Enjoying the latest from Marko Kloos...
If you've dug around my website at all, you know that one of my favorite military science fiction writers is fellow 47North author Marko Kloos. I really enjoyed his Frontlines series, and was excited to see that he's launched a new mil sci fi series--The Palladium Wars--with the first book, AFTERSHOCKS released on 1 July 2019. Did I download it right away? You bet I did. ;)
Unfortunately, I don't have the time to sit down and read a book cover-to-cover like I used to, so I'm barely into it so far, but I like what I've read. I've met what I believe are the four main characters, and really like the first stages of world building he's done. This book begins years after a major in-system war between one of the system's planets and an alliance formed by the other planets against them. Instead of concentrating on one particular world, Kloos is introducing a set of very different societies, each one formed by the peculiarities of the planets they live on. They all share a common "root"--mentioned to be Earth, but there's no timeframe given--and even though they've all developed into unique entities, there's a sense of brotherhood between all of them, a common bond that was shattered by the one society that decided to start the war (a least that's the sense I got). This book starts with the aftermath of the war, and how the different societies are dealing with reconstruction and restitution. There's something going on, though, as yet unexplained, that might throw the system into chaos once again. I'm not one of those readers who likes to try and figure out the ending of a book, or the plot for that matter...I like to read it as it comes and enjoy the ride. SO is there going to be another way? Well, duh, of course there is...otherwise the title wouldn't make any sense (I'm smart like that, derp) but how it begins & how it unfolds? No idea. Like I said, I really like it so far.
Kloos's writing is very good. Being an author myself, it's impossible not to read another author's work without having a critical eye. It's been a while since I read the last book of the Frontlines series, and reading this book I'm reminded why I enjoyed Kloos in the first place. He's good. Very good.
Anyhoooo...if you're looking for another mil sci fi series to dive into (IF you've already read my three prequels to FLEET OPPOSED, that is...Hah!) I highly recommend you give Kloos a try. The next book in the Palladium Wars series, titled BALLISTIC, is scheduled for release on 21 July 2020...kind of a long time to wait, but I have a feeling the wait will be well worth it.