Yellow Eyes(Posleen War: Sidestories #2)

Yellow Eyes(Posleen War: Sidestories #2)
by John Ringo
From Publishers Weekly
In this breathless page-turner, the latest in the Posleen military SF series from Ringo and Kratman (_Watch on the
Rhine_), Latin America falls to the reptilian alien invaders without much struggle, except for Panama. There,
members of the U.S. military enlist local forces and desperately resist. The terrain aids the defenders, as do the
local flora and fauna, but it's the fighting men and women's brains and guts that make the real difference.
Interestingly, the hideous, hungry Posleen, who are helplessly following their racial instincts, come across as more
sympathetic than the cowardly traitors—i.e., diplomats and politicians—who obstruct the human warriors- the
aliens get to die with more dignity. Characterization generally is exaggerated but vivid, and the battle tactics are
worked out in satisfying detail. Readers who can forget the authors' right-wing politics and approach it all like a
professional wrestling show will have fun. (Apr.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
From Booklist
The latest Posleen War novel's title comes from an old song about yellow fever in Panama, site of the battle in it
between the alien Posleen invaders and both Americans defending the canal and Panamanians defending their
homeland with growing assurance and skill. The usual many good action scenes are on hand, along with
sometimes overly political but often intelligent lectures on military science and the expected charming
superweapon, here the old heavy cruiser Des Moines, fitted with a number of advanced systems, including an AI
named Daisy. The series already has a number of fun books in it. This is another. Roland Green
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
|Para começar, reparem bem na capa deste livro. Temos uns monstros meios reptlianos (e um olho da mesma
espécie)- um cruzador de guerra em acção- uma mulher gigante - desculpem spoilar, mas é um holograma -) - a
disparar raios das mãos e, para finalizar, o nome dos autores. Acredito que 99% das pessoas não deve conhecer
nenhum deles, mas os outros 1% sabem que eles são dois autores da chamada "ficção-científica militar". E
normalmente as capas desse género de FC são sempre assim...mostram logo ali aquilo que o leitor pode esperar
no seu interior.
Visto que este pode ser considerado o 6º livro da série "Legacy of The Aldenata", não me posso alongar muito
sobre a história (mas mais tarde vou reler os outros para escrever uma crítica) mas vamos lá ver. A Terra vê-se
subitamente envolvida numa guerra interestelar e à mercê de uma raça alienígena que consome tudo que vê pela
frente.
Perante estes omnívoros vindos do espaço, tecnologicamente mais avançados mas com pouca inteligência, a
Humanidade tem que se unir para os derrotar, sob a pena de ser toda devorada. Neste livro, a história gira em
torno da defesa do Panamá, onde se encontra o canal com o mesmo nome, importante ponte de ligação entre o
Atlântico e o Pacífico e vital para o esforço de guerra.
O autor principal, John Ringo, é um homem de direita e um daqueles defensores fervorosos dos EUA e das suas
forças armadas. Neste livro até tem um pequeno ensaio onde diz mal dos liberais europeus entre outras coisas,
mas a verdade é que tudo isso só interessaria se ele escrevesse mal. Aí era possível atirar-lhe tudo isso à cara,
pegar no livro e meter na prateleira dos livros manhosos, para nós esquecermos dele.
O que acontece é que acho que ele escreve muito bem. Não é, nem nunca será, um autor consagrado de FC, mas
os livros deles são daqueles que agarram os leitores dos colarinhos e não os largam até todas as balas terem sido
gastas. Talvez por sido soldado durante vários anos, as suas descrições da vida militar e dos combates são
extremamente realistas e fazem com que o leitor se sinta mesmo lá - nas trincheiras, a enfrentar vaga após vaga
de extraterrestres sedentos de carne humana.
É claro que também há defeitos: há personagens que só surgem para morrer uns capítulos à frente- os vilões
humanos (sim, também os há nesta história) são sempre cobardes e, no caso de pertenceram às forças armadas,
normalmente oficiais, e há muitas cenas de sexo, assim como alguns dos romances, que parecem metidas lá para
o meio só para encher buracos.
Mas já que falei de defeitos e para terminar de uma maneira mais animador, deixo uma última coisa que vos pode
convencer a ler este livro...e quase todos os outros dele. É que eles estão disponíveis de borla (e legalmente) no
site do editor.|How depressing. Turns out the State Department has been working with the Darhel, and against the
Earth, since 1932.
Yellow Eyes takes place in Panama when the Posleen are overrunning Washington D.C.
This story is a bit of a departure from the usual as we learn a lot more about the history of the Posleen and their
creators, the Aldeant', as well as the Posleen religion.
I'm not sure what Ringo and Kratman were drinkin' when they wrote this one...they have an AID going mad and
blending with the USS Des Moines becoming one sentient being who just happens to fall in love with the rejuved
captain whom the ship remembers from an earlier stint of his aboard. And the ship's cats are aware of it.
So the Des Moines has become Daisy Mae with a need for pretty clothes and the enjoyment of an orgasm
between the two PBMRs when a crewman scrubs that bit of deck...where are they going with this???
Ringo and Kratman have whales and Posleen getting drunk... Well, I suppose considering how the corrupt
members of various governments and the military are selling Earth out to the Darhel and the Posleen, it's only fair.
I will never understand that lack of honor...ah, man...
it does amaze me how they can write such an incredibly depressing story and still make events rise above it...I
always find myself shouting "yahoo!!"
I do love their sense of humor!|Even more Ringo! For some reason I had been avoiding this Posleen series side
story. That came back to bite me as I launched into the follow-up Hedren series and some of the characters
popped up.
The story is set before and during the Posleen invasion of Earth, but deals specifically with events in Panama.
Realizing that the Panama Canal is strategically important, the US sends military and material aid to bolster the
defenses, including three warships. Through a complex series of events, one of the ships, the USS Des Moines,
gains sentience. The story follows the defense of Panama, both from the perspective of the Posleen-Human
conflict, and from the perspective of the struggle between corrupt officials and honorable ones. The Darhel,
overlords of the Galactic Federation, want the humans to win, but only just, so that human civilization is shattered
and cannot be a threat to them.
The Panama aspects are very interesting, and it shows that both authors have been posted there during their
military careers. The story itself is quite good, with predictably excellent battle scenes. It is a worthy addition to the
Posleen series, but should probably not be read as a standalone.
http://www.books.rosboch.net/?p=64|this novel turned the hard sci-fi posleen series into a mess of silliness,
fantasy, magic, and attempted humor on the level of jarjar binks. Aliens that had thus far been protrayed as very
alien in their motivations and behavior, suddenly acted 100% human in just about every way and despite having
yellow blood and being impervious to any chemical or biological weapon, are now nearly sucked dry by
mosquitoes, and are getting their junk bitten off by jungle animals.