The national bestselling author of the Sons of Destiny series brings her wildly entertaining (Jayne Ann Krentz) imagination to science fiction in a...
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Jan 14, 2012
Tamora
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Nov 19, 2011
Jo (Mixed Book Bag)
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I saw a recommendation for A Soldier’s Duty on another web site and decided to check it out. It is the first in a new series, Theirs Not to Reason Why, by Jean Johnson.
The story is riveting. Ia (this is her only name) is a precog . She has visions of the future and when she was 15 she sees a future where everyone dies. As she searches all the many time streams she finds only one where there is a chance of survival but only if she works very hard to make sure certain events happen. More...
The story is riveting. Ia (this is her only name) is a precog . She has visions of the future and when she was 15 she sees a future where everyone dies. As she searches all the many time streams she finds only one where there is a chance of survival but only if she works very hard to make sure certain events happen. More...
Sep 09, 2011
Jane
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Ia is a precognitive young woman who has seen the future and it ain't good. Her ability to dip into the timestreams has given her knowledge no person should have and yet... What can she do but try to change things? If she does not her world and every other world in the galaxy is going to be destroyed in the future. Every step she takes from the age of 15 is meant to prepare her to be in the right places at the right times to prevent that catastrophe. Her first step? Join the marines.
Th More...
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Aug 21, 2011
Linda
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I LOVED this book! I really enjoyed her other books and was so excited to find out about this series. This is more of a Sci-Fi book than romance but it was really good. Ia (that is her name) is a futuristic colonist on a world with more gravity than earth which makes the people who live there very strong, she is also precognitive (sees the future). As a young girl she has a vision so horrifying that she must put aside all of her dreams in order to keep it from happening. She joins the Marin
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Jan 21, 2012
Michael
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I must admit, I chose to read this book first in my quest to read all of this year's Philip K. Dick nominees simply because I expected to find least interesting. I'm not big into military stories (the only other military-themed SF I can remember reading is Heinlein's Starship Troopers), so when sorting from least-curious to most-curious by back cover blurbs, this made it to the top of the pile.
However, I found it a lot more interesting and enjoyable than I expected. While there's cer More...
However, I found it a lot more interesting and enjoyable than I expected. While there's cer More...
Jan 25, 2012
Coucher de soleil
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I liked this one. The setting caught my attention from the get-go - it was very interesting and original. I liked the main charater, Ia, and I found the story to be quite gripping.
The only weaknesses I could point to would be: first, as some may point out, the somewhat Mary-Sue-ish nature of the main character. In this case however I thought that the story worked well despite this: it's rather hard to have a story that isn't a bit of a Mary-Sue when the main character is the only one More...
The only weaknesses I could point to would be: first, as some may point out, the somewhat Mary-Sue-ish nature of the main character. In this case however I thought that the story worked well despite this: it's rather hard to have a story that isn't a bit of a Mary-Sue when the main character is the only one More...
Dec 04, 2011
Marlene
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A Soldier's Duty is the opening title in the new military science fiction series, Theirs Not to Reason Why, by Jean Johnson.
We first meet Ia as a 15-year-old on the Terran colony of Sanctuary as she navigates the time-streams after a horrifying vision of the future annihilation of human civilization. Through her frantic search of the possible futures for one tiny glimmer of hope, we catch a glimpse of our heroine as well. Her precognition is a recognized fact, and this future accepts p More...
We first meet Ia as a 15-year-old on the Terran colony of Sanctuary as she navigates the time-streams after a horrifying vision of the future annihilation of human civilization. Through her frantic search of the possible futures for one tiny glimmer of hope, we catch a glimpse of our heroine as well. Her precognition is a recognized fact, and this future accepts p More...
Sep 04, 2011
Linda
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This book attracted me because it had a female soldier on the cover and was about a female marine, in the future. Ia can see the future, and she sees a major disaster maybe she can prevent -- if she gets herself in the right place. So she joins the Marines.
Most of the book is spent with Ia in training, learning how to be a marine. Since I'm a former soldier, I found it interesting -- though I had a hard time figuring out how it played into the overall story. But after Ia got out of More...
Most of the book is spent with Ia in training, learning how to be a marine. Since I'm a former soldier, I found it interesting -- though I had a hard time figuring out how it played into the overall story. But after Ia got out of More...
Sep 05, 2011
John
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Riff on STARSHIP TROOPERS, with a more cosmic outlook and a female protagonist. Though Ia has all these psi abilities and super powers and magical gear that the author keeps just dropping into the story (after a while it kind of takes the suspense out of the game, as Ia can look a few moments or decades into the future and act accordingly whenever she wants, always has enough speed and strength, and that crystal alien dung/sword/bracelet/power cord/etc is an unalloyed deus ex machina), and thoug
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Sep 29, 2011
J.M.
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I love military science fiction and when I came across this book, I knew I needed to read it. I stayed up until 1 am finishing it and I'm totally jazzed. Ia is a precognitive who sees a devastating future for her home world and the universe. And it's up to her to fix the future. With the ability to see any number of possible futures, Ia knows she is the only salvation for the universe. She joins the Space Marines and that's when the fun begins. Miss Johnson could have skipped most of the t
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Aug 12, 2011
Barbara
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It is unfortunate that Goodreads doesn't have a rating for crack fiction. This book is soooo bad, it is good. I read the whole thing, avidly turning pages, just to find out what totally impossible things our heroine would do next.
This is allegedly a 'coming of age in the military' novel--but it is not. Our heroine is supposedly 18 when she joins the Marines, but she acts 38. And her physical capabilities are beyond Wonder Woman. No, we are not in 'Starship Trooper' territory, because t More...
This is allegedly a 'coming of age in the military' novel--but it is not. Our heroine is supposedly 18 when she joins the Marines, but she acts 38. And her physical capabilities are beyond Wonder Woman. No, we are not in 'Starship Trooper' territory, because t More...
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Dec 01, 2011
Cassandra
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I can see where some people would enjoy this book. Unfortunately, I'm not among their number. The author focused on things that I wasn't all that interested in, and spent much of the book's content on exploring those things. I want to say this is just a case of, "not my thing," except for one thing... I can't figure out what the plot was. There's an over-arching series plot that I'm interested in learning more about, but I couldn't find a smaller plot belonging only to this book. The w
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Jan 06, 2012
Libby
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I rarely read military sci-fi because it tends to glorify the things I find least admirable about humanity and there are rarely well-developed female characters. That's why I found the premise of "A Soldier's Duty," the first in a new series, to be so refreshing. It features a smart, strong female protagonist who enters the military in an attempt to stave off the cataclysmic war that she has foreseen with her precognitive abilities. She must hide her gifts and tread the narrow, precipi
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Aug 20, 2011
Lindig
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Is this SF, what with all the psychic abilities? I suppose if "Dune" is sorted as SF, then this is, too. And, of course, it's very much military SF. I wonder, though, why a woman is the lead character, especially as nothing in her actions, thoughts, or personal life is in any way female. I like military SF with female leads, but I'd be more interested in some explication of the differences between male/female soldiers. Another problem with this book is the "info dump" of how
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Aug 26, 2011
Rob
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First in a new series, A Soldier's Duty repeatedly reminded me of Gordon Dickson's Childe Cycle and, to a lesser extent, Robert Heinlein's Starship Troopers. Excellent read with a touch more of the 'mysticism' than was apparent in the Dorsai series. This element does seem to be a bit too convenient at times, but I'm hopeful that the author will be able to throw a monkey-wrench into the works every so often so that the heroine(s) don't have it too easy. I also hope that the series doesn't stretch
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Jul 30, 2011
Liviu
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This is a book that is ok for what it does but it is one of literally hundreds of similar books with Starship Troopers one famous template- coming of age mil-sf with (unusual) recruit going through the ropes and saving everyone's bacon in the process - and since I read my fair share of such, I am sort of done with this subgenre unless there is something (world building, characters, prose) to wow me and this book has nothing that special; not bad otherwise and you can do worse in both sff and thi
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Oct 01, 2011
Stephanie
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I enjoyed it. It's about a female who basically becomes a Marine to save the world 300 years into the future. The thing I enjoyed was the whole slipping into the timestream and seeing how she had to manipulate events and people to her advantage without them knowing TOO much. It was also interesting to see how the weight of all these planets and their people are resting on her shoulders. You don't really see Ia break down besides some nightmares. Even if she has experienced killing in her lifetim
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Jan 30, 2012
Joy
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Ia is a precognitive psychic--a powerful one--who can see multiple future timelines and probabilities--and when she sees future disaster, she knows that if she plays everything exactly right, she can DO SOMETHING about it. But she knows she has to join the Terran space Marines first...
This is a fun milSF adventure yarn with a kick-ass heroine. In fact, the heroine is so kick-ass that by the time she acquires her Marine nickname "Bloody Mary," I was ready to call her " More...
This is a fun milSF adventure yarn with a kick-ass heroine. In fact, the heroine is so kick-ass that by the time she acquires her Marine nickname "Bloody Mary," I was ready to call her " More...
Oct 21, 2011
Darcy
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I wasn't really sure what to expect from this book when I picked it up. It didn't sound like it would be similar to any of this author's other books, and it isn't. I don't know what I would compare it to as it is different from anything I have read.
The heart of the story boils down to one thing...if you knew the future what would you do to change it? Ia, is a precog, and at a very young age learned what the future would bring it things happened on course. She takes it upon hers More...
The heart of the story boils down to one thing...if you knew the future what would you do to change it? Ia, is a precog, and at a very young age learned what the future would bring it things happened on course. She takes it upon hers More...
Jan 24, 2012
Mollie *scoutrmom*
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I liked this a lot. This is not a romance at all. I think it's classic sci-fi with a little paranormal thrown in. There are no sex scenes. Though Johnson's audience is usually adult, I think this would be good YA fiction as well.
The heroine, Ia, is a young girl, barely an adult, whose paranormal vision of her duty leads her into the military. We are not given a precise description of the nature of the disaster she is working to avert, only a view of the results of the disaster. H More...
The heroine, Ia, is a young girl, barely an adult, whose paranormal vision of her duty leads her into the military. We are not given a precise description of the nature of the disaster she is working to avert, only a view of the results of the disaster. H More...
Jul 23, 2011
April (CSI:Librarian)
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(Originally posted @ CSI:Librarian)
For me, A Soldier's Duty was like a much needed breath of fresh air. Not only because it was a fun, character-driven series opener with a strong, vivid female lead, but because it lacked romance of any kind. Romance is fine and good, of course, but sometimes I just want to read about someone saving their world and/or universe.
The best parts of the book were the details and the way the future was set up as a far more open-minded, complex More...
For me, A Soldier's Duty was like a much needed breath of fresh air. Not only because it was a fun, character-driven series opener with a strong, vivid female lead, but because it lacked romance of any kind. Romance is fine and good, of course, but sometimes I just want to read about someone saving their world and/or universe.
The best parts of the book were the details and the way the future was set up as a far more open-minded, complex More...
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Nov 28, 2011
Sandra
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I liked the basic story and am certainly interested to see where it goes next. However I found it a bit heavy on the military description and ended up skimming sections quite often. For example when they are being trained on the guns there was SIX pages in a row describing the different types of guns used by the marines. Also I found it hard to warm to the heroine as she doesn't really interact or form connections with anyone as her mission is too important and she knows what is going to happen
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Jan 12, 2012
Babsji5
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A lot of world building, and slightly repetitive in places, with all the universe is going to end unless I do such and such. I'd like for some of the people around her to get developed also. Hopefully she'll go into more detail about the Feyori and the prophet. All in all though, I enjoyed and I'm looking forward to the next in the series.
Jul 29, 2011
Christopher
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Excellent book- tragic that a talent like Ms. Johnson's took so long to touch science fiction. I highly recommend this series, and definitely look forward to this next installment!
Dec 19, 2011
Stoli
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Was excited about this book, but then thoroughly disappointed. Main character has zero personality or likability and kinda wished her dead. The rest of the book- plot, side characters, world- were actually pretty good; still won't be picking up the next one tho.
Sep 18, 2011
Angie
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Wonderful new series that grabs your attention from the first 10 pages. I couldn't stop reading!
Sep 30, 2011
Anita
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It is a little detailed in the beginning...but stick with it because it is worth it!
Oct 01, 2011
Emily
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This book is amazing! Kudos to Jean, the detail and plot itself was awesome. Can't wait to read the next book when it releases in August 2012! =D
Sep 17, 2011
I gave up after 60 pages. Too much minutiae, not enough forward momentum. I was starting to skip pages. It's too bad as the premise had promise. Pardon the alliteration.
