When Jim Baen was still alive and running Baen books, he had several principles.
1) He hated agents
2) It didn't matter what your political philosophy was, as long as you stated it well, you could be published by his company.
3) He figured that giving away the books was the best way for people to get into them.
I'm quite serious about #3. However, this was before the rise of the e-readers, and Mr. Baen died before that. The company hasn't changed that stance, however....
So, you want a book for free?
Today, I'm looking at author John Ringo .... who, by the way, has no relationship to outlaw Johnny Ringo, of the old west. If you look at his novels, you can see he's somewhere around libertarian / right-wing ... however, he actually has reasons for what he believes in, and when it's relevant, he'll explain. When it's not relevant, politics won't enter into it -- usually because too many people are busy shooting at our protagonists.
John Ringo, who was never a member of the Beatles, started his career with the Posleen War series, which has spun out of control into about a dozen books by now. The first four are self-contained, however-- a battle against cannibalistic Mongol hordes from space. He's former 82nd airborne, so the battles work.
And, you can download most of the books he's written for free, here. And it's 100% legal.
Now, Ringo has only been an author for about ten years now. He's published 35 novels. Thirty-five. I've been writing on my own for fifteen years, and I only have about twenty-four. So, professionally, I hate his guts. Personally, I have enjoyed everything he's ever written. However, due to the sheer quantity of what he has published, I'm going to have to break him up into several series in order to get this into a readable format.
Barb is a good Christian mother and homemaker .... though she says the man is the head of the household, and she loves him dearly, she seems to manage him quite well without too much effort. It almost reminds one of a line from My Big Fat Greek Wedding (The Man is the head of the household, but the woman is the neck, and she can turn the head anyway she wants.)
However, she takes one week a year to get away from her husband and children. It's just some "me" time at a convention. Unfortunately, when she gets lost in the middle of the Bayou, she finds herself the target of a serial-killing demonic cult.
However, Barb isn't the average soccer mom. She grew up as an army brat whose father taught her about every weapon in the armory. To kill time when the kids are at school, she takes martial arts classes. Her philosophy on weapons is simple: you use a knife to get a handgun, a handgun to get a shotgun, and a shotgun to get an automatic weapon. It looks like that this particular cult is going to have its hands full ....
Until she runs into the demon.
Barb is about to find herself at the center of an organization that has created a multi-religious, counter-demonic task force, where the SWAT team is lead by the Opus Dei, the undercover agents who worship Freya, and it sort of goes weird from there.
This book is what got me hooked on Ringo. Start here. Trust me.
****
Since I'm discussing free books today, I should mention that chapter three of Rebekah Hendershot's Masks is up today. It involves higher education for superheroes, a lycanthropic cat, and the secret identity of the female lead.
If you're new here, or have forgotten who Rebekah is, you can look at the previous review. If you know all this already, go to PocketCoyote.com to read the chapter.
Part 2: March Upcountry.
Part 3: The Thrillers
Part 4: The Epics
1) He hated agents
2) It didn't matter what your political philosophy was, as long as you stated it well, you could be published by his company.
3) He figured that giving away the books was the best way for people to get into them.
I'm quite serious about #3. However, this was before the rise of the e-readers, and Mr. Baen died before that. The company hasn't changed that stance, however....
So, you want a book for free?
Today, I'm looking at author John Ringo .... who, by the way, has no relationship to outlaw Johnny Ringo, of the old west. If you look at his novels, you can see he's somewhere around libertarian / right-wing ... however, he actually has reasons for what he believes in, and when it's relevant, he'll explain. When it's not relevant, politics won't enter into it -- usually because too many people are busy shooting at our protagonists.
John Ringo, who was never a member of the Beatles, started his career with the Posleen War series, which has spun out of control into about a dozen books by now. The first four are self-contained, however-- a battle against cannibalistic Mongol hordes from space. He's former 82nd airborne, so the battles work.
And, you can download most of the books he's written for free, here. And it's 100% legal.
Now, Ringo has only been an author for about ten years now. He's published 35 novels. Thirty-five. I've been writing on my own for fifteen years, and I only have about twenty-four. So, professionally, I hate his guts. Personally, I have enjoyed everything he's ever written. However, due to the sheer quantity of what he has published, I'm going to have to break him up into several series in order to get this into a readable format.
I should note now that this list of Ringo books is more or less written in order of series that I highly recommend, and that I think you will enjoy the most, in the order than I think you will enjoy them. Promise.
Book one .... [below the break]
Book one .... [below the break]
John Ringo, Princess of Wands
Barb is a good Christian mother and homemaker .... though she says the man is the head of the household, and she loves him dearly, she seems to manage him quite well without too much effort. It almost reminds one of a line from My Big Fat Greek Wedding (The Man is the head of the household, but the woman is the neck, and she can turn the head anyway she wants.)
However, she takes one week a year to get away from her husband and children. It's just some "me" time at a convention. Unfortunately, when she gets lost in the middle of the Bayou, she finds herself the target of a serial-killing demonic cult.
However, Barb isn't the average soccer mom. She grew up as an army brat whose father taught her about every weapon in the armory. To kill time when the kids are at school, she takes martial arts classes. Her philosophy on weapons is simple: you use a knife to get a handgun, a handgun to get a shotgun, and a shotgun to get an automatic weapon. It looks like that this particular cult is going to have its hands full ....
Until she runs into the demon.
Barb is about to find herself at the center of an organization that has created a multi-religious, counter-demonic task force, where the SWAT team is lead by the Opus Dei, the undercover agents who worship Freya, and it sort of goes weird from there.
This book is what got me hooked on Ringo. Start here. Trust me.
Since I'm discussing free books today, I should mention that chapter three of Rebekah Hendershot's Masks is up today. It involves higher education for superheroes, a lycanthropic cat, and the secret identity of the female lead.
If you're new here, or have forgotten who Rebekah is, you can look at the previous review. If you know all this already, go to PocketCoyote.com to read the chapter.
Part 2: March Upcountry.
Part 3: The Thrillers
Part 4: The Epics
I read the Paladin series and I loved it. Ringo is an awesome writer. I now have a craving for his books.
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