Outstanding story of a Captain gone Rogue to save not just himself and his crew, but Humanity
599028
This is a brilliant series, the author has basically taken the entire concept of the old Colonial sailing days on the high seas, and the Royal Navy protecting the Colonies for the King from Pirates etc, and put it in space.
Captain James Drake of the Starship Ajax, has been wrongly accused of crimes, and as a result, lost his command, his ship, his commission, and is off to a penal colony to do hard labour. His loyal crew, however, has other ideas and mutinies to rescue him.
What follows is what can only be described as, a swashbuckling tale of high adventure of the very best sort.
This story seriously has everything you could want. Not only are there exceptionally good Characters, the Captain is brilliant, Drake is of Noble birth (as all good Captain's should be!), and has a very fine crew. However, due to the circumstances he finds himself in, he soon has to engage, and even hire Pirates as part of his crew, just to survive.
This leads to some rather amusing exchanges between the crew.
The ships, although they are starships, have cannons and other equivalent gun emplacements similar to that found on the old sea faring vessels. This makes for some brilliant combat sequences as the ships launch into each other like the days of old. The only thing missing are the sails!
The story is not just about the Captain and the ships mutiny however. The larger story is about a race called the Hroom, a race that have been enslaved as they are addicted to white sugar, in its pure form. Once a Hroom eats it, they become addicted for life, and are hence known as 'eaters'.
The Captains Pilot and Navigator, a Hroom called Nyb Pym, has become an eater, and must be rescued, as the Captain believes as a part of the treachery that was played on him, caused the fall of his friend.
Starship Blackbeard is a fantastic first book to the series, setting up the story, the background, and all the characters. For those that remember back that far, the characters really remind me of the old Errol Flynn style of movies, where the Captain is a man of honour and noble breeding, and the villains are all corrupt, evil and have no honour at all, the word Dastardly just fits perfectly. The Heroes and Heroines are swashbuckling heroes in the truest sense, full of courage and self-sacrificing to the core. There is even the friend who is with the Villain, but he is of noble breeding as well.
This is the start of what is going to be a truly brilliant series, and if you are a Sci-Fi fan, love a good read with outstanding characters, a bit of humour, some awesome technology and combat, and an exceptional storyline, then get into this.
3422609
Written by an experienced fighter, the author infused his hero with plenty of humanity.  He set up an excellent premise and followed through with a believable conclusion. I enjoyed this adventure and will follow through reading the rest of the series.  A good mix of villains and secondary characters adds to a job well done, well edited and just the kind of book I find satisfyingly great to discover.  Reminds me of early Heinlein or F. M. Busby. Hope Mr. Hawk continues to write for a long time.
3026085
Very good story - a story of Humanity's foray to the stars and the adventure that awaited the crew out there. A highly recommended read.
2463623
I'm a bit of a sub/naval aficionado I'll admit, having read several hundred books on the subject, perhaps 40% of them non-fiction.

Lt. Fleming pulls few punches as he describes the ups and downs of life in the sub service, and his lack of platitudes had me feeling like he respects the intelligence of the reader.

There were four CO's (ship captains) during the time that the author was on the ship, and the most enjoyable aspect of the book for me was the effect that the four different CO's had on the atmosphere, morale and success of the crew. The first captain was a nightmare, certainly not a leader in my opinion, and the effects on the crew demonstrate this. However, when the second CO takes command, the radical change in morale and performance shows how dramatic and absolutely essential quality of leadership is to any team. I was really emotionally moved by this.

Scope's clear Lt. Fleming...well done!
3775352
The Caldarian Conflict by Mike Kalmbach, reviewed by Debi O'Neille
If you are looking for surprise, this book delivers it in abundance. I expected a fast-paced sword fight between pirates from beginning to end, but in reading The Caldarian Conflict I enjoyed a much deeper story than I expected. Not far into the book, I was telling myself that this is more than an adventure story. It's also a mystery. Not much later I concluded that although it is an adventure and mystery combined, it's even more. The book shares a philosophical approach into the meaning of justice; yet it is revealed through action and unique characters living an adventure, while at the same time offering readers a wealth of twists and turns as any mystery should. I got more than I expected.

I'll admit to bearing through a bit of confusion in the onset of the adventure, because staying true to form as pirate stories go (in most stories, every ship seems to have a number of scar-faced villains or pirates), there is a large cast of characters. My brain did not want to keep track of more than a few; but Kalmbach did succeed in making each character unique enough to allow me to get to know each individually. Had he not done that, I quite possibly would have reverted back to reading romances and children's stories (not that I'd ever give them up anyway).

I found myself unable to guess and yet wanting to know how Kalmbach's story would end, and at the same time, not wanting it end. Because of my own interest with the theme of justice, I looked more forward to Kalmbach's conclusion than I may have otherwise. And he definitely delivered. I will remember Mendell, his main character, always.
1837526
Captain Barron is my new hero.  He is determined to do his duty to his world.  This book is a wonderful read. I loved the storyline. I think that if you like military space stories, you will like this one.
3198788
Rade's story continues and it is a great one. He and his fellow MOTHs are out of the military and have formed a private security company. With a small ship, some military grade equipment, and a highly specialist skill set they take on contracts in the private sector...until they receive an offer they can't refuse.
This is the first installment of a series covering the time in Rade's life eluded to in the 'A Captain's Crucible' series, but is easily read as a stand alone story. As usual Mr. Hooke tells an outstanding story that sucks you in from the first sentence, bringing a well thought-out universe to life filled with realistic characters and just the right amount of technical details.
I can highly recommend this book and am definitely looking forward to read the next installment.
3867679
The underlying theme that is similar to the Frontier Saga is that of the dilemma and responsibility of command and leadership.  The story is about the crew of an advance scout ship for a sub-light speed colony ship investigating a potential planet for colonization.  Things go wrong and it is a hard landing on the planet with a loss of the ship as a functioning vessel to leave the planet.  There are many adventures.  The plot took an unexpected twist for me that I am of mixed emotions about but the story is really well told.  Classic Ryk Brown stuff.  This has potential for sequel novels but it stands well on its own.  I really liked the novel.  No space or ground combat like in the Frontier novels but that is okay.  There is enough action to raise the pulse rate.  Really well done.
4656745
Thom created an amazing piece of work here. I was so engrossed in the story I didn't realize how much I was learning. George Rogers Clark was a forgotten hero of American history and Thom brings his escapades to brilliant life in this fantastic novel. I was hooked from page one. The story is very much an adventure tale, lots of swashbuckling action and thrilling heroics. He does go out of his way in a few spots with some "wordy" indulgences but I found listening to a few pages describing the inner emotional life of the characters added to the story very well, complimenting the action nicely.

I would say this book would be ideal for a student of American History or anyone with military experience. Thom's descriptions of military life, strategy and operations were spot on. There are a few scenes that might be a little risqu for younger audiences, namely a few brief descriptions of scalping, amputation and some sexual content, however Thom does a great job understating these things, maintaining an air of severity without being too gritty. I'd say anyone over 12 would have no problem with it.

This was definitely the best novel I've read in a while and I immediately bought "From Sea to Shining Sea" after finishing it. Highly recommended.
985113
It is hard to write a review for this book without giving away the ending.  However, I will not give away the ending other than to say it is inspiring.  I've known a few people in my life who could do this and the author did a great job in capturing the "steel of the core"  that allows someone to commit to this action.  Captain Scott often comes across as shallow and, frankly, somewhat of a weasel.  However, in this book he demonstrates how much he has grown.  What a great book.  I just wish that the next book was already out so that I could immediately salve my wounds. I can't say anything else without spoiling the book.  Thank you Mr. Brown for a great, great book.  This is why I read science fiction.
2866104
Sometimes I'm more interested in the people of a story than the story itself. Jack Campbell has managed to create a character that embodies the best of humanity, while fighting battles within his domain, and fighting the enemy.

It was difficult to put this book Down before the end. The people of his fleet are real and can be found in everyday life. The space battles are real and not with over powering weapons, but with intelligent decisions. I'm sorry I didn't read this book earlier, but I can jump to the next book with the push of a button.
1320247
As a long-time fan of the exploits of Horatio Hornblower, over the decades I have sought out other books of Napoleonic sea battles and warfare with varying results, few measuring up to the writing of C S Forester. After reading Actives Measure, I laud John Danielski for having written a remarkable and enjoyable adventure. Offering a different perspective from Hornblower, Danielski introduces Captain Thomas Pennywhistle, a British Marine officer, to take the reader on a rollicking ride of land and sea battles, attacks and defense, including cannonades and swordplay, accompanied with a tastefully written torrid love affair woven into the tale, which comes to a shocking conclusion. The story often takes unexpected twists and bumps, which caused me to jump or shiver when startled by an abrupt turn. The action pauses with interludes of training and preparation building suspense before returning to the fighting. Pennywhistle is a complex character, with the mystery of who he is leaked out little by little. Like those who serve under him, I have come to like and admire him, not only for his prowess as a soldier, but his principled qualities of leadership. The story appears to be true to the era, well-researched and vividly portrayed. There is violence, in depicting events of war how can there not be, but I did not find it over-written, and certainly not glorifying (Im one who has to turn away from television and movies when gore and guts appear). The highest form of praise which I can offer is to share that Ive now ordered the next volume of Pennywhistles tales, Kings Scarlet, eagerly looking forward to the next installment of this epic saga.
4864121
This was an outstanding adventure. Lieutenant Henry Gallant is a one of a kind  officer with extraordinary mental abilities. He finds himself in a battle against aliens that took over his ship. He also discovers a lost colony of humans and ends up in a clash with an Artificial Intelligence. This was an intense and electrifying book. It has a line up of unique and captivating characters who create a vivid and mesmerizing world. This is one adventure I could not get enough of, it is a real page turner full of action with startling twists. If you are a serious lover of science fiction, then I think you will really the appreciate this book. Very well written!
4565882
Amazing amount of detail in this story.  Science fiction perhaps, but not fantasy science fiction -- situations are thoroughly analyzed.  That doesn't mean all the decisions are correct, however; but they're the best an intelligent human can make at the time.
Mark Watney is what I hope for all explorers of the unknown -- he never gives up, he keeps thinking how he can win this struggle, even when he loses a few battles.  Excellent story.
3518667
The story began on the Triad Huntership Vaxxar. Captain Tasha "Sass" Sebastian had many secrets in her past. And that was where she wished them to remain! Her best friend just happened to be the ship's Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Eden Flynn. Stories abounded about the trouble the often found themselves, as well as, the unique ways they got out. Eden was an emplath with telepathic abilities which greatly helped her in her profession.
Admiral Branden Kel-Paten was referred to as the Tin Soldier. As a teen he had become bio-cybernetic, more computer than human. He was not supposed to feel emotions. So if anyone found out how he felt about Sass, he would be in for a "Section Forty-Six."
After surviving a vortex, they picked up the human pirate Jace Serafino, who was a rogue telepath with a deadly brain implant. Jace and Paten had known each other before. Neither like the other. However, after being attacked by Illithian fighters, they were thrown into an unknown section of space where they must put aside their differences if they intended to survive!
***** A remarkable piece of work! Sass and Eden each have a pet that resembles a cat with telepathy and intelligence. I especially loved those two fury creatures! Each character has their own quirks and personalities, that readers can easily come to care for. The only problem I have found with author Linnea Sinclair is that she cannot write fast enough for me. Highly recommended! *****
4840356
The first thing I will say is that when I finished The Orphan Ship, I wanted to jump right into the sequel. If that doesn't tell you how compelling a read this was, I don't know what is. The narrative is driven by a steady pace of character development, action and suspense, all balanced carefully by the story's overarching challenge which is how to save a group of homeless children on Mars from a lifetime future of slavery. The heroes of this tale only gradually come to realize their mission and quest, coming together from their disparate pasts. Jake is a medical student from Earth seeking new educational opportunities within the civilization that has developed on the Planet Mars. Lorena, his cousin, has always wanted to leave home in Delaware and now has her chance on another planet. Danae Shepherd, captain of the wonderfully named spaceship the Ishmael, is just beginning to grieve the death of her husband and crew following the outbreak of a disease that killed him and other members of her crew. These three are joined by various, colorfully built allies and challenged by those seeking to take advantage of the powerlessness of the homeless children. The result is a welcome, fast-reading page-turner that blends futuristic sci-fi with thriller and interweaves all the familiar human emotions we possess on 21st century Earth, concluding in a very satisfying read.
3266441
It's unusual to think of pirate adventure stories and Christian literature being in the same category, but Wayne Thomas Batson has managed to combine the two successfully into an action-packed adventure in Isle of Fire. This story is the sequel to Isle of Swords at the end of which Cat Thorne loses his memory and nearly loses his life.

In this new tale, Cat slowly regains his memory as bits and pieces of his past come back to him. With horror he realizes who he is and who his father is. His father is Bartholomew Thorne, a notorious pirate who nearly killed his own son.

But Cat is befriended by the monks of Monasterio de Michael Arcangel, who are not only servants of God but ferocious soldiers in the fight for truth and justice. They tell him that he doesn't have to be like his father. Father Brun believes Cat's life has been spared and he has been delivered to the monastery in order to carry out a divine mission. The monks want him to lead their fleet when they set out to destroy the forces of evil.

Cat wants to put the past behind him and bring his father to justice but he's terrified he is destined to continue on his father's legacy, one of murder and mayhem. Bartholomew Thorne is believed to be dead, but he resurfaces. He not only wants to seek revenge on the British Empire, he captures his son and wants Cat to join him in his quest. Will Cat be able to resist his father or will he conquer his past and his father's evil?

The story involves a whole cast of colorful characters: Cat and Bartholomew Thorne, the brethren of the monastary, a colony of Vikings, Cutlass Jack, Declan Ross, Red Eye, Edmund Scully, Commodore Blake and many, many others. The author includes a list of "Principal Cast" members to help the reader keep everyone straight. He also includes a drawing of a typical pirate ship complete with the parts labeled and their uses explained.

What I Like: Even though I hadn't read the first book in this series, I was able to keep up with the storyline because the author provided enough background information to fill in the missing parts.

What I Dislike: My only complaint is that the pages of the book are blue. It doesn't really make the book difficult to read, but it was a bit distracting, at least at first, to concentrate on the words and not the color of the pages. It's not a big deal, but I thought it was worth mentioning.

Overall Rating: Excellent.

Christine M. Irvin - Christian Children's Book Review