Book Review: A Deeper Blue

Posted By Laughing_Wolf

This is going to be a difficult review, for two large reasons. First, I never did post my review of Unto The Breach that I promised a long time ago (on a blog far, far away?). Second, there is a safety issue that throws me for a loop. Your mileage will vary, but for me it broke the suspension of disbelief.

The first part is easy to deal with: Unto The Breach is one of the best, if not the best, things I've ever read by John Ringo. It all works together and comes together with authority and power. The parts that offend some are not out in full force, though there is a scene which, though quite funny, did leave me desiring some minds-eye bleach for the visual it inspired as the wrong person was in chaps. At least in my, highly biased, opinion. That said, it was the best written, best balanced, best nuanced book so far -- and it continues the tradition of exploring facts and philosophy behind any number of topics including combat.

Yet, this is a problem too, for it was so well done that I expected that and more with A Deeper Blue. The book is a good read, and continues the Ringo traditions including discussions of fact and philosophy. There is a high body count, scum get what they deserve (some wonderful twists there), and we are treated to seeing even more character development and set-ups for what is to come.

My problems come from two scenes that break my suspension of disbelief.

The first one revolves around a high-level staff meeting. Having sat through some fairly high-level meetings, I will say that I would pay cash money to see what happens in the book happen at some such meetings. It is a dream, and, for me at least, the dream did not work -- no matter how much I wish it could.

The second issue involves electrical safety. Yes, electrical safety. There is a scene that if done in real life will kill the person involved, and is done only by amateur idiots (as in the plot to this mystery) or those who don't care/want to kill a person.

When you work with electricity, from wiring a house to working on electronics, you get taught a number of important lessons. The prime one being that one does NOT create a path across the heart, for if you disrupt and/or fry your sinoatrial node, you are toast. Period. Doesn't matter if it is household current or radio frequency, if you set up a path that takes the current across the heart, bad things can and do happen. Trust me on this, as I have been incredibly lucky on that count. As a cocky high school kid, I didn't bother with those rules doing some "quick work" on a silly scope that ended up sending me flying across a room (and I am lucky did not damage or kill me) -- making me the silly one. A somewhat older and more cautious me has still had a couple of things happen that did interesting things -- and made me even more cautious.

For that reason, this particular violation really blew things for me. It not only pulled me out of book space, it also raised a number of other questions for me and rather dimmed my enjoyment of the book. That said, I would urge you to read the book and decide for yourself. Most people are not going to get the same knock to suspension of disbelief as did I, and the book is indeed well worth the read. While I don't think it was as good as Unto The Breach, it is still a good read and shows growth for characters and for author.

All-in-all, it is a good read and I do recommend it. If you have not yet read Unto The Breach, then you really, really do need to get it and read it first. Trust me on that. While I don't think A Deeper Blue is up to that level, I also think it has a hard standard to meet. Enjoy both of them, and let me know what you think.

LW

UPDATE: A reader has let me know that somehow the links I provided also let one download for free. I have removed the direct links for now, until I figure out why this happened...

UPDATE II: Think there wasn't a real issue, just someone not used to getting Jim's "first taste free" hook

TrackBack

TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.typepad.com/t/trackback/2819/17103206

Listed below are links to weblogs that reference Book Review: A Deeper Blue:

Comments

[warren90-93]

I've read them both and enjoyed them,but your right Unto the Breach is the better one.

I am interested to see what direction the series take when the next President takes over in the books.

[LarryConley]

And consider that the Author was (IIRC) not going to market the book through Baen Books or under his name.. till the late (great!) Jim Baen insisted on publishing Ghost (note several other of John's books are availible for free at http://www.baen.com/library/defaultTitles.htm

As the pusher said.... First taste is free kids :).

'Hymm before the Battle' and 'Gust Front' are both tough reads in parts.. mostly because they have the 'grip your heart and make you feel' quality to them..

Unto the breach is probably my favorite of the 'Paladin of Shadows' Series (which is the name put on the whole series)... with classic lines like a thug saying to a WMD scientist "What harm could a little mold do"... hehehe. Definately worth buying the downloads or even the paper versions.

[Laughing Wolf]

Warren, I agree and can't wait to see what happens when the administration changes. Think it is going to be interesting, to say the least.

Larry, you do remember correctly and it surprises me not that Jim talked him into letting him publish them and to have John use his real name. Jim was a very pursuasive man... :)

LW

[LarryConley]

That he was... I think he created the future of electronic publishing... I met John only briefly at the con he slaughtered at the end of 'Princess of Wands' but he was polite and probably relieved that I didn't have a million questions for him. ((I still think the demon would have been nuts to show at that con given how many circles and various blessed stuff was around :) :)))

At Bar.baen.com John himself has at time be mystified by how successful the series has been.. and gives some insite to his methods of writing.. :)

[Patrick (gryphmon)]

"I didn't bother with those rules doing some "quick work" on a silly scope that ended up sending me flying across a room (and I am lucky did not damage or kill me) -- making me the silly one. "

That reminds me of my experiment as a 6 year old with a hair-pin and an electical socket. It ended badly.

[Laughing Wolf]

Patrick: LOL! A couple of mine have ended that way. The silly scope was a good one. I suddenly felt this odd sensation in my left arm, and noticed that it was twitching. I then noticed the CRT arcing to my watchband -- which I hadn't taken off as I *knew* that I could stay out of trouble. A part of me went something like "neat. Weird, but interesting sensation, almost enjoyable" The sane part of me tried to get my arm to move, and said "OH!" Arm couldn't be moved. Then next thing I knew, I was looking up at the ceiling some distance away (and allegedly finished what I had started to say, some seconds later).

LW

[Teresa]

I have noticed that this happens often with many authors I enjoy reading. One book is excellent, the next leaves me cold. Some of them it's a continuous process where I keep reading because they do manage to publish more that I like, others have a "one hit wonder" wherein I give up after trying several other books and realize that they only managed one that appeals to me.

It does happen to me fairly often, that an author will put in a scene that completely pulls me out of the story because I see the fatal flaws. Sometimes it's enough to make me hate the book, other times I can enjoy the rest of the story and just wish like hell they had never put a particular bit in it to cause such irritation.

If I get a chance, I'll pick up the first one. Thanks for the review.

[Dex]

Actually, John wasn't even going to show "Ghost" to Jim. He put up a snippet of the first little bit, on his conference. Titled the post, "Wanker Piece". Essentially, he was having writer's block on the stories that he was SUPPOSED to be working on, because this damn thing wouldn't let any other stories out of his brain, past it. He had to write it, in order to get it out of the way of the stuff he was actually working on.

A bunch of us read it, ganged up on John, and talked him into showing "Ghost" to Jim. The rest is history...

[Jason B]

I'm waiting for Ghost to come out on paperback/library binding.

However, I'm a big fan of David Weber's works. Anyone read his Honor Harrington stuff?

[Erik M]

(Some spoilers here - not much though)

I've loved the series up until this one. Not having been in this sphere personally, I had no idea how realistic the inter-agency bickering was in the staff meeting, but Ghost cutting through them like butter was fun if not itself realistic. What got me in the end though was Ghost's continual upward arc along a superman curve - *every* threat is handled by him toward the end, whereas previously he's relied more on his subordinates/vassals. I just wanted him to get a call from his other teams saying they had taken care of one of the problems "off-screen" so Ghost wouldn't have to do it all. OTOH, he was getting more and more and more pissed off throughout the whole book, knowing it would happen like this, knowing it was going to be as bad as it was. It makes me wonder if burn-out is in his immediate future...

[OldSoldier54]

I myself am severely disappointed in Mr. Ringo. After "Hymn", etc., he was at the top of my list ... but then there came Ghost ... sigh ... great story idea, why did he have to get into such graphic depravity? I was looking for military sci-fi, not bondage porn. I kept hoping it would get better, but it didn't, so I threw it away. I guess when he turned Cally into a ho, that was my sign.

What a waste of talent.

I only read the Prince Roger stuff now. If he screws that up, then I won't be buying anything written by him.

[DoesNotMatter]

Ringo is one of my favourite authors. I still wait for Ghost to come out in Germany, or for that matter the last part of the "Empire of Man" series. Or "Watch on the Rhine"*

David Weber is also one of my favs but - would it hurt him to write, say, a book a year ? Or a an outline for the next "Empire of Man" ? Or at least update his homepage so that one knows what he has in store ? :(

*hah, the censors faint.....

[TBinSTL]

Barflys check in!

[Laughing Wolf]

Well, since I've been a barfly (mostly lurking) for years, I hereby check in. :)

LW

[warren90-93]

David Weber is also one of my favs but - would it hurt him to write, say, a book a year ? Or a an outline for the next "Empire of Man" ? Or at least update his homepage so that one knows what he has in store ?

Well as I recall so far this year he has written Off Armageddon Reef and co-authored Hell Hath No Fury.I think we might either get another Crown of Slaves or The Shadow of Saganami sequel before the end of the year but I'm not certain.

The best place to check is to look in his section at Baen's Bar.If you go I'd also recommend Ringo's Tavern and KratsKeller.

[Synova]

I've been a barfly too, off and on.

As for Ghost, some things are best in electrons. At least I don't have to worry about my kids finding it on a shelf somewhere. ;-)

[warthog]

Occasional barfly checking in. John and David are 2 of my "must read" authors.

[Byron]

Barfly here...and I buy everything that Ringo writes. Old Soldier, I too was put off a bit by the rough sex...but that has diminished greatly in following books, and I decided that since the rest of the story was so DAMN good, I could just skim over that part. And FYI: the best sci-fi series ever written was Weber and Ringos March To series...just ask a Barfly :)

[Peyton]

My wife and I both enjoy the Ghost series very much. The graphic sex isn't to everyone's taste, but it's interesting to see Ringo include it, and the resulting complexities in character development. I, also, thought that Unto the Breach was the best, yet. That A Deeper Blue may not be as good is no discouragement to me. Not as good as "out f-ing standing!" still leaves plenty of room for excellence. I look forward to reading Blue very much.

One thing that Ringo does is a terrific touch, and I wish he'd done it for the entire series. His lists of recommended music to listen to while you read the book is a very, very cool idea.

[Tim]

Ok, I'll check in.

I like John's stuff and have read it all. This isn't my favorite series; I'm more of a Herzer fan. But I did enjoy the book and will read the entire series.

As far as the graphic scenes in the story you can always skim them. The man came out and stated that the book wasn't for everyone.

[El Coqui]

Another Bar Fly here.

I had enjoyed John's books since Jim Baen pulled him from our ranks. Although I agreed that Ghost is not for everyones taste. Unto the breach at times achieved Homeric quality but we suspected that he could do that when he wrote a modern Kiplings legend on the Prince Roger's books.

The shot seen around the world was priceless.

David Weber is my other must buy author.

[Max]

Ghost had been out in paperback for a while. Kildar is coming. As for the rest- remember, it's been less than a year.

Max - yet another barfly

Jason B wrote: I'm waiting for Ghost to come out on paperback/library binding.

[Ymarsakar]

I loved Ghost, because it basically showed one guy killing a boat load of enemies while saving and getting the girl(s). And not only that, but there was more than one story arc, that's quality for the money there. Bang might have different connotations given the subject.

In a sense it is really is sort of like a reverse fairy tale, of Camelot, and the knights of the round table, chivalry... it is like that... except the hero is an anti-hero. He's more scary than the enemies. It's good seeing it if you've been encountering too many instances of "you don't have the guts to kill me" coming from the villain on the ground acting all uppity when he is staring the inside barrel of a gun straight in the eye. Or how about "go ahead and kill me, then you'll be as bad as I am".

John Ringo's Ghost had a pretty nice answer for that.

"I'm not as bad as you are, I'm worse"

It is also probably why I love Arma Off so much and March UpCountry. It is the tale of one guy killing fauk loads of enemies... up close and personal, with a blade.

[Synova]

"I'm not as bad as you are, I'm worse"

The parts of Ghost that were good, were good when he kept that to the fore. This was a very very bad man. Very broken. The parts I could have done without were when he wasn't being portrayed as a bad man, but as a careful and safe person.

I would read more like the first third of that book. I'm hesitant to buy any of the following books because I don't know what to expect.

[El Coqui]

Synova:

He gets better, trust us. Go for a swim, the water is great.

Jose

[Oso]

Gotta agree that DaGin and MWW are on my must-buy list. That used to be the "must buy in hardcover" list, now it's the "must buy in E-arc" list...I dunno, nowadays I go into, say, B&N, and I can't find anything worth buying. I have $60 of gift certificates and can't find squat that I don't already have in E-book.
Yep, I have to agree that UTB is better than ADB - but geez, that makes it only massively better than 99.9% of the non-Baen stuff on the rack. A lot of the Florida stuff is wish-fuffillment. I can think of a few Colonels of my acquaintence in serious need of fragging. It does get hard to suspend disbelief as the Kildar keeps fielding everything and shining brightly.
Stay Warm
Oso

BTW, if you don't know who DaGin and MWW are, just ask one of the 'Flies that have been on fer awhile...

[Ymarsakar]

Well, Synova, the series becomes more regular in that the Kildar actually has responsibilities. So Kildar is more like first half is rebuilding a fortress, engineering, consulting, advisers, and economic problems. Then you have the business of personnel management, so it sort of becomes like a logistical platform. He stays in the valley, handles the festivals or requirements of a feudal lord, and then goes out and does some military raids using his feudal retainers in a company.

That's more or less the arc for the next 3 books after Ghost. The parts where he is the "anti-hero" like in the first 1/3rd of Ghost are small appearances when there is action.

I think John Ringo was afraid of publishing his book precisely because of the first 1/3rd portion of Ghost, Synova ;) Given that it was so dark, etchy, and violent.

But hey, everyone has to love the ending of Ghost given the French connection. Which outcome did Harmon really want to see? It's a little bit ambiguous. True, there's no fire, but I liked the ambiguity. I liked that Robert Frost poem as well, if only because Neo was at the time writing about them.

[The Warped One]

Barfly....

I enjoyed John's earlier works, but lately I've been on a Michael Z. Williamson kick. His new one coming out is really good.

[Ymarsakar]

Didn't know that about Mike Z. I liked Hero, cause it was very thrilling and dramatic and suspenseful. His Freehold and others really hit upon the issues of our day and century.

[MegaTroopX]

In answer to the above question, I do read the Honor books. Haven't read the Paladin books yet, but they're on my list now.

I just don't know what we'll do without Jim Baen. I hope his philosophy lives on.

The March To series is great. I hope it didn't end with "We Few". Seems like there's more to do.