Book review: Land & Sea- Splashdown by Blaine L. Pardoe
This is a story that mixes a bit of Tom Clancy, with the Expanse, with a big dollop of Mech combat, and a juicy chunk of Red Dawn thrown in for good measure. Splashdown does a lot of the world building and character establishment – the perfect entry point for this new universe.”
Blaine’s desire to jump right into the action leads to several opening chapter snippets of strange occurrences in Earth’s seas. From unusual readings to bizarre sightings to a deadly encounter with large crabs that shoot lethal pressurized water jets. It feels like the opening of the Jurassic Park novel, which did much the same with its harrowing foreshadowing of the alien threat before it officially makes itself known.
As these threatening events increase in frequency throughout the book, we are introduced to the many characters of the ensemble cast that the first three books focus on. A mixture of military, ex-military, and civilian individuals who deal with the threats as they arrive.
There’s Ashton Slade, a military intelligence officer who begins putting the data behind the instances of alien events together. Adam Cain, an old warhorse called back in to duty. Dana Blaze, an amoral, ambitious news reporter who is surprisingly a fan favorite. Jay Drake, a billionaire tech developer looking to profit off the aliens. Titus Hill, a submarine commander. Cassie, a high school girl. Natalia Falto, a marine on duty in Guam when the aliens attack. And Antonio Colton, an ex-military man who becomes the lead of a militia unit known as Colton’s Cutthroats.
Colton’s Cutthroats, a well-known militia unit
It sounds like a lot, but quickly you become acclimated to the flow of the book. Much like a tv show that bounces from character to character, you catch a glimpse of ordinary people in their lives just before the initial inciting incident of the aliens’ attack arrives and throws everything into disarray.
The pseudo modern-day setting allows for the feel of a slightly more technologically advanced era not unlike our own. With cultural stagnation as it is, it doesn’t feel out of place that in 2040 we still have social media and smart phones. It’s indicated that a big blackout event bricked a lot of technology at some point years prior, which resulted in Jay Drake’s tech becoming a sort of savor to everyone by working when old tech did not. A few passages throughout the series make light of iconic pop culture movies or tv shows that indicate older people remember them but younger generations are clueless.
The first incitement comes in the form of massive snails that crawl aboard the shore of coastal cities–inducing panic and awe for these alien creatures. Throughout the book we’re introduced to some of the mainstays in the alien sealife’s ranks. (They are dubbed The Fish for short). Crabs, Frogs, and the imposing leader caste of the Fish known as the “Bosses”
One great supplemental book that has since come out is the Alien Threat Assessment, a short 72-page info assessment done in the style of an old school military information booklet. It contains a military style briefing on all the alien classes, what they look like, strengths, weaknesses and such. It’s an invaluable series companion for those who want to know more about the aliens.
Splashdown bounces between all of its established characters learning along with the world about the alien’s existence and the horror of when they attack in unison after a period of zero communication from them. The snails in question disgorge a load of ping-pong ball sized piranha-flea hybrids (dubbed goblins) that act as a terror tactic.
The tension building to these initial attacks is well done. Even though you know it’s going to happen, which is a given considering the premise of the series, it still hits hard when the devastation is finally unleashed. The centerpiece of this book is the attack on Guam, where Natalia Falto is stationed and the full-scale military-on-alien battle takes place. Here is where Blaine Pardoe’s pedigree in military sci-fi from decades in Battletech shines. The knowledge of military tech and tactics is on full display, putting you on street level with the troops fighting.
And, of course, the mech action is unleashed when Falto’s commanding officer, Rickenberg, takes to his Lion ASHUR and takes on some of the crabs and the first appearance of a Boss. Blaine takes the time to show the impact of the alien attacks from each character’s POV. The Action is top notch, the human element feels stark and real without feeling nihlistic. The scope of the war is global and feels as though the setting could accommodate a multitude of stories from a diverse array of characters at every level of the conflict. (This is what happens in the anthology book FLOTSAM OF WAR).
The only drawback comes if you are expecting a one-and-done read. This is very much the opening act of a larger series and events end in such a way that you are left wanting to know what happens next in the follow-up RIPTIDES.
For fans of military sci-fi, Battletech, Exo-Squad, even Warhammer 40k to some extent, Land & Sea will feel like a solid addition to your library of sci-fi military books. The setting is well underway and helps provide the context for the upcoming wargame when it is finally set for release. For those who don’t want the wargame, the books themselves are solid mil. Sci-fi without having to invest in huge world building lore thanks to its modern-ish setting. Its grounded feel helps it achieve the sense of reality that other settings lack or lose.
