Book Review: Blue War by Jeffrey Thomas

Book Review: Blue War by Jeffrey Thomas
A Punktown Novel

Published by Solaris Books in 2008

Cover Artist not indicated, book forward thanks Stephen Martiniere for his stunning artwork.


This is the second Punktown novel I have read and reviewed. The previous novel read and reviewed was Deadstock.

So Welcome to the City of Paxton on the world called Oasis, or as the locals and residents call it, Punktown. This is the nickname of the main city on the colony world called Oasis. It is a sprawling metropolis stretching into the sky and in the ground (called Subtown) which is filled with humans, mutants, denizens from other dimensions as well as a multitude of alien races.

Blue War starts off on the world of Sinan, the location of the so called Blue War that took place between the Earth Colonial Forces and the local Jin Haa won a treaty against the Ha Jiin nation. It is a very thinly veiled reference to the Vietnam War, with similar terrain, ideals, conflict, etc. Even so it is a well imagined conflict, that is rarely recounted in flashback scenes and recollections of the main character of Jeremy Stake, Mutant Private Investigator in love with an enemy alien woman he met during the conflict. That meeting is told in the other Punktown novel Deadstock.

This novel is primarily set on the alien planet reached via dimensional travel, where a strange completely blue replica of the entire city of Punktown is being recreated deep in the forest and neutral lands between the two nations there.

This city is causing conflict to escalate between the two nations, as well as destroying jungle and threatening the supply of a gas, the control of was the root cause of the war a decade before the novel takes place.

The novel then follows the investigations into the origin of Blue Town (as it is dubbed) and the efforts of Jeremy Stake to find the woman he loved ten years before and somehow come to grips with the war, his actions, and his feelings for the Ha Jiin woman he fell for.

I found it just as good as Deadstock with more backstory being filled in on the main character and the conflict and how it affected the lives of those it touched. There are some good elements to it, and it is a worthy read. The only downside is the preoccupation with the war that is over, but that is a minor quibble for a novel that is well written, easy to read, good characters, and clocking in at 407 pages with decent loose ends tying up ending.

Go read the Punktown Novels if you like War stories, good science fiction, or just an almost Noir or Cyberpunk feeling novel without the setting.

For SF gamers this is a good book in a great setting to pull ideas from for your gaming. It would fit in best in a game using a system like Classic Traveller or the GDW House System (As used in Dark Conspiracy, Twilight 2000, or Cadillacs and Dinosaurs) with a high degree of grit and realism to them.

This copy of the book was purchased at a used book store at the same time as Deadstock. This store was in Carrollwood Florida and is no longer open. Those interested can check The Book Bazaar in Lakeland Florida located on Combee Road to see if they can get a copy there, otherwise online ordering would be necessary.

More on the author at his site Jeffrey Thomas Author Website


Book Review of Monstrocity written by Michael Tresca
A Roleplaying Game edition of the setting is in production and set to be available sometime in 2013 from Miskatonic River Press.