The Independent Command
   James Doohan with S. M. Stirling
  2000 Baen Books NY
   ISBN: 0671319515


The alien Fibians are allies of the fanatic Mollie rebels set against the human Commonwealth. Fibians show no mercy, no remorse & they find live human flesh quite delectable. Peter Raeder's mission is to track down the alien raiders & start attacking them from within.

This is Volume 3 of The Flight Engineer series.

James Doohan, known to all as the Flight Engineer from Star Trek, could not have found a better co-author. I have read almost every book that S. M. Stirling has co-authored over the years & he is a unique craftsman of words & storylines.

Doohan is the second major figure in the original television series to find a niche in the science fiction genre along with William Shatner.

I have now read all three of The Flight Engineer's adventures & this latest is another great sci-fi yarn which lies somewhere between juvenile science fiction, space opera & good hard science fiction told for adults.

Each one of the volumes has grown in depth as the authors build a convincing & conceivable universe for their setting. Would I read more? Absolutely! Will I ever re-read them? Probably not.

It was interesting to see Doohan's Star Trek character edge its way, by fits & starts, between the lines. The characters were well developed, both likable & unlikable & for me, that's what makes a book worth reading. I have to find something I can identify with & the story has to have a really good foe - the Fibians & the Mollie rebels are just such enemies!

So, Doohan & Stirling, bring on some more! This is definitely the kind of scifi candy I like to suck on & hey, there're no calories!

You, of course, know who James Doohan is, right? “Beam me up, Scotty!” His previous works are:

with S. M. Stirling The FLIGHT ENGINEER series:
The Rising & The Privateer

S. M. Stirling's DRAKA series includes:
The Stone Dogs; The Domination; Drakon & Drakas! (anthology)

The GENERAL series with David Drake:
The Forge; The Hammer; The Anvil; The Steel; The Sword; The Chosen; & The Reformer.

with Jerry Pournelle: Blood Feuds & Blood Vengeance
with Anne McCaffrey: The City Who Fought & The Ship Avenged
with Holly Lisle: The Rose Sea & Snowbrother
with Shirley Meier: Saber & Shadow
(05/27/01)

David
A RebeccasReads.com Reviewer

Reviewer's Bio:
D. H. BROWN is the author of the critically acclaimed HONOR DUE and the Citizens Warrior Series. The son of missionary parents and with the help his Uncle Sam, he has touched base in more than 40 countries.  In 1986 he produced the independent children's film Lessie's Rainbow.  During the late 80s and early 90s, he wrote the book Common Sense and delivered the seminars of the same name for the Community Action Network of Seattle (CAN).  While doing his early Vietnam recovery work, he counseled Veterans and spoke widely to men's groups in Washington state, and was a founder of The Lodge of the Wolf.

D. H. BROWN has worked as a Logistics and Weapons Specialist in Viet Nam; day laborer; Director of Security; Armored Car Driver; Police Officer; Professional Hunting Guide; Trapper; Dog Sledder; Homesteader; Truck Driver; General Contractor; Minister; Editor; Writer; Speaker; Restaurateur; Movie Producer; Antique Restoration Specialist; Personal Care Worker; PC Repair Specialist; Computer Instructor; Webmaster and Web Designer. "I write about what I know."

He lives deep in the Pacific Northwest rainforest with his wife, author and editor Rebecca and Buddy Dog, working on his next book.
Visit him at: www.dhbrownbooks.com