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Invasion #3
Invasion: Book 3: Total War
The first day of a war is easy, compared to what follows. Plans become undone, victory is in doubt, and your friends start falling, one by one. You have to have the heart to endure mind numbing loss, excruciating pain, overwhelming grief, and a tiredness that goes down to your soul.
The battle to liberate Sol System has begun, with the Confederated Earth Forces launching a combined arms attack on one last, desperate throw of the dice. A decade of alien occupation has worn equipment out, devastated key personnel, and left the fighting forces a shell of what they once were.
As the war rages on, the CEFS Lexington, Earth's last starship, executes a bold plan to take on impossible odds. At sea, heavy battleship guns duel with advanced plasma cannons, providing covering fire for the Marines to take back the West Coast. Armored columns battle on the Texas border, while shell shocked civilains deal with the problems of sudden freedom. In space, the Invy main base houses a horror thousands of years old, and the soldiers of the Irregular Scout Regiment prepare for their most challenging and daring mission yet: To raid into the very heart of the their enemy's defenses, and conduct a final, devastating blow.
Invasion: Total War is the third and final book of the series, started with the Dragon Finalist Invasion: Resistance and continued in the highly acclaimed Invasion: Day of Battle.
Excerpt:
It was a smell he knew too well. Colonel Morgan McCargar sat patiently in the rubber zodiac boat, watching the plasma bolts go over his head, making his hair stand on end. Ozone, cordite, burnt flesh and blood.
A silence fell, and a Marine peered over the edge of the pier, calling down, “All clear, Sir!” The Scotsman stood, and, with his Sergeant Major steadying him, climbed the ladder. He wanted to go first, but the Raiders wouldn’t have let him, so he didn’t bother even trying.
His accent had almost disappeared in his thirty years of service, and he had seen far too many wars, but the scene in front of him drew a curse from his childhood. The remains of two Invy APC’s sat burning, their iridium hulls glowing cherry red. More than two dozen Wolverines and three Dragons lay dead, mixed in with a half dozen human bodies. Figures in USMC digital camouflage ran past him and towards the far intersection.
McCargar knelt by one of the human casualties, a pretty blonde woman with hole burned through her leg and blood on the front of her uniform. Her eyes fluttered open, and he yelled for a medic. She tried to say something, and he leaned close, holding her hand and telling her it would be OK.
“Scout Team Five, Sir, LZ secured,” she whispered, “so can we go the hell home now?” She drew in a deep breath and said faintly, “I’ve got a date…” There was a faint smile on her face, and then her eyes lost focus, staring into eternity. He closed them, but the ghost of the smile still remained on her beautiful face.
“God, I hate this...,” he muttered, then stood. His command staff was assembling radio antennas and the XO was managing the offloading of heavier weapons from the pier.
“Sir, first wave is in, battalion commanders are establishing their CP’s, and we’ve pushed out three blocks with no resistance,” said his S-3.
“That’s not going to last. Hold there until we get more manpower onto the beach, and the dolphins bring across some heavier weapons. Push a recon team out forward to establish an OP as high up as they can go, some building with overwatch, but no radio, signal lights only. Get Charlie company into the sewers, ASAP, and have them push forward if they can, without detection. And try to get the battleships on the horn.
The battle to liberate Sol System has begun, with the Confederated Earth Forces launching a combined arms attack on one last, desperate throw of the dice. A decade of alien occupation has worn equipment out, devastated key personnel, and left the fighting forces a shell of what they once were.
As the war rages on, the CEFS Lexington, Earth's last starship, executes a bold plan to take on impossible odds. At sea, heavy battleship guns duel with advanced plasma cannons, providing covering fire for the Marines to take back the West Coast. Armored columns battle on the Texas border, while shell shocked civilains deal with the problems of sudden freedom. In space, the Invy main base houses a horror thousands of years old, and the soldiers of the Irregular Scout Regiment prepare for their most challenging and daring mission yet: To raid into the very heart of the their enemy's defenses, and conduct a final, devastating blow.
Invasion: Total War is the third and final book of the series, started with the Dragon Finalist Invasion: Resistance and continued in the highly acclaimed Invasion: Day of Battle.
Excerpt:
It was a smell he knew too well. Colonel Morgan McCargar sat patiently in the rubber zodiac boat, watching the plasma bolts go over his head, making his hair stand on end. Ozone, cordite, burnt flesh and blood.
A silence fell, and a Marine peered over the edge of the pier, calling down, “All clear, Sir!” The Scotsman stood, and, with his Sergeant Major steadying him, climbed the ladder. He wanted to go first, but the Raiders wouldn’t have let him, so he didn’t bother even trying.
His accent had almost disappeared in his thirty years of service, and he had seen far too many wars, but the scene in front of him drew a curse from his childhood. The remains of two Invy APC’s sat burning, their iridium hulls glowing cherry red. More than two dozen Wolverines and three Dragons lay dead, mixed in with a half dozen human bodies. Figures in USMC digital camouflage ran past him and towards the far intersection.
McCargar knelt by one of the human casualties, a pretty blonde woman with hole burned through her leg and blood on the front of her uniform. Her eyes fluttered open, and he yelled for a medic. She tried to say something, and he leaned close, holding her hand and telling her it would be OK.
“Scout Team Five, Sir, LZ secured,” she whispered, “so can we go the hell home now?” She drew in a deep breath and said faintly, “I’ve got a date…” There was a faint smile on her face, and then her eyes lost focus, staring into eternity. He closed them, but the ghost of the smile still remained on her beautiful face.
“God, I hate this...,” he muttered, then stood. His command staff was assembling radio antennas and the XO was managing the offloading of heavier weapons from the pier.
“Sir, first wave is in, battalion commanders are establishing their CP’s, and we’ve pushed out three blocks with no resistance,” said his S-3.
“That’s not going to last. Hold there until we get more manpower onto the beach, and the dolphins bring across some heavier weapons. Push a recon team out forward to establish an OP as high up as they can go, some building with overwatch, but no radio, signal lights only. Get Charlie company into the sewers, ASAP, and have them push forward if they can, without detection. And try to get the battleships on the horn.
- GenresScience Fiction
183 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 15, 2018
181 people are currently reading
13 people want to read
About the author
J.F. Holmes
77 books75 followersJ.F. Holmes is a retired Army Senior Noncomissioned Officer, having served for 22 years in both the Regular Army and Army National Guard. During that time, he served as everything from an artillery section leader to a member of a Division level planning staff, with tours in Cuba and Iraq, as well as responding to the terrorists attacks in NYC on 9-11.
From 2010 to 2014 he wrote the immensely popular military cartoon strip, "Power Point Ranger", poking fun at military life in the tradition of Beetle Bailey and Willy & Joe.
His books range from Military Sci-Fi to Space Opera to Detective to Fantasy, with a lot in between, and in 2017 two are finalists for the prestigious Dragon Awards. As of August 2017, Mr. Holmes has eighteen books and two novellas published.
Feel free to join Irregular Scout Team One on Facebook, and get a chance to influence the course and plot of his next book!
https://www.facebook.com/groups/15294...
From 2010 to 2014 he wrote the immensely popular military cartoon strip, "Power Point Ranger", poking fun at military life in the tradition of Beetle Bailey and Willy & Joe.
His books range from Military Sci-Fi to Space Opera to Detective to Fantasy, with a lot in between, and in 2017 two are finalists for the prestigious Dragon Awards. As of August 2017, Mr. Holmes has eighteen books and two novellas published.
Feel free to join Irregular Scout Team One on Facebook, and get a chance to influence the course and plot of his next book!
https://www.facebook.com/groups/15294...
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
June 11, 2019
The third book in the series, this one brings everything to a nice conclusion. The old Navy's battleships take out a major Invy base in San Francisco, the CEF forces move north to attack Portland, and the IST scouts take on a mission on the Moon to capture or destroy the Invy AI which controls the Gate to our solar system.
John writes stories about people, and while there is not as much backstory and depth to some of them, you grow to love and respect the characters, and want to share in their adventures.
While John has hinted that there may be a fourth book coming, this ends the story nicely, with Earth winning out, and defeating the alien Invy forces.
John writes stories about people, and while there is not as much backstory and depth to some of them, you grow to love and respect the characters, and want to share in their adventures.
While John has hinted that there may be a fourth book coming, this ends the story nicely, with Earth winning out, and defeating the alien Invy forces.
September 24, 2018
Winning the World Back
It takes time to loose and then win the World back, and in that time you get these really great stories. This author shows that he knows what he is writing about. You can feel the emotions as you read. I encourage you to read and feel the stories in these books
It takes time to loose and then win the World back, and in that time you get these really great stories. This author shows that he knows what he is writing about. You can feel the emotions as you read. I encourage you to read and feel the stories in these books
April 30, 2019
Great ending
The final book of this series really hit home. It brought it all to a thrilling conclusion that just felt good. It was sad to see how some characters dared through the war but it all felt natural.
The final book of this series really hit home. It brought it all to a thrilling conclusion that just felt good. It was sad to see how some characters dared through the war but it all felt natural.
January 1, 2019
Great ending
I have to say what a great way end the series, i give it two thumbs up. Do yourself a favor and read ithem.
I have to say what a great way end the series, i give it two thumbs up. Do yourself a favor and read ithem.
August 3, 2019
Ape save the day
Unusual sci-fi story takes its time getting into action but then it's all action fast and furious building up to a very gripping finish with unusual names ending
Unusual sci-fi story takes its time getting into action but then it's all action fast and furious building up to a very gripping finish with unusual names ending
November 24, 2019
Brilliant
Loved these three books and it's quite the roller coaster. Plenty of action , intrigue and sacrifice. Well worth the read.
Loved these three books and it's quite the roller coaster. Plenty of action , intrigue and sacrifice. Well worth the read.
August 14, 2020
An interesting series
This series has interesting characters and an intriguing storyline. With lots of action to keep you interested. Hopefully there will be a follow up series
This series has interesting characters and an intriguing storyline. With lots of action to keep you interested. Hopefully there will be a follow up series
November 14, 2024
As good as the first one in the series, could easily be twice as long
April 1, 2019
Enjoy the series!
Very good military science fiction. Looking forward to more of this series! A solid storyline and interesting characters. Good piece that keeps you wanting to turn the page
Very good military science fiction. Looking forward to more of this series! A solid storyline and interesting characters. Good piece that keeps you wanting to turn the page
Read
November 5, 2018I enjoyed this series, it was fun. It wasn't quite as good as his Zombie Killers, but good.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews