A Soldier's Duty

August 15, 2011
Reminiscent of both Starship Troopers and Dune, this first of a projected series successfully balances its military and science fiction elements. As a teenager, Ia (a colonist from a heavy-gravity world) discovers that she is a precog and experiences visions of the devastation of our galaxy. She learns to follow the time lines, traces causality back to its source, and discovers that there is one path that will prevent this dreadful outcome. To foster this alternative future, she must forfeit her own dreams and join the Marine Corps of the Terran United Planets Space Force, where she undergoes rigorous training, bonds with her fellow officers, earns the respect of her superiors, and distinguishes herself in combat operationsâall while manipulating events to put her in the right place at the right time. Johnson (Sons of Destiny) skillfully handles objections of predestination and makes it clear that Ia's abilities are no guarantee that she will succeed.