One Man Army

Daniel J. Neumann
Llumina Press (2006)
ISBN 1595264035
Reviewed by Richard R. Blake for Reader Views (10/06)

Commissioned by the Celestial Guard, Jack, Jennifer, Kevin, Geoffrey, and Harold are assigned to Project OMAHA. The team has never experienced a world at peace.  Their lives have been so taken up by war and training that they only see themselves as a well trained weapon.

Daniel Neumann subtly introduces the complex emotional and intellectual genius of each of his characters. They are moved from competing as individuals to becoming a part of a Special Forces team.  The characters develop from being aloof and detached to feeling and expressing more personal human emotions. This sensitivity heightens the impact of the fast moving plot.

One short paragraph illustrates the dramatic action that fills the pages of Neumann’s book.  “Jack was impressed. In two minutes, his team had successfully prevented the arrival of reinforcements, eliminated the leader, taken control of their escape vehicle, and eradicated five cavalry-class Surculus infantry.”  Five days of intense action follow as the Special Forces Team of OMA fulfill their mission.

In the last space battle to halt the attack, as the team faced the hostiles near the second planet from the star, Captain Klark opened the channel for all to hear, “This is it.  I cannot guarantee you will all make it. In fact, I guarantee that you will die, at least, I expect you to fight that way.  If you are lucky enough to survive, fight for the ship next to you that will not.  You are not just fighting for your children. You are fighting for humanity’s ideology and the history that comes with it.”

Daniel has been gifted with a creative imagination and an intuitive technical brilliance that give this book authenticity. He weaves a spell of suspense and a frightening vision of what we might expect in the future, perhaps even in the 31st Century.

Daniel was inspired by the unique writing of H. G. Wells in his novel “The First Men in the Moon.”  In this book Wells adapted the concept of overriding what he knew of the laws of natural physics to introduce an incredible story. Neumann has used this same technique by introducing a concept of light not being relative and by taking the current penchant of embracing spirituality in science fiction by adding religion to the drama. This has added another dimension and greater depth to his intriguing plot.  He has skillfully challenged the reader to explore the parallel of light and enlightenment in “One Man Army.” 
 
I am expecting to read more exciting works from young Daniel J. Neumann. He shows promise in leading the way for a melding of Science Fiction, and spirituality, with a religious conviction.  

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