A group of soldiers in Cuba are fighting in somewhat dodgy fashion for the CIA, and get into a bit of trouble of the we are likely to be dead soon variety.

Until an alien ship turns up and offers them a supposed way out.

Part of a galactic society, they just want this military group to do some conquering and drugdealing for them.

Nothing much, just put a more primitive planet to their uses.

Said planet contains humans, apparently also taken from Earth at different eras througout history, when it suited to put them to use on this particular planet.

So its is clansment vs Roman legions, with a bunch of cold war mercenaries running around. Although differences of opinion evolve, with one officer deciding if he didn't have to do the battle thing he could certainly serve better as a scientific and educational advisor.

A bunch of killing to be done first, though.

http://notfreesf.blogspot.com/2009/08... ( )

I'd expected better from Jerry Pournelle. The idea is good - a group of mercenary soldiers saved from a hopeless situation to go and fight for aliens in other times and places. It could have been great, but the writing is flat and uninteresting. I stopped after the first chapter. ( )