Death's Head

By David Gunn and Arthur Wise

Book Overview

Set in a chillingly realistic far-future world, and featuring a gritty antihero even more frightening than the evil empire he serves as soldier and assassin, Death's Head is sure to be one of the most talked-about novels of the year. David Gunn is loaded--and he shoots to kill. At the top of the galactic pecking order is the United Free, a civilization of awe-inspiring technological prowess so far in advance of other space-faring powers as to seem untouchable gods. Most of the known universe has fallen under their inscrutable sway. The rest is squabbled over by two empires: one ruled with an iron fist by OctoV, a tyrant who appears to his followers as a teenage boy but is in reality something very different, the other administered by the Uplifted, bizarre machinelike intelligences, and their no-longer-quite-human servants, cyborgs known as the Enlightened. Sven Tveskoeg, an ex-sergeant demoted for insubordination and sentenced to death, is a vicious killer with a stubborn streak of loyalty. Sven possesses a fierce if untutored intelligence and a genetic makeup that is 98.2 percent human and 1.8 percent . . . something else. Perhaps that "something else" explains how quickly he heals from even the worst injuries or how he can communicate telepathically with the ferox, fearsome alien savages whose natural fighting abilities regularly outperform the advanced technology of their human enemies. Perhaps it is these unique abilities that bring Sven to the attention of OctoV. Drafted into the Death's Head, the elite enforcers of OctoV's imperial will, Sven is given a new lease on life. Armed with a SIG diabolo-an intelligent gun-and an illegal symbiont called a kyp, Sven is sent to a faraway planet, the latest battleground between the Uplifted and OctoV. There he finds himself in the midst of a military disaster, one that will take all his courage--and all his firepower--to survive. But an even deadlier struggle is taking place, a struggle that will draw the attention of the United Free. Sven knows he is a pawn, and pawns have a bad habit of being sacrificed. But Sven is nobody's sacrifice. And even a pawn can checkmate a king. Praise for Death's Head "The finest military science-fiction debut in years." -- Kirkus Reviews "Hardboiled, laser-blasting science fiction as it's meant to be." --Charlie Huston, author of Caught Stealing and Already Dead

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0345503767
• ISBN13: 9780345503763
• Release Date: February 2008
• Publisher: Del Rey Books
• Length: 368 Pages
• Weight: 0.45 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 4.3" x 6.8"

Customer Reviews

Doesn't Deserve It Exactly...

This is no deep work. That being said I have come to dread "Deep Works" of Science Fiction. How much nonsensical, imaginary politics can a person endure? I used to read Sci-Fi for some white-bread fun without having to constantly display my tender aching heart. This is what used to be called "Space Opera", fast and furious action driven fun. I love my Robert Holdstock, Jack Vance, Neil Stephenson and of course, Gene Wolfe, and Gunn is nowhere in the same league. BUT, I read this book in about two hours, it's not mindless grunt in space military fiction, and I had fun. If you Love Mieville, don't buy this. If you loved the Red, Green Blue Mars books, don't buy this. If you adore Alastair Reynolds, or Gregory Benford, don't buy this book. If you liked Philip Jose Farmer, or S.M. Stirling, here's your baby.

A Wonderful Read

This book will grab you from the first page! It has action, intrigue, and lots of engaging characters. A great military Sci Fi book.

NO B.S., JUST PURE ENTERTAINMENT

Yeah, I wasn't looking for military sci-fi or a bunch of techno-babble, I was just wanting a good read. This does have the military stuff, but it's not overdone and there's enough heart in the hero that it's not all about his cojones and his big gun. I liked this book alot. Great creatures, great story. A bit short, but hey, it left me wanting more and that's pretty rare lately.

A military sci-fi action packed thrill ride!!!

I bought this book on the advice of a website saying it was really good and that people who enjoy the "Inheritance Trilogy" would like it. I was NOT disappointed. It is a VERY fast read and extremely captivating. From the beginning to the end it is high action without much fluff. The only down side there is if there must be one is that when new characters or sub plots are introduced you are thrown into the action without much explanation and then as you read on you are slowly given more of the picture. I think a little more up front info would make it flow better. However, that's just my opinion. It's not enough of an issue for me to consider dropping my rating to 4 stars. This is definitely a MUST READ!

SciFi Action Adventure FUN

Wow! I haven't had this much fun reading a book for a while. This is a testosterone driven actioneer with lots of sex, violence, snappy dialogue, cool charactors and a non-stop plot. Very enjoyable and highly recommneded for SciFi fans looking for a fast moving witty adventure novel. Will be adding this author to my immediate buy list :)