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Guardian of Night
A Sci-Fi novel of Earth versus the strongest power in the Galaxy.
352 pages, Paperback
First published February 1, 2012
7 people are currently reading
169 people want to read
About the author
Tony Daniel
99 books75 followersTony Daniel is an author of science fiction novels, short stories, and radio dramas.
For the comic book author, see Tony S. Daniel.
For the comic book author, see Tony S. Daniel.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
June 25, 2022
Starts out slow, but once he gets all his balls in the air, the tale moves briskly, and is genuinely moving at times. Since GR didn't supply a publisher's preview, I'll refer you to Peter Darbyshire's review here, nearby. Once you've read that, I'll resume.
Back already? What the novel is really about, besides being a rousing tale of plucky Earthmen (and women) fighting against an overwhelmingly powerful Alien Invader, is how every monstrous oppressor eventually reaches their limits. You can consider the lessons of Stalin in the old USSR, Mao in China, and Putin meeting his limits (we hope) in Ukraine. Here the Humans are far more inventive than the Aliens in understanding the methods of Quantum warfare in space, even after the initial invasion killed something like 98% of Earth's population. But those plucky Earthmen are fighting back, aided by unexpected allies within the invaders....
This one is a strong 3.5 stars, rounded up. But if you have never tried Tony Daniel, the place to start is his novella "A Dry, Quiet War" (1996), which I rated 5 stars here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... Plus there's a copy online!
Back already? What the novel is really about, besides being a rousing tale of plucky Earthmen (and women) fighting against an overwhelmingly powerful Alien Invader, is how every monstrous oppressor eventually reaches their limits. You can consider the lessons of Stalin in the old USSR, Mao in China, and Putin meeting his limits (we hope) in Ukraine. Here the Humans are far more inventive than the Aliens in understanding the methods of Quantum warfare in space, even after the initial invasion killed something like 98% of Earth's population. But those plucky Earthmen are fighting back, aided by unexpected allies within the invaders....
This one is a strong 3.5 stars, rounded up. But if you have never tried Tony Daniel, the place to start is his novella "A Dry, Quiet War" (1996), which I rated 5 stars here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... Plus there's a copy online!
February 17, 2012
I never know what to say about Tony Daniel's work because, unlike many other SF writers, he resists categorization. Sure, this is a typical SF novel about humanity besieged by an invading, technologically advanced alien race. Sure, it's a typical SF novel about an alien artifact. Sure, it's a typical SF novel concerned with the extrapolation of current research, especially all things quantum. Only it's not a typical SF novel at all. It takes all the genre conventions and tropes and does so much more with them. Tony Daniel isn't writing about the future. Tony Daniel is from the future -- the future of science fiction. Do yourself a favour and preview this one now.
May 30, 2013
Pretty good military space opera. Lots of space ships which is good. Some dense science extrapolation which I didn't bother to really wrap my head around since I know my brain doesn't work that way or I would have become a theoretical physicist like Sheldon Cooper. Still the space ship designs were way cool. Kind of like Wonder Woman's airplane.
The aliens were very well done physically and I loved how they communicated with smells. That was a fun concept to read about. Like a lot of military sci fi there were quite a few characters which worked pretty well for the plot. Characterization wasn't too in depth. Still the author made an effort to make the characters different and distinctive. The ship captain who was a thrill seeker was a very cool character. Everything in space was an amusement park ride to him. And I'd think that that sort of person would be a good fit for going to space. I also liked Japp who was in the opening sequence and then just a bit farther in the book. Somehow you just got her with a few light touches. The alien was pretty nice too. Although their thinking didn't seem too foreign, there was enough oddities built into their culture to make their thinking reasonably alien.
All in all, a pretty solid military space opera for us lovers of that sort of thing.
The aliens were very well done physically and I loved how they communicated with smells. That was a fun concept to read about. Like a lot of military sci fi there were quite a few characters which worked pretty well for the plot. Characterization wasn't too in depth. Still the author made an effort to make the characters different and distinctive. The ship captain who was a thrill seeker was a very cool character. Everything in space was an amusement park ride to him. And I'd think that that sort of person would be a good fit for going to space. I also liked Japp who was in the opening sequence and then just a bit farther in the book. Somehow you just got her with a few light touches. The alien was pretty nice too. Although their thinking didn't seem too foreign, there was enough oddities built into their culture to make their thinking reasonably alien.
All in all, a pretty solid military space opera for us lovers of that sort of thing.
January 27, 2013
I wanted to like this book, but just couldn't. The concept's not bad, but the book suffers from two things that plague so many science fiction books (and are why I read so little science fiction): poor characterization and excessive "telling."
You can tell the characters are basically sound, but the author moves them through the story with puppet-like stiffness, failing to bring them to life or make the reader care about them. Information on the setting, the technology, and on the alien culture and biology, are delivered gracelessly in large, obvious chunks.
Sometimes, when I can't bring myself to finish a book, I'll skip to the end because, even though it's not a great book, I'm curious about how things turn out. Well, I didn't finish Guardian of Night, and I didn't skip to the end, either: it's not a bad book, not by a long shot, but it is pretty mediocre.
You can tell the characters are basically sound, but the author moves them through the story with puppet-like stiffness, failing to bring them to life or make the reader care about them. Information on the setting, the technology, and on the alien culture and biology, are delivered gracelessly in large, obvious chunks.
Sometimes, when I can't bring myself to finish a book, I'll skip to the end because, even though it's not a great book, I'm curious about how things turn out. Well, I didn't finish Guardian of Night, and I didn't skip to the end, either: it's not a bad book, not by a long shot, but it is pretty mediocre.
May 12, 2012
Enjoyed this one. Listened to the audio. It was very well narrated. I'd read some early reviews comparing it to Hunt for Red October. Agreed, but loved that one as well. Enjoyed the hard sci-fi elements tremendously. Being from Oklahoma and having lived in Dallas, I could appreciate the locales. Special place in my heart for the red earth of Western Ok. Good book. There were some elements I liked that Daniel had written of previously in his works, Metaplanetary and Superluminal, that he covers in Guardian. What defines us as human or sentient. I find this exploration fascinating.
Thanks, Mr. Daniel, for a solid addition to my library.
Thanks, Mr. Daniel, for a solid addition to my library.
December 26, 2017
Space military scifi adventure with quantum physics. Great fun. Made me want to take a class on Quantum Physics.
August 20, 2022
Daniel, Tony. Guardian of Night. Baen, 2012.
Tony Daniel, who should not be confused with comic book writer Tony S. Daniel, has written a few Star Trek novels, but he may be best at military space opera. In Guardian of Night, humanity is recovering from a devastating attack by a militaristic race humans call sceeve. The attack has unified humanity but has worsened a rift in Guardian culture. Losing the first battle has given humanity a technological spurt. Meanwhile, the Guardians are massing an armada for a second assault, when one of our patrol ships picks up an encrypted message from a sceeve defector. There is plenty of character drama on both sides, but frankly, the sceeve are more interesting than the people, but our AIs are more fun than theirs.
The sceeve characters have all the emotional and political conflicts that we usually associate with human characters. Daniel is efficient in conveying the otherness of the sceeve. Consider this throwaway line: “Malako touched a hand to his lower muzzle, stroked a membrane, considering.” No further description is needed to tell us how nonhuman this sceeve is.
Daniel also discusses the physics of star drives in plausible ways. As he told one reviewer, he wanted to write a tech thriller with explosions. Human AIs are fully conscious and at least one serves as the executive officer on a starship. She usually displays a holographic avatar that looks female and human. She has meaningful conversations with the ship’s captain and plays an important role in the plot but never fully crosses the uncanny valley. 4 stars.
Tony Daniel, who should not be confused with comic book writer Tony S. Daniel, has written a few Star Trek novels, but he may be best at military space opera. In Guardian of Night, humanity is recovering from a devastating attack by a militaristic race humans call sceeve. The attack has unified humanity but has worsened a rift in Guardian culture. Losing the first battle has given humanity a technological spurt. Meanwhile, the Guardians are massing an armada for a second assault, when one of our patrol ships picks up an encrypted message from a sceeve defector. There is plenty of character drama on both sides, but frankly, the sceeve are more interesting than the people, but our AIs are more fun than theirs.
The sceeve characters have all the emotional and political conflicts that we usually associate with human characters. Daniel is efficient in conveying the otherness of the sceeve. Consider this throwaway line: “Malako touched a hand to his lower muzzle, stroked a membrane, considering.” No further description is needed to tell us how nonhuman this sceeve is.
Daniel also discusses the physics of star drives in plausible ways. As he told one reviewer, he wanted to write a tech thriller with explosions. Human AIs are fully conscious and at least one serves as the executive officer on a starship. She usually displays a holographic avatar that looks female and human. She has meaningful conversations with the ship’s captain and plays an important role in the plot but never fully crosses the uncanny valley. 4 stars.
February 15, 2013
I really liked this book. Excellent, really imaginative sf with interesting science and fantastic aliens. They talk with smells, just for a start, and the smell-language is remarkably well thought out. The characters are solid, real people. Daniels doesn't dwell on their back stories, but by the tics and quirks he gives each individual he fleshes out beautifully the effect their past has on their personalities and on the present.
The basis for the book is that everybody's in a mess, both humans and aliens (they started it, of course), but a few intelligent men of good faith make a difference. I like this kind of story. There aren't a lot of battles, but I found the ones there were to be very satisfying, and the there's enough suspense and tension in the rest of the book to keep it moving the way this sort of story should move.
Altogether a thoroughly enjoyable read.
The basis for the book is that everybody's in a mess, both humans and aliens (they started it, of course), but a few intelligent men of good faith make a difference. I like this kind of story. There aren't a lot of battles, but I found the ones there were to be very satisfying, and the there's enough suspense and tension in the rest of the book to keep it moving the way this sort of story should move.
Altogether a thoroughly enjoyable read.
September 2, 2016
this book was so imaginative. alien laughter that smells like strawberries?! & kicka** rebel poet with a salman rushdie hit on his head. totally exciting psycho assassin & the three male leads are smart, funny, daring, sexy -- this should freakin' be a movie. yes the basic premise is red october but that's it -- this is sooo much bigger and more eloquent with an undeniably surprising & triumphant ending. i liked the book R.O. for the smart strategies but Guardian made me love these characters; laughed, cried, cheered -- I really liked it (and obviously you know who my fav author is...)
June 8, 2014
A bit of a chore to read. A wide variety of characters and events not too smoothly interlocked with rather a lot of anthropological development descriptions.
In keeping with many current novels this has an somewhat exotic extra-terrestrial life form. The aliens have quite humanistic political strife and bureaucratic organizational structures. However, they eat by slurping goo through their feet (no description of what it feels like to walk on your lips). Their communication is through olfactory emissions which are translated by an obsessive compulsive human hero.
In keeping with many current novels this has an somewhat exotic extra-terrestrial life form. The aliens have quite humanistic political strife and bureaucratic organizational structures. However, they eat by slurping goo through their feet (no description of what it feels like to walk on your lips). Their communication is through olfactory emissions which are translated by an obsessive compulsive human hero.
March 22, 2012
Aliens (who communicate with smells, not sounds) have left Earth half devastated and are now coming back to complete the job. But one is a turncoat, and has a superweapon to boot. Top drawer plot, pretty interesting cast, and first rate tech/science here---but it's all wrapped up in waaaayy too much tedious "character development," flashbacks and scenes that do not advance the story.
Still, pretty stimulating military SF!
Still, pretty stimulating military SF!
December 17, 2014
Some of the concepts were interesting and seemed well thought out, particularly the system for FTL travel and communication. But there seemed times when it felt like the subtext was all about what a horrible system the Soviet government (with Politburo and KGB and political officers) was. And that was a little strange for a book published in 2012. Some good space opera with grand battles, strange aliens, noble sacrifices, brave actions.
April 25, 2013
An excellent scifi version of Clancy's Hunt for Red October.
September 12, 2020
A solid ET invasion story with really freaky aliens.
It reminds me of Deepdrive by Alexander Jablokov, which I recommend as well as this one.
It reminds me of Deepdrive by Alexander Jablokov, which I recommend as well as this one.
May 18, 2021
2.5 stars
August 28, 2022
Pretty good space opera. Tony Daniel really let his imagination run. This story features some rather odd aliens and a lot of far out future tech.
3.5 stars rounded up.
3.5 stars rounded up.
September 24, 2025
I really, really, really wanted to like this story. The premise is fascinating and it started out interesting.
Then a new character was introduced, and another one, and another one, and I began to lose track of the story's threads.
Chapter 4 was the killer for me. It was a loooooong chapter, most of it completely unnecessary exposition. Let me repeat that for the readers in the back: completely unnecessary.
It's like the author was more in love with the back story and worldbuilding than with the actual story itself.
I tried for another little bit, but ended up skimming quite a bit. Finally DNF'd near the beginning of Ch. 7 (p. 116 in the mass market paperback edition).
Then a new character was introduced, and another one, and another one, and I began to lose track of the story's threads.
Chapter 4 was the killer for me. It was a loooooong chapter, most of it completely unnecessary exposition. Let me repeat that for the readers in the back: completely unnecessary.
It's like the author was more in love with the back story and worldbuilding than with the actual story itself.
I tried for another little bit, but ended up skimming quite a bit. Finally DNF'd near the beginning of Ch. 7 (p. 116 in the mass market paperback edition).
November 30, 2020
Good old-fashioned hard science fiction at 900 times the speed of light. Rugged, resourceful, and often quirky male and female characters take on terrifying aliens who communicate by smell. I guess you could call it a stinker, but in this case it's a compliment. Heinleiners will love it.
May 3, 2023
This story is a SF version of the Hunt for the Red October.
While the aliens are inventive and creative it felt that the political culture was a rehash of the old Soviet politburo
The science was cool to a degree but it wasn't explained in the story very well. More info dump and less show.
While the aliens are inventive and creative it felt that the political culture was a rehash of the old Soviet politburo
The science was cool to a degree but it wasn't explained in the story very well. More info dump and less show.
March 14, 2016
I just enjoyed the hell out of this. Why? It wasn't trite, with characters playing stereotypes, it was just people dealing with terrible situations. People, not aliens and humans, just people. The scent language was fascinating, but never a barrier. The narration was excellent!
July 27, 2017
To say it's derivative of Clancy's Hunt for Red October is mild and ignoring direct plagiarism . Did this clown just sit there watching the movie or have a copy in his hand? Hope Baen paid a copyright fee too his estate... grackles
Want to read
September 11, 2016Sci fi
July 20, 2014
Terrible
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews