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Christopher Holliday
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The Spoils of War Kindle Edition

by Christopher Holliday (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
3.8 out of 5 stars 57
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In a turbulent near-future, a soldier finds himself fighting battles in a war he can't remember enlisting for, and where everything, including the enemy, may not be exactly what it seems.

This award winning short story originally appeared in the Age of Wonders anthology.

"The Spoils of War," by Christopher Holliday, is a hard-hitting tale of the future of war, where some things haven't changed since Caesar, and yet nothing is the same at all. -- David Brin, Hugo Award winning author. ( Forward from Age of Wonders).

"High impact character-driven military science fiction reminiscent of John Steakley's Armor" -- Marketlist SF Reviews
Previous page
  1. Print length
    13 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publication date
    October 6, 2015
  5. File size
    2037 KB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  9. See all details
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Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B016AX0TR4
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ October 6, 2015
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 2037 KB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 13 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    3.8 out of 5 stars 57

About the author

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Christopher Holliday

Christopher Holliday

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Christopher Holliday was abducted from his home in Southern California at a young age and raised by wolves in small town New England. He spent the better part of high school writing stories in spiral notebooks, finished his first two novels shortly after graduation, and wisely shelved them.

An award winning author, he writes character driven stories with genre wide ideas. His publishing credits include dozens of science fiction short stories in magazines and anthologies, as well as mainstream stories in college and literary presses.

Holliday is the creator of Marketlist.com, the first digital market resource for writers. He has been a script and screenplay editor and story consultant, while continuing to write genre short stories and two novels in progress.

Customer reviews

3.8 out of 5 stars
3.8 out of 5
57 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Patricia
5.0 out of 5 stars Nice Cover... Even Better Story
Reviewed in the United States on November 5, 2015
Verified Purchase
I started this short story on the suggestion of a friend. This really isn't a genre that I like, I don't get psyched for sci-fi but I was pleasantly surprised to discover that this story had much more to it than that. I thought I knew what I was getting, but I was way off.

It moves quickly, even for a short story, from one scene to the next and the characters are filled in nicely giving you an idea about who they are, why they're doing what they're doing, and a bit of inner monologue. The scenes are described in detail but not in a wordy way, and there are plenty of places where you'll find yourself asking questions as the plot carries you along.

I think what I liked most is that the characters don't tell you everything. Like real people, there are things they keep to themselves, and things even they don't know until their lives unfold. Too many authors try to tell you everything right up front instead of allowing the story to unfold organically, again, like life.

Even my 15 year old wished it was a longer work when we read it as part of our literature lesson last month. He wanted to know more of the story... with the twists and surprises it delivers we all did.
One person found this helpful
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Ron Baker
4.0 out of 5 stars The furure of profit margins
Reviewed in the United States on May 7, 2017
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There is a powerful social commentary delivered in this original science fiction short that posits the true purpose of war. The best science fiction makes a comment on current societal dynamics in clever parallels. The reader becomes aware of this parallel later in the book and it is a delightful reveal. Crisp writing and subtle futurism ensconces an authentic feeling military tale.

Bonus points for making me look up the word "epicanthic". Recommended.
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The Chronicler
3.0 out of 5 stars Three Stars (262 Kindle Locations)
Reviewed in the United States on October 13, 2016
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Alright short story, but nothing extraordinary. It's two of the biggest science-fiction tropes mashed together: (spoilers ahead) government waging war for money (implied) and clones. The only original point that I really liked was that the "original" people were not dead.
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Sarah M.
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, leaves you wanting more!
Reviewed in the United States on November 10, 2015
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After reading Holliday's novelette, Doppleganger, I wanted to read more from this author and found The Spoils of War. While there are some common themes between the two, this short story felt darker to me. Again, I enjoyed the fast pace and the fact that there were just enough careful details to help the reader imagine the setting and characters. However, a lot was left to the imagination, which makes the story more accessible to readers because you can fill in what you know from your own experiences with loss, war, and despair. There were surprises in the text, yet there's a sad familiarity that I am sure my ex-military friends could understand even more than myself. I tend to think of apocalyptic or dystopian stories as hyperbolic looks at the "what ifs" and "worst-case scenarios" our how our current economy and never-ending wars could play out. Like other reviewers, I would love to read a longer novel or book about these characters or characters within this same universe.
One person found this helpful
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Adam Mahler
4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting read
Reviewed in the United States on April 17, 2019
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I enjoyed the premise of this short story. It was a neat idea and my only fault is that it wasn't a longer book
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Amazon Reviewer
5.0 out of 5 stars An all around solid 5-star short
Reviewed in the United States on February 15, 2016
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When a product on Amazon has nothing less than 4 stars, it is automatically suspicious. I almost want to give this a 3 star, not because it is an average product, but to give it "legitimacy." But I'm going to trust that an author of this caliber eventually gets the attention he deserves, and with it comes the attention of trolls. :-P

This is an all around great short story. The prose is crisp and descriptive without ever being overblown and boring, the observations about combat read as though the author has "been there." The characterizations are spot on. There really isn't anything not to love about it. I'm going to go and buy his next one.

I look forward to the novels he says he is writing in the description.
4 people found this helpful
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csf
4.0 out of 5 stars Great Read! I recommend it.
Reviewed in the United States on March 21, 2017
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This is a great little short story. 1000% worth a buck to read. Leaves me wanting more. Maybe a novelization set in this universe? Who knows, the sky is the limit. But this was excellent. Great work.
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Jane88
5.0 out of 5 stars 5 Star book
Reviewed in the United States on October 17, 2015
Verified Purchase
Wow !! I could not even stop reading this story. The author really keeps the reader engaged the whole time. The story was actually so good, I will be reading the whole thing again next week. Give this story a try for sure.
2 people found this helpful
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