Citadel [Hardcover]

John Ringo (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 4, 2011 | Series: Troy Rising

            Of all the hosts of Eurotas the Troias were the most fell. For they were born of Winter.

 

            Between the Solar Array Pumped Laser and Troy, the two trillion ton nickel-iron battlestation created by eccentric billionaire Tyler Vernon, Earth has managed to recapture the Sol system from their Horvath conquerors and begin entering the galactic millieu.

            But when the Rangora Empire rapidly crushes humanity's only ally it becomes clear the war is just beginning. At the heart of nickel iron and starlight are the people, Marines, Navy and civilians, who make Troy a living, breathing, engine of war. Survivors of apocalypse, they know the cost of failure.

            If this Troy falls, no one will be left to write the epic.

 

            Citadel continues the saga begun in Live Free or Die, following the paths of several characters during the first years of The Spiral Arm Wars culminating in the First Battle of E Eridani.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

John Ringo began writing for Baen in 2000 with his first release A Hymn Before Battle—the first novel in his Posleen Wars—which has become a New York Times best-selling series with nearly one million copies in print. The series continued with Gust Front, When the Devil Dances, Hell’s Faire and Eye of the Storm. In addition, Ringo has penned the Council War series: There Will be Dragons, Emerald Sea, Against the Tide, and East of the Sun, West of the Moon. Adding another dimension to his skills, Ringo created nationally best-selling techno-thriller novels about Mike Harmon (Ghost, Kildar, Choosers of the Slain, Unto the Breach, and A Deeper Blue). His latest techno-thriller, The Last Centurion, was also a national best seller. A more playful twist is the Looking-Glass series: Into the Looking Glass, Vorpal Blade, Manxome Foe and Claws That Catch, the last three in collaboration with Travis S. Taylor. His audience was further enhanced with four collaborations with fellow New York Times best-selling author David Weber: March Upcountry, March to the Sea, March to the Stars and We Few. There are an additional five collaborative spinoffs from the Posleen series: The Hero, written with Michael Z. Williamson, Watch on the Rhine, Yellow Eyes and The Tuloriad, all written with Tom Kratman, and the New York Times best seller Cally’s War and its sequels Sister Time and Honor of the Clan, both with Julie Cochrane. A veteran of the 82nd Airborne, he brings first-hand knowledge of military operations to his fiction.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 400 pages
• Publisher: Baen (January 4, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1439134006
• ISBN-13: 978-1439134009
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.4 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (28 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #83,133 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I'm a professional author of... Well, I used to say "science fiction." Then came There Will Be Dragons, which is sf with a distinct fantasy twist. Then came Ghost which is techno-thriller crossed with porn. Then came Princess of Wands, a Christian soccer mom battling demons through the power of God. Who knows what's next? Children's books? (I've actually got that one mapped out. You see, there's this girl who is raised by dolphins... You think I'm joking, don't you?)
:-)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A True Ringo Epic, December 31, 2010

By 

Nickolas X. P. Sharps "Fleet Strike 13" - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Citadel (Hardcover)

John Ringo is hands down my favorite author. With such a prestigious position comes a great deal of responsibility. This means that A) I buy every single one of his books and B) I'm more critical of him than any other author. My favorite work of his would be the Legacy of Aldenata, specifically Gust Front. My least favorite of his works is Live Free or Die. I can understand how some people are inclined to the more technical aspects of hard science fiction, but I'm not one of them. That being said, I view Citadel as a vast improvement over Live Free or Die. There is still plenty of science but there is also a good but more character development.

The main protagonist of the first book, Tyler Vernon, takes a back seat in this edition. In his place we are introduced to Dana and Butch as well as some supporting characters. Dana is a strong willed female in the "new navy", not an easy accomplishment given that she has contracted Johanssen's Disease due to the Horvath attacks in the first book. Dana is a tough and sympathetic character at the same time, having lost family to the war and faced personal challenged to get to her current position as an engineer residing on the Troy. Butch is less compelling but still interesting enough, and both characters give perspective from a lower point of view on the human hierarchy than multi-billionaire Tyler Vernon.

Another good addition is the inclusion of a POV on the side of the enemy. In human vs. alien stories it is always interesting to see humans from a different angle and insight into Rangoran society is an extra bonus. This is a brief part of the book but a benefit to the reader for sure.

There is of course action, done as only Ringo can do it. Enormous space battles, high powered laser beams, volleys of missiles, and the like. Basically the cover art is a true representation of the world Ringo has crafted.

Citadel is a fantastic book, diehard Ringo fans will be pleased and anyone interested in some hard sci-fi and a good ol' fashion space romp are bound for a treat. I am eagerly awaiting the third and final entry in the series!

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A great series but this second book is different from the first, January 4, 2011

By 

Adrian - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Citadel (Hardcover)

I'm a tad bit nervous writing this review as everyone before me seems to unconditionally love this book, while I found there were parts that I preferred not included. Anyhow, ignoring that, the book is pretty good and I finished wanting the next installment to be written NOW.

When we finished book 1- Live free or Die, Tyler Vernon had dedicated much of his fortune to rescuing Earth and readying it for the inevitable cofrontation with the Horvath and the Horvath allies, the Rangara.

Imagine my surprise when instead of continuing along this vein, we spend about a third of a book on two bit player, Butch and Dana, which soon become mostly Dana, since the small players dont really seem to add anything much, besides telling us what is happening groundside on Troy. But devoting two thirds of the book to that isn't necessary imho. In fact Tyler, the main driving force behind Earth's fortification, is nowehre to be seen until about a third way through, whence he takes a main role again as if we never left. It makes the book seem somewhat inconsistent. There are some behind the scenes narative from the bad guys from time to time, which I think would have been a more interesting plot development than Dana and Butch. The politics of the bad guys allows Earth to unknowingly have slight respite, as the bad guys use less force than they should have in their attack on Earth towards the end of the book.

Should you read Citadel?

Not if you haven't read book 1- Live Free or Die first :) Well, what are you waiting for- grab it now!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good, not quite as good as the first, March 15, 2011

By 

Seth (Jacksonville, FL United States) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Citadel (Hardcover)

I concur with the reviewers who found the inclusion of new bit players asubstantial waste of time since they were really not that important to the overall story arc, at least the one that I was interested in. I am referring to the Butch/Comet storyline which seemed to be a total waste of time and added little to what I wanted the author to concentrate on.

Some people prefer that additional character development, I thought it wasted many pages and ultimately didn't add to the overall plot or air of the book. I found myself skipping entire sections related to them and not feeling like I missed anything vital to the story.

In any event, despite that minor complaint, it still is an interesting story line and I will continue it to the end.

I do wish that the author and publisher would consider offering kindle versions but it is a free country and nothing requires them to do so.