Like most anthologies, this one was a mixed bag for me. Some stories were very enjoyable and intriguing, some were tedious, a few were practically incomprehensible. There are some stories that I would call "military" SF, but certainly not all, as you might think from the title. On the whole, if you like hard SF at all, you'll likely find it worth your while. ( )

Ken MacLeod - Who's afraid of Wolf 359

Amusing tale about a conman who is conscripted into investigating a lost colony, which he discovers has evolved in a way no one expected or wanted

Suzanne Palmer - Surf

A science mission studying migrating space creatures is hijacked by someone with a grudge against a pirate base in the vicinity

Charles Oberndorf - Another life

A rebirthed soldier searches for the love of his life and discovers the truth about his shattered memory. Powerful but overlong.

Yoon Ha Lee - Between two dragons

Powerful portayal of a loyal, capable soldier who serves well but wants release...

Alistair Reynolds - Scales

A superb tale of a descent into war that a man takes which strips him of his humanity and eventually returns him as...

Catherynne M. Valente - Golubash, or wine-blood-war-elegy

The descriptions of different types of off-Earth wines are linked to a growing conflict between Earth and its colonies. Very clever and very well-written.

Robert Reed - Leave

Powerful story about 'volunteers' who disappear to fight in an alien war...and those they leave behind

Sandra McDonald - Mehra and Juin

A very formulaic tale about erstwhile enemies...

Adam-Troy Castro - Her husband's hands

Slightly over-surreal story about war casualties being returned home in whatever corporal form remains...

Beth Bernobich - Remembrance

Extremely cliched story about partners separated by war and a means to reconnect them...

Tom Purdom - Palace revolution

A nice idea of an alien probe hiding in an asteroid watching humanity is lost in a dull tale of backstabbing by the human 'wardens' who guard it.

Kristine Kathryn Rusch - The observer

Very short and powerful story of an unusual type of 'fighter' sent against aliens

Geoffrey A. Landis - The long chase

A war has been fought and lost throughout the Solar System. Humans downloaded into microscopic robots lost their struggle for individual freedom against their collectivised counterparts. A survivor flees to another star system
but is pursued.

Nancy Kress - Art of war

An art expert who suffers anziity attacks is sent to disciver why attacking aliens steal all kinds of human objects from fine art to junk...

Alan Deniro - Have you any wool?

Fairytale-like conflict between humans and alien 'Wolves', mixing old and new tech

Genevieve Valentine - Carthago delenda est

Various human factions are are jostling for advantage before the arrival of 'Carthage', an enigmatic alien power and one faction is 'training' its ambassador, a series of clones...

Paul McAuley - Rats of the system

AIs have got lose and turned into gods and are re-engineering star systems. A renegade human faction wants to impose their worship on other humans...

Charles Coleman Finlay - The political officer

Overlong tale about a ship on a mission into enemy space but also carrying an enemy within. Feels like part of something larger as nothing makes much sense...

Cat Rambo - Amid the words of war

Emotional tale of an insectoid alien warrior, a self-declared traitor, living out
its days in exile as a prostitute.

David Moles - A soldier of the city

When the Corn Parade is destroyed by a remote 'Nomad' superweapon, Ish finds an icon of the goddess, Lady Gula, while searching the ruins left and vows revenge. He joins he retaliatory raid on the Momad weapon orbiting a dead star but gains more than revenge. ( )