Customer Reviews

Falkenberg's Legion

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This book is the first of four novels, the next three being Prince of Sparta, Go Tell The Spartans, and Prince Of Mercenaries. When I finished reading the series I remembered a reviewer's comment about H. Beam Piper's classic book Space Viking. "First you read it for the story, then you read it for the characters, then you read it to see how a civilization dies, then you read it to see how a civilization is born." This is a ripping good yarn. Unlike many writers who do military Science Fiction Jerry Pournelle has been there, done that. The battle scenes have the ring of authenticity. The details of conventional and unconventional warfare are presented well and realistically. This is not a great literary classic that will be taught in English LIt classes, but the characters are well thought out and well written for an action adventure novel. By the way, did anyone else catch the similarities between Skilly and Two Knife and Modesty Blaise and Willie Garvin in the Modesty Blaise stories by Peter O'Donnell? The fall of the CoDominion and what is left of a stagnant Terran civilization is written in a manner that is disturbingly dark and realistic. This is a world that might have been. Jerry Pournele's vision of military adventures in the twilight of empire owes much to history. The notorious stadium massacre on Hadley is based on the Nike riots in Byzantium. If you want a really good description of what happened in Byzantium read David Drake's intro to his book Caught In The Crossfire, That's one of the best descriptions I've run across. In his novel Jerry fleshes out the bare facts with some political analysis which sheds some light on what may have led to the riots in Byzantium. I've always been suspicious of the official historical accounts.Finally this series shows how a civilization can rise out of the ashes of a dying one. The fears, hopes, actions, and motivations of the characters are well fleshed out. They aren't two dimensional cardboard figures. Even the antagonists have good reasons for what they do. These are people who literally have their world dying about them.All in all I recommend this series. It's a great read.

One wonders how many nights Jerry Pournelle stayed awake to dream up the frighteningly stagnant universe that Falkenberg's Legion resides in. From the alternately-historical Codominum (realistic in it's very ponderosity) to the clarity in which he sees the changes and stasis in warfare, his visionis not as powerfull in and of itself as much as the writing that supports it. What is a deceptively simple story becomes some thing of an extended propaganda pitch (albeit one that the reader doesn't mind) in which the dirtily innocuous word "mercenary" is rendered to a shine.

By the time you finish the novels of Falkenberg's Legion (Falkenberg's Legion, Prince of Mercenaries, Prince of Sparta), you will not only want the protagonists to succeed, you will want to meet them, to fight alongside them, even though they are only words on paper.

I'm not saying that this is an English classic, to be taught in comp class. I am saying that this book has failed to disappoint me, even when I can read a page in so much as an eyeblink, because I've read it so many times that it's more familiar than the carpet I walk on.

In sum? Mr. Pournelle does not glorify war, nor the feelings that drive it. He does, however, manage to glorify humanity.

A million years ago, back when I was a poor college student, I decided to forgoe the b-movie of the week and venture into the local Supercrown. Since I had already read Jerry's collaborations with Niven, I thought I'd give this book a chance. I did, and I got a real kick out of it. I've heard others describe Jerry's books as fascist, and his politics to the right of Attila the Hun, but they're lacking in brain cells, or have never read his work in the first place. Falkenberg's Legion (actually two novels in one) deals with the hard decisions a military commander has to make. It is in no way preachy, but sort or amoral, in attitude. It has to be or it would not be entertaining. JC Falkenberg is a great character, one I'll long remember. Jerry's Empire of Man deals with an alliance between the US and Soviet Union called the CoDominium, and the fall of the CoDominium and the wars between factions. I know the Soviet angle may sound dated, but I am sure with a little history under your belt you can appreciate it. Jerry has a great understanding of politics and history (often one in the same) and has created one of the most believable future histories in SF. If you dig RAH you'll dig Pournelle. He's damn good.

I love this book! Although I don't understand much of military tactics I was fascinated by this book. The story and how it is told is one of the most interesting I ever read. And the best thing is: all the other books in this series are as good as Falkenberg's Legion.

JP does a remarkable job of combining the realities of modern combat with the age old traditions of honor and loyalty. Faulkenberg would have been at home in any century of Terran battle. The Legion is one of the best sci-fi adeventure books going!

I love the current tech and ancient military, historical tactics. I have a history degree and JEP showed graphically that the tactics and strategies have not changed over the years nor will they! Read the whole series!

This book is a highly enjoyable gathering of short stories set in Pournelle's universe of the CoDominium. Where the Cold War never ended but an Alderson hyperdrive was instead discovered. This froze the Cold War into centuries of outgoing colonisation.

While set some couple of centuries in the future, much of the book's technology is little advanced from our time, on the planetary surface. Due to a plot device where the CoDominium banned most research. This also permitted (or perhaps that was its intended point) Pournelle to write stories about mercenaries without having to strain unduly for exotic weapons or ideas.

Along these lines, the astute reader might note that the civilian society scarcely mentions the equivalent of our Internet. Sure, there's mention of computers and networks. But not an all pervasive web or mesh that ours is rapidly becoming. Ironic, that even a noted futurist like Pournelle would miss it. This is one of the aspects that dates the stories to pre-early 90s, if you did not know the actual publication dates of this book or of its contained stories.

The yarn is solid military SF. Most of its stories were composed at a time when the Soviet Union seemed eternal. Another way to date the stories. But it was also when Pournelle was actively writing, perhaps at the peak of his productivity. Sadly, in 2007 things are different. Given the fall of the Soviets, we are highly unlikely to see any more stories in this series. Darn! The Falkenburg character was compellingly depicted. While some detractors of Pournelle say this book is a paean to militarism, there is not much preaching of an overt dialectic. A romping read, and you can treat it at this level if you find Pournelle's politics disagreeable.

Another reason we are unlikely to see more such stories is that Pournelle has grown strangely quiescent in recent years. Apart from his irascible ruminations on his Chaos Manor website, there has been little output in the form of stories. Pity.

There are so few Military Sci-fi books I can read these days without cringing. But, since I'm thoroughly addicted to the genre, I tend to read em all anyway.

Dunno why I haven't read this series sooner, I've always been impressed with Pournelle, and "Footfall" is in my Top 10. Picking up Falkenberg's Legion renewed that faith, and reminded me that there are still good writers doing Military Sci-fi.

Almost the perfect mix of military action, politics and social commentary. Some interesting perspectives on military history, how the military has been used, how the military people view themeselves...and how that may play itself out in present and future roles. All mixed in this future world of the "Codomminium" and multi-worlds universe Pournelle has created in Falkenberg's Legion.

Excellent job, by someone who truely knows what he is doing...and has been doing it for quite a while. Can't wait to get the next book in the series.

I guess that is one advantage of starting a series late...no waiting :)

This collection of stories details John Christian Falkenberg's military career from start to finish and is Jerry Pournelle at his best.

I don't see Falkenberg as a facist, but a realist, as when he says: "Peace is the name of the ideal we deduce from the fact that there have been interludes between wars."

These are an awesome set of stories, focusing more on 'war stories' than science fiction and is suitable for teenagers and up.

Do yourself, and the series, justice and also buy 'Prince of Mercenaries' and read it after the story set on Hadley and before the story set on New Washington.

I've had this book for years, and read it many times. It's a guilty indulgence, something that I pick up when I'm too tired or overworked to devote mental energy to enjoying a new story. It's got every ingredient of a great war book; inexperienced junior officers coming into their own, battles on a large scale with significant stakes, and of course a genius commander who makes the impossible possible. Add to that the focus on glory and duty and you've got a story that tugs on your heartstrings even while it grinds the enemy into a fine powder.

But eventually I read it one time too many and despite my efforts to ignore them the larger political views of the author seeped into my consciousness. Falkenberg, the title character, is a fascist, or a monarchist at best, and the way that Pournelle plots his stories makes it clear that he shares that view. Democracies are invariably depicted as being unable to make any sustained effort, or to accomplish tasks that "wise men" can clearly see are needed. Obedience is the prime virtue, and failure to recognize a great man the main sin.

Even with all that baggage, the battles are engrossing enough to make it a great read. Just try to ignore the politics, and you may be able to enjoy the book.