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Average rating5
The Red: First Light is a military techno-thriller placed in the near future. The main protagonist, Lt. James Shelley, leads a squad of soldiers tasked with interdicting and killing terrorists in the Sahel. These are enhanced soldiers. They have received implants for communication and sensing and have exoskeletons that give extra strength and mobility. (Think something part way between present-day boots-on-the-ground grunts and Robert Heinlein's mechanized infantry in Starship Troopers.) Lt. Shelley also has something extra. He seems to have a precognitive gift. He sometimes “knows” when something is about to happen. Some of his team whisper that god talks to him. (Call it the King David connection.) But, is it god or something else?
This book is violent and fast moving. It explores technologies that are evolving now and their impact on warfare and politics. It also has some romance and sex (integral to the story), and there some very strange forces at play. (Can't say much more without spoilers.) This is a good and exciting book. Recommended for those who like military SF.
(Side note:
The Red: First Light marks Linda Nagata's return to SF fiction. She is a wonderful writer and I can only say yeah! Over on Charlie Stross's blog, she explained why there was a lengthy hiatus in her writing and why she has returned. If you are interested, please read that for yourself.
http://www.antipope.org/charlie/blog-static/2013/04/why-i-do-self-publish.html )