Going Dark

Going Dark is a military science fiction novel set in the near future, where enhanced soldiers called the Red operate as an independent force to prevent catastrophic threats to humanity. The story follows Lieutenant James Shelley, commander of a small squad equipped with advanced technology and neural augmentations. The squad faces a mysterious adversary who has orchestrated a string of seemingly unrelated incidents across the globe. Their investigation leads them through combat zones and urban environments as they work to uncover the truth behind these events. Shadowy artificial intelligences, corporate interests, and military powers intersect in this taut narrative about the nature of control and free will. The novel explores questions about human enhancement, surveillance technology, and the price of maintaining global security in an interconnected world.

Readers highlight the book's fast pace and engaging action sequences, with particular focus on the military technology and combat scenes. Multiple reviews note the author's attention to detail in depicting near-future warfare and AI integration. Liked: - Complex female protagonist - Technical accuracy in military operations - Satisfying conclusion to the trilogy - Balanced handling of AI themes Disliked: - Slower middle section - Less character development than previous books - Some found the ending rushed - Technical jargon can be overwhelming for new readers Ratings: Goodreads: 4.0/5 (165 ratings) Amazon: 4.2/5 (89 reviews) One reader on Goodreads noted: "The combat scenes are tense and visceral, but I wanted more depth from the supporting characters." An Amazon reviewer wrote: "Strong finish to the series, though the pacing felt uneven compared to the first two books."

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🌟 Linda Nagata is a pioneer of the nanopunk genre and was the first female author to win the Nebula Award for Best Novella (1995) 🚀 "Going Dark" is part of the Red trilogy, which follows a group of enhanced super-soldiers nicknamed the "Linked Combat Squad" 💡 The series explores themes of transhumanism and the integration of military personnel with artificial intelligence systems 🎖️ The military technology described in the book draws inspiration from real DARPA research projects and emerging combat innovations 📚 Though Nagata is based in Hawaii, far from traditional publishing centers, she was an early adopter of independent publishing before signing with traditional publishers for this series