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The Red #2
The Trials
No way out but
Lieutenant James Shelley and his squad of US Army soldiers were on a quest for justice when they carried out the unauthorized mission known as First Light. They returned home to America to face a court-martial, determined to expose the corruption in the chain of command that compelled their actions. But in a country still reeling from the nuclear terrorism of Coma Day, the courtroom is only one battlefield. A new cycle of violence ignites when rumors of the elusive, rogue AI known as the Red go public--and Shelley is, once again, pulled into the fray.
Challenged by his enemies, driven by ideals, Shelley feels compelled to act--but are the harrowing choices he makes really his own, or are they made for him, by the Red? With millions of lives at stake in a game of nuclear cat-and-mouse, does it even matter?
Lieutenant James Shelley and his squad of US Army soldiers were on a quest for justice when they carried out the unauthorized mission known as First Light. They returned home to America to face a court-martial, determined to expose the corruption in the chain of command that compelled their actions. But in a country still reeling from the nuclear terrorism of Coma Day, the courtroom is only one battlefield. A new cycle of violence ignites when rumors of the elusive, rogue AI known as the Red go public--and Shelley is, once again, pulled into the fray.
Challenged by his enemies, driven by ideals, Shelley feels compelled to act--but are the harrowing choices he makes really his own, or are they made for him, by the Red? With millions of lives at stake in a game of nuclear cat-and-mouse, does it even matter?
481 pages, ebook
First published May 20, 2014
About the author
Linda Nagata
100 books644 followersI'm a writer from Hawaii best known for my high-tech science fiction, including the near-future thriller,
The Last Good Man
, and the far-future adventure series, INVERTED FRONTIER.
Though I don't review books on Goodreads, I do talk about some of my favorite books on my blog and those posts are echoed here. So I invite you to follow me for news of books and many other things. You can also visit my website to learn more about my work, and to sign up for my newsletter.
Though I don't review books on Goodreads, I do talk about some of my favorite books on my blog and those posts are echoed here. So I invite you to follow me for news of books and many other things. You can also visit my website to learn more about my work, and to sign up for my newsletter.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 132 reviews
September 7, 2015
3.5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum http://bibliosanctum.com/2015/09/07/a...
A month and a half has gone by since I read and reviewed The Red: First Light by Linda Nagata, and I have to admit I’m still reeling from the ending. Everything in that story from its climax onwards was nothing short of an insanely red hot face-melting explosion of whiplash-inducing action and frenzy. That’s the kind of experience that stays with you for a long time, but nonetheless I felt more than ready to take on its sequel.
Our protagonist Lieutenant James Shelley is back in the battle for justice, but first he and his soldiers must answer for their own actions taken in the unauthorized mission known as First Light. As the country struggles to rebuild its infrastructure and communications systems in the wake of an all-out nuclear terrorist attack, everyone in the team known as the Apocalypse Squad find themselves facing court-martials.
Meanwhile, out in the cloud still lurks the rogue AI program known as “The Red”. Given time, it can get anywhere and access anything linked to the network, including the neural implants in soldiers’ brains – soldiers like Shelley, who has long questioned the motives of the Red. It has already hacked into his head and lead him here; what more does it have planned for him and his team?
When I first learned of the title for this book, I thought it would be referring to the story and the characters’ experiences in a more symbolic sense. Turns out, it was quite literal as well. There are a couple courtroom trials in the spotlight here, and we begin with Apocalypse Squad’s. The public is torn on the actions Shelley and his team took at the end of the first book, and there’s a period of suspense where we are left wondering whether they’ll find the support they need from the government or be thrown under the bus. If you enjoy tense courtroom dramas, you will also enjoy this intro.
Because this is a spoiler-free review, I won’t be revealing what happens. Still, if you’ve read the first book or even my review of First Light, you’ve probably already guessed that the men and women of Apocalypse Squad remain fiercely loyal to Shelley and to each other. This is a series where there’s never a shortage when it comes to the examples of camaraderie between soldiers and kinds of lives they lead. In both this novel and its predecessor, I find there are lots of powerful themes imbedded in the story. Like, what it might mean for a soldier who sees the army as his or her family, support system, and their whole life. What might happen if they suddenly lose contact with that world. It also briefly explores the subject of PTSD, how soldiers with it deal with what they’ve seen while serving in the line of duty, and why some find it difficult to adjust to life after the military.
Compared to the first book though, the plot of this one felt a little more scattered and choppy. I know I said that I felt prepared to tackle the sequel, but now I have to wonder: Was I? The ending of the First Light really blew me away. It was hard to fathom anything else that could surpass it or even match it. I was right, in a way; the ending of The Trials was pretty intense, but it didn’t quite beat the first installment when it came to shock factor and emotional impact.
Another thing that I didn’t notice in First Light but bothered me here was the main character. It’s no secret that Shelley is impulsive and likes to be in charge (it’s emphasized multiple times in this book, mentioned by other characters and even admitted by the protagonist) but in portraying him in this light, I think the author may have done her job a little too well. So many times, I found myself fed up with Shelley and his attitude. He was insufferable when he was getting in Jaynie Vasquez’s face, while she was his commanding officer, even as he acknowledged that he was not in the best position to lead. I also didn’t like the fact he became romantically involved with Delphi so quickly, despite what she meant to him. I realize Shelley’s skullnet can dampen painful emotions and stabilize them to an extent – but I still hadn’t gotten over what happened at the end of the first book, and seeing Shelley blithely moving on made me like him a bit less. This is something that goes beyond simple urges and impulses.
Audiobook comments: The feelings I had about the audiobook version of First Light applies here too. Kevin T. Collins is a good narrator, very enthusiastic and full of energy which is important for a fast-paced, highly charged series like The Red. There were a couple slips where he uses the wrong voice for a character who is speaking, but overall his performance was very satisfactory.
Final thoughts: The Trials was a great sequel, but doesn’t supplant First Light as my favorite book of the series so far – certainly not for the lack of trying though! I’m looking forward to the third book, Going Dark, which will be out later this fall. I’ll most likely listen to the audiobook too, because I’ve been really enjoying these books in this format. Sure gets the blood pumping.
A month and a half has gone by since I read and reviewed The Red: First Light by Linda Nagata, and I have to admit I’m still reeling from the ending. Everything in that story from its climax onwards was nothing short of an insanely red hot face-melting explosion of whiplash-inducing action and frenzy. That’s the kind of experience that stays with you for a long time, but nonetheless I felt more than ready to take on its sequel.
Our protagonist Lieutenant James Shelley is back in the battle for justice, but first he and his soldiers must answer for their own actions taken in the unauthorized mission known as First Light. As the country struggles to rebuild its infrastructure and communications systems in the wake of an all-out nuclear terrorist attack, everyone in the team known as the Apocalypse Squad find themselves facing court-martials.
Meanwhile, out in the cloud still lurks the rogue AI program known as “The Red”. Given time, it can get anywhere and access anything linked to the network, including the neural implants in soldiers’ brains – soldiers like Shelley, who has long questioned the motives of the Red. It has already hacked into his head and lead him here; what more does it have planned for him and his team?
When I first learned of the title for this book, I thought it would be referring to the story and the characters’ experiences in a more symbolic sense. Turns out, it was quite literal as well. There are a couple courtroom trials in the spotlight here, and we begin with Apocalypse Squad’s. The public is torn on the actions Shelley and his team took at the end of the first book, and there’s a period of suspense where we are left wondering whether they’ll find the support they need from the government or be thrown under the bus. If you enjoy tense courtroom dramas, you will also enjoy this intro.
Because this is a spoiler-free review, I won’t be revealing what happens. Still, if you’ve read the first book or even my review of First Light, you’ve probably already guessed that the men and women of Apocalypse Squad remain fiercely loyal to Shelley and to each other. This is a series where there’s never a shortage when it comes to the examples of camaraderie between soldiers and kinds of lives they lead. In both this novel and its predecessor, I find there are lots of powerful themes imbedded in the story. Like, what it might mean for a soldier who sees the army as his or her family, support system, and their whole life. What might happen if they suddenly lose contact with that world. It also briefly explores the subject of PTSD, how soldiers with it deal with what they’ve seen while serving in the line of duty, and why some find it difficult to adjust to life after the military.
Compared to the first book though, the plot of this one felt a little more scattered and choppy. I know I said that I felt prepared to tackle the sequel, but now I have to wonder: Was I? The ending of the First Light really blew me away. It was hard to fathom anything else that could surpass it or even match it. I was right, in a way; the ending of The Trials was pretty intense, but it didn’t quite beat the first installment when it came to shock factor and emotional impact.
Another thing that I didn’t notice in First Light but bothered me here was the main character. It’s no secret that Shelley is impulsive and likes to be in charge (it’s emphasized multiple times in this book, mentioned by other characters and even admitted by the protagonist) but in portraying him in this light, I think the author may have done her job a little too well. So many times, I found myself fed up with Shelley and his attitude. He was insufferable when he was getting in Jaynie Vasquez’s face, while she was his commanding officer, even as he acknowledged that he was not in the best position to lead. I also didn’t like the fact he became romantically involved with Delphi so quickly, despite what she meant to him. I realize Shelley’s skullnet can dampen painful emotions and stabilize them to an extent – but I still hadn’t gotten over what happened at the end of the first book, and seeing Shelley blithely moving on made me like him a bit less. This is something that goes beyond simple urges and impulses.
Audiobook comments: The feelings I had about the audiobook version of First Light applies here too. Kevin T. Collins is a good narrator, very enthusiastic and full of energy which is important for a fast-paced, highly charged series like The Red. There were a couple slips where he uses the wrong voice for a character who is speaking, but overall his performance was very satisfactory.
Final thoughts: The Trials was a great sequel, but doesn’t supplant First Light as my favorite book of the series so far – certainly not for the lack of trying though! I’m looking forward to the third book, Going Dark, which will be out later this fall. I’ll most likely listen to the audiobook too, because I’ve been really enjoying these books in this format. Sure gets the blood pumping.
May 29, 2024
The Trials continues the story that started with The Red: First Light. It starts with a literal trial that is the direct aftermath of the first book.
After nearly ten years, I remembered some of the responses I had to Shelley's basic situation, alluded to in my review of First Light, but the majority of the characters and events were lost to me. My current "series catch-up" project is all about making these delays less egregious (I'm heading into 2015's backlog now, good for me!), but I have remembered a fair amount about all the other series I've caught up with on a similarly long time scale. This one's exceptional in the extent of the memory holes it left behind.
Those memory holes must be caused by my not caring all that much about action narratives. I don't know if this is a side effect of getting older, a feeling that my brain can only retain so much and that I don't want to fill it with what I perceive to be inconsequential, or a desire--to put it positively--to engage more with narratives and genres I'm happier and more compatible with, or something else.
There was enough of Shelley's first-person introspection in the first book to keep me interested despite all the explodey parts, but this second book neither expanded on that nor gave me something new to ponder. The whole idea of reclusive billionaires retreating into low-earth orbit to "dragon's lairs" was interesting, and I appreciated the glimpses of the aftereffects of "Coma Day" in the empty highways and business parks that Shelley and co. passed through during their many travels. But neither of those would qualify as a theme, or point toward the book being "about" something more substantial than "lots of things happening in lots of different places" or "what's the Red up to, anyway?"
Lots of things do indeed happen in lots of different places. :D
- Imprisonments
- Nukes (again, apparently? that's another thing I didn't remember, heh)
- Compromised security (both physical and digital)
- The Red mostly being on vacation or at least absent from Shelley's head
- A robust body count (both anonymous and named)
- Rumblings and disruptions in the corridors of power
- Named operations (which name was associated with which is another thing that would not stick. "thing that happened. moving on.")
- A couple of new organizations for Shelley and co. to deal with. Another org raises its head in the last few pages of the book, enlarging the reader's view of what the Red is capable of, and has already done.
After finishing the first book, I was interested enough in reading the next one that I didn't put it on my "one and done" shelf. But after a month and a half of on-again, off-again reading of The Trials, I'm tempted to put it on "it stopped here". I'll simmer on it for a while--not ten years, ideally--and see what I think. To be continued, or to be put into the used bookstore box? We'll see!
The Trials is probably a good example of what it is, so I'll round 2.5 stars up to three.
After nearly ten years, I remembered some of the responses I had to Shelley's basic situation, alluded to in my review of First Light, but the majority of the characters and events were lost to me. My current "series catch-up" project is all about making these delays less egregious (I'm heading into 2015's backlog now, good for me!), but I have remembered a fair amount about all the other series I've caught up with on a similarly long time scale. This one's exceptional in the extent of the memory holes it left behind.
Those memory holes must be caused by my not caring all that much about action narratives. I don't know if this is a side effect of getting older, a feeling that my brain can only retain so much and that I don't want to fill it with what I perceive to be inconsequential, or a desire--to put it positively--to engage more with narratives and genres I'm happier and more compatible with, or something else.
There was enough of Shelley's first-person introspection in the first book to keep me interested despite all the explodey parts, but this second book neither expanded on that nor gave me something new to ponder. The whole idea of reclusive billionaires retreating into low-earth orbit to "dragon's lairs" was interesting, and I appreciated the glimpses of the aftereffects of "Coma Day" in the empty highways and business parks that Shelley and co. passed through during their many travels. But neither of those would qualify as a theme, or point toward the book being "about" something more substantial than "lots of things happening in lots of different places" or "what's the Red up to, anyway?"
Lots of things do indeed happen in lots of different places. :D
- Imprisonments
- Nukes (again, apparently? that's another thing I didn't remember, heh)
- Compromised security (both physical and digital)
- The Red mostly being on vacation or at least absent from Shelley's head
- A robust body count (both anonymous and named)
- Rumblings and disruptions in the corridors of power
- Named operations (which name was associated with which is another thing that would not stick. "thing that happened. moving on.")
- A couple of new organizations for Shelley and co. to deal with. Another org raises its head in the last few pages of the book, enlarging the reader's view of what the Red is capable of, and has already done.
After finishing the first book, I was interested enough in reading the next one that I didn't put it on my "one and done" shelf. But after a month and a half of on-again, off-again reading of The Trials, I'm tempted to put it on "it stopped here". I'll simmer on it for a while--not ten years, ideally--and see what I think. To be continued, or to be put into the used bookstore box? We'll see!
The Trials is probably a good example of what it is, so I'll round 2.5 stars up to three.
September 18, 2016
The Trials is the sequel to Nagata's The Red, one of my favorite books of last year. It offers much of the same as it's predecessor - a cynical and darkly humorous vision of a near future of normalized mass surveillance and privatized war-mongering. Nagata's action set pieces are precise and thrilling, and the way she integrates her future tech with the inner life of her hero, James Shelley, is unlike anything I've seen in the genre.
There are a few curious developments that Nagata doesn't explore adequately. So much of what makes these books compelling is Shelley's uncertainty over how many of his decisions, and the decisions made by others that impact him, are manipulations fostered by The Red. Logically, the reader's mind becomes trained to question the sincerity of every plot development and character choice, even when Shelley doesn't. The disparity can be a little frustrating. I hope some of my questions are addressed in the third book.
There are a few curious developments that Nagata doesn't explore adequately. So much of what makes these books compelling is Shelley's uncertainty over how many of his decisions, and the decisions made by others that impact him, are manipulations fostered by The Red. Logically, the reader's mind becomes trained to question the sincerity of every plot development and character choice, even when Shelley doesn't. The disparity can be a little frustrating. I hope some of my questions are addressed in the third book.
April 6, 2016
This military thriller picks up where The Red: First Light left off and continues to deliver lots of action and excitement. The second book almost lives up to the first and does a good job of keeping the story going. I'm not exactly sure where things are going to be headed in the last book, but I'm definitely interested in finding out how the story will end.
December 27, 2020
Ahoy there me mateys! In trying to do me usual blog clean up this time of year, I found this novel from very early 2020 that I never reviewed. The rule is that I have to review all the books I read. The problem? I honestly don’t remember much of the plot of this book. I know it was high action and that the ending was super silly. I know that this popcorn book was fun and I enjoyed it. I still liked the main character and I liked the court room trial. But no real detail remains. This is weird to me given how much the first book stuck with me. I can recall lots of events from that book. I was planning on reading the last book of the trilogy but given how I have lost book two from me noggin, I think I will be abandoning the end of the series and treat book one more like a standalone. Cause I really did love book one. Arrrr!
December 1, 2015
The Trials, book two in Linda Nagata’s The Red trilogy, picks up right on the heels of First Light with Lieutenant James Shelley and his Linked Combat Squad (LCS) facing trial for their actions in the prior novel’s climax. Thanks to his group’s rogue crusade in the wake of Coma Day, a large-scale act of domestic nuclear terrorism, and the reality TV series documenting his experiences, Shelley and his Apocalypse Squad have a huge swelling of public support to see them through their military court martial.
Nagata spends a good amount of time in the courtroom, interjecting the legalese with a few high-stakes action sequences and a heady dose of paranoia, before getting her soldiers back on the streets. As in the prior novel, this near-future military sci-fi thriller has plenty of adrenaline pumping action as assassins and mercenary hit squads seek reprisals against Shelley, while the combat unit goes in search of loose nukes leftover from the Coma Day attacks. Where First Light had a few globe-trotting adventures, The Trials, largely, keeps things stateside and we get some good set pieces in Nagata’s urban action sequences and a particularly fun part that takes the LCS onto a cargo freighter out on rough seas.
All of this works well thanks to the characters. The title itself, The Trials, reaches beyond the courtroom drama and into the personal space of Nagata’s soldiers. Since we see things through Shelley’s first-person account, we get to spend an awful lot of time inside his damaged headspace and it’s wonderfully portrayed. He’s got more than a few things to mentally sort out in the wake of First Light, and here he’s grappling with the fallout of his actions, how it impacts his relationship with his father, his place in the LCS, and the world as a whole. His whole life is now a trial in its own right.
The technology on display is cutting edge and perfectly believable, while the political trappings of Nagata’s work proves scarily prescient in light of current day trends. The Linked Combat Squad is comprised of cybernetically-enhanced soldiers bound together by cerebral interfaces and outfitted with armored exoskeletons. Shelley sports a few additional next-gen upgrades thanks to the medical procedures he underwent in First Red, including a pair of robotic legs that would make DARPA envious. And then there’s the mysterious overarching element of The Red, an artificial intelligence weaving its way through the world and subtly manipulating events and people, including James Shelley.
As a military SF thriller, it’s difficult not to imbue the story with a few political elements, and the series thus far has revolved around the actions of some incredibly nasty industrial defense contractors that instigate wars at home and abroad for fun and profit. It’s a bit difficult (at least for this reviewer) not to see shades of Haliburton and Blackwater in the narrative, particularly as the rich and shady villains carry on in such egregious ways that Eisenhower would be turning over in his grave at how little heed Nagata’s world has paid to his warnings of the military-industrial complex. The Red series, thus far, is certainly a product of its time in a post-9/11 world where issues like drone surveillance, NSA overreaches, domestic spying, and the militarization of police forces have become so commonplace that they’re almost as innocuous as texting.
On the narration side of things, Kevin T. Collins returns to give voice to this first-person perspective in the life and times of Lt. James Shelley. With a runtime of sixteen hours, Collins is able to keep the pace moving along nicely and rendering Nagata’s words with a smooth precision. I enjoyed his work in the prior novel, and it’s good to see this continuity in narration. In my review of First Light, I dinged Collins a bit for his handling of shouted dialogue, and I have a similar complaint here. Chalk it up to personal preference, but I would have liked a little more oomph in the performance in those moments where Shelley and company are screaming commands and demanding attention. Collins opts to go for a slightly raised and airy inflection that makes for a spoken shout, which really isn’t a big deal in the grand scheme of things. Overall, the narration is fairly consistent and makes for easy listening, with the production values earning solid marks throughout.
While The Trials is not quite – and even then, only barely – as rewarding and surprising as First Light was, it is still wonderfully executed and proves that the author’s Nebula-nominated debut was no fluke. A high-stakes thriller, propulsive action sequences, awesome military tech, and a world inhabited by richly developed characters and nasty political scheming, The Trials has it all. Nagata takes all of these elements and unflinchingly takes them on their natural progression to craft an immensely satisfying and action-filled story.
[This review was originally published at http://audiobookreviewer.com/reviews/...]
Nagata spends a good amount of time in the courtroom, interjecting the legalese with a few high-stakes action sequences and a heady dose of paranoia, before getting her soldiers back on the streets. As in the prior novel, this near-future military sci-fi thriller has plenty of adrenaline pumping action as assassins and mercenary hit squads seek reprisals against Shelley, while the combat unit goes in search of loose nukes leftover from the Coma Day attacks. Where First Light had a few globe-trotting adventures, The Trials, largely, keeps things stateside and we get some good set pieces in Nagata’s urban action sequences and a particularly fun part that takes the LCS onto a cargo freighter out on rough seas.
All of this works well thanks to the characters. The title itself, The Trials, reaches beyond the courtroom drama and into the personal space of Nagata’s soldiers. Since we see things through Shelley’s first-person account, we get to spend an awful lot of time inside his damaged headspace and it’s wonderfully portrayed. He’s got more than a few things to mentally sort out in the wake of First Light, and here he’s grappling with the fallout of his actions, how it impacts his relationship with his father, his place in the LCS, and the world as a whole. His whole life is now a trial in its own right.
The technology on display is cutting edge and perfectly believable, while the political trappings of Nagata’s work proves scarily prescient in light of current day trends. The Linked Combat Squad is comprised of cybernetically-enhanced soldiers bound together by cerebral interfaces and outfitted with armored exoskeletons. Shelley sports a few additional next-gen upgrades thanks to the medical procedures he underwent in First Red, including a pair of robotic legs that would make DARPA envious. And then there’s the mysterious overarching element of The Red, an artificial intelligence weaving its way through the world and subtly manipulating events and people, including James Shelley.
As a military SF thriller, it’s difficult not to imbue the story with a few political elements, and the series thus far has revolved around the actions of some incredibly nasty industrial defense contractors that instigate wars at home and abroad for fun and profit. It’s a bit difficult (at least for this reviewer) not to see shades of Haliburton and Blackwater in the narrative, particularly as the rich and shady villains carry on in such egregious ways that Eisenhower would be turning over in his grave at how little heed Nagata’s world has paid to his warnings of the military-industrial complex. The Red series, thus far, is certainly a product of its time in a post-9/11 world where issues like drone surveillance, NSA overreaches, domestic spying, and the militarization of police forces have become so commonplace that they’re almost as innocuous as texting.
On the narration side of things, Kevin T. Collins returns to give voice to this first-person perspective in the life and times of Lt. James Shelley. With a runtime of sixteen hours, Collins is able to keep the pace moving along nicely and rendering Nagata’s words with a smooth precision. I enjoyed his work in the prior novel, and it’s good to see this continuity in narration. In my review of First Light, I dinged Collins a bit for his handling of shouted dialogue, and I have a similar complaint here. Chalk it up to personal preference, but I would have liked a little more oomph in the performance in those moments where Shelley and company are screaming commands and demanding attention. Collins opts to go for a slightly raised and airy inflection that makes for a spoken shout, which really isn’t a big deal in the grand scheme of things. Overall, the narration is fairly consistent and makes for easy listening, with the production values earning solid marks throughout.
While The Trials is not quite – and even then, only barely – as rewarding and surprising as First Light was, it is still wonderfully executed and proves that the author’s Nebula-nominated debut was no fluke. A high-stakes thriller, propulsive action sequences, awesome military tech, and a world inhabited by richly developed characters and nasty political scheming, The Trials has it all. Nagata takes all of these elements and unflinchingly takes them on their natural progression to craft an immensely satisfying and action-filled story.
[This review was originally published at http://audiobookreviewer.com/reviews/...]
April 6, 2016
A very good middle book that does an excellent job of progressing the story for Shelley and the Red. It was a little choppy at times, but the breakneck pace helped to cover up some of that.
This world and story would make excellent movies I think. The novels read like a high octane action movie with some very interesting issues that go with new technology and absolute power.
Loved the ending and am very eager to see how it all wraps up
This world and story would make excellent movies I think. The novels read like a high octane action movie with some very interesting issues that go with new technology and absolute power.
Loved the ending and am very eager to see how it all wraps up
September 28, 2015
Another action-packed book, a solid second book in the series. I liked that I really didn't know where the author was heading with the big story arc. It's the kind of thing that sounds familiar, an AI emerges in the Cloud and starts meddling with people and things, but what Nagata is doing with it isn't predicable or like any other emergent AI story I've read and that's what makes it fun. And from what I can tell, Nagata writes very believable soldiers (I don't know many real ones to compare them to and can't ask the ones I know enough to really tell). I enjoy the focus on a small squad and their missions instead of the kind of military sci-fi that has huge battles and formations and complex strategy and such. That stuff isn't for me, I like the story telling to be more on a personal level like it is in these books. And Nagata really does deserve to be nominated for awards (which she was for the first book, I'm not sure about this one) just for the word "mediots" alone, it's brilliant. Do you remember when newscasters were respected and trusted and useful? Then you're probably Generation X or older. If you're a Millennial or younger, mediots are all you'll even remember. (Disclaimer, some newscasters seem like lovely people. But networks force them to fill airtime, especially when there's breaking news, causing insane amounts of babble even from the best of them. Real news isn't a priority now, entertaining viewers so they'll tune in is, and the twenty-four hour news cycle is a disaster for real news.) There were a few other great words related to the media too. But I think that one should go viral and enter into common usage.
September 16, 2015
Novels like The Trials by Linda Nagata give me—or at least restore some of my—faith in the publishing industry.
Sure, there’s the story of how the book came to be in the first place: Linda Nagata, who wrote several critically acclaimed but commercially unsuccessful science fiction novels in the 1990s, self-published The Red: First Light in 2013 after a long break. Lo and behold, the indie-published title garnered critical acclaim, not to mention nominations for both the Nebula and the John W. Campbell Memorial Awards.
Soon after, the novel and its sequels were acquired by new SFF imprint Saga Press. A slightly revised edition of The Red was published in June, closely followed byThe Trials, with series closer Going Dark due in early November.
While I enjoy a good Cinderella publishing story as much as the next tired, jaded reviewer, I really love these books most of all for what they are: some of the most action-packed and intelligent military science fiction to be released in years.
(Spoiler warning: The Trials is the direct sequel to The Red, and it’s pretty much impossible to discuss the new book without including plot details from the first one. So, if you haven’t read The Red yet, stop here and go check out my review of the novel instead.)
Read the entire review on my site Far Beyond Reality!
Sure, there’s the story of how the book came to be in the first place: Linda Nagata, who wrote several critically acclaimed but commercially unsuccessful science fiction novels in the 1990s, self-published The Red: First Light in 2013 after a long break. Lo and behold, the indie-published title garnered critical acclaim, not to mention nominations for both the Nebula and the John W. Campbell Memorial Awards.
Soon after, the novel and its sequels were acquired by new SFF imprint Saga Press. A slightly revised edition of The Red was published in June, closely followed byThe Trials, with series closer Going Dark due in early November.
While I enjoy a good Cinderella publishing story as much as the next tired, jaded reviewer, I really love these books most of all for what they are: some of the most action-packed and intelligent military science fiction to be released in years.
(Spoiler warning: The Trials is the direct sequel to The Red, and it’s pretty much impossible to discuss the new book without including plot details from the first one. So, if you haven’t read The Red yet, stop here and go check out my review of the novel instead.)
Read the entire review on my site Far Beyond Reality!
August 8, 2017
Nešto slabija od prvog dijela, poglavito zato jer glavnim likom ovaj put ne manipulira famozni The Red, umjetna inteligencija koja ga usmjerava da čini stvari za 'veće dobro' svijeta, a i trećinu stranice se radi o suđenju glavnim likovima za djela koja su dovela do tzv. Coma Day-a, domaćeg terorističkog nuklearnog napada na SAD.
No, definitivno čitam i nastavak jer tko bi odolio knjizi o svim tim tehno-napravicama, dronovima, vojnoj opremi i zloćudnim moćnicima na čelu korporacija koji žele zavladati svijetom.
No, definitivno čitam i nastavak jer tko bi odolio knjizi o svim tim tehno-napravicama, dronovima, vojnoj opremi i zloćudnim moćnicima na čelu korporacija koji žele zavladati svijetom.
January 4, 2016
The first part is more of a legal thriller, which is AMAZING. The rest of it is a little more traditional military SF. Like the first novel, the opening act is absolutely astounding. The rest is merely very good.
March 8, 2020
Tepid and predictable ending spoils the great first half.
November 20, 2022
Secondo romanzo della Nagata che leggo e secondo ottimo romanzo. Una SF moderna, veloce ma con perosnaggi molto ben delineati, una cura notevole nella "verosimiglianza scientifica" che l'autrice mette all'interno della narrazione. Ho sempre amato la SF di ambientazione militare e sicuramente questo ciclo della Nagata ne è un degno e valido rappresentante. Aspettiamo ora con impazienza il terzo e conclusivo volume.
October 7, 2015
Excellent SF, probably classified in the military subgenre, but is much more.
The ill-fated Lt. James Shelley is back, and still the victim of manipulation by the AI known as the Red. As with the first book, First Light, the narrative is presented in a series of military missions, all of which invariably end balls up. James, kicked off the US military in the opening trial segment, turns mercenary, hired, along with the remainder of his squad, by an autonomous, patriot organization ostensibly formed to maintain US interests. In an odd reversal, he is no longer squad leader, but must accept a subordinate role under his former second in command who happens to be female; a subtle authorial message here perhaps.
There are still wild nukes out in the hands of terrorists and megalomaniacs, and James is led to one such, a recluse who has built a personal habitat in earth orbit. The mission to liberate provides the platform for presenting the deeper under current of the series, that of the ongoing struggle between the rogue AI, the Red, and those who seek to undermine its growing hegemony.
I thought this was better than the first book, based on how closely I was paying attention to the story, going back on chapters to make sure I was getting the novel thread right. Great SF elements as in the first canto with better elucidation of technology. So 5 stars, bravo! Recommended for SF fans who long for a good mix of thrilling story-telling and speculation.
The ill-fated Lt. James Shelley is back, and still the victim of manipulation by the AI known as the Red. As with the first book, First Light, the narrative is presented in a series of military missions, all of which invariably end balls up. James, kicked off the US military in the opening trial segment, turns mercenary, hired, along with the remainder of his squad, by an autonomous, patriot organization ostensibly formed to maintain US interests. In an odd reversal, he is no longer squad leader, but must accept a subordinate role under his former second in command who happens to be female; a subtle authorial message here perhaps.
There are still wild nukes out in the hands of terrorists and megalomaniacs, and James is led to one such, a recluse who has built a personal habitat in earth orbit. The mission to liberate provides the platform for presenting the deeper under current of the series, that of the ongoing struggle between the rogue AI, the Red, and those who seek to undermine its growing hegemony.
I thought this was better than the first book, based on how closely I was paying attention to the story, going back on chapters to make sure I was getting the novel thread right. Great SF elements as in the first canto with better elucidation of technology. So 5 stars, bravo! Recommended for SF fans who long for a good mix of thrilling story-telling and speculation.
August 25, 2016
This book is a direct continuation of the first one and progress based on the same premises but is a more varied than the first one. It is roughly in 3 parts where there is no military action in the first part (but a lot of politcal/judicial movement). As in the first book everything that his happening is pretty realistic and seems possible in a near future.
What I really enjoyed is this book as a certain thesis (direction) but it is done in a subtle way. Well I should be more precise that at least this is how I reacted to it, maybe other readers will disagrees.
If an AI like red would exists and slowly starts interfering in human affair and try to improve ordinary people conditions (at the expanse of the powerful) would we cheer it? I have to admit I am so fed up with politicians and big government and public unions, and lobby and... that it is a very tempting proposition. Of course we the reader are not completely sure of the motivation of the red, I hope we learn more in the third (and final?) volume. But at this point of the story I am cheering for the red!
What I really enjoyed is this book as a certain thesis (direction) but it is done in a subtle way. Well I should be more precise that at least this is how I reacted to it, maybe other readers will disagrees.
If an AI like red would exists and slowly starts interfering in human affair and try to improve ordinary people conditions (at the expanse of the powerful) would we cheer it? I have to admit I am so fed up with politicians and big government and public unions, and lobby and... that it is a very tempting proposition. Of course we the reader are not completely sure of the motivation of the red, I hope we learn more in the third (and final?) volume. But at this point of the story I am cheering for the red!
April 16, 2017
I really liked the
First Light (The Red #1)
(my review). Although, MIL-SF has a relatively low bar.
Middle books of a trilogy are hard. They have to move you from the beginning to the end, while still maintaining tempo. The Trials is moderately successful with this. Nothing new occurs in this book that is different than the first. Although, the story moves more firmly from MIL-SF to dystopian.
The series is still holding my interest. Although, not as firmly as with the first book. I'll likely read the next in the series, Going Dark.
Readers interested in a better story that is a near future tech dystopia should be reading Ian McDonald's New Moon.
Middle books of a trilogy are hard. They have to move you from the beginning to the end, while still maintaining tempo. The Trials is moderately successful with this. Nothing new occurs in this book that is different than the first. Although, the story moves more firmly from MIL-SF to dystopian.
The series is still holding my interest. Although, not as firmly as with the first book. I'll likely read the next in the series, Going Dark.
Readers interested in a better story that is a near future tech dystopia should be reading Ian McDonald's New Moon.
February 9, 2017
Decently crafted techo-thriller continuing the greater story introduced from The Red: First Light, opening with a trial and then proceeding to quite a few trials, some literal, some not literal at all.
It stays light even with the more serious themes, dangerous situations, and mass death, but that's only because the really big destructions happen elsewhere. If you love a bit of gratuitous violence, a lot of cool tech and toys, an awesome ghost in the machine, and a bit more gratuitous political comeuppance all wrapped up into a delightfully straightforward try/fail story structure, then I'm sure you'll love this. :)
It's all action and an easy read with solid characters. :) What more are you looking for? A deep message?
It stays light even with the more serious themes, dangerous situations, and mass death, but that's only because the really big destructions happen elsewhere. If you love a bit of gratuitous violence, a lot of cool tech and toys, an awesome ghost in the machine, and a bit more gratuitous political comeuppance all wrapped up into a delightfully straightforward try/fail story structure, then I'm sure you'll love this. :)
It's all action and an easy read with solid characters. :) What more are you looking for? A deep message?
August 30, 2015
It's been a year and a half since I read the first book. The second one caught me up quickly. Middle books in trilogies don't always stand well on their own, but this is a satisfying read. If most of the work of character building was done in the first book, that left room in this one for Lt. Shelley and his compatriots to get things done. A worthy sequel.
January 11, 2021
Very similar to the first book - still reads like a script. I didn't enjoy the long introduction meant for people that did not read the first book, hours after finishing the first book that is. I prefer series where the author assumes that readers of a second volume are familiar with the first volume.
January 10, 2017
Better than the previous.
July 11, 2023
VALUTAZIONE PERSONALE: 4,5
Secondo episodio della Red Trilogy, The Trials( titolo originale dell'opera) rappresenta a mio giudizio il capitolo più entusiasmante dell'intera trilogia: molto coinvolgente è la parte del romanzo nella quale si percepisce tremendamente bene la sindrome da stress post traumatico del protagonista James Shelley, ex tenente dell'esercito degli Stati Uniti, la quale gli preclude qualsiasi possibilità di reinserirsi nuovamente in un contesto civile e che inevitabilmente lo obbligherà, anche a causa dei numerosi e potenti nemici che cercheranno di eliminarlo con qualsiasi mezzo possibile, a riprendere le armi e a condurre una guerra non ufficialmente dichiarata contro tutti coloro intenzionati a diffondere il caos nel mondo e ad accentrare nelle proprie mani quanto più potere possibile. Ampio spazio, inoltre, è dedicato alla comprensione del Red, entità cibernetica generatasi spontaneamente nello spazio virtuale del Cloud e capace di condizionare la volontà e le scelte di migliaia di individui: sarà sempre più chiaro il ruolo giocato da quest'ultima sia nelle vicende del nostro protagonista, oltre che in quelle dell'intera umanità, e gli scopi che ella si prefigge di conseguire su di essa, stabilendo di fatto le basi per il racconto di una classicissima lotta del bene contro il male. O, almeno, così sembra...
Secondo episodio della Red Trilogy, The Trials( titolo originale dell'opera) rappresenta a mio giudizio il capitolo più entusiasmante dell'intera trilogia: molto coinvolgente è la parte del romanzo nella quale si percepisce tremendamente bene la sindrome da stress post traumatico del protagonista James Shelley, ex tenente dell'esercito degli Stati Uniti, la quale gli preclude qualsiasi possibilità di reinserirsi nuovamente in un contesto civile e che inevitabilmente lo obbligherà, anche a causa dei numerosi e potenti nemici che cercheranno di eliminarlo con qualsiasi mezzo possibile, a riprendere le armi e a condurre una guerra non ufficialmente dichiarata contro tutti coloro intenzionati a diffondere il caos nel mondo e ad accentrare nelle proprie mani quanto più potere possibile. Ampio spazio, inoltre, è dedicato alla comprensione del Red, entità cibernetica generatasi spontaneamente nello spazio virtuale del Cloud e capace di condizionare la volontà e le scelte di migliaia di individui: sarà sempre più chiaro il ruolo giocato da quest'ultima sia nelle vicende del nostro protagonista, oltre che in quelle dell'intera umanità, e gli scopi che ella si prefigge di conseguire su di essa, stabilendo di fatto le basi per il racconto di una classicissima lotta del bene contro il male. O, almeno, così sembra...
May 18, 2018
Not as good as the first book, for (at least) two reasons. 1) I didn’t buy even the occurrence of the romance, given the events of the first book, much less any of how it was written and transpired. 2) Two much deus ex machina. Still, a fun, quick read, and will read the third one.
August 23, 2021
Wow. I gotta admit, I was a bit worried that a book called “the trials” might be boring. But man was I wrong. I can’t wait to read the third one.
April 23, 2016
Here there be dragons! And a cyber-knight to beard them in their lairs! And a mysterious cyber-wizard behind the scenes!
Shelley and his squad are in jail waiting for their court martial for the actions of the first book. But this is the universe of the Red, and nothing is that simple. There's assassination attempts, super-technology, backroom deals and lots of politics and that's only act one.
A substantial epilogue to the first book while setting up for the third. An excellent example of the problem of the bridging book of a trilogy in fact. The first book's job is to introduce the world, the characters, the villains and still tell an engaging story. The second book's job should be to build on the first; to go harder and deeper. But the second book's job is usually treated by most authors as to hold the reader's attention long enough to buy the third book. This book admirably works on the latter, but I'm not sure that it does the former.
There's an interesting commentary on agency here as well. Shelley and the Red have an interesting relationship. He does not trust the AI, but the AI's goals are usually congruent with his own, so most of the time Shelley is a happy soldier. But in this book something happens to put Shelley's motivation to question and just how much he is being controlled by the Red and just how many of his goals are actually his. I'll be interested to see how that plays out.
Shelley and his squad are in jail waiting for their court martial for the actions of the first book. But this is the universe of the Red, and nothing is that simple. There's assassination attempts, super-technology, backroom deals and lots of politics and that's only act one.
A substantial epilogue to the first book while setting up for the third. An excellent example of the problem of the bridging book of a trilogy in fact. The first book's job is to introduce the world, the characters, the villains and still tell an engaging story. The second book's job should be to build on the first; to go harder and deeper. But the second book's job is usually treated by most authors as to hold the reader's attention long enough to buy the third book. This book admirably works on the latter, but I'm not sure that it does the former.
There's an interesting commentary on agency here as well. Shelley and the Red have an interesting relationship. He does not trust the AI, but the AI's goals are usually congruent with his own, so most of the time Shelley is a happy soldier. But in this book something happens to put Shelley's motivation to question and just how much he is being controlled by the Red and just how many of his goals are actually his. I'll be interested to see how that plays out.
December 6, 2020
This was nowhere near as good as the first book, sadly. The first third with the actual trial of Lt. James Shelley and the Apocalypse Squad wasn’t very interesting. Instead of channeling the excellence of A Few Good Men it felt like a weaker episode of Law & Order. Then Shelley hooks up with his former handler Delphi who just so happens to be a gorgeous babe (eyeroll) as they are targeted by a vengeful billionaire who tries to kill them himself (eyeroll redux). And then there are adventures on the high seas, ambushes, even a space ride to do an orbital heist of a Howard Hughes-like paranoid hypochondriac billionaire living on a private space station and the coincidences pile up faster than the dead bodies. I don’t even know how many times Shelley gets saved because someone else blocked the bullet or explosion or grenade or shrapnel or god knows what. It was a lot. Dude’s luckier than James Bond crossed with a cat carrying a rabbit’s foot and a leprechaun’s four leaf clover.
November 11, 2021
This is the sequel to "The Red: First Light" and there might be spoilers for that book, so if you haven't read the first book yet then stop reading this review and go get it right now! The writing is good and the characters are like real people, not 2D paper people. WE get attached to the main character and suffer along with him as he goes through his own existential trial.
This book picks up after the events of First Light, the mission where our MC and his squad capture a bad guy and suffer a tragic loss. THen, after turning the bad guy over for trial they turn themselves in to be court martialed. So we get to see a military trial, which is one of the trials of the title. Then our crew has a new mission, to capture some nuclear weapons. ANd I'll stop there before I go too far.
There's good action but also interesting philosophical questions raised. Good stuff, too bad it's only a trilogy and not a long series.
This book picks up after the events of First Light, the mission where our MC and his squad capture a bad guy and suffer a tragic loss. THen, after turning the bad guy over for trial they turn themselves in to be court martialed. So we get to see a military trial, which is one of the trials of the title. Then our crew has a new mission, to capture some nuclear weapons. ANd I'll stop there before I go too far.
There's good action but also interesting philosophical questions raised. Good stuff, too bad it's only a trilogy and not a long series.
January 6, 2016
While I enjoyed the initial novel in this series, "First Light", quite a bit, the second in the series was a bit of let down.
The first third of the book is literally related to the title so, in retrospect, I should not have been surprised.
The plot picks up directly after the events of the first novel and, in my opinion, were very slow to start. The protag seemed a bit muddled and indecisive, completely unlike the first novel. Was difficult to generate resonance with him. The pace really picks up about halfway through and culminates in an interesting extraction mission.
But despite the cool flourishes and excellent writing, I found myself a bit disappointed by this second book in the series.
The first third of the book is literally related to the title so, in retrospect, I should not have been surprised.
The plot picks up directly after the events of the first novel and, in my opinion, were very slow to start. The protag seemed a bit muddled and indecisive, completely unlike the first novel. Was difficult to generate resonance with him. The pace really picks up about halfway through and culminates in an interesting extraction mission.
But despite the cool flourishes and excellent writing, I found myself a bit disappointed by this second book in the series.
June 12, 2016
Al doilea volum din seria The Red incepe cu Shelley si echipa sa la tribunal, judecati pentru actiunile din volumul intai (prilej pentru intrigi politice si oleaca worldbuilding) si continua cu doua all-out action sequences in care Shelley anihileaza pericole nucleare, mai intai pe un vas in mijlocul furtunii, apoi pe o statie spatiala. Problema e ca Shelley nu mai e eroul din primul volum, ci un individ care ia decizii proaste, se comporta despotic si e in general antipatic, asa, fara motiv, doar pentru ca poate. In rest, destule elemente previzibile si multe intrebari lasate fara raspuns, ca la mijlocul unei trilogii :(
February 11, 2017
Terrorism has shut down much of the technological functions around the world and the regular people are living in some kind of partial post-apocalyptic life, but this doesn't seem to affect the rich or the military, all of whom have bigger and better tech than ever. And it's intended effect of stopping The Red, has had no effect at all.
While a fair portion of the book is set in the courtroom and the action is all in words, it's not in any way boring and the hard hitting physical action is still a big portion of the rest of the book.
While a fair portion of the book is set in the courtroom and the action is all in words, it's not in any way boring and the hard hitting physical action is still a big portion of the rest of the book.
October 5, 2017
This is the second volume of Red trilogy. While I was extremely satisfied with the first volume, the continuation was much weaker. The first volume introduced a wealth of ideas, from exoskeleton-using solders to AI, which plays against ‘military-industrial complex’. The second just continues from what the first one introduced but neither introduces notable new twists nor new points of view on the situation. Maybe this is the foundation for the third volume, but per se this book looks like cashing off the success of the first volume.
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