What do you think?
Rate this book
Robotech #14
Dark Powers
The Robotech Expeditionary Force had been stranded on the far side of the galaxy as the result of damage to their Super Dimensional Fortress during the battle with the Invid hordes. Their chances for survival were slim.
Suddenly, a starship unlike anything that had ever flown before appeared manned by an incredible assortment of beings who meant to challenge the might of the Invid Regent himself!
REF volunteers signed aboard, with their might war mecha in tow, for a campaign that would either mean the total destruction of the freedom fighters or liberty for the planets of The Sentinels.
Suddenly, a starship unlike anything that had ever flown before appeared manned by an incredible assortment of beings who meant to challenge the might of the Invid Regent himself!
REF volunteers signed aboard, with their might war mecha in tow, for a campaign that would either mean the total destruction of the freedom fighters or liberty for the planets of The Sentinels.
Hardcover
First published April 12, 1988
8 people are currently reading
106 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 - 13 of 13 reviews
September 14, 2017
The Sentinels’ Robotech War continues!
This is the second prose novel in the five-book series of “The Sentinels”, part of the “Robotech” franchise.
ANOTHER PLACE, ANOTHER WAR
The SDF-3 was able to liberate Tirol from the Invid forces but during the battle, the Fold Generators were damaged leaving marooned the super dimensional fortress in Tirol space without a chance to return to Earth.
Since the Robotech Masters are in route to Earth to reclaim the Protoculture Matrix but travelling under luminal speeds, there is an estimate that they will take at least another 5 years to reach Earth.
The repairs for the SDF-3, along with the construction of new warships to form a new REF fleet, will take at least 2 years, so they began to do several jobs for that goal, including the mining of the planet Fantoma (this task managed by the Breetai’s Zentraedi, already back to their original giant sizes, with the exception of Exedore (due that the Sizing Chamber got broke beyond repair)).
Lynn Minmei, along with her new music counterpart Janice Em, got a “hitchhiking” help by the SDF-3 and they were among the REF and Southern Cross squadrons there.
With Rick Hunter already married to Lisa Hayes, now Lynn Minmei is looking for the courting of Colonel Jonathan Wolff (leader of the Hovertank Wolf Pack) that curiously enough, he is married too, but it seems that the situation that his wife isn’t there, it helps to them, however, the insidious General T.R. Edwards is staring to get an interest on Minmei, not so much for love but noticing that if he controls her, it could be a valuable war item...
...but unknown to everyone, Lynn Kyle (Minmei's psychopath cousin) is on Tirol too!
After all, without being exagerated, Lynn Minmei was indeed the voice that won the First Robotech War. Without her, the RDF and the SDF-1 wouldn’t be able to beat the five million armada of Supreme Commander Dolza.
MEET THE SENTINELS
A strange starship arrives to Tirol’s orbit asking for help to battle against the Invid.
The vessel is named “Farrago” and it’s an odd myriad of the technologies of the Local Star Group.
And the crew aboard claimed to be called “The Sentinels”, the last bastion of resistance against the Invid in the Local Star Group.
The Sentinels’ leading council is made by…
Lron & Crysta, from the planet Karbarra, and they looked like massive bear-like beings. They are noble and strong.
Bela & Gnea, from the planet Praxis, and they looked like humanoid amazons. They are great warriors with a code of honor.
Teal & Baldan, from the planet Spheris, and they looked like beings made of cristal. They’re usually nervous about their surroundings.
Kami & Learna, from the planet Garuda, and they looked like wolf-like beings. They are courageous and intrepid.
Burak, from the planet Peryton, and he looked like a humanoid devil-like being with horns included. He isn’t interested to liberate any other world than his own Perydon.
Veidt & Sarna, from the mysterious planet Haydon IV, they usually wears robes to hide their floating bodies without limbs.
The Plenipotenciary Council of the Tirol Mission recognized the importance to assist The Sentinels in the liberation of their worlds from the Invid Occupation and they authorized a massive force to be reassigned to the Farrago.
So, meanwhile the construction teams would be working on the repairs of the SDF-3 and the building of a new fleet; many of the REF military contingent would be focused to battle the Invid forces on the worlds of the Local Star Group.
Admirals Rick Hunter & Lisa Hayes-Hunters are in command of the reassigned contingent counting with Veritech Skull Team & Hovertank Wolf Pack. With them, it will be new heroes like Jack Baker and Karen Penn.
Dr. Lang, the human genius behind the Robotech miracles of the RDF & REF, sends his “niece”, Janice Em (in reality the most perfect Android ever made on Earth) to serve as his “eyes” on the Sentinels’ campaign.
THE LIBERATION BEGINS BUT…
The first target of the Sentinels would be to liberate Karbarra, the homeworld of the bear-like beings and a key planet since they have the Ur-Flower, that while isn’t as effective as the Flower of Life and its Protoculture energy, they still produce a similar source of energy that it can be used by the REF vehicles instead of the scarce Protoculture.
However, Karbarra have a secret, that even Lron and Crista aren’t able to discuss to outsiders and it can lead to a disastrous outcome to the future of Karbarrans' society, if the Sentinels/REF joined army would try a direct attack against the Invid Occupation forces over there.
Also, the insidious General T.R. Edwards remained on Tirol, starting to play his power games to become the absolute leader of the REF/Southern Cross forces left there to secure the new base of operation of the Expeditionary Mission, but even more dangerous…
…he is beginning to establish communication with the Invid Regent!
This is the second prose novel in the five-book series of “The Sentinels”, part of the “Robotech” franchise.
ANOTHER PLACE, ANOTHER WAR
The SDF-3 was able to liberate Tirol from the Invid forces but during the battle, the Fold Generators were damaged leaving marooned the super dimensional fortress in Tirol space without a chance to return to Earth.
Since the Robotech Masters are in route to Earth to reclaim the Protoculture Matrix but travelling under luminal speeds, there is an estimate that they will take at least another 5 years to reach Earth.
The repairs for the SDF-3, along with the construction of new warships to form a new REF fleet, will take at least 2 years, so they began to do several jobs for that goal, including the mining of the planet Fantoma (this task managed by the Breetai’s Zentraedi, already back to their original giant sizes, with the exception of Exedore (due that the Sizing Chamber got broke beyond repair)).
Lynn Minmei, along with her new music counterpart Janice Em, got a “hitchhiking” help by the SDF-3 and they were among the REF and Southern Cross squadrons there.
With Rick Hunter already married to Lisa Hayes, now Lynn Minmei is looking for the courting of Colonel Jonathan Wolff (leader of the Hovertank Wolf Pack) that curiously enough, he is married too, but it seems that the situation that his wife isn’t there, it helps to them, however, the insidious General T.R. Edwards is staring to get an interest on Minmei, not so much for love but noticing that if he controls her, it could be a valuable war item...
...but unknown to everyone, Lynn Kyle (Minmei's psychopath cousin) is on Tirol too!
After all, without being exagerated, Lynn Minmei was indeed the voice that won the First Robotech War. Without her, the RDF and the SDF-1 wouldn’t be able to beat the five million armada of Supreme Commander Dolza.
MEET THE SENTINELS
A strange starship arrives to Tirol’s orbit asking for help to battle against the Invid.
The vessel is named “Farrago” and it’s an odd myriad of the technologies of the Local Star Group.
And the crew aboard claimed to be called “The Sentinels”, the last bastion of resistance against the Invid in the Local Star Group.
The Sentinels’ leading council is made by…
Lron & Crysta, from the planet Karbarra, and they looked like massive bear-like beings. They are noble and strong.
Bela & Gnea, from the planet Praxis, and they looked like humanoid amazons. They are great warriors with a code of honor.
Teal & Baldan, from the planet Spheris, and they looked like beings made of cristal. They’re usually nervous about their surroundings.
Kami & Learna, from the planet Garuda, and they looked like wolf-like beings. They are courageous and intrepid.
Burak, from the planet Peryton, and he looked like a humanoid devil-like being with horns included. He isn’t interested to liberate any other world than his own Perydon.
Veidt & Sarna, from the mysterious planet Haydon IV, they usually wears robes to hide their floating bodies without limbs.
The Plenipotenciary Council of the Tirol Mission recognized the importance to assist The Sentinels in the liberation of their worlds from the Invid Occupation and they authorized a massive force to be reassigned to the Farrago.
So, meanwhile the construction teams would be working on the repairs of the SDF-3 and the building of a new fleet; many of the REF military contingent would be focused to battle the Invid forces on the worlds of the Local Star Group.
Admirals Rick Hunter & Lisa Hayes-Hunters are in command of the reassigned contingent counting with Veritech Skull Team & Hovertank Wolf Pack. With them, it will be new heroes like Jack Baker and Karen Penn.
Dr. Lang, the human genius behind the Robotech miracles of the RDF & REF, sends his “niece”, Janice Em (in reality the most perfect Android ever made on Earth) to serve as his “eyes” on the Sentinels’ campaign.
THE LIBERATION BEGINS BUT…
The first target of the Sentinels would be to liberate Karbarra, the homeworld of the bear-like beings and a key planet since they have the Ur-Flower, that while isn’t as effective as the Flower of Life and its Protoculture energy, they still produce a similar source of energy that it can be used by the REF vehicles instead of the scarce Protoculture.
However, Karbarra have a secret, that even Lron and Crista aren’t able to discuss to outsiders and it can lead to a disastrous outcome to the future of Karbarrans' society, if the Sentinels/REF joined army would try a direct attack against the Invid Occupation forces over there.
Also, the insidious General T.R. Edwards remained on Tirol, starting to play his power games to become the absolute leader of the REF/Southern Cross forces left there to secure the new base of operation of the Expeditionary Mission, but even more dangerous…
…he is beginning to establish communication with the Invid Regent!
January 1, 2022
The story continues with a cliffhanger ending. Waiting for the next book before deciding whether I like this one or not. The four stars are for the entertainment value, not for the quality.
May 12, 2015
Great SiFi series. Giant battlesuits battling outer space monsters, what more can you ask for. Very recommended
November 17, 2021
Again, I must reiterate that I have not picked these books up since probably the 1990s. Obviously, I am a much older and different person than I was when I first read these, and I am certainly noticing the mistakes, typos, and continuity issues more than I ever saw as a kid. So, the three stars is probably me just saying this isn’t Shakespeare, but we all knew that, right?
We’ll never know what the Sentinels TV series would have looked like in its entirety, and part of the reason I am revisiting these stories is because I watched the Sentinels “movie” for the first time since the VHS days, when it was released to streaming. I know the author stayed true to those first few episodes, but I think with Dark Powers, he very much begins to veer into his own story. Frankly, I have always been a fan of this, even with the absurdity of a mecha Pegasus, but frankly, the hiss-able villain of TR Edwards is a fairly fine creation. Reading him in a post-Trump America only gives it an even more interesting tone.
I love pretty much all of the alien Sentinel characters, with the only real downfall for me is that original series characters like Miriya are pretty much sidelined, but this is so far a great strut down memory lane. I am hoping to finish the next three and The End of the Circle in the next few weeks.
We’ll never know what the Sentinels TV series would have looked like in its entirety, and part of the reason I am revisiting these stories is because I watched the Sentinels “movie” for the first time since the VHS days, when it was released to streaming. I know the author stayed true to those first few episodes, but I think with Dark Powers, he very much begins to veer into his own story. Frankly, I have always been a fan of this, even with the absurdity of a mecha Pegasus, but frankly, the hiss-able villain of TR Edwards is a fairly fine creation. Reading him in a post-Trump America only gives it an even more interesting tone.
I love pretty much all of the alien Sentinel characters, with the only real downfall for me is that original series characters like Miriya are pretty much sidelined, but this is so far a great strut down memory lane. I am hoping to finish the next three and The End of the Circle in the next few weeks.
September 20, 2025
The Karbarren plot line was boring. I don’t know why just didn’t peak my interest. I was more interested in Edward’s and Regent background plot. Hoping these plot lines will be more prominent in book 3
October 15, 2017
Another great series to reread if one isn't in the mood to read the whole saga. I skipped the first, as I remembered most of it.
December 3, 2023
Interesting political dynamics in this book, especially with the different races involved.
March 29, 2011
Great series of books for kids that enjoy or are interested in science fiction. I read these books in middle school (I'm now in my 30s) and loved each one. The stories are fun, engaging and relatively fast paced. I'd be tempted to reread them now just for old time's sake if I didn't have so many new books on my to-read list.
I knocked it down a peg because, in retrospect, there are some aspects that are a bit too cheesy. I'm sure when my kids are old enough, they'll get thier own copies.
I knocked it down a peg because, in retrospect, there are some aspects that are a bit too cheesy. I'm sure when my kids are old enough, they'll get thier own copies.
May 16, 2016
Not as bad as the first Sentinels novel, but the McKinney team is clearly bound by the scripts in a way they were not in retelling the Macross saga. More than that, there is clearly an attempt to keep the 'kid friendly' approach the show was intended to have, which is disappointing fore me both as an adult reading the books and as a former child who remembers that shows & movies not aimed at children were the ones that had the most profound impact on children. It feels like the continuation of Robotech was quite ill-considered.
May 12, 2014
I have read this series before and I do not know how I got through it (granted I was younger and probably more into Robotech than I am now). The story might be more exciting in anime/cartoon format but as a book it appears to just drag on and on. I sure hope the story picks up better in the next book.
May 14, 2024
Dark Powers (Sentinels)
by Jack McKinney
how they find that their is more then people expect in the robotech world
by Jack McKinney
how they find that their is more then people expect in the robotech world
June 2, 2013
Fun and love the sentinels!!
January 6, 2015
Sentinels in full swing
The other books hinted at the events that you now read with this book. I was very pleased and love the background on the races.
The other books hinted at the events that you now read with this book. I was very pleased and love the background on the races.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews