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Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Science Fiction (2013)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 withInvincible, 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 escorts Invincible and 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...
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 withInvincible, 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 escorts Invincible and 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...
416 pages, Hardcover
First published May 1, 2013
282 people are currently reading
3083 people want to read
About the author
Jack Campbell
115 books3,032 followersJack Campbell is a pseudonym for American science fiction author John G. Hemry.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
John G. Hemry is an American author of military science fiction novels. Drawing on his experience as a retired United States Navy officer, he has written the Stark's War and Paul Sinclair series. Under the name Jack Campbell, he has written four volumes of the Lost Fleet series, and on his website names two more forthcoming volumes. He has also written over a dozen short stories, many published in Analog magazine, and a number of non-fiction works.
John G Hemry is a retired United States Navy officer. His father, Jack M. Hemry, also served in the navy and as John points out was a mustang. John grew up living in several places including Pensacola, San Diego, and Midway Island.
John graduated from Lyons High School in Lyons in 1974 then attended the US Naval Academy (Class of '78) where he was labeled 'the un-midshipman' by his roommates.
He lives in Maryland with his wife and three kids. His two eldest children are diagnosed as autistic and suffer from Neuro immune dysfunction syndrome (NIDS), an auto-immune ailment which causes their illness, but are progressing under treatment.
John is a member of the SFWA Musketeers whose motto reads: 'The Pen is Mightier Than the Sword, but the Wise Person Carries Both'.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
John G. Hemry is an American author of military science fiction novels. Drawing on his experience as a retired United States Navy officer, he has written the Stark's War and Paul Sinclair series. Under the name Jack Campbell, he has written four volumes of the Lost Fleet series, and on his website names two more forthcoming volumes. He has also written over a dozen short stories, many published in Analog magazine, and a number of non-fiction works.
John G Hemry is a retired United States Navy officer. His father, Jack M. Hemry, also served in the navy and as John points out was a mustang. John grew up living in several places including Pensacola, San Diego, and Midway Island.
John graduated from Lyons High School in Lyons in 1974 then attended the US Naval Academy (Class of '78) where he was labeled 'the un-midshipman' by his roommates.
He lives in Maryland with his wife and three kids. His two eldest children are diagnosed as autistic and suffer from Neuro immune dysfunction syndrome (NIDS), an auto-immune ailment which causes their illness, but are progressing under treatment.
John is a member of the SFWA Musketeers whose motto reads: 'The Pen is Mightier Than the Sword, but the Wise Person Carries Both'.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 272 reviews
March 21, 2015
I give up. There's just something about these books. I like them. They're fun. Sure, they drive me crazy with the sappy relationship between Geary and Desjani and other assorted problems. But, at the end of the day, I just keep reading them. Some authors have a knack for stringing readers along, and Campbell falls firmly in that category. I just keep reading these books because there is something just over the horizon that I want to see. And then, after that, there's the next horizon.
I won't dwell on my problems with the books other than occasionally I want to through them against the wall. Bottom line, these are fun, fun books. Great lit? No, but they are lots of fun if you like big star-ship battles, political drama and mysteries.
Three hell-lance broadsides out of five.
I won't dwell on my problems with the books other than occasionally I want to through them against the wall. Bottom line, these are fun, fun books. Great lit? No, but they are lots of fun if you like big star-ship battles, political drama and mysteries.
Three hell-lance broadsides out of five.
February 20, 2016
I enjoyed all the twists and turns in the story, despite the fact that this was a bit of a slow read for me. I love the Dancers. They rock the story. Definitely becoming hooked on this series.
Reviewed for Bitten by Books. http://bittenbybooks.com.
Reviewed for Bitten by Books. http://bittenbybooks.com.
October 6, 2016
Stupid to evil politicians...new alien races...plots and subplots...bureaucracy rampant...
Lots of "stuff".
This book stays pretty much up to Campbell's standards...I like it.
Lots of "stuff".
This book stays pretty much up to Campbell's standards...I like it.
January 8, 2022
2.8⭐ *Fat Fingered Update*
Wasn't really planning on reviewing this and then my fat fingers re-sent it with the wrong rating. Happens a lot. I once gave a five star rating to 'Sex Talk Manual'- in Japanese ( for all I know it could be a five star book, but I dont read Japanese).
So, since I'm here: Lost Fleet- Guardian. Middle of the pack ' Black Jack' Geary tale. Now that he's returned the Lost Fleet home the politicians can't get rid of him fast enough ( he's more popular than they are), so they sent him off to uncharted space to deal with homicidal aliens, which he does. He's now on his way back to the Alliance, with some friendly aliens and a whopping big space ship from some other, unfriendly, aliens in tow ( it does get a tad confusing). Anyway, the corporate nasties of the Syndicate, having lost the war to Geary, are dogging his space contrails all the way home. It's corny and cheesy all at once but it's still a rip snorting space opera and just good, clean fun.
Wasn't really planning on reviewing this and then my fat fingers re-sent it with the wrong rating. Happens a lot. I once gave a five star rating to 'Sex Talk Manual'- in Japanese ( for all I know it could be a five star book, but I dont read Japanese).
So, since I'm here: Lost Fleet- Guardian. Middle of the pack ' Black Jack' Geary tale. Now that he's returned the Lost Fleet home the politicians can't get rid of him fast enough ( he's more popular than they are), so they sent him off to uncharted space to deal with homicidal aliens, which he does. He's now on his way back to the Alliance, with some friendly aliens and a whopping big space ship from some other, unfriendly, aliens in tow ( it does get a tad confusing). Anyway, the corporate nasties of the Syndicate, having lost the war to Geary, are dogging his space contrails all the way home. It's corny and cheesy all at once but it's still a rip snorting space opera and just good, clean fun.
January 11, 2023
This was one of the best books in the entire series!
Admiral Geary has his juggling hat on. He has to honor his word to protect the former-Syndic but now-independent world of Midway, outsmart and/or battle the belligerent actual Syndic forces, figure out what the enigmatic Dancers are up to, (the aliens formerly known as Spider-wolves), get the last two surviving Kicks and their captured warship back to Alliance space, (the bear-cow aliens), repair all of the ships breaking down like old Buicks, rescue some prisoners of war, and prepare for the reception he fears from the Alliance. That brood of vipers. Lots of things were happening, much more than I could mention here.
Some of the scenes were absolutely terrific, particularly the liberation of the POW camp. I wish that I could spill all of the details to everyone, but I can't and won't. Awesome scene. You'll just have to take my word for it :)
I almost gave up on the series after the last book; it was quite the snoozefest. I'm so glad that I soldiered on! I'm not going to make that almost mistake again, snoozefests be darned. I'm planning to read the rest of them.
Admiral Geary has his juggling hat on. He has to honor his word to protect the former-Syndic but now-independent world of Midway, outsmart and/or battle the belligerent actual Syndic forces, figure out what the enigmatic Dancers are up to, (the aliens formerly known as Spider-wolves), get the last two surviving Kicks and their captured warship back to Alliance space, (the bear-cow aliens), repair all of the ships breaking down like old Buicks, rescue some prisoners of war, and prepare for the reception he fears from the Alliance. That brood of vipers. Lots of things were happening, much more than I could mention here.
Some of the scenes were absolutely terrific, particularly the liberation of the POW camp. I wish that I could spill all of the details to everyone, but I can't and won't. Awesome scene. You'll just have to take my word for it :)
I almost gave up on the series after the last book; it was quite the snoozefest. I'm so glad that I soldiered on! I'm not going to make that almost mistake again, snoozefests be darned. I'm planning to read the rest of them.
May 11, 2013
I've enjoyed the Lost Fleet, and spinoff, series so far. Guardian specifically was decent. It was a little slow to begin, the first couple chapters rehashed so much information they may as well have said, "In our last episode..."
I think the governments in these series are becoming a bit too clichéd. Both the syndics and alliance. The various plots, schemes, and double-deals are going a bit overboard. They're, well, dumb. Some of the politicians may have risen to power without being too bright, but that can't be the norm. They're supposed to be motivated by self-interest, and they're theoretically capable of learning, so it's beginning to stretch the bounds of credibility that they keep shooting themselves in the foot.
The book was still entertaining. Decent amounts of action, and I still like the way combat is handled in the series. I'm really starting to wish the series would settle on who of the several different factions are the REAL badguys, and focus more on them. There's the syndics, internal alliance strife, a couple hostile aliens, and now a new faction introduced... While still good currently, with so many adversaries things are starting to become unfocused. I think things would be much more enjoyable if some of these threats could be dealt with or put aside and just one or two drove the plot.
I think the governments in these series are becoming a bit too clichéd. Both the syndics and alliance. The various plots, schemes, and double-deals are going a bit overboard. They're, well, dumb. Some of the politicians may have risen to power without being too bright, but that can't be the norm. They're supposed to be motivated by self-interest, and they're theoretically capable of learning, so it's beginning to stretch the bounds of credibility that they keep shooting themselves in the foot.
The book was still entertaining. Decent amounts of action, and I still like the way combat is handled in the series. I'm really starting to wish the series would settle on who of the several different factions are the REAL badguys, and focus more on them. There's the syndics, internal alliance strife, a couple hostile aliens, and now a new faction introduced... While still good currently, with so many adversaries things are starting to become unfocused. I think things would be much more enjoyable if some of these threats could be dealt with or put aside and just one or two drove the plot.
February 18, 2019
When you win the war, you sometimes lose the peace and that is the basis of this volume. Admiral Blackjack Geary has screwed up the plans of the Alliance government by not dying horribly. As the most celebrated war hero of all time, he's become a political threat and he's inconveinantly refused to die in all the suicide missions they've sent him on. Unfortunately, whoever is in charge of the Alliance has apparently not studied Julius Caesar as they have created a hostile atmosphere for the military and they have the guns. This is a self-fulfilling prophecy, of course, and Admiral Gear refuses to overthrow a government that just might deserve to be. I like the politics of this one but it doens't end in a conclusive manner.
Personally, I think the story would be better if Blackjack did arrest all of the politicians and then forced an election.
9/10
Personally, I think the story would be better if Blackjack did arrest all of the politicians and then forced an election.
9/10
April 29, 2025
Después de nueve libros en la saga de
La flota perdida
, pocas cosas ya pueden sorprenderme, y aún así el final del libro lo ha conseguido.
Este sería, para mi, el mas flojo de la saga, aunque, sigue teniendo increíbles batallas espaciales y decisiones sorpresa por parte de nuestro, ahora, Almirante Black Jack Geary.
Pero se adentra mas en territorio politiqueo, que en otras sagas puede ser divertido, no es lo que hemos venido ha hacer aquí. Aquí queremos naves espaciales, batallas y gloria.
Lo que mas me gusta sigue siendo que las batallas y estrategias tienen en cuenta la dilatación temporal. Nada es instantáneo en una batalla que se lleva a cabo en un sistema solar entero: lo que ve la nave comandante puede haber ocurrido hace minutos e incluso horas. Me encanta.
Este sería, para mi, el mas flojo de la saga, aunque, sigue teniendo increíbles batallas espaciales y decisiones sorpresa por parte de nuestro, ahora, Almirante Black Jack Geary.
Pero se adentra mas en territorio politiqueo, que en otras sagas puede ser divertido, no es lo que hemos venido ha hacer aquí. Aquí queremos naves espaciales, batallas y gloria.
Lo que mas me gusta sigue siendo que las batallas y estrategias tienen en cuenta la dilatación temporal. Nada es instantáneo en una batalla que se lleva a cabo en un sistema solar entero: lo que ve la nave comandante puede haber ocurrido hace minutos e incluso horas. Me encanta.
April 20, 2020
This was such an amazing series that I lost myself in it. So much so that I had to write my review of the whole rather the individual parts. My thoughts don't fit in this block, so read my entire review here.
https://jrhandley.com/2020/04/19/book...
Okay, let’s get into the weeds on this one! I’ve organized my overall assessment by putting the stuff I didn’t like first so we can end on a high note. I also want to be clear that I really loved this series overall, it’s why I plowed through the audiobooks so quickly that I had to write a series review instead of an individual one for each of the six novels that make up The Lost Fleet Series. And the entirety of this series got better as the author continued to expand and grow the universe.
Alright, let’s rip off the band-aide and dive in. There were many parts that I wasn’t thrilled with in this series. There were a lot of places in the series that felt repetitive, re-treading the same events. This often happened between books, which I knew was to refresh the memory of the readers. This was specifically important given the four-year window that existed between the start if this series and when the last book was completed. However, this also manifested with tiresome references to whether or not John Geary was a man of myth and legend. I understand that that part of the story was necessary, but the author was a bit ham-fisted with it.
As well as the repetitive details of the myths, I also felt there were too many secondary characters. I never connected with them, we never really learned anything about them, which made them feel one-dimensional. There were so many officers zooming on and off the stage that I felt like I was going to catch a cold from the breeze. I realize that this was done to add depth to the series, but it just rubs me the wrong way. This could just be an issue of taste, so your mileage may vary.
While I loved the audio narration, I did have one complaint about the production decisions. During several periods where they were trying to set the mood, to ramp up the tension, they added dramatic music to the audiobook. This was done at a volume just below the narrator’s voice, so it created a layered effect that allowed you to still hear Christian Rummel’s dictation. For whatever reason, it annoyed me and I briefly considered putting the audiobook down. I’m glad I didn’t because once I tuned that out, this audiobook became a rollicking good adventure!
Finally, let’s look at one more area that was a little disappointing was the combat scene between the fleets. It was really hard to picture the battles; I knew they were massive, but I never really knew how many forces were in the Alliance Fleet at the start of the campaign into Syndicate space. Without that sense of scope at the beginning, everything was just a list of random ship names and combat maneuver formations. I wanted to see it in my head, but I couldn’t visualize it. That was frustrating because military science fiction is my jam and I want to get to know all of the characters. However, this wasn’t enough to make me put down the series despite having run several times.
Right, now we get to talk about the good things! First, I loved the basic premise of this series. The concept of a long retreating action in space was a lot of fun to see played out, especially given that the technology in most science fiction negates this as a possibility. The way Jack Campbell pulled this off was nothing short of amazing. The tension was high the entire time, and I often wondered if he would live. I forced myself not to acknowledge that the follow-on books existed so that I could experience the tension of their dire situation.
If it wasn’t clear, I really liked this space odyssey. It felt like a modern adaptation of the classic Horatio Hornblower saga, which I’m a huge fan of. If you didn’t know this was set in space – you could almost imagine the smell of salt in the sea and the creaking of the wooden boats. This, when combined with the undercurrent of the Arthurian mythos, made this a highly memorable universe. I really felt like the two concepts merged well together, and I really wish I’d thought of it first!
Next, I’d like to say that this series was a lot harder on the physics than what I’d typically read. However, the focus on the laws of relativity was dumbed down enough that even I could understand them. I didn’t check his math, but it came off as extremely believable. I would probably never try writing a series that wasn’t vetted by professors at Handwavium University, but the author made it work!
Another area where the military culture it was spot on. There was even that rivalry between the fleet and her marine compliment! This was just what I’d expect from a naval officer and ship handling veteran. That’s right, Jack Campbell served in the U.S. Navy, and it showed in his understanding of the culture of the swabbie! Because of this, the author made it clear that his world was flushed out and didn’t fall into some of the traps most military sci-fi did. The sailors run out of bombs and power cores for their cannons, dumb luck happens, and good sailors still die. It was everything you want from the space fleet subgenre of military science fiction. The battle scenes were believable, gripping, and I never felt like the author missed a chance to get creative with the tactics. Well, at least with the parts that I could visualize. Such a detailed portrayal of fleet tactics is rare, so it was nice to add another universe to the list!
Am I gushing too much yet? Because another way that this universe shined brighter than a nova was in the multiple distinct political groups that the author created. There were at least four main polities, and every single one was slightly different, giving some depth to the universe. I really wanted to know more about all of them, to explore the nooks and crannies of life in the worlds that Jack Campbell’s imagination spewed for us to read. I think that you’ll feel the same, so let’s pressure the author to keep writing and giving us more to love!
Okay, have I hinted that I enjoyed this universe yet? Good, I want it to be obvious! So, to wrap this bad boy up, I loved this series. Each one of these novels was at least 90,000 words long, about what you expect from the genre. Despite the length, each book felt like a quick read. If you didn’t know how long each novel was, you could almost imagine them as short stories. This is because they were so engrossing that the reader loses track of time, while they temporarily live in the story. The author definitely made me want more from this universe, and I’ll definitely be reading the follow-on series that are already available. Seriously, any offer that can make me read their books multiple times is doing something right. This is at least the fourth time I’ve read through these books, and I never felt like I was wasting my time in coming back to this familiar stomping ground.
Seriously, I realize I’ve gone full fanboy, but the author definitely raised the bar for space fleet military science fiction authors everywhere. I was hooked from the first page/minute! Jack Campbell wove the action into the onboard drama among the fleet in such a compelling way that you wanted to sign up in the Alliance Fleet, despite the stench of their sailory ways! Basically, Campbell had me hooked from the beginning and kept it going throughout the whole series. These are books that I would happily recommend, and an author I will definitely read again. Buy these novels! But hey, it’s easy to spend someone else’s money! I give these books a 4 out of 5 grenades!
If this book sounds like it’s right up your alley, check it out! You won’t regret it! Well, unless it keeps you up all night and you’re late to work… and then your boss fires you because you became a book addict and a rabid Jack Campbell fan. And then you track him down and climb into his window in your skivvies, and he shoots you with his phasers set to kill. Okay, the fanboy/fangirl syndrome MIGHT kill you. Be warned, but enjoy the high!
https://jrhandley.com/2020/04/19/book...
Okay, let’s get into the weeds on this one! I’ve organized my overall assessment by putting the stuff I didn’t like first so we can end on a high note. I also want to be clear that I really loved this series overall, it’s why I plowed through the audiobooks so quickly that I had to write a series review instead of an individual one for each of the six novels that make up The Lost Fleet Series. And the entirety of this series got better as the author continued to expand and grow the universe.
Alright, let’s rip off the band-aide and dive in. There were many parts that I wasn’t thrilled with in this series. There were a lot of places in the series that felt repetitive, re-treading the same events. This often happened between books, which I knew was to refresh the memory of the readers. This was specifically important given the four-year window that existed between the start if this series and when the last book was completed. However, this also manifested with tiresome references to whether or not John Geary was a man of myth and legend. I understand that that part of the story was necessary, but the author was a bit ham-fisted with it.
As well as the repetitive details of the myths, I also felt there were too many secondary characters. I never connected with them, we never really learned anything about them, which made them feel one-dimensional. There were so many officers zooming on and off the stage that I felt like I was going to catch a cold from the breeze. I realize that this was done to add depth to the series, but it just rubs me the wrong way. This could just be an issue of taste, so your mileage may vary.
While I loved the audio narration, I did have one complaint about the production decisions. During several periods where they were trying to set the mood, to ramp up the tension, they added dramatic music to the audiobook. This was done at a volume just below the narrator’s voice, so it created a layered effect that allowed you to still hear Christian Rummel’s dictation. For whatever reason, it annoyed me and I briefly considered putting the audiobook down. I’m glad I didn’t because once I tuned that out, this audiobook became a rollicking good adventure!
Finally, let’s look at one more area that was a little disappointing was the combat scene between the fleets. It was really hard to picture the battles; I knew they were massive, but I never really knew how many forces were in the Alliance Fleet at the start of the campaign into Syndicate space. Without that sense of scope at the beginning, everything was just a list of random ship names and combat maneuver formations. I wanted to see it in my head, but I couldn’t visualize it. That was frustrating because military science fiction is my jam and I want to get to know all of the characters. However, this wasn’t enough to make me put down the series despite having run several times.
Right, now we get to talk about the good things! First, I loved the basic premise of this series. The concept of a long retreating action in space was a lot of fun to see played out, especially given that the technology in most science fiction negates this as a possibility. The way Jack Campbell pulled this off was nothing short of amazing. The tension was high the entire time, and I often wondered if he would live. I forced myself not to acknowledge that the follow-on books existed so that I could experience the tension of their dire situation.
If it wasn’t clear, I really liked this space odyssey. It felt like a modern adaptation of the classic Horatio Hornblower saga, which I’m a huge fan of. If you didn’t know this was set in space – you could almost imagine the smell of salt in the sea and the creaking of the wooden boats. This, when combined with the undercurrent of the Arthurian mythos, made this a highly memorable universe. I really felt like the two concepts merged well together, and I really wish I’d thought of it first!
Next, I’d like to say that this series was a lot harder on the physics than what I’d typically read. However, the focus on the laws of relativity was dumbed down enough that even I could understand them. I didn’t check his math, but it came off as extremely believable. I would probably never try writing a series that wasn’t vetted by professors at Handwavium University, but the author made it work!
Another area where the military culture it was spot on. There was even that rivalry between the fleet and her marine compliment! This was just what I’d expect from a naval officer and ship handling veteran. That’s right, Jack Campbell served in the U.S. Navy, and it showed in his understanding of the culture of the swabbie! Because of this, the author made it clear that his world was flushed out and didn’t fall into some of the traps most military sci-fi did. The sailors run out of bombs and power cores for their cannons, dumb luck happens, and good sailors still die. It was everything you want from the space fleet subgenre of military science fiction. The battle scenes were believable, gripping, and I never felt like the author missed a chance to get creative with the tactics. Well, at least with the parts that I could visualize. Such a detailed portrayal of fleet tactics is rare, so it was nice to add another universe to the list!
Am I gushing too much yet? Because another way that this universe shined brighter than a nova was in the multiple distinct political groups that the author created. There were at least four main polities, and every single one was slightly different, giving some depth to the universe. I really wanted to know more about all of them, to explore the nooks and crannies of life in the worlds that Jack Campbell’s imagination spewed for us to read. I think that you’ll feel the same, so let’s pressure the author to keep writing and giving us more to love!
Okay, have I hinted that I enjoyed this universe yet? Good, I want it to be obvious! So, to wrap this bad boy up, I loved this series. Each one of these novels was at least 90,000 words long, about what you expect from the genre. Despite the length, each book felt like a quick read. If you didn’t know how long each novel was, you could almost imagine them as short stories. This is because they were so engrossing that the reader loses track of time, while they temporarily live in the story. The author definitely made me want more from this universe, and I’ll definitely be reading the follow-on series that are already available. Seriously, any offer that can make me read their books multiple times is doing something right. This is at least the fourth time I’ve read through these books, and I never felt like I was wasting my time in coming back to this familiar stomping ground.
Seriously, I realize I’ve gone full fanboy, but the author definitely raised the bar for space fleet military science fiction authors everywhere. I was hooked from the first page/minute! Jack Campbell wove the action into the onboard drama among the fleet in such a compelling way that you wanted to sign up in the Alliance Fleet, despite the stench of their sailory ways! Basically, Campbell had me hooked from the beginning and kept it going throughout the whole series. These are books that I would happily recommend, and an author I will definitely read again. Buy these novels! But hey, it’s easy to spend someone else’s money! I give these books a 4 out of 5 grenades!
If this book sounds like it’s right up your alley, check it out! You won’t regret it! Well, unless it keeps you up all night and you’re late to work… and then your boss fires you because you became a book addict and a rabid Jack Campbell fan. And then you track him down and climb into his window in your skivvies, and he shoots you with his phasers set to kill. Okay, the fanboy/fangirl syndrome MIGHT kill you. Be warned, but enjoy the high!
May 7, 2019
To read more reviews in this series and others, check out keikii eats books!
84 points, 4 ¼ stars
Admiral John "Black Jack" Geary and the fleet have survived again, and now they're on their way home. This time with a new alien species, the Dancers, in tow. The Dancers want to open the way to being allies. Getting home isn't that simple, though. The Syndicate Worlds are collapsing, and what is left is making things difficult. And even if Geary can get the Dancers home, what will be there waiting for them?
Guardian was a bit of a mess. Whereas every other book before this had pretty much one task to accomplish before moving on to the next, Guardian just had a lot to do at once. And most of it was repeating past plots in the series. Not my favourite, but it was a bit more interesting than the previous books because of how much was going on. There wasn't as much sitting around waiting for things to happen this time.
The biggest thing about Guardian was that Black Jack and the Fleet are trying to get home to Alliance space again. And once again they have troubles in Syndicate space. First they have to defend the newly not Syndicates from the remains of the Syndicate. And then they have to fight those remnants all the way home, while the Syndicates somehow block them from getting home quickly.
And then they get home and they have to fight their politicians.
Again.
I understand that a big part of the story is that the government doesn't trust Geary. I understand that they are fighting to keep the Alliance together after years of war. I'm just bored with that happening every time they have to interact.
But, they're back home. They have the Dancers with them. They have a new potential ally, one who is smarter and better than they appear to be. Things seem to be going alright.
Now to figure out what to do with them.
84 points, 4 ¼ stars
Admiral John "Black Jack" Geary and the fleet have survived again, and now they're on their way home. This time with a new alien species, the Dancers, in tow. The Dancers want to open the way to being allies. Getting home isn't that simple, though. The Syndicate Worlds are collapsing, and what is left is making things difficult. And even if Geary can get the Dancers home, what will be there waiting for them?
Guardian was a bit of a mess. Whereas every other book before this had pretty much one task to accomplish before moving on to the next, Guardian just had a lot to do at once. And most of it was repeating past plots in the series. Not my favourite, but it was a bit more interesting than the previous books because of how much was going on. There wasn't as much sitting around waiting for things to happen this time.
The biggest thing about Guardian was that Black Jack and the Fleet are trying to get home to Alliance space again. And once again they have troubles in Syndicate space. First they have to defend the newly not Syndicates from the remains of the Syndicate. And then they have to fight those remnants all the way home, while the Syndicates somehow block them from getting home quickly.
And then they get home and they have to fight their politicians.
Again.
I understand that a big part of the story is that the government doesn't trust Geary. I understand that they are fighting to keep the Alliance together after years of war. I'm just bored with that happening every time they have to interact.
But, they're back home. They have the Dancers with them. They have a new potential ally, one who is smarter and better than they appear to be. Things seem to be going alright.
Now to figure out what to do with them.
November 26, 2019
This is the ninth book in the Lost Fleet adventures of John Geary, which are told in a consecutive pair of military science fiction series. I am reading these books purely for entertainment, uncontaminated by flimsy excuses such as keeping appraised of the science fiction field (I'm an author as well as a reader), or wishing to learn from Campbell's handling of space battles (excellent though it is). I've read the first nine books in under a month. As you may deduce, they have entertained me well. Yes, they are somewhat formulaic, but the chosen formula suits my mood. Yes, the characterization is somewhat unsubtle, but I've rooted for the hero from the first chapter of the first book through to the final chapter of book nine -- and fully anticipate rooting for him through the remaining two books. A list of three things that I appreciated in book nine follows.... I'll be starting book ten soon.
About my reviews: I try to review every book I read, including those that I don't end up enjoying. The reviews are not scholarly, but just indicate my reaction as a reader, reading being my addiction. I am miserly with 5-star reviews; 4 stars means I liked a book very much; 3 stars means I liked it; 2 stars means I didn't like it (though often the 2-star books are very popular with other readers and/or are by authors whose other work I've loved).
About my reviews: I try to review every book I read, including those that I don't end up enjoying. The reviews are not scholarly, but just indicate my reaction as a reader, reading being my addiction. I am miserly with 5-star reviews; 4 stars means I liked a book very much; 3 stars means I liked it; 2 stars means I didn't like it (though often the 2-star books are very popular with other readers and/or are by authors whose other work I've loved).
July 5, 2022
This novel is back to Alliance space and on to Earth for Geary and the Dauntless, escorting the Dancer ships and fending off attacks from Syndics who would take the prize of the Kick super battleship from the last book. It's sort of the first six books done in one book, with a weary human fleet making it back to an uncertain home.
The Syndic stealth marines being driven mad by a ship full of alien ghosts is a vibe, but Geary kicking over a comic opera minor power that has claimed dominion over Sol is not much. And finding that the top priority mission of the aliens is to return the corpse of a long dead human astronaut is a bit of a let down.
The Syndic stealth marines being driven mad by a ship full of alien ghosts is a vibe, but Geary kicking over a comic opera minor power that has claimed dominion over Sol is not much. And finding that the top priority mission of the aliens is to return the corpse of a long dead human astronaut is a bit of a let down.
February 14, 2023
4 stars. This time, it was not just space battles, but a lot of political maneuvering among Black Jack's "allies" and "enemies". And a nice twist at the end that I felt was poignant but left me feeling hopeful for the Alliance's future.
November 24, 2025
Continuing the journey of Black Jack Geary's exploration fleet. The fleet is on the homeward stretch of it's voyage and book 3 of 5 did not end up where I thought it would. A bit of a tie up of a subplot and I will be interested to see where the author goes with the final 2 books in this series.
July 3, 2025
I love these books, but this one felt like a retread to f the first series
November 30, 2019
Guardian ranks among the best installments of Jack Campbell's Lost Fleet series. The characters' clever responses to novel challenges maintain the reader's engagement during interludes between the exciting action sequences that appear throughout the book.
May 15, 2013
About a year ago when I had read the previous book in the Beyond The Frontier series by Jack Campbell I was a little bit disappointed. I thought that the author didn’t really have any new ideas but just got bogged down more and more in (bad) politics, deceit and backstabbing a’la cheap soap opera. Sadly enough I feel that this book is pretty much more of the same.
The parts of the book where Geary and his fleet is trying to get back home with the captured alien ship, not to mention the live aliens that are following them, and the action this entails are nice reading for sure. However it is a very similar scenario as the original series. Fleet stranded in Syndic space tries to get home and the Syndics are doing their best to prevent it. Been there, read that.
After the fleet actually does get home around the two thirds mark or a little more the book really becomes boring with more or less nothing but politics or various dialogs about the repercussions of politics, past actions or future actions. It becomes a little bit more interesting at the very end and there are certainly some elements at the end which would be interesting if they were taken further in the next book, if there will be a next book. However given that the author have continuously shown a preference for the political aspects and forcing Geary to often have to overcome pure idiocy among the Alliance itself rather than external military threats I will continue to have my expectations on these books set somewhere on a fairly average level.
It is good books if you like this type of story. The combat parts and the fairly realistic tactical maneuvering are really good and is what have made me continue to read them. The rest I am not so thrilled about. The end, well I can say very little about it without actually revealing it but I have to say that I was somewhat underwhelmed.
The parts of the book where Geary and his fleet is trying to get back home with the captured alien ship, not to mention the live aliens that are following them, and the action this entails are nice reading for sure. However it is a very similar scenario as the original series. Fleet stranded in Syndic space tries to get home and the Syndics are doing their best to prevent it. Been there, read that.
After the fleet actually does get home around the two thirds mark or a little more the book really becomes boring with more or less nothing but politics or various dialogs about the repercussions of politics, past actions or future actions. It becomes a little bit more interesting at the very end and there are certainly some elements at the end which would be interesting if they were taken further in the next book, if there will be a next book. However given that the author have continuously shown a preference for the political aspects and forcing Geary to often have to overcome pure idiocy among the Alliance itself rather than external military threats I will continue to have my expectations on these books set somewhere on a fairly average level.
It is good books if you like this type of story. The combat parts and the fairly realistic tactical maneuvering are really good and is what have made me continue to read them. The rest I am not so thrilled about. The end, well I can say very little about it without actually revealing it but I have to say that I was somewhat underwhelmed.
March 19, 2015
The next book in the Beyond the Frontier series. Spoilers ahead for earlier. I recommend reading this series in order.
It opens at Midway, with the Syndic forces hovering and threatening the newly independent system. A subterfuge gets them out so the Alliance fleet can return home. Whereupon they find that something has gone wrong with the hypernet: they can only get to one system, which shrieks of trap.
But since they are at peace with the Syndics now, they will be able to get back to Alliance territory peacefully, even lugging along a captured alien starship, and accompanied by six (very different) alien ships who wish to return to the Alliance. Right?
Right?
Tricks and traps lie ahead. Marines coming to seriously respect an engineer. An intelligence officer falling in love with a different engineer. Politics. A request to go to Kansas. Forestalling a mutiny by giving the mutineers orders to do what they would have done if they had mutinied. Spreading rumors. Crossing the line across a heliosphere -- rather like crossing the equator -- after which, you are a Voyager. Battles and discoveries. And the Alliance that sent them off to die finds it rather hard to deal with a legend that stays alive, because it starts to scare them.
It opens at Midway, with the Syndic forces hovering and threatening the newly independent system. A subterfuge gets them out so the Alliance fleet can return home. Whereupon they find that something has gone wrong with the hypernet: they can only get to one system, which shrieks of trap.
But since they are at peace with the Syndics now, they will be able to get back to Alliance territory peacefully, even lugging along a captured alien starship, and accompanied by six (very different) alien ships who wish to return to the Alliance. Right?
Right?
Tricks and traps lie ahead. Marines coming to seriously respect an engineer. An intelligence officer falling in love with a different engineer. Politics. A request to go to Kansas. Forestalling a mutiny by giving the mutineers orders to do what they would have done if they had mutinied. Spreading rumors. Crossing the line across a heliosphere -- rather like crossing the equator -- after which, you are a Voyager. Battles and discoveries. And the Alliance that sent them off to die finds it rather hard to deal with a legend that stays alive, because it starts to scare them.
October 17, 2013
This is the third book in the “The Lost Fleet Beyond the Frontiers” series which also includes “Dreadnaught” and “Invincible”.
Admiral "Black Jack" Geary has taken the Alliance Fleet farther than any other human fleet and defeated three races (one human and 2 Alien) that had threatened humanity, now he just wants to get his fleet home.
While the alien Enigma and Kicks (also called Bear-Cows) are behind him, the Syndics who are allegedly at peace with the Alliance, after getting their butts kicked by Black Jack, keep putting impediments in the way of Black Jack’s fleet.
The most recent is apparently their ability to shut down the hypernet gates and force Black Jack to take a convoluted route home. This is something new to the Alliance fleet but what can he do ?
Lots of space battles and once you add in some political interference you get a fast paced and vivid adventure.
Will the fleet survive the surprises the Syndics apparently planted along his return route ?
What are the real motives of the “Dancers”; another alien race who have attached themselves to his fleet ?
Highly recommended.
Admiral "Black Jack" Geary has taken the Alliance Fleet farther than any other human fleet and defeated three races (one human and 2 Alien) that had threatened humanity, now he just wants to get his fleet home.
While the alien Enigma and Kicks (also called Bear-Cows) are behind him, the Syndics who are allegedly at peace with the Alliance, after getting their butts kicked by Black Jack, keep putting impediments in the way of Black Jack’s fleet.
The most recent is apparently their ability to shut down the hypernet gates and force Black Jack to take a convoluted route home. This is something new to the Alliance fleet but what can he do ?
Lots of space battles and once you add in some political interference you get a fast paced and vivid adventure.
Will the fleet survive the surprises the Syndics apparently planted along his return route ?
What are the real motives of the “Dancers”; another alien race who have attached themselves to his fleet ?
Highly recommended.
May 17, 2013
This book is far less military science-fiction than the other books in the series. Instead, this is more a science-fiction book with a few military battles. In the last section of the book, it's quite reminiscent of a Larry Niven book such as The Mote in God's Eye. As always, Christian Rummel does an excellent job with the narration and he's become the voices of the characters for me.
Overall, I've enjoyed the Beyond the Frontier continuation of the Lost Fleet series far more than the original books. In books 1 and 2 I found the battles and how they played out more interesting. Plus, the addition of aliens added a different dimension that wasn't in the original series. In this book, the interactions with one of the alien species they've encountered led to an excellent last section (and especially final chapter) of the book. I look forward to the next book.
Overall, I've enjoyed the Beyond the Frontier continuation of the Lost Fleet series far more than the original books. In books 1 and 2 I found the battles and how they played out more interesting. Plus, the addition of aliens added a different dimension that wasn't in the original series. In this book, the interactions with one of the alien species they've encountered led to an excellent last section (and especially final chapter) of the book. I look forward to the next book.
March 17, 2016
Picked it up because it is supposed to be the last in the lost fleet series and I don't like loose ends.
What a mistake that was.
The last few books in the series can already easily be summarized as 'more of the same', this book however takes the series to an all time low. Not only is the setup almost identical to the last few books but this time Geary is also being bossed around by the captain of the Dauntless (who happens to be his wife) and on many occasions the fleet only survives because other people prevent Geary from making fatal mistakes. The Syndic switch to guerilla warfare tactics is the only thing that makes this 'readable'. In the end, it's more of the same but worse. The ending is quite a let down and I really hope it actually IS the end of this series. 'Black Jack' Geary needs to retire and Jack Campbell needs to start writing something new.
What a mistake that was.
The last few books in the series can already easily be summarized as 'more of the same', this book however takes the series to an all time low. Not only is the setup almost identical to the last few books but this time Geary is also being bossed around by the captain of the Dauntless (who happens to be his wife) and on many occasions the fleet only survives because other people prevent Geary from making fatal mistakes. The Syndic switch to guerilla warfare tactics is the only thing that makes this 'readable'. In the end, it's more of the same but worse. The ending is quite a let down and I really hope it actually IS the end of this series. 'Black Jack' Geary needs to retire and Jack Campbell needs to start writing something new.
June 4, 2013
I love these books. John Hemry (Jack Campbell's real name) is a Naval Academy graduate and is able to bring a good dose of reality to the shipboard life and battles in this series. I also enjoy the author's depiction of governmental bureaucracy military political infighting. And of course, i cant help but cheering on the development of the reluctant leader/protagonist: Black Jack Geary. At this point, after having read every single book in the Lost Fleet universe, I am so biased in favor of them that I cannot give an objective review. :-)
September 6, 2016
I enjoyed this quick read from Jack Campbell starring Black Jack Geary, his intrepid sidekick/wife/Lt Co. Desjani, and their struggle to bring back an alien ship to the home base, despite the fact that some of the wormholes appear to be collapsing. How they continue to hold their own against the evil Syndicates, who refuse to stop fighting even when they are clearly losing, is a basic treatise on military sf and armed force politics. There's nothing too unusual here (though I did like the alien Dancers), but it was a fun read.
October 6, 2020
So Blackjack's fleet has returned from the unexplored space with some friends and some artifacts.
This book is about the journey back to alliance space and then dealing with the politics once they're there, and the start of a new journey at the end of the book, leading into Steadfast (book 4)
The book isn't battle-heavy, and does have some politics in it, but that's fine for me. I found the ending of the book very moving, and it gives us some insight into how the Dancers think.
This book is about the journey back to alliance space and then dealing with the politics once they're there, and the start of a new journey at the end of the book, leading into Steadfast (book 4)
The book isn't battle-heavy, and does have some politics in it, but that's fine for me. I found the ending of the book very moving, and it gives us some insight into how the Dancers think.
May 10, 2013
Enjoyed this latest installment and the new change in direction for the characters and the story. I hope to see more of these in the future. Read the book in a single day so it definitely kept me engaged.
The characters here have grown some with more taking charge and more people coming up with the ideas so its not totally centred around our character.
thanks.
The characters here have grown some with more taking charge and more people coming up with the ideas so its not totally centred around our character.
thanks.
January 28, 2014
These are so aggressively sequential, and it has been so long since I read the previous 2, that I had to go back and re-read them before reading this, just to catch up.
Aside from that small annoyance, it's a fine addition to the story. The ending here was fairly hilarious, though I'm not sure that an unchallenged military is doomed to that level of buffoonery.
Aside from that small annoyance, it's a fine addition to the story. The ending here was fairly hilarious, though I'm not sure that an unchallenged military is doomed to that level of buffoonery.
September 14, 2022
The writing isn't really any better than any of the other books, but I feel like this goes a little farther in its creativity... and one of these books deserved an extra star considering how much I've devoured them. We'll see where the series goes.
October 26, 2014
More of the same basically. It get's a bit repetitive, but Campbell manages to keep the main plot interesting with many new twists and turns. I'd like him to focus more on that and keep the nearly always same battles in the background. I will definitely stay with the series.
May 23, 2013
Another great read in this series. I hope Campbell continues with this series, there are certainly more areas to explore.
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