Von Neumann’s War

Title: Von Neumann’s War

Series: Von Neumann’s War

Author: John Ringo & Travis Taylor

Rating: 2 of 5 Stars

Genre: Military SF

Pages: 522

Synopsis:

Alien probes have terraformed Mars, the moon and are moving onto the Earth. Eating all metal, the probes are destroying our civilization and eventually us.

But thanks to good old American know-how, ingenuity and super-science, we ARE fighting back.

My Thoughts:

In many ways, this was reminiscent of Ringo and Taylor’s Through the Looking Glass, but with about 10,000% more military jingo, gun porn and scientific babble.

First off, this book was about 300 pages too long. Nothing happens or is confirmed until about page 150. Do you get that? Nothing is even confirmed! We get science-babble instead. That was not cool.

Second, Earth is almost completely over-run and it isn’t until the last 50 pages that the rogue grumpy scientist and the redneck scientists and the gutsy  but warm-hearted military group all come together to turn the tide. 50 pages from the end of a 500 page monstrosity.

Thirdly, utter gratuitous violence, that while making sense in-book, just turned me off. Soldiers getting their heads torn off because of their dog-tags? Yeah, no thanks. And cannibalism, even though only vaguely referenced, was done is such a way as to import the horror without actually saying anything. Once again, no thanks. I’m not sure why, as usually I’m all for ultra-violence, but this, it wasn’t good for me.

This just wasn’t for me. And I’m not sure who it IS supposed to be for either. There is a sequel, but I certainly won’t be  reading it.