Paying The Piper

Hammer's Slammers #10

by David Drake

Lt. Arne Huber, a member of Hammer's Slammers, and his fellow mercenaries head for Plattner's World, a planet torn apart by civil war, as they struggle to deal with government officials with hidden, private agendas, street thugs, and a hostile division of powerful tanks. Reprint.

Genres: Science Fiction, Fiction, Ebooks, Military Fiction, Adventure, Science Fiction Fantasy, War

480 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 2002

About the author

David Drake is an American author of science fiction and fantasy literature. A Vietnam War veteran who has worked as a lawyer, he is now one of the major authors of the military science fiction genre.

Reviews

[Craig]

Paying the Piper is a volume in the Hammer's Slammers series that contains three novella-length mission stories. You always know where Drake's political sympathies lie, but he never lets the philosophy get in the way of the story and the action. The good guys aren't always good, and the bad guys aren't all bad (except for the ones named Platt...), but the responsibility of honor and seeing the mission through wins out. It's military sf at its best.

[Joey]

I would have to say this is my favorite next to the original book that started it all. While yes it seems very similar to a prior book in the series, to me what made this book more special is that it's the one that has had the most interaction with Joachim Stubbin, Danny Prichard, and Colonel Hammer. I mean sure, those characters have appeared in other parts of the series, but for whatever reason it made me smile when the main character of the story interacted with these characters, and it seemed like they were more integral than any prior book. OR at least it sure seemed like it. Bringing back core characters that frequently are only mentioned in passing most of the time and to interact with them is like comfort food, warm and familiar no matter what kind of character they may be.

[Chuck Ledger]

Good, but not my favorite book in the series by far.

[Dalen]

Probably around 3.75 or so for me. The fact that this was a series of novellas strung together meant there was a bit more repetition than I usually like, but this one hammered the core of what makes this series: grunts and line officers blowing enemies up over and over again. Parts of it were similar to Rolling Hot, but overall it was an action packed book.

[Buzz Park]

I loved this book. I think it may have been written as a serial, as each chapter is almost a novella and recaps some things from the previous chapters. Anyway, I loved the characters, loved the action, loved the story. Hammer's Slammers at its best!

[Michael]

Paying the Price

David Drake's Military Science Fiction is hard hitting powerful action at the Sharp End! There is always a cost in any military conflict most of it born by those at the Front Line! Drake is the BEST at telling their stories!

[Fred Dameron]

Normal David Drake fair. Lots of hot flying cyan and copper bolts. Great understanding of Infantry and APC tactics along with armor tactics. Good read.

[Brian Lassiter]

Good military sci-fi.

[Jim]

From Booklist

The latest Hammer's Slammers book consists of three novellas flying in close formation. Together they are the adventures of Lieutenant (later Captain) Arnie Huber, a combat-car leader when the Slammers land on Plattner's World to fight over the price of a key ingredient for geriatric drugs. "Choosing Sides," in which Huber learned to do dirty tricks, first appeared in Warmasters [BKL My 1 02], alongside novellas by David Weber and Eric Flint; "The Political Process" and "Neck or Nothing" each take Huber on desperate missions against potential treachery and the superior forces of other mercenaries. The weaponry, the action scenes, and the depiction of the Warrior Walking Alone are as vivid and compelling as Drake's readers expect them to be, and his realization of characters and political intrigue continue to mature. The Slammers may be one of the longest-serving units in military sf, but they are no longer, as they sometimes seemed to be, more of the same old same old. Roland Green
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product Description

Colonel Alois Hammer: to the galaxy, a legendary commander of mercenaries. To his troops, a leader who can be trusted to always back them to the hilt - and meet a payroll. When the situation on a planet has gone beyond desperate, it's time to call for Hammer's Slammers.

[Derek]

I really don't know why I read Hammer's Slammers books. I mostly love David Drake, and guess I keep hoping that these will reach the standards of his better books, and every time I'm disappointed. It's basically just a litany of death and destruction, without character development or even much plot. I love action as much as (well, more than...) the next guy, but every Hammer's Slammers novel is identical except for the names.

[Larry]

Drake writes ultra-action Sci-Fi shoot ‘em-up bang bang stories. This is another mercenary soldiers in space – hardened, ruthless (and sometimes murderous sociopaths). The speculation regarding military technology is very interesting – complex warfare, complex technology. It’s what warfare could become. Page after page after page of technical (Sci-Fi) military hardware and its affects.

You have to be in the right mood for this series.

[B. Zedan]

After a January of Chekhov and Tolstoy and other cheery Russian bastards, then a February of penny-dreadfuls and other 19th century nonsense, reading something from the past decade was kind of a shocker. And it was all full of tanks and explosions and the other things I love Drake for.

Politics of the crowd, too. But always the tanks.

[William Gerke]

Another solid outing from Drake. I've been reading the Slammers books since I was in middle school, and they never fail to scratch that rare itch for military science fiction. I continue to wonder why some Hollywood producer doesn't pick these up--well drawn characters; tight, action-packed stories; hovertanks. It has blockbuster franchise written all over it.

[Jonathan Stevens]

This book is available at Baen Free Library.
The novel is structured as three novellas, the first of
which, "Choosing Sides", appeared in anthology entitled
"The Warmasters" (itself available for download at Baen Fifth
Imperium).
I have finished the next two novellas, "political process"
and "neck or nothing". There is a lot of well-described
action, which makes the stories very readable.

[Jan]

Part of the Hammer's slammers series on space mercenaries. good study of a young Lt Arne Huber working his way through several campaigns. Shows the inherent conflict between those who fight and those who do the hiring whether mercenary or one's own military.

[Steven Vaughan-Nichols]

Another good, solid military SF novel by the master of military SF David Drake. This isn't an exceptional book in the Hammer's Slammers series but it delivers exactly what I expected and that was more than good enough for me.

[Jan]

Classic Hammer's Slammers. A fun read.

[Lynn Calvin]

baen ebook

[Daniel]

Yet another great military sci-fi book by David Drake. It is no secret that Mr. Drake is my favorite author for this genre...!

[David]

Good book, it made me want to read the Hammer's Slammers series

[Ric]

Classic Drake, Hammer's Slammers kicking butt and taking names. Need I say more?

[Travis]

A good story about future mercenaries, combat cars and a small amount of politics. Over all a fun read to borrow.

[Bill]

The Slammers get whipsawed among their clients but finish the job anyway. Good military scfi but I need to space the Slammers out a little more.

[Barbara Ghylin]

It was okay, just that okay. I had a hard time getting into the book and a hard time finishing it.
I am very glad to be done with it.