Street fights among the stars
The third volume of Campbell’s The Genesis Fleet prequel holds nearly as many plot points as the third season of Stranger Things. We follow urban guerrilla trying to recapture the young city from the hands of mercenaries on the occupier services. We are listening to political negotiations. And here we go again with defending the space station. There will also be cosmic skirmishes, this author’s specialty.
We already know that two neighboring planetary systems with the colonies on Kosatka and Glenlyon heroically and extremely cleverly defend their homes, supporting each other. Had it not been for the attack by cosmic pirates conquering more and more bridgeheads of mankind to create one authoritarian, hard-handed state, this friendship might never have happened. Or it would remained only between individuals and not entire nations. Meanwhile, the two planets join forces and very quickly realize that tango is not enough. They need a whole team of allies to defend their homes and ensure a peaceful future for others.
Triumphant is a very dynamic volume. First, it moves between many parallel threads, each with its own political and military specificity, and focuses on one or more strong characters. Secondly, it shows more and more clearly the differences between the coalitions forming in space. Finally – there is a lot going on here, because every story that makes up this novel is full of twists.
If you were reading this, you have the two previous volumes behind you, so you know more or less what will happen. Rob Geary will command the space destroyer and work with Mele Darcy infantry. Interestingly, this time she becomes the main character of the volume. To some extent, she shares this position with Carmen Ochoa, who is involved in the city’s fighting, and gradually also Kosatka’s defense policy. Lochan Nakamura will try to find new allies, whom he will encourage to cooperate with his short, accurate speeches and bold decisions. If you know The Lost Fleet or Beyond the Frontier, you know what their actions will bring, but you will be emotionally involved anyway.
Micro and macro histories
Writing about the first volume of The Genesis Fleet, I already mentioned that in the latest Campbell series I like the transition from the level of space battles and strategies to individual heroes or their small groups, always focused around a common problem. The author continues this approach in Triumphant, never straying away from the hard science fiction subgenre. Here you will find the reflections on the nature of time, technical details of interstellar travel, strategy and tactics, but also touching and full of tender sarcasm dialogues. Campbell loves his specialists, shows their professionalism and focus on the goal, but knows that each of them has a heart and that is what defines their character.
The trilogy about the origins of The Lost Fleet and the conflict that engulfs many planetary systems is about people trying to live the best they can and create a future they dream about. Ancestor worship is slowly developing in the colonies, but even unbelievers live as if their descendants look at them with tension and anticipation – write us a better, nobler, proud and hopeful story. Create anecdotes for us by which we will judge how good people we are.
If you’ve started reading Campbell since The Genesis Fleet, there’s a lot ahead of you. For fans of this author, it is a great addition to the series – consistent with the previous parts and deepening our attachment to the world created by the author. It’s the story of how, from an escape from the old Earth, new colonies were born, full of politicians, interest groups, wars and heroes, heroic as those in ancient Greece.
