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Firemask (The Last Legion book 2) by Chris Bunch
01/05/2008 . Source: Paul Hanley 
pub: Orbit. 387 page paperback. Price: £ 6.99 (UK). ISBN: 978-1-84149-627-6. Buy Firemask in the USA - or Buy Firemask in the UK  check out website: www.orbitbooks.net
I do love military SF and enjoyed the first book in this series, and was very pleased to discover I enjoyed this one just as much. I intend to read the remaining two in the series which I suppose is sufficient recommendation in itself.
In the earlier book, the military formation, the Last Legion of the title, has put down a revolt by the underclass of the planet Cumbre. The two main protagonists of the story were amongst the last reinforcements to arrive from the capital planet of empire-like Confederacy. Nothing more is heard from the Confederacy and, when this story opens, the nearby star systems are under control of a tyrant who is casting envious eyes at the Cumbrae system. Worst, there is an alien threat which quickly materialises as a full-blown invasion of the human-controlled system.
The story is told from a number of viewpoints, alien as well as human, civilian and military. Mr. Bunch successfully paints in politics and economics as well as climate, topography and the flora and fauna of the various worlds he takes us to. The Legion, cut of from their main source of supply and having lost equipment in putting down the revolt, has to resort to every sort of expediency to keep its formations fighting and battleworthy.
What Mr. Bunch undoubtedly does best in his writings is military combat from the apparently eternal ground-fighting with hand-to-hand combat to high-tech air/space battles. All very well done with a soldier's eye and bringing his characters to life during the course of it. I will not spoil your read by re-telling the story here but safe to say that most of our protagonists live to fight another day.
If you like military SF you will find this an excellent story although I would recommend that you start with book one, 'The Last Legion', which brings the whole background situation fully to life. Enjoy.
Paul Hanley
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