Analysis: “Europa Strike”

Europa Strike: Book Three of the Heritage Trilogy

I like what Ian does in this third book of the heritage trilogy. Using the analysis void review the different layers are explored and examined. The political layer is about 25 years after the last book ends and the war between the United States and the United Nations is finished. The new conflict is brewing between the PCR and US on the second moon of Jupiter Europa. I like the departure from the religious layer as it lets more action take place in the Marine tactics and the technology layer. There is a alien presence at the bottom of the ocean on Europa and it is a race between the Chinese and Americans to encounter the life form and reap the techno benefits. This book was my favorite of the three as I found it a quick easy read and an exciting story. Read it for yourself and let me know what you think. The love layer even made a surface however the message came through loud and clear. We are not alone.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Well researched and quite imaginative." -- -- CNN Online

Product Description

2040: Ruins of ancient civilization uncovered on Mars reveal startling truths about the creation of humankind.
2042: In the gray dust of the Earth's Moon, an extinct enslaving race left behind more answers, more questions...and a grim warning.
2067: As Earth's warring factions clash in space for scraps of alien technology, a strange artifact lies trapped beneath the ice-locked oceans of Europa: a machine that holds the key to the final human destiny.
It is called "The Singer" for the eerie tone it emits.An artificial intelligence built eons ago, it may ultimately solve the mystery of the vanished alien races responsible for the birth and development of humanity. But after decades of war, the hostile nations of Earth care more for power than for knowledge. And now all that stands between the coveted Al and an all-out Chinese assault is a vastly outnumbered contingent of U.S. marines, dug in beneath the baleful red eye of Jupiter. As terrifying events light years distant begin to converge---with confrontation imminent and annihilation inevitable---a secret history of creation and doom must at long last be contended with...if humankind is to finally claim its glorious heritage among the stars.2040: Ruins of ancient civilization uncovered on Mars reveal startling truths about the creation of humankind.
2042: In the gray dust of the Earth's Moon, an extinct enslaving race left behind more answers, more questions...and a grim warning.
2067: As Earth's warring factions clash in space for scraps of alien technology, a strange artifact lies trapped beneath the ice-locked oceans of Europa: a machine that holds the key to the final human destiny.
It is called "The Singer" for the eerie tone it emits. An artificial intelligence built eons ago, it may ultimately solve the mystery of the vanished alien races responsible for the birth and development of humanity. But after decades of war, the hostile nations of Earth care more for power than for knowledge. And now all that stands between the coveted Al and an all-out Chinese assault is a vastly outnumbered contingent of U.S. marines, dug in beneath the baleful red eye of Jupiter. As terrifying events light years distant begin to converge---with confrontation imminent and annihilation inevitable---a secret history of creation and doom must at long last be contended with...if humankind is to finally claim its glorious heritage among the stars.2040: Ruins of ancient civilization uncovered on Mars reveal startling truths about the creation of humankind.
2042: In the gray dust of the Earth's Moon, an extinct enslaving race left behind more answers, more questions...and a grim warning.
2067: As Earth's warring factions clash in space for scraps of alien technology, a strange artifact lies trapped beneath the ice-locked oceans of Europa: a machine that holds the key to the final human destiny.
It is called "The Singer" for the eerie tone it emits. An artificial intelligence built eons ago, it may ultimately solve the mystery of the vanished alien races responsible for the birth and development of humanity. But after decades of war, the hostile nations of Earth care more for power than for knowledge. And now all that stands between the coveted Al and an all-out Chinese assault is a vastly outnumbered contingent of U.S. marines, dug in beneath the baleful red eye of Jupiter. As terrifying events light years distant begin to converge---with confrontation imminent and annihilation inevitable---a secret history of creation and doom must at long last be contended with...if humankind is to finally claim its glorious heritage among the stars.

Book Review "Luna Marine"

The book is called “Luna Marine” by Ian Douglas. If you use the Analysis: Void model for doing the review then you will need to examine each of the layers. The first layer is the political, the setting is 2042 (about 100 years from World War II) and the conflict is essentially a world war where the United States, Japan, and Russia are fighting the UN (UN-dies). The UN claims to have the world’s best interest and has unified all third world countries to their charter. The UN tries to make America bend and yield to its demands, hence the Marines. In the future the powerful positions are in space so it is no wonder the activity taking place can be found in low Earth orbit and the Moonscape. The religious layer shows us a fragmented and loosely organized framework of cults that believe aliens are gods. The technical layer feeds both the political and religious with new alien technology and artifacts. This book is well written and is the second in a Heritage trilogy. I highly recommend it, but start with the first book “Semper Mars”.

FSD

Customer Reviews

Great Military Sci-fi
Luna Marine is the second of three books in the Heritage Series, a well written trilogy that combines some excellent military fiction with an engrossing science fiction plot that borrows heavily from the speculative archeology in Graham Hancock's "Fingerprints of the Gods". The characters are interesting and multi dimension, the plot is imaginative and the dialog is gritty and realistic. Once you get started, these books are hard to put down.
The second book takes place in 2042, two years after the astonishing discovering on Mars described in "Semper Mars". Conflict rages on Earth between the US and the United Nations. When additional alien remains are discovered on the Moon, including a possible super weapon, the US Marine Corp is called upon to seize the technology before it can be exploited by scientists from the other side.

Book Three Better Be As Good
After waiting for quite some time I was very pleased with the book. I am starting book three and hope it is as good as the past two. This book was even harder to put down than the first. Overall I couldn't have asked for more.

A nicely written, engaging military sci-fi piece.
Not much to add to other reviews here, except for a little FYI: despite the cryptic pseudonim, "Ian Douglas" is identified as a certain William H. Keith ("Warstrider" and others) by the copyright. It actually sort of makes sense in retrospect as the young Marine hero of this novel, Jack Ramsey bears a certain similarity to the protagonist of the Warstrider series. Not a clone by any means, but some stylistic similarities in the character sketch are definitely there.

Book Review "The Dragon in the Sea"

This was a great read and I highly recommend it to all of Frank Herbert followers. He writes about the whats makes us tick. The difference between self will and God's will. Is anyone really sane? Well I like how he developed this story. I could not put it down, read from cover to cover. I consider this as one of Frank's pre Dune classics. He did it without, chair dogs, strong willed woman, no space ships, or aliens. He writes about four men on a mission under the sea.

FSD

By	Rick (Central Texas)

If you've read any of Herbert's works (Dune, etc.), you might realize that his endless but intriguing theme is what how people, economies, belief systems, ecosystems, etc. respond to potential extinction. His answer in each of his books with this theme reminds me of that line from Jurassic Park: "Life always finds a way." Having said that, *Under Pressure* is perhaps the smallest level at which he plays this game -- a small submarine whose mission it is to steal oil from an enemy country in a cold war several levels above what the U.S. experienced during the 1950s and 1960s. This might sound like a recycled sub movie plot, but don't be fooled by the premise. *Under Pressure* is more about how men bond...well, under pressure, and become something greater than they could singly. I read it first when I was in junior high, and I read it again earlier this year. It's amazing how quickly the book ends. The only thing that keeps it from earning five stars is what I've always considered Herbert's weakness -- characterization. He takes a whole book (sometimes more than a single book) to flesh characters out fully. Still, I heartily recommend this book because it deals with large themes and is better plotted than some of his more famous works.

Conflict (of the sexes)

I think I need to add a powerful woman. Frank Herbert always likes to use the Amazon type. He loves to work the power, sex, and even immortality in the woman character. The imprinter in "Chapterhouse" is an excellent example. I just want to create old fashion jealous and perhaps combine that with a power struggle based on the man’s character status. I will let the Digi tribe be the immortals. Ok, so what kind of woman will do the trick? Any suggestions?

Romance

Even a science fiction needs some passion to fuel the story. In most of my recent readings the romance runs in the background but on occasion it becomes critical to the plot. I want to use Nayla in the “having an affair” role perhaps with the young prince or better yet the slave. She needs to neatly tie in to either the political or religious power on the planet. Let’s make her Painters niece. She is loved by the prince but in love with the slave.