Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Fun Science Fiction War Story, December 21, 2001
The Merki, evil creatures of the Horde (or Chosen People), are invading the nation of Rus. It is up to Colonel Andrew Keane of the Union's 35th Maine to lead his troops into battle and defend his new country. The Merki are enemies who consider human beings to be nothing more than cattle and/or pets, they must wipe out Keane and his Union soldiers. Interestingly enough, the Merki are also fighting for their way of life. As twisted as it seems, you almost feel sorry for them, if the Merki were a little less gruesome you could come to admire their culture. However, the Merki dine on human flesh and perform weird ritualistic murder/torture on their human cattle. In order to defeat the Merki, Colonel Keane must drag Rus into a mechanized 19th century industrial society. To make matters worse the Merki create their own invention, a dirigible like balloon. This leaves the humans behind the technological curve because the Merki's airforce can perform airborne reconnaissance and aerial bombing raids. One of the best chapters in the book revolves around the invention of the balloon by the human population. Forstchen adds a lot of interesting ideas to the war. "Terrible Swift Sword" by William R. Forstchen is a neat blend of science fiction, fantasy and historical fiction. It is the 3rd installment of "The Lost Regiment" series. Forstchen is a good writer and I like his style. The story has a quick pace and the author uses snappy dialog to keep the plot moving. So far I enjoy the series and I recommend the books to readers that enjoy some science fiction mixed with historical fiction. My only criticism is that in "Rally Cry", the first "Lost Regiment" installment, Forstchen included a map which helped me visualize the battle field, however, here no map is included.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
"Once more unto the breach" but has time finally run out?, May 19, 1998
By A Customer
The roar of cannons blazes across a battlefield strewn with the smoking wreck of two mortal enemies. Armies grapple in a deadly war for survival. The resounding clash of arms once again explodes across the nighmare world of Valennia as the proud but fragile Republic of the Rus, now firmly in league with the Roum Alliance and thousands of Cartha that have managed to escape death under the Merki occupation, fight in a brave but deperate war against immeasurable odds. Having failed in their attempt to passify the Rus through the manipulation of the traitor, Cromwell, the Merki are now forced to press an uneasy truce with their rivals in order to pursue an invasion of the renegade humans and crush them once and for all. "Terrible Swift Sword" matches the previous books in the series in all its fiery intensity and spectacular glory; the continuation of a chronicle of a world at war, of a people allied against tyranny, and of a cause fighting to stay alive.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An Author Who knows his market, July 7, 2004
I like this guy because he never tries to sell you something other than what you know you are already getting. Sure his charecters in the 35th Maine can wax, wane and moan about the injustice of slavery and the horror of canabalism but it is always limited. Eventually he just shuts up and tells a good story. Therefore this book is engaging and you can turn off your mind. You still care for the charecters on some level but you do not have to think a lot.
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