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Carerra #7.5
Terra Nova: The Wars of Liberation
New stories set in Tom Kratman's hard-hitting Carrera military sf series
"Send us your tired, your poor," says the inscription at the base of the great statue, "your huddled masses yearning to be free."
But the future of the colony planet, Terra Nova, and its relations with Old Earth is far more a case of "boot out your tired, your poor, your dissidents and troublemakers. Use us for a dumping ground for all your problems. Go ahead and abandon these here." This may have been fine, too, but for the UN and its corrupt bureaucracy insisting on maintaining control and milking the new world and its settlers, willing and unwilling both, bone dry.
Contained herein are tales of the history of Mankind's future first colony, from the first failed attempt at colonization, to the rise in crime, to the rise in terrorism, to its descent into widespread civil war and rebellion...and ultimately liberation. As with most of human history, this history is messy, with good men and women turning bad, bad men and women inadvertently doing good, and blood flowing in the streets.
Stories set in Tom Kratman’s Carrera series by
Kasey Ezell
Mike Massa
Rob Hampson
Chris Smith
Peter Grant
Chris Nutall
Justin Watson
Monalisa Foster
Alex Macris
Lawrence Railey
and Tom Kratman
About Tom Kratman’s Carrera series:
“[I]nterplanetary warfare with. . .[a] visceral story of bravery and sacrifice . . . fans of the military SF of John Ringo and David Weber should enjoy this SF action adventure.”–Library Journal
“Kratman's dystopia is a brisk page turner full of startling twists … [Kratman is] a professional military man … up to speed on military and geopolitical conceits.” –Best-selling author of America Alone Mark Steyn on Tom Kratman’s uncompromising military SF thriller, Caliphate
“Kratman raises disquieting questions on what it might take to win the war on terror…realistic action sequences, strong characterizations and thoughts on the philosophy of war.” – Publishers Weekly
Carerra Series:
A Desert Called Peace
Carnifex
The Lotus Eaters
The Amazon Legion
Come and Take Them
The Rods and the Axe
A Pillar of Fire by Night
"Send us your tired, your poor," says the inscription at the base of the great statue, "your huddled masses yearning to be free."
But the future of the colony planet, Terra Nova, and its relations with Old Earth is far more a case of "boot out your tired, your poor, your dissidents and troublemakers. Use us for a dumping ground for all your problems. Go ahead and abandon these here." This may have been fine, too, but for the UN and its corrupt bureaucracy insisting on maintaining control and milking the new world and its settlers, willing and unwilling both, bone dry.
Contained herein are tales of the history of Mankind's future first colony, from the first failed attempt at colonization, to the rise in crime, to the rise in terrorism, to its descent into widespread civil war and rebellion...and ultimately liberation. As with most of human history, this history is messy, with good men and women turning bad, bad men and women inadvertently doing good, and blood flowing in the streets.
Stories set in Tom Kratman’s Carrera series by
Kasey Ezell
Mike Massa
Rob Hampson
Chris Smith
Peter Grant
Chris Nutall
Justin Watson
Monalisa Foster
Alex Macris
Lawrence Railey
and Tom Kratman
About Tom Kratman’s Carrera series:
“[I]nterplanetary warfare with. . .[a] visceral story of bravery and sacrifice . . . fans of the military SF of John Ringo and David Weber should enjoy this SF action adventure.”–Library Journal
“Kratman's dystopia is a brisk page turner full of startling twists … [Kratman is] a professional military man … up to speed on military and geopolitical conceits.” –Best-selling author of America Alone Mark Steyn on Tom Kratman’s uncompromising military SF thriller, Caliphate
“Kratman raises disquieting questions on what it might take to win the war on terror…realistic action sequences, strong characterizations and thoughts on the philosophy of war.” – Publishers Weekly
Carerra Series:
A Desert Called Peace
Carnifex
The Lotus Eaters
The Amazon Legion
Come and Take Them
The Rods and the Axe
A Pillar of Fire by Night
464 pages, Paperback
Published August 6, 2019
49 people are currently reading
68 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
October 6, 2020
A slightly expanded version of this review is posted on my blog, Papa Pat Rambles, today:
https://habakkuk21.blogspot.com/2020/...
I was sure this volume was going to be balm to my disturbed self, and I was right. I have enjoyed the previous installments in this series by Tom Kratman, going back to 2007. Unlike the other eight books (if I have counted correctly), this volume is a shared universe, with 11 authors, in addition to Kratman himself, providing material.
Beginning with the second in the series, all of the books have an introductory section called “What Has Gone Before,” which does an EXCELLENT job of briefing the reader on the high points of prior story development. That has become rather lengthy with new material being added, but I am going to condense it, ENORMOUSLY:
There: EIGHT books, summarized in 82 words. Awesome, if I do say so myself!
The 12 stories in this volume are each given a bit of prefatory material, which ties them together and makes the context clear. I’ll not review them, except to say that you don’t want to skip them; they are interesting, and they do include background.
The stories:
1. The Long, Dark Goodnight by Vivienne Raper. This tells the story of the failed first attempt to colonize Terra Nova. Earlier volumes give the bones of a story of cultural conflict exploding into violence. This story breathes life into those bones. The price paid by those who tried to keep the peace comes across almost as clearly as if it were happening in real-time.
2. The Raiders by Mike Massa. The UN holds dominion over the planet. It’s not a monolith, though; there are facets! And those facets look out for their own interest, and really don’t mind making others pay the price. Massa once again shows the perspective of troops who know that the price they may have to pay is ultimate; they will do their job, as long as it’s worth it.
3. Sacrifice by Peter Grant. The hatred between competing factions that existed on Earth turned out to be the most easily exported commodity. True, the planet is designed to kill intelligent life. Unfortunately, people seem to have that same design. In opposition to that is a man of war, turned to peace, who must again take up the tools of war.
4. Doing Well by Doing Good by Chris Nuttall. Not every UN official was intent on literal and/or figurative rape. Those who attempted to perform ethically found themselves at odds with The System.
5. No Hypocritical Oath by Robert E. Hampson. This story combines techno-thriller, with a bit of romance, and the nastiest examples of personal bullying and vindictiveness. And then more, in the form of institutional bullying and vindictiveness.
6. Bellona’s GIFT by Monalisa Foster. It’s not easy to be the child of the leader; no one REALLY feels safe around you. So, how can you feel safe around them? But, outsiders really don’t know the rules.
7. The Panther Men by Justin Watson. A Colonel of the warriors, and a Prince of his people, Alexander has conflicting loyalties even before he sets his feet on the ground. Once there, though, his conflict grows more intense. On the one hand, he finds purity in the cleanness of straight-forward combat. On the other hand, the things he finds he much do seem to be killing his soul.
8. Desertion by Kacey Ezell. Captain Lele Campbell can fly like an angel, but her world is nothing like Heaven. She must always be on her guard; her commanding officer makes no secret of his lascivious intentions toward her, and the system provides no escape. Everywhere she turns, she finds more betrayal. Everywhere.
9. Blood, Sweat, and Tears by Christopher L. Smith. Whether a fish is caught or not, the bait is certain to be mangled. All Marko wants is to be able to do his job. However, his reputation prevents him from fading into safe obscurity.
10. Wellington by Alexander Macris. There are a very few locations on the planet where the UN isn’t an ever-present force. Wellington is one of those. For an organizational bully, that would be enough reason to intervene. The presence of a thought criminal, and the temerity of locals who try to provide sanctuary, are just the icing on the cake.
11. HUÁNUCO by Lawrence Railey. Two American ex-pats, with significant skills as independent software contractors, run afoul of the authorities in Mexico, and find themselves deported to a somewhat similar country in Terra Nova. From scant existence as agricultural workers, they are given an opportunity to help their drug-producing boss strike back at the oppressors from Earth.
12. The Redeemer by Tom Kratman. General Titus Ford is given the job of straightening up all of the messes that exist on Terra Nova, and the title of Inspector General. His actual power isn’t limited at all by the scope of his job, or his titles. The peoples of Terra Nova received some benefit due to the incompetence of their masters. No longer; Ford has a better idea.
In his Afterword, Kratman suggests that he might have two more conventional works in the series, and two more of these shared-universe collections. I suppose we can get by with that; as long as he continues in other areas, that is.
We all need comfort food for the brain, after all.
Peace be on your household.
https://habakkuk21.blogspot.com/2020/...
I was sure this volume was going to be balm to my disturbed self, and I was right. I have enjoyed the previous installments in this series by Tom Kratman, going back to 2007. Unlike the other eight books (if I have counted correctly), this volume is a shared universe, with 11 authors, in addition to Kratman himself, providing material.
Beginning with the second in the series, all of the books have an introductory section called “What Has Gone Before,” which does an EXCELLENT job of briefing the reader on the high points of prior story development. That has become rather lengthy with new material being added, but I am going to condense it, ENORMOUSLY:
In the not-too-distant future, a gateway to another universe is discovered by accident; an Earth-like world is included. Named Terra Nova, it is initially seen as a spot for exploration and colonization. Before too much time has passed, a degrading political climate on the home world causes the powers-that-will-be to decide to dump all the malcontents from Earth there, where they can be abandoned, exploited, or worked to death at the whim of the planetary administrators. Eventually, those on Terra Nova rebel.
There: EIGHT books, summarized in 82 words. Awesome, if I do say so myself!
The 12 stories in this volume are each given a bit of prefatory material, which ties them together and makes the context clear. I’ll not review them, except to say that you don’t want to skip them; they are interesting, and they do include background.
The stories:
1. The Long, Dark Goodnight by Vivienne Raper. This tells the story of the failed first attempt to colonize Terra Nova. Earlier volumes give the bones of a story of cultural conflict exploding into violence. This story breathes life into those bones. The price paid by those who tried to keep the peace comes across almost as clearly as if it were happening in real-time.
2. The Raiders by Mike Massa. The UN holds dominion over the planet. It’s not a monolith, though; there are facets! And those facets look out for their own interest, and really don’t mind making others pay the price. Massa once again shows the perspective of troops who know that the price they may have to pay is ultimate; they will do their job, as long as it’s worth it.
3. Sacrifice by Peter Grant. The hatred between competing factions that existed on Earth turned out to be the most easily exported commodity. True, the planet is designed to kill intelligent life. Unfortunately, people seem to have that same design. In opposition to that is a man of war, turned to peace, who must again take up the tools of war.
4. Doing Well by Doing Good by Chris Nuttall. Not every UN official was intent on literal and/or figurative rape. Those who attempted to perform ethically found themselves at odds with The System.
5. No Hypocritical Oath by Robert E. Hampson. This story combines techno-thriller, with a bit of romance, and the nastiest examples of personal bullying and vindictiveness. And then more, in the form of institutional bullying and vindictiveness.
6. Bellona’s GIFT by Monalisa Foster. It’s not easy to be the child of the leader; no one REALLY feels safe around you. So, how can you feel safe around them? But, outsiders really don’t know the rules.
7. The Panther Men by Justin Watson. A Colonel of the warriors, and a Prince of his people, Alexander has conflicting loyalties even before he sets his feet on the ground. Once there, though, his conflict grows more intense. On the one hand, he finds purity in the cleanness of straight-forward combat. On the other hand, the things he finds he much do seem to be killing his soul.
8. Desertion by Kacey Ezell. Captain Lele Campbell can fly like an angel, but her world is nothing like Heaven. She must always be on her guard; her commanding officer makes no secret of his lascivious intentions toward her, and the system provides no escape. Everywhere she turns, she finds more betrayal. Everywhere.
9. Blood, Sweat, and Tears by Christopher L. Smith. Whether a fish is caught or not, the bait is certain to be mangled. All Marko wants is to be able to do his job. However, his reputation prevents him from fading into safe obscurity.
10. Wellington by Alexander Macris. There are a very few locations on the planet where the UN isn’t an ever-present force. Wellington is one of those. For an organizational bully, that would be enough reason to intervene. The presence of a thought criminal, and the temerity of locals who try to provide sanctuary, are just the icing on the cake.
11. HUÁNUCO by Lawrence Railey. Two American ex-pats, with significant skills as independent software contractors, run afoul of the authorities in Mexico, and find themselves deported to a somewhat similar country in Terra Nova. From scant existence as agricultural workers, they are given an opportunity to help their drug-producing boss strike back at the oppressors from Earth.
12. The Redeemer by Tom Kratman. General Titus Ford is given the job of straightening up all of the messes that exist on Terra Nova, and the title of Inspector General. His actual power isn’t limited at all by the scope of his job, or his titles. The peoples of Terra Nova received some benefit due to the incompetence of their masters. No longer; Ford has a better idea.
In his Afterword, Kratman suggests that he might have two more conventional works in the series, and two more of these shared-universe collections. I suppose we can get by with that; as long as he continues in other areas, that is.
We all need comfort food for the brain, after all.
Peace be on your household.
August 23, 2019
You may or may not like The Carreraverse or Kratman’s political views...
But in this anthology he has assembled a bunch of talents telling stories about the war of liberation from Earth bureaucracy and corruption and all stories range from good to awesome!
Personal favorite:
Desertion by Kacey Ezell was poignant and resonated with me somehow
The Raiders by Mike Massa for the fighting scenes and satisfying ending.
Sorry for the other authors, but they may know I enjoyed their stories nonetheless, just not as much as those 2.
But in this anthology he has assembled a bunch of talents telling stories about the war of liberation from Earth bureaucracy and corruption and all stories range from good to awesome!
Personal favorite:
Desertion by Kacey Ezell was poignant and resonated with me somehow
The Raiders by Mike Massa for the fighting scenes and satisfying ending.
Sorry for the other authors, but they may know I enjoyed their stories nonetheless, just not as much as those 2.
February 15, 2020
Some quite interesting stories but mostly alt right anti-UN propaganda. Being a Kiwi, I thought the story based around NZ colonists showed a very shallow understanding of the NZ culture. I hoped for more.
January 8, 2023
All the mortar for the bricks to build a Carrera. House
I read these fast with relish. I can recommend all the authors for their two feet in the muck of a projected ultimate end point of a tranzy evolved social order. Will this penetrate any thick skulls? Who knows!
I read these fast with relish. I can recommend all the authors for their two feet in the muck of a projected ultimate end point of a tranzy evolved social order. Will this penetrate any thick skulls? Who knows!
Read
September 11, 2019Collection of good short stories tied together by Kratman, excellent read!
November 5, 2019
An excellent Terra Nova anthology that provides a wider background for Kratman's original series that focused (mostly) on Balboa. More has been promised.
November 25, 2020
An introduction to the Carrerra universe. A mixed bag of short stories, some good, some very good some not so good. Does give some context to what is happening in the main stories.
August 19, 2019
Solid exploration and history in the Carreraverse
The authors all did an excellent job of delineating the history of Terra Nova, from the ill-fated Cheng Ho mission up to Col. Kratman's story, which finished the anthology. Eagerly awaiting further books in the series, as well as the culmination of the Carrera arc. Well worth reading.
The authors all did an excellent job of delineating the history of Terra Nova, from the ill-fated Cheng Ho mission up to Col. Kratman's story, which finished the anthology. Eagerly awaiting further books in the series, as well as the culmination of the Carrera arc. Well worth reading.
October 8, 2019
Back to Terra Nova
This is a collection of short stories all dealing with the new planet and her newly established colonies. Many of the places are very familiar to those readers of the "Carreraverse" and some long back stories are fleshed out here. Leading to some new questions (of course).
Good reading all around.
This is a collection of short stories all dealing with the new planet and her newly established colonies. Many of the places are very familiar to those readers of the "Carreraverse" and some long back stories are fleshed out here. Leading to some new questions (of course).
Good reading all around.
October 26, 2019
Worth the Read
This is worth the read overall. Some of the stories are only ok, but at least three of them - the one set in alt-Vietnam, the one in alt-Mexico, and the one regarding the UN are excellent and more than enough to encourage me to pick up the next volume.
This is worth the read overall. Some of the stories are only ok, but at least three of them - the one set in alt-Vietnam, the one in alt-Mexico, and the one regarding the UN are excellent and more than enough to encourage me to pick up the next volume.
August 29, 2019
This is the first anthology written in the Carraverse. Well done! I'm looking forward to the next and to the continuation of the series.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews