In Her Name: First Contact - Book Club Part 5

[Michael R. Hicks]

Part 5...

Running the Guantlet: Chapters 21 to 27

So, did you *really* think that Sato was dead??

This is the first close look you have at the new Terran Marines. What did you think of them and how "the Corps" came into being?

What did you think of Amelia Cartwright taking her ship down to try and contact the ground troops? Was she nuts?

Coyle is left to lead the desperate escape from what's left of the city of Foshan. What do you think of how she handles the job and the choices she makes? How did you feel at the last words Lieutenant Krumholtz screamed at her?

Sato takes McClaren after a group of Kreelan destroyers, that in turn are hunting the Terran and Alliance carriers. Did you think he was crazy?

Was Li'ara-Zhurah becoming a little obsessed with chasing after Coyle, or what?

What did you think of the battle at the landing zone, and the last choice Coyle made?

The destroyer McClaren is in bad shape - what did you think of what Sato did to "his" ship, leaving a big chunk of it behind, and what he planned to do to the remaining Kreelan ship(s)?

And what of Gunny Ruiz's attack on the Kreelan ship?

The four warriors who confronted Sato on the McClaren completely infuriated and frustrated him by their actions. What was your take on it?


Onward to Part 6 >>>

[geoffthomas]

So, did you *really* think that Sato was dead??
Naw. I didn't think that you had written that much character development to just let Morrison get him killed, especially after the Steph linkage.  Although it would have been "unique" to have invested so much in a throw-away character.  You did some of that with Yao Ming, right?

This is the first close look you have at the new Terran Marines. What did you think of them and how "the Corps" came into being?
Being U.S. I liked the use of the vestiges of the original Marines for this purpose.  Especially like Luiz' invlolvement in the change.  Change from within.  And I think that they were setup to give the blue girls a surprise.  However in the end you cannot really beat 400,000 years of fighting and technology.  None of them could ever even come close to challenging Tesh-Dar.

What did you think of Amelia Cartwright taking her ship down to try and contact the ground troops? Was she nuts?
Yeah nuts.  I was seriously concerned for her.  But it is the little acts of valor that distinguish us as a species.

Coyle is left to lead the desperate escape from what's left of the city of Foshan. What do you think of how she handles the job and the choices she makes? How did you feel at the last words Lieutenant Krumholtz screamed at her?
She became one of my favorite characters.  She was humane but practical.  Drive the tank over dying people to assure that they could save some other citizens that were not already dying.  And most important she did not rattle under pressure.  She knew what she had to do and did it.  That is what being a soldier is about.

Sato takes McClaren after a group of Kreelan destroyers, that in turn are hunting the Terran and Alliance carriers. Did you think he was crazy?
Well yes.  But he did make the point that they were the only ones that were in position to do so.  And if the human force was completely destroyed then his ship was not going to go home anyway.  So just like Coyle, do the right thing.

Was Li'ara-Zhurah becoming a little obsessed with chasing after Coyle, or what?
Yeah.  But I guess it is that Kreelan "honor for the Empress" thing.  While you wanted her to give up trying to get Coyle, you knew that Coyle had come to represent far too much "honor" for it to happen.

What did you think of the battle at the landing zone, and the last choice Coyle made?
I thought that it was typical Kreelan honor to let only those who had fought valiantly escape.  She could have killed them all.  But she did kill those who were "running away" from the fight.  It was a shame that Mills had to force the second craft to wait for the troops.  As far as Coyle was concerned, the reader knew that Tesh-Dar was not going to let her leave.  And it seemed that Coyle realized that.  So she made sure that the others got away before she sacrificed herself.  Good soldier that.  It was interesting that Mills and Coyle's crew realized that there was nothing that they could do and that they would waste her sacrifice if they did not leave.

The destroyer McClaren is in bad shape - what did you think of what Sato did to "his" ship, leaving a big chunk of it behind, and what he planned to do to the remaining Kreelan ship(s)?
He needed to "get their attention". So he intended to ram them.  He was fortunate that he was able to use his weapons as effectively as he did. 

And what of Gunny Ruiz's attack on the Kreelan ship?
Ah yes the beauty of a beserk Marine.  Ruiz needed to assure that the last ship was "accounted for".  So he did it his way.

The four warriors who confronted Sato on the McClaren completely infuriated and frustrated him by their actions. What was your take on it?
I thought it was a clever passage.  Once again the honor to the Empress.  The messenger was not to be killed.  Especially after delivering the message apparently.  So they would allow him to kill them.  Poor Sato - he kinda wanted a fight.  But he would not have survived it. 

[Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake']

Almost finished.  I'm up to the epilogue.

Part 5...

Running the Guantlet: Chapters 21 to 27

So, did you *really* think that Sato was dead??

If he was dead, then so were you.     Definitely not.  I had the feeling he was going to make it.  He's the messenger/prophet.  He's the Reza of First Contact.  He's too cute to kill off.

This is the first close look you have at the new Terran Marines. What did you think of them and how "the Corps" came into being?

Very impressive.  I particularly liked the demo in the mock-up.  These guys were primed and ready. 

What did you think of Amelia Cartwright taking her ship down to try and contact the ground troops? Was she nuts?

That's what makes a hero, isn't it.  She knew she was the only one who could.  In this kind of situation, people just do what has to be done. 

Coyle is left to lead the desperate escape from what's left of the city of Foshan. What do you think of how she handles the job and the choices she makes? How did you feel at the last words Lieutenant Krumholtz screamed at her?

Coyle's objective was to preserve as many survivors as she could.  These were tough decisions she had to make.  Should she sacrifice a dozen to save one who might not make it anyway?  Her first duty was actually to protect her tank as the only defense they had against the warriors.

Of course Krumholtz didn't understand what Coyle had to do.  If she had gone back for him, how many others (maybe all of them) would have been lost. 

Sato takes McClaren after a group of Kreelan destroyers, that in turn are hunting the Terran and Alliance carriers. Did you think he was crazy?

Like I said, you do what needs to be done.  Sato is the only one who really knows these people.  He was helpless against them in the Aurora, so he's going to save some lives and get some payback for what happened to the crew of the Aurora at the same time.  I didn't find him crazy at all.  I felt he made cool, calm decisions under deadly circumstances.  Hope he gets his own ship.  He deserves a command.

Was Li'ara-Zhurah becoming a little obsessed with chasing after Coyle, or what?

Definitely, even for a Kreelan.  Even then, she got cheated out of her kill.  Thanks for that, Mike. I think she's in for some serious head shrinking at the hands of the Desh-Ka.

What did you think of the battle at the landing zone, and the last choice Coyle made?

Did Coyle really have a choice?  Tesh-Dar would never have let her go, and if she stayed behind, the rest had a chance. 

The destroyer McClaren is in bad shape - what did you think of what Sato did to "his" ship, leaving a big chunk of it behind, and what he planned to do to the remaining Kreelan ship(s)?

Gutsy move, kid.  It was a huge gamble, but it paid off in spades.

And what of Gunny Ruiz's attack on the Kreelan ship?

Talk about your marines.  I think they all knew it was a suicide mission, but there was so much at stake.  It wasn't just the lives that could be saved, it was showing the Kreelans that they couldn't have it all their way.

The four warriors who confronted Sato on the McClaren completely infuriated and frustrated him by their actions. What was your take on it?

There goes that crazy Kreelan Way.  They would have been honored to die at his hands, and the one he wounded has bragging rights.  However, Sato won by not killing them.  It was a lost chance for glory for the Kreelan warriors.

[Michael R. Hicks]

If he was dead, then so were you.     Definitely not.  I had the feeling he was going to make it.  He's the messenger/prophet.  He's the Reza of First Contact.  He's too cute to kill off.

D'oh! Don't hurt me! Cute?? Oh, dear... 

That's what makes a hero, isn't it.  She knew she was the only one who could.  In this kind of situation, people just do what has to be done. 

Except when they don't. One of the scenes in Saving Private Ryan that just had me ready to leap through the screen was toward the end, where Ryan and his would-be rescuers were being hammered while one of the American soldiers just stood there and did nothing (just like he did when one of his buddies was being killed in hand-to-hand). Grr. But yes, I generally like to credit people with doing the needful when they're pushed into it...

Coyle's objective was to preserve as many survivors as she could.  These were tough decisions she had to make.  Should she sacrifice a dozen to save one who might not make it anyway?  Her first duty was actually to protect her tank as the only defense they had against the warriors.

Yeah, jeez - talk about a sucky situation!!

Like I said, you do what needs to be done.  Sato is the only one who really knows these people.  He was helpless against them in the Aurora, so he's going to save some lives and get some payback for what happened to the crew of the Aurora at the same time.  I didn't find him crazy at all.  I felt he made cool, calm decisions under deadly circumstances.  Hope he gets his own ship.  He deserves a command.

Just wait 'til the epilogue...

Definitely, even for a Kreelan.  Even then, she got cheated out of her kill.  Thanks for that, Mike. I think she's in for some serious head shrinking at the hands of the Desh-Ka.

Let's just say things start off a bit rough for her at the start of Legend of the Sword...

Talk about your marines.  I think they all knew it was a suicide mission, but there was so much at stake.  It wasn't just the lives that could be saved, it was showing the Kreelans that they couldn't have it all their way.

Go in and kick booty. I wish Ruiz had survived, but I think he was probably happy that the Corps had at least gotten another chance...

There goes that crazy Kreelan Way.  They would have been honored to die at his hands, and the one he wounded has bragging rights.  However, Sato won by not killing them.  It was a lost chance for glory for the Kreelan warriors.

I agree that he "won" that encounter by not killing them, but I don't think he really looked at it as winning. The poor guy must be incredibly frustrated: every time he tries to kill somebody, either he can't or they don't put up a fight. We'll have to see how that comes out in the wash in the next book...

[Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake']

D'oh! Don't hurt me! Cute?? Oh, dear... 

Yeah, cute.  But that was my first impression when we first met him.  The young kid of the crew. 

Except when they don't. One of the scenes in Saving Private Ryan that just had me ready to leap through the screen was toward the end, where Ryan and his would-be rescuers were being hammered while one of the American soldiers just stood there and did nothing (just like he did when one of his buddies was being killed in hand-to-hand). Grr. But yes, I generally like to credit people with doing the needful when they're pushed into it...

Yes, there are always those who "don't" but most times, someone steps up to the plate, and it's usually the least likely person. 

Let's just say things start off a bit rough for her at the start of Legend of the Sword...

I'll look forward to that.  Since she doesn't show up in IHN, I have to assume your fingers will kill her off at some point.

Go in and kick booty. I wish Ruiz had survived, but I think he was probably happy that the Corps had at least gotten another chance...

There are a lot that I wish would have survived, but there wasn't much chance for most of them. 

I agree that he "won" that encounter by not killing them, but I don't think he really looked at it as winning. The poor guy must be incredibly frustrated: every time he tries to kill somebody, either he can't or they don't put up a fight. We'll have to see how that comes out in the wash in the next book...

I'm sure Ichiro felt he didn't win in that final confrontation, but overall, he did win.  He won when he did that in depth analysis while traveling back to earth which convinced everyone (or at least those that mattered) that he was telling the truth.  He won when he got the McClaren running again and took down three of the destroyers and rammed the fourth allowing the marines to do their thing. 

[Michael R. Hicks]

I'll look forward to that.  Since she doesn't show up in IHN, I have to assume your fingers will kill her off at some point.

Not sure if it's *really* a spoiler, but it's fun to use spoiler tags, so: regardless of what happens in Legend (and my fingers ain't tellin', although they'll be spilling some wordage here shortly), it'd be unlikely that Li'ara-Zhurah would live through the next hundred years to the events in IHN: Empire/omnibus. Tesh-Dar is unusually long-lived for her race, so she's not a good example of longevity. Even if Li'ara-Zhurah survived every battle she fought, she'd most likely die of old age before Reza's time...

[Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake']

Not sure if it's *really* a spoiler, but it's fun to use spoiler tags, so: regardless of what happens in Legend (and my fingers ain't tellin', although they'll be spilling some wordage here shortly), it'd be unlikely that Li'ara-Zhurah would live through the next hundred years to the events in IHN: Empire/omnibus. Tesh-Dar is unusually long-lived for her race, so she's not a good example of longevity. Even if Li'ara-Zhurah survived every battle she fought, she'd most likely die of old age before Reza's time...

Okay, I can buy that. 

[Michael R. Hicks]

Okay, I can buy that. 

And I didn't even have to twist your arm!

Okay, enough! Gotta get a few words written. Criminy, it's 11 pm already. Urk!

[Ann in Arlington]

Running the Guantlet: Chapters 21 to 27

So, did you *really* think that Sato was dead??  pshaw!  of course not!

This is the first close look you have at the new Terran Marines. What did you think of them and how "the Corps" came into being? I've known a few marines. . . .they're very marine like. 

What did you think of Amelia Cartwright taking her ship down to try and contact the ground troops? Was she nuts?  Yes, objectively, but she was trying to sae lives so, on that basis, it was an approprite decision.

Coyle is left to lead the desperate escape from what's left of the city of Foshan. What do you think of how she handles the job and the choices she makes? How did you feel at the last words Lieutenant Krumholtz screamed at her?
Well, I have to assume it was an extremely difficult choice to make.  Krumholtz acted like a coward because he should have been saying  -- go, save as many as you can.  OTOH, there's the whole "leave no one behind" thing that most elite military groups subscribe to -- which means she should have tried to stay and save them.  She was between a rock and a hard place.

Sato takes McClaren after a group of Kreelan destroyers, that in turn are hunting the Terran and Alliance carriers. Did you think he was crazy? Yeah. . . crazy like a fox. . . he was doing what McClaren would have done. . . .


Was Li'ara-Zhurah becoming a little obsessed with chasing after Coyle, or what?  Well, yeah, I sort of thought so, but that's their nature.

What did you think of the battle at the landing zone, and the last choice Coyle made?  At that point she realized the only way was to stay. . .she didn't know why they wanted her so bad but she knew they wouldn't let the others go unless she stayed. . . . .in the end though, she didn't have to fight and L-Z lost her chance to defeat her because she was killed by shrapnel from the other ship exploding.

The destroyer McClaren is in bad shape - what did you think of what Sato did to "his" ship, leaving a big chunk of it behind, and what he planned to do to the remaining Kreelan ship(s)?
He knew his hip and was trying to do all he could to save as many as possible. . .

And what of Gunny Ruiz's attack on the Kreelan ship? What I would expect from the Marines. . . .

The four warriors who confronted Sato on the McClaren completely infuriated and frustrated him by their actions. What was your take on it?  He'd practiced with the sword and wanted a chance to give a better accounting of himself to them.  So he was, let's call it 'extremely furious' that they wouldn't respond.  But he also wasn't going to kill them if they weren't willing to defend themselves.