#BookReview: Never Again by Bill Fawcett

Hey Space Cadets; I hope this review finds you well! I found this book when we interviewed Bill Fawcett on my podcast, The Blasters & Blades Podcast. That’s my sanity-safe space where we talk about all things speculative fiction. Our guest, Bill, was on to talk about his near future military science fiction Blood and Armor Series. After we interviewed him about the first book in this series, I had to read it, and now here we are!

What is this book about? It’s a near-future military science fiction novel about a young Kurdish Republic finding its way in a world that wants to see it destroyed. This epic romp through future combat has plenty of action to keep you on the edge of your seat. It has cool combat suits, affectionately known as GOGs, and brave Peshmerga warriors to ride them to glory! So, grab your coffee, set some 5.56mm rounds out for their rifles, and prepare for the thrill ride of a lifetime!

The Story

The best steel is forged by the hottest fires and under the greatest pressures. So, too, have the Kurdish Peshmerga been shaped by thousands of years of warfare and oppression.

Now, for the first time in history, they have their own nation, and it’s a chance to live, grow, and develop as a unified people.

But they are surrounded by hostile dictatorships intent on the destruction of their young republic. Outnumbered and outgunned as armored columns swarm their borders, the Kurdish Republic’s only hope lies in a canceled DARPA project—an experimental, powered combat suit—and the business tycoon who refuses to allow the nascent nation to go under.

The only question is, will they be enough?

A compelling question that is answered in a way that will keep you guessing from start to finish. Let’s start with the core premise, the existence of a Kurdish Republic. It was set up in a believable manner, and I could empathize with those struggling Peshmerga dreamers who just wanted a nation to call their own. The author cemented this reality with his intimate knowledge of the people and their culture. He did his research, and it shows right down to the names and speech patterns.

Next, let us talk about the technology used in this book. First, this is a near-future novel, so most of the weaponry and military technology is stuff that exists now. Sure, some of it is cutting-edge now, but it isn’t unreasonable to assume it could be created. The one big handwavium piece of technology is the batteries used to make the rest of the magic work. It is the fairy dust of this world, but it is so subtle that you could forget that it isn’t something we could go buy at the local Target store. From there, the rest of the pieces are supported. Sure, fake battery tech is the lynchpin holding up the foundation of this story arc, but Bill still manages to make it believable.

From the magical batteries, we get the coolest piece of military hardware that served as the backbone of this novel. What can I say? I was a fan of Ironman, and I really liked seeing a more realistic version of it novelized. This tech was named after the acronym from the shipping containers, the GOG representing the militaristic gobbledygook that is martial nomenclature. It was called the ‘General Ordnance Garment,’ which the troops shortened to the Gog. That term is biblically significant, as one of the nations that will be beaten by god in the final days. I thought that was cool to use as tech name, especially when the enemy thinks that the soldiers in these super suits are demons because they can’t fathom how the wearers can move so fast and be so accurate. My only complaint was that I didn’t think of it first!

One last point about the technology was how well it was described by Bill Fawcett. He mixed in enough realism in his descriptions that I had to Google whether or not this was a thing. He didn’t just ask me to suspend my disbelief; he wrote it so well that I didn’t even know it was fake in the moment. This takes skills as an author to pull off, but when done right, it is indeed a beautiful thing to experience. There is a reason I don’t try to write hard science fiction! Speaking of that hard sci-fi, most of that is written as techno babble that navel gazes and is so in love with itself that it is unreadable. This was not the case here, and I loved it!

Since this is a military science fiction novel, we have to cover the combat scenes in this book. The warfare in ‘Never Again’ was beautifully written. I could visualize the action in my head based on the author’s descriptions. The author deployed a solid understanding of battlefield tactics and used them creatively. He factored in the terrain, the enemy equipment, and the role of dumb luck in survival in war. Even better, he created a combat suit that wasn’t infallible; there were limitations to the Gogs.

What I liked even more about his combat scenes was how he wrote about the enemy forces. They were not cardboard targets with no agency. We got to see the enemy’s point of view, and they were capable opponents. Bill Fawcett showed that he respected the capabilities and limitations of both sides of this conflict. The Iranians, while under-trained and extremely superstitious, were warriors in their own right. This is crucial to adding stakes to the combat and conflict overall.

Now that we’ve covered that let’s talk about the overall writing in this novel. I really loved how the author employed a workman-like prose that still managed to shine in a brilliant purple light. There was clean language intermixed in brilliant poetry of language that had me rereading scenes just to enjoy the verbiage. This allowed me to visualize the various scenes like a movie in my head. It was enjoyable, and I really wish that they’d make this into a movie for the big screen. Assuming that Hollyweird doesn’t jack it up.

I could keep going about the quality of their prose, but let’s move on to the other facets of this story. This seasoned storyteller knew how to expertly pace his story so that it flowed smoothly from one plot point to another. It kept my attention while giving me room to breathe and process the various parts of this epic adventure. Even better, this novel felt like it was setting up book two to kick the action up a notch, and I’m here for it. However, I am not sure how Bill could possibly outdo this book. It was good, and I’m excited to see what’s next.

Finally, I should mention that I didn’t read this novel on the printed page. Instead, I listened to the audiobook performed by Daniel Wisniewski and what a joy it was. Seriously, he hit the ball out of the park, telling me a story that I couldn’t put down. It kept me listening when I should’ve been doing other things, but I didn’t care. He nailed the various character accents, keeping my ears engaged from start to finish. I predict this series will be one with staying power, and I don’t say that lightly.

The Characters

While there are multiple point-of-view characters in Never Again, the main character of this novel is Timo Sheen. He starts this novel as the commanding officer of the Kurdish Republic’s only armored battalion. We quickly see him promoted from Colonel to Brigadier General as he replaces his fallen mentor in the command staff of the Kurdish Army. From there, we follow a mad dash to prepare for the coming war with Iran and their fanatical Republican Guard forces.

During the course of this novel, we see him evolve from a competent warrior to a grieving family man. Or is this him devolving? Timo comes to the brink of wanting to commit suicide via combat during this process of his struggling with crippling grief. In the end, we see how he accepts his fate and rededicates his entire existence to serving his fledgling Kurdish Republic. We don’t get to watch him grow in the traditional sense; he starts as a fully actualized adult who knows who he is. He is a man of principle, and his character is already firmly rooted in the soil of his nation. However, we do see him overcome his limitations and the setbacks that life throws his way. We see a man who deeply loves his country, his people, and the soldiers who serve under him. The kind of man you’d gladly follow into hell and thank them for the privilege of doing so.

The World

What’s not to love about the world-building in this novel? First, it was helped by being basically our modern reality with a few tweaks because it is set in the near future. With that said, the world-building was expertly handled by Bill Fawcett. He clearly knows how to tell a compelling story set in a world that felt real and lived in. Everything was extremely fleshed out, and I could picture the scenes he described. Maybe it helps that I’ve been there in real life while I served in Iraq, but I think you’ll be able to see it in your mind, too. He didn’t info dump all his world-building up front. Instead, he fed it to us in drips and drabs around the compelling combat scenes. Seriously, he was the perfect drug dealer of the literary crack I crave. He expertly strung me along and left me wanting more. I know that sounds toxic, but trust me, this story was anything but. It was an exciting thrill ride from start to finish.

Politics

First, this novel is political in nature because combat is political. Warfare is, after all, the failure of diplomacy. It features the fictional Kurdish Republic fighting countries that exist now. The politics are slightly different from what we know because they are set in the future. The events that happened before the start of Never Again made the nation of Iran larger than it is now. The Kurdish Republic exists with territory that is, on our maps, made up from parts of Iraq, Iran, and Syria. In that sense, as a military science fiction book, there are politics. However, the author doesn’t preach at you or take any political stance other than it applies to this fictional version of our universe. There are political machinations, but they serve as plot points and not something more. Seriously, I don’t think anybody on the left or right side of insanity would be offended. This is true for all the books that Chris Kennedy puts out; his imprints just want to entertain you, and Bill Fawcett nailed it out of the part on that front!

Content Warning

This novel would be appropriate for anyone over the age of 13. This is a near-future military science fiction novel, so there is combat. People die, and violence happens. If those things bother you, this book isn’t for you. Otherwise, there isn’t anything concerning in this novel.

Who is it for?

This book is for people who enjoy reading their military science fiction with a side of thriller mixed with near-future realism. This novel has the strange ability to mix the blunt prose of Clive Cussler or Tom Clancy with the flowery language that would make the Bard himself blush.

Why buy it

This is the story of an underdog nation, the beleaguered Kurdish Republic, and the commanding general of their small Peshmerga military. They are a nation in its infancy that strives to overcome the shortcomings of its small size and rise to global greatness. Jump into their combat armor and ride the rollercoaster to greatness with them! Watch as they use cunning, wit, and speed to triumph against larger and more powerful opponents. If you love watching the little guy punching up, this is the novel for you!

Seriously, why haven’t you clicked the link and bought this book already? If this tale doesn’t make you a superfan of Bill Fawcett, then you didn’t read the same book that I did! Once you buy and read the book, come back and share your thoughts! Oh, and be sure to leave a review!