Customer Reviews

Nothing Human

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This was a totally satisfying bolo novel. I have read a number of others, but most of the best are in the past. I'm delighted that a talented writer has gotten his teeth into this series, and hopefully can continue to breathe life into it.

The personalities were developed very well for an action novel. As well as we could ask. Hector's personality came alive as his "blocks" were slowly removed, one by one, and his real personality emerged.

Battle scenes were gripping, and they were abundant. You got to really care about the characters, also. The ambiguous ending makes us wonder if William Keith is planning a sequel. I hope so.

One theme that unifies the book and adds a bit more than just the "thriller" aspect is the exploration of "machine intelligence." The aliens are machines also, and the contest is not just based on gunfire, but on whether Hector's mental processes can "checkmate" the alien thoughts of the /*/*/*/, as the invaders call themselves.

David Drake's books are great, but he has totally stopped writing future war novels. Too bad. Now let's just hope that Mr. Keith picks up the mission and pumps out a few more.

Can't put this book down ! ! !

Mr. Keith's Bolo books do very well in maintaining the quality of the series. Like several reviewers of this and other Bolo books, I tend to view a Bolo book with too much emphasis on human drama and interaction as a waste of money. Mr. Keith is able to walk that fine line and write a book that melds well-developed human characters with the action and adventure we want from a Bolo book. I have enjoyed his contributions to this series and sincerely hope he writes more...I hope that the more recent "Road to Damascus" is not an indication of the way the Bolo series is going. That one has so much mother-daughter stuff and teenage angst in it that it should be serialized on the Lifetime Channel.

["Bolo Rising" ASIN/ISBN 0671577794] Humanity has spread from our solar system to the vast reaches of space and encountered other intelligent species. Frequently, these encounters have resulted in armed conflict, which were won by using our most powerful weapons, such as Bolos. Finally, humanity collides with the Melconians, an opponent that we are unable to crush easily and who began to force us back to our home system. In a desperate attempt to ensure humanity's survival huge colony ships were deployed, with instructions to remain hidden from the current enemy. Each ship included civilian and military elements and in many cases at least one Bolo, humanity's greatest combat machine. "Bolo Rising" (ISBN 0-671-57779-4), by William H. Keith, JR, is about the colony of Cloud, established as one of humanity's covert settlements and their Mark XXXIII Bolo, nicknamed Hector. After approximately two centuries, there has not been any contact with either the home system or other human survivors; the colonist of Cloud began to explore towards the galaxy's core in response to strange signals they have received. With little warning Cloud and Hector are overwhelmed by self-directing and self-aware alien machines from the galaxy's core. A segment of the surviving humans are used as slave laborers forced to salvage event the smallest forms of refined metals, electronics, or anything else useful to the machine conquerors, with the rest providing materials to keep those imprisoned in the camp alive. Hector, because of an apparent kinship with the machine invaders, is repaired and with certain areas of his computer core inhibited, used as a slave camp guard. Many of the survivors, inside and outside of the camps, feel that Hector betrayed them and have given up hope of defeating their new masters. A small group of prisoners, led by Major Jamie Graham, first free themselves, Hector, and eventually lead the slave revolt against their machine masters. To find out how Major Graham and Hector free themselves you need to read the book. William H Keith, JR does a great job in making each of the major characters in this book believable. Further, he uses the right combination of action and background to hold most readers' attention. I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes a well-written science fiction adventure story.

A mark XXX111 bolo, the ultimate fighting machine. Fast and suspensfull book, following the bolo adventures. Lots of action, and suspense, couldn't put it down. Read all night, to the wife's amazement. Hector sure was a fighter, and used past great battles as a guide. Saved the planet, but. Oh well you read it. Don

This book exceled among all others in my line of favorites. I have read various war books. Such titles are Team Yankee, Red Storm Rising, Hunt for Red October...etc. This book combines plot, and scenery to capture your atention, in even the first 3 pages. This book, being staged in the future, refers to past incedents, uses things that we are accustomed to, and explains things we otherwsie wouldn't understand in great detail. This book surprised me, and kept me on the edge of my seat, the only reason I put it down, was because school and sleep kept inturupting me. I recommend this book to all those who like adventure, suspense, and an all around greatly written book.

I was really looking foward to a second part of Bolo Brigade and was saddened when I found this was not it. :(

But I did continue to read the book and found it just as entertaining. The story brings up Sparticus a few times but really does not give much in the way of similarities.

The new alien invaders in this book are entertaining: Machines just as smart as if not superior to the Bolo. Leaves you reading the book seeing if the big ole tank could suceed against the enormous odds placed against it. The final battle made you believe the whole human/bolo combination hopeless in light of the alien machines awesome power.

Bolos may die.....but not easily!

It's a good read for BOLO lovers. Fast paced, with a bit of 'Berserkers' thrown in, but retaining the feel of 'HONOR' that you get from all the BOLO books.

I have read three of Kieth Laumer's books on Bolos. Each of the books I have read has kept me on the edge of my seat. Kieth Laumer stimulated both my imagination as to the possiblities of AI computers and my emotions about both the Bolos and humans that each story has evolved around. "Bolo Rising" is an excellent book which has kept up with the tradition Kieth Laumer has set down in his other three books of this series I have read. I was routing for Hector through out the book and I was saddened when he did not make an escape with the rest of the people who left the battered world of Cloud.

THE BOLO LEDGEN CONTINUES! THE PAIRING OF LAUMER AND KEITH WAS STARTED WITH "BOLO RISING" AND HAS CONTINUED WITH THIS EFFORT. THE CONCEPT OF A SELF-AWARE BATTLE MACHINE IS NOT NEW, BUT I BELIEVE THAT THE "BOLO" CONCEPT IS THE MOST ENTERTAINING. THE ONLY DRAWBACK TO THIS BOOK IS THAT IT IS A NEW STORY AND NOT THE COMPLETION OF "BOLO BRIGADE", I HOPE THAT THIS PAIRING DOES CONTINUE/COMPLETE ONE OF THESE STORY LINES IN TH NEAR FITURE.

This has to be one of the best books I have read in my entire life. I have read it twice already, will wait a while, and probably read it again. The !*!*! are an awesome enemy, yet, the bolo is an awesome foe. The final battle is tremendous, as is all previous minor ones. There are never parts of the book that are dull. I have always liked bolos, and this was....just amazing.