Review: Gears of War: Coalition's End

Gears of War: Coalition's End, the fourth novel in the Gears of War series, is written by Karen Traviss. Okay, so this is a book that came out a couple of years ago, and I just finished it. Needless to say, I found it very helpful and informative as to the actions that lead up to the opening of Gears of War 3. The major storyline, meaning the one that's set in the present, has the Coalition of Ordered Governments (COG) remnant teamed up with the remnants of the Union of Independent Republics (UIR) on the island of Vectes in the southern hemisphere of Sera, which the COG had moved to in Gears of War: Jacinto's Remnant (also written by Karen Traviss and taking place immediately after the events of Gears of War 2).

The book opens with Dizzy Wallin, one of the major characters in the series, fixing his beloved rig Betty, while Colonel Victor Hoffman tells Sam(antha) Byrne how her father died during the Pendulum Wars. It then cuts to different points of view from Hoffman, Dom Santiago, Damon Baird, Bernie Mataki, and UIR Commander Miran Trescu while they deal with the threat of the Lambent.Hoffman by this time is fed up with Prescott keeping secrets from him. Baird is trying to hack into a disk that Hoffman "acquired" from Prescott. Trescu holds a tight hold on his people as they all try and get along on Vectes. During a partol, Marcus discovers that Vectes, apart from sitting on top of lava veins, rests atop a natural imulsion source. The Gorasni quickly refine it and, with Hoffman's okay, keep ten percent for themselves.

In the past, Cole, Bernie, and Dizzy relive their moments leading up to and after Emergence Day and the Hammer of Dawn strike. For Cole, it's about the need to defend people from the Locust Horde after his parents die. For Bernie, it's the need to rejoin with her COG buddies and find out what's happening. For Dizzy, it's the need to survive. Cole enlists and takes the fight to the grubs while Bernie leaves her safe home and journey's back to Ephyra where the COG is located. Dizzy, meanwhile, gets together with a Stranded woman and has two girls. His partner dies and one daughter gets sick. This forces Dizzy to sign up with the COG under the Operation Lifeboat propaganda that Prescott started. The COG save his daughter while he ferries Gears around on his grindlift rig, Betty.

In the present, Prescott attempts to sneak away in the middle of the night but is caught by Delta Squad and Hoffman. Hoffman calls Prescott a coward but Prescott tries to lure Hoffman onto his side by asking him to trust. Hoffman lets them leave after alerting Michaelson. Michaelson trails them but to no avail. Prescott's vanished off the boat he stole and Hoffman, Michaelson, and Trescu are left running the COG. After a devastating Lambent attack, the three decide it's time to end the COG. Hoffman takes all of the civilians with him to Anvil Gate, as he can better defend them there. Michaelson takes the Gears and navy while Trescu takes his people and go their separate ways. At Anvil Gate, Hoffman and Bernie come across the remnant of the Pesang people and Padrick Salton, but most importantly, Bai tak's family who insist, since Hoffman looked out for them after Bai Tak's death, that they will help him defend Anvil Gate and look after him.

Meanwhile, Marcus and Anya are sharing a room while Dom and Sam share a room, since the two of them are close. Baird and Cole also share a room. Michaelson comes across Lyle Ollivar who welcomes them to the Stranded life. The novel ends with a final transmission from Anvil Gate, implying that the connection was lost.

All in all, a well crafted novel that'll keep you on the edge of your seat. Karen Traviss finished the remnants of any of her loose ends in Gears of War 3 which she wrote. It stands alone and yet makes its way as part of a bigger series than just itself. It connects to all the comics, novels, and games and ends with an ominous hint that leads into Gears of War 3.

Review: The Age of Ra SPOILERS!

The Age of Ra, written by British author James Lovegrove, is about alternative history and theology more than science fiction. In it, the Ancient Egyptian gods have defeated all other pantheons and claimed dominion over the earth, dividing it into warriong factions. Lt. David Westwynter, a British soldier, stumbles into Freegypt, the only place to have remained independent of the gods' influence. There, he encounters the followers of a human leader known as the Lightbringer, who has vowed to rid mankind of the shackles of divine oppression. As the world heads towards an apocalyptic battle, there is far more to his freedom fighter than it seems...

And that's true, as far as the story goes. The majority of the novel is written from David's point of view and in the often-preferred and popular writing style of past tense. The novel also covers Ra's point of view in present tense and italics with an omniscient view for all the gods.

It starts out with David losing his squad and getting captured by an enemy unit. He makes his way to Freegypt with the help of the lovely Zafirah. She introduces him to the Lightbringer, who is later revealed to be David's brother Steven (who was thought dead). They chart a course of war against the gods. Meanwhile, Ra struggles to unit the other Egyptian gods under him and call for peace. Ra's troubled by the presence of the Lightbringer and wants the other gods to unit and strike him down.

It's later learned, at the climax that Steven works for the Egyptian god Set and was being used so he could further Set's revenge on Set's sister-wife Nephthys for her betrayal and her seduction of Set's brother Osiris. It all comes to a conclusion when David unmasks Steven and Set laughs as he commands the armies under his name to attack Nephthys' armies. The whole world is still at war with themselves but David, Zafirah, and others are sparred for their part in the war. Steven is killed while Ra, tired of the constant in-fighting, has decided to retire after centuries of ruling.

In the epilogue, it's speculated that David and Ra talk to each other, but nothing further than that. It's also implied, through that scene, that Ra share's David's wish of humans without the total influence of gods as only Anubis would be left alive because he is the lord of the dead.

All in all, a solid read that takes a mere three days to get through if one has the time and knows a bit about Egyptian lore. It took me minutes to research and hours to understand the Egyptian gods.