Judy C. (Judy-Ree) -
Helpful Score: 3
From the Back Cover:
"Ia is a precog, blessed - or cursed - with visions of the future. She has witnessed the devastation of her home galaxy three hundred years in the future, long after she is gone, but believes she can prevent it.
Enlisting in the modern military of the Terran United Planets, Ia plans to rise through the ranks, meeting and influencing important people and building a reputation that will inspire others for the next three centuries. But she needs to be assigned to the right ship, the right company, and the right place to earn that reputation honestly - all while keeping her psychic abilities hidden from her superiors, who would refuse to risk such a valuable gift in combat.
To save the galaxy, Ia must become someone else: the soldier know as Bloody Mary."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I will be honest, I originally read this book because I had read Jean Johnson's Sons of Destiny series and loved it. That said, those books were romances at the core, and this book is decidedly not. But all the things I loved about the Sons of Destiny series - the world building, the amazing characters, the believable dialogue - I found in this book. This book is the first in a new Series: Theirs Not To Reason Why. The story is told around Ia, the main character of the story. At the beginning of each chapter we are treated to commentary from Ia herself, told as she looks back on the upcoming story.
While it is definitely military science fiction, being set in the future with space travel, Space Marine Corps and multiple races, there are paranormal overtones dealing with psychics. I found I really enjoyed this and didn't even miss the lack of romance.
As Ia herself states, she just doesn't have the time. First there is boot camp, then her first posting and then moving through the ranks as she is tested in battle. All while trying to keep an eye on the time stream, build up her psi skills, send directives to make sure that events take place as needed, and especially keep up with being a full time Marine.
I can't wait to read the next book, due out in August of 2012. The next book picks right up where this one leaves off, and is called An Officer's Duty. From the special preview available at the end of A Soldier's Duty, it looks to be just as outstanding at the first.
"Ia is a precog, blessed - or cursed - with visions of the future. She has witnessed the devastation of her home galaxy three hundred years in the future, long after she is gone, but believes she can prevent it.
Enlisting in the modern military of the Terran United Planets, Ia plans to rise through the ranks, meeting and influencing important people and building a reputation that will inspire others for the next three centuries. But she needs to be assigned to the right ship, the right company, and the right place to earn that reputation honestly - all while keeping her psychic abilities hidden from her superiors, who would refuse to risk such a valuable gift in combat.
To save the galaxy, Ia must become someone else: the soldier know as Bloody Mary."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I will be honest, I originally read this book because I had read Jean Johnson's Sons of Destiny series and loved it. That said, those books were romances at the core, and this book is decidedly not. But all the things I loved about the Sons of Destiny series - the world building, the amazing characters, the believable dialogue - I found in this book. This book is the first in a new Series: Theirs Not To Reason Why. The story is told around Ia, the main character of the story. At the beginning of each chapter we are treated to commentary from Ia herself, told as she looks back on the upcoming story.
While it is definitely military science fiction, being set in the future with space travel, Space Marine Corps and multiple races, there are paranormal overtones dealing with psychics. I found I really enjoyed this and didn't even miss the lack of romance.
As Ia herself states, she just doesn't have the time. First there is boot camp, then her first posting and then moving through the ranks as she is tested in battle. All while trying to keep an eye on the time stream, build up her psi skills, send directives to make sure that events take place as needed, and especially keep up with being a full time Marine.
I can't wait to read the next book, due out in August of 2012. The next book picks right up where this one leaves off, and is called An Officer's Duty. From the special preview available at the end of A Soldier's Duty, it looks to be just as outstanding at the first.
Helpful Score: 1
A Soldier's Duty - Jean Johnson
Theirs Not To Reason Why
Author Jean Johnson the bestselling author of the Sons of Destiny series, has taken a break from romance with a outstanding new science fiction project. Her clean writing style really drives forward her newest creation in epic military science fiction. Don't look for her regular romance stylings in the book as the main character "Ia" is clear that she doesn't have time for that in her life as she is too busy trying to save as many as she can.
The new series introduces "Ia" a human from a heavy gravity outlying colony planet who comes to earth to join the marines and follows her initial years. The basis of the book is solidly sci-fi space opera. It has a minor paranormal bend in that "Ia" has visions of the future. In an attempt to stop a future mass destruction, she attempts to put herself in the path of events and people to best change or affect the future in order to avoid mass destruction. The story follows with her initial plans to save her world and as much of galaxy as possible.
The story is written as a soldier. Excerpt from private writing journal of main character Ia:
"Everyone knows what a soldier does during times of war. We place our skills, our weapons, our bodies, and even our lives on the line, protecting the innocent from all that which would threaten them. We fight, so that others do not have to fight. We take the risks, because we know the price.
What people tend to forget is how much we also do during times of peace. We are the supporting arm, the helping hand, the strength of a friend coming to save you from the monsters that plague in the middle of the night. We aren't always big damn heros demanding big damn parades; most of us are nameless, faceless, and interchangeable. . . and for that reason, we are indispensable.
We serve in many ways. It is our duty, and our right. - Ia"
The author's wonderful writing style, descriptive language and great pacing creates an outstanding
story and even more interesting character. This book has captured my attention and the beginning of this new series has me anxiously awaiting the next installment.
Theirs Not To Reason Why
Author Jean Johnson the bestselling author of the Sons of Destiny series, has taken a break from romance with a outstanding new science fiction project. Her clean writing style really drives forward her newest creation in epic military science fiction. Don't look for her regular romance stylings in the book as the main character "Ia" is clear that she doesn't have time for that in her life as she is too busy trying to save as many as she can.
The new series introduces "Ia" a human from a heavy gravity outlying colony planet who comes to earth to join the marines and follows her initial years. The basis of the book is solidly sci-fi space opera. It has a minor paranormal bend in that "Ia" has visions of the future. In an attempt to stop a future mass destruction, she attempts to put herself in the path of events and people to best change or affect the future in order to avoid mass destruction. The story follows with her initial plans to save her world and as much of galaxy as possible.
The story is written as a soldier. Excerpt from private writing journal of main character Ia:
"Everyone knows what a soldier does during times of war. We place our skills, our weapons, our bodies, and even our lives on the line, protecting the innocent from all that which would threaten them. We fight, so that others do not have to fight. We take the risks, because we know the price.
What people tend to forget is how much we also do during times of peace. We are the supporting arm, the helping hand, the strength of a friend coming to save you from the monsters that plague in the middle of the night. We aren't always big damn heros demanding big damn parades; most of us are nameless, faceless, and interchangeable. . . and for that reason, we are indispensable.
We serve in many ways. It is our duty, and our right. - Ia"
The author's wonderful writing style, descriptive language and great pacing creates an outstanding
story and even more interesting character. This book has captured my attention and the beginning of this new series has me anxiously awaiting the next installment.
Joan K. (survive) reviewed A Soldier's Duty (Theirs Not To Reason Why, Bk 1) on + 102 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
A very absorbing beginning of a new series from Jean Johnson. I picked this book because I enjoy her other series so much. As stated by others, this is science fiction not romance.
I really liked Ia's story starting as a raw recruit and following through her basic training and into combat, as she tries to avert disaster in the future. She is such an interesting character. If I had any complaint it would be the overly long descriptions of the different military weapons. It didn't seem that relevant to the storyline. But the world building was great and I liked her home world and her family also. Too bad we have to wait so long for the next book because the teaser at the end of this story sounds so good.
I really liked Ia's story starting as a raw recruit and following through her basic training and into combat, as she tries to avert disaster in the future. She is such an interesting character. If I had any complaint it would be the overly long descriptions of the different military weapons. It didn't seem that relevant to the storyline. But the world building was great and I liked her home world and her family also. Too bad we have to wait so long for the next book because the teaser at the end of this story sounds so good.
