Final Command

The Double Spiral War #3

by Warren C. Norwood

When an alien alliance upsets the balance of power in the conflict between the Sondak Confederacy and United Central Systems, Sondak's brilliant, ruthless commander launches a last-ditch offensive to transform defeat into victory

Genres: Science Fiction, Collections

252 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1986

About the author

Member of Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, author of 13 published novels, including 3 series and various individual books. Taught writing at Weatherford College, Texas. See also: http://www.sf-encyclopedia.com/entry/...

Reviews

[Otis Campbell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Warren C. Norwood brings his grand space feud to a roaring, iron-shod finish in Final Command, the third and final book of the Double Spiral War trilogy, and it is a certified barnburner for folks who like their sci-fi endings packed with heavy artillery. The long, bloody slog between the United Planets and the Sandarian Empire has finally reached its breaking point, and both sides are throwing every last scrap of manpower and starship steel into the meat grinder. Norwood doesn't offer up any cheap magic tricks or easy outs here; he treats this final showdown like a true military campaign, where victory is bought with cold strategy, heavy casualties, and pure grit. The starship dogfights and massive fleet engagements are described with a gritty, grease-and-laser realism that’ll make you feel like you're hunkered down in a foxhole watching the night sky light up. What makes this finale punch so hard is how it focuses on the folks who actually have to sign the order sheets and live with the ghosts afterward. Norwood does a dandy job showing that winning a galactic war ain't just about blowing up the enemy's biggest base; it’s about the bone-deep exhaustion of the commanders and the heavy, lingering cost of peace. While the plot moves quicker than a startled deer to tie up all its scattered loose ends, it manages to deliver a payoff that feels completely earned and honest. It’s a rock-solid, no-nonsense conclusion to one of the most underrated military sci-fi series of the 1980s, and it finishes the whole yarn up finer than a handmade quilt.

[Little Timmy · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent SiFi war story. The first book of a trilogy and it picks you up and carries you along nicely. Great characters and story line. Highly recommended