Chain of Command

Military game designer Chadwick returns to his 22nd-century galaxy, where humans uncomfortably share the stars with the multiple races of the alien Varoki, with an excellent standalone set aboard a human-crewed spacefaring destroyer. Sam Bitka, previously comfortable in his life of civilian corporate employment, has been recalled to duty as a reserve tactical officer on the USS Puebla after rogue Varoki launch a surprise war against humankind. Once circumstances force Sam into the captain’s chair, he must figure out the moves and motives of the Varoki’s overwhelming forces ahead of time, all while bucking the old boy network and infighting within his own military. Chadwick’s heavy hitter succeeds at teeth-gritting action scenes, deep psychological portraits of diverse characters and societies, and abundant puzzles and mysteries. All are mixed in seamlessly with the vivid tragedies of war and balanced with dark humor. This story, modeled on the history of the Solomon Islands campaign of WWII, goes far above and beyond standard military SF and should appeal to all speculative fiction readers. (Oct.)