9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Have You Ever Read An Outlanders Novel, Mr. Milan?, November 13, 2003
Outlanders is a truly awesome saga, epic in scope, but this is not the book to start with if you have never tried this series before. It is one of only a few Outlanders novels not written by series creator Mark Ellis, a phenomenally-gifted writer/visionary who is an almost impossible act to follow.
Awakening is written by Victor Milan. This book marks Mr. Milan's first foray into the Outlanders universe and it ain't a pretty thing to behold for long-time Outlanders freaks such as myself. This book reads much more like an installment of Deathlands, a series I despise.
Now, Awakening isn't all bad, I'll grant you. Victor Milan is obviously a talented writer and if Awakening wasn't an Outlanders novel, I would have given it two and a half stars instead of one. It was an average read in many respects....
But since it IS an Outlanders novel, I think I'm being charitable giving this steaming turd a whole star as it is a complete betrayal of much of what Mark Ellis has spent several years building with this series.
My main complaint is characterization. Or, perhaps I should say, character assasination. Every single Outlanders character is portrayed in inexcusably terrible fashion in this novel---I would laugh my big fat butt off if it didn't make me so frigging sad. My God, have you ever even read an Outlanders novel, Mr Milan?
Team Phoenix are decent enough characters of the stereotypically macho and somewhat brain-dead variety and if this was a Team Phoenix novel, it would likely be a solid enough effort. However, it almost seemed as if Victor Milan was purposely sabotaging all of the series' regular characters---in effect, flipping off series creator Mark Ellis.
I'm sure Mr. Milan is capable of better than this. I certainly hope so, since he's contracted to write more Outlanders novels. I also hope this circumstance doesn't degenerate into a "Nah, nah, nah, nah, nah!!! My characters are better than yours!!!!" situation on Mr. Milan's part. Because, quite simply, they are not.
Kane and Grant could eat Team Phoenix's souls....
That is, if Team Phoenix had any souls.
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8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Not bad, but not _exactly_ Outlanders as we know it., December 1, 2003
Okay, at least I'm not the ONLY one who recognized the similarities between Team Phoenix and the late 80's/early-90's series "The Guardians" (though Billy McKay would never have allowed himself to grow a gut, no matter how much beer he drank).
In fact, it was Robey's review (below) that made me do the search for Victor Milan where I found out that he wrote "The Guardians" series under the nom-de-plume "Richard Austin."
I was going to initially accuse Mr. Milan of blatantly stealing the Guardian's concept as a basis for this book. I mean, come on. . .some guy named Gilgamesh Bates gives them a job to restore America? Granted, it's not _exactly_ the Blueprint For Renewal, but it sounds a lot like it. However, seeing as Mr. Milan actually wrote The Guardians. . .
And Team Phoenix isn't running around in a big V450 Supercommando, but that LAV is awfully close.
Ultimately, though, it comes down to a couple of points.
1. The book is pretty good. Despite the obvious mischaracterizations and oversights, the storyline is quite appealing. If you can forget for a moment that this is supposed to be an Outlanders book and view it with a less-jaundiced eye. . .you might just enjoy it.
2. This is good, old 1980's Cold War Post-Armageddon men's sci-fi laced liberally with testosterone and cordite. The only real problem is that this is now the 21st Century and the Outlanders series has garnered quite a different fan base as written by Mark Ellis. Many of the readers are unfamiliar with the old stuff (Robey notwithstanding!).
My complaint is that Mr. Milan may have misunderstood the demographics of the Outlander following. I remember (and have) each and every one of The Guardians series. I truly enjoyed the series up to the point that they obviously were written by alternate writers. But reading this almost insulted me.
While many of the younger readers may not realize that Team Phoenix is almost identical to The Guardians (four military experts tasked with rebuilding a post-nuke America utilizing the best training and equipment the Continuity of Government program can buy), I sure recognized them. It was this recognition that dampened my enjoyment somewhat. In fact, I almost felt insulted that someone would steal Richard Austin's ideas and try to pawn them off on me twelve years after his series was cancelled.
This was, of course, before I found out that Mr. Milan is actually Richard Austin.
This book, however, is one of The Outlanders series. While I am not the publisher, I AM a devoted reader. I would recommend that Mr. Milan please try to stick to the theme and feeling of the original storyline.
The concept is good, but as Roby pointed out below, the "flavor" is all wrong. I read The Outlanders because I "know" the characters and are comfortable with them. In my opinion, this almost seemed like an attempt at the introduction of a spin-off series centered on Team Phoenix.
This is enjoyable Sci-fi men's adventure. It is NOT, however, The Outlanders as anyone knows it.
Would someone PLEASE let Mr. Milan write a series of his own? He has the experience to do so and writes stories very well. Please let him run with his own series.
Let's leave The Outlanders to Mark Ellis and (occasionally) Mel Odom.
Just my opinion, worth exactly what you paid for it.
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