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[JuntaJoe]

Anyone remember the movie The Final Countdown where the USS Nimitz goes back in time to Pearl Harbor for a short period through a time vortex?


Ok, how about taking that idea to the next step. An entire multinational war fleet from the 2020's is preparing to land in Indonesia to restore the democratic government after Muslim fanatics take over in a bloody revolution. In their midst is a research ship trying to experiment with matter-energy-matter conversion. The ship got dragged along because it was in the area when the fighting broke out and needs protection from pirates and revolutionaries. Further backdrop is that the "War on Terror" has never ceased since 9/11 and has escalated globally. Plenty of older vets have been in one warzone or another for 20+ years. It's a pretty grim future context and the world's great military powers have really beefed up their high tech warfare arsenals. Marines have radio implants and wear "smart armor" that resists enemy fire. Ships have battle AI's that take over and coordinate fleet attacks when the battle gets hairy. This is like a 25+ ship battle group preparing for a 21st century nasty invasion.

And then the researchers on the civilian ship get bored of waiting for an escort out of the zone and runs the big test.

*Poof!* Something goes wrong (naturally) and the ship implodes into a time space rift and is zeroed out of the universe. A few small ships nearby suffer the same fate, or even worse, only part of the ship is vaporized. In the larger intermediate zone, the majority of the fleet and a few partial ships get zapped back into time to the mid Pacific just days after the Pearl Harbor attack.

Gallant heroes to the rescue? Ha! They land right on top of Admiral Spruance's fleet steaming to Midway in the middle of the night. The 40's Americans think it's a surprise Japanese attack and take a few shots. The 21st century ships have disoriented and comatose personnel all over the fleet and the battle AI's take over. Both fleets thrash each other at point blank range for a while until they finally figure out what's going on.

But that stops the Midway attack from happening that Japan really never recovered from. Japan withdraws unscathed unlike in our past.

Still think the future warriors can save the world? Unlike the old movie, this author inserts some nasty reality. The fancy fleet has a vast, but still limited number of weapon stores. The ammo will run out at some point and the world doesn't have the skill level to restock it. The multinational fleet with all races and both sexes running everything drops into a world where discrimination is the daily standard. A 40's white petty officer has a hard time obeying a 21st century black female naval Captain. And in this old war, refusing orders is a capital offense that gets carried out fast at the nearest brick wall. The 21st century force is seen as a group of halfbreeds and rejects with Buck Rogers powers and way too much attitude for their low caste selves. Worse, the multinational fleet doesn't just land in one place. A few smaller ships with modern technology land all over the world. The Japs even capture a fast frigate with modern weapons and fire control. Worse is that Japan still has all of it's navy intact after it avoided the Midway fiasco.

This book is engrossing on so many levels. War, history, culture, science all meld together well.

This book isn't a "stand alone" novel. It's clearly the beginning of a series on this new World War 2. I'm not even sure the next novel could come close to completing the series either. I see 3 or 4 segments to this series. The harbound version was released in 2004. My paperback was 2005 released. So it may take several years before the whole series gets out. But don't let this stop you. It's one of the best military novels I've read in a loooooong time.

Weapons of Choice by John Birmingham (ISBN: 0-345-45713-7)

[JuntaJoe]

His second book in the series, Designated Targets, is out.

I'm just starting it, but it switches back and forth between nasty battles and the painful transition 1940's society has with modern 21st century technology and dogma being thrust on them.

If you have a very twisted anthropological streak in you then this series will definitely appeal to you.

[Eddy]

Interesting idea.

[Dochartaigh]

another good book, series really. gonna havta let me know the names of the other books when they come out.

[JuntaJoe]

The second book is finished.

This book rocks the war back on its heels.


Given the Axis powers getting a complete summary of how the war would turn out, they change thier plans. Stalin and Hitler sign yet another cease fire and purge even more millions from their ranks who ended up less than loyal after the books were closed.

The Axis powers realize they cannot overcome the eventual industrial might of the US and go for fast strategic gains. Germany invades Britain, but with less than good results. Japan does better by taking Hawaii on the ground completely. Both countries throw tons of weapons at the 21st century troops simply to burn out their weapon stocks.

In the meantime, Roosevelt sets up a special zone around Los Angeles that is a separate political zone conforming to 21st century law in order to build a massive technology and manufacturing center to push the US rapidly into the Information Age. This causes severe reactions throughout the country. J. Edgar Hoover goes absolutely bonkers over this seeing sedition everywhere.

The social implications are enormous and attitudes get hot at every turn.

To top it all off, every country is racing to make nukes and all are prepared to fire the first shot.

The powder keg is fully lit.

[JuntaJoe]

Book three of the trilogy knocked out today.

Bought the trade paperback, as I was tired of waiting.


It's a rousing ending to it all. Primitive nukes arrive along with nerve gas to spice up the mix as Russia jumps in. Definitely gets hairy close to the end.

I won't give away the ending, but it doesn't end precisely the way a good-vs-evil war story normally ends.

With the Final Impact coming soon to mass market paperback, it's a good time to start this great saga and catch it all while it's all on the shelves.