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T2: The Future War (Terminator Series Book 3) Kindle Edition

4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 233 ratings

The Machines are awake -- and aware ...

There is no destiny but the one we have created ...

There is no turning back -- the future war is now.

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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get you, as shown in this above-average movie tie-in, the conclusion to Stirling's T2 trilogy (after Rising Storm and Infiltrator). Judgment Day, when the sentient computer Skynet begins using its control of the U.S. military to exterminate the human race, comes at last. In an effort to save humanity, Sarah Connor and her son and savior-in-training, John, alert their allies among the world's militaries, intelligence agencies and general populace. Serving Skynet are eco-terrorists called Luddites, who round up survivors, confine them in concentration camps and expose them to biological weapons. As the first Terminator movie foretells, the humans gain the upper hand, prompting Skynet to resort to time travel to try to kill Sarah and establish its own existence. Faithful to his source material, Stirling (Conquistador; The Peshawar Lancers) gives the book a cinematic feel and structure, with quick jumps between action scenes and large skips in time and space, not to mention robots with Austrian accents. Unfortunately, the logical gaps in the film premise continue to dog his work, and the character development and relationships are obviously predetermined. Readers who enjoyed the movies will like the added material. Newcomers had best start with the films before tackling the books.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Stirling's third essay into the Terminator universe isn't as tightly constructed as its predecessors, but then, it covers much more territory, from immediately after the conclusion of T2: Infiltrator (2001) to the moment when John Connor sends his father back in time to defeat the original Terminator and beget him! In between these moments, enough years pass for Skynet to take over every computer in sight and cause not one but two nuclear wars as well as unleashing Luddite militias, death camps, and increasingly sophisticated weaponry on humanity. The resistance holds its own, with help from Sarah and John Connor and Dieter von Rossbach, not to mention John's grandparents, Captain Dennis Reese and nurse Mary Shea, and Stirling proves as adept as ever with action scenes. And those are scenes in a grim battle for survival, and they give this book a substantially darker tone than those of its predecessors. Not that that will turn away any readers, especially during this summer of the third Terminator movie. Roland Green
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B000FC140S
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ HarperCollins e-books (October 13, 2009)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ October 13, 2009
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 3.2 MB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 368 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 233 ratings

About the author

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S. M. Stirling
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I'm a writer by trade, born in France but Canadian by origin and American by naturalization, living in New Mexico at present. My hobbies are mostly related to the craft -- I love history, anthropology and archaeology, and am interested in the sciences. The martial arts are my main physical hobby.

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
233 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers praise the writing style as well-crafted and fitting of the Terminator brand. However, opinions differ on the overall story quality - some find it a great continuation, while others consider it weak and poorly told.

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3 customers mention "Writing style"3 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the writing style. They find it engaging and well-written, describing it as a fantastic story worthy of the Terminator brand.

"This is truly a fantastic story and worthy of the Terminator...." Read more

"written in the true spirit of the Terminator." Read more

"Wonderfully written excellent story...." Read more

12 customers mention "Story quality"7 positive5 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the story quality. Some find it a good continuation of the Terminator series, excellent even after two more movies of lore. Others feel it's weak and not the best of the series, with poor storytelling and a disappointing conclusion.

"...While an excellent story, I would have liked more on Skynet's own actions and strategies during the course of the war, especially its attempts to..." Read more

"...They are not perfect...some dialog is pretty clunky, and a few scenarios are a bit clumsy...but the overall story is a great continuation of where..." Read more

"Excellent even after two more movies of lore...." Read more

"This is truly a fantastic story and worthy of the Terminator...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on July 25, 2024
    Beautiful job as always by Stirling. One of the very best, and my favorite author of military and speculative fiction. This is worthy of the creator of the Draka.
  • Reviewed in the United States on November 18, 2019
    Being a huge fan of S.M. Stirling, and the first two terminator movies...I bought these, while still being a bit skeptical about how good a trilogy of books based on the movies could be. Partly due to my skepticism, and my constant backlog of things to read, these actually languished on my bookshelf for a few years. Putting my trust in S.M. Stirling, I just recently tore thought the whole trilogy, and was very pleased! They are not perfect...some dialog is pretty clunky, and a few scenarios are a bit clumsy...but the overall story is a great continuation of where events left off after the second movie, leading up to the events that trigger the first movie (spoiler alert: time travel). In the end, I felt a degree of anger that the movies from T3 on, didn't follow the far superior storyline in these books...these books are far more satisfying, and have a much better conclusion.
    8 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on July 1, 2017
    Very good continuation of the Terminator series.

    Picking up from the end of T2: Infiltrator, when Skynet went sentient, we finally get to Judgement Day, and the fight of the resistance against Skynet. The story mainly takes place in the mid west and northwest US, and parts of Canada, with other parts of the world mixed from time to time.

    It starts with Skynet testing out its abilities after the US turns over complete control of its military to Skynet. Shortly afterwards, the nukes are launched.

    While the Conors, aided by Deiter, have prepared for this, convincing the rest of humanity is not easy, as the Luddites are unwittingly assisting Skynet; however, resistance cels are popping up, and the fight is escalating. Because the resistance knows how to make plasma weapons from the ones they captured in book 2, they are able to eventually do more damage to Skynet than Skynet is doing to them.

    The story ends with the first Terminator being sent to the past to kill Sara Connor, followed closely by Kyle Reese, setting up the whole story.

    While an excellent story, I would have liked more on Skynet's own actions and strategies during the course of the war, especially its attempts to counter the moves of the resistance successes; however, I really enjoyed this book and recommend it to anyone who enjoys the Terminator series.
    4 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on February 12, 2006
    T2: The Future War is the finest of the three T2 novels by S.M. Stirling. I fully concur with Mr. M. Billman's review of this book (see his review below on Amazon). This whole series expertly "tells" the story of the events leading up to Judgment Day and all the details of the war with the machines and the main characters of the T1 and T2 movies. Unlike other authors, Stirling doesn't go off the original storyline by inventing "new" ideas and events. This trilogy simply tells the tale that Kyle Reese told Sarah Connor in T-1 in fascinating detail. Of the 3 novels, this one stands out by providing most of the "missing" information from the movies; however, to get the full effect you MUST read all three (T2: Infiltrator, T2: Rising Storm). I must warn you though that Infiltrator and Rising Storm can be a bit boring with a lot of filler, but well worth the time and effort. Combined with The Future War, this series gives the Terminator fans EVERYTHING they need to know about the series. Be forewarned, forget about the disaster that was T3 and the coming disaster called T4 (unless they let James Cameron do the movie). You won't be disappointed!
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on July 27, 2021
    This trilogy was weak. The actual movies (yes, all of them) are a million times better. This one was rushed. The ending chapters each skip multiple years. I think John goes from about twenty-five to forty-two over the course of fifty pages. That's some pretty bad storytelling. The only reason the book gets three stars is because it gives some answers, most of them are bad. A large part of the book is really the immediate aftermath of judgment day. The "Future War" bits lack the action that I've craved since I saw the first movie. Do you want to know how John got that gnarly scar seen at the beginning of T2? A cyber seal did it to him in Antarctica. It was pre-Judgment Day. It was an animal. It was stupid. Sarah's arc is ruined. Dieter is sidelined. This book trilogy was a weak attempt. T3 was awesome. Terminator Salvation did a better attempt at showing life with Terminators. Even Genysis had a better opening battle on how they found the time displacement equipment. I've wanted Future War since I saw those glimpses in the first two movies. Thirty years later, I'm still waiting.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on February 25, 2019
    Excellent even after two more movies of lore. Long time fan of the resistance from the first two films (grey uniforms and plasma rifles) and I absolutely loves this one. Well written and actually believable. Flush with details that answer a ton of fan questions and a wonderful read. I haven’t read the first two installments having stumbled upon this on accident, but I still had no problem knowing what was going on (some light recap that organically pops up without narration). Wish there were more like this, going to give the T3 version of the future fight a chance next.
    4 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on June 15, 2022
    Book is in great condition - better than described by seller. Very pleased, looks like a new book.
  • Reviewed in the United States on August 15, 2017
    This is truly a fantastic story and worthy of the Terminator. It seamlessly steps in where Judgement Day (the film) ended and continues the journey of the Connors and the T-101 :)

Top reviews from other countries

  • Michael Hills
    5.0 out of 5 stars The only good sequel
    Reviewed in Germany on January 31, 2020
    I only wish that the Terminator movies after T2 were based on this Triology
  • J. Bennett
    5.0 out of 5 stars Are you a true fan?
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 1, 2008
    This book and it's sisters (Infiltrator and Rising Storm) are the way a true Terminator fan would have wanted the movie, Terminator 3 to have been made. In collaboration, the three books talk about John and Sarah going into hidding before the war, how again they attempt to thwart Skynet, how they build up the resistance before the war and finally, how the war starts. There is also a glimpse of Kyle Reese and how he gew up in the aftermath of the war to eventually fall in love with Sarah and travel time for her
  • LisaChester
    5.0 out of 5 stars Blew me away
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 4, 2014
    SM Stirling first two Terminator novels were good, but this brought it all to a fantastic climax, all links wonderfully with T2 storyline. Great stuff highly recommend.
  • Amazon Customer
    3.0 out of 5 stars Rushed
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 31, 2014
    Great characters and ideas just very rushed. This books events should have happened over 3 more books. Still a great read

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