Timberwolf by Tom Julian
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
For fans of classic science fiction with a modern twist, Thomas Julian’s Timberwolf is an action-packed yarn from cover-to-cover that doesn’t skimp on story, character, or conflict. There are no black hats or white hats in Timberwolf, just varying degrees of gray. The title character, Timberwolf Velez, isn’t your traditional hero. He’s just a man put into a no-win situation by forces beyond his control who uses every means at his disposal to stay alive.
Unlike traditional s.f., it’s not the aliens who are the invaders in Timberwolf—it’s us! Humankind has made the leap to space and with it has brought armed missionaries bent on bringing the word of God to heathen aliens and destroying those not cast in God’s image. Think of it as The Chronicles of Riddick meets A Canticle for Liebowitz on the set of Starship Troopers. But the military, religious, and political themes never intrude upon the epic space battles—they only serve to enhance them.
