What do you think?
Rate this book
Inheritance Trilogy #2
Galactic Corps
War is forever
The people on Earth no longer remember how the human race was nearly obliterated centuries earlier during the terror visited upon them by the merciless Xul. But the Star Marines, thirty thousand light years from home, know all too well the horror that still lives.
In the year 2886, in the midst of the intergalactic war that has been raging nonstop for nearly a decade, the unthinkable has occurred. Intelligence has located the gargantuan hidden homeworld of humankind's dedicated foe, the brutal, unstoppable Xul. The time has come for the courageous men and women of the 1st Marine Interstellar Expeditionary Force to strike the killing blow. But misguided politics on an Earth that no longer supports their mission could prove the Marine's greatest enemy--as they plunge bravely into the maelstrom of conflict . . . and into the heart of a million-year-old mystery.
The people on Earth no longer remember how the human race was nearly obliterated centuries earlier during the terror visited upon them by the merciless Xul. But the Star Marines, thirty thousand light years from home, know all too well the horror that still lives.
In the year 2886, in the midst of the intergalactic war that has been raging nonstop for nearly a decade, the unthinkable has occurred. Intelligence has located the gargantuan hidden homeworld of humankind's dedicated foe, the brutal, unstoppable Xul. The time has come for the courageous men and women of the 1st Marine Interstellar Expeditionary Force to strike the killing blow. But misguided politics on an Earth that no longer supports their mission could prove the Marine's greatest enemy--as they plunge bravely into the maelstrom of conflict . . . and into the heart of a million-year-old mystery.
400 pages, Paperback
First published October 16, 2008
34 people are currently reading
420 people want to read
About the author
Ian Douglas
99 books572 followersIan Douglas is a pseudonym used by William H. Keith Jr..
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
March 28, 2024
They were such a long way from home.…
Clever title aside, this is another solid entry in the Marines in Space series. It is also the second book of the Inheritance trilogy.
Thirty seconds to go … an eternity in the lightning-quick stab and parry of space-naval combat.
As in the rest of the series, the author really does come up with multiple ways to conceivably make use of Marines in space combat, using a whole array of high tech weaponry, armor, tools and craft. From ship, or base-, boarding to sneak-and-peak reconnaissance missions and infiltration, to full out warfare in just about any environment. It’s all here.
And within that relatively tiny volume of space, compressed by the inexorable laws of gravitation, the mass of two million or more stars warped the laws of space and time into bizarre and wildly twisted new shapes.
The external shell, the Dyson sphere, appeared to span some ten million kilometers, just large enough to accommodate the super-massive object inside.
“Okay, so why a Dyson sphere around a black hole?”
“That’s the question, isn’t it?”
The 1st Marine Interstellar Expeditionary Unit is undertaking a mission here that is magnitudes bigger in scale than any of the previous books. Douglas is very dependable when it comes to this kind of thing - or at least, I haven't been disappointed yet.
What’s more, there is equal amounts of time and effort spent on space (naval) engagements and marine combat.
“How in the hell do we fight something like that?”
The author has a remarkable way of describing the environments of battlespace. The vistas of the void, if you will. He also makes excellent use of the way the attributes of a particular battlespace would affect the outcome of engagements.
Overhead, the sky had gone impossibly strange … dominated by a vast, three-armed spiral. He was reminded of the spiral form of the Galaxy as seen from Cluster Space … but this one was more open, more distinct, and the colors were reversed—with sullen-glowing reds in the spiral’s outer reaches shading to an intense blue-white near the center. To one side, the central cluster, a knot of carelessly spilled, radiant blue jewels imbedded in twisted nebulae; several nearby suns showed tails like comets streaming away from the fierce radiations of that central star swarm.
I highly recommend these books to anybody who enjoys Military SF with a focus on all aspects of combat, from tactical decisions right down to the Search and Rescue efforts after the fact.
Another big plus: these books have some very good sense of wonder elements going for them, as the author keeps introducing some pretty spectacular ideas.
Flaring pinpoints like tiny, blue-white stars dropped in long, curving arcs into the event horizon in evenly spaced groups, each growing brighter as it neared the gravitational point of no return.
Those flares, he thought, were too evenly spaced to be natural.
Clever title aside, this is another solid entry in the Marines in Space series. It is also the second book of the Inheritance trilogy.
Thirty seconds to go … an eternity in the lightning-quick stab and parry of space-naval combat.
As in the rest of the series, the author really does come up with multiple ways to conceivably make use of Marines in space combat, using a whole array of high tech weaponry, armor, tools and craft. From ship, or base-, boarding to sneak-and-peak reconnaissance missions and infiltration, to full out warfare in just about any environment. It’s all here.
And within that relatively tiny volume of space, compressed by the inexorable laws of gravitation, the mass of two million or more stars warped the laws of space and time into bizarre and wildly twisted new shapes.
The external shell, the Dyson sphere, appeared to span some ten million kilometers, just large enough to accommodate the super-massive object inside.
“Okay, so why a Dyson sphere around a black hole?”
“That’s the question, isn’t it?”
The 1st Marine Interstellar Expeditionary Unit is undertaking a mission here that is magnitudes bigger in scale than any of the previous books. Douglas is very dependable when it comes to this kind of thing - or at least, I haven't been disappointed yet.
What’s more, there is equal amounts of time and effort spent on space (naval) engagements and marine combat.
“How in the hell do we fight something like that?”
The author has a remarkable way of describing the environments of battlespace. The vistas of the void, if you will. He also makes excellent use of the way the attributes of a particular battlespace would affect the outcome of engagements.
Overhead, the sky had gone impossibly strange … dominated by a vast, three-armed spiral. He was reminded of the spiral form of the Galaxy as seen from Cluster Space … but this one was more open, more distinct, and the colors were reversed—with sullen-glowing reds in the spiral’s outer reaches shading to an intense blue-white near the center. To one side, the central cluster, a knot of carelessly spilled, radiant blue jewels imbedded in twisted nebulae; several nearby suns showed tails like comets streaming away from the fierce radiations of that central star swarm.
I highly recommend these books to anybody who enjoys Military SF with a focus on all aspects of combat, from tactical decisions right down to the Search and Rescue efforts after the fact.
Another big plus: these books have some very good sense of wonder elements going for them, as the author keeps introducing some pretty spectacular ideas.
Flaring pinpoints like tiny, blue-white stars dropped in long, curving arcs into the event horizon in evenly spaced groups, each growing brighter as it neared the gravitational point of no return.
Those flares, he thought, were too evenly spaced to be natural.
September 20, 2019
Very nice military SiFi series. I like that it is broken into 3 separate connected trilogies. You can read read the trilogies as a separate story line or as a long running epic series. Nice use of science in the story to make the SiFi aspect more than just background flavor. Very well written military stories that express nicely the minds and thoughts of the characters. Recommended
December 4, 2016
Quelques années seulement après Galactic Corps, mais les technologies - combat, communications, voyages dans l'espace ...- continuent à évoluer. L'univers décrit est de plus en plus éloigné dans tous les sens. Mon esprit a du mal a se représenter les dimensions des champs de bataille (le plus loin possible de la terre) où les Marines affrontent les Xul, l'ennemi avec lequel on ne peut pas discuter. Il y a une sorte de poésie dans les descriptions, en v.o., je ne comprends pas tout mais qu'importe : centre de la galaxie, trous noirs, berceaux d'étoiles, propulsion d'Alcubierre, sphère de Dyson, références mythologiques .... et jusqu'à faire bouger une étoile. J'aime la démesure du combat et le courage de ces Marines (pas de vie hors servir). La menace des Xuls est elle enfin éloignée ? Je vais attaquer le dernier (?) tome de cette saga. De la military SF pure et dure.
May 1, 2011
The second book of the trilogy picks up the story about a decade after Star Strike. Once again, there is an annoying politician. The Marines now attempt a blow at the very heartland of the Xul, in the radiation saturated galactic core.
While the first half follows the usual formula, the second half, with operations in the core, is truly excellent. Very exciting and with many elements from “sense of wonder” stories like Ringworld and Rendevous with Rama. These are areas that military Scifi doesn’t usually touch upon but could and should more often. A very strong middle book and another page turner.
http://www.books.rosboch.net/?p=656
While the first half follows the usual formula, the second half, with operations in the core, is truly excellent. Very exciting and with many elements from “sense of wonder” stories like Ringworld and Rendevous with Rama. These are areas that military Scifi doesn’t usually touch upon but could and should more often. A very strong middle book and another page turner.
http://www.books.rosboch.net/?p=656
February 5, 2017
This is the second book in the Inheritance Trilogy by Ian Douglas. In this one the Earth Government is determined to try and make peace with the Xul. The Marines take a task force with a government ship to the galactic center where it has been determined the Xul have their ships most concentrated. Upon arrival the Xul attack and destroy the government's peace ship and it is up to the Marines to try to destroy the Xul once and for all. This book is a great read and a great example of Military Science Fiction. I recommend it to all fans of Military Science Fiction and fans of Ian Douglas.
December 3, 2008
This set of books (all three trilogies by Douglas) is great mil-fic, and good old-fashioned, hard sci-fi.
It just seems like the characters are getting lost someplace. Everyone is pretty similar in outlook and almost "Mary Sue"-like in their loyalty, bravery, and skill or they're chariactures of stereotypes (especially for the majority of the politicians).
It also seems to suffer from "escalation complex" in much the same way that Weber's "Honor Harrington" books do. FORTUNATELY, it's not missile math, but truly neat and interesting ways of killing things.
Flaws aside, as an example of hard mil-fic and hard sci-fi, it's about as good as they come. If you like either, you can do far worse than starting with "Semper Mars" and going forward with this group of books.
It just seems like the characters are getting lost someplace. Everyone is pretty similar in outlook and almost "Mary Sue"-like in their loyalty, bravery, and skill or they're chariactures of stereotypes (especially for the majority of the politicians).
It also seems to suffer from "escalation complex" in much the same way that Weber's "Honor Harrington" books do. FORTUNATELY, it's not missile math, but truly neat and interesting ways of killing things.
Flaws aside, as an example of hard mil-fic and hard sci-fi, it's about as good as they come. If you like either, you can do far worse than starting with "Semper Mars" and going forward with this group of books.
November 8, 2019
If you enjoy seeing MARINES in SPACE fighting off against swarms of EVIL ALIENS, then this is the book for you
But if you actually enjoy reading good literature, then pass.
The basic premise of this story is great Sci Fi. The GREAT SILENCE, aka the Fermi Paradox, has a somewhat predictable yet terrifying basis: Evil ALIEN NAZIS don't allow the SPIRAL RACES to survive and wreck havoc on any civilization that arises up.
You might already know what I'm suggesting. GO WATCH GURREN LAGANN.
This plot is just the less exciting mirror of the anime GURREN LAGANN. If you want to simply see heroic humans battling against an existential threat in epic BATTLES where REAL MEN show their incredible WILLPOWER, then you should watch something where the stakes are real and the main theme of never giving up is rehashed with MECHA and cool weapons, but also with the appropriate emotional catharsis and moments of despair. Don't read this book where every fight simply bleeds into low-tech WWI battles with repetitive dreariness (because let's be honest, there's something very entertaining about seeing human grit and determination pay off in the end, but it has to be well-presented). So readers, I suggest you "Go beyond the impossible and kick reason to the curb! by watching an anime.
But if you are a literature snob who only wants to read about war, fear not. There are books that actually TEACH you about the dangers of SPACE NAZISM, from both abroad and at home. I suggest the relatively evenhanded and centrist non-fascist approach, a military sci fi book where "weak politicians aren't the laughable villains" and military tactics advanced past 1918.
I suggest you read about SPACE MARINES who actually do cool things in OLD MAN'S WAR.
But if you actually enjoy reading good literature, then pass.
The basic premise of this story is great Sci Fi. The GREAT SILENCE, aka the Fermi Paradox, has a somewhat predictable yet terrifying basis: Evil ALIEN NAZIS don't allow the SPIRAL RACES to survive and wreck havoc on any civilization that arises up.
You might already know what I'm suggesting. GO WATCH GURREN LAGANN.
This plot is just the less exciting mirror of the anime GURREN LAGANN. If you want to simply see heroic humans battling against an existential threat in epic BATTLES where REAL MEN show their incredible WILLPOWER, then you should watch something where the stakes are real and the main theme of never giving up is rehashed with MECHA and cool weapons, but also with the appropriate emotional catharsis and moments of despair. Don't read this book where every fight simply bleeds into low-tech WWI battles with repetitive dreariness (because let's be honest, there's something very entertaining about seeing human grit and determination pay off in the end, but it has to be well-presented). So readers, I suggest you "Go beyond the impossible and kick reason to the curb! by watching an anime.
But if you are a literature snob who only wants to read about war, fear not. There are books that actually TEACH you about the dangers of SPACE NAZISM, from both abroad and at home. I suggest the relatively evenhanded and centrist non-fascist approach, a military sci fi book where "weak politicians aren't the laughable villains" and military tactics advanced past 1918.
I suggest you read about SPACE MARINES who actually do cool things in OLD MAN'S WAR.
November 29, 2021
The story continues
Good second book. More of the same for our Marine heroes on the battlefield and on liberty. Again a lot of details about the future from the author's point of view. The advances in science, space travel and technology are interesting. Though society, human interactions seems to remain rooted to the 20th century
Good second book. More of the same for our Marine heroes on the battlefield and on liberty. Again a lot of details about the future from the author's point of view. The advances in science, space travel and technology are interesting. Though society, human interactions seems to remain rooted to the 20th century
June 17, 2023
More of the same. At least there was no boot camp this time.
Read
March 2, 2024There's something wrong with the ebook. There's a blank line before each paragraph.
December 28, 2015
I have read almost all of this author's work that I can get from Paperback Swap. I have noticed a trend that the more recent books have more and greater sexual details. There is no graphic descriptions (if you seek that you need to read elsewhere) but there are mentions of menage de quatros, group sex, swinging and other sexual activities. Not sure if the author feels that is the way society is travelling or hopes it progresses that way.
Call me an old romantic fool but I was hopping that Tabitha would have returned to the General Alexander at the end of the book. It was nice that most of the couples remained together. I would have liked to know how Major Tera Lee fared, but I suppose it is hard to close all of the story lines. I am reading the last book in this series Semper Human so perhaps I will learn how some of the other characters fared later in life.
Call me an old romantic fool but I was hopping that Tabitha would have returned to the General Alexander at the end of the book. It was nice that most of the couples remained together. I would have liked to know how Major Tera Lee fared, but I suppose it is hard to close all of the story lines. I am reading the last book in this series Semper Human so perhaps I will learn how some of the other characters fared later in life.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 16, 2010
No, just no, almost like the first book of the series but worse. Needless to say, I never made it to the end of the book because of even more disjointed twists popping up. For example, in one scene someone is baked by radiation for like 6 hours and then they come out completely fine later on, really? Likewise some characters happily dismemeber themselves because any limb can be re-grown. This is a book not for everyone or maybe not even for anyone. I dunno, but for the majority of us, spend your time elsewhere!
October 10, 2014
Summary: Hard core military SF space opera special. Totally over the top and immensely enjoyable, albeit very unsubtle. The battle set-ups and descriptions are quite amazing and the balance of power intriguing.
Plotline: A good plot, simple at some levels but with astonishing breadth
Premise: I like this universe, though some of the 'physics' needs to be glossed over to make it all work and consistently believable.
Writing: Simple, direct, the reader is transported right into the action.
Ending: Oh yes, you need to read this on. OTT
Pace: Never a dull moment
Plotline: A good plot, simple at some levels but with astonishing breadth
Premise: I like this universe, though some of the 'physics' needs to be glossed over to make it all work and consistently believable.
Writing: Simple, direct, the reader is transported right into the action.
Ending: Oh yes, you need to read this on. OTT
Pace: Never a dull moment
June 18, 2011
Wasn't too bad as I'm generally a sucker for military sci-fi.
Though there was one thing I did not like about this author's writing style: he tends to repeat situation details a fair bit as if trying to stress those points viewing the reader as not too intelligent to pick up on it 30 pages or so earlier, or else he tries to get his so many words per manuscript to appease his contract to the publisher. Either way, I found it quite tacky.
Though there was one thing I did not like about this author's writing style: he tends to repeat situation details a fair bit as if trying to stress those points viewing the reader as not too intelligent to pick up on it 30 pages or so earlier, or else he tries to get his so many words per manuscript to appease his contract to the publisher. Either way, I found it quite tacky.
February 5, 2017
Perfect in every way. Written so well it floats of the page and fills your mind with grand images.
Read
October 2, 2011B22525126C
July 11, 2012
There is some potentially interesting idea lurking behind all the bloated fighting.
Read
September 26, 201219
April 28, 2013
very good for the genre - one of several related trilogies by the author
August 18, 2014
A hard hitting military sci-fi. A great read for those who like getting into the gritty details of action and tech.
September 12, 2015
Not as good as previous books in this series.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews