Book Review: Cally's War

Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner

Cally's War     Amazon US PB Amazon US HC Amazon Canada PB Amazon Canada HC
John Ringo , Julie Cochrane
Class/Genre:   Science Fiction   Military   Romance   Space Opera   Dark Romance
Series: Legacy of the Aldenata # 6
Baen, Oct 2004, $25.00, 326 pp.

Cally O’Neal virtually grew up on the front lines of the galaxy war with weapons being her prime toys. Five billion are now dead and her father was never home leading the fight against the reptilian invaders. Now an adult, Cally has become a master assassin of the Bane Sidhe warriors while the Galactic Empire rebuilds civilization under the Machiavellian control of the elf like Darhel.

After four decades of killing human supporters and puppets of the Darhel, Cally is tired of war and death, but has her new assignment to complete. On Titan Base, Cally is to masquerade as the recently assassinated by her teammates Captain Sinda Makepeace. However, this time the impossible occurs; Cally falls in love with the enemy.

Though there is plenty of John Ringo’s trademark military action, CALLY’S WAR contains a lot more dark romance than typical of the author (the Cochrane effect?). The story line is action-packed with the terrific Cally serving as the core of the tale as this competent assassin, who learned to cache whatever she needed by the time she was eight, struggles between the beliefs she was nurtured on and falling in love. Fans will appreciate this character driven return to the “Legacy of the Aldenata” universe where the war years are over yet trouble remains.

Harriet Klausner

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Harriet Klausner