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Product Description
Michael Harmon has been there and done that. Rescued co-eds, killed major terrorists, stopped nuclear assaults. Now he'd just like to kick back and relax with his harem of lovelies. Unfortunately, the world keeps turning. Mike and the Keldara are back tra
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Mass Market Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
This is the fourth book in the series which began with "Ghost" and continued with "Kildar." I have seen the series described by the names of both those books and also "Paladin of SHadows."
Can I begin this review with an apology to Amazon customers for the convoluted title above, which results from an attempt on my part to correct how the book was originally wrongly described.
When "Unto the Breach" was first listed on Amazon, the words "Legacy of Aldenata" were wrongly given after the title. John Ringo's "Legacy of Aldenata" series are military SF set in a universe where Earth was invaded in 2005 by ravenous aliens called the Posleen: that series starts with "A Hymn before battle" and includes titles like "When the devil dances", "Cally's War" and "Hero.")
This book is nothing to do with the Posleen universe, so I fired off to Amazon a suggested correction, which has been accepted and implemented. Overestimating the sophistication of the systems involved, I included an explanation for the correction, which appears above as if it were part of the suggested description of this book. DOH !
"Unto the breach", like the second and third books in the series, is less outrageous, and a bit better written, than "Ghost" but still pushes the envelope hard in several places. As a rough litmus test, if you were strongly against the Iraq war, are very pro-feminist, or even slightly prudish, do your blood pressure a favour and refrain from touching this entire series with a ten foot barge-pole.
Former SEAL Mike Harmon, codename Ghost, after fighting and defeating a number of terrorist plots, has settled down in a remote valley in the country of Georgia where he bought the local castle. It turns out that the castle and associated farmland came with some feudal retainers, the Keldara, who accept him as their liege lord or "Kildar" - and if that sounds wierd and anachronistic at the start of the 21st century you ain't read nothing yet.
Since Chechen terrorists are a major nuisance in the area on both sides of the Georgian/Russian frontier, Mike Harmon has trained some of his Keldara as an anti-terrorist militia with the knowledge and support of the Georgian, Russian, and US governments. He has also smashed a criminal conspiracy in which senior figures in the governments of most of the world's most powerful governments were implicated. The guilty individuals concerned have been quietly removed from power, but now Mike Harmon has both friends and enemies in all those governments.
"Unto the breach" begins when unknown assailants raid a secret Russian weapons reseach establishment. It soon becomes apparent that a "doomsday weapon" has fallen into the hands of some of the worst possible people. Mike Harmon and the Keldara are asked to help deal with it - this may be the most important, and difficult, mission he has taken in his life.
The full "Paladin of Shadows" series currently consists of
Ghost
Kildar
Choosers of the Slain
Into the Breach
A Deeper Blue
John Ringo normally writes military SF and most of his offerings in that genre are extremely good. This series is about a freelance war on terror. In places, and especially in the first book, Ringo seems to be in grave danger of crossing the line between challenging the reader and going out of your way to see how many people you can offend. That goes even for his existing fans among military SF readers, who are probably neither the most prudish or left/liberal of audiences.
In fact the funniest part of "Unto the Breach" and all the other books in the series from "Kildar" onwards is not part of the main text - it is the disclaimer at the start of the books which at least demonstrates that Ringo understands and has a sense of humour about the controversy "Ghost" stirred up. That disclaimer is worth quoting in full, it reads as follows:
"This is a work of fiction. All the characters and events portrayed in this book are fictional, and any resemblance to real people or incidents is purely coincidental. This book and series has no connection to reality. Any attempt by the reader to replicate any scene in this series is to be taken at the reader's own risk. For that matter, most of the actions of the main character are illegal under US and international law as well as most of the stricter religions in the world.
"There is no Valley of the Keldara. Heck, there is no Kildar. And the idea of some Scots and Vikings getting together to raid the Byzantine Empire is beyond ludicrous.
"The islands described in a previous book do not exist. Entire regions described in these books do not exist. Any attempt to learn anything from these books is disrecommended by the author, the publisher and the author's mother who wishes to state that he was a very nice boy and she doesn't know what went wrong."
Incidentally, that line about "any resemblance to real people or incidents is purely coincidental" is a classic example of a blatantly false statement which escapes being a lie only because both author and reader know that it's a legal fiction which he has to write and makes no attempt to fool anyone. Osama Bin Laden and Vladimir Putin appear in these books under their real names, certain other characters will instantly be recognised by any politically aware reader as corresponding to real world US politicians.
All five books in the series contain a great deal of violence, strongly expressed and very right-wing political views, and a lot of references to sex, always utterly politically incorrect and sometimes fairly explicit. My copies of these books are stored where my children can't get at them and will be until they are adults.
Provided you are not offended by the sex, violence and non-PC attitudes, these books can be quite exciting and entertaining in places. But I would advise feminists, left-wingers, and anyone even slightly prudish to save your money for something else.
Can I begin this review with an apology to Amazon customers for the convoluted title above, which results from an attempt on my part to correct how the book was originally wrongly described.
When "Unto the Breach" was first listed on Amazon, the words "Legacy of Aldenata" were wrongly given after the title. John Ringo's "Legacy of Aldenata" series are military SF set in a universe where Earth was invaded in 2005 by ravenous aliens called the Posleen: that series starts with "A Hymn before battle" and includes titles like "When the devil dances", "Cally's War" and "Hero.")
This book is nothing to do with the Posleen universe, so I fired off to Amazon a suggested correction, which has been accepted and implemented. Overestimating the sophistication of the systems involved, I included an explanation for the correction, which appears above as if it were part of the suggested description of this book. DOH !
"Unto the breach", like the second and third books in the series, is less outrageous, and a bit better written, than "Ghost" but still pushes the envelope hard in several places. As a rough litmus test, if you were strongly against the Iraq war, are very pro-feminist, or even slightly prudish, do your blood pressure a favour and refrain from touching this entire series with a ten foot barge-pole.
Former SEAL Mike Harmon, codename Ghost, after fighting and defeating a number of terrorist plots, has settled down in a remote valley in the country of Georgia where he bought the local castle. It turns out that the castle and associated farmland came with some feudal retainers, the Keldara, who accept him as their liege lord or "Kildar" - and if that sounds wierd and anachronistic at the start of the 21st century you ain't read nothing yet.
Since Chechen terrorists are a major nuisance in the area on both sides of the Georgian/Russian frontier, Mike Harmon has trained some of his Keldara as an anti-terrorist militia with the knowledge and support of the Georgian, Russian, and US governments. He has also smashed a criminal conspiracy in which senior figures in the governments of most of the world's most powerful governments were implicated. The guilty individuals concerned have been quietly removed from power, but now Mike Harmon has both friends and enemies in all those governments.
"Unto the breach" begins when unknown assailants raid a secret Russian weapons reseach establishment. It soon becomes apparent that a "doomsday weapon" has fallen into the hands of some of the worst possible people. Mike Harmon and the Keldara are asked to help deal with it - this may be the most important, and difficult, mission he has taken in his life.
The full "Paladin of Shadows" series currently consists of
Ghost
Kildar
Choosers of the Slain
Into the Breach
A Deeper Blue
John Ringo normally writes military SF and most of his offerings in that genre are extremely good. This series is about a freelance war on terror. In places, and especially in the first book, Ringo seems to be in grave danger of crossing the line between challenging the reader and going out of your way to see how many people you can offend. That goes even for his existing fans among military SF readers, who are probably neither the most prudish or left/liberal of audiences.
In fact the funniest part of "Unto the Breach" and all the other books in the series from "Kildar" onwards is not part of the main text - it is the disclaimer at the start of the books which at least demonstrates that Ringo understands and has a sense of humour about the controversy "Ghost" stirred up. That disclaimer is worth quoting in full, it reads as follows:
"This is a work of fiction. All the characters and events portrayed in this book are fictional, and any resemblance to real people or incidents is purely coincidental. This book and series has no connection to reality. Any attempt by the reader to replicate any scene in this series is to be taken at the reader's own risk. For that matter, most of the actions of the main character are illegal under US and international law as well as most of the stricter religions in the world.
"There is no Valley of the Keldara. Heck, there is no Kildar. And the idea of some Scots and Vikings getting together to raid the Byzantine Empire is beyond ludicrous.
"The islands described in a previous book do not exist. Entire regions described in these books do not exist. Any attempt to learn anything from these books is disrecommended by the author, the publisher and the author's mother who wishes to state that he was a very nice boy and she doesn't know what went wrong."
Incidentally, that line about "any resemblance to real people or incidents is purely coincidental" is a classic example of a blatantly false statement which escapes being a lie only because both author and reader know that it's a legal fiction which he has to write and makes no attempt to fool anyone. Osama Bin Laden and Vladimir Putin appear in these books under their real names, certain other characters will instantly be recognised by any politically aware reader as corresponding to real world US politicians.
All five books in the series contain a great deal of violence, strongly expressed and very right-wing political views, and a lot of references to sex, always utterly politically incorrect and sometimes fairly explicit. My copies of these books are stored where my children can't get at them and will be until they are adults.
Provided you are not offended by the sex, violence and non-PC attitudes, these books can be quite exciting and entertaining in places. But I would advise feminists, left-wingers, and anyone even slightly prudish to save your money for something else.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
27 reviews
22 of 26 people found the following review helpful
best of this series by a large margin
17 Dec 2006
Format:Hardcover
This is the fourth book (third novel) in a contemporary military fantasy. The books feature lots of violence (discussed graphically -- more so in this one than any of the others), lots of sex (discussed graphically -- although not nearly so much in this one as the others), and lots of right-wing political commentary. The violence, sex, and politics have been both a strength and a weakness of the series. While they have made the books feel real, they have also been a little to obtrusive, interrupting the flow of the story. But in this book, that doesn't happen nearly as much.
Mike Harmon/Jenkins still inhabits the perfect fantasy world for a Spec Ops soldier. He has a great team to work with, all the luxury and women he could want, his pick of arms and military technology, the unstinting support at a personal and professional level of President Bush (renamed "Cliff" in the novels), and not a single problem soldier in his entire command structure (except for possibly one sociopathic former whore turned spy/assassin). Plus, he doesn't have to take any missions he doesn't want to take.
But unlike some of the previous books (and especially the last one), this novel shows that Mike also has some problems to deal with. In a nutshell, he has become responsible for the welfare of an entire culture, and he struggles to be worthy of this burden. I thought that the previous book was much too self-indulgent, but in this book I felt more sympathy for Mike. I also thought the supporting characters were better drawn and more "characters" than "supporting" -- a welcome improvement.
There are a few slow moments early on in the book, and a certain amount of (what seemed to me to be) unreality. The setup takes a long time, and yet still manages to happen too fast. It's not just that in the span of about a week he pulls off a hugely complicated operation, but he also recruits helicopter pilots, buys and arms Hind helicopters, hires a spymaster who trains his current spy, trains his soldiers for mountaineering, trains some of them for HALO drops, and otherwise does months or years work of work, mostly personally. During that time he also manages to fly to the White House (from the country of Georgia) and dine with the President while his executive assistant and hareem-master hits it off with the First Lady and does some shopping. All of this is entertaining, though not convincing.
But when the operation actually starts, so does the real heart of the book. I won't describe it in great detail, since the book itself does that. But you feel pulled in to the action with the Keldera, especially when they end up in the classic situation of a small force of light infantry stuck on fortified high ground and surrounded by a much larger enemy force. The result is a battle that reminded me strongly of the best work by Jerry Pournelle.
It would be hard to recommend that new readers start with Unto The Breach. This is the fourth book in the series, and while the basic story does stand alone, the characterization does not. To understand Mike, and perhaps more importantly, the Keldera he rules, you have to at least read Kildar. Even though there was an annoyingly large amount of "Previously...." recapping exposition, that is not enough to actually understand where the characters are coming from. But that's always an issue in a series, and this book is more independent than many.
If you are looking for an exciting thriller, and especially if you liked the previous books but disliked the graphic sex, this is a book you want to read. If you are squeemish about depictions of violence and graphic death, then this is one you want to avoid -- but then you probably wouldn't be looking at reading it anyway. And if depictions of President Bush and his cabinet as the perfection of leadership, wisdom, and and honor infuriate you, well then those sections of the book can be glossed over without any real harm to the story.
Mike Harmon/Jenkins still inhabits the perfect fantasy world for a Spec Ops soldier. He has a great team to work with, all the luxury and women he could want, his pick of arms and military technology, the unstinting support at a personal and professional level of President Bush (renamed "Cliff" in the novels), and not a single problem soldier in his entire command structure (except for possibly one sociopathic former whore turned spy/assassin). Plus, he doesn't have to take any missions he doesn't want to take.
But unlike some of the previous books (and especially the last one), this novel shows that Mike also has some problems to deal with. In a nutshell, he has become responsible for the welfare of an entire culture, and he struggles to be worthy of this burden. I thought that the previous book was much too self-indulgent, but in this book I felt more sympathy for Mike. I also thought the supporting characters were better drawn and more "characters" than "supporting" -- a welcome improvement.
There are a few slow moments early on in the book, and a certain amount of (what seemed to me to be) unreality. The setup takes a long time, and yet still manages to happen too fast. It's not just that in the span of about a week he pulls off a hugely complicated operation, but he also recruits helicopter pilots, buys and arms Hind helicopters, hires a spymaster who trains his current spy, trains his soldiers for mountaineering, trains some of them for HALO drops, and otherwise does months or years work of work, mostly personally. During that time he also manages to fly to the White House (from the country of Georgia) and dine with the President while his executive assistant and hareem-master hits it off with the First Lady and does some shopping. All of this is entertaining, though not convincing.
But when the operation actually starts, so does the real heart of the book. I won't describe it in great detail, since the book itself does that. But you feel pulled in to the action with the Keldera, especially when they end up in the classic situation of a small force of light infantry stuck on fortified high ground and surrounded by a much larger enemy force. The result is a battle that reminded me strongly of the best work by Jerry Pournelle.
It would be hard to recommend that new readers start with Unto The Breach. This is the fourth book in the series, and while the basic story does stand alone, the characterization does not. To understand Mike, and perhaps more importantly, the Keldera he rules, you have to at least read Kildar. Even though there was an annoyingly large amount of "Previously...." recapping exposition, that is not enough to actually understand where the characters are coming from. But that's always an issue in a series, and this book is more independent than many.
If you are looking for an exciting thriller, and especially if you liked the previous books but disliked the graphic sex, this is a book you want to read. If you are squeemish about depictions of violence and graphic death, then this is one you want to avoid -- but then you probably wouldn't be looking at reading it anyway. And if depictions of President Bush and his cabinet as the perfection of leadership, wisdom, and and honor infuriate you, well then those sections of the book can be glossed over without any real harm to the story.
9 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Pity About the Chechens
13 Dec 2006
Format:Hardcover
Unto the Breach (2006) is the fourth novel in the Ghost series, following Choosers of the Slain. In the previous volume, the distaff side of the operation against the Albanians pulls their weight. Creata -- Mouse -- saved the DVDs by disemboweling Boris with her laser after he has killed her guard Ivan. Elena and Catrina rescued Oleg and Juris with three boxes of ammo for the MG-240. Katya -- Cottontail -- saved Natalya by beating Bezhmel to death. Mike did get a little fun by offering the Senator the choice of getting out of politics or going down in flames; of course, Mike billed him for the full five million.
In this novel, Mike gets a request from the President for him to drop by for a visit. Mike takes Anastasia along for a shopping spree and she thoroughly enjoys meeting the First Lady and shopping with the General's wife. Meanwhile, Mike is briefed at the Pentagon on a meet between Russian mafiosi and the Chechens to hand over three pocket nukes.
The weapons had been liberated from a Russian research facility by Dr. Telegen Arensky. Apparently his daughter Marina had been taken by the Russian Mafia and used to buy his cooperation. He would be guarded by Sergei Rudenko, a former Spetznaz colonel, and his group of former Spetznaz.
Then Mike has a very private briefing by Colonel Erkin Chechnik, a Russian intel officer, on the real nature of the items being traded in the Pankisi Gorge. He learns that the stolen containers actually house a biological weapon of great potency. Mike still doesn't want to take his Keldara into the Chechen controlled area, but the stakes are exceeding high.
In this story, Mike sets up an operation into the Pankisi Gorge and starts acquiring weapons, equipment and training devices, including a freefall trainer. He also acquires the services of Jay, a humint specialist, whom he puts in charge of Katya. Jay gets her attention at the first meeting and keeps her interest throughout the operation.
Mike is finally forced into acquiring two helicopters -- new Hind-J models -- and two ex-Marine pilots to fly them; fortunately he has no problems with female pilots. Ex-Captains Tammy Wilson and Kacey Bathlik have prior experience with Mike, having meet him after the nuclear explosion in the Bermuda Islands. He also gets the services of a US Army Ranger company to guard the home area while the Mountain Tigers are away and an Ukrainian AN-70 to drop them into the valley.
Then there is the young male tiger roaming the Keldar area. A symbol of Keldara empowerment?
Once again, this work contains explicit violence and sex. Even the President gets sick at the gore in this story. Don't read this book unless you have a strong stomach.
Highly recommended for Ringo fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of special operations, political intrigue, and a touch of romance.
-Bill Jordin
In this novel, Mike gets a request from the President for him to drop by for a visit. Mike takes Anastasia along for a shopping spree and she thoroughly enjoys meeting the First Lady and shopping with the General's wife. Meanwhile, Mike is briefed at the Pentagon on a meet between Russian mafiosi and the Chechens to hand over three pocket nukes.
The weapons had been liberated from a Russian research facility by Dr. Telegen Arensky. Apparently his daughter Marina had been taken by the Russian Mafia and used to buy his cooperation. He would be guarded by Sergei Rudenko, a former Spetznaz colonel, and his group of former Spetznaz.
Then Mike has a very private briefing by Colonel Erkin Chechnik, a Russian intel officer, on the real nature of the items being traded in the Pankisi Gorge. He learns that the stolen containers actually house a biological weapon of great potency. Mike still doesn't want to take his Keldara into the Chechen controlled area, but the stakes are exceeding high.
In this story, Mike sets up an operation into the Pankisi Gorge and starts acquiring weapons, equipment and training devices, including a freefall trainer. He also acquires the services of Jay, a humint specialist, whom he puts in charge of Katya. Jay gets her attention at the first meeting and keeps her interest throughout the operation.
Mike is finally forced into acquiring two helicopters -- new Hind-J models -- and two ex-Marine pilots to fly them; fortunately he has no problems with female pilots. Ex-Captains Tammy Wilson and Kacey Bathlik have prior experience with Mike, having meet him after the nuclear explosion in the Bermuda Islands. He also gets the services of a US Army Ranger company to guard the home area while the Mountain Tigers are away and an Ukrainian AN-70 to drop them into the valley.
Then there is the young male tiger roaming the Keldar area. A symbol of Keldara empowerment?
Once again, this work contains explicit violence and sex. Even the President gets sick at the gore in this story. Don't read this book unless you have a strong stomach.
Highly recommended for Ringo fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of special operations, political intrigue, and a touch of romance.
-Bill Jordin
11 of 16 people found the following review helpful
Harlequin Romance for us guys. . . and then some. . .
23 Dec 2006
Format:Hardcover
As others have mentioned, John Ringo's writing just keeps getting better and better. Yes, the tales of the Kildar and his crew are perhaps the ultimate in male military fantasy: Bold men, sexy women, riveting action. And yet John goes beyond pure testosterone slush: we care more and more about Mike Harmon, the Keldara, and the rest of his merry band of warriors. Deep pathos, unsuspected romance, realistic politics, it's all there.
I've been following the tales of Mike Harmon, aka "Ghost", and more recently known as the Kildar, since John posted what he called "the Wanker Piece", years ago, on the Baen Bar. It just doesn't get better than this. . . until, of course, the next volume comes out in 2007 ("A Deeper Blue". . .and I've seen the first 9 chapters, it IS even better. . .).
So sit back with a cold bottle of Mountain Tiger beer, and hang on for the ride of your life. . .
I've been following the tales of Mike Harmon, aka "Ghost", and more recently known as the Kildar, since John posted what he called "the Wanker Piece", years ago, on the Baen Bar. It just doesn't get better than this. . . until, of course, the next volume comes out in 2007 ("A Deeper Blue". . .and I've seen the first 9 chapters, it IS even better. . .).
So sit back with a cold bottle of Mountain Tiger beer, and hang on for the ride of your life. . .
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