The Clone Republic

Earth, 2508 A.D. Humans have spread across the six arms of the Milky Way Galaxy. The Unified Authority controls Earth’s colonies with an iron fist and a powerful military—a military made up almost entirely of clones…

Private first-class Wayson Harris was raised in a U.A. orphanage among thousands of clones born and bred to be the ultimate soldiers. But Harris isn’t like the other Marines: he has a mind of his own. He figures he’s paying for that independent streak when his first assignment out of boot camp is the smallest Marine outpost in the whole U.A.

When a rogue general surfaces, the remote desert world Harris thought was a dead-end posting becomes anything but. Fighting off the general’s raid gains Harris a promotion. But it also brings him to the attention of some unfriendly U.A. leaders. They have their own plans for the military—plans Harris disrupts by his very existence. For in an army of clones, the one unforgivable sin is to be different…

 (49 customer reviews)

I am not sure how I came to this book - probably through someone's Amazon List. I am fairly certain I am not in the book's target demographic though. If that describes you too, do not miss the chance to thumb your nose at "target demographics" and give a new genre a try. This book is worth the risk. It has a likeable and able hero who goes on a journey of discovery about the world and his place in it. There are several well-drawn secondary characters who assist him. There is plenty of action, but it's never mindless. The action definitely moves the plot along. There's even a little romance thrown in, which does the same. The story never grows tiresome. I never found myself impatient as I often do with less well written books. This story has depth - it gives you a reason to think, and it's very well constructed. The author deftly assembles all the elements needed for an enjoyable read, good plot, interesting characters, believable settings, etc., whilst also whetting your appetite for...Read more

Wayson Harris grew up a natural-born orphan in school of military or clones - or so he believes. In the earth of the future the lower rank military soliders are all clones and seen as expendable, while the officers are all natural-born humans. Earth has an impressive fleet with which it patrols a galaxy whose only enemies are other humans - and this is the story of a foot solider and how the wars he's in change both him and the galaxy he knows.

This story is told in the first person - and because the central character is so likeable and the story flows well this is an easy and enjoyable read. This would have to be one of the better military SciFi novels I have read this year - the other ones that stand out being OLD MANS WAR and THE LOST FLEET. I'm looking forward to the sequel to this book, ROGUE CLONE.

Apart from the Star Wars novels, I'm not much of a science fiction reader. Over the years, I've waded through a few volumes by various authors but never found anything that truly captivated me. "The Clone Republic" however had me hooked from the first page. I finished it in three days--which is quite a feat for a slow reader like me.

This book avoids all of the things I have disliked in other sci-fi works. There are no invading bug-eyed aliens. There are no mutant/advanced humans with strange powers. There is no babbling on about theoretical science and advanced technology. And there is no plodding plot.

Instead, the author gives us likable characters and a storyline that starts strong and keeps building to a climax that is satisfying yet also leaves one wanting more.

I look forward to getting the next book in the series. In the meantime, I may just have to read this book again. It really is one of the best books I've read in a long time.