Wow, what a book!

CiDeRmAn

Just finished reading Weapons Of Choice by John Birmingham, the 1st part in a trilogy, it had been the best read of 06 and I recommend it to all.
Is about a multinational naval taskforce in 2021 sent to Indonesia to quell an Islamisist coup, while enroute an experiment with a new, instantaneous weapons deluvery system causes the whole fleet to be transtioned instantly back to 1942 and into the path of the US pacific fleet heading to Midway for the decisive battle with the Japanese, and then things get really interesting!
A large book, over 700 pages, I cleared it in the past 2 days, couldn't put it down.
Now its finished I have to get onto Borders in blanch to get the sequel, Designated Targets and then await the final part to be published in early 07.

Anyway, I can't tell all sci fi fans enough to get this book, the best alternate history book I've yet read and easily kicks Clancy into touch.

Zapp Brannigan

Ya gotta love Borders!! It has all of the Malazan books!

I Borders

CiDeRmAn

Well got the sequel online, Designated Targets and halfway through, awesome stuff.
As for Borders having everything, well, not quite, I was looking for the next set of books after Harry Turtledoves "How Few Remain", to no avail, they have the subsequent trilogies, Worldwar stuff too, but not the retelling of the Great War, a bit mildly annoying I guess, internet is still the best place to get books, Hodge Figgis a close second.

Jimboo_Jones

add to my to buy list

now, it better had be good, or I will shake my fist at you!

bonkey

Slurms wrote:

Ya gotta love Borders!! It has all of the Malazan books!

Including Night of Knives?

And Blood Follows, and The Healthy Dead?

Wow.

CiDeRmAn

Finished the last of the Axis of Time trilogy the other day, joined the blog site that the author John Birmingham is a member and set him a PM saying how much I enjoyed his book and so on, the next day he sent me a very nice reply, what a guy! Well impresed with that, if he's ever over here for a signing I will be sure to buy him a pint!
But y'all must get the rest of the series, it's great, nice to see an author unafraid to cut through the exposition in the followups and thrust us back into the story, not sure if the two sequels to Weapons of Choice are available here in the book stores but Amazon have them at pretty reasonable prices, delivery was really quick too, the last title was released on Jan 30th and I had it preordered, lo and behold it arrived onmy doorstep on the morning of jan 30th, nice!

Playboy

I just bought it the other day. 100 pages into it and reall enjoyin it so far

CiDeRmAn

It just gets better and better, a real tonic from all those standard techno thrillers, loved Prince Harry in it, and this week its announced he's of to Iraq with his own tank group, perhaps Mr. Birmingham had his ear to the ground on him!
As I said, track down the full trilogy online, then pass them on to mates, spread the word on how good it is.
My question to those who have read the whole lot is, will there be further sequels?

Manach

I have read and did enjoy the first of the series. He made interesting use of the clash of the two cultures, future and past. Plus the action sequences were riveting stuff. My one reservation was that he seem to make the modern time-travellers a bit too well round, without any of the personality quirks & flaws that the WWII charachters have. Still, I'll look foward to how things turn out in parts 2 & 3.

CiDeRmAn

Mondern time travellers too well round? Well, I see it more that the 2021 characters may have 80 years if social evolution behind them, thereby leaving bigotry and sexism behind but they have hardened to the rigors of war in a way the temps, those from '41, can't understand as the 2021 troops have seen so much war and atrocity. The brutality of the actions of the 2021 troops is noted on many occasions as unacceptalbe to the temps, but the 2021 folk carry on regardless.
Still brilliant, let me know what you all think when you finish the remaining books in the series.
I can definitely see some more sequels though, not sure if I relish the thought, it could get all soapy.

AnCapaillMor

Looking to start new books where can i get these, i tried amazon but theres limited supply. 1 of the books is avalible. the rest are out of stock.

CiDeRmAn

Borders in Blanchardstown Centre should have the first one and you should be able to get them to order the rest, alternatively get your local library to get them in for you.
As far as I know only Weapons Of Choice is out here, the other two I got from Amazon in the US, perhaps they have yet to be published here, Borders say they will get any book in print in Europe or the States so best bet go there

Vokes

I'm after finishing a rather heavy-going WWII book (non-fiction), so i need something a little more thrilling to sink my teeth into. I've had my eye on this thread for a while, CiDeRmAn (the central plot sounds intriguing ), so im gonna pick this one up tomorrow and jump in. Will report back with some thoughts later next week.

Aside, was there a film years ago with a very similar central plot ?

AnCapaillMor

SofaKing wrote:

Aside, was there a film years ago with a very similar central plot ?

the philadelphia experiment?

Vokes

^No, but that (and its sequel) definitely sound B-movie-ariffic from its description on imdb.com

Did some digging, and its this one - The Final Countdown with Douglas Sr. and Sheen Sr.

CiDeRmAn

I never want to hear The Philadelphia Experiment and The Axis Of Time trilogy mentioned in the same post ever again!
If you want good references I think the Twilight Zone did a couple of things like this and of course Turtledove, Stirling et al made livings out of thses kinds of premises, but somehow Birminghams vision is so damn good.
Ah Feck Ted!
Borders is shutting its doors soon so get down there and raid the best SciFi section anywhere, and you don't have to rub shoulders with the unwashed in Forbidden Planet, you know who you are!

Vokes

Nearing the end of Weapons of Choice. Brilliant stuff so far. Very well paced

AnCapaillMor

Good recommendation, just ordered the 2nd book from amazon, i was reading the reviews and some guy commented that the 3rd book is already avalible in Oz.

CiDeRmAn

Finally spotted a copy of the 2nd book in Borders yesterday evening, has seriously nice cover art, a painting of a Nazi fighter up against a F-22, that'd be a real short engagement!

I have all three books read ages ago! Got them from Amazon last january, crap US cover art, pages like toilet paper but a cracking read.

And the best news is that John Birmigham is working on a new trilogy tracing the new history of the world after the events of the 1st trilogy, Yippee!

growler

thanks for the recommendation, good read alright, liked the overall plot but the writing wasn't all that brilliant.. but I still went out and bought part 2 today

CiDeRmAn

It really really picks up through book 2 and 3, the 1st one is only an intro, no more really.

As I said, we can also look forward to a further series of books set further forward in the World v2 timeline, nice!