Fun story, providing one is willing to ignore the utterly inaccurate particle physics. I don't read a lot of books where I've uttered such a blue streak in disbelief, and I've still got 20 pages to go. ( )

Still determined to struggle through and finish. If you love detailed descriptions of military weaponry and hate character development (seriously, halfway through we finally get some personal life details about the main character), this is the book for you.

It's not all bad, there is some humor, and in spite of the above complaints I do find some of the detailed physics and weapons extremely interesting (which is why a friend recommended it).

Perhaps the single most annoying thing is how the author constantly switches around how he references characters—by first name, last name, job title, rank, vague job description—it makes it hard to follow at times. You have to remember not only a character's name, but every aspect of his job, duties, and rank, he might be referred to by any of those at any time.

A very interesting hard SF book about a physics experiment gone wrong that opens portals to other worlds. One inhabited by a race of monsters bent on changing every world to their world through terraforming.

The main character is a "redneck physicist" who figures out what is happening and starts working to change it with his Navy Seal side kicks.

A good all around read. In one way - high body count military SF - classic Ringo. In another - fetish sex - unrecognizable as Ringo. ( )

Read 2008
Re-read 2012

[November 2008 Review]
Basically take Doom and parts of Starcraft, specifically the Zerg, add in some military hardware jargon and you've got this book. Some rogue physicist creates some kind of gate that throws out bosun particles, which allow gates to be opened to other planets. The dreen come through one and we go through another and meet some friendly aliens. The dreen take over planets and suck them dry of resources. The dreen are zerglike, growing creatures for specific needs.

Besides some profanity and some seriously over the top weapon specifications[it IS military scifi though], this was enjoyable. I plan on reading some more in this series 'cause this was a ton of fun.


[May 2012 Review]
Still gets 4 stars from me. Could have had a little more action and less eggheads discussing quantum mechanic theory.

But marines, aliens, guns and scientists. Plus Mimi and Tuffy. Just good stuff. ( )

Into the Looking Glass by John Ringo is the first book in his Looking Glass series. When an accident in a physics lab at University of Central Florida causes a huge explosion, physicist William (Bill) Weaver and Navy SEAL Command Master Chief Robert Miller are sent in to investigate. They discover that an experiment in subatomic physics has produced a gateway to another world - and the gateways are spreading.

This is military science fiction novel. Ringo adds some humor along with the science (and some parts were quite funny), but the star of this book is the military action. After the initial explosion the novel slowed down while the physics of the event were being explained, but the action soon took off at a breakneck pace.

Let me reiterate that this is military science fiction. If supporting the American military or the warrior culture of the military is going to offend you, don't read this book. It's pro-military. It's also science fiction, so, if (simplified) scientific explanations are going to confuse you, don't read this book. If neither the military nor science aspects are going to bother you, then by all means read Into the Looking Glass. (Additionally, keep in mind that the novel supports conservative political views.)

Ringo is not the best writer technically but then, that's not really what you'd be looking for in a military science fiction novel. He does deliver on the action and the battle scenes. I'm looking forward to reading the other three novels in this series sometime: Vorpal Blade (Looking Glass, Book 2) by John Ringo; Manxome Foe (Looking Glass, Book 3) by Travis S. Taylor; Claws That Catch (Looking Glass, Book 4) by John Ringo
Highly Recommended - especially if you enjoy military science fiction. http://shetreadssoftly.blogspot.com/ ( )