband and predecessor, Chairman Olech Mortas, remains missing in the faster-than-light mode of travel known as the Step.
Jander and Ayliss Mortas are putting their lives on the line against the Sims, he with the hardcore Orphan Brigade, and she with the elite, all-female Banshees. But when the mysterious alien shapeshifter from Jander’s past reappears, he is sent on a secret mission that could possibly allow humanity to finally communicate with the Sims—and end the war.
Meanwhile, Reena’s attempts to find her missing husband are yielding surprising revelations from inside the Step that could answer two of humanity’s greatest questions. Who gave us the Step? What is making the Sims? In the penultimate book of the Sim War series, the truth of these hidden space entities begins to emerge.
Things are looking grim for the human Alliance against the Sims. A revolution on Celestia is draining the war zone of badly needed troops, and Alliance Chairwoman Reena Mortas is being blamed for the debacle. Her husband and predecessor, Chairman Olech Mortas, remains missing in the faster-than-light mode of travel known as the Step.
Jander and Ayliss Mortas are putting their lives on the line against the Sims, he with the hardcore Orphan Brigade, and she with the elite, all-female Banshees. But when the mysterious alien shapeshifter from Jander’s past reappears, he is sent on a secret mission that could possibly allow humanity to finally communicate with the Sims—and end the war.
Meanwhile, Reena’s attempts to find her missing husband are yielding surprising revelations from inside the Step that could answer two of humanity’s greatest questions. Who gave us the Step? What is making the Sims? In the penultimate book of the Sim War series, the truth of these hidden space entities begins to emerge.
368 pages, Mass Market Paperback
Published December 27, 2016
2 people are currently reading
13 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 - 3 of 3 reviews
May 17, 2020
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.
January 12, 2017
Awesome book, great entry in the series.
January 21, 2017
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.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews