FANTASY & SCIENCE FICTION
"The Last Legion" 
By Chris Bunch
Three young men join the Confederation army and are on their way to a distant colony to train and join their units. On the way, their ship is boarded by mercenaries of a rival colony that want to steal the equipment and enlistees for their own forces. But the three escape in a lifeboat and make it to their destination where their story is shunned for political reasons. Meanwhile, contact is lost with the Confederation and the forces on the planet C-Cumbre are on their own. A rebellion breaks out and they spend their time fighting crafty guerrillas and finally take to the streets in the cities where it is all out war. In the midst of this an alien race that shares the planet with them just looking for an excuse to start a little war of their own so they can take the resources of the system for themselves.
The battle scenes are outstanding and the inventiveness of the author as to the equipment and tactics are first rate. The book kind of leaves you hanging. The is no mention of a sequel, but if there were to be another book I would give this one another star.
Reviewed by Kenneth S. Smith 7/1/2000
Available from:
ROC
Published by Penguin Putnam, Inc.
375 Hudson Street
New York, NY 10014
