Customer Reviews

Rogue Clone

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This book continues the story of Wayson Harris, which began in "The Clone Republic."

At the time of updating this review in January 2009, it is the second in a series of four books, which are:

1) The Clone Republic
2) Rogue Clone
3) The Clone Alliance
4) The Clone Elite

One of the hardest things to write well is a sequel to a book in which the central character spends most of his time trying to uncover a secret and ultimately did so. In the first book in this series, "The Clone Republic" Lieutenant Wayson Harris spent much of the story wondering whether he was a clone and why he has both enemies and friends in high places. By the end of that book Harris has found out what he is. So in this second book, author Steven Kent had to find completely new mysteries for him. This could easily have been a very limp sequel, but it isn't: indeed "Rogue Clone" is probably better than the first book.

The story is set in a Universe which contains just about every "Star Wars" cliche imaginable, but Kent manages to find new things to say about most of them. The central government of the galaxy, which evolved from the USA, uses armies of clones to keep everyone in line. All the clones who provide the grunts for the marines are raised in orphanages: each is told that he is the only natural born real orphan in the institution, and programmed to see himself with different hair and eye colour. Each standard military clone is also programmed to die if he finds out that he is really a clone.

Harris really is different from all the other marines, for example we learn in "Rogue Clone" that he is four inches taller. But to the generals and admirals, both he and the standard clones just as much an expendable assets as the ammmunition for the fleet's guns.

At the end of "The Clone Republic" Harris was forced to go AWOL, but I don't think the second book's title "Rogue Clone" is meant to refer to him. As the galaxy descends into civil war and chaos after several spiral arms try to declare independence, Harris is still working for the government as a mercenary and bounty hunter. Then suddenly he is back in uniform and on a dangerous mission for the admiral who tried several times to kill him in the first book.

Then a peaceful agricultural colony is threatened by a fighter carrier commanded by a clone who really has gone rogue - can Harris stop the carrier with an unarmed transport ship and his old mercenary partner ?

Good gripping entertainment. If you enjoy the first two books, "The Clone Republic" and "Rogue Clone" you may will probably also enjoy the subsequent books in the trilogy, "The Clone Alliance" and "The Clone Elite."

If you enjoyed "The Clone Republic" then your going to get drawn into the continuing adventures of Wayson Harris in this rarest of things, a sequel that is even better than the original.
Both the characters and the plot seem to hit their stride in this, the second of Mr. Kent's books.
With touches of subtle humor, and plenty of space battles, this excellent, action packed, adventure leads the reader to a surprise ending (or is it the end?).

Another thriller from Steven Kent. From the start of this sequel to 'The Clone Republic', you are drawn back in to the life of Wayson Harris and his constant internal battle of mixed loyalties combined with action-filled scenes that capture your imagination through to the last page. Kent does another fantastic job in this book of describing a very believable galaxy populated by very real personalities that have something in common with all of us.

This book starts 2 years after the end of the first book in this series. Lt Wayson Harris is now oficially dead and working as a bounty hunter with his new partner Ray Freeman. However, he finds himself drawn back to the armed forces by Admiral Klyber who is both his mentor and creator and wants him to do some special work for him.

This book is a continuation of the events in the first book, but does not fall into the trap of writing the same story with differing characters. Instead this is a book about consequences - and although you may get what you think you want there is always a price attached as this novel cleary shows.

It will be interesting to see where the next book in this series goes as the end of this one clearly leads into another story.

I had never heard of this author nor this book. I bought it only because it was one of the few sci-fi books left on the shelf at my local Borders going out of business sale. I expected it to be pretty bad but was encouraged when I saw it had a good rating on Amazon. Even so I was taken aback by just how much I enjoyed it.

The story is an excellent one, well written with an original and exciting plot. There were a couple of extremely predictable moments (such as how the protagonist defeated his final enemy) but most of the book kept me guessing and the climax was a battle of epic proportions that left me on the edge of my seat. I have never written a book review before but after reading this book, I felt compelled to do so. I also went out and immediately purchased the entire series.

I'm half way through the 1st book now and would definitely recommend reading them in order. When I read book 2 (Rogue Clone) first, I didn't feel that I had lost out on anything by reading them out of order. Everything you need to know from book 1 (The Clone Republic) is covered and covered well in Rogue Clone. However, I enjoyed Rogue Clone far more than and I think that the problem is that book 2 did such a good job of providing background info that all of the surprise in book 1 were ruined for me. Hopefully books 3 through 6 will provide better reading.

All in all, a great book and I look forward to reading his other materials. 5 stars!

Kevin Mccarthy was a doof - this is not a 5 star book, but a 4 star book, but I'm giving an extra star just to outweigh someone who obviously had an axe to grind.

I love this series, btw.

Like 99% of everyone in the military, Wayson Harris is a clone, born and raised in one of Earth's hundreds of orphanages. Unlike every other clone born, Wayson is different. He was created from a different model, a model that had been outlawed decades ago due to their dangerous addiction to violence. He was a liberator.

After the attack at Ravenwood, he was thought dead by the military. Wayson assumed another marine's identity and worked with Freeman, a seven foot mercenary, for two years before his past caught up with him.

Admiral Klyber, his creator, has spent several years working on a special warship that is supposed to bring an end to all war in the six arms of the galaxy but is afraid his opponents may try to kill him. Fearing for his life, he asks Wayson to act as body guard but his hidden identity quickly unravels as soon as he enters the Dry Dock's security area and they discover who he really is. Expecting to be arrested for being AWOL for the last two years, he is shocked that the Admiral who tried to kill him at Ravenwood orders his release.

From then the story progresses fairly quickly as Kybler's fear is realized and he is murdered shortly after leaving the Dry Docks. Wayson isn't only given his freedom but a promotion to the rank of Cornel and assigned to find Kybler's killer and in doing so, he finds himself on the much sought after Central Galatic Fleet, first as a stow away then as a prisoner. The war between the Republic, the Confederacy and the Mogats continues to escalate as battle after battle is fought in the skies over planets loyal to the republic until the final battle in orbit over Earth.

The story progresses much quicker in this book, taking places in weeks rather than years. In either case, I find the books incredibly entertaining, though I'm not quite sure why. The books have no clear plot except that Wayson is a clone who does stuff, sometimes what he's told, other times what he wants to do and, in general, no one likes him because of what he is.

I can't wait until the next (I had to get online the moment I finished it to find out if there would be a next.)

"Rogue Clone" not only supports the first book in this series of Military Sci-Fi novels, "The Clone Republic" but also excels in all aspects that made it great. The book begins without missing a beat as Wayson Harris, AWOL clone soldier extraordinaire, finds himself at the center of pivotal events that shape the destiny of the galaxy and all mankind. As he struggles to understand his place in a human world as a clone, Harris is unaware of the impact he will have on events as he manages to wedge a gap between his enemy's defenses, the Unified Authority hierarchy and the Separatist rebels. The story is weaved together with clever plot sequences, a steady momentum and numerous unexpected and delicious twists. The character development, intrigue, military prowess, suspense, and surprising humor, make this book a pleasurable read. It has all the elements of a great sequel and more.

Rogue Clone manages to do what very few entertainment pieces did in history. Like the Godfather Part 2, Rogue Clone is better then the first book. It seems that the author is one of those professionals that praise for his audience's feedback. Everything that I thought was missing in the first book was there in the second.

Is starts slow. But it gets to a point in which you stop and say: "Wait a minute! What the hell is going on!" - and then you run back and re-read a few chapters so you can be sure of what's happening. It's all part of the magnificent way of Mr. Kent's writing.

And, like my review of the first book, this one contains the best part of reading the Clone Saga. The cliffhangers. I'm yet to understand how Mr. Kent does this, if it's on purpose or just part of his genius writing skills. There is a cliffhanger in every page! You can't stop reading!

So don't worry. If you enjoyed the first book buy this one and be sure that you will have your money's worth.

Received via Whispernet for my Kindle, this book is excellent in every sense. Story line is excellent and the continuity is also excellent. Overall an excellent sci-fi read, especially since it is part of a series and if you are into space sci-fi like I am you will love this book and the series.