Terminator Salvation: Cold War

[rain]

This book is just out from Titan Books. The official blurb runs as follows:

Russia 2003. When it appears that the United States has unleashed its entire nuclear arsenal upon the world, Captain Dmitri Losenko, commander of the nuclear submarine Gorshkov, has no choice but to retaliate. His target? Alaska.

Alaska 2018. Fighting for survival in the frozen wilderness, Molly Kookesh struggles to protect her makeshift Resistance cell from the Terminators. Inspired by John Connor’s radio broadcasts and following a brutal encounter with a fearsome machine, she decides it’s time to fight back…

An official novel exploring the post-judgment day world of the hit movie Terminator Salvation.

I've picked it up recently, but haven't had a chance to read it (have been ploughing through Greg Cox's other books, the Underworld series). Anyone else had a chance to read it?

[terrasj]

Nope, I hadn't been to the bookstore yet. But darn right, I'm gonna grab it.

I really hope the books turn into a series, there is just soo much more world to explore in the Terminator-verse post Judgement Day.

I enjoyed Salvation as a movie and book, and the prequel novel leading up to it. The movie was good IMHO, but the caveat with movies is theres only a 1 1/2 to 2hr window to feature the setting. That and its a big budget project that takes time to make and release. Movies almost always have to centrally focus around the established characters, aka John Connor. Which isn't always a bad thing, but in truth, theres more to Judgement Day than always following Connor's POV.

Books on the otherhand, whether its one author, or few authors sharing a story arc, or just individual standalone releases, really can explore the franchise more easily.

In the 90's there was several short comic runs, while of varying quality and credibility, they at least were bold enough to explore different locations and angles that T1 and T2 could not provide. Thats what Cold War appears to be, and I have high hopes for reading through it, and more high hopes of more novels to come.

Reading what Alaska will be like is going to be interesting. Also, its a location other than the surrounding Los Angles area. And this is good IMHO, as it'll help show that Judgement Day was literally worldwide. Also will show just how widescale Skynet is, and had grown to become, to be deploying its Terminators globally, making use of any local area factories.

[terrasj]

OK, finally got down to reading and finishing the book. Didn't take me long, 2-3 days tops.

This book is another but partial prequel book to T4 Salvation.

The book takes place in 2 timezones litterally - aboard a Russian sub in 2003, just as J-Day happens. It tells the tale of the crew going through the emergency launch orders from Moscow, and the weeks after of inability to contact Moscow. They decide to head back to the mainland to investigate. They're under the impression its the Americans who launched the devastating attack. The captain looses part of his crew due to surprise encounters with several T-1s.

The other simultaneous story is in 2018, in Alaska, as a group of Resistance fighters try to sabotage SkyNet's resource depletion of their lands. SkyNet's taken full control of the Alaska Pipeline, and its Uranium mines. The group really takes a pounding, goes through alot of heavy losses, as SkyNet's forces prove incredibly tough and smart. Theres the floater drones, T600's, a heavily armored & gunned Terminator Train (transporting uranium) that resembles more an old IronClad steamship (on train tracks with a red optical sensor. Instead of MotoTerminators, theres the Alaskan counterpart - SkidooTerminators (with machine guns). The T600's also have a make shift snow-transport, just one luckily. The 2018 story examples well how one seemingly 'cakerun' raid can go so wrong, and have the domino effect of further consequences.

The interesting part is the 2003 era, also shows General Ashdown forming the worldwide Resistance, getting the surviving world leaders to all meet in a remote island for a NATO type meeting. The Russian sub captain - Dmitri Lesenko becomes a General, and Ashdown's second in command. So he's one of the men we see in Gen Ashdown's center with Connor in the submarine.

Then the two stories converge to 2018 near end of the book.

I really enjoyed reading it. It was great exploring the Post-J-Day around other parts of the world, since J-Day is truly worldwide. Being able to read about other Resistance groups fighing SkyNet on their home ground, as far away as Russia and Alaska. Terminatorvesrse shouldn't have to exclusively revolve around L.A and California. Nor does it always have to revolve around John Connor as the main character in the story. We're able to see the world through others, such as an Alaskan Park Ranger who leads the Alaskan Resistance, who hears Connor's broadcasts but can't get no support from the 'Command Brass'. The Alaskan environment poses a whole new challenge and its own natural dangers of mid-winter arctic temperatures. Those aspects I really find refreshing.

I'd really love to read more books like this, and I truly hope a good long series of novels are written in this fashion. Theres just so much unexplored world, angles, and views in the Terminatorverse. SkyNet's presence is every wheres, and 2003 - 2029 is a long 26 year stretch.