Shadow Ops: Control Point

**JustaStaffer** · February 2nd, 2012, 08:36 AM

Originally Posted by Luke_B

Thanks, Justin. Out of interest, do you know who bought the rights?

I do. Let me try to remember... Headline I believe. AKA: Hachette Imprint Not Named Orbit

**TooNice** · February 2nd, 2012, 12:26 PM

I heard about this from a site I found through Joe Abercrombie's blog and was sold on the concept alone, I'll definitely get it when it comes out over here. Really excited now after hearing all the positive feedback.

**Luke_B** · February 2nd, 2012, 02:19 PM

Originally Posted by JustaStaffer

I do. Let me try to remember... Headline I believe. AKA: Hachette Imprint Not Named Orbit

That's ... weird. I would have thought one of the big genre publishers would have snaffled it.

**JustaStaffer** · February 2nd, 2012, 02:22 PM

Originally Posted by Luke_B

That's ... weird. I would have thought one of the big genre publishers would have snaffled it.

I think the argument is they view it as something that can be sold to more traditional readers as well. It's modern day, not SF and not heroic fantasy. Headline does a lot of thrillers. A slightly odd fit, but not unlike Mulholland or Doubleday here in the US who will occasionally publish titles they feel have crossover.

**Luke_B** · February 2nd, 2012, 04:51 PM

It's very different to how it's being published in the US - published by Ace, a core genre publisher, and with a cover that screams at genre readers with very little crossover appeal.

**jackal912** · February 9th, 2012, 09:44 AM

I actually really enjoyed this book - as someone who's usually fairly skeptical of military fiction for often being a bit too.. HOOAH MARINES GOD BLESS AMERICA, or occasionally bleak, depressing tragedies. This had a surprisingly even-handed portrayal of them - they're not baby-killing villains or manly, super-badass patriots saving the world from terrorists. They do both good and bad at the same time, and even though they're ostensibly the 'bad guys' they're not really 'evil' as a whole, barring certain individuals. The plot really revolves around the main character's surprisingly thoughtful internal conflict with his relationship with the military in this regard. It's certainly not what I expected when opening this book. (It sounded like the plot would be of the 'escape' or 'fugitive' sort where he'd be on the run from the military from the blurbs I had read)

**TooNice** · February 10th, 2012, 03:53 AM

lol jackal what books are you referring to exactly? i've read the forever war, starship troopers, armor and old man's war but their portrayal of the soldiers was pretty good, aside from maybe starship troopers. i've yet to see anything that was really 'HOOAH MARINES GOD BLESS AMERICA'

**jackal912** · February 10th, 2012, 05:37 AM

I've read all those books too, and enjoyed them, but there's a LOT of military science fiction out there I'm not so much a huge fan of. - John Ringo, William C. Dietz, David Sherman, David Weber, etc.

**Nottobrite** · February 12th, 2012, 12:48 PM

I am currently listening to the audiobook version of Control Point. I'm about halfway done and am really enjoying it.

**kcf** · February 14th, 2012, 04:02 PM

I liked this one very much. It's getting a huge amount of buzz, and I think it's deserved. An excerpt from my review is below:

Control Point is many things at once – a thoughtful exploration of the conscious of a military officer, the military bureaucracy it depends on, while being a wildly fun, exciting and creative military fantasy. It’s a reflection of the times we live in and the ever-present threat of terrorism and the military’s response to it. Control Point is a reaction from a veteran of the US’s wars in Iraq and Afghanistan just like Joe Haldeman's The Forever War is a reaction from a Vietnam veteran. It’s a nearly perfect book for a generation of gamers, yet it’s just as accessible to the non-gamers among us (like me). And it manages to do all of these things in thoughtful, balanced way that is an extreme adrenaline ride and one hell of a good read.

Control Point strikes an impressive balance between the tortured introspection of a very conflicted individual versus magical military fantasy in a wild setting with non-stop action. The reader is taken through a myriad of scenes from military raids, to fugitives on the run, hard-ass boot camp Sergeants beating the crap out of new recruits, thoughtful sacrifice and all-out battle chaos. It’s precisely this balance that allows for Control Point to have a little something for everyone – it’s both deep and action-packed, it’s both a conflicted military drama and a journey full of magical adventure, it’s a commentary on our own current government and an unhappy future, and it’s all about one soldier’s conflict with doing what he thinks is right.

The balance act continues as Cole shows a government that is both good and evil. He shows soldiers that do good and bad. There are no easy answers and Cole doesn’t try and provide any. Does Oscar ultimately make the right decision? I don’t know, but I am very much looking forward to reading more in the forethcoming sequel, Fortress Frontier, scheduled for early 2013.

**Rob B** · February 14th, 2012, 04:21 PM

Glad to see you enjoyed it Ken!

Everybody else, just in case you aren't aware of it, Myke is participating in our current Author Roundtable discussion:

Authors of the Roundtable: Carol Berg, Teresa Edgerton, Michael J.Sullivan, Myke Cole

**Quimby** · February 17th, 2012, 08:33 AM

Finished it last night. I enjoyed it and I'm looking forward to more stories about Britton.

**Bastard** · February 17th, 2012, 09:08 AM

I read it a couple of months ago and thought it was great, highly recommended for sure and I think just about anyone should give it a try regardless of genre preference.

**Quimby** · February 17th, 2012, 09:44 AM

Spoiler:

So did anyone else find it a bit odd/hypocritical that he wouldn't let Swift kill Harlequin because he was defenseless, but two seconds later he killed the vegetable porter?

**Tim Marquitz** · February 17th, 2012, 10:45 AM

Originally Posted by Quimby

Spoiler:

So did anyone else find it a bit odd/hypocritical that he wouldn't let Swift kill Harlequin because he was defenseless, but two seconds later he killed the vegetable porter?

Spoiler:

It's one of those situational ethics type things where Harlequin was no longer a threat but Porter still was, in that he could still transport people to where Britton and co. were hiding.