Customer Reviews

Man o' War

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Many authors take a while to come into their own, and Star Trek's William Shatner has done it with a vengeance in Man O' War, the first of two Benton Hawkes novels. Hawkes, the novel's protagonist, is an ambassador sent to mediate a rather thorny dispute between Red Planet, Inc, owners of the colony on Mars, and the men and women employed as laborers there. Upon arriving, however, he finds that the men and women of the workforce are kept as virtual slaves, barely earning enough to survive while being worked to death in the underground caverns of the Martian colony. Having discovered beforehand that someone with a high-ranking position back on Earth has taken out a contract on his life, Hawkes then undertakes a second mission: to find out just who is behind the plot to assassinate him. What he uncovers has far-reaching consequences that will affect not only the Martian colony, but the Earth as well.

I have found Man O' War to be a very good book, and Shatner seems to have found his niche as a Sci-Fi author in writing it. It's fast-paced, exciting, and a cracking good adventure that will appeal to fans of the s/f genre as well as those who might just enjoy a good mystery now and again. I promise that anyone who picks up this tome will not be sorry they did.

A hard fisted, straight talking diplomat is given a tough job. He must bring peace to revolt-ready 21st century Mars, avert a world-wide disaster that could kill millions, and uncover a plot that includes the planned murder of the Martian governor, a position to which he has just been assigned. Benton Hawkes takes on all types of enemies, from bomb planting traitors, murderous assasins, space pirates and cunning politicans as he tries to get to the bottom of his own attempted murder and a plan that affects the 21st century breadbasket for Earth's population, Mars. The story is full of action with gunfights, riots, hand-to-hand fights in space, and pitched battles on the Martian surface. Sure Benton Hawkes is always in danger and he will always find a way out of it. The story reminds you of an old Saturday matinee where you know that the hero will beat the bad guys in the end, but the fun is in how they get to that place. If you want a deep technical science fiction story that explains the great secrets of humankind and the universe, then this probably isn't for you. However, if you enjoy a story with action and enough of a plot to keep you with a few mysteries till the end, this story from Mr. Shatner will give you several hours of enjoyable reading.

This novel is wonderful for what it tries to be. It isn't so much about a person, but about a person who gets thrown unwillingly into interglobal intrigue and is still able to keep on his toes. Wonderful and subtle humor, and interesting character motivations are only a few of the good things about this book. Read it for fun.

Benton Hawkes is a sort of Hollywood style heroe, but I found that, that didn't get in the way of the story, which I think has a very good plot narrative and storyline. I recommend this book to all adventure, and Science Fiction Book Fans!

Shatner writes like Kirk acts; boldly and melodramatically. The quick-paced plot is a series of macho scenes with our Hero racing full steam ahead. In the same way Bond never misteps, Benton Hawkes has the somewhat tedious ability to always zig at the right time. (An example scene: Hawkes just happens to have his ceremonial sword at his side in time to thwart an invasion of space pirates.)

Still, an amusing story and a fast read for a rainy day.

Benton Hawkes is superb. I didn't think it was possible but Shatner out did Kirk with this wonderful charactor. I have read this book several times & will again. I have & will continue to recommend this book to my friends & others. The action scenes keep you on the edge of your seat, & just when you think you can relax, Shatner lets you have it again. It's like a dramatic piece of music. I listen to my vamped music, which is powerful, which intensifies the book all the more. Many thanks to Mr. Shatner for this & the rest of his books.

Benton Hawkes is a sort of Hollywood style heroe, but I found that, that didn't get in the way of the story, which I think has a very good plot narrative and storyline. I recommend this book to all adventure, and Science Fiction Book Fans!

An actor writing his own action scenes, stolen from the umpteen thousand shows he's already been in. Snore... The planet Mars a bread basket for Earth. Mars is a dead rock desert so far out that the cost of transportation alone would make a lump of dung more expensive than emeralds. Why doesn't he make the Gobi Desert the bread basket for Earth instead? He sets it in the middle of the 21st century? He might as well have said 31st century, 41st century, anything. He apparently never heard of the Rocket Equation. In summary, this books s**** eggplant bigtime on the score of believability alone. The rest is a poor clone of a TJ Hooker movie of the week.