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The Aternien Wars #1
Forsaken Commander
Master Commander Carter Rose was the Union’s secret weapon. An augmented, bio-engineered officer in command of the most powerful warship ever devised by human minds, Rose and his crew won the war against the post-human Aternien Empire.
Then they cast him aside. A century later, Rose is living alone on a distant forest moon, feared and forsaken by the people he fought to save, growing bitter and resentful, while his superhuman body refuses to age.
But after 100 years of silence, there are signs that humanity’s enemy is stirring once more.
A post-human faction styled on the Pharaohs of ancient Egypt, and led by their god-king, Markus Aternus, the Aterniens transferred their souls into neuromorphic brains to escape mortal boundaries. Demonized by humanity and exiled after their defeat, they are now hell-bent on revenge.
But after a century of peace, the Union has forgotten how to fight.
Humanity’s only hope is the commander they spurned, but only if he can recover his warship – the Longsword Galatine – and put his elite crew back together before the god-king strikes.
Then they cast him aside. A century later, Rose is living alone on a distant forest moon, feared and forsaken by the people he fought to save, growing bitter and resentful, while his superhuman body refuses to age.
But after 100 years of silence, there are signs that humanity’s enemy is stirring once more.
A post-human faction styled on the Pharaohs of ancient Egypt, and led by their god-king, Markus Aternus, the Aterniens transferred their souls into neuromorphic brains to escape mortal boundaries. Demonized by humanity and exiled after their defeat, they are now hell-bent on revenge.
But after a century of peace, the Union has forgotten how to fight.
Humanity’s only hope is the commander they spurned, but only if he can recover his warship – the Longsword Galatine – and put his elite crew back together before the god-king strikes.
318 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 11, 2023
About the author
G.J. Ogden
78 books77 followersG J Ogden is a proud recipient of the Kindle Storyteller Award and has written over 50 books that have garnered over 15,000 5-star ratings. When he’s not writing, G J Ogden is usually getting whooped in games of Warhammer 40K by his son. Unless he’s playing Adepta Sororitas, then he wins.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews
July 5, 2023
5/5*. FORSAKEN COMMANDER #1 by G.J. OGDEN.
A phenomenal read, emotive, thought provoking, witty, great world building and fun sense of humour. Lots of action! Another fantastic new series by Gareth Ogden!
Looking forward to reading ENEMY WITHIN #2!
A phenomenal read, emotive, thought provoking, witty, great world building and fun sense of humour. Lots of action! Another fantastic new series by Gareth Ogden!
Looking forward to reading ENEMY WITHIN #2!
June 8, 2024
The blurb sounded interesting but unfortunately this book did not make it for me.
The author is taking the “forgotten to fight” rubbish way too far. Not only did they destroy their fleet but the dumbasses destroyed all the plans AND somehow managed to forget the science being needed to actually defend themselves… against an enemy that were not really defeated. Seriously?
Will not continue this series.
The author is taking the “forgotten to fight” rubbish way too far. Not only did they destroy their fleet but the dumbasses destroyed all the plans AND somehow managed to forget the science being needed to actually defend themselves… against an enemy that were not really defeated. Seriously?
Will not continue this series.
April 23, 2024
A mixed bag
So, there are things I like, and things I dislike about this.
Firstly, the author does a lack luster job of portraying the actual size of the union and the conflict. If it wasn't for one sentence saying that the demarcation zone was hundreds of lights years from one of the planets they were going to, I would have continued to this this was all focused around Sol. Now I'm just as confused about the size and scale of both empires.
There were a number of grammatical errors.
The events that started this off were far too close to how Battlestar Galactica started. A armistice, a diplomacy station that the union sent a representative to every year while the other side didn't. A invite from them for the first time in a hundred years only for the 2 sides to meet on the station and it be an ultimatum/trap.
The character interaction between Carter and his xo was good, but some of the other interactions felt weird
So, there are things I like, and things I dislike about this.
Firstly, the author does a lack luster job of portraying the actual size of the union and the conflict. If it wasn't for one sentence saying that the demarcation zone was hundreds of lights years from one of the planets they were going to, I would have continued to this this was all focused around Sol. Now I'm just as confused about the size and scale of both empires.
There were a number of grammatical errors.
The events that started this off were far too close to how Battlestar Galactica started. A armistice, a diplomacy station that the union sent a representative to every year while the other side didn't. A invite from them for the first time in a hundred years only for the 2 sides to meet on the station and it be an ultimatum/trap.
The character interaction between Carter and his xo was good, but some of the other interactions felt weird
October 13, 2023
Good read.
June 14, 2023
four out of five, good story for this genre, give it a shot.
Good storyline, very interesting characters, fun and witty banter. The action starts at the beginning of the book and doesn’t let up until the end. There is minimal world building, but that’s OK. My qualms with the book are glass in a spaceship, especially cockpit glass, That shatters, at least use shatterproof glass or shatter resistant glass. reminds me of his other series, omega, task force, with no chairs on a spaceship. The other trope is weapons, that the MC and other people use that are underpowered. The third trope is going off to find a wrecked spaceship. How often does that occur in these type of books? I love the future tech and the augmented characters. They are great reminds me of OTF. The story is basically about an alien invasion of man machines. The sub plot is about the prejudice of humanity. It’s a good story, and I will probably go ahead and read the next book. Give it a try you may like it.
Good storyline, very interesting characters, fun and witty banter. The action starts at the beginning of the book and doesn’t let up until the end. There is minimal world building, but that’s OK. My qualms with the book are glass in a spaceship, especially cockpit glass, That shatters, at least use shatterproof glass or shatter resistant glass. reminds me of his other series, omega, task force, with no chairs on a spaceship. The other trope is weapons, that the MC and other people use that are underpowered. The third trope is going off to find a wrecked spaceship. How often does that occur in these type of books? I love the future tech and the augmented characters. They are great reminds me of OTF. The story is basically about an alien invasion of man machines. The sub plot is about the prejudice of humanity. It’s a good story, and I will probably go ahead and read the next book. Give it a try you may like it.
June 18, 2023
A very engaging read.
There were some inconsistencies, particularly in the very beginning. Nevertheless, the story was well balanced between description and action. Occasionally there were errors between the word intended and the word printed however, not so much that it detracted from the story.
The concept of an old and somewhat jaded Commander reentering the Military in time of war is well done.
If you enjoy escape space opera it is quite good and reasonably priced. It’s currently available as a promotion. Very highly recommended for those seeking reasonably price space opera.
There were some inconsistencies, particularly in the very beginning. Nevertheless, the story was well balanced between description and action. Occasionally there were errors between the word intended and the word printed however, not so much that it detracted from the story.
The concept of an old and somewhat jaded Commander reentering the Military in time of war is well done.
If you enjoy escape space opera it is quite good and reasonably priced. It’s currently available as a promotion. Very highly recommended for those seeking reasonably price space opera.
August 31, 2023
Book: **
Performance: ***
The [Force of] Non-belief is Strong In This One
It’s a Space Opera … so a certain level of silliness is expected … however, there is a point of diminishing returns and that point is in the rear view for this story. The classic elements (tropes) of a good story are there but are so mechanically stitched together that it never really takes on a life of its own. So we get a human stellar union (republic) that comes under threat from mysterious (Aternien) super-humans, aka post-humans (Sith anybody?). Their only hope is a couple of augmented humans (Jedi) wielding plasma swords (light sabers), their AI gopher bots (droids) and their former weapons platform (aka long sword spaceship) that was scuttled and abandoned (but apparently just needs a few patches and an OS to be good to go) after the previous war ended in an armistice (that being the perfect time to forget how to actually fight a stellar war). The one (damsel) human intelligence officer on the team is apparently there to serve as a foil to show just how much the augmented humans are over the top “Mary Sue(s)” … a fact that the reader is constantly reminded of ad nauseam … oh and the obvious shipping potential. So we have a team of three (3) good guys vs a handful of Uber bad guys in which was intended to be an Epic story, but there is not a single minion or supporting character in sight … and that is as good as it gets.
The character voices are pretty good and captured the witty banter well; however, the (overly dramatic) narrative text between that didn’t work for me. Still … it was good enough to improve my enjoyment of the story (at least a little) and enabled me to ignore some of the over explanation of the obvious as well as basic errors that would otherwise make no sense … such as a statement that ballistic rounds were unable to penetrate skin that was as solid as lead (which actually can be cut with a butter knife) … of shattered glass from a space shuttle cockpit … directing a massive warship (that maneuvers like a craft with a fraction of its mass) in a space battle with just three people … a rank of Major in a space Admiralty … nanites are basically magic plot armor … et al.
I was given this free advance review/listener copy (ARC) audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
#TheBigFour #FreeAudiobookCodes #KindleUnlimited
Performance: ***
The [Force of] Non-belief is Strong In This One
It’s a Space Opera … so a certain level of silliness is expected … however, there is a point of diminishing returns and that point is in the rear view for this story. The classic elements (tropes) of a good story are there but are so mechanically stitched together that it never really takes on a life of its own. So we get a human stellar union (republic) that comes under threat from mysterious (Aternien) super-humans, aka post-humans (Sith anybody?). Their only hope is a couple of augmented humans (Jedi) wielding plasma swords (light sabers), their AI gopher bots (droids) and their former weapons platform (aka long sword spaceship) that was scuttled and abandoned (but apparently just needs a few patches and an OS to be good to go) after the previous war ended in an armistice (that being the perfect time to forget how to actually fight a stellar war). The one (damsel) human intelligence officer on the team is apparently there to serve as a foil to show just how much the augmented humans are over the top “Mary Sue(s)” … a fact that the reader is constantly reminded of ad nauseam … oh and the obvious shipping potential. So we have a team of three (3) good guys vs a handful of Uber bad guys in which was intended to be an Epic story, but there is not a single minion or supporting character in sight … and that is as good as it gets.
The character voices are pretty good and captured the witty banter well; however, the (overly dramatic) narrative text between that didn’t work for me. Still … it was good enough to improve my enjoyment of the story (at least a little) and enabled me to ignore some of the over explanation of the obvious as well as basic errors that would otherwise make no sense … such as a statement that ballistic rounds were unable to penetrate skin that was as solid as lead (which actually can be cut with a butter knife) … of shattered glass from a space shuttle cockpit … directing a massive warship (that maneuvers like a craft with a fraction of its mass) in a space battle with just three people … a rank of Major in a space Admiralty … nanites are basically magic plot armor … et al.
I was given this free advance review/listener copy (ARC) audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
#TheBigFour #FreeAudiobookCodes #KindleUnlimited
October 24, 2023
I received this book as part of a read-along on Instagram. I would like to thank Tandem Collective and G.J Ogden for the chance to read this fantastic book; this has most definitely reignited my love for sci-fi again!
In this book we meet three prominent figures: Carter, Carina and Kendra. Carter is a war vet, but not any old war vet... Well old would be right. Carter fought in the Aternien war, he is a bio-engineered officer and he commanded his crew and his ship, the Galantine. The human race and the Aterniens came to an Armistice, and peace fell upon the universe for one hundred years, until war began to rumble again.
Carter is one of the few bio-engineered soldiers that survived during the century-long peace - in this book we follow his story of how he is dragged back to becoming a Master Commander again, despite humanity turning their back on him.
Carina is a strong female lead in this series - she's stubborn, funny and definitely has a tongue on her. Without her, Carter wouldn't be in a position to fight against his old enemy again. Carina is my fave, which is always a red herring for me as my favourites tend to turn out to be bad guys, literally I can never trust my gut when it comes to fictional faves 🙄 so if she ends up being a bad dude later down the line, this is a note to myself to say: I told you so!
Kendra is our second female lead - we love Kendra! She is a badass geek, who looks hot whilst geeking it out! I am rooting for a romantic interest to be introduced please, thank you.
I enjoyed reading this book, it was fast paced and enjoyable! The world building gave me Stargate/Halo/Mass Effect vibes. What I liked most was the introduction of the enemy. I loved reading about Egyptians when I was younger, and so having an enemy race that builds itself upon Ancient Egyptian culture and customs? *Chef kiss*
I will definitely be following the rest of the story - and please oh lord give me some kind of romantic arc! I am a sucker for it... Even if Carter may be a hundred years older 👀🥱
In this book we meet three prominent figures: Carter, Carina and Kendra. Carter is a war vet, but not any old war vet... Well old would be right. Carter fought in the Aternien war, he is a bio-engineered officer and he commanded his crew and his ship, the Galantine. The human race and the Aterniens came to an Armistice, and peace fell upon the universe for one hundred years, until war began to rumble again.
Carter is one of the few bio-engineered soldiers that survived during the century-long peace - in this book we follow his story of how he is dragged back to becoming a Master Commander again, despite humanity turning their back on him.
Carina is a strong female lead in this series - she's stubborn, funny and definitely has a tongue on her. Without her, Carter wouldn't be in a position to fight against his old enemy again. Carina is my fave, which is always a red herring for me as my favourites tend to turn out to be bad guys, literally I can never trust my gut when it comes to fictional faves 🙄 so if she ends up being a bad dude later down the line, this is a note to myself to say: I told you so!
Kendra is our second female lead - we love Kendra! She is a badass geek, who looks hot whilst geeking it out! I am rooting for a romantic interest to be introduced please, thank you.
I enjoyed reading this book, it was fast paced and enjoyable! The world building gave me Stargate/Halo/Mass Effect vibes. What I liked most was the introduction of the enemy. I loved reading about Egyptians when I was younger, and so having an enemy race that builds itself upon Ancient Egyptian culture and customs? *Chef kiss*
I will definitely be following the rest of the story - and please oh lord give me some kind of romantic arc! I am a sucker for it... Even if Carter may be a hundred years older 👀🥱
November 13, 2023
When the Aternien’s started an uprising many years ago they were unsuccessful and were defeated by the Union slowing disappearing and living in exile. But there are new rumblings that the Aterniens are rising again and so the Union turn to one of the people that they know previously defeated the Aterniens Master Commander Carter Rose who was cast aside after the war. Rose is ready to jump into the fight but what do the Aterniens have planned.
It is no secret to anyone that knows me that I am a big fan of sci-fi and am a sci-fi fan born and raised. I grew up watching Star Trek, Star Wars, Battlestar Galactica and Stargate to name but a few.
Forsaken Commander had everything that I wanted in a sci-fi novel. At times it was like a sci-fi film or TV series was playing in my head especially the battle scenes which were so descriptive. The world building was easy to understand and I really liked how the author set out the history between the Union and Aterniens at the start of the book. This laid the foundation for the story and highlighted the conflict between the two sides. The Aterniens are what I would describe as classic sci-fi baddies. They are scary, scorned and want to wipe out humanity. It's clear from Carter’s interaction with them that their plans are to start another war.
Carter was the perfect commander. He comes across as a loner to begin with but he is someone who is very skilled and has the knowledge of how to defeat the Aterniens having battled them in the past. However in order to do this the Union turn him into something else, a bio engineered human. They tinker with his humanity making him not completely human but a weapon. Although the Union used him to their advantage, once the war was over Carter and his crew were ostracised because they weren’t considered completely human. So it’s understandable why he lives away from humans and leads a nomadic life. But despite the way he was treated when he is approached by Carina for help because the Aterniens are back he puts aside how he was treated and jumps into action. I loved the interaction between Carter and Carina and am interested to see how their relationship develops. Carina is a character I really liked. She is smart, sassy and knows what is expected of her. At the same time although she ranks higher than Carter she is very respectful of his knowledge and experience. She takes on board what he tells her and tries to learn as much from him as possible. I do think there is something more brewing between them that may turn into something more romantic.
I’m really looking forward to seeing what awaits Carter and Carina next.
It is no secret to anyone that knows me that I am a big fan of sci-fi and am a sci-fi fan born and raised. I grew up watching Star Trek, Star Wars, Battlestar Galactica and Stargate to name but a few.
Forsaken Commander had everything that I wanted in a sci-fi novel. At times it was like a sci-fi film or TV series was playing in my head especially the battle scenes which were so descriptive. The world building was easy to understand and I really liked how the author set out the history between the Union and Aterniens at the start of the book. This laid the foundation for the story and highlighted the conflict between the two sides. The Aterniens are what I would describe as classic sci-fi baddies. They are scary, scorned and want to wipe out humanity. It's clear from Carter’s interaction with them that their plans are to start another war.
Carter was the perfect commander. He comes across as a loner to begin with but he is someone who is very skilled and has the knowledge of how to defeat the Aterniens having battled them in the past. However in order to do this the Union turn him into something else, a bio engineered human. They tinker with his humanity making him not completely human but a weapon. Although the Union used him to their advantage, once the war was over Carter and his crew were ostracised because they weren’t considered completely human. So it’s understandable why he lives away from humans and leads a nomadic life. But despite the way he was treated when he is approached by Carina for help because the Aterniens are back he puts aside how he was treated and jumps into action. I loved the interaction between Carter and Carina and am interested to see how their relationship develops. Carina is a character I really liked. She is smart, sassy and knows what is expected of her. At the same time although she ranks higher than Carter she is very respectful of his knowledge and experience. She takes on board what he tells her and tries to learn as much from him as possible. I do think there is something more brewing between them that may turn into something more romantic.
I’m really looking forward to seeing what awaits Carter and Carina next.
December 23, 2023
At the start it seemed a decent story, but I kept getting the feeling that the author was manipulating incidents in ways that just felt 'off' and shouldn’t be happening in this way. This wasn't a major problem but after this occurred several times I began to have doubts about the whole book.
Just one example of a minor incident;
Unfortunately it didn’t get any better when we meet the ‘Grand Vizier’, a definite caricature of an evil villain, it seemed to be turning into a teenage Comic Book.
The story is disaster driven, every action by Carter hits a problem whether its giant lizards or the Grand Vizier turning up at the absolute wrong moment. The author seems to think that all that matters in a Space Opera is continuous over-the-top action, whether it makes any sense or not. It's a very formulaic way to construct a story and I wrongly assumed it was probably the author's first full length novel.
This really is Comic Book Science Fiction, but I can see why it appeals to fans of things like ‘Marvel Movies’. Perhaps I have read too many old school SciFi books.
If possible I would have given 1.5 stars.
Just one example of a minor incident;
Unfortunately it didn’t get any better when we meet the ‘Grand Vizier’, a definite caricature of an evil villain, it seemed to be turning into a teenage Comic Book.
The story is disaster driven, every action by Carter hits a problem whether its giant lizards or the Grand Vizier turning up at the absolute wrong moment. The author seems to think that all that matters in a Space Opera is continuous over-the-top action, whether it makes any sense or not. It's a very formulaic way to construct a story and I wrongly assumed it was probably the author's first full length novel.
This really is Comic Book Science Fiction, but I can see why it appeals to fans of things like ‘Marvel Movies’. Perhaps I have read too many old school SciFi books.
If possible I would have given 1.5 stars.
November 11, 2023
Old soldiers never die; they just fade away..... until an upstart young major with far more pluck than common sense dares into the backwater one retired into having decided old soldiers may just be what humanity needs to fight an old threat that is rearing its head from the murky depths of old nightmares.
Crazy adrenaline-fueled ride from page one, this book barely lets the characters catch their breath from one catastrophe before they are thrown into another. From monsters to bar fights to epic ship's battles and all the crazy psychological battles in between, Ogden weaves a compelling multi-faceted conflict populated with interesting diverse characters and some really fun tech. Lots of potential with this one! More on the enjoy the ride exciting space opera side of things as opposed to hard military sci-fi concerned with explaining all the tech and maintaining strict plausibility.
Book 1 in The Aterian Wars, this book sets the stage and shows the opening volleys of the resurrected war. I like the complexity added to the human side of things especially with the history and prejudices of the previous war. The Post-humans make for an interesting foe.
Crazy adrenaline-fueled ride from page one, this book barely lets the characters catch their breath from one catastrophe before they are thrown into another. From monsters to bar fights to epic ship's battles and all the crazy psychological battles in between, Ogden weaves a compelling multi-faceted conflict populated with interesting diverse characters and some really fun tech. Lots of potential with this one! More on the enjoy the ride exciting space opera side of things as opposed to hard military sci-fi concerned with explaining all the tech and maintaining strict plausibility.
Book 1 in The Aterian Wars, this book sets the stage and shows the opening volleys of the resurrected war. I like the complexity added to the human side of things especially with the history and prejudices of the previous war. The Post-humans make for an interesting foe.
August 12, 2024
I must have read a different novel from all of the Five Star Reviews.
In writing classes, we are told that there are no new story ideas, just fresh perspectives and unique executions. We are taught to ask "What If" questions to flesh out our plots and scenes. However, I felt like chapter one was a rip-off off Battlestar Galactica '04 mixed with a little Transcendence and a dab of Lawnmower Man.
I get that Carter and his fellow post-humans are über augmented, but it felt like that fact was brought up in every other paragraph.
Also, suspension of disbelief was impossible when it came to the reason Carter and his crew were reactivated. The government had to be gullible morons to agree to toss away their most powerful vessels as well as all info on how to create them. I kept waiting for this to turn into some sort of sci-fi comedy. Only then would this behavior make sense to me.
There are several other issues, as well as a need for a content editor and proofreader to take another shot at this novel. I won't read the rest of this novel nor series.
Though I stopped in Chapter Eight, I do hope Ogden's storytelling and plotting evolve in future novels of this series. I wish the author well.
In writing classes, we are told that there are no new story ideas, just fresh perspectives and unique executions. We are taught to ask "What If" questions to flesh out our plots and scenes. However, I felt like chapter one was a rip-off off Battlestar Galactica '04 mixed with a little Transcendence and a dab of Lawnmower Man.
I get that Carter and his fellow post-humans are über augmented, but it felt like that fact was brought up in every other paragraph.
Also, suspension of disbelief was impossible when it came to the reason Carter and his crew were reactivated. The government had to be gullible morons to agree to toss away their most powerful vessels as well as all info on how to create them. I kept waiting for this to turn into some sort of sci-fi comedy. Only then would this behavior make sense to me.
There are several other issues, as well as a need for a content editor and proofreader to take another shot at this novel. I won't read the rest of this novel nor series.
Though I stopped in Chapter Eight, I do hope Ogden's storytelling and plotting evolve in future novels of this series. I wish the author well.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 16, 2023
As always G J knows how to deliver an exciting space adventure with great characters, imaginative world building and interesting, believable, futuristic technology.
I loved the interaction between his main characters, Commander Carter Rose and his new XO Carina Larsen and the way they grow to trust and depend on each other.
There are many challenges and intriguing twists for our heroes as they endeavour to reassemble Commander Rose’s crew, recover his ship and tech and face off an old enemy, the Aterniens, who have returned, seeking revenge and to conquer the peaceful alliance of six alien races.
This was an engaging read and I can’t wait to get my hands on the next instalment of the Aternien Wars Series.
I received an advance review copy of this book from the author and am leaving this review of my own volition.
I loved the interaction between his main characters, Commander Carter Rose and his new XO Carina Larsen and the way they grow to trust and depend on each other.
There are many challenges and intriguing twists for our heroes as they endeavour to reassemble Commander Rose’s crew, recover his ship and tech and face off an old enemy, the Aterniens, who have returned, seeking revenge and to conquer the peaceful alliance of six alien races.
This was an engaging read and I can’t wait to get my hands on the next instalment of the Aternien Wars Series.
I received an advance review copy of this book from the author and am leaving this review of my own volition.
July 31, 2023
Better than Expected
I read the description and preview, and then the ratings and TBH was not expecting to get to the end of the book still holding a positive opinion. Oddly enough, I managed. Character development is a bit thin, there is a lot of back history which is referenced but not presented in sufficient detail as to add weight to the character. The conflicts are very intense, and sometimes actions seem a bit unhinged from scientific reality but if those parts are overlooked, the outcomes can be acceptable. The primary antagonist for this series is human prejudice, not towards a specific race as much as against a concept. The book ends without resolving any of the primary story threads and the reader is left with the option to continue to the next installment, or not.
I read the description and preview, and then the ratings and TBH was not expecting to get to the end of the book still holding a positive opinion. Oddly enough, I managed. Character development is a bit thin, there is a lot of back history which is referenced but not presented in sufficient detail as to add weight to the character. The conflicts are very intense, and sometimes actions seem a bit unhinged from scientific reality but if those parts are overlooked, the outcomes can be acceptable. The primary antagonist for this series is human prejudice, not towards a specific race as much as against a concept. The book ends without resolving any of the primary story threads and the reader is left with the option to continue to the next installment, or not.
October 26, 2023
A copy of the book was supplied for a Tandem Collective UK readalong.
The book itself was very fast-paced with a lot of action and fight scenes that keep the momentum going, with dialogue and reflection scenes interspersed to provide some ebb and flow. I would've perhaps liked a meatier book as the time period this covers only seems to be a couple of days and a very short part of what could be an epic war but it builds lots of tension and intrigue for what's to come.
The world-building is very immersive, with interesting tech elements added to round out the setting and background.
My mind keeps returning to Jamie Sawyer's The Lazarus War series as a comp title so if you enjoyed that then give this a look.
A solid self-pub sci-fi! The 5-book series is currently available on Kindle Unlimited - I'll definitely be adding the next installment to my TBR!
The book itself was very fast-paced with a lot of action and fight scenes that keep the momentum going, with dialogue and reflection scenes interspersed to provide some ebb and flow. I would've perhaps liked a meatier book as the time period this covers only seems to be a couple of days and a very short part of what could be an epic war but it builds lots of tension and intrigue for what's to come.
The world-building is very immersive, with interesting tech elements added to round out the setting and background.
My mind keeps returning to Jamie Sawyer's The Lazarus War series as a comp title so if you enjoyed that then give this a look.
A solid self-pub sci-fi! The 5-book series is currently available on Kindle Unlimited - I'll definitely be adding the next installment to my TBR!
October 26, 2023
This is a seriously difficult book for me to review as sci fi is not my genre so I don’t have much to compare it against in my arsenal but i want to give Tandem Collective a huge big thank you for opening my eyes to a genre that I have not explored before.
This book was thought provoking , witty and full of action. The pages just flew by and I can’t wait to read the second instalment!
There was lots of excitement and twists and turns the only thing I struggled with was it took me a little while at the beginning to find my flow.
This was complete and utter escapism of the best kind and the only thing missing is a bit of a romance so please include that in the next books to give me the full package.
This book was thought provoking , witty and full of action. The pages just flew by and I can’t wait to read the second instalment!
There was lots of excitement and twists and turns the only thing I struggled with was it took me a little while at the beginning to find my flow.
This was complete and utter escapism of the best kind and the only thing missing is a bit of a romance so please include that in the next books to give me the full package.
June 2, 2024
Could not get very far into the book. It doesn't make sense to mix the American system of measurements and the metric system, sometimes only a paragraph apart. A surprise spaceship shows up '5000 meters' away. This is 5 kilometers, and is walking distance, a minimal distance in space. If your sensors can't detect an enemy ship until that close, then... Soon after, someone has to walk '3 klicks', which also is kilometers. This same person is moving a large package by hand suspended by drones, yet then has to winch it into a shed with chains. No one uses '4.7 feet' as a measurement in any system.
Too much unnecessary explanation. Build your characters and scenarios, rather then have awkward, long commentaries.
Too much unnecessary explanation. Build your characters and scenarios, rather then have awkward, long commentaries.
September 7, 2024
Well-defined characters, humor, realism
The world-building is effective, setting the stage for the personal and military conflicts of the story. Truth, integrity, bigotry, fear, fanaticism, and manipulation are the underlying themes. The action is constant. The five main characters are realistic, their interactions believable and often humorous.
I rated this story four stars rather than five stars because I didn't experience the intense quality of the characters' experiences from the inside and because this opera epic, sci-fi story focuses on a few characters within the military of one society.
The world-building is effective, setting the stage for the personal and military conflicts of the story. Truth, integrity, bigotry, fear, fanaticism, and manipulation are the underlying themes. The action is constant. The five main characters are realistic, their interactions believable and often humorous.
I rated this story four stars rather than five stars because I didn't experience the intense quality of the characters' experiences from the inside and because this opera epic, sci-fi story focuses on a few characters within the military of one society.
Read
October 10, 2023DNF.
I had high hopes for this - I liked the set with the super-human Commander who gets re-activated for an upcoming war.
It was supposed to be fun, with banter etc.
It wasn't. For it to be real banter it would have to be funny. It really really wasn't.
Instead it felt inappropriate as though the forced back-and-forth dailogue between the two main characters had to be fun and light-hearted. But the topic was genocide and war and destruction. And also abandonment. Eternal life and its sorrow.
I just didn't feel it.
So for me it was good idea, bad implementation.
I had high hopes for this - I liked the set with the super-human Commander who gets re-activated for an upcoming war.
It was supposed to be fun, with banter etc.
It wasn't. For it to be real banter it would have to be funny. It really really wasn't.
Instead it felt inappropriate as though the forced back-and-forth dailogue between the two main characters had to be fun and light-hearted. But the topic was genocide and war and destruction. And also abandonment. Eternal life and its sorrow.
I just didn't feel it.
So for me it was good idea, bad implementation.
May 12, 2024
I mean it's not terrible. Perhaps I have read too much sci-fi. My issue is - non-stop fights, with one against the odds victory after another and a large reliance on super human capabilities and tech, with some very mediocre relatively constant repartee. There is nothing in between. No subtlety, no real character development and not much story progression beyond the obvious and predictable. I really hate writing negative reviews because it is easy to criticise somebody else's work which I know requires effort and dedication, but this was just too predictable for me
November 21, 2024
Shuned
When humanity's greatest enemy returned to destroy it mankind turned some soldiers into super soldiers. After these super soldiers finished doing what natural men couldn't they sent them out to pasture with nothing, treated them like monsters and never once thanked them for saving mankind. With their extended life they outlived everyone with memories of the war by more than a few decades. Now they want help defeating them again, with only a few left alive. Good Read, got to read the next book.
When humanity's greatest enemy returned to destroy it mankind turned some soldiers into super soldiers. After these super soldiers finished doing what natural men couldn't they sent them out to pasture with nothing, treated them like monsters and never once thanked them for saving mankind. With their extended life they outlived everyone with memories of the war by more than a few decades. Now they want help defeating them again, with only a few left alive. Good Read, got to read the next book.
June 11, 2023
A new series begins and it is shaping up to be another great story. Add in forgotten enemies thought long gone, old forsaken war heroes, intrigue, the military and all its flaws, and a bit of a quest rolled into the action and got a great story. I read it in one sitting as I could not put it down. The main characters are a riot and so much fun to read. And I loved Major Carina Larsen. Well written and intriguing that it just dew me in and kept me to the end. Loved it.
Read
August 23, 2023I'm just reading the prelude and.. It doesn't make sense. To a certain point I can follow the escalation of fear, persecution and retaliation... But why would a post-human society wage war on the rest of humanity when it has its own territory, technological/military superiority, a steady stream of willing recruits, and an eternity to grow and wait out a mortal enemy? The motivation doesn't make sense to me
October 1, 2023
This has the makings of a good story, enough to make me give the rest of the series a shot, but the author’s constant need to remind us every two to three sentences that the main character is a genetically enhanced superhuman starts to drag you down after the first few pages. Hopefully they lay off of that in the rest of the series, because the basic storyline is interesting and I want to see where it goes.
November 8, 2023
GODS???
As with any good story you have the plot the characters the setting all you'll find in this book . But what this book also includes through the wisdom of the author is this sincerity the love the service, and their sarcasm , plus the humor of it's characters. They bring a smile to my face and a smile to my heart and that is why this is a fantastic read I hope book 2 is as good as the 1st 1
As with any good story you have the plot the characters the setting all you'll find in this book . But what this book also includes through the wisdom of the author is this sincerity the love the service, and their sarcasm , plus the humor of it's characters. They bring a smile to my face and a smile to my heart and that is why this is a fantastic read I hope book 2 is as good as the 1st 1
July 10, 2024
Loved it
I enjoyed the characters and the story line. The characters were strong and had their own unique personalities. The action was good.
I couldn't quite figure out why there was such prejudice against the enhanced humans, since they were on the right side. Some people just need to make up a feeling of superiority.
I liked the novel and glad it had a sensible ending and a chance for more adventures.
I enjoyed the characters and the story line. The characters were strong and had their own unique personalities. The action was good.
I couldn't quite figure out why there was such prejudice against the enhanced humans, since they were on the right side. Some people just need to make up a feeling of superiority.
I liked the novel and glad it had a sensible ending and a chance for more adventures.
August 1, 2024
First-rate Futuristic Fiction
Author is a winner of the Kindle Storyteller Award. This first book in the series will please fans of Star Wars, the Terminator films, Battlestar Gallactica with its winning team of Master Commander superhuman male warrior and the youthful female XO forced upon his crew as a condition of the old battleship's recommissioning. I read this book thru Kindle Unlimited, streamed to my Amazon HD 11 Fire Tablet.
Author is a winner of the Kindle Storyteller Award. This first book in the series will please fans of Star Wars, the Terminator films, Battlestar Gallactica with its winning team of Master Commander superhuman male warrior and the youthful female XO forced upon his crew as a condition of the old battleship's recommissioning. I read this book thru Kindle Unlimited, streamed to my Amazon HD 11 Fire Tablet.
August 2, 2024
A great beginning for a series
Well drawn characters, a believable conflict between progress and fear to drive the story. A megalomaniac bent on both conquest and revenge to be the villain. All the pieces for an exciting space opera are set out. The author leads us into the story with personalities and then catches our attention with tension and injustice. A good, quick read that leaves you wanting the rest of the story.
Well drawn characters, a believable conflict between progress and fear to drive the story. A megalomaniac bent on both conquest and revenge to be the villain. All the pieces for an exciting space opera are set out. The author leads us into the story with personalities and then catches our attention with tension and injustice. A good, quick read that leaves you wanting the rest of the story.
May 23, 2023
Good story , Excellent characters and world /scene building , Read this in one sitting did not want to stop. Military Sci-fi is my favorite reading theme and this is as good/better as anything that came before. Ogden always come up with a twist in the plot lines that make them fresh . Recommended reading.
I was an ARC reader for this and this is my freely given review.
I was an ARC reader for this and this is my freely given review.
August 10, 2023
Nice beginning !
The imagination of the author G. J. Ogden is endless full of amazing action, twists, and unexpected surprises.
Written so good which made it absolutely impossible to take a break.
Now waiting for book two, Enemy within.
Seth Garcia narrates perfectly every one of the characters in this creation.
My recommendations !!!
Oded Ostfeld.
The imagination of the author G. J. Ogden is endless full of amazing action, twists, and unexpected surprises.
Written so good which made it absolutely impossible to take a break.
Now waiting for book two, Enemy within.
Seth Garcia narrates perfectly every one of the characters in this creation.
My recommendations !!!
Oded Ostfeld.
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