Old Guard: Bolos V

by J. Steven York

Book Overview

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY The onslaught of the Melconians was not the last conflict that humanity's interstellar Concordiat would have to face. For now the Kezdai -- a newly encountered species with war... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0671319574
• ISBN13: 9780671319571
• Release Date: January 2002
• Publisher: Baen Books
• Length: 336 Pages
• Weight: 0.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 4.2" x 6.8"

Customer Reviews

Send in the Bolos!

I enjoyed the three stories contained in this book. having not known that before I read the book, it was interesting to discover it. I believe the stories gave an impression of the flow of war, and that Bolos provides protection, or at least a menance to the Concordiate's enemy on all fronts.The Bolo's and their commanders see alot of action in and around the Delas system by a horde of attacking Kezdai - creatures that resemble bird-like reptiles. Hellbores away! Infantry, tanks, and and full scale battles rage over the planet systems. And the book shows that Bolos should be left alone to do their jobs - to protect humanity.The book earned a 4 stars instead of 5 stars because the first story - seems like it was cut off. 3 characters were introduced, and two at great length, but each had no impact on the story's ending. It seemed the story was cut off. In the second story, a Concordiate Officer ignores his Bolo, and the result is death and and some destruction to a Concordiate task force. The commander, supposedly academy trained, is told to "just forget about it" and to get back into the war because "he did a good job" because he came up with a good idea prior to his terrible orders. Only one sentence was givin to a possible court martial. I wanted the character to be punished, not patted on the back. I believe the first two stories dragged a little when they went into the Kezdai personal worlds, except for one plot line.The third story, the shortest - was marvelous. And the final moments of the the battle should have been made into artwork for the book cover with the vivid descriptions of the battle.

Lancelots of the future V

Time changes all things, and the latest installment in the multi-author universe of the Bolos is no exception. As the books have become either more popular or more prized, a certain sense of community seems to have developed between authors: all of the short stories in this book, unlike its predecessors, are woven together by tales of the same planet, and the same conflict. This has obvious advantages and disadvantages- first and foremost, the line between authors has blurred. Part of the fun of the series was recognizing the times and places each author chose to put themselves in, usually by creating an entirely new conflict in which they make the rules of the plot. However, with the setting concretely agreed upon, that freedom was lost. Also, by creating a singular time in which to play, the authors didn't have a chance to tinker too much with the machinery or sentience of the Bolos themselves- which, aside from the Bolo soul, are the essence of the stories.That said, the book was, to me, enthralling. I'm a Bolo finatic, what can I say? And the connectivity of the plot did make the anthology feel much more like a novel than previous editions- but all in all, my favorite Bolo book remains undisturbed as Book 3.

Jane's Guide to future war machines!

An outstanding read. The compilation of stories collectively paint a portrait of future warfare as few series do. And with today's ground breaking research on AI and robot technologies, these stories may prove to be prophetic. A common thread weaves its way through each story in the anthology, yet with each author contributing thier own image, a quite complex tapestry is woven for the reader. The differences between the stories are sometimes subtle, and at other times easily apparent. Yet together they blend an awesome tale of firepower and willpower, immersing the reader into the minds of both the men and the machines. Perhaps the most intriguing short is 'Rook's Gambit' by John Mina. The reader is tangled in the web of interactions between a green officer, with all his pride and naivete; a crusty old general, set in his quirky ways; and of course, the bolos, given the name Turkey. Through these three, a tale is spun that soon becomes a futuristic version of Sun Tzu's 'The Art of War'. Any more would give away the story. This book is a must for any sci-fi fan, futurist, or military connoisseur.

Stand and Be Judged!

"Stand and be judged" is the regimental moto of the 39th Terran Lancers and it is also what this book does. Old Guard contains 3 extremely exciting short stories and one that is only exciting. The characters are well rounded, especially the bolos, and many characters undergo some character developement even in the space of a short story. Story conflict is high, much as you'd expect from stories about 14,000 ton jugernauts, with cerdible "conflict from allies" within thier own service. All of the stories center around the Kezdia incursions into human space over the span of roughly a decade or so. Mostly centered on the resource rich world of Delas. The Kezdia are a cross between a buzzard and a lizard with a storng warrior tradition. They are quick to develope counters measures for bolos but you can't keep a good bolo down. This was my introduction to bolos and I've made some new friends: Chains, Ziggy, and Hank. Old Guard is a great read without short story fatigue, just as much a page turner as a regular novel. This book STANDS on its on merits- SO JUDGED.

Not your usual military science fiction.

The Bolos, sentient robotic tanks, are humanity's guardians. We build them, and then send these beautiful children out to die in our stead. But war, any war, engulfs all those involved; not just the front-line Bolos, but every human on the planet. Some will live, some will die, but all, humans, Bolos, and the Enemy, will be forced to face their own strengths and weaknesses before the fighting is done.These are beautiful stories of "grace under fire," and I am not ashamed to admit that, at the end of the third story, I was weeping for the Bolos, and for the humans who love them, but must send them out still.This book was more than worth my time.