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Star Risk #3
The Doublecross Program
1st edition paperback, fine
352 pages, Paperback
First published July 6, 2004
2 people are currently reading
133 people want to read
About the author
Chris Bunch
86 books129 followersChristopher R. "Chris" Bunch was an American science fiction, fantasy and television writer, who wrote and co-wrote about thirty novels.
Born in Fresno, California, he collaborated with Allan Cole on a series of books involving a hero named Sten in a galactic empire. (Cole married Bunch's sister, Kathryn.) He served in Vietnam as a patrol leader. He also wrote for Rolling Stone and was a correspondent for Stars and Stripes. He died in his hometown of Ilwaco, Washington, after a long battle with a lung ailment.
Born in Fresno, California, he collaborated with Allan Cole on a series of books involving a hero named Sten in a galactic empire. (Cole married Bunch's sister, Kathryn.) He served in Vietnam as a patrol leader. He also wrote for Rolling Stone and was a correspondent for Stars and Stripes. He died in his hometown of Ilwaco, Washington, after a long battle with a lung ailment.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
December 22, 2015
I read #3 in the Star Risk, Ltd. series. The Doublecross Program. Basically a group of mercenaries try to prevent 2 planets from going to war. And then they just go to war. It was pretty funny with the huge alien saying he needed a break and running off to commit some assassinations instead of doing paperwork in the office.
December 22, 2020
This novel had very bad grammar and flow. He could have needed some help from Grammarly.
January 8, 2025
The not-so good heroes at Star Risk Ltd. are hired to fight a civil war being fought between two factions of an alien race that both want a monopoly on a certain kind of tea. Unfortunately, they swiftly find their employers are scum before discovering their employer's opponents are scum too. It becomes a test of their ability to stay ahead of double crosses and betrayals as our merc protagonists try to find the best deal for themselves as possible.
December 31, 2015
I was somewhat disappointed with this book and that surprised me. I really like Chris Bunch and I really liked the first two books of this Star Risk, Ltd. series, so when this one seemed to be sub-standard, it was a real surprise and, as I said, a disappointment. Basically, M'chel Riss and the Star Risk, Ltd. mercenary team are hired by one planetary system to train and lead its armed forces against a neighboring planetary system, only to double cross them and go to the other system for the same deal. And back again. And so on. It's an entire book of double crossing. And it doesn't really endear the group to me, I've got to say. I mean, I know they're mercenaries, but still, have some ethics in how you do business. If you have a contract, do your damn job! I thought better of these people.
The thing that makes Chris Bunch books good is not only are they action packed military sci fi novels, but they've got intrigue, and plenty of it. There's a mystery and it's a good one. And there are plot twists and you wonder how the heck the protagonists of his series' are going to escape whatever predicament they're in. That was the case in the first two books of this series, as well as all of the Last Legion books. Not so with this book. It's plenty action packed. A lot of tension, I suppose. Perhaps. Maybe not. I mean, you know your heroes probably aren't going to be killed off, so really, how much tension is there? So, in this case, the book seems to be mostly a straight ahead military action novel. No real intrigue, no real mystery. No wondering who did what, who's going to do what. No real wondering how they're going to escape, other than how they're going to either end this war or get away from it, which is frankly anti-climactic and when it does "end," it is anti-climactic. And for once, they actually don't conclude their job, technically. It's a fairly dissatisfying ending to a dissatisfying book. I'll be starting the fourth book in the series in a little while. I have hopes that it will be an improvement and will return the series to its normal status of excellence. Because this is not typical Chris Bunch. If you're reading this series, I guess you might want to read this, but it's not essential. I don't think you'll be missing a lot by not reading it. And frankly, if you're not reading the series, I see little point in reading it, although it can be read as a stand alone book. Whatever the case, not recommended, sadly.
The thing that makes Chris Bunch books good is not only are they action packed military sci fi novels, but they've got intrigue, and plenty of it. There's a mystery and it's a good one. And there are plot twists and you wonder how the heck the protagonists of his series' are going to escape whatever predicament they're in. That was the case in the first two books of this series, as well as all of the Last Legion books. Not so with this book. It's plenty action packed. A lot of tension, I suppose. Perhaps. Maybe not. I mean, you know your heroes probably aren't going to be killed off, so really, how much tension is there? So, in this case, the book seems to be mostly a straight ahead military action novel. No real intrigue, no real mystery. No wondering who did what, who's going to do what. No real wondering how they're going to escape, other than how they're going to either end this war or get away from it, which is frankly anti-climactic and when it does "end," it is anti-climactic. And for once, they actually don't conclude their job, technically. It's a fairly dissatisfying ending to a dissatisfying book. I'll be starting the fourth book in the series in a little while. I have hopes that it will be an improvement and will return the series to its normal status of excellence. Because this is not typical Chris Bunch. If you're reading this series, I guess you might want to read this, but it's not essential. I don't think you'll be missing a lot by not reading it. And frankly, if you're not reading the series, I see little point in reading it, although it can be read as a stand alone book. Whatever the case, not recommended, sadly.
February 24, 2009
As is typical with Bunch's work, this military sci-fi novel is little more than a fluff read -- full of action, explosions, diabolical planning, but nothing beneath the surface.
Fun, though. And when he says "doublecross," he *means* it. There are no less than five double-crosses, possibly more. He'll keep you guessing as to how Star Risk Ltd will emerge intact right up to the end.
Fun, though. And when he says "doublecross," he *means* it. There are no less than five double-crosses, possibly more. He'll keep you guessing as to how Star Risk Ltd will emerge intact right up to the end.
May 28, 2009
This Series is a fun read, A-Team in space basically.
October 3, 2012
I agree with Steven... a fluff book, filler with no real substance and only good for reading while you're waiting for an actual novel to arrive in the mail.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews