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18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Never judge a book by its cover, June 28, 2000
This review is from: An Oblique Approach (Belisarius) (Mass Market Paperback)
Too often I've picked up what looked like a good novel, and have been disappointed. I remember a WWII novel covered with rave reviews, but started off as pureil trash and went downhill. I picked up "Oblique Approach" expecting a David Drake type SciFi quick read, shallow and fun. Much to my surprise this book turned out to be much more than its cover or authors would indicate. This may well have been Drake's way of saying that he can do better than potboilers. It may be that he and Eric Flint are natural collaborrators. Whatever the reason, this is a book chuck full of history, geography, culture, combat, intrigue, complex characters and good old fashioned SciFi and a great read. My only gripe is that now that I've read the first book, I've got to read the series.
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13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
"Deadly with a sword is Belisarius", January 6, 2003
This review is from: An Oblique Approach (Belisarius) (Mass Market Paperback)
I first came upon this book when I saw it featured in the free library at the Baen website along with its sister books, "Heart of Darkness" and "Destiny's Shield". Since it was free I took a gander and was immediately hooked. The first book effectively introduces a mystery of grand proportions. In the world of 6th century Rome, Belisarius is a character that is not what we would expect of a Roman general. We expect ruthlessness and atrocities and looting, all the characteristics of a barbaric time in our history. However, what I saw was something which I could truly admire and respect. Belisarius has a fiendish mind for strategy and tactics, combined with that gift is a high code of honor and ethics. He will not stand helplessly and watch evil being committed in his world. He will not "compromise" with his lessors. And he definitly will not be defeated by a bunch of "savages" from India. Read the book based upon Belisarius' character alone. Fortunatly that's not all the reasons why you should read it. The story is set in authentic historical context in the time of Justinia, Emperor of Rome. However, future is melded into the past. A device of unfathomable complexity and intelligence is sent from the future to protect history. It chooses Belisarius as its sole avatar. Belisarius will see the future and the possible future that will be, if he does not act. That future results in a world aflame with agony, and Belisarius will do whatever in his power to prevent that future to exist. Whatever it takes, he will do, and he will do it with the same standards of decency, honor, and ruthlessness as he has defeated all his enemies with. Belisarius will bring into being weapons powered by gunpowder, rockets and grenades that shatter human flesh. Technologies of the future will be retrofitted to fit with the technological base of Rome. The enemy, indeed the enemy of all civilization, the barbarians will meet their match. The barbarians have numerical superiority but their ethics allow them only to use numbers and not elite troops like the Roman's cataphracts. Eric Flint brings his own wry humor into the mix, that is also a reason to read the book. The enemy will be brought down by brilliantly described combat but the dialogue of the characters will show wit, humor, and intelligence to the reader. Absolutely one of the most enjoyable series I have ever read. The series will span the war with the Malwa barbarians, this book will feature the beginnings of that war.
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14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Clone of "The General" series with "superman" as the hero, September 5, 1999
This review is from: An Oblique Approach (Belisarius) (Mass Market Paperback)
The parallels are so extensive you may think you are reading the same book. The major difference is it happens on earth in Byzantium, instead of far in the future on another planet in a psuedo-Roman empire. If anything it is less interesting from a human perspective because in this story Belesarius seems to be the most perfect speciman of humanity to have ever lived. The following are correlations between the two series that I noticed: Paranoid emperor with wife of questionable background. Insanely competant general with similar questionable background wife. Terrible threat to civilization that can only by thwarted by general. God-like assistance from sentient mind-reading crystal sent back from the future (instead of a sentient computer left over from the past). General in danger from emperor due to competence. Relationship of the two wives used to protect him by working behind the scenes to send him away to "safe" area where he promptly works to save civilization. As part of the scheme, wife pretends to be having affairs. Sentient crystal gives General "visions" of the future to guide his actions and also makes him an unbeatable fighter by speeding up his reactions and making him super-aware. Crystal also helps the war effort by bestowing advanced weapons technology (stirrups, rockets, etc.) upon the general. This is a below average Drake book. I think that the Belesarius character is too perfect, and the key turning points in the plot develop as a result of coincidences that always seem to occur at the right time and move in the right direction. Several other characters seem to share Belesarius' surreal competance. But for Belesarius, everything just seems to be going his way. He never makes a mistake, never loses his composure, much less a fight, never misjudges or missteps. And his handfull of cataphracts and Ethiopian warriors confronts armies and dispatches them all with nary a scratch. So far (this seems to be the first in a series), Belesarius has not really had to make any hard choices or painful sacrifices or to bear the consequences of his determination to pursue his goal, and everything is going his way fabulously. I normally enjoy Drake's books and had hoped for something better, but for me, this just wasn't a very interesting story.
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