Theirs Not to Reason Why: A Soldier’s Duty, by Jean Johnson
Ia has visions of a terrible future and the destruction of her galaxy. As a precog, she can see numerous possible outcomes from various choices she can make. She believes her best choice of saving the future is to become a Marine in the Terran United Planets. As a soldier she can work up the ranks to become her galaxy’s best hope for the future. But to do so, she will be forever known as Bloody Mary.
Ia is a strong (physically and mentally) and irrepressible. She becomes a hero out of necessity and duty. She carries an incredible burden that she can’t tell anyone about, especially her superiors, in case they decided her psychic ability is too valuable to use her as a soldier. Johnson has created a futuristic science fiction universe with advanced technology and alien life.
But the focus of this first novel in the Theirs Not to Reason Why series is Ia’s struggle as a soldier through bootcamp and her first assignments. In fact, the first half of the novel reminded me a lot of the film GI Jane. Ia puts aside all personal needs and comforts to be the best soldier she can possibly be. Full of suspense, danger, and intrigue, this new series shows a lot of promise. Fans of military science fiction will definitely want to check out this surprising and exciting novel.