Alternative Worlds
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Von Neumann’s War
John Ringo and Travis Taylor
Baen, Jul 2006, $25.00
ISBN: 1416520759
Within months of one another three probes are sent to Mars from Russia, Europe and America respectively, but contact is lost on all. Astroscientists are further stunned as Mars seems to have abruptly changed from the angry red planet to an aging grayish orb. No known natural phenomena can be postulated to have caused this radical sudden change. Finally communication with Mars probes vanishes entirely.
Desperate to learn what is going on to insure it does not spread inward to earth, a special probe is sent, but this one is destroyed far from the planet. The conclusion is a foreign force is industrializing Mars with no concerns as to the environment. The only reason to destroy communications with probes from earth would be that the aliens are setting up a home base to stage a military invasion of Earth. While the military strategists work on a plan to prevent the invasion and the scientists work on a weapon, they come, but these are not little green men. They are the race of Von Neumann probes ignoring people while stripping all planetary metal to replicate themselves; some misfortunate humans die as collateral damage. Meanwhile the American military establish new command posts where metals are not a major issue such as the Huntsville hooters because breasts, wings and beer attract men, not Von Neumann robots.
VON NEUMANN’S WAR is an excellent military science fiction thriller that pundits will read in one delightful sitting as fans will need to “watch the second half”. The key to this Armageddon thriller is humor as John Ringo and Travis Taylor lampoon the sacred icons of society. The story line contains a solid Mars attacks tale based on the theories of late Hungarian mathematician John von Neumann, but filled with a droll wit as we have finally found the weapons of mass destruction in our face.
John Ringo and Travis Taylor
Baen, Jul 2006, $25.00
ISBN: 1416520759
Within months of one another three probes are sent to Mars from Russia, Europe and America respectively, but contact is lost on all. Astroscientists are further stunned as Mars seems to have abruptly changed from the angry red planet to an aging grayish orb. No known natural phenomena can be postulated to have caused this radical sudden change. Finally communication with Mars probes vanishes entirely.
Desperate to learn what is going on to insure it does not spread inward to earth, a special probe is sent, but this one is destroyed far from the planet. The conclusion is a foreign force is industrializing Mars with no concerns as to the environment. The only reason to destroy communications with probes from earth would be that the aliens are setting up a home base to stage a military invasion of Earth. While the military strategists work on a plan to prevent the invasion and the scientists work on a weapon, they come, but these are not little green men. They are the race of Von Neumann probes ignoring people while stripping all planetary metal to replicate themselves; some misfortunate humans die as collateral damage. Meanwhile the American military establish new command posts where metals are not a major issue such as the Huntsville hooters because breasts, wings and beer attract men, not Von Neumann robots.
VON NEUMANN’S WAR is an excellent military science fiction thriller that pundits will read in one delightful sitting as fans will need to “watch the second half”. The key to this Armageddon thriller is humor as John Ringo and Travis Taylor lampoon the sacred icons of society. The story line contains a solid Mars attacks tale based on the theories of late Hungarian mathematician John von Neumann, but filled with a droll wit as we have finally found the weapons of mass destruction in our face.