So, when I cracked Uplink Squadron open (metaphorically speaking since I read the e-book) I was immediately intrigued. There was something going on here and it smelled bad. There was a new technology in town. Countries were using it to build the latest in fighter/bombers for their air forces. The technology used to pilot the craft, it turns out, was addictive and some pilots were dying. Others went crazy. It was a bad scene. Only now, we've got most of the bugs worked out and it doesn't happen much anymore.
Doesn't happen...
Much?
Uhhh...
Yeah, I mean, everyone who has ever gone to war has done it (in)secure in the knowledge that they may not make it back. That's what makes them heroes. But when it's their own technology that's killing them, it's a different story. I mean, aviation is dangerous and bad things happen, but when people are losing their minds and their lives inexplicably...
Yeah, it's a little worrisome. I mean, is that something you'd want to send your kid into? Me either, and my oldest starts firefighter training in the fall. She's already EMT qualified. But these fighters take things to a whole new level.
And that's just for starters. Wait till the aliens show up. What do they want?
I mean, I'm not totally sure either. There are, I think, seven more books in the series at present (having only read the first two so far) and so I'm sure there is more to be revealed, but I haven't gotten that far yet. So far, what we know is they're quick to fight and they seem to need a superior force to have a good chance against the Earthlings. I find this perplexing as they have superior technology and more experience in space (probably) and they just don't have the tactical knowledge to succeed against humanity. Something still doesn't feel right here.
We here at Jimbo's are thoroughly impressed by the work done on Uplink Squadron and Second Flight by both Kennedy and Chaney, but we're wondering what the story truly is with these aliens. They seem to be a little more inept than we expected. There just has to be something going on here.
For their part though, are humans are pretty human. They eat. The fight. They get involved in emotional entanglements that they shouldn't then try to deny what they're feeling. I'm thinking that might go a little wrong in the upcoming novels as well. We're just not there yet. At least I'm not. Once again, I'm behind.
*SIGH*
What else is new?
What's new, I guess, is the pilot interface with these fighters. Instead of the classic heads-up interface, they jack into their fighters with a cord, like a decker from Shadowrun. (Which, it should be noted, I haven't played in ages. Sorry if this has changed.) It's also somewhat reminiscent of Anne McCaffrey's Brainship Series, except that these are fully grown adults who are physically capable of jacking out at any time. At any rate, I don't know if this is quite common enough to be trope, but "jacking in" is definitely a plot device that works. And the whole "lose your mind" thing just makes it that much better. Just like you went up against some black ICE, chummer.
Lieutenant Lance "Stinky" Baker is our protagonist and he's a good dude stuck in a weird situation. He has problems from the first page when he has to get the port he'll use to connect to his fighter adjusted or reinstalled or..
I dunno, sumfin'. Look, it wasn't right. They had to redo it. He slept for three days afterward. Don't ask me about the details. Ask a brain surgeon. I'm just your humble book blogger.
At any rate, he gets to fly the newest and best fighter in the entire solar system once his head heals. Once he jacks into that fighter with his link, his whole world changes. Even hearing the experience described, it's easy to see how you could get hooked on it. It's like the best of Virtual Reality but with real world consequences and senses that surpass anything the human body is capable of on its own. It's the kind of thing that someone would pay good money to experience and the military is paying him to do it.
It's a good thing he's got those capabilities too because, after a bit of training (where he shows off some tactics he shouldn't know yet) he gets his baptism of fire. He ends up needing every bit of gear and training he has available. And then the whole squadron has a bad day...
Yeah, if not for his comrade Sofia Jimenez, and a few more friends you'll have to find out about all on your own, he'd have been screwed right off rip. But that's the thing about the military right? They're big on the team concept for a reason.
The action sequences are fun and believable. I don't know much about Chaney, but I do not that Kennedy is a retired naval aviator and his expertise shows here. Dude can write a furball. I mean, I don't see anything here to top Kennedy's work in Asbaran Solutions, but no system's perfect and that was the best I've ever read. Uplink Squadron and Second Flight both have rocking fight scenes and the occasional "OMG WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE!!" moments appear right where they should. Both authors should take a bow, because the pacing here is amazeballs.
I'm a newcomer to Chaney's work, although I did just join his Facebook group yesterday and I'm looking forward to reading more of it. I just didn't know anything about him until I started this series. That's my bad not his. Kennedy though, I've been reading for awhile now and he's known for his long series's, series? serieses? However that works. There are nine of the Uplink Squadron books so far and I'm going to read them all. I already downloaded the third one last night after I finished Second Flight and I should be reading that right now, but I don't want both of my fans to be stuck wondering where I am, so I thought I'd let you all know about these two first. I can't wait to run off and start reading. Really. You guys are on your own for awhile.
Bottom Line: 5.0 out of 5 Gremlins
Uplink Squadron
J.N. Chaney and Chris Kennedy
Variant Publications, 2022
Second Flight
J.N. Chaney and Chris Kennedy
Variant Publications, 2022
Both books can be purchased at the links below. If you click the links and buy literally anything from Amazon, I get a small percentage at no additional cost to you.
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