War Dogs

By: Greg Bear

Narrated by: Jay Snyder

An epic interstellar tale of war from a master of science fiction.

One more tour on the red. Maybe my last.

They made their presence on Earth known thirteen years ago.

Providing technology and scientific insights far beyond what mankind was capable of. They became indispensable advisors and promised even more gifts that we just couldn't pass up. We called them Gurus.

It took them a while to drop the other shoe. You can see why, looking back.

It was a very big shoe, completely slathered in crap.

They had been hounded by mortal enemies from sun to sun, planet to planet, and were now stretched thin -- and they needed our help.

And so our first bill came due. Skyrines like me were volunteered to pay the price. As always.

These enemies were already inside our solar system and were moving to establish a beachhead, but not on Earth.

On Mars.

Critic reviews

"Greg Bear's voice is a resonant, clear chord of quality binding some of the best SF of the 20th Century to the short list of science-savvy, sophisticated, top-notch speculative fiction of the 21st. More than a grace note, Hull Zero Three is a compelling allegro in the growing symphony of Greg Bear's finest work."—Dan Simmons

"Packed with adventure and incident...and conveyed with gritty realism."—Kirkus on War Dogs

"Hull Zero Three is a grand adventure of scientific discovery in the tradition of "Orphans of the Sky" and "Rendezvous with Rama" -- by turns chilling and touching, it poses challenging questions about what it means to be human."—Charles Stross

"Hull Zero Three is a lean, mean, supercharged sense-of-wonder engine."—Alastair Reynolds on Hull Zero Three

"Not for those who prefer their space opera simple-minded, this beautifully written tale where nothing is as it seems will please readers with a well-developed sense of wonder."—Publisher's Weekly (starred review) on Hull Zero Three

"Greg Bear is one contemporary master of the old ways, and in Hull Zero Three he gives the generation starship theme - crystallized beautifully by Robert Heinlein in 1941's "Universe" - a vigorous makeover...."—bn.com

"The heart of the mystery is worthy of Bear in its bravura extrapolations into far-future science and moral ambiguity...a testament of faith both in human beings and in something beyond them, divine or indistinguishable from it, and it seems directed as much toward the world of today, with all its sinful affections and deceits, as it is toward the far future."—Locus on Hull Zero Three

"I loved Hull Zero Three - this book reminds me of why I fell in love with science fiction in the first place. Searing questions of humanity, a good old fashioned riddle of a plot, and excellent conceptualization make Hull Zero Three more than worth the effort."—thebooksmugglers.com

Pidgin English from Martians a major distraction

good book but the "Martians" dialogue is difficult to follow requiring several rewinds for me to stay with the story. I don't think the print version would be as problematic.

OK

This was more like an unfinished work because there are so many loose ends left unattended. I assume the author is planning a second work to continue the story based on all these unanswered questions. Basically written in first person narrative, which gets a little tiring. Reader is fine. Not a waste of money, but not the most absorbing either.

Another Winner from Greg Bear

I can’t honestly say that I enjoyed all the foul language, but hey, the main characters are Marines, or rather, “Skyrines,” and well, I suppose you just have to expect that sort of language from them.

Cussing aside, this is (for me, anyway) a fresh take on the Red Planet/Mars and for military sci-fi in general. I really enjoyed it, especially the surprises and the mystery that Bear tantalizingly unfolds for us. Warning: this book requires your full attention; otherwise, you’re probably going to finish it feeling like you’ve missed something. Bear wisely saves the best for last (so to speak) and leaves you wanting more!

Interesting Intro to a Series

Would you consider the audio edition of War Dogs to be better than the print version?

No, nothing beats a book in your hands, but I did enjoy the story and the performance via audio.

What did you like best about this story?

I enjoyed the story line. It kept me interested and wanting more.

Have you listened to any of Jay Snyder’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I enjoyed the narrator. He did a good job with the story and the characters. So far, he is my favorite narrator.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

No

Any additional comments?

I understand other reviewers frustration with the lack of sci fi or military sci fi. The story does not contain much pure sci fi. It also is clearly leading the reader to expect more details and story to come. I found the military parts of the story a bit much at times, but that is just personal preference. It's not that it was poorly written. Those points aside, I did enjoy the story and found myself eager to hear more. It contained interesting concepts and characters were beginning to be developed more fully. I plan to continue to the next book in the series.

Great listen but only half story told

Loved what was there. Don't know if Greg Bear just ran out of energy, gave up and gave a great story an unsatisfying ending or he is planning a sequel. I hope it is the latter. This is the second book by a famous author I've read lately that reached the number of words required by the publisher and just ended.