Galactic Marines Books In Order

Publication Order of Heritage Trilogy Books

Publication Order of The Legacy Trilogy Books

Publication Order of Inheritance Trilogy Books

The “Galactic Marines” series by Ian Douglas (pen name that the author William H. Keith, Jr. uses when writing this series) is actually made up of three trilogies (“Heritage” trilogy, “Legacy” trilogy, and “Inheritance” trilogy) to make one big series. All three are about the United States Marine Corps. The “Heritage” trilogy is set far into the future, and the later trilogies (“Legacy” and “Inheritance”) are about the descendants of the first one. The series is from the genre of military science fiction, and started with the release of the novel “Semper Mars”, which came out in the year 1998.

The events of the “Heritage” trilogy take place from the year 2040 until the year 2067. The way that Ian Douglas writes the stories, with his trivia and history of the Marine Corps, he is able to show his fondness for the Corps and evoke patriotism in America. In it, there is a sub-plot that is called “Hunters of the Dawn”, and in the “Legacy” trilogy, this sub-plot is the focus of the story.

In the “Inheritance” trilogy, it is the humans versus Xul, after a Xul sentry took out Argo (an ancient refugee ship). This destruction puts Earth in danger, once again. This is the first time that the Marines take the offensive.

“Semper Mars” is the first novel in the “Galactic Marines” series and was released in the year 1998. In the year 2040, Marines have guarded the secrets on Mars of a dangerous and ancient race of an alien race: Ourselves.

The scientists that are there have found something awe inspiring in the ruins of a Martian city. Evidence that there is an alternate history that may just divide humanity into forces on opposing sides. It could plunge planet Earth into both war and chaos. The United States Marine Corps, which was considered obsolete until recently, has sent out the Marine mars Expeditionary Force; this is a thirty man weapons team that has gone to Red Planet so that they can protect the American civilians and their interest. They plan to do so with lethal force, should that be necessary.

Fans of the novel love the plot driven nature of the story with some great escapism style science fiction to it. The author writes in a way that readers enjoy and does a great job of researching some of the details he adds in the novels. Some found that the book takes until about the half way mark to pick up, but that is due to all of the introducing going on. The novel is a fun read, has a fast pace, and it tells a compelling story that keeps readers engaged throughout. Fans of the book could not wait for more from this series, as this is quite the series to follow.

“Luna Marine” is the second novel in the “Galactic Marines” series and was released in the year 1998. The news of the half of a million year legacy of the star traveling (called Builders) that went missing has led to a big war. A United States that is under siege and its allies (Japanese and Russian) are desperately trying to keep the enemy United Nations at bay. The fight has gone across all of the planet, and has moved into space, with the Marine Corps leading the fight.

Mars is not the only place that has alien wonders hidden there. Earth’s own moon (which is called Luna) has some unsettling mysteries of its own and some dangerous secrets that could lead to an unstoppable threat moving past the solar system.

Scientists on both sides sprint to use technology they have only just started to understand, the United Nations makes a move in an attempt to end the fighting fast and decisively by killing a bunch of people. And that is without the use of alien weaponry. This bad situation gets worse by the second. It is time to call in the Marines, to make a stand on Luna.

Fans of the novel found this to be another enjoyable novel in the series; some even thought that it was better than book number one in the series. Some like the way that the focus is on the people, not just the technology, and some like the way the book is just fun, and does not try to be something deep. He is able to make the marines more than just the stereotypical jar heads usually found in cheap fiction. The novel is more than just a simple filler book between the great first book and the third book that concludes things.

“Europa Strike” is the third novel in the “Galactic Marines” series and was released in the year 2000. Twenty-five years after the secrets were found on Mars, some secrets were found on Europa. It was trapped under ice in locked oceans, and is an alien technology that may have the key to human’s final destiny.

It is known as “The Singer” for the creepy tone that it emits. It is an artificial intelligence that was built long ago, and may be the thing that solves the mystery of where the alien races responsible for humanity’s birth and development went. After a decades long war, hostile nations on Earth want more and more power, not knowledge. The only thing that is stopping the Chinese from getting it, is US Marines dug in behind Jupiter’s red eye.

All kinds of events light years away come together, with both annihilation coming and confrontation probable. The secret history that contains doom and creation must be dealt with if man kind is going to get its glorious heritage with all the stars.

Fans of the novel enjoyed the way things were brought to an end in this; there is a little more battling, less science and less politics. The books, for some, got better and better as they went. Some were made into fans of this author, just by reading this series, and will continue to read his work after this. It is really too bad that there will be no more books in this trilogy. This author does a great job of writing battle scenes in all the novels in this part of the series.