Are you ready for Standard U.E.N. FlightForce procedure? We've all been on full alert since the release of the first novel, Guarder Lore, and we've anxiously waited for the second in the series: Guarder Factor. The Guarders have come back and given its fans more pirates, spaceships, and warring planets than we dare wish for. Yet, The Guarder Factor does so most splendidly. When I first read Guarder Lore, it was in short story segments and read much like a variety of short stories stitched together more so than a complete novel (that wasn't a bad thing). Guarder Factor is exactly what you would expect of a novel: flowing from chapter to chapter instead of story-by-story creating an excellent mutation into a novel length work of fiction.

Shawn has created a world within this masterpiece and kept the feel of a classic science fiction novel writing true! He has developed his characters to fullness --so much so that you get a feel of the humanity and the extreme situation all at once when Buzzer's young partner, Razor, finds humor in the fact that Guarder Buzzer takes on the entire CharterCity Police. Buzzer's human side kicks in and he realizes the seriousness of his actions and what he danger could have occurred relying on a young rookie for backup. Buzzer is the type of warrior that generally does his warring without regards for others and goes in kicking ass and asking no questions.

One of my most favorite science fiction slash horror writers, Shawn P. Madison, has released another horrifying space sagas and has opened in a major explosion. From the first page of The Guarder Factor, you know you are in for a bumpy ride. You feel the helplessness, the horror, and the finality approaching of the hammering attacks. At this point, when it's all over, and the screen goes dark, you know a hellacious judgment is on its way and isn't going to pretty but it will be just and there will be no doubts because it's coming with Guarder Buzzer attached to it.

Buzzer's young partner, a rookie, Razor, brings an air of distinctness and humanity to the legendary Guarder, Buzzer. Of course, like all highly documented heroes, Buzzer is not well received: no one likes another big fish pissing in their pond and taking their glory. Buzzer certainly becomes more three-dimensional in this installment and although well regarded he is much despised by his cohorts especially on the Ruffian. Buzzer keeps all (even the bigwigs) in their place and stops at nothing to investigate a major upheaval.

Shawn gracefully writes science fiction with a strong flair of horror bleeding from its core! His writing is natural and you feel what is taking place, from the pounding in the chest of gunfire and explosions down to the horrors of the aftermath. As a reader you are under the gunfire and your ears will ring as the detonation of The GUARDER FACTOR goes off! You'll experience all the adventure and action taking place it will be reeling in your minds eye. Shawn has a constant endowment finding the details and keeping them interesting, suspenseful, and gut retching and making sure his readers feel and see every factor --The Guarder Factor!

Following the latest pirate attack on a supercargoliner in the South Western Corporate Sector, two members of the elite Guarder Squadron (Buzzer and the rookie Razor) are assigned the task of investigating whether the attacks are part of something more widespread, their presence having been considered the more politic and prudent action (rather than the obvious presence of a Flightforce Fleet, which would send the pirates into deep hiding).

Soon after arriving at Charter City, the capital city of Shining – the major planet of the sector – Buzzer and Razor start to believe that they are not going to be getting the full support and cooperation of the Shining authorities. This is a feeling they quickly have confirmed when they are attacked.

Realising that the forces aligned against them on the planet itself are much greater in number than , the two Guarders call in outside assistance. This leads to the arrival of a FlightForce Carrier, commanded by an officer who is definitely not happy at being told his ship will be under the command of Buzzer. When he disobeys Buzzer's orders and heads off to hunt down the pirates believing his ship to be more than a match for any pirates.

Following this encounter things gets far, far worse and Buzzer has no alternative but to bring in further Guarders, as the situation descends into a bloodbath. The Guarders are reinforced by more of their number, and the Flightforce send in an entire squadron to sort things out.

This is a bloodthirsty militaristic sf novel. This is not a type of fiction I read all that often, preferring subtle ideas to all out action. But this said, my favourite living sf writer (Mike Resnick) does write adventure stories in space, so it's not a part of the genre that never features in my reading. Mind you Mike Resnick is never this bloody.

However the violence is handled well. It's not dwelt upon. The body count might be high but this excess of action is not included at the expense of a plot or characterisation. There is certainly enough story here to keep a reader's interest.

When I read the first Guarder book I was impressed with Shawn's writing, although I still wanted to see how he would handle a traditional novel structure. The first book was a novel built of a series of short stories linked together into a single narrative by being presented as a series of anecdotes told during an interview. But here we have a single narrative and he has shown himself equally adept at the long form as I knew him to be at the shorter form.

If you want hard sf, high on concept then this is not the book for you. If you like gentle character lead dramas with an sf theme then maybe this will not be quite to your taste. However if you like Robert Heinlein, enjoyed the film of Starship Troopers and don't mind violent content in your novels then this book is well worth consideration.