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Descent #1
Descent
YOU'VE FOUND YOUR WAY IN. . .NOW DIE GETTING OUT Lunar Outpost MN 0012 is in the grips of techno-cataclysm.
The most complex off-world mining operation in the solar system is in danger of total annihilation, Programmed flying drones have gone berserk, turning on their masters and spreading a hideous plague of devastation and death. An unseen alien force has corrupted the powerful machines as a terrifying first act of war. The moon will fall fist. And after that, the Earth.
The Post Terran Mining Corporation needs one man to lead a suicide mission into the labyrinthine depths of MN 0012, to take the battle to the white-hot core of the rebellion. That man is Benjamin St. John--a veteran Maine flyer with nothing left to lose, teamed with a beautiful company flak and his most hated enemy. A stranded computer scientist trapped in the bowels of the moon holds the key to human survival. Her rescue is essential, and St. John is the only man good enough--and crazy enough--for the job.
The most complex off-world mining operation in the solar system is in danger of total annihilation, Programmed flying drones have gone berserk, turning on their masters and spreading a hideous plague of devastation and death. An unseen alien force has corrupted the powerful machines as a terrifying first act of war. The moon will fall fist. And after that, the Earth.
The Post Terran Mining Corporation needs one man to lead a suicide mission into the labyrinthine depths of MN 0012, to take the battle to the white-hot core of the rebellion. That man is Benjamin St. John--a veteran Maine flyer with nothing left to lose, teamed with a beautiful company flak and his most hated enemy. A stranded computer scientist trapped in the bowels of the moon holds the key to human survival. Her rescue is essential, and St. John is the only man good enough--and crazy enough--for the job.
- GenresScience Fiction
298 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1999
49 people want to read
About the author
Peter Telep
43 books84 followersPeter Telep is the author of more than fifty novels. His collaboration with Tom Clancy, Against All Enemies, debuted at #1 on the New York Times Bestsellers List. Additionally, he has written many bestselling novels based on Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon, Endwar, and Splinter Cell video game series.
He is a produced film and television writer and has worked alongside professionals throughout the video game industry. The Doc Harrison series marks his return to fantasy and science fiction where he began his career.
Find him on Facebook, Twitter (@petertelep), and email: peter@docharrisonbooks.com. He always loves to hear from his readers!
Bonus info:
Writing as Ben Weaver: Brothers in Arms, Rebels in Arms, Patriots in Arms
Writing as P.W. Storm: The Force 5 Recon Series and The Mercenaries Series
Writing as Pete Callahan: Armored Corps, Attack by Fire, Engage and Destroy
Writing as David Michaels: Endwar, Endwar: The Hunted, Ghost Recon, Ghost Recon: Combat Ops, Splinter Cell: Endgame
Writing as Richard Michaels: The Fall of Eden (Trade Paperback)
He is a produced film and television writer and has worked alongside professionals throughout the video game industry. The Doc Harrison series marks his return to fantasy and science fiction where he began his career.
Find him on Facebook, Twitter (@petertelep), and email: peter@docharrisonbooks.com. He always loves to hear from his readers!
Bonus info:
Writing as Ben Weaver: Brothers in Arms, Rebels in Arms, Patriots in Arms
Writing as P.W. Storm: The Force 5 Recon Series and The Mercenaries Series
Writing as Pete Callahan: Armored Corps, Attack by Fire, Engage and Destroy
Writing as David Michaels: Endwar, Endwar: The Hunted, Ghost Recon, Ghost Recon: Combat Ops, Splinter Cell: Endgame
Writing as Richard Michaels: The Fall of Eden (Trade Paperback)
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
December 24, 2025
This was a book based on a video game called Descent, where a guy in a small spacecraft fights dangerous robots with a wide array of laser guns and missiles while collecting power ups.
In a lot of ways, I was really impressed by how the author, Peter Telep, adapted this into a book. The game is normally single player, but Telep gave the protagonist a partner in a second spaceship that he could cooperate and strategize with. It gave a lot more personality to the story. The book also eliminated power ups, which helped things to feel less silly and more realistic.
I think Telep didn't go far enough with this though. It still felt a little too video-gamey and not quite enough like a fighter jet action thriller. There were too many types of robots for anyone who is not a Descent fan to keep track of, too many types of missiles, and too much talk about shield levels. As someone who is very familiar with the game and all its items, I happened to enjoy all this geeky detail, but I think it would have been better if the silly rechargeable shields had been left out of the story entirely, and if the characters had had just two or three types of weapons instead of the ten or so that were actually used.
The story had great tension and great character conflict. It sometimes got uncomfortably sexist. For fans of the game, who seem to be the target audience, this is 8/10. For anyone else, it would be more like a 5 or a 6.
In a lot of ways, I was really impressed by how the author, Peter Telep, adapted this into a book. The game is normally single player, but Telep gave the protagonist a partner in a second spaceship that he could cooperate and strategize with. It gave a lot more personality to the story. The book also eliminated power ups, which helped things to feel less silly and more realistic.
I think Telep didn't go far enough with this though. It still felt a little too video-gamey and not quite enough like a fighter jet action thriller. There were too many types of robots for anyone who is not a Descent fan to keep track of, too many types of missiles, and too much talk about shield levels. As someone who is very familiar with the game and all its items, I happened to enjoy all this geeky detail, but I think it would have been better if the silly rechargeable shields had been left out of the story entirely, and if the characters had had just two or three types of weapons instead of the ten or so that were actually used.
The story had great tension and great character conflict. It sometimes got uncomfortably sexist. For fans of the game, who seem to be the target audience, this is 8/10. For anyone else, it would be more like a 5 or a 6.
February 6, 2011
This book really surprised me. Being a huge fan of Descent (it's merely the greatest game of all time), I heard about this series and decided to give it a shot. While it's possible that my love for the game biases my review, I find it hard to believe that anyone who likes scifi and spaceships wouldn't enjoy reading this. It's your standard alien invasion fare, but the colloquialism with which the story is told and the excellent pacing make it a fun read all the way until the end. Telep's characterization is also very well executed. The main character, Ben (a Marine space fighter pilot), is what you would expect at first: cocky, arrogant, and reckless, but the hint of morality shown as his copilot dies in the first chapter foreshadows how he'll deal with later situations. It also sets the stage for one of the best father-figure/son relationships I've read in a while, as Taurus is introduced about halfway through.
I highly recommend this as an easy, Sunday afternoon read if you are a scifi fan. The next book in the series was, unfortunately, not as memorable...
I highly recommend this as an easy, Sunday afternoon read if you are a scifi fan. The next book in the series was, unfortunately, not as memorable...
February 13, 2010
Intense by any standard, especially by that of video game-based fiction. The characters are surprisingly realistic and believable, the story rockets by, and the original comical dialogues between the robots in the mine are a nice change of pace. One of my favorite books. It's very difficult to find anymore.
December 28, 2011
Definitely a fun read and if you add it together with the games that it is based on, actually gives a plot to those games. Descent was a great game with not a lot to it and this really fleshes out the series. Great read for those who enjoy books based on great gaming franchises.
March 25, 2016
Dumb. Dumb. Dumb. Even when I was 14, I thought it was dumb.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews