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Bolo Brigade | Rating | |
| A | |||
| William H. Keith, Jr. | |||
| Series | Related Books | ||
| Bolos | Last Stand, Old Guard, Bolo Brigade, Bolo Rising, Bolo Strike | ||
There's nothing to fear on the edge of the spiral arm. There's nothing on one side but the human Concordiat, and on the other is the empty void between galaxies. Nevertheless, the Strathan Cluster still has Bolos to defend it. Which is a good thing, because emerging from that intergalactic nothingness is a fleet of warships intent on plundering every planet they can get a hold of. Their tactics are simple: kill anything that isn't them, and take everything. But their technology is advanced enough to give even the huge super-tanks a run for their money. Especially since their human masters have saddled them with rules of engagement that hamper their effectiveness down almost to nil.
Keith Laumer might have created the Bolo in the 1960s with his short stories, but William H. Keith has adopted them and made them his own. Bolo Brigade is a simply wonderful example of military science fiction. The battles are vigorous and exciting, and the characters show a reasonable grasp of tactics. Especially the Bolos, who operate on a level well above that of their masters on anything having to do with the military. To fans of the genre, it is a positive joy to watch the conflict. It's the old story of the underdog overcoming incredible odds as two tanks must take on an entire planetary invasion force almost singlehandedly. You just can't help but root for the Bolos.
The characters and aliens, too, made for a fascinating read. Readers get a good look at the aliens, a warrior matriarchy composed of raptorlike creatures, and even a hint at their culture. They are fleshed out in just enough depth to give the impression that there is a lot more there to tell, if only the author had felt like it. Keith doesn't bog things down in detail, however, using such revelations as a break from the action and a taste of what humanity is in for. The Bolos, of course, are just as interesting, with their extreme precision and understanding of military matters. But for all their power, they are still slightly baffled by humanity, and their human commanders are still useful weapons in their arsenal.
Keith's lead-up to the battle did take a little long. There's the invasion itself, but not of the primary planet in the Cluster, the one that the Bolos are stationed upon. Then there is a reconaissance mission to the invaded world. Only then does Bolo meet Malach. That is what everyone wants to see, and it is possible for anticipation to peak; after that, any further delay only generates impatience. For my part, it was only a bit too long, the problem mostly offset by the skilled writing during that recon. It's quite possible that those more eager to see the grand battle might grow a bit impatient, however.
A greater problem was Keith's portrayal of the human generals and politicians that decided on the conditions for fighting and oversaw the battle. With the exception of the Bolos' direct commander, the officers of the Cluster are inept and paranoid about Bolos while extremely cautious regarding the invaders. It crosses the line many times into outright stupidity. I can understand that as a starting condition, but it lasted much longer than I found could be easily believed.
For those that can accept or ignore that, however, this will be a wonderful novel with no real flaws at all. While I might have wished the fight we were all waiting for was arrived at more quickly, that is a minor complaint and entirely subjective. And the fight itself is just a wonder to behold. If you enjoyed the Bolo short stories, you'll love the novel.
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