The Lost Fleet: Dauntless, by Jack Campbell
Book Review by Joshua Palmatier
Have you read this book?
Lost Fleet: Dauntless is the first book in the Lost Fleet series by Jack Campbell. This is a science fiction novel, and as most of you know, I'm more of a fantasy reader . . . but I absolutely loved this book. And for those who are particular about their science fiction, this book trends far more toward "hard" SF than most. I can't judge exactly how "hard" it is, since I don't read much in the genre so don't have much to compare it to, but it's obvious that Jack Campbell is taking physics into account not only for his battles but also communication. In fact, he's using these elements to make the plot more interesting.
The basic premise of this book is that John Geary is woken from hibernation a hundred years after a heroic "last stand" where he was presumed dead. His last battle has become a rallying cry for the entire Alliance, still at odds with the Syndicated Worlds. When the ship that rescued him, called the Dauntless, and the fleet it's with, is caught in an ambush, John Geary is forced to take control to save what's left. But the Dauntless carries a key to the Syndicate's hypernet that could be the decisive advantage the Alliance needs to tip the scales of war. Now, John "Black Jack" Geary must pull a fractious fleet under control and try to find the fastest, yet safest, path home from the center of Syndicated Worlds space.
As I said, I really enjoyed this book. In fact, I'm already almost done with the second in the series and intend to read straight through the entire series. This is the first book I've read by Jack Campbell, but he's been added to my "must read" author list. The character of John Geary immediately grabs you and the situation he's in--and you're thrown immediately into it--gives you an immediate side to root for. How John Geary handles the situation and the obstacles that he faces are all realistic and believable. As I said earlier, the science of the battles takes into account all of the physics involved, and the solutions Geary comes up with both play on his own experiences from a hundred years ago and the way in which the universe has changed since then. Campbell has taken into account how a hundred year war would affect society, how it would change culture and attitudes, and how it would alter the types of men and women in command of the fleet.
All of this combines to make this a stellar read. The story and the situation is captivating, and Geary's problems (which stem mostly from the remains of the fleet he inherited, not from the Syndicated Worlds) are both believable and completely understandable. If you are into realistic military SF, you should be reading these books.
Joshua Palmatier/Benjamin Tate
www.joshuapalmatier.com
www.benjamintate.com
The basic premise of this book is that John Geary is woken from hibernation a hundred years after a heroic "last stand" where he was presumed dead. His last battle has become a rallying cry for the entire Alliance, still at odds with the Syndicated Worlds. When the ship that rescued him, called the Dauntless, and the fleet it's with, is caught in an ambush, John Geary is forced to take control to save what's left. But the Dauntless carries a key to the Syndicate's hypernet that could be the decisive advantage the Alliance needs to tip the scales of war. Now, John "Black Jack" Geary must pull a fractious fleet under control and try to find the fastest, yet safest, path home from the center of Syndicated Worlds space.
As I said, I really enjoyed this book. In fact, I'm already almost done with the second in the series and intend to read straight through the entire series. This is the first book I've read by Jack Campbell, but he's been added to my "must read" author list. The character of John Geary immediately grabs you and the situation he's in--and you're thrown immediately into it--gives you an immediate side to root for. How John Geary handles the situation and the obstacles that he faces are all realistic and believable. As I said earlier, the science of the battles takes into account all of the physics involved, and the solutions Geary comes up with both play on his own experiences from a hundred years ago and the way in which the universe has changed since then. Campbell has taken into account how a hundred year war would affect society, how it would change culture and attitudes, and how it would alter the types of men and women in command of the fleet.
All of this combines to make this a stellar read. The story and the situation is captivating, and Geary's problems (which stem mostly from the remains of the fleet he inherited, not from the Syndicated Worlds) are both believable and completely understandable. If you are into realistic military SF, you should be reading these books.
Joshua Palmatier/Benjamin Tate
www.joshuapalmatier.com
www.benjamintate.com
|
Click here to buy The Lost Fleet: Dauntless, by Jack Campbell on Amazon
|
The Lost Fleet: Dauntless, by Jack Campbell on Amazon
| More Books You Might Like |
Comment on The Lost Fleet: Dauntless, by Jack Campbell
| Comments on The Lost Fleet: Dauntless, by Jack Campbell |
| There are no comments on this book. |
