Leviathan (The Lost Fleet: Beyond the Frontier #5) by Jack Campbell

Science Fiction/Space Opera

What Goodreads Says:

“One of the best military science fiction series on the market,” (Monsters and Critics) The Lost Fleet delivers thrilling combat on a grand space opera scale. Now, Admiral John “Black Jack” Geary embarks on a brand new mission—to defend the Alliance from itself—in New York Times bestselling author Jack Campbell’s latest action-packed novel…

Two Syndicate World star systems have fallen prey to a mysterious fleet of warships—a fleet controlled entirely by artificial intelligence—that is now targeting Alliance space. The warships are no mystery to Geary. They were developed by his government to ensure security, but malfunctioned. If the Syndics learn the truth, the war with the Alliance will resume with a vengeance. 

As the government attempts to conceal the existence of the A.I. warships—and its role in their creation—Geary pursues them, treading a fine line between mutiny and obedience. But it soon becomes clear that his fleet is no match for the firepower of the machine-piloted armada.

With the help of the Dancer species of aliens, Geary has tracked the A.I. ships to their secret base in the supposedly mythical Unity Alternate star system where his fleet, the last hope of the Alliance’s future, will end the conflict at any cost.

I was disappointed in Steadfast, the last book of the series, but Campbell is back on track with Leviathan.  Once again Geary has to save the Alliance.  This time he has to save it from its own mistake.  He does not do it alone. The final save comes from a very unlikely source. 

If you like space battles, interesting characters, unusual aliens and impossible odds Leviathan is for you.  It can read as a stand-alone but read the entire series starting with The Lost Fleet for maximum enjoyment.

Ace published Leviathan by Jack Campbell in 2015.

I received an ARC of Leviathan from Netgalley in return for  an honest review.

Musing Monday's - November 10, 2014

TC is in the sun musing about the chipmunk she sees out the window.

Hopefully that is all she does.  So far this month she has presented me

 with two chipmunks - one alive and one dead but both in my bedroom.

Musing Mondays asks you to muse about one of the following each week.…Musing Mondays is sponsored by Should Be Reading.

• Describe one of your reading habits.
• Tell us what book(s) you recently bought for yourself or someone else, and why you chose that/those book(s).
• What book are you currently desperate to get your hands on? Tell us about it! 
• Tell us what you’re reading right now — what you think of it, so far; why you chose it; what you are (or, aren’t) enjoying it.
• Do you have a bookish rant? Something about books or reading (or the industry) that gets your ire up? Share it with us!
• Instead of the above questions, maybe you just want to talk.

I really love some series and order or pre-order the next book as

soon as it comes out.  One of my favorite SciFi series is written by Jack Campbell.  It started with the Lost Fleet which came to an end after after the fleet arrived home.  Then came The Lost Fleet:  Beyond the Frontier and after that The Lost Stars. The last two series are still on going.  I said when the first book in Beyond the Frontier came out that I wondered if it would hold up.  It did at first.  The Lost Stars were the same.  Really good Space Opera in both series.  That has been lost in the last books in both series.  I just finished The Lost Stars: Imperfect Sword.  It is good space opera but the story did not seem to move the series forward.  It does seem that Campbell is working to merge the story line in both.  Hopefully the next books in Beyond the Frontier and The Lost Stars will get back to the same level of excitement as the original series The Lost Fleet.

Steadfast (The Lost Fleet: Beyond the Frontier) by Jack Campbell

Science Fiction

From Goodreads: 

 Geary and the crew of the Dauntless have managed to safely escort important alien representatives to Earth. But before they can make tracks for home, two of Geary’s key lieutenants vanish. The search for his missing men leads Geary on a far-flung chase, ultimately ending at the one spot in space from which all humans have been banned: the moon Europa. Any ship that lands there must stay or be destroyed—leaving Geary to face the most profound moral dilemma of his life.

To make matters worse, strains on the Alliance are growing as the Syndics continue to meddle. Geary is ordered to take a small force to the border of Syndic space. But what he finds there is a danger much greater than anyone expected: a mysterious threat that could finally force the Alliance to its knees.

As Geary spearheads a desperate battle to protect the Alliance against a shrewd and powerful enemy, he’s left with just one question: Who are they?

I said when Campbell started the second series featuring Jack Geary I did not see how he could keep the same level of tension that he had in the first set of books.  After reading the first Beyond the Frontier books I admitted he has succeeded.  I was expecting the same in Steadfast but it just was not there.  What was there was information needed for the story to continue but it just was not exciting.  I kept reading expecting the book to pick up but it did not until the very end.  That part was exciting and sets up the next book.  If you are a fan of the series as I am you will want to read Steadfast and like me you will be looking forward to the next book.  Just don’t expect the same level of tension that is present in previous books.  Instead Steadfast is like many middle books in a series it is just a filler to set up the next book.

Ace published Steadfast by Jack Campbell in 2014.

Waiting on Wednesday - April 16, 2014

 

 Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly feature sponsored by Breaking the Spine.  It is a great way to share upcoming releases.

I am waiting for The Lost Fleet: Beyond the Frontier: Steadfast by Jack Campbell to be released May 6th.  This series is one of my favorites.  Every time I think Campbell cannot keep the series new and fresh he proves me wrong.  I am counting on him doing it again with Steadfast.

From Goodreads:

"New York Times bestselling author Jack Campbell’s action-packed Lost Fleet series has propelled readers from deep space to the very edge of their seats. Now Admiral John Black Jack” Geary embarks on a thrilling new adventure to defend the Alliance and safeguard the future.

Geary and the crew of the Dauntless have managed to safely escort important alien representatives to Earth. But before they can make tracks for home, two of Geary’s key lieutenants vanish. The search for his missing men leads Geary on a far-flung chase, ultimately ending at the one spot in space from which all humans have been banned: the moon Europa. Any ship that lands there must stay or be destroyed—leaving Geary to face the most profound moral dilemma of his life.

To make matters worse, strains on the Alliance are growing as the Syndics continue to meddle. Geary is ordered to take a small force to the border of Syndic space. But what he finds there is a danger much greater than anyone expected: a mysterious threat that could finally force the Alliance to its knees.

As Geary spearheads a desperate battle to protect the Alliance against a shrewd and powerful enemy, he’s left with just one question: Who are they?

Guardian (The Lost Fleet) by Jack Campbell

Science Fiction/Space Opera

From Goodreads:

"Admiral Geary’s First Fleet of the Alliance has survived the journey deep into unexplored interstellar space, a voyage that led to the discovery of new alien species, including a new enemy and a possible ally. Now Geary’s mission is to ensure the safety of the Midway Star System, which has revolted against the Syndicate Worlds empire—an empire that is on the brink of collapse.

To complicate matters further, Geary also needs to return safely to Alliance space not only with representatives of the Dancers, an alien species, but also with Invincible, a captured warship that could possibly be the most valuable object in human history. Despite the peace treaty that Geary must adhere to at all costs, the Syndicate Worlds regime threatens to make the fleet’s journey back grueling and perilous.

And even if Geary escortsInvincibleand the Dancers’ representatives safely unharmed, the Syndics’ attempts to spread dissent and political unrest may have already sown the seeds of the Alliance’s destruction."

This is short and sweet this time.  I have followed this series from the beginning.  Guardian has the same cast of characters and is a continuation of the previous Lost Fleet Beyond the Frontier books.  Guardian is a good story but for me it lacked the tension that was part of the previous books in the series.  I could not tell from the ending if this was the last book in the series or if there will be more.  If there are more I will continue to read.  

I think reading this series from the start is the best way to know what is going on.

Ace published Guardian by Jack Campbell in 2013.   

The Lost Stars: Tarnished Knight by Jack Campbell

Science Fiction/Space Opera

The Lost Stars are a spin off to the Lost Fleet and Beyond the Frontier series.  Unlike both of these series, which follow Black Jack Geary, this series follows characters that were on the other side of the war.  Here is what Goodreads says about The Lost Stars - Tarnished Knight: 

The authority of the Syndicate Worlds’ government is crumbling. Civil war and rebellion are breaking out in many star systems despite the Syndic government’s brutal attempts to suppress disorder. Midway is one of those star systems, and leaders there must decide whether to remain loyal to the old order or fight for something new.

CEO Artur Drakon has been betrayed. The Syndic government failed to protect its citizens from both the Alliance and the alien enigmas. With a cadre of loyal soldiers under his command, Drakon launches a battle for control of the Midway Star System—assisted by an ally he’s unsure he can trust…

CEO Gwen Iceni was exiled to Midway because she wasn’t ruthless enough in the eyes of her superiors. She’s made them regret their assessment by commandeering some of the warships at Midway and attacking the remaining ships still loyal to the Syndicate empire. Iceni declares independence for the Midway Star System on behalf of the people while staying in charge as “President.” But while she controls the mobile fleet, she has no choice but to rely on “General” Drakon’s ground forces to keep the peace planet-side…

If their coup is to succeed, Drakon and Iceni must put their differences aside to prevent the population of Midway from rising up in rebellion against them, to defend Midway against the alien threat of the enigma race—and to ferret out saboteurs determined to reestablish Syndic rule.

I really wondered if I would even like Tarnished Knight. Some spin-off books don’t work and I had no previous investment in the characters or in the Syndicate Worlds.  What I found was a book that I enjoyed.  Jack Campbell (John Hemry) writes are good tight story and Tarnished Knight is no exception. 

Neither Artur Drakon nor Gwen Iceni are a role model for heroes.  While they did not measure up to the ruthlessness the Syndic government wanted they were ruthless enough become CEO’s (very high ranks) in the government.  Watching them try to change and leave behind many of the behaviors they had learned to survive was interesting.  I kept pulling for both of them to survive and change.  While they were the two main characters there were several side characters that added to the tension and action in the book.  There is one in particular that needs to be watched very closely.  Even those that did not come across as untrustworthy could not be totally trusted. The title fit the characters.  While any might be a Knight all are tarnished.

Like all the books in all three series the ending was a cliffhanger so I will be looking for the next book in The Lost Stars series.

Ace published The Lost Stars: Tarnished Knight by Jack Campbell in 2012.