Officer Cadet

Author: Rick Shelley

Year: 1998

Abstract:
Lon Nolan was kicked out of the North American Union's 'The Springs', an elite military officer training facility, on false charges of possessing contraband. He found a new home on Dirigent, a planet whose entire population was devoted to the support and maintenance of their mercenary corps. Hiring themselves to the highest bidder, but abiding by a stringent code of standards, the DMC flew to many of the thousand worlds settled by humanity. Lon is only a cadet, and must survive actual combat before obtaining his first command. Of course we know he'll survive to get his pips, it wouldn't be a good story otherwise. But how many of his good friends die along the way?

Advanced Mind
Exploration/Quest
Military/Fighting
Horror
Magic
Advanced Technology
Time Travel/Alternate History
Science
Aliens/Beasties
Contemporality

Other books in this series: DMC
Lieutenant [1998]
Captain [1999]
Major [1999]
Lieutenant Colonel [2000]
Colonel [2000]

Spectre's Review
Looking at the book list of the author, almost all of his books are based on ground pounding military action. I prefer larger scope military action (more ships, larger perspective, etc.), but I still greatly enjoyed this book. Shelley does a good job of throwing you into the mind of Lon Nolan, or any other character for that matter. You get to like some of the characters, and then they're killed off. I liked most of the idea behind the plot, and the execution was fairly well done. The emphasis of the story is on a troop level, and there is very little else. However, there is just enough emotion and character interaction to make it more than just a documentary of a particular military action.
There was just barely enough science-fiction in this to make it more than a military book. I found that quite obvious. Anyone who's been in real military action will probably find themselves quite at home, here. The story was a bit predictable, and there wasn't a great deal to it, but it was still quite enjoyable. I'm afraid there isn't much more to say on the thing, outside of the fact that I'll probably read all the books in the series.
Date posted: 2001 01 03

Spectre's Rating
Minus one point for wrapping a clearly military story with just enough science fiction to pass it by. Minus two points for having it be strictly ground pounder action.

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