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In Every Clime and Place
Semper Fidelis. Always Faithful. The motto of the United States Marine Corps.
Words to live by.
On the ragged edges of civilization, Corporal Michael Collins has lived those words, taking on riots and evacuations, rebels and terrorists. Asteroid belt patrol is just another deployment. Ninety nine percent boredom, one percent terror.
But soon the platoon of Marines find themselves entangled in the threads of a conspiracy of corporate greed, government corruption, piracy, and a band of war criminals.
As the fire team leader struggles with tensions in the close knit unit, Collins and his fellow Marines find themselves outnumbered in a pitched battle to stop a corrupt land grab that seems right out of the Old West, but on a new, wider, more unforgiving frontier. And now he must confront the harsh demands of being “always faithful.”
Semper Fi. Words to live by.
Words to die by.
Time to earn that combat pay, Marines. Welcome to the Suck.
And remember, you volunteered for this.
Words to live by.
On the ragged edges of civilization, Corporal Michael Collins has lived those words, taking on riots and evacuations, rebels and terrorists. Asteroid belt patrol is just another deployment. Ninety nine percent boredom, one percent terror.
But soon the platoon of Marines find themselves entangled in the threads of a conspiracy of corporate greed, government corruption, piracy, and a band of war criminals.
As the fire team leader struggles with tensions in the close knit unit, Collins and his fellow Marines find themselves outnumbered in a pitched battle to stop a corrupt land grab that seems right out of the Old West, but on a new, wider, more unforgiving frontier. And now he must confront the harsh demands of being “always faithful.”
Semper Fi. Words to live by.
Words to die by.
Time to earn that combat pay, Marines. Welcome to the Suck.
And remember, you volunteered for this.
252 pages, Paperback
First published June 3, 2014
33 people are currently reading
44 people want to read
About the author
Patrick LeClerc
11 books82 followersPatrick LeClerc makes good use of his history degree by working as a paramedic for an ever- changing parade of ambulance companies in the Northern suburbs of Boston. When not writing he enjoys cooking, fencing and making witty, insightful remarks with career-limiting candor.
In the lulls between runs on the ambulance --and sometimes the lulls between employment at various ambulance companies-- he writes fiction.
In the lulls between runs on the ambulance --and sometimes the lulls between employment at various ambulance companies-- he writes fiction.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
March 4, 2019
I read Out of Nowhere by Patrick LeClerc for the SPFBO4 competition and it was a fairly critical review. Whenever I post a negative review I get anxious because I’ve seen authors react poorly in the past – rude comments, sending angry emails, writing a whole blog post about it, going to an authors/readers FB group and talk about certain bloggers, etc. I really try and avoid drama, and writing negative reviews invites it. I was so fucking pleased there was no drama from Patrick, holy shit, thank you. Yes, I’ll read more of your books.
So, here we are with space marines! The main character, Mick, is a 30-something corporal in the marines and works with a fairly small platoon. They’re all stuck together on a spaceship for months at a time and shit can get boring and then very exciting at the drop of a hat. It’s dangerous out in the middle of nowhere, even news screws and rescue crews tend to pack heat just in case something goes down.
Their first mission in the book was to rescue some government workers from a mining rebellion. There are mining communities built into asteroids, and the living conditions on one of them got so deplorable that the workers started an uprising. They were only there to get some people out, and not to try and quash the rebellion since there were 10,000 residents on the asteroid. They weren’t supposed to be looked at as a threat since they weren’t there to take down the rebellion, but the possibility was real that the miners wouldn’t care and would target them anyway. They did indeed get ambushed while making their way to the government officials, but it wasn’t what it seemed. When they were evacuating everyone, someone blew an airlock and it could have cost many people their lives. It turns out that it was an inside hack job trying to get rid of an unprofitable mining operation. It was a good 30% or so of the book before we got a glimpse at what the overall plotline was going to be – at first I thought this was going to be a more like a series of missions with no overarching storyline. I was pretty pleased there was one and I found it engaging.
I liked the characters in this one, they were still pretty rough around the edges – but the way the racism and sexism were presented was different from the last book I read of LeClerc’s. There were only a few small changes between this one and Out of Nowhere, which shows how essential context, inner thoughts, and framing is to get the correct point across. Just a few very brief thoughts from Mick changed the tone of the banter and made it obvious where he stood on those issues.
This is another short, compact and quick read by LeClerc, I was able to read through the majority of this in a day once I had a couple hours to spare. If I had any complaints about the writing, it’s that “Marine” was overused. I know that marines address each other like that, but as a reader, it got really repetitive. It was used 387 times in a 250 page book which is a little much. There were instances where it could have been changed out with another word to make it less repetitious and not lose any meaning. Outside of that, however, the dialogue felt real, the pacing was quick and overall enjoyable.
The storyline jumped back and forth between the years 2075 and 2078, up until the last chapter where it was set in the 1700s. I think because I was reading so quickly, and because I was somewhat distracted while reading (husband kept coming in and asking me things) that I may have missed something along the way to explain this. I know that Sean from Out of Nowhere was immortal… and Mick has a brother named Sean… so maybe these two series are tied together? I don’t know if it’s my fault or a lack of explanation by the author that’s lead to my confusion here – but if I were to put money on it I’d say it was me. I have trouble with retention when I’m being repeatedly interrupted or distracted by something.
Audience:
Sci Fi
Military
near-future
single pov
first person narration
quick reads
Ratings:
Plot: 11/15
Characters: 11/15
World Building: 10/15
Writing: 10/15
Pacing: 12/15
Originality: 11/15
Personal Enjoyment: 6.75/10
Final Score: 71.75/100 – 3.58/5stars
So, here we are with space marines! The main character, Mick, is a 30-something corporal in the marines and works with a fairly small platoon. They’re all stuck together on a spaceship for months at a time and shit can get boring and then very exciting at the drop of a hat. It’s dangerous out in the middle of nowhere, even news screws and rescue crews tend to pack heat just in case something goes down.
Their first mission in the book was to rescue some government workers from a mining rebellion. There are mining communities built into asteroids, and the living conditions on one of them got so deplorable that the workers started an uprising. They were only there to get some people out, and not to try and quash the rebellion since there were 10,000 residents on the asteroid. They weren’t supposed to be looked at as a threat since they weren’t there to take down the rebellion, but the possibility was real that the miners wouldn’t care and would target them anyway. They did indeed get ambushed while making their way to the government officials, but it wasn’t what it seemed. When they were evacuating everyone, someone blew an airlock and it could have cost many people their lives. It turns out that it was an inside hack job trying to get rid of an unprofitable mining operation. It was a good 30% or so of the book before we got a glimpse at what the overall plotline was going to be – at first I thought this was going to be a more like a series of missions with no overarching storyline. I was pretty pleased there was one and I found it engaging.
I liked the characters in this one, they were still pretty rough around the edges – but the way the racism and sexism were presented was different from the last book I read of LeClerc’s. There were only a few small changes between this one and Out of Nowhere, which shows how essential context, inner thoughts, and framing is to get the correct point across. Just a few very brief thoughts from Mick changed the tone of the banter and made it obvious where he stood on those issues.
This is another short, compact and quick read by LeClerc, I was able to read through the majority of this in a day once I had a couple hours to spare. If I had any complaints about the writing, it’s that “Marine” was overused. I know that marines address each other like that, but as a reader, it got really repetitive. It was used 387 times in a 250 page book which is a little much. There were instances where it could have been changed out with another word to make it less repetitious and not lose any meaning. Outside of that, however, the dialogue felt real, the pacing was quick and overall enjoyable.
The storyline jumped back and forth between the years 2075 and 2078, up until the last chapter where it was set in the 1700s. I think because I was reading so quickly, and because I was somewhat distracted while reading (husband kept coming in and asking me things) that I may have missed something along the way to explain this. I know that Sean from Out of Nowhere was immortal… and Mick has a brother named Sean… so maybe these two series are tied together? I don’t know if it’s my fault or a lack of explanation by the author that’s lead to my confusion here – but if I were to put money on it I’d say it was me. I have trouble with retention when I’m being repeatedly interrupted or distracted by something.
Audience:
Sci Fi
Military
near-future
single pov
first person narration
quick reads
Ratings:
Plot: 11/15
Characters: 11/15
World Building: 10/15
Writing: 10/15
Pacing: 12/15
Originality: 11/15
Personal Enjoyment: 6.75/10
Final Score: 71.75/100 – 3.58/5stars
July 17, 2021
In Every Clime and Place is a fantastic example of military science fiction and I really enjoyed it.
In the near future, the US Marine Core continues their proud tradition across the asteroid belt. On a mission to evacuate government personnel from a mining colony, Irish-American Cpl Collins and his squad are thrown into a conspiracy with links to shadowy agencies and nefarious corporations back on Earth. They get the job done, but as their patrol mission continues, the depth of the conspiracy begins to unravel and the Marines must face down the menace once and for all.
I found this book to be a real page-turner. Mr. LeClerc has a strong author voice and his own years of service in the Marines comes through in the many jokes and digs that any enlisted person can relate too. The characters were diverse and well written and the plot flowed really well right up to the excellent conclusion.
I'd love to read another book in this setting, so fingers crossed a sequel comes at some point. Highly recommended!
In the near future, the US Marine Core continues their proud tradition across the asteroid belt. On a mission to evacuate government personnel from a mining colony, Irish-American Cpl Collins and his squad are thrown into a conspiracy with links to shadowy agencies and nefarious corporations back on Earth. They get the job done, but as their patrol mission continues, the depth of the conspiracy begins to unravel and the Marines must face down the menace once and for all.
I found this book to be a real page-turner. Mr. LeClerc has a strong author voice and his own years of service in the Marines comes through in the many jokes and digs that any enlisted person can relate too. The characters were diverse and well written and the plot flowed really well right up to the excellent conclusion.
I'd love to read another book in this setting, so fingers crossed a sequel comes at some point. Highly recommended!
Read
March 2, 2019Ok, so I liked this one more than Out of Nowhere, some issues weren't quite as blatant as they were in his first book. Very small wording changes and inner thoughts of the main character dampened and correctly framed racism/sexism that was lacking in Out of Nowhere.
The last chapter had me confused and I'm left wondering if I missed a crucial bit of info. Not sure how I'm going to rate this in the end, but gut feel is ~ 70/100 or 3.5/5
The last chapter had me confused and I'm left wondering if I missed a crucial bit of info. Not sure how I'm going to rate this in the end, but gut feel is ~ 70/100 or 3.5/5
June 26, 2014
In Every Clime and Place isn't my usual kind of book because I don't do scifi much and I do military even less. I bought it because I'd loved Out of Nowhere, LeClerc's first urban fantasy novel so much. This has all the same charm, great characterisation and humour. It's full of authentic military detail apparently but that probably went right over my head - I haven't been in the scouts let alone the Marines. but the novel rings true - full of heart break, action, friendships, romance and a chunky plot. Really easy reading in the best possible sense.
August 23, 2023
Personal Politics Punches Through Endlessly
“In Every Clime and Place” by Patrick LeClerc is a paradox for this reader. The author executes the mission of having a good story of military comradeship and combat arms in a near future, yet his condescending leftist politics percolate constantly throughout.
The writing itself is verbose, overly wordy, structurally flawed with the television generation’s use of endless flashbacks, and lackadaisical proofreading.
Fully read via KU with some Notes & Highlights on Goodreads.
“In Every Clime and Place” by Patrick LeClerc is a paradox for this reader. The author executes the mission of having a good story of military comradeship and combat arms in a near future, yet his condescending leftist politics percolate constantly throughout.
The writing itself is verbose, overly wordy, structurally flawed with the television generation’s use of endless flashbacks, and lackadaisical proofreading.
Fully read via KU with some Notes & Highlights on Goodreads.
February 6, 2024
A book that shows the values of the Corps
Even though it's written and the not far off future it shows the values of the Marine Corps. The TrueCorps. Stand in time for your brother. Leave my example. And always go towards gunfire.
Even though it's written and the not far off future it shows the values of the Marine Corps. The TrueCorps. Stand in time for your brother. Leave my example. And always go towards gunfire.
April 23, 2017
Decent Read
THANK YOU FOR NOT DOING USMC BOOT CAMP! Why so many authors in Mil SciFi believe they 'authenticate' with Emery knock off is beyond me and just plain boring.
Reasonable story and read, just seemed a little tedious (?), wordy at times. Didn't realize this was near future,which is okay, but not my preference for mil SciFi background. Gosh, I hate saying this because I hate overly technical, with authors dazzling us readers with their vision, technical n science acumen. But I gotta believe that ,even in near future, if we can get out into space, we can make better body armor -- for example. Hurt the story some, to me at any rate.
Old School -- Rifle , Team, Fire, AA. No matter how, when that is how you end up on line. Never split a fire team. Drummed into recruits and reinforced that we're good because of how we fight in fire teams. Of course, that was way back in 50, 60, 70 when Corps was still Light Infantry Assault. I can see why the M249 SAW got dropped if policy changed over time is to give them to FNGs, new guys. AA is next in line of command chain to take team if leader is hit. So if it's a new guy .... Nit Pick, Beef and Moan, could go on for a bit BUT ...
Author obviously was in military because he also got a lot of things right and story, overall, is authentic,credible. Most mil writers aren't even close. Action scenes were good, unlike many who go off base with all the blazing away and readers like me lose focus, get lost in tons of action and trying to figure out how our 'heroes' made it. Author focused on main characters and credible action surrounding them.
Appears author believes females in infantry. I liked the no bayonet slug comment, indicative of our new, better, enlightened approach. Even after throwing out all previous, outstanding research and setting a new 'base' of Afghanistan, 4% (was a LOT lower if you take in actions like Korea n Vietnam) can pass infantry but lose lethality by 50% quickly, amongst other things. Hell, USMC has tried for years to put in 3 pull-ups minimum for females and still hasn't implemented despite years of time, effort and money. At least proportion was credible, kinda.
Semper Fi, Author. Sorry couldn't up the stars but at least I read yours. Too many, also former mil, just are so way off. Won't read Ringo, hypocritical former who has a Nam thing that is just so dead wrong. Propagates revisionist history and that kinda ticks me.
THANK YOU FOR NOT DOING USMC BOOT CAMP! Why so many authors in Mil SciFi believe they 'authenticate' with Emery knock off is beyond me and just plain boring.
Reasonable story and read, just seemed a little tedious (?), wordy at times. Didn't realize this was near future,which is okay, but not my preference for mil SciFi background. Gosh, I hate saying this because I hate overly technical, with authors dazzling us readers with their vision, technical n science acumen. But I gotta believe that ,even in near future, if we can get out into space, we can make better body armor -- for example. Hurt the story some, to me at any rate.
Old School -- Rifle , Team, Fire, AA. No matter how, when that is how you end up on line. Never split a fire team. Drummed into recruits and reinforced that we're good because of how we fight in fire teams. Of course, that was way back in 50, 60, 70 when Corps was still Light Infantry Assault. I can see why the M249 SAW got dropped if policy changed over time is to give them to FNGs, new guys. AA is next in line of command chain to take team if leader is hit. So if it's a new guy .... Nit Pick, Beef and Moan, could go on for a bit BUT ...
Author obviously was in military because he also got a lot of things right and story, overall, is authentic,credible. Most mil writers aren't even close. Action scenes were good, unlike many who go off base with all the blazing away and readers like me lose focus, get lost in tons of action and trying to figure out how our 'heroes' made it. Author focused on main characters and credible action surrounding them.
Appears author believes females in infantry. I liked the no bayonet slug comment, indicative of our new, better, enlightened approach. Even after throwing out all previous, outstanding research and setting a new 'base' of Afghanistan, 4% (was a LOT lower if you take in actions like Korea n Vietnam) can pass infantry but lose lethality by 50% quickly, amongst other things. Hell, USMC has tried for years to put in 3 pull-ups minimum for females and still hasn't implemented despite years of time, effort and money. At least proportion was credible, kinda.
Semper Fi, Author. Sorry couldn't up the stars but at least I read yours. Too many, also former mil, just are so way off. Won't read Ringo, hypocritical former who has a Nam thing that is just so dead wrong. Propagates revisionist history and that kinda ticks me.
July 19, 2014
Author Patrick LeClerc perfectly captures the feel of a soldier. I've never been in the military, but LeClerc immersed me quickly through the first-person storytelling of his protagonist Cpl. Michael Collins. It didn't matter that Collins served with a bunch of tough-minded and acting Marines aboard a futuristic starship tasked with saving civilians at a remote mining asteroid during a major strike by angry workers. Collins could have been in any conflict. He's Irish. He's older and more experienced. He's also very cynical. He knows his job. But he's not stupid. His brain processes everything around him. He wants to know what's going on. And Collins figures it out. Something's just not right. The strike has other implications. LeClerc takes most of the book to build up to his climax. But along the way, the reader gets to know the characters. Some better than others. But I could visualize them. I could see them chewing over the gut-wrenching horror after losing fellow soldiers in battle. I could relate. LeClerc is also a pretty gifted writer. His dialogue is excellent. He doesn't waste words. While reading I compared the gritty first-person style to early Mickey Spillane, which I love. Definitely a satisfying read.
June 26, 2014
Do you know when you read a spy/military thriller or an action fantasy and it niggles at you because the action is unrealistic, unfeasible? Or you ask those questions like 'How do they eat/pee/stay clean in the middle of all that?'. You don't ask those questions? Just me then.
Well, you don't get that in this book. The action scenes are meticulous and realistic. Could have something to do with the fact the author was a marine in his dim and distant past.
So if Sci-Fi and/or military action is what you enjoy reading, I think you'll be glad you bought this book.
Full disclosure: I was involved in the final stages of editing this book.
Well, you don't get that in this book. The action scenes are meticulous and realistic. Could have something to do with the fact the author was a marine in his dim and distant past.
So if Sci-Fi and/or military action is what you enjoy reading, I think you'll be glad you bought this book.
Full disclosure: I was involved in the final stages of editing this book.
June 25, 2014
In Every Clime and Place
Nitty-gritty Marine individual, squad, and platoon action in the not so distant future. Watching the hot spots, and protecting civilians in spite of corporate greed and black "intelligence agency" maneuvering. The Fleet Marines battle pirates and rebels in battles that are a direct result of greed and arrogance. A really good book, well worth the effort for any fan of military science fiction, told primarily in the first person at squad level, it creates the environment of Earth's Solar System in the near future.
This book is worth your time.
Nitty-gritty Marine individual, squad, and platoon action in the not so distant future. Watching the hot spots, and protecting civilians in spite of corporate greed and black "intelligence agency" maneuvering. The Fleet Marines battle pirates and rebels in battles that are a direct result of greed and arrogance. A really good book, well worth the effort for any fan of military science fiction, told primarily in the first person at squad level, it creates the environment of Earth's Solar System in the near future.
This book is worth your time.
June 26, 2014
Written in a clear, easy to read style, this story catapulted me into a cleverly constructed story. Patrick LeClerk has a way of making you a part of his work. When I read Out of Nowhere I half-believed I was a paramedic. Now I'm a marine. How does he do this so well? Just try it and see what happens to you.
If you're not a sci-fi fan, go to Amazon and "Take A Look Inside" - I'll bet most of you will be as drawn in as I was.
Well, are you ready for some great characters thrown into gripping action? Grab your assault rifle, don your helmet, and go to war.
If you're not a sci-fi fan, go to Amazon and "Take A Look Inside" - I'll bet most of you will be as drawn in as I was.
Well, are you ready for some great characters thrown into gripping action? Grab your assault rifle, don your helmet, and go to war.
February 23, 2023
Changed my rating to 5
There is an honesty in this novel that is refreshing. The character interaction is genuine and ‘salty.’ The plot is unveiled in an interesting way. It does produce a certain disjointed flow (for which the 4 was given), but given the overall story and the ultimate ending, I raised it back to 5. Thanks for helping me through a difficult sick day, Teufelshund.
There is an honesty in this novel that is refreshing. The character interaction is genuine and ‘salty.’ The plot is unveiled in an interesting way. It does produce a certain disjointed flow (for which the 4 was given), but given the overall story and the ultimate ending, I raised it back to 5. Thanks for helping me through a difficult sick day, Teufelshund.
February 19, 2018
Too disjointed
For me the story line was too unfocused. The bouncing back and forth was too much. The idea of spacefaring marines and the US big business interests committing murder and mayhem is over the top. While business is interested only in itself, for the most part, this is too unbelievable. It is an interesting read but not great, in my view.
For me the story line was too unfocused. The bouncing back and forth was too much. The idea of spacefaring marines and the US big business interests committing murder and mayhem is over the top. While business is interested only in itself, for the most part, this is too unbelievable. It is an interesting read but not great, in my view.
August 5, 2014
This 'new to me' author is now on my 'must buy' list. I gave his first book a rare 5-star review and this second book is another one. Possibly, if partial stars were available, a 4 3/4 star rating as it didn't have the touch of humor I so enjoyed in the first, but still in the 'keep to re-read' category for me.
Pretty standard military sci-fi, interesting characters and well written with good action sequences, a realistically high body count without getting too far into the splashy gore descriptions, a good touch of political underhandedness. Overall, very readable.
An author versatile enough that I'm looking forward to see where he goes with his next book.
Pretty standard military sci-fi, interesting characters and well written with good action sequences, a realistically high body count without getting too far into the splashy gore descriptions, a good touch of political underhandedness. Overall, very readable.
An author versatile enough that I'm looking forward to see where he goes with his next book.
October 20, 2015
Written in a clear, easy to read style, this story catapulted me into a cleverly constructed story. Patrick LeClerk has a way of making you a part of his work. When I read Out of Nowhere I half-believed I was a paramedic. Now I'm a marine. How does he do this so well? Just try it and see what happens to you.
If you're not a sci-fi fan, go to Amazon and "Take A Look Inside" - I'll bet most of you will be as drawn in as I was.
Well, are you ready for some great characters thrown into gripping action? Grab your assault rifle, don your helmet, and go to war.
If you're not a sci-fi fan, go to Amazon and "Take A Look Inside" - I'll bet most of you will be as drawn in as I was.
Well, are you ready for some great characters thrown into gripping action? Grab your assault rifle, don your helmet, and go to war.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews