The Oncoming Storm by Christopher G. NuttallMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
Solid science fiction/military fiction/space opera about a young officer who unexpectedly finds themselves as the captain of a space-ship (unexpectedly as in, she hasn't been captain before, and the level of spaceship is several levels higher than her first command should be).
I acknowledge noticing certain 'issues' similar between this first book in a series and the first book in the Honorverse series and note that there are also major differences.
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Falcone Strike by Christopher G. NuttallMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
Falcone Strike was a good continuation of the series and yes you need to read the prior book before reading this one since the series follows the unfolding war between two star empires (well, one’s a ‘Commonwealth’ (with a King), and the other is a Theocracy (with a First Speaker (not actually sure if that’s the head or not)).
And, like in the previous book, I could make comparisons and differences between this book/series and the Weber Honor Harrington series, but they are more vaguely general similarities. Like aliens don’t seem to matter (until the reader is informed otherwise – in Honor’s universe), earth doesn’t matter in the fight (doesn’t exist any longer in this series, and while it exists in Honorverse, it isn’t ‘in’ on the fight), female starship captain who finds themselves in command of a spaceship in a ‘precarious’ situation (system leader for her side is a joke, defensives are poor, the planet is in open revolt, there’s a star nation/empire that ‘might try something’ but, as of yet, aren’t in open warfare . . . until they are). Etc. etc. The ‘natives’ of the ‘main’ Commonwealth systems even ‘look younger’ than they might otherwise because of medical science (just as in Honorverse), while the ‘new allies’ look their age (again, like in both series). But there are no intelligent cats, basically everyone on the ‘other side’ are evil (as opposed to Honorverse where it was more of a conflict between systems, and while one had some ‘bad things’ going for it, the people in general were ‘fighting the good fight’, unlike here where the ‘other side’ is filled with misogynistic assholes); the lead female is in the aristocracy instead of (attempted? I forget now) raped by it; and . . . uh . . . other differences.
Right so, as said, series continued. Kat Falcone, the lead, is back in Commonwealth space forced to do stuff she despises, like go to society parties. The idea being that she’s a war hero and therefore will help ‘rally the people’ to the cause. She isn’t exactly suited to the task, though, and almost gets herself tossed out of the military because of unwise words.
Instead of being tossed out, like several wanted to do to her, Falcone is instead placed at the head of another fleet (she keeps being put at the heads of fleets while constantly just getting ‘temporary’ promotions to fit the role instead of actual promotions). This fleet includes one modern warship (the one she captained in the prior book), and an assortment of crap (old broken down ships that, some of them, literally can no longer fly – and are therefore cannibalized to get the other old ships somewhat closer to being able to fly and fight). Her fleet started off with 30 ‘crap’ ships, and the task force leaves with, roughly, 15 plus Lightning, the modern warship. Their mission – take this fleet of crap that could probably be stopped by a kid with a water gun, and go behind enemy lines. Invade enemy space. And . . . do stuff. Disrupt stuff.
Good interesting read. The ‘bad side’ continue being misogynistic assholes, while Falcone continues needing hugs and f**king her boyfriend – head of the marines on her ship (not graphically described, the f**king).
Rating: 4.33
June 13 2017
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Cursed Command by Christopher G. NuttallMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
Not sure if I should rate this 3.5 or 3.75.
This book showed a new dynamic - one of the point of views from prior books, William McElney, has moved to a command of their own spaceship - away from Kat Falcone. And one of the crew members on McElney's new command, Ucanny (the unluckiest ship in the navy), also has a point of view. And like prior books, there's several POV's given over to the other side of the conflict.
Other than being able to come up with 'brilliant' plans in the heat of the moment, I find myself kind of disliking Falcone and somewhat questioning her abilities. She's whinny, bratty, seemingly incapable of properly acting in certain social situations (basically everything in the civilian world), and shows an inability to keep from making snap prejudicial snap judgements. Rightly or wrongly those judgements might be. On-duty she does stuff that could get her in front of a court-martial (going by herself into dangerous situations; she's a captain of a starship, not wonder woman for fuck sake), off-duty she does stuff that could get her court-martialed - and can/could/somewhat does cause 'issues' on her ship (her constant need to be fucking the head of the marines on her ship). People have needs but for fuck sake . . . do you have any self-control? I mean, Kat's constantly slut-shaming her sister and calling her an air-head and Kat does the things she does? pfft.
Yeah, I didn't like this book as much as I would have liked. And the constant mention of just how young she looks and naive; coupled with the comments about her looking older now . . . (while, I guess, still being naive), got old in the first book. By now? Shesh, we get it already.
Right.
Rating: 3.62
June 15 2017
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Desperate Fire by Christopher G. NuttallMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
It is difficult to write anything about this book without being spoiler-y. What with it being, as the book description says ‘the fourth and final book in . . . series’ ((view spoiler))
Writing seemed good. I sometimes lost track of what the spaceships were doing, but for the most part seemed adequate. Somewhat better, overall, story than the one that occurred in the previous book in the series. One thing that I ‘saw’, an ‘event’ that I knew was going to happen occurred as expected – there was a little too heavy handed foreshadowing there (though a different event came out of the blue for me, though it was foreshadowed . . . three words before it occurred) – it’s a war book, what happens in a war book? But I’ll put behind spoiler tag that (view spoiler)).
Sex occurred again. Still mostly described in a ‘and they had sex’ way and less in a graphic way, though there were a few borderline scenes there.
I mean, really, what can I say? I keep thinking of things, but I can’t even hint at the plot, even the beginning plot, because – spoiler (less for this book here, since it builds from the prior books, but for the series as a whole). Um. The people from the prior books continue to advance in their military careers, the war continues. Misogyny and religious fanaticism continues. Including a bit of terrorism.
Oh – one thing I can think of that I think I can say without being spoiler-y. There’s a vague feeling of ‘long ago there was an expansion of the human race – out to the stars. The UN tried to control everything. Things fell apart. The ‘Break-away’ wars occurred, though the main ‘good guys’ star system, was not involved in the ‘Break-away’ wars because of its good solid foundation. Somewhere before, during, or shortly after these break-away wars, the Commonwealth was formed (oh, and during the wars Earth was made uninhabitable). Long . . . long ago. When the current king of Commonwealth’s father was king. So not that really long ago. Really.’ That’s the part I get confused about. How there’s this vague feeling of ‘here’s the history – this stuff happened way in the past.’ Oh, actually, I meant in the prior generation.’ Is it long long ago, or super recent past? No matter. All this stuff occurred before this book here and didn’t really impact the series.
Um. Right. So. Boring review.
Rating: 4.0
June 19 2017
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