Destroyermen

Sometimes its hard being patient.  Right now, I'm talking about a fictional world I've gotten drawn into.  I grew up on Star Wars; stories feed on the classic "good versus evil" conflict.  So, it is no surprise that while wandering around the stacks at Barnes and Noble I found this series.

This is not the first time I've found a literary gem while wandering.  One was "The Law of Nines," an odd mix of mystery and fantasy, while at a WalMart.  Another was "Dead Iron," a "steampunk" western, the latter of which is somewhat uncharacteristic of me.  But the "Destroyermen" series is, superficially at least, almost a no-brainer.  Why?

Well, its quite simple: there's a destroyer on the front cover.  Not just any type of destroyer, but a classic US destroyer; a "four-stacker" from back during the "Great War."

I really like military history, so I every time I passed by "Into the Storm" (book 1) while at B&N I would pick it up and glance at it.  The alternate history angle kept stopping me.  Finally, without any interesting Star Wars, and nothing else grabbing my attention, I pulled book 1 off the shelf and sat down to read the first few pages.

I was hooked.

The book starts with the Battle of Java Sea.  USS Walker, a Wickes-class destroyer launched in 1918, was one of a small allied group on the run from the Imperial Japanese Navy.  In the end, Walker and her sister Mahan (another Wickes four-stacker) are all that is left, and they're being hunted.  The battlecruiser Amagi chased them into a squall.

That's when things went "weird."

The crew of the destroyers were drawn into a war between carnivorous human-size lizards and a race of "monkey-cat."  In our world the four-stack destroyers were considered disposable in a battle, with little ability to contribute to a victory.  But in a world where the most advanced ship are based on East Indiaman and there isn't a single firearm in sight, Walker tips the scales in a big way.

I could probably go on and on about the plot, but I'd suggest reading the books yourself.  Word of warning though: the lizards (called "Grik" in the story) represent evil in a pure fashion.  Not only are they a carnivorous, and cannibalistic, society, but their fighting style has no concept of retreat or prisoners.

This stands in sharp contrast with the Americans, who have a distinct sense of the "rules of war," and their allies.  The "monkey-cats" (known as "Lemurians") are a peaceful society.  Convincing them to defend themselves was something of a challenge at first.  Converting the pacifist race to one with the will and material to fight an offensive war took significantly more.

Now, there's a world war going on.  Americans and Lemurians in the west fighting a empire of insatiable predators.  Descendants of British citizens in the east are protecting their home from an enemy practicing a horrific mix of medieval Catholicism and Aztec sacrificial practices.

I just realized I rambled on now for over 500 words and haven't even gotten to why I like this series.

There are, basically, two kinds of stories: those driven by the plot and those driven by the characters.  The "Destroyermen" series has a good mix of the two.  Without the conflict there is no story, but the characters are what make it worth reading.

There are a lot of characters in the series, but there are about a dozen who I consider the "main characters," which the story follows the most.  The one is captain of the Walker: Matthew Reddy.  Officially he is the main character, and watching his story play out is why the story is worth reading.  But I keep coming back for two of the supporting roles: Dennis Silva and Chack-Sab-At.

Gunner's Mate Dennis Silva is a cross between a mad scientist, melodrama villain, pirate, and classic anti-hero, and one of the most interesting characters to follow.  He is rude and crude, he plays practical joke on crew members, been known to booze, and wantonly destroys anything labeled "enemy."  His exploits range from creating a musket rifle from an anti-aircraft cannon, to blowing up an enemy frigate using a bottle of rum for a fuse.  Over time he has become the de facto bodyguard of the captain and those close to him, especially his girlfriend nurse Sandra Tucker and princess Rebecca.  He all but adopted the latter as his "little sister," and consider's her friend, a "friendly Grik," a mix of sidekick and pet.  In spite of himself, Silva is one of the most important fighting men on Walker.  His exploits have saved countless lives.  His somewhat eccentric way of things has left some wondering if he is a strange instrument of God on this "other Earth."  His exploits, and characteristics, takes the story from a mix of "alternate history" and "political thriller" to an honest adventure novel.

The character of Chack-Sab-At is the reason I stuck with the story and got hooked.  At the start of the story this Lemurian teen was a pacifist whose biggest worry was trying to get some girl to date him.  He quickly transitioned through many roles.  He was the first non-human to join the Walker, gaining the rank of Bosun Mate and acting as look out.  Of all his people, he has the best grasp of English, having worked past pronunciation issues that often plague his people.  He soon proved himself in battle, earning the title of "marine" and being placed in charge of some of the first Lemurians trained specifically as marines.  His exploits gained the attention of a young queen who's people often conduct small wars for "fun."  He has been on the forefront of the war, becoming a capable leader.  Like General George Patton, Chack is a legend among the troops.

Seeing how Chack has "grown up" is impressive and even a little depressing.  At the end of the latest story, "Firestorm," he is fighting alongside British marines in what we call Hawaii.  The fighting has been extreme at times, with this part of the war having started with an attack on civilians.  Near the end, Chack is in the hospital tent, having a few minor wounds stitched up.  The description could not have been any different than the one presented when we first met him.  Weapons and armor sit nearby as he stoically sits there while the woman who had rejected him so long ago tends to him.   All the while he is more concerned with the outcome of the fight than reconciling.  His resolve and fighting spirit is impressive, so much so that he is a precious commodity, being requested on at least two fronts.  But it is somewhat depressing looking back at how things have changed.

I'm in an odd position, since I started reading this series recently.  I've been playing catch up with the author, which has allowed me to keep in the stories pretty consistently.  But now I've had a few day to wait for the next book to come out, which gave me time to reflect on things.  And to try to adjust to the ending of "Firestorm."  I really did not expect things to get as bad as they are.  I'm just not sure how this little four-stacker will be able to contend with combat across half the globe, and I'm anxious to find out how they rescue two of their own from the greatest evil this side of the "Final Solution."  The next book cannot come fast enough.

Just got to be patient as a wait to get my copy.