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Gears of War #2
Jacinto's Remnant
Based on the blockbuster Xbox game, this is the stunning story of the men and women who stood between a planet and total destruction—and now have to face the consequences of their actions. After a brutal fifteen-year war for survival, the Coalition of Ordered Governments is forced to destroy mankind’s last city in a final bid to stop the Locust Horde. As the survivors flee Jacinto, they must contend with the last of the Locust, bent on vengeance, as they struggle to stay alive in an icy wilderness. Marcus Fenix, Dom Santiago, and their fellow Gears fight to get Jacinto’s refugees to a safe haven, but find themselves in a lawless new world where the enemy is human—and as desperate and dangerous as any grub.
418 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2009
140 people are currently reading
1840 people want to read
About the author
Karen Traviss
130 books1,536 followers#1 New York Times best-selling novelist, scriptwriter and comics author Karen Traviss has received critical acclaim for her award-nominated Wess'har series, and her work on Halo, Gears of War, Batman, G.I. Joe, and other major franchises has earned her a broad range of fans. She's best known for military science fiction, but GOING GREY and BLACK RUN, the first books in her new techno-thriller series RINGER, are set in the real world of today. A former defence correspondent and TV and newspaper journalist, she lives in Wiltshire, England. She's currently working on SACRIFICIAL RED, the third book in the Ringer series, and HERE WE STAND, book three in the NOMAD series.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 101 reviews
December 2, 2011
Review from Badelynge
Jacinto's Remnant is the second book in the Gears of War series following on directly after the events portrayed in Gears of War 2 the popular Xbox 360 game. The humans of Sera have destroyed their last major stronghold Jacinto in a desperate attempt to flood the underground lair of the Locust. The survivors flee in search of a new refuge, hoping that the monsters from below have been all but wiped out. The book documents the Gears and the civilians of Jacinto scouting for a new island home - an old CoG Naval Base at Vectes. Like the first book it periodically looks back at an earlier historic moment in the conflict. This time it shines a light onto the dark days when Prescott authorises Hammer Strikes to obliterate all but one human enclave on the planet of Sera. The CoG government has come to the conclusion that they are doomed - unless they do the unthinkable. It still seems unthinkable to me, even knowing that saving a few is better than saving none, to press a button and wipe out 99% of your own people seems like the sort of scenario that sits more comfortably among the back story of a computer game, but in a book it has to pass closer scrutiny and even though I love Gears I tend to think ordered societies would be much more likely to go down fighting rather than resort , even in desperation, to such tactics. Mores and attitudes are very much to the fore within these books, with many of the characters, particularly Hoffman and Mataki, struggling to shift perspectives when society shifts to and from a war footing and to and from fighting a completely different and unfathomable monstrous species to fighting their own, sometimes hardly less monstrous and unfathomable.
I get the feeling Traviss really has a soft spot for Hoffman and that some of the careless characterisation from the game doesn't sit well with her. Hoffman's decision to leave Fenix, a decorated war hero, to die in an abandoned prison, overrun with Locust, being the standout bump in the road. Following on from Gears 2 the book also has to deal with the aftermath of Dom Santiago finding his long lost wife and the terrible choice he had to make. It's perhaps the key note emotional event from the sometimes quite thin plotting that the game achieved and Karen Traviss does well in painting a more detailed account of the consequences to Dom and those around him.
For a book standing squarely in the military sci-fi genre there's a severe shortage of actual action, no large Aspho Fields style battles, just some fairly routine skirmishes. It wasn't a problem for me, I enjoyed the post apocalyptic scenario focusing on rebooting society from a bare remnant. Despite the lack of action there's still plenty of drama, spot on characterisation, a sort of cosiness that come from spending time with well loved and time worn Gears and mystery lurking in the dark and the deeps.
Jacinto's Remnant is the second book in the Gears of War series following on directly after the events portrayed in Gears of War 2 the popular Xbox 360 game. The humans of Sera have destroyed their last major stronghold Jacinto in a desperate attempt to flood the underground lair of the Locust. The survivors flee in search of a new refuge, hoping that the monsters from below have been all but wiped out. The book documents the Gears and the civilians of Jacinto scouting for a new island home - an old CoG Naval Base at Vectes. Like the first book it periodically looks back at an earlier historic moment in the conflict. This time it shines a light onto the dark days when Prescott authorises Hammer Strikes to obliterate all but one human enclave on the planet of Sera. The CoG government has come to the conclusion that they are doomed - unless they do the unthinkable. It still seems unthinkable to me, even knowing that saving a few is better than saving none, to press a button and wipe out 99% of your own people seems like the sort of scenario that sits more comfortably among the back story of a computer game, but in a book it has to pass closer scrutiny and even though I love Gears I tend to think ordered societies would be much more likely to go down fighting rather than resort , even in desperation, to such tactics. Mores and attitudes are very much to the fore within these books, with many of the characters, particularly Hoffman and Mataki, struggling to shift perspectives when society shifts to and from a war footing and to and from fighting a completely different and unfathomable monstrous species to fighting their own, sometimes hardly less monstrous and unfathomable.
I get the feeling Traviss really has a soft spot for Hoffman and that some of the careless characterisation from the game doesn't sit well with her. Hoffman's decision to leave Fenix, a decorated war hero, to die in an abandoned prison, overrun with Locust, being the standout bump in the road. Following on from Gears 2 the book also has to deal with the aftermath of Dom Santiago finding his long lost wife and the terrible choice he had to make. It's perhaps the key note emotional event from the sometimes quite thin plotting that the game achieved and Karen Traviss does well in painting a more detailed account of the consequences to Dom and those around him.
For a book standing squarely in the military sci-fi genre there's a severe shortage of actual action, no large Aspho Fields style battles, just some fairly routine skirmishes. It wasn't a problem for me, I enjoyed the post apocalyptic scenario focusing on rebooting society from a bare remnant. Despite the lack of action there's still plenty of drama, spot on characterisation, a sort of cosiness that come from spending time with well loved and time worn Gears and mystery lurking in the dark and the deeps.
January 3, 2016
'Catastrophic moments bringing the best out of humanity – and the worst!'
For a game not known for having much of a story, Karen Traviss sure knows how to pull out the substance of the lore within the Gears universe. The jeist of the Gears franchise focuses on a genocidal war between humanity and the Locust horde, monsters which erupted from the below the surface of Sera. The war last for some fifteen years. Before that there was over sixty years of war with the Union of Independent States, better known as ‘indies’. In terms of fictional lore, before the novels there was just what I’ve mentioned – Traviss’ writing has helped to give more depth and feeling to the characters from Delta Squad and there embattled allies. Which is no bad thing as the video games are devoid of any type of characteristics other than a rooting-tooting-hoo-aah marine-esque experience.
Jancinto’s Remnants is Karen Traviss’ second novel encapsulating the Gears universe. Luckily it’s a direct sequel to Gears of War 2 the video game, if you’ve not played the games, I’d suggest giving them ago – even just for the action – but if you want to have any idea what is going on in the novels then it’s a must I’m afraid.
The book literally carries on the Gears 2 we find Bernie struggling to survive amidst the sinking of Jacinto (humanities last bastion of hope). The COG pull out of the city, many lives are lost to bring about the extinction of their monstrous nemeses, the Locust and there queen. Marcus and his friends believe the war is over, but what you believe is rarely the reality.
Karen Traviss really does excel at military sci-fi, if you’ve got your geek on I’d say she is a closely following Dan Abnett and the up-and-coming Guy Haley in this niche. She manages to inject some of the missing ingredients from the video games, raw human emotion and the will to win despite the odds. The author chops through the crap and gets down to it when it comes to developing each character individually. Baird the banting brainiac, Fenix the deep-thinking meat-head, Dom the lost and Cole for a bit of humorous relief. Throw in some of Karen’s creations from the novel, Bernie, Sam Byrne and Anya Stroud, then you’ve got something that was lacking from the games, females – who tear it up in this story.
Hoffman, Dom and Marcus really are given centre stage in Jacinto’s, the author takes us back to the Pendulum Wars. The prequel part of the novel helps bring about just how they all came together. Dom has lost his wife and now his grief is set to drag him down into a welter of disappear. At the end of Gears 2 he has to make a terrible choice which filters through in this novel.
There’s no Plan C for the COG, they’ve already used the Hammer of Dawn to nuke Sera and then sunk Jacinto. They make for the nearest harbour port. They now have another common enemy, the Strandard, who are essentially survivalist humans who resort to the baser human needs. They are far from being bums, they’ve fought Locust, Gears and Lambant and are still around. It’s rather appealing to me to see just how some people have survived this apocalyptic war.
Just like in Aspho Fields Traviss uses flashbacks/prequel moments to help contrast past and present events. Jacinto’s Remnant details the challenges the COG now face by effectively becoming Strandard themselves – they still hope to rebuild civilization, but while doing so the real horror of what they wrought by using the Hammer of Dawn becomes even more startling.
One year after E-Day (Emergency Day), the Horde has been successful at exterminating humanity that entire nations begin to crumble, prepping the way for a last stand against the Grubs (Locusts). The COG itself is fragmented, unity begins to collapses which in turn causes a domino effect – government stops to function, logically supplying Gears and the citizens is nay on impossible.
Chairman Richard Prescott makes the decision to destroy Sera, calling it ‘asset denial’ – Hoffman calls it genocide, which it really is. Not just the Locust will die but also humanity itself. Jacinto Remnant focuses on the decisions leading up to the using of this doomsday weapons platform. Many of the flashbacks narrow down for the reader just why this decision was taken by high command. What we see is a serious of tense exchanges between, Hoffman, Prescott and Adam Fenix.
Many of the questions posed by the previous games and Aspho Fields are answered in this novel. In turn many of the relationships are expanded using some of the excellent novel-only characters who I have mentioned previously. Dizzy is even here – played Gears 2 find out what happened to him and his daughters!
has a lot going for it. Are there any drawbacks? Well only a few really. If you’ve not played the games then you’re not going to have a clue what’s going on. Other than that I’d say this novel shows a lot of depth and soul. The writing is sharp and doesn’t deviate from its course. Science fiction grimdark at its best in my opinion.
For a game not known for having much of a story, Karen Traviss sure knows how to pull out the substance of the lore within the Gears universe. The jeist of the Gears franchise focuses on a genocidal war between humanity and the Locust horde, monsters which erupted from the below the surface of Sera. The war last for some fifteen years. Before that there was over sixty years of war with the Union of Independent States, better known as ‘indies’. In terms of fictional lore, before the novels there was just what I’ve mentioned – Traviss’ writing has helped to give more depth and feeling to the characters from Delta Squad and there embattled allies. Which is no bad thing as the video games are devoid of any type of characteristics other than a rooting-tooting-hoo-aah marine-esque experience.
Jancinto’s Remnants is Karen Traviss’ second novel encapsulating the Gears universe. Luckily it’s a direct sequel to Gears of War 2 the video game, if you’ve not played the games, I’d suggest giving them ago – even just for the action – but if you want to have any idea what is going on in the novels then it’s a must I’m afraid.
The book literally carries on the Gears 2 we find Bernie struggling to survive amidst the sinking of Jacinto (humanities last bastion of hope). The COG pull out of the city, many lives are lost to bring about the extinction of their monstrous nemeses, the Locust and there queen. Marcus and his friends believe the war is over, but what you believe is rarely the reality.
Karen Traviss really does excel at military sci-fi, if you’ve got your geek on I’d say she is a closely following Dan Abnett and the up-and-coming Guy Haley in this niche. She manages to inject some of the missing ingredients from the video games, raw human emotion and the will to win despite the odds. The author chops through the crap and gets down to it when it comes to developing each character individually. Baird the banting brainiac, Fenix the deep-thinking meat-head, Dom the lost and Cole for a bit of humorous relief. Throw in some of Karen’s creations from the novel, Bernie, Sam Byrne and Anya Stroud, then you’ve got something that was lacking from the games, females – who tear it up in this story.
Hoffman, Dom and Marcus really are given centre stage in Jacinto’s, the author takes us back to the Pendulum Wars. The prequel part of the novel helps bring about just how they all came together. Dom has lost his wife and now his grief is set to drag him down into a welter of disappear. At the end of Gears 2 he has to make a terrible choice which filters through in this novel.
There’s no Plan C for the COG, they’ve already used the Hammer of Dawn to nuke Sera and then sunk Jacinto. They make for the nearest harbour port. They now have another common enemy, the Strandard, who are essentially survivalist humans who resort to the baser human needs. They are far from being bums, they’ve fought Locust, Gears and Lambant and are still around. It’s rather appealing to me to see just how some people have survived this apocalyptic war.
Just like in Aspho Fields Traviss uses flashbacks/prequel moments to help contrast past and present events. Jacinto’s Remnant details the challenges the COG now face by effectively becoming Strandard themselves – they still hope to rebuild civilization, but while doing so the real horror of what they wrought by using the Hammer of Dawn becomes even more startling.
One year after E-Day (Emergency Day), the Horde has been successful at exterminating humanity that entire nations begin to crumble, prepping the way for a last stand against the Grubs (Locusts). The COG itself is fragmented, unity begins to collapses which in turn causes a domino effect – government stops to function, logically supplying Gears and the citizens is nay on impossible.
Chairman Richard Prescott makes the decision to destroy Sera, calling it ‘asset denial’ – Hoffman calls it genocide, which it really is. Not just the Locust will die but also humanity itself. Jacinto Remnant focuses on the decisions leading up to the using of this doomsday weapons platform. Many of the flashbacks narrow down for the reader just why this decision was taken by high command. What we see is a serious of tense exchanges between, Hoffman, Prescott and Adam Fenix.
Many of the questions posed by the previous games and Aspho Fields are answered in this novel. In turn many of the relationships are expanded using some of the excellent novel-only characters who I have mentioned previously. Dizzy is even here – played Gears 2 find out what happened to him and his daughters!
has a lot going for it. Are there any drawbacks? Well only a few really. If you’ve not played the games then you’re not going to have a clue what’s going on. Other than that I’d say this novel shows a lot of depth and soul. The writing is sharp and doesn’t deviate from its course. Science fiction grimdark at its best in my opinion.
October 31, 2019
Karen Traviss is becoming my favourite author. I was not expecting much for a novel inspired by a action video game, but this sequel was great. There is no much focus on action, but on the characters emotional history. This is maybe the most humanistic and sentimental novel about futuristic soldiers killing alien monsters that i have read.
This novel dwells in serious issues like PTSD from rape to genocide, but from different perspective and how different characters deals with them. The most surprising thing is the amout of emotion and humanity that the author puts in characters that in the games are positioned as "cold steel tough guys".
The realism also surprised me. I felt like i was reading actual accounts of soldiers in a desperate war and not a action packed scifi novel. Traviss clearly studied how soldiers in real life live and talk.
This novel dwells in serious issues like PTSD from rape to genocide, but from different perspective and how different characters deals with them. The most surprising thing is the amout of emotion and humanity that the author puts in characters that in the games are positioned as "cold steel tough guys".
The realism also surprised me. I felt like i was reading actual accounts of soldiers in a desperate war and not a action packed scifi novel. Traviss clearly studied how soldiers in real life live and talk.
August 2, 2025
Nostalgia is still very powerful for me and I devoured this fairly quickly (shout out to no one wanting to read it at the library lmao)
We’re now getting into the meat of our gang trying to survive new threats and embrace a peaceful future. As expected, it’s not going well. We also get a look into the deployment of the Hammer of Dawn which is gut-wrenching and terrifying. A fun fact about me is that this book taught past me that martial law was in fact, not good. I think Traviss does a pretty good job capturing the dread leading up to the burnings and the horror at the sheer loss of life. The bombings bring us to the crux of the book: the Stranded. All the characters have different feelings when it comes to Stranded - hate/disgust (Bernie and Baird) to some type of understanding/empathy (Cole and Dom at the end). With multiple POVs, I’m not sure how clear or smoothly the message came through but I think I got what Traviss was saying.
My favorite parts have to be Dom’s chapters, particularly the ones from the past. When Maria is seeing the children and wants to go on walks every day to find them….. you know something is coming. Dom is so clearly the heart of the series and it kills me.
Last but not least - “Bernie could tell from Marcus’s slow head turns that he was keeping watch on the dogs in his peripheral vision, avoiding eye contact.” - I love a good foreshadowing.
We’re now getting into the meat of our gang trying to survive new threats and embrace a peaceful future. As expected, it’s not going well. We also get a look into the deployment of the Hammer of Dawn which is gut-wrenching and terrifying. A fun fact about me is that this book taught past me that martial law was in fact, not good. I think Traviss does a pretty good job capturing the dread leading up to the burnings and the horror at the sheer loss of life. The bombings bring us to the crux of the book: the Stranded. All the characters have different feelings when it comes to Stranded - hate/disgust (Bernie and Baird) to some type of understanding/empathy (Cole and Dom at the end). With multiple POVs, I’m not sure how clear or smoothly the message came through but I think I got what Traviss was saying.
My favorite parts have to be Dom’s chapters, particularly the ones from the past. When Maria is seeing the children and wants to go on walks every day to find them….. you know something is coming. Dom is so clearly the heart of the series and it kills me.
Last but not least - “Bernie could tell from Marcus’s slow head turns that he was keeping watch on the dogs in his peripheral vision, avoiding eye contact.” - I love a good foreshadowing.
February 25, 2022
(Synopsis) - After a brutal fifteen year war for survival, the COG is forced to destroy mankind’s last city in a final bid to stop the Locust Horde. As the survivors flee Jacinto, they must contend with the last of the Locust, bent on vengeance, as they struggle to stay alive in an icy wilderness. Marcus, Dom, and their fellow Gears fight to get Jacinto’s refugees to a safe haven.
(Review) - I have said this many times, that Karen Traviss is a fantastic author and she deserves more love and appreciation! And what she does here to humanise the charecters is just incredible! Gears of war on the surface is just a brutal gore filled story FPS shooter, just pure war, and don't get me wrong the story is amazing and heartfelt in the games, enough to make me cry in the 3rd installment, but because of the action theres not enough time to have loads of humanity to come through because the game is focused on point A to B and epic moments. So it's down to these books to bring out the humanity and Traviss does this perfectly, showing you the struggle of the soldiers now who no longer know what to do with themselves, now the war is over and the stranded people stuck in a destroyed world and expected to start again. And it's all very fascinating the adventure Traviss takes you on, making you think and feel for these characters as if they where real, because they are feeling things that real people in there situations would feel and struggle with! Also the story goes into a subject that i never would of expected from the gears franchise, but when you sit and think about it, things like this happen in war. The subject was gang rape, to a main character and how it was handled by the main characters and the author was incredibly well done and hard to read at times but it had an important message and impact to the story that brought out way more of the humanity in the book! At the end of the day this is a very human story, the Locust appear a little but mostly this is a humanity struggle and this book is a great case study of how war effects people, and not something I'd ever find myself saying about the gears of war video games, but the books are a completely different breed and definitely worth experiencing.
5/5 Stars GoodReads 🌟⭐⭐⭐⭐
100/100 GingerPoints 🔥
(Review) - I have said this many times, that Karen Traviss is a fantastic author and she deserves more love and appreciation! And what she does here to humanise the charecters is just incredible! Gears of war on the surface is just a brutal gore filled story FPS shooter, just pure war, and don't get me wrong the story is amazing and heartfelt in the games, enough to make me cry in the 3rd installment, but because of the action theres not enough time to have loads of humanity to come through because the game is focused on point A to B and epic moments. So it's down to these books to bring out the humanity and Traviss does this perfectly, showing you the struggle of the soldiers now who no longer know what to do with themselves, now the war is over and the stranded people stuck in a destroyed world and expected to start again. And it's all very fascinating the adventure Traviss takes you on, making you think and feel for these characters as if they where real, because they are feeling things that real people in there situations would feel and struggle with! Also the story goes into a subject that i never would of expected from the gears franchise, but when you sit and think about it, things like this happen in war. The subject was gang rape, to a main character and how it was handled by the main characters and the author was incredibly well done and hard to read at times but it had an important message and impact to the story that brought out way more of the humanity in the book! At the end of the day this is a very human story, the Locust appear a little but mostly this is a humanity struggle and this book is a great case study of how war effects people, and not something I'd ever find myself saying about the gears of war video games, but the books are a completely different breed and definitely worth experiencing.
5/5 Stars GoodReads 🌟⭐⭐⭐⭐
100/100 GingerPoints 🔥
November 6, 2022
3.5 - review coming soon
January 22, 2010
Jacinto's Remnant (Gears of War)
by Karen Traviss
Del Rey
352 pages
isbn 0345499441
Jacinto's Remnant was a great idea for a book because it was based on the best-selling xbox games, Gears of War 1 and 2. If you've played the video game, then you have a good idea about what the book is about and understand it better than others who have not. The video game had a great storyline and the character developement was great, but this book highlights all the little things and specifically focuses on the lives of Delta Squad.
In this book, Earth has been attcked by an alien race called the locust. The locust did not come from a different planet, they came from the center of earth. For obvious reasons, the Locusts' brutality and savageness nearly wiped out the whole human race from the face of the earth. The human race literally had its back against the wall until a new dicovey and a bold move to once and for all finish off the Locust.
This book was great! Even thought I wasn't killing locust, I really enjoyed reading about all the close fire-fights and tough situations Delta Squad got in to. If you played the game, then read the book because it gives you great insight on why certain things happened. If you didn't read the book, you should play the game first.
This book is a book is a great fit for a blockbuster video game and uses great dialouge to get the reader hooked in. Just when you think delta squad is out of the dark, another big thing happens and its back to mayham all over again. Read this book! It's great!
by Karen Traviss
Del Rey
352 pages
isbn 0345499441
Jacinto's Remnant was a great idea for a book because it was based on the best-selling xbox games, Gears of War 1 and 2. If you've played the video game, then you have a good idea about what the book is about and understand it better than others who have not. The video game had a great storyline and the character developement was great, but this book highlights all the little things and specifically focuses on the lives of Delta Squad.
In this book, Earth has been attcked by an alien race called the locust. The locust did not come from a different planet, they came from the center of earth. For obvious reasons, the Locusts' brutality and savageness nearly wiped out the whole human race from the face of the earth. The human race literally had its back against the wall until a new dicovey and a bold move to once and for all finish off the Locust.
This book was great! Even thought I wasn't killing locust, I really enjoyed reading about all the close fire-fights and tough situations Delta Squad got in to. If you played the game, then read the book because it gives you great insight on why certain things happened. If you didn't read the book, you should play the game first.
This book is a book is a great fit for a blockbuster video game and uses great dialouge to get the reader hooked in. Just when you think delta squad is out of the dark, another big thing happens and its back to mayham all over again. Read this book! It's great!
December 31, 2009
Gears of War Jacinto's Remanant is a sci-fi book based on the hit Xbox games. The story happens in the games and books on the planet Sera, the only known Human planet. The remaining Humans are trying to rebuild after the fourteen year war with the sentient, underground-living creatures dubbed the Locust. It was a war of xenocide. That is where the story begins in this book.
Gears of War Jacinto's Remnant is a fantastic book but a lot of people wouln't get it if they haven't played the games, which are rated "M" for being some of the most gory games out there. The main theme of this book is that unity is the foundation of civilization, and without civilization, Humans become worse than animals. The author writes some chapters in the present and som in the past. I loved this book because not only is it action packed, it also has a deep message. It is a definate must read for fans of gaming.
Gears of War Jacinto's Remnant is a fantastic book but a lot of people wouln't get it if they haven't played the games, which are rated "M" for being some of the most gory games out there. The main theme of this book is that unity is the foundation of civilization, and without civilization, Humans become worse than animals. The author writes some chapters in the present and som in the past. I loved this book because not only is it action packed, it also has a deep message. It is a definate must read for fans of gaming.
Currently reading
August 19, 2009I'm currently 3/4 of the way in and let me say it is FANTASTIC for a videogame novel. Both of the Gears books seem to stand above the average novelized form of a videogame. Karen Traviss really knows how to write a damn good sci-fi novel that feels realistic and connects you to the emotions, thoughts, and feelings of the characters. You could honestly read this book with no prior knowledge of the series and feel completely immersed due to Traviss's mastery of character depth.
September 1, 2009
When I first heard that someone would be writing Gears of War books, I was worried. After all, how could someone possibly capture all the things about the game and the characters I loved?
Karen Traviss has done her work beautifully, creating a world so real, you feel like you could walk out your door and meet any of these characters on the street.
If you're any kind of Gears of War fan, I highly recommend this book.
Karen Traviss has done her work beautifully, creating a world so real, you feel like you could walk out your door and meet any of these characters on the street.
If you're any kind of Gears of War fan, I highly recommend this book.
September 5, 2009
As before, Ms. Traviss has shown herself to have a great grasp on the characters of Delta Squad. Unlike Aspho Fields, her previous book in this setting, in Jacinto's Remnant she tackled the implications of peace after ninety years of war. A recommended read for GOW fans and lovers of sci-fi militaria.
October 31, 2020
Gears: Jacinto's Remnant is the second book in the Gears of War series following on directly after the events portrayed in Gears of War 2 the popular Xbox game. The humans of Sera have destroyed their last major stronghold Jacinto in a desperate attempt to flood the underground lair of the Locust. The survivors flee in search of a new refuge, hoping that the monsters from below have been all but wiped out. The book documents the Gears and the civilians of Jacinto scouting for a new island home - an old CoG Naval Base at Vectes. Like the first book it periodically looks back at an earlier historic moment in the conflict. This time it shines a light onto the dark days when Prescott authorises Hammer Strikes to obliterate all but one human enclave on the planet of Sera. The CoG government has come to the conclusion that they are doomed - unless they do the unthinkable. It still seems unthinkable to me, even knowing that saving a few is better than saving none, to press a button and wipe out 99% of your own people seems like the sort of scenario that sits more comfortably among the back story of a computer game, but in a book it has to pass closer scrutiny and even though I love Gears I tend to think ordered societies would be much more likely to go down fighting rather than resort , even in desperation, to such tactics. Mores and attitudes are very much to the fore within these books, with many of the characters, particularly Hoffman and Mataki, struggling to shift perspectives when society shifts to and from a war footing and to and from fighting a completely different and unfathomable monstrous species to fighting their own, sometimes hardly less monstrous and unfathomable.
I get the feeling Traviss really has a soft spot for Hoffman and that some of the careless characterisation from the game doesn't sit well with her. Hoffman's decision to leave Fenix, a decorated war hero, to die in an abandoned prison, overrun with Locust, being the standout bump in the road. Following on from Gears 2 the book also has to deal with the aftermath of Dom Santiago finding his long lost wife and the terrible choice he had to make. It's perhaps the key note emotional event from the sometimes quite thin plotting that the game achieved and Karen Traviss does well in painting a more detailed account of the consequences to Dom and those around him.
For a book standing squarely in the military sci-fi genre there's a severe shortage of actual action, no large Aspho Fields style battles, just some fairly routine skirmishes. It wasn't a problem for me, I enjoyed the post apocalyptic scenario focusing on rebooting society from a bare remnant. Despite the lack of action there's still plenty of drama, spot on characterisation, a sort of cosiness that come from spending time with well loved and time worn Gears and mystery lurking in the dark and the deeps.
I get the feeling Traviss really has a soft spot for Hoffman and that some of the careless characterisation from the game doesn't sit well with her. Hoffman's decision to leave Fenix, a decorated war hero, to die in an abandoned prison, overrun with Locust, being the standout bump in the road. Following on from Gears 2 the book also has to deal with the aftermath of Dom Santiago finding his long lost wife and the terrible choice he had to make. It's perhaps the key note emotional event from the sometimes quite thin plotting that the game achieved and Karen Traviss does well in painting a more detailed account of the consequences to Dom and those around him.
For a book standing squarely in the military sci-fi genre there's a severe shortage of actual action, no large Aspho Fields style battles, just some fairly routine skirmishes. It wasn't a problem for me, I enjoyed the post apocalyptic scenario focusing on rebooting society from a bare remnant. Despite the lack of action there's still plenty of drama, spot on characterisation, a sort of cosiness that come from spending time with well loved and time worn Gears and mystery lurking in the dark and the deeps.
April 20, 2024
Here's a straightforward TL;DR summary of my review:
If you're seeking an expansion of lore from the game, you'll get a little bit of it. If you're simply wanting to be thrust deeper into the characters from the game (including "new" ones), you'll have a good time. Especially if you're NOT a fan of bloody violence and profanity (there is SOME, but, it's scant).
So...
First the good. Great characterizations, and after the emotional rollercoaster that was Gears 2 (the game), this threw heaps onto that pile quite effectively. The dialogue always felt realistic and natural, which one might not expect from a video game adaptation.
The action, though sparse, was pretty entertaining. This does collide with my first gripe, however. It was just...*very* sparse. Now, given the plot, it's kind of understandable; but it still felt insufficient to me considering the source material. And although most of the action sequences were well-written, some were pretty underwhelming. For example, chainsawing an enemy; this doesn't occur until halfway through the novel, and when it does, it's two sentences...and, not to sound like a sadist, but no mention of blood or mess, just: One second the Locust is there, and another it's "sliding away." That's it.
One of my biggest pet peeves about this book was the "language." Almost on par with some of the action - as mentioned above - it was as if, halfway through, Traviss was told to write to an audience of kids. Despite the "based on a Mature-rated video game" disclaimer on the book itself. Example - "frigging." There was one instance where the word occurred FOUR TIMES in a single page, which isn't to say that's the only time the word makes landfall. Right, like we're supposed to believe that gungho soldiers fighting brutal creatures are censoring themselves - in the middle of a firefight, no less. C'mon.
The sporadic flashbacks, while mildly confusing, did provide some variety and change of pace to the book so I can appreciate that, especially given the relatively lackluster premise of the story.
I'm not knocking Traviss as an author in any fashion here - and have thoroughly enjoyed two of her Republic Commando novels, as well as this book's predecessor. Jacinto's Remnant isn't an awful read by any means, it just didn't feel like a Gears of War novel, except for the characters.
If you're seeking an expansion of lore from the game, you'll get a little bit of it. If you're simply wanting to be thrust deeper into the characters from the game (including "new" ones), you'll have a good time. Especially if you're NOT a fan of bloody violence and profanity (there is SOME, but, it's scant).
So...
First the good. Great characterizations, and after the emotional rollercoaster that was Gears 2 (the game), this threw heaps onto that pile quite effectively. The dialogue always felt realistic and natural, which one might not expect from a video game adaptation.
The action, though sparse, was pretty entertaining. This does collide with my first gripe, however. It was just...*very* sparse. Now, given the plot, it's kind of understandable; but it still felt insufficient to me considering the source material. And although most of the action sequences were well-written, some were pretty underwhelming. For example, chainsawing an enemy; this doesn't occur until halfway through the novel, and when it does, it's two sentences...and, not to sound like a sadist, but no mention of blood or mess, just: One second the Locust is there, and another it's "sliding away." That's it.
One of my biggest pet peeves about this book was the "language." Almost on par with some of the action - as mentioned above - it was as if, halfway through, Traviss was told to write to an audience of kids. Despite the "based on a Mature-rated video game" disclaimer on the book itself. Example - "frigging." There was one instance where the word occurred FOUR TIMES in a single page, which isn't to say that's the only time the word makes landfall. Right, like we're supposed to believe that gungho soldiers fighting brutal creatures are censoring themselves - in the middle of a firefight, no less. C'mon.
The sporadic flashbacks, while mildly confusing, did provide some variety and change of pace to the book so I can appreciate that, especially given the relatively lackluster premise of the story.
I'm not knocking Traviss as an author in any fashion here - and have thoroughly enjoyed two of her Republic Commando novels, as well as this book's predecessor. Jacinto's Remnant isn't an awful read by any means, it just didn't feel like a Gears of War novel, except for the characters.
February 12, 2018
The second entry in the Gears series is as solid as the first. Its does a good job at keeping the characters from the game true to their personalities and traits while filling in the story gaps between game entries.
The story takes place right after the Gears 2 game; when humanities’ last governed city Jacinto is sunk by focused nuclear blasts in an attempt to destroy the underground locust tunnel directly below the city. Occasionally, the story shifts to explore a past timeline of when the Locusts first emerged from underground to destroy humanity and how the decision came where the COG leaders proceeded to nuke their own cities in order to destroy any resources the Locust could attain. In these sections, the themes of mass panic and sacrificial survival are the dominate tones. These sections also cover the aftermath of the blast in terms on loss and trauma for the survivors.
Unlike the first book, the battles that occur in book two are very short lived. This time around, the story focuses more on how the surviving COG society is attempting to set up a new area of residency to rebuild while struggling with the constant opposing forces of human stranded that don’t agree with the governments ways. There isn’t much seen from the Locust during this period.
In the end, this book was a good read. It does well to inform of events not explored in the game and gives interesting back history to recognizable soldiers from the games.
The story takes place right after the Gears 2 game; when humanities’ last governed city Jacinto is sunk by focused nuclear blasts in an attempt to destroy the underground locust tunnel directly below the city. Occasionally, the story shifts to explore a past timeline of when the Locusts first emerged from underground to destroy humanity and how the decision came where the COG leaders proceeded to nuke their own cities in order to destroy any resources the Locust could attain. In these sections, the themes of mass panic and sacrificial survival are the dominate tones. These sections also cover the aftermath of the blast in terms on loss and trauma for the survivors.
Unlike the first book, the battles that occur in book two are very short lived. This time around, the story focuses more on how the surviving COG society is attempting to set up a new area of residency to rebuild while struggling with the constant opposing forces of human stranded that don’t agree with the governments ways. There isn’t much seen from the Locust during this period.
In the end, this book was a good read. It does well to inform of events not explored in the game and gives interesting back history to recognizable soldiers from the games.
March 9, 2025
"Really liked it." - 4 out of 5 star rating.
An excellent dive into a new and very interesting science-fiction world.
As a prior service Army guy who served in both OIF and OEF, there is so much to this book/series that really hits close to home. From trips down memory lane to boot camp, harsh reality of war and really living in the moment fully knowing that each meal/mission - could be your last, leaving loved ones behind back in the rear,... just all of it. Really hits the heart strings on point here for me.
Then throw on top a dystopian sci-fi universe where people are calorie rationed, subterranean alien lifeforms that are pure nightmare fuel, and big hulking soldiers going into battle with chain-saw swords... yep - we have ourselves a winner here, lol.
One thing that this book brings to the table that #1 didn't, is a deep reflection of what life is like after the war. Mourning over the lost. Reconnecting with civilians and civilian life. Again, been there and done that. Well done Karen Traviss... well done.
Really enjoyed this one and looking forward to experiencing more of Gears, both in books and videogames. As of the time of this review, I've played the OG Gears of War 1 Remaster this past Quarter and it was great.
Onward to book #3!
An excellent dive into a new and very interesting science-fiction world.
As a prior service Army guy who served in both OIF and OEF, there is so much to this book/series that really hits close to home. From trips down memory lane to boot camp, harsh reality of war and really living in the moment fully knowing that each meal/mission - could be your last, leaving loved ones behind back in the rear,... just all of it. Really hits the heart strings on point here for me.
Then throw on top a dystopian sci-fi universe where people are calorie rationed, subterranean alien lifeforms that are pure nightmare fuel, and big hulking soldiers going into battle with chain-saw swords... yep - we have ourselves a winner here, lol.
One thing that this book brings to the table that #1 didn't, is a deep reflection of what life is like after the war. Mourning over the lost. Reconnecting with civilians and civilian life. Again, been there and done that. Well done Karen Traviss... well done.
Really enjoyed this one and looking forward to experiencing more of Gears, both in books and videogames. As of the time of this review, I've played the OG Gears of War 1 Remaster this past Quarter and it was great.
Onward to book #3!
August 6, 2018
Always felt that video game based books were a "hit-or-miss" that can either add a lot or very little to the narrative. Considering that I don't play this game or any of this kind, it was a double risk. But I heard so much good about the books that I bought Aspho Fields, was very suprised and bought this one for confirmation on wether I should keep going or not.
The answer is: Yes!
Jacinto's Remnant proved me that the story is not only rich but also very well written. The characters are very well done and apparentely much more in-depth than the games. Without playing them you still get a great idea of their psychological and behavioural profile.
Something is always happening and Traviss knows how to bring in the suspense before the action with her immersive language and descriptions.
The enemy is no longer (just) the Locust but also humans. Humans in the physical sense but also social and political sense. This book basically tell us how Fenix and the whole COG is dealing with this new enemy that can indeed be as dangerous as any grub.
I'm invested in this and I'll buy the next one: Anvil's Gate
The answer is: Yes!
Jacinto's Remnant proved me that the story is not only rich but also very well written. The characters are very well done and apparentely much more in-depth than the games. Without playing them you still get a great idea of their psychological and behavioural profile.
Something is always happening and Traviss knows how to bring in the suspense before the action with her immersive language and descriptions.
The enemy is no longer (just) the Locust but also humans. Humans in the physical sense but also social and political sense. This book basically tell us how Fenix and the whole COG is dealing with this new enemy that can indeed be as dangerous as any grub.
I'm invested in this and I'll buy the next one: Anvil's Gate
December 30, 2022
Karen Traviss knows how to combine gruff and dystopian with humanity and hope. Considering that those are the key ingredients to the Gears of War universe it's no wonder that time and time again she creates an excellent book that is well worth reading for any Gears fan.
We see all of Delta Squad slowly learning how to live with the fact that Jacinto is gone in their own ways. Dom is followed more intensely due to the impact of him losing his wife and how it happened. Some of the writing with Dom is intense and there certainly are moments in the book that may be a little difficult for someone to read. But this is Gears of War and from its inception it's been gory and dark - so uncomfortable scenarios come with the territory.
I took a star off the rating because I felt that the book kind wound down uneventfully. It was interesting to read and certainly not boring, but when you look back after reading the book you realise that the story kind of limped over the finish line. A good book but looking back it's really for Gears fans only and not very inviting to people trying to get into the universe.
We see all of Delta Squad slowly learning how to live with the fact that Jacinto is gone in their own ways. Dom is followed more intensely due to the impact of him losing his wife and how it happened. Some of the writing with Dom is intense and there certainly are moments in the book that may be a little difficult for someone to read. But this is Gears of War and from its inception it's been gory and dark - so uncomfortable scenarios come with the territory.
I took a star off the rating because I felt that the book kind wound down uneventfully. It was interesting to read and certainly not boring, but when you look back after reading the book you realise that the story kind of limped over the finish line. A good book but looking back it's really for Gears fans only and not very inviting to people trying to get into the universe.
October 19, 2018
Jacinto's Remnant is one of the best books I have read in awhile. The book starts after the events in Aspho Fields and explains in greater detail the events of Gears of War 1 and 2. The book has two different settings, the first is the main story line 14 years after Emergence day. The other is a series of flashbacks to when Chairman Prescott decided to use the Hammer of Dawn to destroy the Locust and destroying most of humanity 14 years prior to the current setting. This time the Coalition of Ordered Governments is faced with a new enemy and this new enemy is human. These humans believe the Coalition of Ordered Governments betrayed them and only thought for their own safety and left them "stranded". This book has amazing character development and if you have played the games and read the previous book you notice how certain events changes characters so much but you still know who is who when they talk. This book focuses a lot on comradeship and love between friends. I recommend this book to anyone who has played the games and has read the first book.
November 3, 2024
For a book that's mostly there to bridge the gap between the second and third game this really does a lot of heavy lifting for the characters and story. Karen Traviss really puts the work into make the world not only interesting but feel lived in. This isn't just a civilization on the edge of survival, this is a community of people putting in the effort to keep things running. Pushing humanity away from the brink of destruction no matter how much it slides towards it.
The only real knock I have against the book as that because its the first book of two that are set between the second and third game not much really gets resolved. They get to a new place, find out about new problems, start settling in, something bad happens, cut to ending and you got to wait till the next book. Which is understandable from a publishing point of view, give them a cliffhanger to get them to buy the next one, but it doesn't exactly feel satisfying here. After all the effort to get to this place and set up we just go "That's a problem for later. Roll credits"
The only real knock I have against the book as that because its the first book of two that are set between the second and third game not much really gets resolved. They get to a new place, find out about new problems, start settling in, something bad happens, cut to ending and you got to wait till the next book. Which is understandable from a publishing point of view, give them a cliffhanger to get them to buy the next one, but it doesn't exactly feel satisfying here. After all the effort to get to this place and set up we just go "That's a problem for later. Roll credits"
August 2, 2022
The biggest upside to the Gears of War book series so far, is that Karen Traviss can really take the character we know and love and well, really flesh them out. Proving once again, that the soldiers of the COG army are more than meat heads.
Bernadette Mataki is the stand of Jacinto's Remnant. She was already a top-tier character thanks to the last book, but now she almost got as much depth as the durag lead.
There is some action here, but Jacinto's Remnant is truly about the impacts of war, the consequences of the Hammer tricks and humanity grasping at anything to survive. I can't say a bad word about this one, even Dizzy has his moment to shine. Rel care has been taken to adapt the stores between the games and so far, they are essential.
Bernadette Mataki is the stand of Jacinto's Remnant. She was already a top-tier character thanks to the last book, but now she almost got as much depth as the durag lead.
There is some action here, but Jacinto's Remnant is truly about the impacts of war, the consequences of the Hammer tricks and humanity grasping at anything to survive. I can't say a bad word about this one, even Dizzy has his moment to shine. Rel care has been taken to adapt the stores between the games and so far, they are essential.
April 27, 2025
After struggling to become invested in the first book, I hoped the author would find their stride with the second installment. Unfortunately, this novel suffered from many of the same issues: a disjointed, incohesive, and meandering storyline that frequently devolved into dead-end internal reflections. Rather than effectively conveying the psychological toll of surviving in such a brutal world, these reflections often bogged down the narrative, undermining any potential emotional impact. I had anticipated a story that would meaningfully expand the Gears of War universe, providing richer context and deeper lore. Instead, I find myself once again underwhelmed, with little gained in terms of world-building or narrative engagement.
May 4, 2017
Not quite as good as Aspho Fields, but still pretty good. I love the historical background and filling in the gaps of the video game history. There are some great human elements to this story, but not quite as well done as Aspho Fields. Also, the end of the book feels more like the end of a chapter than a conclusion to a story. As a fan of the video games and now that I've completed the second book, I appreciate the characters quite a bit and I feel like I know there stories better than I had when they were introduced in the games.
July 4, 2019
Traviss gives excellent voices to all of the characters in the Gears of War series, especially those given very little depth and development in the games. A little more confronting than the other Gears of War books as it mentions a past sexual assault, and I can't speak to how it's handled as I am not a survivor myself, but I was able to read through the book without feeling as if the assault was fetishised or prioritised in the story (male authors, take note).
July 26, 2023
Probably a better book than Traviss' last Gears of War book due to the flashbacks that explore the moral ramifications of essentially nuking 90% of your homeland(s) that has already been lost to a genocidal enemy in order to buy the remaining 10% time to stave off extinction. Traviss can be too preachy for her own good at times but this is one of her better books.
April 2, 2024
While overall I enjoyed this book. It felt like this was published without ever being reviewed by an editor. Large sections of the story were uninteresting and didn't need to be included. Characters kept repeating themselves throughout the book as well. This is a book that would have been better off at around 250 pages, not 400.
January 2, 2022
A good, fast read
If you play the game, read the books. It's awesome to read along as the story plays out in the game. The simultaneous timelines are interesting but having knowledge of the game lore helps.
If you play the game, read the books. It's awesome to read along as the story plays out in the game. The simultaneous timelines are interesting but having knowledge of the game lore helps.
June 16, 2023
A lot less action than one would expect from a "Gears of War" novel, but it easily makes up for that with excellent character development and surprisingly deep plot dealing with the last remnants of humanity looking for a new place to live after the war's been won.
December 21, 2023
It was more 5 or six mini stories about how they regrouped after the sinking of Jacinto. The hammer strike from Hoffman and Prescott's POV was interesting. Also, Bernie's baggage was heavy but moving. If you are into the story of Gears of War it's decent enough to recommend.
September 12, 2024
The book was pretty good actually.
It was a nice book I would think. It had great background and the characters were really distinct.
I enjoy this book.
Would I recommend it though?
I would guess I would.
I would say it's a good book to pass the time with.
It was a nice book I would think. It had great background and the characters were really distinct.
I enjoy this book.
Would I recommend it though?
I would guess I would.
I would say it's a good book to pass the time with.
November 6, 2024
Another great book that expands on the lore and gives the supporting characters in the games lots of personalities. Bernies one of my favorite characters in the book now. Highly recommend for hardcore gears fans
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