The Liberty Gun (Structure Series) (Paperback)

~ (Author)
Key Phrases: great oracle, command suite, affinity group, Seriatt March, Colonel Saskov, Mediator Latzinor (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In Sketchley's gritty third Structure novel (after The Destiny Mask and The Affinity Trap), intrepid time travelers Alexander Delgado and his former lover and intelligence officer, Ashala (aka "Ash"), must contend on the war-ravaged planet Seriatt with the conquering Sinz, a bizarre species consisting of three races—avian, amphibian and humanoid—some of whom can change shape. Delgado and Ash meet Cowell, a native vilume ("the most mysterious of the three Seriattic sexes," not to be confused with the three Sinz races), who joins them in the battle to prevent the Sinz from attacking Earth next. That Cowell later becomes erotically attached to the humans complicates their mission. Sketchley excels at depicting the futility of endless cultural conflicts, but readers should be prepared for some stomach-churning alien love and birthing scenes. (Nov.)
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Product Description

The Liberty Gun, the third instalment in Martin Sketchley’s acclaimed Structure series, sees Delgado and Ashala catapulted into a future Seriatt occupied by the Sinz—a three-species race of humanoid, avian, and amphibian form. Delgado immediately seeks a way back to the point that changed his life completely, but his plans are arrested when he and Ashala are captured by a Seriattic resistance group headed by Cowell, an enigmatic member of the "vilume" species.

Cut off from their distant home world of Hascaaza, the Sinz on Seriatt have established a barrier around the planet to protect them while they await reinforcements, plundering its resources as they prepare to invade other, neighboring worlds. But despite their apparent strength the Sinz are vulnerable, reliant on the basillia—a gigantic subterranean organism—for their existence.

Realizing this weakness, Structure’s Commander Supreme, General William Myson, orders Colonel Viktor Saskov to go to Seriatt to kill the basillia and retrieve the time gate. Yet despite what they would wish, more discrete and potentially powerful forces are at work than anyone can know.

Meanwhile, the integrity of time itself is threatened —and it is in the power of one man alone to ensure that stability is maintained and that the course of events runs true.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 359 pages
• Publisher: Pyr (November 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1591024927
• ISBN-13: 978-1591024927
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,185,585 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Not Free SF Reader, January 4, 2009

By	Blue Tyson "- http://freesf.blogspot.com" - See all my reviews

Three sex triple form queenkill revolution.

The third in a trilogy apparently, and a little complicated as you have time travel, space travel, and interdimensional travel.

Delgado and his partner Ash are humans, fighting on the world of the Seriatt (those of the three genders) - against the Sinz, a race of aliens. They have three forms, land, sea, air, plus a shapeshifter wrinkle to make them even nastier.

They have organic spaceships, and a huge planetary spread queen entity that keeps them together, and spits out their young.

That's where the Liberty Gun comes in - another Earth agent is sent in an interdimensional ship, able to get past the Sinz forceshield. He's armed with a poison weapon that may be effective in freeing the planet.

The only problem is the millions of alien invaders, and his being a w@nker.

Being time travel, there are odd time travel interludes throughout that don't make complete sense until the end - more perhaps if you had read the other two, which I have not.


3.5 out of 5

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great sf thriller, November 14, 2006

By	Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews (#1 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

In 2379 earth equivalent time Delgado and Ashala land on Seriatt, a planet at war between alien occupiers the Sinz (a triad species of humanoid, avian, and amphibian) vs. a native resistance movement. However, before they can act, the Seriattic insurgents capture Delgado and Ash. Their leader, Cowell, is a Vilume, one of the three genders that make up this race. The outsiders quickly learn that the seemingly invincible Sinz have made this orb their platform for the invasion of other worlds with earth on the agenda. Cowell forms an alliance with the two earthlings as they prepare for battle against the powerful common enemy as well as forming a strange romantic triangle.

However, this Sinz contingent is cut off for now from their distant homeworld, which means they have supply problems as they need basillia, a subterranean organism to survive. Structure's Commander Supreme General William Myson sends Colonel Viktor Saskov to Seriatt with a "scorched earth" strategy to eradicate the basillia and to reclaim the time gate even if that means stranding or killing two operatives. However, as several groups move against the Sinz on Seriatt from different perspectives, the time-space continuum comes under assault.

The third Structure science fiction thriller (see THE DESTINY MASK and THE AFFINITY TRAP) is a superb novel that makes a strong case how stupid people are to go to war over cultural, religious or ethical differences as everyone pays the price for these insane hostilities. The species seem odd yet genuine whether they are purebred earthlings, the three Seriatt humanoid genders, or the Sinz. Martin Sketchley makes the audience feel the planet Seriatt exist actually exists. Though the erotic scenes between two species are graphic and not for everyone, they add to an overall feel that the Sketchley universe is a dangerous real place.

Harriet Klausner

0 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect for fans of military sci fi., March 4, 2007

By	Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

. Martin Sketchley's THE LIBERTY GUN represents Book 3 of the 'Structure' series and as such as a recommended pick for prior fans who will enjoy a smooth transition to his latest adventure. Delgado and Ashala are sent to a future Seriatt occupied by a three-species race and search for a way back: ideals thwarted by an arrest and the Sinz's military needs. Perfect for fans of military sci fi.