The Clone Redemption [Mass Market Paperback]

Steven Kent's The Clone Redemption, starts off right where The Clone Empire left off. The Enlisted Man's Navy (EMN) is fighting a war on two fronts: One against a faceless alien incursion set to the destruction of all life in the Milky Way, a war that cannot feasibly be won, only survived. Then reeling from yet another Unified Authority betrayal during the middle of an humanitarian mission, the clones of the EMN know it's now all out war with their natural born creators. Add a race against the clock to evacuate every human off every habitated planet, a task the Unified Authority based on Earth, seems to have abandoned. The clones are up to their synthetic eyeballs with problems and the weight of humanity is on their shoulders.

Also, forgotten by the Milky Way inhabitants, the small fleet from the Japanese nation, complete with a full compliment of the SEALs, (also known as the Adam Boyd clones) sent to Bodes Galaxy three years ago, to find the Avatari home world, has succeeded in the first part of their mission. They've found the home solar system of their enemies. Of course, finding them was the easy part, destroying them is another matter entirely.

The logistical nightmare of evacuating millions of inhabitants off several planets spread across the galaxy. Having to constantly look over your shoulder because your creators and their superior new technology is shadowing and picking off your ships at every turn. Fear that even if you succeed in evacuation without being killed by your own species, your efforts will fall short to the cruel cold power of the alien enemy. Added to the inevitable internal politics and posturing that always slows down large government action..... This book is action packed and emotionally exhausting.

I absolutely loved The Clone Redemption. Calling it a page turner is an understatement. There isn't a wasted paragraph. Switching perspectives and galaxies, and getting out of Harris' head a bit, was refreshing. Kent's modern EMN version of the praetorian guard is brilliant, and plays out seamlessly in the narrative. Seeing Harris' longest friend, and the biggest badass in the galaxy, Freeman, as a more vulnerable individual is touching and heartening. The hints at Japanese society fiercely trying to hold on to a tradition that has been slipping away for hundreds of years, yet somehow is perfectly recreated in the stoic SEAL clones, is genius.

All through the book, the dichotomy of circumstances that led the galaxy's cast off clones as the potential saviors for all of humanity, kept me constantly engaged. Harris has some great individual moments, but it's the SEALs who steal the show. Those squat, ugly, ultra-engineered clones draw you right in.

While Kent was collapsing the universe he created, he managed to expand it in great ways as well. The character development outside of Harris shows maturity in his writing. Within the scope of large battles and massive planetary evacuations, the details, the nitty gritty of logistics isn't lost. The book is satisfying as an end to a fictional era, where so many novels fail to live up to the hype. You shouldn't start with The Clone Empire, but if you've read any of Kent's other Clone books, you will love this one.

The Clone Redemption, by Steven L. Kent is the latest in a series of military sci-fi featuring clones by the millions that form their own empire.

The clones, created to be soldiers and led by clone Wayson Harris, have broken ties with the Unified Authority and Earth. Both empires have colonies spread across the galaxy, but those colonies are being systemically eradicated by a new extra-galactic alien force that completely eliminates all life on the planet after 83 seconds. A small force has gone to the aliens' homeworld while Harris tries to evacuate colonies that are in the path of the aliens' drive to Earth.

The clones in this series are unique from my perspective. Most of them are bred to be distinguishable from real humans. They have muted skin-tones and features that are often repugnant to normal humans. They're bred to serve humanity as a military force: navy, marines, special forces. Each programmed with their specific specialties and skills.

The clone saga does a fantastic job of letting me join mid-series and doesn't make me feel left behind. Brief mentions of what's gone before interwoven into the narrative brought me fully into this world.

There are actually two story-lines interweaving: the small fleet in the home galaxy of the invading aliens, and the main story of Harris' clone empire. Both would have been interesting novels all on their own, but they combine into a fun story.

I enjoyed the exploration aspect of the fleet in Bode's Galaxy, and would have liked to see that expanded more, instead of just exploring one world, and moving on to the homeworld. Whereas the story with Harris, fighting two fronts, really kept me reading. Harris had to both evacuate millions of people from colonies, and fight Earth forces at the same time.

The technology used in this book was different enough from other books to remain fresh - especially the broadcast drive to travel between stars. Add in stealth tech, a new planet-busting weapon, kamikazes, pirating space ships, and virtual people who think they're real - all add up to an exciting intergalactic adventure.

The ramifications of the events in this book set up the parameters for a new series set in this universe.

4 out of 5 stars.

The Clone Redemption was provided to me by the publisher for review at sporadicreviews.com

Steven has done it again. The Clone Redemption is an extremely fast-paced book. I typically read one book every week (sometimes up to two weeks on a single book) but I finished this one in a little over two days. I simply could not put the book down.

There's action, there's suspense, there's heartbreak, there's intrigue. If you want it, you've got it. Many old friends come back, but there are a few new ones thrown in as well. Lots of loose ends are tied up, but it's not the end of the clone saga.

Character development was very strong on this book, but it didn't get in the way of the action. Not only does Harris put on a good show, but the Boyd clones nearly steal the show.

Steven -- keep on writing them and I'll keep on reading them.

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