The word arrived this past week that author John Maddox Roberts had died on May 23, 2024 at age 76. There was a period when I read a steady number of Roberts’ novels.
He might be best remembered today for having written eight Conan pastiche novels for Tor from 1985-1995.
The first thing I ever read by him was one of the Crusader novels under the pseudonym Mark Ramsey back in the mid 1980s. Those are eagerly sought after books now. I have them all. I did not know at the time Mark Ramsey was John Maddox Roberts. Then again, in 1985 the name John Maddox Roberts would have not have mattered anyway.
Fifteen years of radio. Thirty films. 156 television episodes. Countless comics.
The Cisco Kid rode across the air waves, the silver screen, and the small screen for a century as the Robin Hood of the Westerns. But his first ride, in the short story “The Caballero’s Way” by the legendary O. Henry, was at odds with how fans would come to know him.
And, like many a dark tale, it starts with a woman.
The Cisco Kid had killed six men in more or less fair scrimmages, had murdered twice as many (mostly Mexicans), and winged a larger number whom he modestly forbode to count. Therefore, a woman loved him.
This baby-faced rider, whom few expected to live to his next birthday, loved Tonia Perez, who O. Henry describes as half-Carmen and half-Madonna. But when Lieutenant Sandridge, in the law’s pursuit of the Cisco Kid, arrives at her house, Tonia is smitten.
The lieutenant and his beloved scheme to remove the sole obstacle to their love:
The Cisco Kid.
When the Kid discovers Tonia in the arms of a ranger, the Kid watches, waits, and hatches his own scheme. And, for those familiar with O. Henry’s twists, this will not end well for any involved. One case of intentionally mistaken identity later, and the Kid departs, leaving behind a body and a heartrending wail.
For the Cisco Kid might be deadly with his gun, but he is deadlier with his cunning. And betrayal deserves reprisal.
And a wail of despair is a far cry from the laughter that the Kid’s future adventures would end on.
Until then, O. Henry tells the tail with a carefree style, not quite a wink or a nod to the audience, but building up how the heroic Sandridge will win the girl from the wicked Kid. A perfect contrast to the ending, and one that heightens its impact. Coming from a century’s remove, where the Western has codified itself into black hats and white hats, this tale of revenge feels closer to El Mariachi than Silverado.
How this cunning murderer got elevated into the Robin Hood of the Rockies, I do not yet know. But if you’re looking for a Western morality play that does not end with the routine triumph of the white hats shooting the black hats, remember “The Caballero’s Way”.
And stay away from the Kid’s girl.
Science Fiction and Fantasy New Releases: 8 June 2024
Sunday , 9, June 2024 Uncategorized Leave a commentEvery week, the Castalia House Blog spotlights some of the many new releases in independent, pulp, and web novel-influenced science fiction and fantasy.
Invincible Under HeavenThe unthinkable has finally occurred.
Driven mad by the relentless pursuit of power, a martial prodigy turns against the rivers and lakes. Behind him is the Shadow Horde, a group of devil cultivators with immeasurable powers at their command. Hellbent on restoring the Yue Dynasty, they carve a swathe of destruction through the Five States and Ten Corporations.
The world trembles beneath their boots. No army can stop them. With every strike, they come ever closer to overturning the world order.
The rivers and lakes calls for heroes. Li Ming, accidental immortal and reluctant champion, answers. Together with his fellow warriors, he must put an end to the Shadow Horde’s reign of terror, battling beasts, demons, terrorists—and his greatest rival, his dearest friend, the man he once called brother.
And at the edge of the world, with steel and fire, both men will discover who is worthy of the title Invincible Under Heaven.
Sagewood: Restore the Farm – Blake Arthur Peel and Kimberly Ann Peel
A Magic Ring. A Farm on another World. Only he can restore the Harvest Goddess.
Traditions of Courage (Grimm’s War #7) – Jeffery H. Haskell
Join the fight for freedom on Alliance’s newest member.
When Cordoba fell and his officer was murdered, Jacob T. Grimm vowed the fight wasn’t over. With the help of DesRon 12 and the stalwart spacers of the USS Interceptor, he’s going to bring the Guild to their corporate knees.
On Cordoba, things aren’t going well for the Marines. Local infantry are eager to attack, while refugees are forced out of the capital city on the verge of winter. The Spanish planet is in trouble. However, not all is as it seems.
The ground forces aren’t Guild and they have more advanced tech than the Alliance Marines. Gunny Jennings and Bravo-Two-Five will need to muster every ounce of courage to fight overwhelming odds in a battle they never planned for.
As the fate of the planet unfolds, ex-spy Nadia Dagher and a ragtag group of former Interceptor crew must infiltrate the Guild and find the true location of their home planet.
Jacob faces off against a superior enemy, one as ruthless as he is compassionate. If he can’t find a way to win, all the people on Cordoba will pay the price.
Sensor Sweep: Swords Against Darkness, Blue Star, Ian Fleming
Monday , 3, June 2024 Sensor Sweep Leave a commentFiction (Syfy.com): An oft-discussed, but seldom seen, short story written by a young Rod Serling has finally entered our dimension. Now available to read in the latest issue of The Strand Magazine, “First Squad, First Platoon,” is a semi-autobiographical tale based on The Twilight Zone creator’s harrowing experiences during Pacific combat in World War II. Told from multiple perspectives, the story follows a squad of American soldiers who are all killed in action while trying to reclaim the Philippine island of Leyte from Imperial Japanese forces. The only person left standing is one Corporal Rod Serling.
Cinema (Art of the Movies): Late night horror shows on TV arrived in the mid-1950s with hosts like Vampira, Morgus the Magnificent, and Tarantula Ghoul, and carried through until the dawn of the internet. Around the same time, sensational schlocky exploitation pictures aimed at a teen audience seeking cheap thrills became a staple of fleapits and drive-ins.
James Bond (Commando Bond): Recently, I was commissioned by
Collector’s Elite Auctions to share the story of Walther’s P99, as in their inaugural auction, the very first Walther P99 ever to be commercially produced is available. It was a privilege to share one of my favorite stories. Republished here for your enjoyment. Read More
I take notice when a writer from another genre takes a stab at sword & sorcery. You had western writers Gordon D. Shirreffs, T. V. Olsen, and Philip Ketchum write interesting historicals that had a sword & sorcery vibe. Ben Haas who wrote the Fargo books as “John Benteen” wrote three sword & sorcery novels.
Enter Matt Hilton. He has been writing thriller novels the fifteen or so years. He has a fairly new collection of sword & sorcery stories, Clashing Blades. Hilton is from Cumberland in Britain. I always think of a passage from Robert E. Howard’s story “The People of the Dark” when I think of Cumberland:
“The country folk were predominantly Celtic; here the Saxon invaders had never prevailed, and the legends reached back, in that long-settled countryside, further than anywhere else in England—back beyond the coming of the Saxons, aye, and incredibly beyond that distant age, beyond the coming of the Romans, to those unbelievably ancient days when the native Britons warred with black-haired Irish pirates.” Read More
Science Fiction and Fantasy New Releases: 1 June 2024
Saturday , 1, June 2024 Uncategorized 1 CommentEvery week, the Castalia House Blog spotlights some of the many new releases in independent, pulp, and web novel-influenced science fiction and fantasy.
Cloak of Titans (Cloak Mage #11) – Jonathan Moeller
The point of no return is here.
My name is Nadia, and I’m a Marshal of the High Queen of the Elves.
That means it’s my job to keep the peace between the humans, Elven commoners, and Elven nobles under my command.
So when one of the Elven nobles pushes things too far, it might mean civil war between the High Queen and the rebel nobles.
But the civil war is itself a trap because the malignant wizards of Singularity have been preparing for this moment for a very, very long time…
…and their deadliest weapons are ready.
The Games We Play (Luke Preston Thrillers #3) – Nick Thacker
Luke Preston wants answers, and more specifically, he wants to know who’s orchestrating attempts on his life. The last twist he anticipates? The involvement of his own flesh and blood.
Ex-military, ex-law enforcement, a grieving widower, and an alienated son. Luke Preston’s life has been a series of labels and losses. With no immediate family, no connections tethering him to the world, he’s become a shadow taking on covert contracts for the government. But when irregularities arise from his recent assignment, the last thing Luke expects is an interrupting call from his estranged father. It’s not a reunion or an olive branch; it’s a stark warning: back off and let this mission lie.
The direness of the situation hits home when an explosion decimates his apartment, leaving Luke injured but alive. On the lam and nursing his wounds, he’s more determined than ever to get to the bottom of the sinister plot threatening him.
The deeper he delves, the higher the stakes become. After apprehending one of the attackers, Luke uncovers a nefarious arms deal in the works, poised to arm global terrorists with their sights locked onto the U.S. Tangled in this web of deceit is his father, somehow connected or controlled by these very terrorists. The decision he’s faced with is gut-wrenching: does he prioritize the family bond that’s been strained for years, or does he uphold the vow he took to defend his nation? Choices are a game, and in this lethal one, only one side can be the victor…
No Fail (Blood and Armor #2) – Bill Fawcett and Casey Moores
Thanks to the General Ordnance Garment, or “GOG” combat suits, the Kurdish Republic’s military forces have defeated the Iranian armored columns. But now the theocratic dictatorship has a much more sinister plan to eradicate the newly formed Kurdish Republic.
Three elite GOG teams will have to launch on three desperate, high-risk, deep strikes.
And if even one of them fails, their home will be a radioactive wasteland, and their people will be gone forever.
“For fans of Tom Clancy and John Ringo, edge-of-your-seat near-future military science fiction with the verisimilitude that you’d expect from historian Fawcett and special-ops pilot Moores. Get set for a pulse-pounding adventure that hinges on plausible technology and a deep understanding of our precarious world situation.” — Robert J. Sawyer, Hugo Award-winning author of The Oppenheimer Alternative
Resurgence
(First Colony Book 16) – Ken Lozito
Dark secrets lurk among the stars. Are they ready for them?
General Connor Gates is leading a task force on the most ambitious exploration initiative to date. The crew aboard the ships are mix of military and civilian, and include his son, Ethan, who has grown into a well respected leader.
While exploring a strange alien world, the team investigating the wreckage of an alien ship is brutally attacked. The survivors barely escape and are now fighting for their lives and their sanity…including Ethan. They’ve been exposed to a dangerous contagion, and it’s going to spread.
Evidence surfaces that there are prisoners on the planet, and their fates are somehow linked to the survivors on the ship.
For Connor Gates, it’s all or nothing: rescue the people left behind and find a way to heal his son, or lose everything. But when a mysterious alien encounter presents an unthinkable choice, Connor’s decision will affect the future of humanity’s place in the galaxy.
They knew they weren’t alone in the galaxy, but no one could’ve predicted an encounter that would change all the rules. Read More
Sensor Sweep: Sax Rohmer, Marvel Comics, LotR Radio
Monday , 27, May 2024 Sensor Sweep Leave a commentComic Books (Fandom Pulse): Disney might have accidentally dropped some damning news for the mainstream comic industry in the form of a job listing. Comic shops have been struggling at all-time lows for sales heading into the second half of 2024, and now, it appears as if Marvel Comics may be on the chopping block.
Fantasy (Ken Lizzi): Fantasy Book was a relatively short-lived magazine,
putting out 23 issues between 1981 and 1987. It was one of the first publications I submitted to as a budding teen writer (I hope I never run across any of the manuscripts I wrote back then) so I picked up a copy. I wonder if I still have an ancient rejection letter from Fantasy Book somewhere? I still have the magazine and decided to give it another read after the interval of (oh so many) decades. Here are my brief notes on each story.
Tolkien (Rip Jagger Dojo): The 1981 BBC radio adaptation of The Lord of the Rings is definitive. The reason is that the story is pretty much comprehensive (like most adaptations poor Tom Bombadil gets the ax). Another reason is the outstanding cast. Michael Horden is ideally cast as Gandalf and leads a strong group which includes Ian Holm as Frodo (of course he later plays Bilbo for Peter Jackson’s movies), Peter Woodthorpe as Gollum, and Bill Nighy as Samwise (the best rendering of the character I’ve encountered). Read More
Last year, I wrote a post on the Fedogan & Bremer collection Frost by Donald Wandrei. That book collected the first eight stories with the plan for a second volume. Fedogan & Bremer went on hiatus with the second volume in limbo. Enter Haffner Press. Haffner Press has a history of publishing massive collections of pulp era science fiction. The books are hardback, printed on archival paper, with Smyth sewn binding.
Orders were taken in 2015, there were some delays in production with The Complete Ivy Frost arriving in 2020.
All 18 stories are reprinted, 697 pages of text. Cover by Raymond Swanland and interior illustrations by Chris Kalb. Dwayne Olson wrote an introduction on the series. Layout of text is easy for reading. All and all, a top notch production. Read More
Science Fiction and Fantasy New Releases: 25 May 2024
Saturday , 25, May 2024 Uncategorized Leave a commentEvery week, the Castalia House Blog spotlights some of the many new releases in independent, pulp, and web novel-influenced science fiction and fantasy.
Battleborn (The Weapon #1) – Richard Fox
On the battlefields of the future, death is not the end for a soldier.
The Revenant Program collects badly wounded soldiers broken by war and converts them into unthinking, unfeeling cyborg weapons. Their bodies are immune to pain, their minds impervious to fear and doubt. All controlled by a neural implant called the Imperative.
They are the ideal force for any mission too deadly or too difficult for normal men. A force that answers to the darkest corners of the military.
But when one of the Revenants awakens, he can only remember two things: that he must fight, and a code name…Dead Man.
Who was he before he became a Revenant? What are the officers and scientists controlling the program to do with a soldier that can question the horrific orders he’s given?
The more those controlling the Dead Man learn of who he was, they realize they may have turned a monster into something truly unstoppable. And with every memory recovered, the Imperative drives the Dead Man closer to insanity.
The Delegate’s Demise (The Queen’s Blade #5) – D. K. Holmberg
A trade delegation changes everything for the Queen’s Blade.
With a delegation from Ardem in the city to negotiate the sale of fabrications, Zaren is already on edge. The sense of magic is everywhere, and he doesn’t know where to focus.
Then one of the delegates dies under mysterious circumstances, and the Blade may be the only one to find those responsible.
Dangers begin to build. The queen grows sicker by the day, and attempts to heal her fail. Waleith knows something, but refuses to talk. And Zaren begins to fear the plot against the queen and the throne is closer to her than he’d ever imagined.
The Queen’s Blade may be the only one who can save the city from destruction, but can he save the queen in time?
The Forever Ship (Starship Omega #1) – Scott Bartlett and Joshua James
Only Omega can free humanity.
When the Ornu came, they took Earth in a single night. Humanity never stood a chance. Now, they force us to crew their ships and fight their wars for them. They hold Earth hostage, and if we refuse to do their bidding, they’ll lay waste to our precious blue marble. Slaughtering the billions who live there.
But when Captain Bill Henderson is sent to claim a small moon for his masters, he finds something they never accounted for. An ancient warship – a behemoth abandoned for millennia by a species that reached its peak at the dawn of the universe.
Could this ship of ages be exactly what humanity needs to cast off the shackles of their oppressors?
Knights Apocalyptica – Zach Skye
The Apocalypse came. Chaos reigns. A new generation of magic-wielding Knights rises.
The Earth met its end, bathed in holy fire. Rifts spill monsters into our world. Ravaging everything. Destroying civilization as we knew it.
Now, the Kingdom of Cindrus is the last bastion of humanity. The last vestiges of a broken people clinging to life deep underground.
But not all hope is lost. Erec has been blessed by the Goddess. From a line of disgraced nobility, he seeks to reclaim his family’s honor and join the prestigious academy – the institution that trains the next generation of Knights.
With a power that brings him to an uncontrollable Rage, and an old-world AI aiding him, Erec seeks to reconquer the world with the remains of human-kind.
ReclamationIt all comes down to this…
The threat of the Visitors might be over, but something new and scary has shown its face on Faebos. A new queen has risen with a desire to reclaim the planet for her people, no matter the cost.
Once again, it’s up to Predaxes and Malik to end this new threat while also keeping at bay the hand of former enemies.
Will a return to Centridium Space be possible, or is it all just a dream to distract them from the nightmare of their reality?
Reclamation is Book Three of Rogue Stars, a boots-on-the-ground Military Sci-Fi series by #1 Audible and Washington Post bestseller Jaime Castle, creator of the Black Badge series. Reclamation combines powerful weapons and mechs, exotic aliens, loyal bots, heroes, and cunning enemies in a thrilling adventure that will force you to lose sleep.
I, Dragon – a crowdfunding campaign from Alien Books
Fiefdoms of the royal family, Rosentall Castle lives its darkest hours surrounded by a huge army. The leader who heads it is the bastard descendant of a lost royal line, and she has returned to reclaim her throne. A long and bloody struggle for power is about to begin. Meanwhile, inside the castle, a strange carnival woman gives birth to her first child…
One day in the early 90s, international guru Alejandro Jodorowsky chose him to take over the art of The Metabarons, that Moebius had been drawing until then. The gray-blue of the Metabarons gives the comics a more realistic look than the colorful pages of superheroes comics, or the one color ink of the manga. The Metabarons is a science-fiction story, but with knights and epic. Each volume is narrated by a robot called Tonto, relating the story of a member of a family of legendary warriors, who have to kill their predecessors, after being trained by them. At last, they must go out into the world after their fate, with incomplete bodies parched with the latest robotic technology.
Giménez touched his friends’ lives with his good humor and his passion for bikes (his friends and his wife enjoyed many rides with him). He also touched generations of artists, with his generosity and amiability, and with the legacy of his work.
After working on sci-fi for so long, Giménez desired to take up some personal projects. And that’s how I, Dragon, a medieval fantasy, came to be.
This crowdfunding campaign will be open through 14 June, 2024.
Sword and Scandal – a Kickstarter campaign from J. Manfred Weichsel
The title Sword & Scandal is a play on the popular Italian sword and sandal genre of epic films. These will be stories with traditional historical and mythological settings from heroic fantasy, but with more gore, nudity, and sex than what you usually see published. They will be subversive without becoming grimdark and will retain the sense of fun you would want from a pulp adventure, and the sense of wonder you would want from a weird tale.
If you have read my books, then you know that I am an experimental author who takes big risks with everything he does. Unlike other publishers who tend to play it safe with their selections, I will be looking for the wild, strange, and outrageous. I want to publish off-beat and off-the-wall stories that would never otherwise get to see the light of day.
Humor is also a big part of what I do. I will actively look for stories that incorporate a similar sense of humor as mine: dry, sardonic, and satirical. I enjoy humor that is character-driven, dark, and surreal. But I also like farce.
Sword & Scandal is not an anthology for genre purists. It is for thrill-seeking readers who want something new and different. The tales in this book will be adventures to scandalize. So, if you want to see such a new market open up to writers, and if you want to help bring such a book into existence, and if you want to hold such a book in your hands and read it, then contribute to Sword & Scandal now!
This Kickstarter campaign will be open through 5 June, 2024.
Ursula of Ulm (De re dordica #2) – a Kickstarter campaign from Pilum Press
“This next song is dedicated to Steven Miller, Esquire, Master Cataloger, from Krolok, eerie master of illusion. Krolok says, ‘To my brother in karnic arts, Fate has favored you. Together, we will wield great power and receive great rewards. Come to me, and let us share in the glory and riches of Yaat, our ancient kingdom. Our success depends on your skill and secrecy. Do not fail me. You know what you must do.'”
In this follow-up to the cult classic Shagduk, the mystery of Professor Sherwood’s disappearance deepens. As does Steven Miller’s involvement with Fort Worth’s occult underbelly and with his secretive colleague, Diane. Find out what happens when impish shenanigans go too far and when doors best left closed lead the fledgling sorcerer to the world’s very edge. Ursula of Ulm is the second book in the De re dordica saga.
This Kickstarter campaign will be open through 20 June, 2024.
Sensor Sweep: James Bond, Hobbit Comic Book, Conan Comic Book, Warhammer
Monday , 20, May 2024 Sensor Sweep 1 CommentComic Books (Rip Jagger Dojo): As far as I can remember the Eclipse
Comics adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit came out of left field. I don’t remember much buzz about it at the time, but it was a period when I was less connected to comics overall. After the burst of interest in fantasy in the 70’s, largely as a result of the success of Tolkien’s epic works, the story had gotten an animated treatment in both television and in the cinema.
James Bond (MI6): Ian Fleming penned hundreds of thousands of words about 007, but he wrote very few about the man himself, James Bond. Readers came to understand the character through his actions. This is made clear in the rather fleeting depictions of Bond’s life outside his total duty to Queen and Country. In contrast, Bond screenwriters wasted no time and expended just a few words to tell us everything we need to know about the cinematic 007.
History (The Past): In the last issue of MHM, in the first of two special
editions to mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day on 6 June 1944, we looked at some of the factors which would determine the operation’s success — from the brilliant Allied deception plan, which left Hitler unsure where an attack would come, to the flawed ‘Atlantic Wall’, which left German troops poorly placed to resist the greatest amphibious invasion force in history. Read More
Robert Kenneth Jones’ The Shudder Pulps is possibly the first history of a pulp magazine genre. The book was first published as a hardback by Fax Collector’s Editions in 1975 (with cool Mike Kaluta cover). A trade paperback edition from New American Library followed in 1978.
The weird menace pulps lasted about eight years from 1933 to 1941. The concept was the brain child of Harry Steeger, publisher of Popular Publication line of pulps. The stories had gothic elements, mystery, torture, and non-supernatural explanations.
Jones goes through the success of Dime Mystery, Horror Stories, and Terror Tales all from Popular Publications and the imitators like Thrilling Mystery. Weird Tales even attempted to ride the wave with Paul Ernst’s “Doctor Satan” series. Read More
Science Fiction and Fantasy New Releases: 18 May 2024
Saturday , 18, May 2024 Uncategorized 1 CommentEvery week, the Castalia House Blog spotlights some of the many new releases in independent, pulp, and web novel-influenced science fiction and fantasy.
A Bad Case of Dead – Jim Breyfogle
Edward has caught a bad case of Dead!
While hurrying to his clerking job in London, Edward is attacked by a strange creature in an alleyway. Feeling ill, Edward consults his apothecary neighbor who informs him he’s been infected with zumbiism, and is now among the Dead!
There is still hope, however! Sent on his way with a potent elixir that will stave off the effects of Dead, Edward must seek out the aid of a Necromancer in the Narrow World, a hidden realm of forgotten magic beyond the sea. But the next ship leaves in only an hour!
Edward is unable to say farewell to his beloved Becca before setting off on the adventure of a lifetime! For her sake, he will find a cure for Dead… Or die trying, if he were not dead already!
Even if he reaches the Narrow World, there’s no guarantee he’ll be able to find a necromancer or convince him to cure his zumbiism. Edward must rely on his wits and determination to triumph over the challenges the Narrow World throws forth, including fickle merfolk, deadly sea monsters, religious zealots, and a plucky guide who is as ready to put him out of his misery as help him!
Cloaked Deception – Timothy Zahn
A tactical nuclear weapon is stolen from an Indian research facility, setting off a chain of events that spans the globe.
Those behind the heist plan to use it to take out thousands of innocent people—all to assure death of a single man who they believe is too dangerous to be left alive.
What are the lives of thousands compared to the safety of the world?
At the same time, scientists have invented the world’s first cloaking device, able to render its user almost completely invisible. It’s the epitome of hidden-in-plain-sight—a game changer for any military. At least until three of the lead scientists are murdered and their work is stolen the night before their first demonstration.
Authorities have no idea the two crimes are connected.
There are ten days before the bomb is set to go off.
Can they unravel the trail of red herrings in time?
The clock is ticking…
Fires Above, Heroes Below (Dragon’s Dawn #1) – Dan Michaelson and D. K. Holmberg
When all seems lost, a young man discovers the untapped power within himself.
Laric Mason has long evaded the grand expectations set before him by his grandmother. Engaged in the rudimentary spellslips and basics of mage magic at his local school, he intentionally conceals his true abilities. Public recognition would only bring unwanted responsibility and the threat of a transfer to the prestigious Mage Academy.
When a devastating dragon assault from the neighboring realm of Korthal lays waste to his village, Laric’s world is turned upside down. With his home in ruins and his loved ones lost, he and his friends are all that stand against further invasions.
Faced with the need for a hero, Laric must decide if he will embrace the power he has shied away from all his life. To defend his remaining world and challenge the dragon threat, Laric must do the one thing he has always avoided.
He must try.
Lightning Strike (The Last Hunter #14) – J. M. Cheney and Terry Mixon
In combat, speed is life.
Admiral Jack Romanoff and his people have seized control of Faust and now have a base of operations, though the people of that world aren’t completely pleased by his presence or actions. That’s okay because he doesn’t have time to worry about them. He needs to strike the Locusts before they spread even more than they already have in the wreck everything humanity has built.
If you’re not cheating, you’re not trying hard enough.
With everything on the line, he can’t afford to leave anything on the table. All his weapons and tricks have to be brought to bear now if they intend to save the Confederation. If they fail, humanity will be enslaved or worse. The time for victory is now.
He who hesitates is lost.