No Man’s World: Black Hand Gang by Pat Kelleher

Take a battalion of World War I British soldiers (a.k.a Tommies), and put them on a hostile alien jungle planet. Then, add several dozen ravenous monsters, and a race of talking bugs with a superiority complex. Next, sprinkle a shortage of ammunition, and a psychopathic murderer that makes Jack the Riper look like Mr. Rogers, and you’ve got the general premise for Pat Kelleher’s No Man’s World: Black Hand Gang. The end result is unique sci fi story that makes for a very entertaining read, and will keep you hooked for the possible sequel.

On November 1st 1916, the nine hundred men of the 13th Battalion of “The Pennine Fusiliers” are dug in on the Somme, waiting for the order to “go over the top” into an inevitable bloodbath. Without any warning, the entire battlefield (along with most the Pennines) is suddenly and unexpectedly transported to another world. The Pennnines emerge from their muddy trenches to find that their tiny section of the Western Front is smack in the middle of a primordial jungle. It isn’t long before the new arrivals attract some of the curious and rather vicious wildlife, and a bloody battle ensues.

The book is very well researched, and the reader will feel privy to the everyday going-ons of the average British Tommie in World War One. From insulting slang, to different types of trenches, as well as the uses and operations of various WWI-era weapons, Kelleher appears to have done his homework, as his British Tommies seem to be as close to the real deal as possible. 

Much of the first portion of the book is set aside to build up the situation, as well as identify the numerous characters. Readers of war narratives will be familiar to this set up, as Kelleher spends a good deal of time establishing the “brothers in arms” mentality. The characters are unfortunately not very unique – there’s the good guy soldier that everyone admires, the despicable corporal that seems to hate everyone in his unit, and the Lieutenant that doesn’t want any responsibility – the characters aren’t really what the book is about, as it is more so about the absurd setting, and how on earth (no pun intended) they got there. His description of the planet is wonderful, and for most of the book, the reader will wonder how any of these men will be able to survive. How they got there is somewhat explained during the side story of the treacherous Lieutenant named Jefferies (who displays his Manson-like characteristics early in the book), and so the theme of the occult and black magic carries on through out the story.

What readers may not like though, is that No Man’s World is set up for a sequel; so do not expect any immediate answers. In addition, the author states that his story is based on a historical occurrence, although as far as I know, there aren’t any records of anything like this ever occurring. I give No Man’s World: Black Hand Gang 7 out of 10 ray guns.

Sci-Fi Review: Night of the Living Trekkies

Let it be known that I, Stefan Slater, am not a fan of Star Trek. Give me a lightsaber, and I'd chop that chubby Captain Kirk in half faster than you could say "live long and prosper." With that said however, I willingly risk my Jedi street cred’ to say that Night of the Living Trekkies is a fun read and is definitely well worth picking up—for Trekkies and Han Solo wannabes alike. Sure, if your like me, you might miss the majority of the Star Trek jokes, but any fan of Space Sagas (or Zombies) will appreciate the fanboy aspect of the novel. Plus, how could the evisceration of scores of costumed Trekkies by cannibalistic zombies ever be boring?

Written by Kevin Anderson and Sam Stall, the plot follows the exploits of Jim Pike: a former die-hard Star Trek fan who lost his desire to follow in the foot steps of Captain Kirk after two bloody tours in Afghanistan. Looking to avoid any responsibility, Jim gets a mundane job as an assistant manager at a small hotel in Houston.

Lucky for Jim, Houston hosts the annual “Gulf Con” (a convention for Star Trek Fans), so hundreds of Borgs, Klingons, Vulcans, and Captain Kirks end up staying at his hotel, complicating his ploy to bypass any sort of work. To make matters worse, during the convention there is a strange viral outbreak, and most of the fanboys and girls are transformed into the living dead. Jim then has to lead a small group of survivors—including a convention model dressed in Princess Leia’s famous metal bikini—in an attempt to escape the grisly confines of the hotel. Unfortunately, zombies are the least of Jim’s worries, as the hotel is also playing host to a terribly evil entity with aspirations for world domination, and it’s up to Jim and his rag tag band of Trekkies to save the human race from almost certain doom.

Quirk books is the publisher (they're the same delightfully sick bunch who brought us Sense, Sensibility and Sea Monsters as well as Pride and Prejudice and Zombies) so Night of the Living Trekkies inevitably carries with it that same feeling of humorous satire that they love so much. The humor is pretty much one giant Star Trek inside joke (like Jim yelling out “KHAN!” as he decapitates an undead Ricardo Montalban look alike), so folks completely unaware or impartial to Star Trek may be left in the dark. Space/zombie aficionados are obviously the target audience of the book.

The playful humor never really dissipates, as there are only a few serious moments, and only when they are deemed necessary. It's a very easy, and very quick read. The plot is not all that special or original, as it's been seen before in countless other zombie movies and books. The only really differentiating concept is the addition of the fanboy culture, which—when placed in the setting of a zombie apocalypse—makes for an amusing story. Night of the Living Trekkies is not Richard Matheson’s I am Legend, as it’s not a critical or enthralling read. Instead is a comical, lighthearted story that nerds of any age will most likely get a kick out of.