What do you think?
Rate this book
Blood Red Sand
Mars will run red with Nazi blood… After World War Two, Sergeant McCabe knew the British army could send him anywhere. He never imagined facing down another Nazi threat on Mars. In New Berlin colony, rivalry between Generalfeldmarschall Seidel’s Wehrmacht and Reichsführer Wagner’s SS threatens bloodshed. The Reichsführer will sacrifice everything to initiate the secretive Hollow Programme and realise his nightmarish future for humanity. McCabe, Private Jenkins, and the Mars Expeditionary Force must overcome bullet, bomb, and bayonet to destroy the Third Reich. While Jenkins fights to stay alive, McCabe forms an uneasy alliance with MAJESTIC-12 operatives known as the Black Visors. Will this be the final battle of World War Two or the first confrontation in an interstellar war? The Big Red prequel!
252 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 6, 2021
1 person is currently reading
21 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
July 7, 2021
A review of
Blood Red Sand
By
Damien Larkin
I have been eagerly awaiting this book all year. Blood Red Sand is the sequel to Larkin’s debut military sci-fi Big Red. Big Red is a story about soldiers fighting on Mars as part of the Mars Occupation Force and a story involving Nazi’s that escaped WWII and colonized Mars. There’s a lot more to it and it’s a great book so check out my review for it. But this, this is Blood Red Sand, the sequel, or should I say prequel as that is exactly what this is. Big Red leaves a lot of questions and scope for the telling of the backstory and Larkin has revisited Mars to give us the story of how it all went down back in the 50s. In Blood Red Sand we get all the answers we’ve been craving and get to read the story of the initial invasion of, and subsequent battle for, Mars by the MEF, or Mars Expeditionary Force, which is a global liberation task force sent by Allied Earth powers after WWII, to destroy the Nazi’s once and for all. There’s a lot going on here so I’ll try not to give too much away.
It is told mostly from the point of view of an Allied solider, Sergeant McCabe as he experiences the invasions and subsequent battles. It’s pretty intense stuff in places, and really sinks you in to the mindset of a soldier removed from his natural environment but still with a job to get done. McCabe also has contact with the mysterious Black Visors, which fan’s of Big Red are gonna want to pay attention to. Without giving spoilers, these Black Visors add an amazing and excellent sci-fi element to the overall story, and when they are finally revealed… well let’s just say it’s awesome.
We have a number of other POV’s too, there’s (possibly my favorite) Jenkins, a young Jenkin’s with a connection to the Big Red novel, but in this, well damn, there are some harrowing and brutal scenes from this POV and well, Jenkins is damn hardcore – He’s so awesome! He’s a complete badass.
We also get POV’s from the Nazis too, there’s various commanders and officers who’s eyes we get to experience the world through, which is done well, shows them as people, and gives a great insight into the situation and motivations. One in particular, an SS commander named Wagner, is particularly interesting to the overall story and history from Big Red, and his, let’s say “subject” Anna was a really great element to the book. I found the voice of Anna’s POV was very different to the others, it was immersive, which I really enjoyed.
Ok to sum up, this book is a savage military Sci-fi. It’s got everything we loved from Big Red but Larkin has gone to another level of awesome. One element is the brutality, this book has some pretty brutal and harrowing scenes and its really well rendered – I love that stuff! It seems to have leveled up majorly from the first book – no softmore slump here. There is an obvious eye for military goings on here too, so any fan of military fiction will likely enjoy this, as will any sci-fi fan too. There is so much stuff going on here, it’s so complex and some of the sci-fi concepts Larkin introduces are some of the best I have ever read. Notably these books also take the old Nazis in space theme, which let’s be honest we’ve seen before, and breathes new life into the idea. Larkin makes it fresh, actually really different, and believable, and it’s absolutely fantastic.
Check these books out!
Thanks for reading,
Lee
Blood Red Sand
By
Damien Larkin
I have been eagerly awaiting this book all year. Blood Red Sand is the sequel to Larkin’s debut military sci-fi Big Red. Big Red is a story about soldiers fighting on Mars as part of the Mars Occupation Force and a story involving Nazi’s that escaped WWII and colonized Mars. There’s a lot more to it and it’s a great book so check out my review for it. But this, this is Blood Red Sand, the sequel, or should I say prequel as that is exactly what this is. Big Red leaves a lot of questions and scope for the telling of the backstory and Larkin has revisited Mars to give us the story of how it all went down back in the 50s. In Blood Red Sand we get all the answers we’ve been craving and get to read the story of the initial invasion of, and subsequent battle for, Mars by the MEF, or Mars Expeditionary Force, which is a global liberation task force sent by Allied Earth powers after WWII, to destroy the Nazi’s once and for all. There’s a lot going on here so I’ll try not to give too much away.
It is told mostly from the point of view of an Allied solider, Sergeant McCabe as he experiences the invasions and subsequent battles. It’s pretty intense stuff in places, and really sinks you in to the mindset of a soldier removed from his natural environment but still with a job to get done. McCabe also has contact with the mysterious Black Visors, which fan’s of Big Red are gonna want to pay attention to. Without giving spoilers, these Black Visors add an amazing and excellent sci-fi element to the overall story, and when they are finally revealed… well let’s just say it’s awesome.
We have a number of other POV’s too, there’s (possibly my favorite) Jenkins, a young Jenkin’s with a connection to the Big Red novel, but in this, well damn, there are some harrowing and brutal scenes from this POV and well, Jenkins is damn hardcore – He’s so awesome! He’s a complete badass.
We also get POV’s from the Nazis too, there’s various commanders and officers who’s eyes we get to experience the world through, which is done well, shows them as people, and gives a great insight into the situation and motivations. One in particular, an SS commander named Wagner, is particularly interesting to the overall story and history from Big Red, and his, let’s say “subject” Anna was a really great element to the book. I found the voice of Anna’s POV was very different to the others, it was immersive, which I really enjoyed.
Ok to sum up, this book is a savage military Sci-fi. It’s got everything we loved from Big Red but Larkin has gone to another level of awesome. One element is the brutality, this book has some pretty brutal and harrowing scenes and its really well rendered – I love that stuff! It seems to have leveled up majorly from the first book – no softmore slump here. There is an obvious eye for military goings on here too, so any fan of military fiction will likely enjoy this, as will any sci-fi fan too. There is so much stuff going on here, it’s so complex and some of the sci-fi concepts Larkin introduces are some of the best I have ever read. Notably these books also take the old Nazis in space theme, which let’s be honest we’ve seen before, and breathes new life into the idea. Larkin makes it fresh, actually really different, and believable, and it’s absolutely fantastic.
Check these books out!
Thanks for reading,
Lee
March 19, 2021
I was privileged to receive an authors review copy of Blood Red Sands. I promised to provide an honest appraisal and feedback in this Goodreads Review. And while it is always extremely difficult to review a book without sharing any real spoilers, I am going to do my best.
There are so many good points that I have difficulty in choosing where to begin.
The book is both a sequel and prequel to Larkins first novel in this series, titled 'Big Red.'. It does a terrific job on both fronts. It builds on the fantastic world and mind-bending sci-fi created in Big Red. It promises a lot and it delivers.
This is at its heart military science fiction, its action is gritty and plentiful and not for the faint of heart. I wanted this book to draw me back into that world, and I really wanted to taste the dust and smell the cordite, and this book drops you right into a brutal conflict on Mars.
Larkin has succeeded in dealing with strong themes; such as violence, persecution, xenophobia, antisemitism, fascism in a unique and engaging fashion. This is layered fiction, it can be subtle in places, in others it a brick in a sock, swung directly at one's face.
This book has everything a science fiction fan wants; it has awesome technology, conflicted heroes, savage villains, a strange world, and an unknown future. The only bigger question that the unknown future is the unknown past. Larkin has dropped breadcrumbs along the way, and in the very best tradition of writing has left the reader desperately wanting more.
So, inclusion, as soon as you can lay your hands on it ensure you read this book, and while you wait for its release to the general public in summer 2021, do yourself a massive favour and read the first title in this series.
We have always been here.
PS:
The author, who is a former infanteer of the Irish Reserve Defence Forces, deserves to be specially acknowledged for his dedication of the book to soldiers of the Irish Defence Forces who lost their lives during UN peacekeeping operations in the Congo during the 1960s, in particular, it is dedicated to the men 'A' Company, 35th Infantry Battalion, Óglaigh na hÉireann (Irish Defence Forces) who, under the command of Commandant Pat Quinlan, conducted the heroic defence of Jadotville in Katanga province during 13-17 September 1961. There 155 Irish soldiers withstood a sustained attack from forces numbering approximately 3,000. They inflicted over 300 losses and over 1,000 causalities on the enemy, and they continued their fight until entirely out of ammunition and water. All 155 soldiers survived and were to become POWs for a short period. Their bravery and their dedication to each other still shines as bright today, as it did all those decades ago in a land far from their home in the service of peace.
There are so many good points that I have difficulty in choosing where to begin.
The book is both a sequel and prequel to Larkins first novel in this series, titled 'Big Red.'. It does a terrific job on both fronts. It builds on the fantastic world and mind-bending sci-fi created in Big Red. It promises a lot and it delivers.
This is at its heart military science fiction, its action is gritty and plentiful and not for the faint of heart. I wanted this book to draw me back into that world, and I really wanted to taste the dust and smell the cordite, and this book drops you right into a brutal conflict on Mars.
Larkin has succeeded in dealing with strong themes; such as violence, persecution, xenophobia, antisemitism, fascism in a unique and engaging fashion. This is layered fiction, it can be subtle in places, in others it a brick in a sock, swung directly at one's face.
This book has everything a science fiction fan wants; it has awesome technology, conflicted heroes, savage villains, a strange world, and an unknown future. The only bigger question that the unknown future is the unknown past. Larkin has dropped breadcrumbs along the way, and in the very best tradition of writing has left the reader desperately wanting more.
So, inclusion, as soon as you can lay your hands on it ensure you read this book, and while you wait for its release to the general public in summer 2021, do yourself a massive favour and read the first title in this series.
We have always been here.
PS:
The author, who is a former infanteer of the Irish Reserve Defence Forces, deserves to be specially acknowledged for his dedication of the book to soldiers of the Irish Defence Forces who lost their lives during UN peacekeeping operations in the Congo during the 1960s, in particular, it is dedicated to the men 'A' Company, 35th Infantry Battalion, Óglaigh na hÉireann (Irish Defence Forces) who, under the command of Commandant Pat Quinlan, conducted the heroic defence of Jadotville in Katanga province during 13-17 September 1961. There 155 Irish soldiers withstood a sustained attack from forces numbering approximately 3,000. They inflicted over 300 losses and over 1,000 causalities on the enemy, and they continued their fight until entirely out of ammunition and water. All 155 soldiers survived and were to become POWs for a short period. Their bravery and their dedication to each other still shines as bright today, as it did all those decades ago in a land far from their home in the service of peace.
March 14, 2021
I received an arc from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 4.5 stars
Blood Red Sand is a unique book in that it serves as both a prequel and sequel to Larkin’s debut novel, Big Red. Like its predecessor (or successor depending on how you look at it), the story follows an alternate history timeline where the Nazis fled Earth and colonised Mars. Set in 1954, it follows the allied invasion of the red planet in a massive operation similar to that of Operation Overlord. And that premise alone had me hooked from the start.
On the surface, the main conflict seems straightforward enough, however, readers will soon realise that there is far more to it than just killing Nazis. There are factions within factions on both sides, each with their own personal agendas and Larkin weaves the various strands of the inevitable conflict between these groups with expert precision.
Caught in the chaos of it all are common soldiers like Sergeant McCabe and Private Jenkins. McCabe is very much the main protagonist, given the most page time and whose story is linked the closest to characters and events of Big Red. Early on, he finds himself assigned to a covert black ops unit called Majestic-12 whose gear and tactics are alien to his experience of war. McCabe struggles between his orders and the frustration of not knowing what these mysterious soldiers’ objective is as he is thrown into firefight after firefight. It begs the question, should soldiers simply follow orders? McCabe challenges this preconception which results in some tense confrontations with a particular member of Majestic-12 that readers of Big Red will know very well. Larkin explores the horrific reality of war through the eyes of young Private Jenkins, with some truly shocking moments that hammer home to readers that there is nothing glorious about war or revenge. It is bloody, terrifying and traumatising. Jenkin’s viewpoint was my favourite as Larkin explores the impact war can have on the body, mind and soul.
Larkin also takes a bold leap by exploring perspectives on both sides of the war. I love when authors write from the bad guys’ perspective and you can’t get much worse than a fanatical Nazi colonel and mad SS scientist. The lesser of these villains is Wehrmacht general Seidel who finds himself completly unprepared by the allied assault. As I mentioned already, there are factions within factions, even on the Nazi side, and this leads to some of the most intense and shocking moments throughout the novel. Furthermore, the conflict here provides readers with a much better understanding of the setting at the beginning of Big Red.
Complimenting Larkin’s excellent characterisation is his ability to write impressive heart-pounding action sequences. From the D-Day-inspired opening as the allies airdrop assault the dunes of Mars to panzer ambushes, suicidal charges and some truly intense close-quarter combat scenes, readers are thrown right in the thick of it time and time again. Throughout it all, Larkin mixes up the action before it can get even close to repetitive and places a major emphasis on the camaraderie of soldiers in the midst of battle.
As much as I loved the focus on action, I wish there was more exploration of the overarching plot. Big Red left me with loads of questions. Some are answered here, but many aren’t and I have even more questions now than I did after the first novel. This is the mere beginning of a much greater war that Larkin hints towards throughout the course of the book, including talk of galactic conquest, and I am very excited to see where he goes with the story.
Some readers might initially associate Blood Red Sand with the Iron Sky film series, thinking the only difference being the Nazis settled on Mars instead of the Moon, however, that would be a major de-service to what Larkin has created here. Blood Red Sand is a very good military sci-fi with plenty of heart pounding action sequences, excellent characterisation and a growing sense of mystery that readers will crave to uncover. If you are even a little interested in military sci-fi then I highly recommend this.
****
On one final note, something that I felt was better said outside the review, I just want to acknowledge Larkin’s decision to dedicate this book to the men of ‘A’ Company, 35th Infantry Battalion of the Irish Defence Forces, for their heroic actions during the siege of Jadotville in 1961. The grandad of someone very close to me was one of those men so Larkin’s dedication really resonated with me. Much respect to him!
Review also over on booknest.eu at: http://booknest.eu/reviews/assaph/218...
Rating: 4.5 stars
Blood Red Sand is a unique book in that it serves as both a prequel and sequel to Larkin’s debut novel, Big Red. Like its predecessor (or successor depending on how you look at it), the story follows an alternate history timeline where the Nazis fled Earth and colonised Mars. Set in 1954, it follows the allied invasion of the red planet in a massive operation similar to that of Operation Overlord. And that premise alone had me hooked from the start.
On the surface, the main conflict seems straightforward enough, however, readers will soon realise that there is far more to it than just killing Nazis. There are factions within factions on both sides, each with their own personal agendas and Larkin weaves the various strands of the inevitable conflict between these groups with expert precision.
Caught in the chaos of it all are common soldiers like Sergeant McCabe and Private Jenkins. McCabe is very much the main protagonist, given the most page time and whose story is linked the closest to characters and events of Big Red. Early on, he finds himself assigned to a covert black ops unit called Majestic-12 whose gear and tactics are alien to his experience of war. McCabe struggles between his orders and the frustration of not knowing what these mysterious soldiers’ objective is as he is thrown into firefight after firefight. It begs the question, should soldiers simply follow orders? McCabe challenges this preconception which results in some tense confrontations with a particular member of Majestic-12 that readers of Big Red will know very well. Larkin explores the horrific reality of war through the eyes of young Private Jenkins, with some truly shocking moments that hammer home to readers that there is nothing glorious about war or revenge. It is bloody, terrifying and traumatising. Jenkin’s viewpoint was my favourite as Larkin explores the impact war can have on the body, mind and soul.
Larkin also takes a bold leap by exploring perspectives on both sides of the war. I love when authors write from the bad guys’ perspective and you can’t get much worse than a fanatical Nazi colonel and mad SS scientist. The lesser of these villains is Wehrmacht general Seidel who finds himself completly unprepared by the allied assault. As I mentioned already, there are factions within factions, even on the Nazi side, and this leads to some of the most intense and shocking moments throughout the novel. Furthermore, the conflict here provides readers with a much better understanding of the setting at the beginning of Big Red.
Complimenting Larkin’s excellent characterisation is his ability to write impressive heart-pounding action sequences. From the D-Day-inspired opening as the allies airdrop assault the dunes of Mars to panzer ambushes, suicidal charges and some truly intense close-quarter combat scenes, readers are thrown right in the thick of it time and time again. Throughout it all, Larkin mixes up the action before it can get even close to repetitive and places a major emphasis on the camaraderie of soldiers in the midst of battle.
As much as I loved the focus on action, I wish there was more exploration of the overarching plot. Big Red left me with loads of questions. Some are answered here, but many aren’t and I have even more questions now than I did after the first novel. This is the mere beginning of a much greater war that Larkin hints towards throughout the course of the book, including talk of galactic conquest, and I am very excited to see where he goes with the story.
Some readers might initially associate Blood Red Sand with the Iron Sky film series, thinking the only difference being the Nazis settled on Mars instead of the Moon, however, that would be a major de-service to what Larkin has created here. Blood Red Sand is a very good military sci-fi with plenty of heart pounding action sequences, excellent characterisation and a growing sense of mystery that readers will crave to uncover. If you are even a little interested in military sci-fi then I highly recommend this.
****
On one final note, something that I felt was better said outside the review, I just want to acknowledge Larkin’s decision to dedicate this book to the men of ‘A’ Company, 35th Infantry Battalion of the Irish Defence Forces, for their heroic actions during the siege of Jadotville in 1961. The grandad of someone very close to me was one of those men so Larkin’s dedication really resonated with me. Much respect to him!
Review also over on booknest.eu at: http://booknest.eu/reviews/assaph/218...
July 1, 2021
Blood Red Sand is both a sequel and prequel to Big Red, which I also thoroughly enjoyed.
The worldbuilding here is top notch. The concept of having Nazis on Mars might seem far-fetched, but Larkin once again writes with such credibility and attention to detail that you can’t help but go along for the ride.
The novel focuses on the siege of New Berlin, the Martian colony where the Nazis have been living for the decade following WWII. This entire novel takes place over the course of only a couple days, and the characters we follow never get a moment to rest. The fighting is intense and nonstop as the MEF tries to make it to the government district in the center of the colony. Both sides believe in the absolute rightness of what they’re doing, and they’re willing to do anything they can to win. This leads to a lot of brutality and truly disturbing scenes, highlighting the insanity of war. McCabe, Jenkins, and the Black Visors were all compelling characters, and I was invested in their fates as they fought their way through New Berlin.
Then we have test subject Anna Bailey and the Nazi experiments that led to the creations of Hollows. We saw this technology in Big Red. Reichsfuhrer Wagner, the monstrous mind behind the experiments, is a loathsome character who, like so many others, is convinced that he’s doing the right thing, and the deaths that happened along the way were all an acceptable price to pay.
If you read and enjoyed Big Red, then I thoroughly recommend that you read Blood Red Sand.
The worldbuilding here is top notch. The concept of having Nazis on Mars might seem far-fetched, but Larkin once again writes with such credibility and attention to detail that you can’t help but go along for the ride.
The novel focuses on the siege of New Berlin, the Martian colony where the Nazis have been living for the decade following WWII. This entire novel takes place over the course of only a couple days, and the characters we follow never get a moment to rest. The fighting is intense and nonstop as the MEF tries to make it to the government district in the center of the colony. Both sides believe in the absolute rightness of what they’re doing, and they’re willing to do anything they can to win. This leads to a lot of brutality and truly disturbing scenes, highlighting the insanity of war. McCabe, Jenkins, and the Black Visors were all compelling characters, and I was invested in their fates as they fought their way through New Berlin.
Then we have test subject Anna Bailey and the Nazi experiments that led to the creations of Hollows. We saw this technology in Big Red. Reichsfuhrer Wagner, the monstrous mind behind the experiments, is a loathsome character who, like so many others, is convinced that he’s doing the right thing, and the deaths that happened along the way were all an acceptable price to pay.
If you read and enjoyed Big Red, then I thoroughly recommend that you read Blood Red Sand.
June 10, 2021
Whew! I don't even know where to start. All I can say is this is a high octane, full-throttle ride. Once the bullets start flying, they don't stop until the end. Larkin does a phenomenal job conveying the fear, confusion, and utter carnage of war.
I really hope he's well into writing the next book because I have even more questions about our characters and this world. Can't wait!
I give it a solid 4 (only because I think I wanted a little more story mixed in with the battles) and my ratings don't have listings for violence. Hmm, might need to fix that. Anyway, there was probably some mild swearing, but it was light considering the military sci-fi genre. But there is lots of death in horrible gruesome ways. :)
1-5 scale and what it means:
1: I couldn’t even finish it / just plain bad
2: I hope I didn’t pay for this / disappointing
3: I didn’t hate it, but it was still missing something / forgettable but inoffensive
3.5: On the line between good and ok / like, not love
4: Solid mind candy / worth reading
4.5: So very close to perfection! / must read
5: I could not put it down and I’m still thinking about it! / a true treasure
Movie Ratings in relation to my review:
Clean--Hallmark movies, some kissing, no nudity, no sex on or off "screen"
PG--Some innuendo but nothing kids don't hear every day, sex is all closed door
PG-13--some language (swear words not related to sex), more talk about sex, heavy petting, removal of clothing on screen, but sex is closed door.
PG-14—somewhere between PG-13 and R. Not erotica, but at least a paragraph of on-screen sex
R--swearing (F-bomb, on “screen” sex, sometimes feels like the whole story is about the sex and not the relationship or some other plot, but not always
I really hope he's well into writing the next book because I have even more questions about our characters and this world. Can't wait!
I give it a solid 4 (only because I think I wanted a little more story mixed in with the battles) and my ratings don't have listings for violence. Hmm, might need to fix that. Anyway, there was probably some mild swearing, but it was light considering the military sci-fi genre. But there is lots of death in horrible gruesome ways. :)
1-5 scale and what it means:
1: I couldn’t even finish it / just plain bad
2: I hope I didn’t pay for this / disappointing
3: I didn’t hate it, but it was still missing something / forgettable but inoffensive
3.5: On the line between good and ok / like, not love
4: Solid mind candy / worth reading
4.5: So very close to perfection! / must read
5: I could not put it down and I’m still thinking about it! / a true treasure
Movie Ratings in relation to my review:
Clean--Hallmark movies, some kissing, no nudity, no sex on or off "screen"
PG--Some innuendo but nothing kids don't hear every day, sex is all closed door
PG-13--some language (swear words not related to sex), more talk about sex, heavy petting, removal of clothing on screen, but sex is closed door.
PG-14—somewhere between PG-13 and R. Not erotica, but at least a paragraph of on-screen sex
R--swearing (F-bomb, on “screen” sex, sometimes feels like the whole story is about the sex and not the relationship or some other plot, but not always
August 11, 2021
Non-stop action and mayhem! Blood Red Sand is engaging, and it's a more straight-forward science fiction war story than the first book, Big Red. The action is intense and makes for a really fast read. You grow attached to the characters and their predicament and ultimately want them to succeed. Highly recommended!
July 7, 2021
A worthy successor to BIG RED, Blood Red Sand is a fast-paced, military-oriented campaign through the Allied invasion of Mars. It departs from the style of the previous novel somewhat, as Big Red was more sci-fi thriller, and Blood Red Sand focuses on open warfare on an alien planet (picture Saving Private Ryan or 1917, but in space). The technology and other-worldliness of it all are nearly inconsequential next to the tactics, conflict and brutality of war.
And boy, is it brutal. There are many shocking, gory and violent scenes, probably not for the faint of heart. But if you go into it expecting realistic military action, then you should be okay. Larkin is brilliant at portraying military tactics and action, so the combat never feels dull or repetitive. The battle scenes hurtle you along like you’re driving in a demolition derby death race.
The story here provides a lot of background for Big Red, revealing there's far more to the history of the Nazis on Mars than we previously realized. The Nazis are still the bad guys of course, but there are multiple factions within factions and many sides in what would normally be considered a black and white conflict. In fact, the different perspectives and outlooks of the warring groups is probably the most fascinating part of the book, and I would be curious to see Larkin pen a more sprawling sci-fi or fantasy epic. From some of the setup toward the end of Blood Red Sand, I think we might even be going that way.
Just because there aren’t as many Twilight-Zone-esques reveals as the last book doesn’t mean Blood Red Sand is without surprises. There are a few twists, though they’re mostly reserved for the very end of the book. A pulse-pounding, frenetic novel goes out on a high note and a bang, leaving the reader wanting to see where else this crazy story can go.
And boy, is it brutal. There are many shocking, gory and violent scenes, probably not for the faint of heart. But if you go into it expecting realistic military action, then you should be okay. Larkin is brilliant at portraying military tactics and action, so the combat never feels dull or repetitive. The battle scenes hurtle you along like you’re driving in a demolition derby death race.
The story here provides a lot of background for Big Red, revealing there's far more to the history of the Nazis on Mars than we previously realized. The Nazis are still the bad guys of course, but there are multiple factions within factions and many sides in what would normally be considered a black and white conflict. In fact, the different perspectives and outlooks of the warring groups is probably the most fascinating part of the book, and I would be curious to see Larkin pen a more sprawling sci-fi or fantasy epic. From some of the setup toward the end of Blood Red Sand, I think we might even be going that way.
Just because there aren’t as many Twilight-Zone-esques reveals as the last book doesn’t mean Blood Red Sand is without surprises. There are a few twists, though they’re mostly reserved for the very end of the book. A pulse-pounding, frenetic novel goes out on a high note and a bang, leaving the reader wanting to see where else this crazy story can go.
September 27, 2021
When Damien Larkin’s latest novel opened with Harry Truman impotently shaking his fist at the latest Nazi UFO to hover over the White House, I knew that I was going to be in for a good time. I’m not usually in the habit of praising Facebook, or even being vaguely positive about that bloated, inefficient and often sinister corpse of a social media behemoth; but the one thing it has managed to do well recently – for me at least – is start to show me paid adverts from horror and scifi authors about their latest releases. So when I was scrolling through my feed a few weeks ago and saw the book cover for Damien Larkin’s Blood Red Sand, I stopped scrolling and decided to take a look. The title itself was intriguing, and the cover drew my attention with its depiction of an astronaut with a Union Jack mission patch, and the sight of a strange geodesic dome reflected in the astronaut’s helmet. Having caught my attention, the book blurb then decisively reeled me in and had me immediately messaging Larkin for a review copy: whereas in our reality the Third Reich had the decency to stay down once they’d lost the Second World War, in this alternate history the remnants of the Nazi regime and their forces decided to make use of hidden, space-age technology to instead retreat to Mars and establish a technologically-advanced citadel there, far way from the Earth-bound Allied powers. There they built UFOs and began work on the secretive and terrifying Hollow Programme that promised a route for vengeance against the Allies who had defeated them the first time around. Fortunately for humanity, the United States was still able to undertake a version of Operation Paperclip in this reality, and Werner von Braun is soon pressed into service to oversee the construction of a vast fleet of starships that will transport an invasion force to the red planet to once and for all deal with the Nazi menace.
At this point, it would be fair to assume that our protagonist would be a square-jawed, cigar-chomping, corn-fed American soldier, dual-wielding Space Tommy Guns and spewing out an endless stream of lead and witticisms: B.J. Blazkowicz with the serial numbers filed off. And yet, as the cover art subtly indicates, this is about as far from the truth as it’s possible to get. Rather cleverly, Larkin eschews the tropes and stereotypes of this particular scenario and instead crafts a completely different and rather fascinating basis for the novel’s plot. For instead of American soldiers bearing the brunt of landing on Nazi-held Mars, it’s a joint Anglo-French invasion force, comprised of soldiers from two nations that the superpowers knew would a) have a particular grudge against the Nazis and b) not be a threat to either superpower when they landed on Mars, being transported by American vessels. So it is that Sergeant William McCabe suddenly awakes from suspended animation onboard the USAF North Carolina, orbiting Mars. A veteran of the British Army, McCabe’s platoon is just one tiny part of the Mars Expeditionary Force about to be deployed onto the Red Planet. But almost immediately there are problems for the NCO: his men find themselves kitted out in bright-white EVA suits that will make them excellent targets on the blood-red sand of Mars; they’ve come out of suspended animation far too late to prepare effectively; and casualties amongst the battalion’s senior officers mean his new CO is a Major who rejoices in the nickname “Mad Jack” and jas a sinister reputation. And as if all of that wasn’t enough, McCabe has barely woken up before the North Carolina is crippled by a surprise attack which leads to its fiery destruction, and McCabe and the survivors of his platoon hurtling towards Mars in a damaged drop ship, isolated from any surviving Allied forces.
It’s an action-packed and incredibly vivid opening to the novel, and Larkin keeps up the pressure on McCabe as the Sergeant survives landing on Mars, only to find himself outgunned and outnumbered by the Nazi forces. Struggling to keep himself and his remaining men alive, McCabe finds himself having to reluctantly ally himself with the mysterious Majestic-12 operatives known as the Black Visors. Meanwhile the Nazi high command in charge of the New Berlin Colony finds itself riven by inter-service rivalries and internal sabotage as Generalfeldmarschall Seidel’s Wehrmacht and Reichsführer Wagner’s SS repeatedly clash. The arrogant Wagner will do anything to repulse the Allied invasion and unleash the secretive Hollow Programme to ensure a final victory for the Nazi Party that will have repercussions across the entire solar system. Larkin has an instinctive feel for writing action-focused thrillers, deftly ramping up the tension as the consequences of Allied failure become readily apparent, and had me on the edge of my seat as I read the novel in the course of just two days. The plotting is sharply written, laser-focused and lean, with no padding out the wordcount with irrelevant sub-plots like many authors in the genre; Larkin also manages the deeply impressive feat of making the political machinations as riveting and engaging as the action sequences, something relatively few writers are able to achieve. In fact, in many ways, the twisted yet simultaneously terrifyingly prescient goals of the Hollow Project are even more interesting than the fighting between the MEF and the forces of the Third Reich, as Larkin sets up threads that are answered in the sequel novel, Big Red. That’s not to say that the fighting sequences aren’t deeply impressive as well – far from it. The frantic, savage, close-quarters fighting in the midst of New Berlin is admirably evocative of the overarching dieselpunk atmosphere of the novel, and Larkin gives us some hugely impressive set-pieces. One such example.is the cinematic opening landing on Mars that reads like a cross between The Longest Day and Starship Troopers, with thousands of British and French troops frantically emerging from shattered drop-ships to engage Nazi forces and Russian collaborators on the outskirts of New Berlin. Larkin knows exactly what buttons to push to keep us on our toes as the plot progresses at breakneck speed.
There’s so much more worldbuilding layered into Blood Red Sand that intrigues and enthralls, all without becoming overwhelming or an example of telling rather than showing. Instead,we get intriguing snippets – multiple Nazi moon colonies, Jewish labourers launching uprisings from their ghettos, and even references to the native Martian population whose presence begins to be felt in the latter half of the novel. And the first-class writing and well-integrated worldbuilding is matched by a cast of three-dimensional and fleshed out characters. Sergeant McCabe is a solid, engaging protagonist who develops naturally as the novel’s narrative progresses: while initially more worried about ensuring he and his men survive the coming onslaught against a well-defended and fanatical foe, his involvement with the Black Visors and their mysterious mission broadens his horizons and ensures he becomes enmeshed in both the current conflict against the Third Reich, and a mysterious galactic conflict that threatens to unfold in the coming decades. His squad-mate Private Jenkins is also a favourite of mine – not lucky enough to accompany a squad of futuristic commandos armed with superior weapons, Jenkins becomes our everyman character, fighting with bayonet and rifle against fanatical Wehrmacht and SS troops and becoming more and more broken – emotionally and physically – by what he witnesses. Forced to see comrades die from suicide bombs and ground under Panzer tracks, shell-shocked and demoralised by the end of the novel, Jenkins’ experiences help to ground the novel’s overarching narrative, Larkin soberingly demonstrating that while there are many fantastical elements to the novel, especially in its latter half, this is still very much a brutal meat-grinder of a conflict on par with the worst experiences of the Eastern Front a decade before. I also greatly appreciated that Larkin is one of the few authors in the genre to remember that it was the United Nations fighting the Third Reich, and not just Britain, Russia and the US: we get to see French, Polish and even Irish troop contingents fighting amongst the MEF, and there’s even a small contingent of unarmed West German soldiers who feed into an interesting sub-plot throughout the novel as McCabe attempts to rationalise their presence compared to the Germans he’s fighting.
Blood Red Sand is an absolutely brilliant science-fiction novel, one that’s simultaneously delightfully and unapologetically pulpy with a fantastic dieselpunk aesthetic, and yet also has a much more nuanced and complex background that Larkin carefully orchestrates and reveals in the latter half of the novel. At times it comes across as something like a science-fiction, prose version of a Commando comic, with Lee-Enfields and Bren Guns and panzers grinding through the Martian sand, but it’s also imbued with surprising depth of narrative, and populated with a cast of colourful and often complex and three-dimensional characters. One of my favourite novels I’ve read in a very long time, and most definitely ranking near the top of my Top Ten Novels of 2021, I genuinely cannot wait to dive into the sequel novel, Big Red, and see how all of the narrative threads set up in Blood Red Sand are resolved and expanded upon. Daniel Larkin is clearly an extremely talented science-fiction author, and is now firmly on my radar to see what he comes up with next; whether it’s more fiction set on the red sands of Mars, or something else entirely, you can be sure that I’ll be reading and reviewing it.
At this point, it would be fair to assume that our protagonist would be a square-jawed, cigar-chomping, corn-fed American soldier, dual-wielding Space Tommy Guns and spewing out an endless stream of lead and witticisms: B.J. Blazkowicz with the serial numbers filed off. And yet, as the cover art subtly indicates, this is about as far from the truth as it’s possible to get. Rather cleverly, Larkin eschews the tropes and stereotypes of this particular scenario and instead crafts a completely different and rather fascinating basis for the novel’s plot. For instead of American soldiers bearing the brunt of landing on Nazi-held Mars, it’s a joint Anglo-French invasion force, comprised of soldiers from two nations that the superpowers knew would a) have a particular grudge against the Nazis and b) not be a threat to either superpower when they landed on Mars, being transported by American vessels. So it is that Sergeant William McCabe suddenly awakes from suspended animation onboard the USAF North Carolina, orbiting Mars. A veteran of the British Army, McCabe’s platoon is just one tiny part of the Mars Expeditionary Force about to be deployed onto the Red Planet. But almost immediately there are problems for the NCO: his men find themselves kitted out in bright-white EVA suits that will make them excellent targets on the blood-red sand of Mars; they’ve come out of suspended animation far too late to prepare effectively; and casualties amongst the battalion’s senior officers mean his new CO is a Major who rejoices in the nickname “Mad Jack” and jas a sinister reputation. And as if all of that wasn’t enough, McCabe has barely woken up before the North Carolina is crippled by a surprise attack which leads to its fiery destruction, and McCabe and the survivors of his platoon hurtling towards Mars in a damaged drop ship, isolated from any surviving Allied forces.
It’s an action-packed and incredibly vivid opening to the novel, and Larkin keeps up the pressure on McCabe as the Sergeant survives landing on Mars, only to find himself outgunned and outnumbered by the Nazi forces. Struggling to keep himself and his remaining men alive, McCabe finds himself having to reluctantly ally himself with the mysterious Majestic-12 operatives known as the Black Visors. Meanwhile the Nazi high command in charge of the New Berlin Colony finds itself riven by inter-service rivalries and internal sabotage as Generalfeldmarschall Seidel’s Wehrmacht and Reichsführer Wagner’s SS repeatedly clash. The arrogant Wagner will do anything to repulse the Allied invasion and unleash the secretive Hollow Programme to ensure a final victory for the Nazi Party that will have repercussions across the entire solar system. Larkin has an instinctive feel for writing action-focused thrillers, deftly ramping up the tension as the consequences of Allied failure become readily apparent, and had me on the edge of my seat as I read the novel in the course of just two days. The plotting is sharply written, laser-focused and lean, with no padding out the wordcount with irrelevant sub-plots like many authors in the genre; Larkin also manages the deeply impressive feat of making the political machinations as riveting and engaging as the action sequences, something relatively few writers are able to achieve. In fact, in many ways, the twisted yet simultaneously terrifyingly prescient goals of the Hollow Project are even more interesting than the fighting between the MEF and the forces of the Third Reich, as Larkin sets up threads that are answered in the sequel novel, Big Red. That’s not to say that the fighting sequences aren’t deeply impressive as well – far from it. The frantic, savage, close-quarters fighting in the midst of New Berlin is admirably evocative of the overarching dieselpunk atmosphere of the novel, and Larkin gives us some hugely impressive set-pieces. One such example.is the cinematic opening landing on Mars that reads like a cross between The Longest Day and Starship Troopers, with thousands of British and French troops frantically emerging from shattered drop-ships to engage Nazi forces and Russian collaborators on the outskirts of New Berlin. Larkin knows exactly what buttons to push to keep us on our toes as the plot progresses at breakneck speed.
There’s so much more worldbuilding layered into Blood Red Sand that intrigues and enthralls, all without becoming overwhelming or an example of telling rather than showing. Instead,we get intriguing snippets – multiple Nazi moon colonies, Jewish labourers launching uprisings from their ghettos, and even references to the native Martian population whose presence begins to be felt in the latter half of the novel. And the first-class writing and well-integrated worldbuilding is matched by a cast of three-dimensional and fleshed out characters. Sergeant McCabe is a solid, engaging protagonist who develops naturally as the novel’s narrative progresses: while initially more worried about ensuring he and his men survive the coming onslaught against a well-defended and fanatical foe, his involvement with the Black Visors and their mysterious mission broadens his horizons and ensures he becomes enmeshed in both the current conflict against the Third Reich, and a mysterious galactic conflict that threatens to unfold in the coming decades. His squad-mate Private Jenkins is also a favourite of mine – not lucky enough to accompany a squad of futuristic commandos armed with superior weapons, Jenkins becomes our everyman character, fighting with bayonet and rifle against fanatical Wehrmacht and SS troops and becoming more and more broken – emotionally and physically – by what he witnesses. Forced to see comrades die from suicide bombs and ground under Panzer tracks, shell-shocked and demoralised by the end of the novel, Jenkins’ experiences help to ground the novel’s overarching narrative, Larkin soberingly demonstrating that while there are many fantastical elements to the novel, especially in its latter half, this is still very much a brutal meat-grinder of a conflict on par with the worst experiences of the Eastern Front a decade before. I also greatly appreciated that Larkin is one of the few authors in the genre to remember that it was the United Nations fighting the Third Reich, and not just Britain, Russia and the US: we get to see French, Polish and even Irish troop contingents fighting amongst the MEF, and there’s even a small contingent of unarmed West German soldiers who feed into an interesting sub-plot throughout the novel as McCabe attempts to rationalise their presence compared to the Germans he’s fighting.
Blood Red Sand is an absolutely brilliant science-fiction novel, one that’s simultaneously delightfully and unapologetically pulpy with a fantastic dieselpunk aesthetic, and yet also has a much more nuanced and complex background that Larkin carefully orchestrates and reveals in the latter half of the novel. At times it comes across as something like a science-fiction, prose version of a Commando comic, with Lee-Enfields and Bren Guns and panzers grinding through the Martian sand, but it’s also imbued with surprising depth of narrative, and populated with a cast of colourful and often complex and three-dimensional characters. One of my favourite novels I’ve read in a very long time, and most definitely ranking near the top of my Top Ten Novels of 2021, I genuinely cannot wait to dive into the sequel novel, Big Red, and see how all of the narrative threads set up in Blood Red Sand are resolved and expanded upon. Daniel Larkin is clearly an extremely talented science-fiction author, and is now firmly on my radar to see what he comes up with next; whether it’s more fiction set on the red sands of Mars, or something else entirely, you can be sure that I’ll be reading and reviewing it.
December 28, 2020
I was lucky enough to be offered the chance to read this novel prior to release for my honest feedback. Although SciFi is not usually a genre I read and enjoy I loved the first book in this series and couldn’t wait to read the second. I was not disappointed. The story takes place in an alternative history of the world where after WWII Adolf Hitler, the German army, some civilians and the Gestapo escape to colonise Mars and an allied army is sent to New Berlin to thwart any further plans the Reich might have of world domination.
There is a lot of action and the novel reads like a WWII story meets Doctor Who meets Quantum Leap, but it is written so incredibly well I found myself accepting the narrative and mixture of past and future science without question. The battle scenes are bloody and terrible and clearly show the horror of war. On the other hand, although the German forces are the enemy, they are also depicted as men doing their job and I found I couldn’t help but empathise with them.
I loved this novel and can’t wait for the next one.
There is a lot of action and the novel reads like a WWII story meets Doctor Who meets Quantum Leap, but it is written so incredibly well I found myself accepting the narrative and mixture of past and future science without question. The battle scenes are bloody and terrible and clearly show the horror of war. On the other hand, although the German forces are the enemy, they are also depicted as men doing their job and I found I couldn’t help but empathise with them.
I loved this novel and can’t wait for the next one.
January 11, 2021
Brilliant follow up to Beg Red. I enjoyed how it was both a prequel and a sequel at the same time, depending on which character's point of view you were look at. I also appreciated the style of world building, and how important a role the dialogue played.
5/5 will be reading the next one.
5/5 will be reading the next one.
June 2, 2022
Genre: Alternative/future history
Description: This novel is set in the same milieu as Larkin’s debut novel Big Red which came out in 2019. I have not read that book, but felt very little adrift not knowing its content. Blood Red Sand stands satisfactorily alone. Apparently Blood Red Sand is a prequel, so if you enjoy this you can move onwards (or backwards in time …) to Big Red.
The premise is entirely military, and definitely ‘out there’. There are space ships and habitat domes. There are Panzers and Bren guns. It’s that sort of mashup. Bit of a Boy’s Own, then. Perhaps worth mentioning that the few women in the book are well drawn and hold their own with the men in the plot line, and the violence they are capable of.
Author: Damien Larkin is an Irish science fiction author and co-founder of the British and Irish Writing Community. He lives in Dublin. His first novel Big Red was longlisted for the British Science Fiction Award for Best Novel.
Appraisal: The last time I played video games was SSX on the PS2. Out of touch much? C’est moi. I am absolutely not this book’s target market, yet I enjoyed it a lot. It is well written. Characters are well drawn and shown to the reader through their actions – of which there is masses. The plot is one long battle, with well-explained skirmishes. The pages turn briskly, and a couple of interesting surprises are set up to provide a frisson when one is, perhaps, getting slightly tired of the blood-letting later on. There is just enough humour to leaven the blood and gore. The body count is enormous: it began to puzzle me from about half way where all the reinforcements could possibly be coming from. It does not do to question that sort of thing, nor the motives and morals of anybody in the book, too closely. But the baddies (Nazis) are definitely worse than the goodies (Allies).
This book is very much for gamers. Especially those who play first-person shooters. And who watch films about Nazism continuing after WWII, eg Iron Sky, in which the defeated Nazis repair to the Moon, with a view to building a space fleet to conquer the Earth. In this case (the clue is in the title) the Nazis have made their way to Mars in the early Fifties with a view to rebuilding the Reich and finally conquering the world (mwahahaha). Thither they have been pursued by the Mars Expeditionary Force (and others). The battle begins with space ships pounding away at each other but quickly the fighting becomes hand to hand.
Larkin is good at the strategy and tactics such a Force would employ, the kinds of weapons they might have available to them (plus a twist), and descriptions of the battle. He bangs on a bit about the weaponry (frequently name-checking it), and ditto about the bits of flesh that used to be people getting spattered about by shells, grenades etc. But hey, I guess that’s war. Don’t read this book when you’re eating is my advice.
Given the resurgence of fascism and anti-Semitism in our world it is no bad thing to be reminded how vile both political philosophies are. Although the Allies don’t come out of it smelling of roses either: their mantra is “kill them all”. Nor, I suspect, will all Jewish readers be entirely comfortable with the way they are portrayed.
It reminded me strongly of Starship Troopers without the bugs.
I originally reviewed this book for Big Al & Pals, for which I received a complimentary soft copy.
Description: This novel is set in the same milieu as Larkin’s debut novel Big Red which came out in 2019. I have not read that book, but felt very little adrift not knowing its content. Blood Red Sand stands satisfactorily alone. Apparently Blood Red Sand is a prequel, so if you enjoy this you can move onwards (or backwards in time …) to Big Red.
The premise is entirely military, and definitely ‘out there’. There are space ships and habitat domes. There are Panzers and Bren guns. It’s that sort of mashup. Bit of a Boy’s Own, then. Perhaps worth mentioning that the few women in the book are well drawn and hold their own with the men in the plot line, and the violence they are capable of.
Author: Damien Larkin is an Irish science fiction author and co-founder of the British and Irish Writing Community. He lives in Dublin. His first novel Big Red was longlisted for the British Science Fiction Award for Best Novel.
Appraisal: The last time I played video games was SSX on the PS2. Out of touch much? C’est moi. I am absolutely not this book’s target market, yet I enjoyed it a lot. It is well written. Characters are well drawn and shown to the reader through their actions – of which there is masses. The plot is one long battle, with well-explained skirmishes. The pages turn briskly, and a couple of interesting surprises are set up to provide a frisson when one is, perhaps, getting slightly tired of the blood-letting later on. There is just enough humour to leaven the blood and gore. The body count is enormous: it began to puzzle me from about half way where all the reinforcements could possibly be coming from. It does not do to question that sort of thing, nor the motives and morals of anybody in the book, too closely. But the baddies (Nazis) are definitely worse than the goodies (Allies).
This book is very much for gamers. Especially those who play first-person shooters. And who watch films about Nazism continuing after WWII, eg Iron Sky, in which the defeated Nazis repair to the Moon, with a view to building a space fleet to conquer the Earth. In this case (the clue is in the title) the Nazis have made their way to Mars in the early Fifties with a view to rebuilding the Reich and finally conquering the world (mwahahaha). Thither they have been pursued by the Mars Expeditionary Force (and others). The battle begins with space ships pounding away at each other but quickly the fighting becomes hand to hand.
Larkin is good at the strategy and tactics such a Force would employ, the kinds of weapons they might have available to them (plus a twist), and descriptions of the battle. He bangs on a bit about the weaponry (frequently name-checking it), and ditto about the bits of flesh that used to be people getting spattered about by shells, grenades etc. But hey, I guess that’s war. Don’t read this book when you’re eating is my advice.
Given the resurgence of fascism and anti-Semitism in our world it is no bad thing to be reminded how vile both political philosophies are. Although the Allies don’t come out of it smelling of roses either: their mantra is “kill them all”. Nor, I suspect, will all Jewish readers be entirely comfortable with the way they are portrayed.
It reminded me strongly of Starship Troopers without the bugs.
I originally reviewed this book for Big Al & Pals, for which I received a complimentary soft copy.
November 30, 2021
A very enjoyable follow up to the first book, Big Red.
I'm a huge fan of the story element which began to truly be explored 1/4 of the way through the book and that for me was when it really took off.
The action was well written and throughout the book the author found new ways the shock the reader, but for me it is the whole over arcing story of that is gripping.
Very much looking forward to the next installment.
As a final note, I know the whole "don't judge books by their covers"thing blah blah..... But the cover art on both Big Red and Red Blood Sand is fantastic
I'm a huge fan of the story element which began to truly be explored 1/4 of the way through the book and that for me was when it really took off.
The action was well written and throughout the book the author found new ways the shock the reader, but for me it is the whole over arcing story of that is gripping.
Very much looking forward to the next installment.
As a final note, I know the whole "don't judge books by their covers"thing blah blah..... But the cover art on both Big Red and Red Blood Sand is fantastic
August 4, 2021
I remember when I watched the movie Saving Private Ryan and I wondered when the fighting scenes would end...well, the action NEVER ends in Blood Red Sand and will keep you reading and guessing til the last page. Part Saving Private Ryan, part The Man in the High Castle, with a touch of Free Jack - facing and fighting Nazi threats...on Mars! This is a prequel but could be read stand alone. You'll want to pick up Big Red to get more from this talented author!
July 16, 2021
Blood Red Sand is a space marine science fiction story. This is the second book of the series. The story was set in 1954. The story follows an alternate history timeline where the Nazis have fled the Earth and colonized Mars.
The story is multilayered and filled with so much depth that it takes you by surprise. Sergeant McCabe is assigned to a covert black op’s unit called the Majestic- 12. The problems arising from that shape the story at hand.
How would you be if you knew Adolf Hitler, Gestapo, and the German Army escaped to Mars and made colonize? The story is action-packed and filled with bloody scenes, clearly indicating a war.
The work is descriptive and has a fast pace keeping it thrilling and intriguing to read. I think it would be best if you read from book one. I look forward to reading the third book of its series.
I recommend this book to anyone who likes military sci-fi stories.
The story is multilayered and filled with so much depth that it takes you by surprise. Sergeant McCabe is assigned to a covert black op’s unit called the Majestic- 12. The problems arising from that shape the story at hand.
How would you be if you knew Adolf Hitler, Gestapo, and the German Army escaped to Mars and made colonize? The story is action-packed and filled with bloody scenes, clearly indicating a war.
The work is descriptive and has a fast pace keeping it thrilling and intriguing to read. I think it would be best if you read from book one. I look forward to reading the third book of its series.
I recommend this book to anyone who likes military sci-fi stories.
November 23, 2020
In my review of the author’s first novel in this series, Big Red, I made the comparison with Robert Heinlein’s stories. This second book, Blood Red Sand, confirms that analogy. In fact, I’d say it establishes Damien Larkin as Heinlein’s successor.
Like Heinlein, Mars offers a narrative landscape with two key features that inform my comparison. First of all, it is a planet worth fighting over to gain nationalist supremacy and is like Starship Troopers for this reason. War is violent and visceral, soldiers die horrific deaths and, often, for little or no gain. The foot soldiers are the ones who suffer while the higher ranks pound their chests and spout propaganda.
There are obvious connections to Stranger in a Strange Land as well. Heinlein posited theories of a Martian race with existing links to Earth, though in his story the situation is reversed, where it’s a Martian who visits Earth.
Blood Red Sand is a significantly more ambitious book than the first in some ways. Gone is the unreliable narrator. Now we get to see what happens when competing terrestrial nations battle with one another for control of the red planet. And battle they do! This is a complex story because there are several sides to the war. The enemy forces are conflicted and have their own insurrectionists while the allied forces are not exactly cohesive either. War is chaotic and this is never more obvious in this story where supremacy can never be predicted or anticipated.
But it’s more ambitious for another reason, and this hooked me, big time! Advanced technology allows the consciousness of one person to be supplanted into someone else, in any place and at any time. We encountered it in the first book but here the concept is ramped up to pose serious threats to our protagonists and even pose some terrible ethical dilemmas. This is high quality, high concept science fiction.
Blood Red Sand sets up another story which promises even further escalation of the war. I’m awed by Damien Larkin’s imagination, that it can conceive of something so truly epic.
So truly Heinlein.
I strongly recommend it!
Like Heinlein, Mars offers a narrative landscape with two key features that inform my comparison. First of all, it is a planet worth fighting over to gain nationalist supremacy and is like Starship Troopers for this reason. War is violent and visceral, soldiers die horrific deaths and, often, for little or no gain. The foot soldiers are the ones who suffer while the higher ranks pound their chests and spout propaganda.
There are obvious connections to Stranger in a Strange Land as well. Heinlein posited theories of a Martian race with existing links to Earth, though in his story the situation is reversed, where it’s a Martian who visits Earth.
Blood Red Sand is a significantly more ambitious book than the first in some ways. Gone is the unreliable narrator. Now we get to see what happens when competing terrestrial nations battle with one another for control of the red planet. And battle they do! This is a complex story because there are several sides to the war. The enemy forces are conflicted and have their own insurrectionists while the allied forces are not exactly cohesive either. War is chaotic and this is never more obvious in this story where supremacy can never be predicted or anticipated.
But it’s more ambitious for another reason, and this hooked me, big time! Advanced technology allows the consciousness of one person to be supplanted into someone else, in any place and at any time. We encountered it in the first book but here the concept is ramped up to pose serious threats to our protagonists and even pose some terrible ethical dilemmas. This is high quality, high concept science fiction.
Blood Red Sand sets up another story which promises even further escalation of the war. I’m awed by Damien Larkin’s imagination, that it can conceive of something so truly epic.
So truly Heinlein.
I strongly recommend it!
July 10, 2021
Paperback 4.5*
Arc 4*
An entertaining and pacy read and like the previous book 'Big Red', ideal for fans of Iron Sky. The story works twin threads:- The initial invasion of Mars - with a plotline of more than a nod to Saving Private Ryan and A Bridge too Far - with a new bunch of international rapscallions fighting for their lives in a strange land. And the original gang of Daz's thugs sticking their noses into Marscorps origin story.
Needless to say, nothing goes to plan as the (mainly) men fight for their lives with a desperate need to succeed. It is easy to attach similarities to war films, and an interesting take on having WW2 veterans fight off planet. Hints of Fury, Stalingrad and Downfall flit around through the periphery of the storyline, filling in the blanks and hidden past to human technological advances and the backstory to Mars.
If anything, the early version I read slightly undersold itself in infantry fighting a new enemy with armour and nowhere to run. While the desperate band dig their way from defeat in a brutal, layered story of betrayal and survival it could do with a extra hint of terror to nail the terror and claustrophobia. The paperback makes the panzer threat tighter, but as shown at Falais vulnerable to the air, with Brant seeming a nod to Robert Shaw in BotB.
Given world events and the last few years in Weimar-seeming England, a bit of Nazi bashing is no bad thing, and well worth the read. The only thing stopping a solid 5* was for me the weapon terminology could have been dialled back later on to keep up with the rush, and every so often a term jarred with me.
I'm looking forward to seeing where the story travels next, as some of the backstory is still hidden within the fog of war, in particular where and when Earth and Mars begin this conflict with the western powers before and during WW2. The opportunity wasn't taken here, and anyone familiar with a FPS will feel immediately at home on the battlefield as this book graps you by the backpack and throws you into it. In terms of worldbuilding, character and story, there is more to come and it should land on an eager audience.
Woohoo!
Arc 4*
An entertaining and pacy read and like the previous book 'Big Red', ideal for fans of Iron Sky. The story works twin threads:- The initial invasion of Mars - with a plotline of more than a nod to Saving Private Ryan and A Bridge too Far - with a new bunch of international rapscallions fighting for their lives in a strange land. And the original gang of Daz's thugs sticking their noses into Marscorps origin story.
Needless to say, nothing goes to plan as the (mainly) men fight for their lives with a desperate need to succeed. It is easy to attach similarities to war films, and an interesting take on having WW2 veterans fight off planet. Hints of Fury, Stalingrad and Downfall flit around through the periphery of the storyline, filling in the blanks and hidden past to human technological advances and the backstory to Mars.
If anything, the early version I read slightly undersold itself in infantry fighting a new enemy with armour and nowhere to run. While the desperate band dig their way from defeat in a brutal, layered story of betrayal and survival it could do with a extra hint of terror to nail the terror and claustrophobia. The paperback makes the panzer threat tighter, but as shown at Falais vulnerable to the air, with Brant seeming a nod to Robert Shaw in BotB.
Given world events and the last few years in Weimar-seeming England, a bit of Nazi bashing is no bad thing, and well worth the read. The only thing stopping a solid 5* was for me the weapon terminology could have been dialled back later on to keep up with the rush, and every so often a term jarred with me.
I'm looking forward to seeing where the story travels next, as some of the backstory is still hidden within the fog of war, in particular where and when Earth and Mars begin this conflict with the western powers before and during WW2. The opportunity wasn't taken here, and anyone familiar with a FPS will feel immediately at home on the battlefield as this book graps you by the backpack and throws you into it. In terms of worldbuilding, character and story, there is more to come and it should land on an eager audience.
Woohoo!
April 11, 2021
i am one of the many that have had the privilege to read an author review advanced copy. I personally love anything that has science fiction.
prequel to Big Red, Blood Red Sand is a worthwhile read. It has many twists and turns that are unexpected while fitting in with the theme of the book. it is a mix of time travel, action, suspense, and gore all mixed into one book.
at the heart of the book is a gritty story of the struggle between the forces of good and evil. the good side the Mars Expedition Force and the groups they meet up with along the way, hell-bent on freeing those under the tyranny of the Furher and his Goons. the evil side being the SS, Gestapo and the German army who use anything and anybody to gain an advantage over the Enemy that seeks to free those they have enchained.
the book is set around the time of WW II. its location is Mars. the scenes in the book are filled with the right amount of detail to keep the reader entranced and wanting to see what's on the next page. the pace at which the story progresses is perfectly set. the perspective jumps are perfect and it's easy to understand which character and where you are viewing the story from, whether it from a soldier in a trench or corporeal leading the charge
prequel to Big Red, Blood Red Sand is a worthwhile read. It has many twists and turns that are unexpected while fitting in with the theme of the book. it is a mix of time travel, action, suspense, and gore all mixed into one book.
at the heart of the book is a gritty story of the struggle between the forces of good and evil. the good side the Mars Expedition Force and the groups they meet up with along the way, hell-bent on freeing those under the tyranny of the Furher and his Goons. the evil side being the SS, Gestapo and the German army who use anything and anybody to gain an advantage over the Enemy that seeks to free those they have enchained.
the book is set around the time of WW II. its location is Mars. the scenes in the book are filled with the right amount of detail to keep the reader entranced and wanting to see what's on the next page. the pace at which the story progresses is perfectly set. the perspective jumps are perfect and it's easy to understand which character and where you are viewing the story from, whether it from a soldier in a trench or corporeal leading the charge
May 14, 2021
I received an ARC of this book from Damien in return for an honest review, and I'm pleased to say I loved the book.
Military SF isn't my usual fare, however, I was absorbed in the detailed worldbuilding and battle-hardened characters. Both give a real sense of the struggle and horror of combat, especially on an alien world. The mix of history, science fiction and 'what if' makes for an exciting read, reminsicient of The Man in the High Castle, only better (because Philip K Dick runs off at tangents and often forgets to come back).
As a prequel to Big Red, there's plenty of hints and foreshadowing to enjoy, following characters on both sides of the conflict, and some we're not quite sure about. What I found most interesting is the commitment all sides show to their goal, an unflinching dedication to their cause. There's conflict everywhere, in all senses of the word, and this creates an uncertainty, even amongst allies. There are plenty of exciting action scenes, while never forgetting the human cost of war or the lengths people will go to to win.
What I praise Damien most highly for is his ability to balance the fighting with the science fiction elements and still achieve complex characterisation. Nailed it.
Military SF isn't my usual fare, however, I was absorbed in the detailed worldbuilding and battle-hardened characters. Both give a real sense of the struggle and horror of combat, especially on an alien world. The mix of history, science fiction and 'what if' makes for an exciting read, reminsicient of The Man in the High Castle, only better (because Philip K Dick runs off at tangents and often forgets to come back).
As a prequel to Big Red, there's plenty of hints and foreshadowing to enjoy, following characters on both sides of the conflict, and some we're not quite sure about. What I found most interesting is the commitment all sides show to their goal, an unflinching dedication to their cause. There's conflict everywhere, in all senses of the word, and this creates an uncertainty, even amongst allies. There are plenty of exciting action scenes, while never forgetting the human cost of war or the lengths people will go to to win.
What I praise Damien most highly for is his ability to balance the fighting with the science fiction elements and still achieve complex characterisation. Nailed it.
July 9, 2021
Action packed sci-fi
I preordered Blood Red Sand after reading the authors last book Big Red, it certainly wasn’t a disappointment.
In this instalment, Larkin returns to Mars, this time acting as both a prequel and sequel to the events in Big Red. The author puts his foot down hard when it comes to the action in the book and keeps it there throughout. This reflects the pace of events in the story, with everything happening over the course of a few days.
Grittier than most similar books, a air of realism is achieved through the graphic descriptions of combat in built up areas. No mean feat in a story that can be summarised as ‘ early Cold War era Allied/Soviet joint force attacks Nazis on Mars : may include time travel’
Overall, great work, with enough left to hopefully run to a third instalment.
I preordered Blood Red Sand after reading the authors last book Big Red, it certainly wasn’t a disappointment.
In this instalment, Larkin returns to Mars, this time acting as both a prequel and sequel to the events in Big Red. The author puts his foot down hard when it comes to the action in the book and keeps it there throughout. This reflects the pace of events in the story, with everything happening over the course of a few days.
Grittier than most similar books, a air of realism is achieved through the graphic descriptions of combat in built up areas. No mean feat in a story that can be summarised as ‘ early Cold War era Allied/Soviet joint force attacks Nazis on Mars : may include time travel’
Overall, great work, with enough left to hopefully run to a third instalment.
August 24, 2021
This was an absolutely breathless romp of a military sci-fi. It took me too long to get around to reading it but once I did I blasted through it in a couple of days; the action never lets up and you just flow with it.
Fans of Big Red will find a lot to love in returning to the crazy world of futurist Nazi Mars from the past, taking a different perspective on the messed up situation but with a lot of favourite characters returning. There's action right from the get-go, and where Big Red had some build up and a complex spiralling set up to get your head around, this one's more or less a nonstop fight for survival. Nothing but fun - though in truth I did miss a bit of the surrounding detail that padded out the first book to give context to the characters. Not that it was entirely lacking here, one of the things Larkin does best is slipping in small quirks and banter that subtly keep the characters really afable and human in the midst of some pretty harrowing action.
If you enjoyed Book 1, be sure to continue the journey - and if you haven't read Big Red, well, you could start here. But you might as well read both. You'll get more out of the stories reading them close together, to keep track of the connections!
Fans of Big Red will find a lot to love in returning to the crazy world of futurist Nazi Mars from the past, taking a different perspective on the messed up situation but with a lot of favourite characters returning. There's action right from the get-go, and where Big Red had some build up and a complex spiralling set up to get your head around, this one's more or less a nonstop fight for survival. Nothing but fun - though in truth I did miss a bit of the surrounding detail that padded out the first book to give context to the characters. Not that it was entirely lacking here, one of the things Larkin does best is slipping in small quirks and banter that subtly keep the characters really afable and human in the midst of some pretty harrowing action.
If you enjoyed Book 1, be sure to continue the journey - and if you haven't read Big Red, well, you could start here. But you might as well read both. You'll get more out of the stories reading them close together, to keep track of the connections!
February 2, 2021
Blood Red Sand is a solid sequel to Big Red, keeping very much in line with the overall narrative of the series. Once again this is pure sci-fi, but everything has been ramped up. The action and violence is visceral. the world building is great, and once again we're given head scratching twists.
On a deeper level the book explores themes dealing with the futility of war, and the stubbornness and madness of humans, even (arguably) what it means to be human. Although the book is set on Mars, against a post WW2 setting, you'd be forgiven for thinking that Larkin is having a laugh, but that's far from the case, the bizarreness of it all quickly fades once the fighting starts.
As a sequel I think it slightly surpasses Big Red for its streamline narrative, leaning more towards action and the morality of war, as the bloodshed and madness are explored by characters from both sides of the conflict, smudging the lines of right and wrong. It still has great twists which are directly liked to Big Red, giving a huge scale to the world which Larkin has created, leaving me excited for the next book in the series.
On a deeper level the book explores themes dealing with the futility of war, and the stubbornness and madness of humans, even (arguably) what it means to be human. Although the book is set on Mars, against a post WW2 setting, you'd be forgiven for thinking that Larkin is having a laugh, but that's far from the case, the bizarreness of it all quickly fades once the fighting starts.
As a sequel I think it slightly surpasses Big Red for its streamline narrative, leaning more towards action and the morality of war, as the bloodshed and madness are explored by characters from both sides of the conflict, smudging the lines of right and wrong. It still has great twists which are directly liked to Big Red, giving a huge scale to the world which Larkin has created, leaving me excited for the next book in the series.
Read
June 29, 2021Blood Red Sand was, unfortunately, a DNF for me. The big disclaimer here is that I did not read the first book in this series. It's apparent from reading other reviews that I was missing a great deal of information which came from the first installment. At more than 60% into the book, it was almost entirely about troop movements with tiny glimpses of what was some promising and interesting sci/fi themes to explore. It just did not hold my interest to move through each side shooting at each other, taking and ceding ground, with no general idea about why it was important beyond beating their enemy. There was no discernable plot besides "kill the Germans" without the foreknowledge of the first book. It also had what felt like incongruent elements in the same way old episodes of Twilight Zone did. They would do a story set far into the future, but still used corded rotary telephones. Thankfully Star Trek fixed that with their communicators, the acknowledged inspiration of the cellphone. With Blood Red Sand, we have two nations capable of interplanetary flight, able to establish an artificial atmosphere and colonize another planet--but they still shoot at each other with standard bullets. Seems to me that civilizations with advanced technology would have advanced weaponry--even for their basic infantry troops. I'm not going to add a star rating which would bring down the author's average because the writing itself was good. I felt the dirt and the blasts and despair. It's clear from multiple high ratings that for those who read the first book, this was an excellent sequel/prequel. I just couldn't get there from access to what I had.
February 6, 2024
Blood Red Steel is the vital and compelling continuation of the military-scifi, alternate history epic that is Big Red. This book is the product of two books worth of painstakingly crafted twists and foreshadowing. Blood Red Steel skillfully spans multiple points of view and timelines, and I love that something that was a passing idea in one book became the central focus of another.
We reunite with the Mars Expeditionary Force's Second Battalion two years after the end of Blood Red Sand, and we’ve had a bit of a break from the large scale battles, but that was just the calm before the storm. The majority of the plot is centered around the attack on Forward Base Zulu, a bloody massacre mentioned with reverence and sorrow in the first installment of the series. From the close-quarters skirmishes to the large scale battles, each action packed scene is completely immersive. Seriously. I was reading the last third of the book when the fire alarm in my apartment building went off and for a split second I thought all my air was about to get sucked out through a hull breach.
I loved getting to spend more time with the previous books’ side characters, like Anna Bailey and Captain Lockhart. And just like the last two books, Larkin’s principle characters (and the Black Visors) do not disappoint. The stakes are so high in this one. Larkin is a master storyteller and every plot twist is a punch to the gut.
We reunite with the Mars Expeditionary Force's Second Battalion two years after the end of Blood Red Sand, and we’ve had a bit of a break from the large scale battles, but that was just the calm before the storm. The majority of the plot is centered around the attack on Forward Base Zulu, a bloody massacre mentioned with reverence and sorrow in the first installment of the series. From the close-quarters skirmishes to the large scale battles, each action packed scene is completely immersive. Seriously. I was reading the last third of the book when the fire alarm in my apartment building went off and for a split second I thought all my air was about to get sucked out through a hull breach.
I loved getting to spend more time with the previous books’ side characters, like Anna Bailey and Captain Lockhart. And just like the last two books, Larkin’s principle characters (and the Black Visors) do not disappoint. The stakes are so high in this one. Larkin is a master storyteller and every plot twist is a punch to the gut.
October 17, 2024
Ten years after World War 2, the battle is still being waged…on Mars. New Berlin is the site of more bloodshed. But there’s more to the story. The Martian natives add an interesting twist, along with the futuristic and sinister Hollow Programme which threatens to be humanity’s worst nightmare.
The numerous battle scenes keep readers turning pages. But a note to sensitive readers—the blood and gore, while realistic, is not for the squeamish.
Blood Red Sand is a brilliantly written, imaginative story that will appeal to fans of military sci-fi.
The numerous battle scenes keep readers turning pages. But a note to sensitive readers—the blood and gore, while realistic, is not for the squeamish.
Blood Red Sand is a brilliantly written, imaginative story that will appeal to fans of military sci-fi.
June 22, 2024
I really enjoyed the setup of the Big Red series in book 1. The author created a unique story tied into familiar historical reality and married it to an off-planet civilization dependent upon humans and all of their twisted politics. I was absolutely onboard to find out where this story was going to go in Book 2. I can't say enough good things about how the author developed the intricacies of the dual world politics.. and more. He weaves a complex web of motivations for each faction throughout his carefully crafted universe, then sprinkles the entire story with fascinating speculative science fiction technology. The story leaves the reader guessing about outcomes by only allowing readers to know what's going on along with the main characters. So the mystery deepens as new characters, who clearly have big roles to play in Book 3, are introduced. Even though this is a military focused book, women rejoice, because the author includes more than a few women in his plot for you to identify with. I was particularly impressed with the character, Anna Bailey. She's no joke, and I can't wait to see what she brings to the story in the next book. This story doesn't pull any punches. There's a savagery to it that absolutely belongs, but reader beware! The fight scenes between Anna and her captors was brutal, but I loved every minute of that well-drawn woman taking her captors to task. Five stars. Highly recommend!
January 22, 2022
The year is 1954 and World War Two has been over for nearly a decade. After losing the war, the Nazis were exiled to Mars. The Nazis, with the help of Martian technology, are becoming a force again and something needs to be done to stop them. It is now up to Sergeant McCabe, Private Jenkins, and the rest of the Mars Expeditionary Force to win the war all over again. As they enter the Martian atmosphere, the battle for supremacy is on. Fortunately, with the help of the Black Visors, a special ops group, victory is at hand.
Blood Red Sand, Damien Larkin’s second novel, is a no-holds-barred, blood, guts, and gore, shoot ’em up action thriller. If you are a fan of 1950s space adventures, then you’ll enjoy Larkin’s writing style. This is not your English class novel. Larkin writes in a style reminiscent of the pulp science fiction novels. Unlike a lot of Mars exploration books and films out now, Larkin’s novel is more in the style of Edgar Rice Burroughs, only bloodier. This novel is as much fun as punching a Nazi on Mars could be.
This review was originally published at https://portlandbookreview.com/produc...
Blood Red Sand, Damien Larkin’s second novel, is a no-holds-barred, blood, guts, and gore, shoot ’em up action thriller. If you are a fan of 1950s space adventures, then you’ll enjoy Larkin’s writing style. This is not your English class novel. Larkin writes in a style reminiscent of the pulp science fiction novels. Unlike a lot of Mars exploration books and films out now, Larkin’s novel is more in the style of Edgar Rice Burroughs, only bloodier. This novel is as much fun as punching a Nazi on Mars could be.
This review was originally published at https://portlandbookreview.com/produc...
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews