If you liked Star Trek or Star Wars, Marko Kloos‘ series, particularly Lines of Departure, is a good companion. I previously read and reviewed Terms of Enlistment, the first book in the series. Both are militaristic dystopian novels. They are short quick reads that are exciting, especially for those who like to read or watch books and films about battles.

In the second installment, Andrew Grayson along with his fleet buddies are fighting all-out war against alien creatures that to me seem to a cross between Big Foot and a dinosaur clothed in battle armor hide. The 80 feet tall creatures, Lankeys, are taking over every human colony in outer space and have set their sights on Earth. Grayson and the rest of the fleet are also battling Sino-Russian forces. Life on Earth is back to scratching out a living in a perpetual war zone in the cities. In the burbs and rural areas, a nice life is still possible–if you can afford it. Not many can.

If that is not bad enough, then the government turns on its own people and Grayson finds he must make a choice,stand with the military or join the mutiny. This combines with a Lankey threat and a colony that seems to be modeled after Antarctica, except for worse extremes in climate.

For some reason, unlike in Terms of Enlistment, the choice of 80 feet tall creatures as aliens seemed in place. Maybe I got use them being included. There is significantly more action in this second book and the writing is more compelling. Onto the third book.