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Star Carrier #4
Deep Space
The fourth book in the epic saga of humankind's war of transcendence
Humanity had appeared to fend off the Sh'daar assault once and for all, though they never learned why the alien empire was driven to halt Earth's advancement toward technological Singularity.
But in this war of worlds, victory is always elusive. And now a new battle begins.
After twenty years of peace, not one but two fragile truces are unraveling. Alexander Koenig, the former Navy commander whose heroics forced the Sh'daar into submission, has won a second term as President of the United States of North America. But pursuing his mandate—sovereignty from the centuries-old Earth Confederation—becomes a risky proposition due to events taking place on the other side of the galaxy. A Confederation research vessel has been ambushed. Destroyers are descending on a human colony. It seems the Sh'daar have betrayed their treaty, and all nations must stand united—or face certain death.
Humanity had appeared to fend off the Sh'daar assault once and for all, though they never learned why the alien empire was driven to halt Earth's advancement toward technological Singularity.
But in this war of worlds, victory is always elusive. And now a new battle begins.
After twenty years of peace, not one but two fragile truces are unraveling. Alexander Koenig, the former Navy commander whose heroics forced the Sh'daar into submission, has won a second term as President of the United States of North America. But pursuing his mandate—sovereignty from the centuries-old Earth Confederation—becomes a risky proposition due to events taking place on the other side of the galaxy. A Confederation research vessel has been ambushed. Destroyers are descending on a human colony. It seems the Sh'daar have betrayed their treaty, and all nations must stand united—or face certain death.
355 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published April 30, 2013
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851 people want to read
About the author
Ian Douglas
99 books571 followersIan Douglas is a pseudonym used by William H. Keith Jr..
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 89 reviews
July 4, 2024
Deeper into the central core of the tiny galaxy, toward the blue-hot mystery of the Six Suns, radio and laser communications wove a complex and tangled network of technic civilization. Numerous planets were in high-velocity transit in the distance, their wakes of distorted space visible across several light years.
This is an interesting entry in the series. It takes place about twenty years after the events of Singularity (speaking in terms of Time-Now) or billions of years (depending on your point of view). Admiral Koenig is now President Koenig and Trevor “Sandy” Gray is Captain and Commanding officer of a Star Carrier.
As a result, in terms of characters, there is a very different dynamic to Deep Space, which initially feels a bit odd. There are other new aspects introduced here, which propels the story bodily into potential new territories of high concept madness. First of all, the Sh’daar has broken the peace treaty and hostilities are resuming (nothing new there). But there is also trouble closer to home, in more ways than one.
As the technology wall, or discrepancy, between the alien antagonists and the human fleets become problematic, new technologies have to be brought into play, and creative ways have to be found to employ existing tech. Great stuff.
A notable new development is the introduction of another species that appears to be willing to (actually) communicate with humanity (like the Agletch). While this angle is not fully developed here, it does have some interesting ramifications, and promises enticing plot developments for future entries in the series.
Also, the appearance of a (separate) race that may, or may not, be the Starborn hinted at in earlier novels. How does this fit into the big picture? And are the Sh’daar afraid of the new players on the cosmic field?
While Deep Space (arguably) doesn’t feature quite the same amount of mayhem as earlier entries, it is the beginning of a new story arc and somewhat grandly sets up the rest of series, which promises to take things to a whole new level of insanity. Expect some musings on time paradoxes, the history of the universe(s), what it means to be truly alien, and whether humanity can become (star)gods….. yep, like I said, high concept…
It is worth noting that these novels have a fair amount of technical description, which I enjoy, especially when it comes to battles in extreme environments and with extreme weaponry. Hardcore Military Science Fiction fans should get a (swift) kick out of this series.
This is an interesting entry in the series. It takes place about twenty years after the events of Singularity (speaking in terms of Time-Now) or billions of years (depending on your point of view). Admiral Koenig is now President Koenig and Trevor “Sandy” Gray is Captain and Commanding officer of a Star Carrier.
As a result, in terms of characters, there is a very different dynamic to Deep Space, which initially feels a bit odd. There are other new aspects introduced here, which propels the story bodily into potential new territories of high concept madness. First of all, the Sh’daar has broken the peace treaty and hostilities are resuming (nothing new there). But there is also trouble closer to home, in more ways than one.
As the technology wall, or discrepancy, between the alien antagonists and the human fleets become problematic, new technologies have to be brought into play, and creative ways have to be found to employ existing tech. Great stuff.
A notable new development is the introduction of another species that appears to be willing to (actually) communicate with humanity (like the Agletch). While this angle is not fully developed here, it does have some interesting ramifications, and promises enticing plot developments for future entries in the series.
Also, the appearance of a (separate) race that may, or may not, be the Starborn hinted at in earlier novels. How does this fit into the big picture? And are the Sh’daar afraid of the new players on the cosmic field?
While Deep Space (arguably) doesn’t feature quite the same amount of mayhem as earlier entries, it is the beginning of a new story arc and somewhat grandly sets up the rest of series, which promises to take things to a whole new level of insanity. Expect some musings on time paradoxes, the history of the universe(s), what it means to be truly alien, and whether humanity can become (star)gods….. yep, like I said, high concept…
It is worth noting that these novels have a fair amount of technical description, which I enjoy, especially when it comes to battles in extreme environments and with extreme weaponry. Hardcore Military Science Fiction fans should get a (swift) kick out of this series.
June 3, 2021
Very good Military SiFi series with a ton of hard core science woven into the story. Very detailed but still fast paced and action filled. Very recommended
July 22, 2013
This book by Ian Douglas (pseudonym for William H. Keith Jr.) was SO DISAPPOINTING! Frankly, it was terrible, even for a pulp military science fiction book. Just terrible.
I generally loved the first 3 books in this series, although I thought #3 (Singularity) ended sort of abruptly. I also absolutely LOVED all 3 of the "space marine" series (The Heritage, Inheritance, and Legacy Series) as well as the new Star Corpsman series. However, I felt like this book was written with a pending deadline or something.
Here are the main reasons why I really disliked this book:
In summary, this book was so flawed as to make it awful. I gave it 2 stars (instead of 1) because Mr. Keith writes excellent battle and action sequences. I also generally like the overall plot and scope of his stories. However, the other flaws in this book, primarily the ones mentioned above, lead me to NOT recommend this book. I will not be reading any more in the Star Carrier series.
I generally loved the first 3 books in this series, although I thought #3 (Singularity) ended sort of abruptly. I also absolutely LOVED all 3 of the "space marine" series (The Heritage, Inheritance, and Legacy Series) as well as the new Star Corpsman series. However, I felt like this book was written with a pending deadline or something.
Here are the main reasons why I really disliked this book:
In summary, this book was so flawed as to make it awful. I gave it 2 stars (instead of 1) because Mr. Keith writes excellent battle and action sequences. I also generally like the overall plot and scope of his stories. However, the other flaws in this book, primarily the ones mentioned above, lead me to NOT recommend this book. I will not be reading any more in the Star Carrier series.
June 2, 2013
This is the fourth book in Ian Douglas’s Star Carrier series and continues to deliver great story telling and compelling space battles.
Out near an enigmatic anomaly called “The Black Rosette” a research vessel and two marine spaceships are destroyed by some sort of weapon. Now Earth,and particularly the USNA, are concerned that the truce with the Sh’daar has just been cancelled by them.
Adding to this impression one of the colonies settled by Earth has been attacked and reclaimed by a race known to work for the Sh’daar.
We then find ourselves in a race to keep these divergent forces from attacking Earth. Douglas continues to spin multi arc story lines with compelling characters and situations that amaze and delight.
There is great character development in this story along with great tactical manoeuvres both individually and fleet wise. Lots of action. You just have to keep turning pages to see what is going to happen next.
You don’t need the other books in the series but I do recommend that you read the other three books “Earth Strike” and “Center of Gravity” and “Singularity” as they are just as spectacular as this fourth book is.
HIGHLY recommended.
If you like military Sci-fi I also recommend Ian Douglas’s Triple Trilogy Galactic Marine series consisting of “The Inheritance Trilogy” and “The Legacy Trilogy” and “The Heritage Trilogy”.
Out near an enigmatic anomaly called “The Black Rosette” a research vessel and two marine spaceships are destroyed by some sort of weapon. Now Earth,and particularly the USNA, are concerned that the truce with the Sh’daar has just been cancelled by them.
Adding to this impression one of the colonies settled by Earth has been attacked and reclaimed by a race known to work for the Sh’daar.
We then find ourselves in a race to keep these divergent forces from attacking Earth. Douglas continues to spin multi arc story lines with compelling characters and situations that amaze and delight.
There is great character development in this story along with great tactical manoeuvres both individually and fleet wise. Lots of action. You just have to keep turning pages to see what is going to happen next.
You don’t need the other books in the series but I do recommend that you read the other three books “Earth Strike” and “Center of Gravity” and “Singularity” as they are just as spectacular as this fourth book is.
HIGHLY recommended.
If you like military Sci-fi I also recommend Ian Douglas’s Triple Trilogy Galactic Marine series consisting of “The Inheritance Trilogy” and “The Legacy Trilogy” and “The Heritage Trilogy”.
May 30, 2013
It has been twenty years since the confrontation at T-sub-minus0.876gy. Alexander Koenig is campaigning for his second term as president of the United States of North America and Trevor Gray is acting captain of the CVS/TC USNA America. For these twenty years, Humanity has honored the Sh’daar Treaty, which put together a cease-fire between the Humans and the Sh’daar Empire. But somewhere in deep space, near a planet called Arianrhod, a new client species called the Slan are attacking Confederation star ships and glassing cities. It is up to the America battle group to rush to the Ophiuchus star system and save the Humans stranded there. But can they do it without hitting every hardship along the way? Meanwhile, as President Koenig leads the North Americans back to the ways of their ancestral freedom, he also uncovers a plot by the Confederation to overthrow the USNA.
Anyone interested in science fiction would love this book, with all of the quantum mechanical theories and multiverse possibilities. Anyone looking for a good story is bound to have fun reading this book. It has a clear history of events from now until the setting time and a slew of colorful characters who have more to them than meets the eye. However, I wouldn’t consider reading this book unless you have read the first books in the series. You will come in utterly confused and won’t be able to grasp any of the unfolding plot taking place within the first few chapters of the story.
I absolutely loved this book! At the end of Singularity, I was almost certain that there couldn’t be any more plot substance to continue the story. But Ian Douglas came through. With Deep Space, a major plot twist occurs which opens up a whole new line of investigation on the reader’s part. I swear, I literally could not put this book down. It was an excellent novel with many wonderful characters and a storyline that is 100% guaranteed to knock you straight off your feet until it’s over.
Anyone interested in science fiction would love this book, with all of the quantum mechanical theories and multiverse possibilities. Anyone looking for a good story is bound to have fun reading this book. It has a clear history of events from now until the setting time and a slew of colorful characters who have more to them than meets the eye. However, I wouldn’t consider reading this book unless you have read the first books in the series. You will come in utterly confused and won’t be able to grasp any of the unfolding plot taking place within the first few chapters of the story.
I absolutely loved this book! At the end of Singularity, I was almost certain that there couldn’t be any more plot substance to continue the story. But Ian Douglas came through. With Deep Space, a major plot twist occurs which opens up a whole new line of investigation on the reader’s part. I swear, I literally could not put this book down. It was an excellent novel with many wonderful characters and a storyline that is 100% guaranteed to knock you straight off your feet until it’s over.
December 27, 2017
Book 4 is as good as the rest
Intense scientific detail and packed with military action this book is very much like it’s predecessors. The underlying plotline of an alien empire and and an enigmatic, ultra-advanced race continues to develop. I’m looking forward to book 5.
Intense scientific detail and packed with military action this book is very much like it’s predecessors. The underlying plotline of an alien empire and and an enigmatic, ultra-advanced race continues to develop. I’m looking forward to book 5.
June 26, 2022
Thoroughly enjoyed this book and series so far. What is interesting is not just the space combat, but the storyline and description of how the characters try to understand alien perception of the universe, self, others, and communication. It is very thought provoking. These are concepts can easily be applied to how we can try to understand and work with other human cultures and races.
May 7, 2013
This is a good book there is little question about that. It takes off quite a few years after the last book ended but it still pretty much continues the main story arc from the first three books. As before there is a fair amount of action and the action is well written taking (most) of the normal laws of nature into account making for a realistic, as far as science fiction goes, experience.
Again the Star Carrier battle group kicks some alien butt but not without getting a fair beating in return. The repair crews are kept busy indeed. Also, it appears that humanity might have found some new potential allies although that it still pretty much undecided by the end of the book.
However, there are some annoying parts of this book. For example there is a bit too much philosophizing among characters which slows things down. The main floor with this book however is one that quite a few books have. Humanity is under attack by an advanced alien race and is threatened with extinction or at least enslavement of the entire race. Yet a bunch of idiots still provokes fighting between the humans themselves. Personally I find it unbelievable and in any case, not very fun reading.
To make matters worse, the main trouble makers are an entity that have a suspicious resemblance to the European Community and which now appears to have its seat in Geneva. Now, do not get me wrong, I do not mind bashing both the EC bureaucrats/useless politicians nor the similar idiots in Geneva and yes they are useless pencil-pushers mostly being a part of the problem, not the solution. I was born in Sweden, I live in France and I work in Geneva so I have first hand experience. After almost twenty years here I have developed a deeply rooted contempt, even hate, for useless political bullshitters that put their own gain before everything else. However, my problem with this stuff in the book is that I find it rather boring, not to mention frustrating, to read.
However, after getting past those parts of the book what remains is still a good book. It ends in a cliffhanger so I assume that we will get a 5th book in the series. Hopefully this one will be more focused on fighting the real threat and less on the human civil war nonsense. Although I wouldn’t mind if a few of the European morons got a doze of their own medicine first.
Again the Star Carrier battle group kicks some alien butt but not without getting a fair beating in return. The repair crews are kept busy indeed. Also, it appears that humanity might have found some new potential allies although that it still pretty much undecided by the end of the book.
However, there are some annoying parts of this book. For example there is a bit too much philosophizing among characters which slows things down. The main floor with this book however is one that quite a few books have. Humanity is under attack by an advanced alien race and is threatened with extinction or at least enslavement of the entire race. Yet a bunch of idiots still provokes fighting between the humans themselves. Personally I find it unbelievable and in any case, not very fun reading.
To make matters worse, the main trouble makers are an entity that have a suspicious resemblance to the European Community and which now appears to have its seat in Geneva. Now, do not get me wrong, I do not mind bashing both the EC bureaucrats/useless politicians nor the similar idiots in Geneva and yes they are useless pencil-pushers mostly being a part of the problem, not the solution. I was born in Sweden, I live in France and I work in Geneva so I have first hand experience. After almost twenty years here I have developed a deeply rooted contempt, even hate, for useless political bullshitters that put their own gain before everything else. However, my problem with this stuff in the book is that I find it rather boring, not to mention frustrating, to read.
However, after getting past those parts of the book what remains is still a good book. It ends in a cliffhanger so I assume that we will get a 5th book in the series. Hopefully this one will be more focused on fighting the real threat and less on the human civil war nonsense. Although I wouldn’t mind if a few of the European morons got a doze of their own medicine first.
March 22, 2013
As usual, I received this book via a GoodReads giveaway. Despite that kind consideration my candid opinions follow.
In a nutshell, it's 2424 and the human race is under threat and what ever can possibly save the day? Yeah, that about sums up the plot. 'nuff said.
The first thing that strikes me about Douglas' work is that he's not afraid to weave a complex and satisfying world with a long history and many varied inhabitants. He rightly expects his readers to concentrate and pay attention if they have any hope of keeping up with him. Somewhat relately, this is not your pablum science fiction of yesteryear. The author has reworked entirely the social and cultural norms for humankind and unabashedly parades his characters around in the nude no matter what the backwards 21st century types might think of it. Lastly, our good author has no fear of new technology and while his stories read contextually like the space-cowboy novels of the 50s, these marauders of the icy vacuum are equipped with latest gadgets and gizmos that have barely been dreamed up yet even in the average writer's most inspired dreams.
The only real down-sides to Douglas' novel, and I apologize a bit since I feel a perpetual compunction to be at least somewhat constructive in all reviews, is that the naming of some of his technology can at times be distracting and unrefined. In a similar vein, if I had a nickel for every time the two syllables 'nano' appear together in this novel then I would be an abundantly wealthy man.
In summary though, Deep Space is a articulately and minutely constructed novel written in an old style and tradition but thoroughly and wonderfully modernized. While I have not read any of the others in the series (my free giveaway only blessed me with the 4th) I recognize well an established and reliable style and milieu.
In a nutshell, it's 2424 and the human race is under threat and what ever can possibly save the day? Yeah, that about sums up the plot. 'nuff said.
The first thing that strikes me about Douglas' work is that he's not afraid to weave a complex and satisfying world with a long history and many varied inhabitants. He rightly expects his readers to concentrate and pay attention if they have any hope of keeping up with him. Somewhat relately, this is not your pablum science fiction of yesteryear. The author has reworked entirely the social and cultural norms for humankind and unabashedly parades his characters around in the nude no matter what the backwards 21st century types might think of it. Lastly, our good author has no fear of new technology and while his stories read contextually like the space-cowboy novels of the 50s, these marauders of the icy vacuum are equipped with latest gadgets and gizmos that have barely been dreamed up yet even in the average writer's most inspired dreams.
The only real down-sides to Douglas' novel, and I apologize a bit since I feel a perpetual compunction to be at least somewhat constructive in all reviews, is that the naming of some of his technology can at times be distracting and unrefined. In a similar vein, if I had a nickel for every time the two syllables 'nano' appear together in this novel then I would be an abundantly wealthy man.
In summary though, Deep Space is a articulately and minutely constructed novel written in an old style and tradition but thoroughly and wonderfully modernized. While I have not read any of the others in the series (my free giveaway only blessed me with the 4th) I recognize well an established and reliable style and milieu.
September 23, 2013
Deep Space takes place twenty years after Singularity. Admiral Koenig is now the president of the North American Union, and Trevor Grey is the captain of the Star Carrier America. Trouble is brewing as a mysterious object appears at the fringes of known space, destroying the scout force sent to investigate it. The Sh’daar resume hostilities by attacking a human colony. Finally, the Confederation is in trouble as the EU seeks to eliminate North American Union independence. Naturaly, the America and its fighters are in the thick of things.
At its core this is a decent continuation to the the Star Carrier series. The story is fine, and the action, especially in the second half, is pretty decent. Unfortunately the book is hampered by seemingly endless repetition of the same factoids of history. How many times do we need to know about the Sh’daar’s obsession for transcendence, the way the Chinese Hegemony bombarded Earth, how the periphery of the North American Union is swampland inhabited by primitives? This book would have been much better if Douglas had edited out most of his repetitive infodumps.
http://www.books.rosboch.net/?p=1672
At its core this is a decent continuation to the the Star Carrier series. The story is fine, and the action, especially in the second half, is pretty decent. Unfortunately the book is hampered by seemingly endless repetition of the same factoids of history. How many times do we need to know about the Sh’daar’s obsession for transcendence, the way the Chinese Hegemony bombarded Earth, how the periphery of the North American Union is swampland inhabited by primitives? This book would have been much better if Douglas had edited out most of his repetitive infodumps.
http://www.books.rosboch.net/?p=1672
August 8, 2016
This is the 4th book in the Star Carrier series by Ian Douglas. It has been 20 years since an uneasy peace was begun with the alien Sh'darr. Then Admiral Alexander Koenig has just been re-elected for a 2nd term as president of the USNA (formally the USA). The USNA is at odds with the Confederation and a civil war seems to be coming. Meanwhile something emerges from an area of deep space known as the Black Rosetta. It destroys a USNA ship and whatever it is frightens the Sh'darr so much that they decide to attack Earth and destroy human kind before meeting this new menace. President Koenig must find a way to advert a civil war on Earth so that a united humanity can face the Sh'darr and their allies. Koenig send now Captain "Sandy" Gray and the USNA America with it's fleet to try to delay the Sh'darr attack and what he learns there may be the undoing of mankind. This one has not only epic space battles but a high degree of political intrigue also. I recommend it to all fans of Space Opera/Military Science Fiction and fans of Ian Douglas.
May 10, 2013
This continues the long and wonderful series of hard-tech military sci-fi from Douglas (a nom-de-plume) which took us from the early 21st Century to well into the misty future.
More than one race vies with mankind for domination of the future. Many are client races of one overweening "master race"- which has moved beyond physical form to a tech-based essence. But even these technologically advanced overlords fear older, more powerful masters...
This is the 4th installment of his current "Star Carrier" series. Still good, taut writing, but the storylines are becoming a bit repetitive for my taste. I think it's time for a new timeline, or perhaps even a new kickoff volume. Nonetheless, a fine, short read.
More than one race vies with mankind for domination of the future. Many are client races of one overweening "master race"- which has moved beyond physical form to a tech-based essence. But even these technologically advanced overlords fear older, more powerful masters...
This is the 4th installment of his current "Star Carrier" series. Still good, taut writing, but the storylines are becoming a bit repetitive for my taste. I think it's time for a new timeline, or perhaps even a new kickoff volume. Nonetheless, a fine, short read.
June 26, 2013
This story felt like a reprise of book one of Ian Douglas's original series.
The Sh'daar alliance seems to be falling apart. The earth alliance is falling apart. The Star Carrier America leaves the solar system and goes rogue after a wild and wooly battle with another unknown alien race.
What is compelling about this story are the mysteries that this story sets up. Who created the Black Rosette, where did the Sh'daar really go, and how does a modern spacefaring culture have a civil war without destorying itself.
The Sh'daar alliance seems to be falling apart. The earth alliance is falling apart. The Star Carrier America leaves the solar system and goes rogue after a wild and wooly battle with another unknown alien race.
What is compelling about this story are the mysteries that this story sets up. Who created the Black Rosette, where did the Sh'daar really go, and how does a modern spacefaring culture have a civil war without destorying itself.
September 25, 2013
Recycled ideas... same old crazy anti-european thoughts. i mean really WMD...
August 13, 2021
Star Carrier, Book 4 - Deep Space
Author: Ian Douglas
Publisher: Harper Voyager
Publishing Date: 2013
Pgs: 355
Dewey: SF DOU
Disposition: Interlibrary Loan - Plano Public Library System, Christopher A Parr Library, Plano, TX via Irving Public Library - South Campus - Irving, TX
=======================================
REVIEW MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS
Summary:
20 years after the events of the previous books, Admiral Koenig is the President of the United States of North America and still at odds with The Confederation of Earth. Sandy Gray is a Captain commanding the Star Carrier America. The alien collective known as the Sh’daar has broken the treaty and just as the navies of the Confederation membership are responding, the leadership in Geneva makes a move against the USNA to bring them to heel and make them toe the line. All hell is breaking loose from Columbus to Geneva to 36 Ophiuchi and 70 Ophiuchi. Wars within wars.
_________________________________________
Genre:
Science Fiction
Militaria
Hard Science Fiction
War
Why this book:
Spaceship combat. Fleet actions. Stuff blows up.
_________________________________________
Hmm Moments:
Considering the existing Sh’daar peace treaty, time travel, bubble ships emerging from the Black Rosette, and civil war breaking out on Earth, I worried that this was going to end in a cliffhanger. While there are elements that are left open, the story does have a satisfying end.
Considering the popularity of the Ancient Aliens stuff right now, including it in this future tale as a religion is awesome.
Meh / PFFT Moments:
President Koenig shouldn’t have told the Leader of the Confederation that he knew they were coming for the USNA A. I. Moonbase, then, maybe they wouldn’t have had their surprise ready for the defenders.
The Sigh:
Roetgen, the Leader of the Confederation, should have been left faceless as a villain. Her brief screentime robbed her of some of her import in the story. Course with the Sh’daar already being effectively faceless, if they have faces, this may have been the intent.
Missed Opportunity:
Should have called Lavalle out for being a coward and wanting to leave those fighter pilots behind. Course if he would’ve stayed, his by-the-book pigheadedness would have resulted in disaster.
_________________________________________
Pacing:
Great.
Last Page Sound:
Pretty damned good. This may be the best one in the series yet.
Questions I’m Left With:
What is the bubble ship? Is it the Starborn, the things they are doing to the stars in the neighborhood of the Black Rosette at the end of the story seem to indicate that they are?
=======================================
Author: Ian Douglas
Publisher: Harper Voyager
Publishing Date: 2013
Pgs: 355
Dewey: SF DOU
Disposition: Interlibrary Loan - Plano Public Library System, Christopher A Parr Library, Plano, TX via Irving Public Library - South Campus - Irving, TX
=======================================
REVIEW MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS
Summary:
20 years after the events of the previous books, Admiral Koenig is the President of the United States of North America and still at odds with The Confederation of Earth. Sandy Gray is a Captain commanding the Star Carrier America. The alien collective known as the Sh’daar has broken the treaty and just as the navies of the Confederation membership are responding, the leadership in Geneva makes a move against the USNA to bring them to heel and make them toe the line. All hell is breaking loose from Columbus to Geneva to 36 Ophiuchi and 70 Ophiuchi. Wars within wars.
_________________________________________
Genre:
Science Fiction
Militaria
Hard Science Fiction
War
Why this book:
Spaceship combat. Fleet actions. Stuff blows up.
_________________________________________
Hmm Moments:
Considering the existing Sh’daar peace treaty, time travel, bubble ships emerging from the Black Rosette, and civil war breaking out on Earth, I worried that this was going to end in a cliffhanger. While there are elements that are left open, the story does have a satisfying end.
Considering the popularity of the Ancient Aliens stuff right now, including it in this future tale as a religion is awesome.
Meh / PFFT Moments:
President Koenig shouldn’t have told the Leader of the Confederation that he knew they were coming for the USNA A. I. Moonbase, then, maybe they wouldn’t have had their surprise ready for the defenders.
The Sigh:
Roetgen, the Leader of the Confederation, should have been left faceless as a villain. Her brief screentime robbed her of some of her import in the story. Course with the Sh’daar already being effectively faceless, if they have faces, this may have been the intent.
Missed Opportunity:
Should have called Lavalle out for being a coward and wanting to leave those fighter pilots behind. Course if he would’ve stayed, his by-the-book pigheadedness would have resulted in disaster.
_________________________________________
Pacing:
Great.
Last Page Sound:
Pretty damned good. This may be the best one in the series yet.
Questions I’m Left With:
What is the bubble ship? Is it the Starborn, the things they are doing to the stars in the neighborhood of the Black Rosette at the end of the story seem to indicate that they are?
=======================================
September 25, 2025
Minęło 20 lat od nieoczekiwanego, acz spektakularnego zwycięstwa ludzi nad Sh'daar. Koenig został prezydentem - kolejny raz z rzędu. Gray natomiast jest kapitanem Ameryki, swojego dawnego lotniskowca macierzystego. Całkiem nieźle jak na pryma!
Wszystko na dobrej drodze, aby w końcu zapanował spokój?
Nic z tych rzeczy!
Ekspedycja naukowa do Czarnej Rozety zostaje zmieciona w pył przez nieznaną siłę, Sh'daar łamią zawarty przed dwudziestu laty traktat pokojowy, a na Ziemi wybucha wojna domowa z prawdziwego zdarzenia.
Czy mogło być gorzej?
Po raz kolejny największe wrażenie zrobiła na mnie obca rasa stworzona przez Douglasa - to, jak funkcjonuje i jakie to niesie trudności w komunikacji z nią. Chapeau bas za to, że po stworzeniu wielu innych różnorodnych ras w poprzednich tomach pan Douglas nadal ma masę ciekawych pomysłów na kolejne istoty zamieszkujące Galaktykę. Istoty równie niezrozumiałe dla ludzi, co ludzie dla nich!
A jeśli czasem człowiek nie potrafi dogadać się z człowiekiem, to jak ma porozumieć się z zupełnie obcą rasą, która patrzy na świat w skrajnie odmienny sposób?
Gray - o dwadzieścia lat starszy niż w ostatnim tomie - to ktoś, kto będzie bronił swoich za wszelką cenę, ale jednocześnie nie jest rządnym krwi mordercą chcącym wybić kosmitów co do jednego. Wręcz przeciwnie. Jego ciekawość otaczającego go wszechświata i chęć porozumienia najbardziej mnie do niego przyciąga. On swoje odsłużył na pierwszej linii frontu, przez co zupełnie inaczej widzi swoją rolę jako dowódcy. Bo dogadanie się to nie tylko mniej młodych ludzi wysłanych na śmierć, ale współpraca tak odmiennie różnych gatunków może przynieść korzyść obu z nich.
Szkoda tylko, że na Ziemi nie każdy to rozumie...
Koenig to trochę biedny - został zmuszony do rozprawienia się z debilami, którzy uważają, że im wszystko wolno, bo mogą wytłumaczyć się chęcią zjednoczenia całej Ziemi, a ci źli amerykanie nie chcą się podporządkować, a fe!
Cóż, gdy zamiast szczerej rozmowy ktoś zrzuca bomby na miasta z milionami niewinnych mieszkańców chyba każdy miałby prawo zaprotestować, prawda? Ten tom to wstęp do naprawdę paskudnego gufna, może nawet jeszcze gorszego niż pierwsza wojna z Sh'daar. Bo o ile ludzie wcześniej mieli problemy, aby się ze sobą dogadać, tak gdy było trzeba, to jakoś się zorganizowali, tak teraz już nie ma mowy o jakichkolwiek pertraktacjach - nawet w obliczu kolejnych zagrożeń z zewnątrz.
Ale to tym lepiej dla czytelnika, bo na pewno nie będzie narzekał na nudę!
Wszystko na dobrej drodze, aby w końcu zapanował spokój?
Nic z tych rzeczy!
Ekspedycja naukowa do Czarnej Rozety zostaje zmieciona w pył przez nieznaną siłę, Sh'daar łamią zawarty przed dwudziestu laty traktat pokojowy, a na Ziemi wybucha wojna domowa z prawdziwego zdarzenia.
Czy mogło być gorzej?
Po raz kolejny największe wrażenie zrobiła na mnie obca rasa stworzona przez Douglasa - to, jak funkcjonuje i jakie to niesie trudności w komunikacji z nią. Chapeau bas za to, że po stworzeniu wielu innych różnorodnych ras w poprzednich tomach pan Douglas nadal ma masę ciekawych pomysłów na kolejne istoty zamieszkujące Galaktykę. Istoty równie niezrozumiałe dla ludzi, co ludzie dla nich!
A jeśli czasem człowiek nie potrafi dogadać się z człowiekiem, to jak ma porozumieć się z zupełnie obcą rasą, która patrzy na świat w skrajnie odmienny sposób?
Gray - o dwadzieścia lat starszy niż w ostatnim tomie - to ktoś, kto będzie bronił swoich za wszelką cenę, ale jednocześnie nie jest rządnym krwi mordercą chcącym wybić kosmitów co do jednego. Wręcz przeciwnie. Jego ciekawość otaczającego go wszechświata i chęć porozumienia najbardziej mnie do niego przyciąga. On swoje odsłużył na pierwszej linii frontu, przez co zupełnie inaczej widzi swoją rolę jako dowódcy. Bo dogadanie się to nie tylko mniej młodych ludzi wysłanych na śmierć, ale współpraca tak odmiennie różnych gatunków może przynieść korzyść obu z nich.
Szkoda tylko, że na Ziemi nie każdy to rozumie...
Koenig to trochę biedny - został zmuszony do rozprawienia się z debilami, którzy uważają, że im wszystko wolno, bo mogą wytłumaczyć się chęcią zjednoczenia całej Ziemi, a ci źli amerykanie nie chcą się podporządkować, a fe!
Cóż, gdy zamiast szczerej rozmowy ktoś zrzuca bomby na miasta z milionami niewinnych mieszkańców chyba każdy miałby prawo zaprotestować, prawda? Ten tom to wstęp do naprawdę paskudnego gufna, może nawet jeszcze gorszego niż pierwsza wojna z Sh'daar. Bo o ile ludzie wcześniej mieli problemy, aby się ze sobą dogadać, tak gdy było trzeba, to jakoś się zorganizowali, tak teraz już nie ma mowy o jakichkolwiek pertraktacjach - nawet w obliczu kolejnych zagrożeń z zewnątrz.
Ale to tym lepiej dla czytelnika, bo na pewno nie będzie narzekał na nudę!
April 30, 2014
For those who are familiar with the series so far, this book takes place 20 years after the events of book 3 Singularity. Koenig has retired from the military and is just starting his second term as President of the USNA. Gray is now the captain of the carrier America. Note that he's not the Admiral of a battle group so he hasn't actually taken over Koenig's old job, he's actually replaced Buchanan in that capacity. After a series of unfortunate events that I will not say because they would be spoilers, the fight against the aliens is on again though the humans aren't sure if they Sh'daar client races are acting on their own or if the Sh'daar themselves are responsible. Meanwhile tensions between factions on Earth are as high as ever.
Pros
For those who have been following my reviews of the Star Carrier series I am happy to be able to tell you that the author has finally realized his mistake of repeating information too much. If you haven't seen my reviews you can find them linked at the bottom of this post. That is not to say that he has completely learned his lesson though, there is still a lot of repetition of information. It is just much reduced, perhaps by nearly 50% of the previous books.
This book also plays up the friction between the parties of Earth a lot more than the previous books and focuses less on government vs military like the past books. Overall I liked the story changes.
Characters! Koenig is mostly the same just behind a desk instead of the head of a battle group. This makes sense given that he is not exactly young so we wouldn't expect too many changes to his character despite 20 years passing. It also makes for some great reading as we watch him struggle to do things politically given his predilection for solving problems with combat and looking at everything tactically. He has to learn to rely on his subordinates to now handle what he is used to doing.
Gray has taken the abrupt changes from the end of book 3 and ran with them. He has now gone from being a "monogie" to being in line with everyone else. This also feels fairly natural. As the new Captain of the America he also has a lot more responsibility than when he was a fighter pilot. These changes morph him some and though he is still recognizable as Gray he has taken on some of Koenig's old traits.
Cons
Despite adding new aliens and having a different set of interactions with them (e.g. not just "kill them all"), the combat mostly feels like a rehash of the previous books. Given that 20 years have passed and two new starfighters are introduced he could have done something to mix up the combat a bit more. Not much of a con here but worth mentioning. If the author isn't careful this series could get stale.
Another problem I had was the characters. Yes they are both a pro and a con. Gray, Koenig, Ashton (Shay), and Wizewski are the only characters returning from the first book, though I may have missed one or two. It's not the end of the world given that most of the other characters were flat but it would have been nice to see what a few more of them are up to. Perhaps we will see more of them in Book 5.
That's not my real problem with the characters though. That lies in Gray's replacement, Donald Gregory. I don't mean literal replacement by the way, just that with Gray now being the Captain of the America someone was needed to be the viewpoint of the starfighters. The trouble is, Gregory feels an awful lot like Gray did. There are times where I would swear I was reading the same character. He does have a different background and reasons for being in the war than Gray but he mostly seems to think and talk the same way Gray did. He even has someone who gives him grief for where he came from, a perfect replacement for Collins who antagonized Gray. The two characters just feel too similar to me, I would have preferred a little more variety rather than Gray 2.0.
Religion
Religion is mentioned fewer times in this book than in the previous books but it still has a presence. The real reason I brought back this section is the new treatment it receives. Gray and a woman have a lengthy discussion, an entire chapter to be precise, about a certain religion the woman believes in. This discussion basically consists of her asking him some questions about specifics of her religion that relate to his experiences with the aliens at the end of the 3rd book, in violation of the White Convenant which no one seems to heed, and him using logic to show her she's an imbecile for believing in her religion. At the end of the discussion he tells her that she has an IQ over over 130 and is clearly too smart to believe such nonsense so she should really start using her brain. This pretty much ends the discussion as she realized he's right.
This is pretty much a continuation of the author's theme that "religious people are idiots" except it is featured much more prominently, being given an entire chapter all to itself.
Conclusion
The reduction of repetitive descriptions and numbers was a very nice surprise. There's still a lot of room for improvement in that department but at least it is easier to read the actual story now. The low amount of returning characters was surprising and a tad disappointing but otherwise not of too much concern. Perhaps we will see more return in book 5. Character changes were generally welcome but Gregory acting very much like a Gray-the-starfighter-pilot clone was not. Once again I'm giving this a half a star more than its predecessor.
Ratings
Story: 4
Characters: 3
World: 4
Style: 2
Overall: 3.5
NOTE: The overall score is not a direct product of the individual scores.
Reviews of other books in this series:
Book 1, Earth Strike
Book 2, Center of Gravity
Book 3, Singularity
Pros
For those who have been following my reviews of the Star Carrier series I am happy to be able to tell you that the author has finally realized his mistake of repeating information too much. If you haven't seen my reviews you can find them linked at the bottom of this post. That is not to say that he has completely learned his lesson though, there is still a lot of repetition of information. It is just much reduced, perhaps by nearly 50% of the previous books.
This book also plays up the friction between the parties of Earth a lot more than the previous books and focuses less on government vs military like the past books. Overall I liked the story changes.
Characters! Koenig is mostly the same just behind a desk instead of the head of a battle group. This makes sense given that he is not exactly young so we wouldn't expect too many changes to his character despite 20 years passing. It also makes for some great reading as we watch him struggle to do things politically given his predilection for solving problems with combat and looking at everything tactically. He has to learn to rely on his subordinates to now handle what he is used to doing.
Gray has taken the abrupt changes from the end of book 3 and ran with them. He has now gone from being a "monogie" to being in line with everyone else. This also feels fairly natural. As the new Captain of the America he also has a lot more responsibility than when he was a fighter pilot. These changes morph him some and though he is still recognizable as Gray he has taken on some of Koenig's old traits.
Cons
Despite adding new aliens and having a different set of interactions with them (e.g. not just "kill them all"), the combat mostly feels like a rehash of the previous books. Given that 20 years have passed and two new starfighters are introduced he could have done something to mix up the combat a bit more. Not much of a con here but worth mentioning. If the author isn't careful this series could get stale.
Another problem I had was the characters. Yes they are both a pro and a con. Gray, Koenig, Ashton (Shay), and Wizewski are the only characters returning from the first book, though I may have missed one or two. It's not the end of the world given that most of the other characters were flat but it would have been nice to see what a few more of them are up to. Perhaps we will see more of them in Book 5.
That's not my real problem with the characters though. That lies in Gray's replacement, Donald Gregory. I don't mean literal replacement by the way, just that with Gray now being the Captain of the America someone was needed to be the viewpoint of the starfighters. The trouble is, Gregory feels an awful lot like Gray did. There are times where I would swear I was reading the same character. He does have a different background and reasons for being in the war than Gray but he mostly seems to think and talk the same way Gray did. He even has someone who gives him grief for where he came from, a perfect replacement for Collins who antagonized Gray. The two characters just feel too similar to me, I would have preferred a little more variety rather than Gray 2.0.
Religion
This section here is for anyone who might find themselves upset if religion is handled in way that doesn't align with their view of it.
Religion is mentioned fewer times in this book than in the previous books but it still has a presence. The real reason I brought back this section is the new treatment it receives. Gray and a woman have a lengthy discussion, an entire chapter to be precise, about a certain religion the woman believes in. This discussion basically consists of her asking him some questions about specifics of her religion that relate to his experiences with the aliens at the end of the 3rd book, in violation of the White Convenant which no one seems to heed, and him using logic to show her she's an imbecile for believing in her religion. At the end of the discussion he tells her that she has an IQ over over 130 and is clearly too smart to believe such nonsense so she should really start using her brain. This pretty much ends the discussion as she realized he's right.
This is pretty much a continuation of the author's theme that "religious people are idiots" except it is featured much more prominently, being given an entire chapter all to itself.
Conclusion
The reduction of repetitive descriptions and numbers was a very nice surprise. There's still a lot of room for improvement in that department but at least it is easier to read the actual story now. The low amount of returning characters was surprising and a tad disappointing but otherwise not of too much concern. Perhaps we will see more return in book 5. Character changes were generally welcome but Gregory acting very much like a Gray-the-starfighter-pilot clone was not. Once again I'm giving this a half a star more than its predecessor.
Ratings
Story: 4
Characters: 3
World: 4
Style: 2
Overall: 3.5
NOTE: The overall score is not a direct product of the individual scores.
Reviews of other books in this series:
Book 1, Earth Strike
Book 2, Center of Gravity
Book 3, Singularity
September 19, 2017
I've been waiting for quite some time for this next installment's pre-order to arrive on my Kindle on release date, and I immediately jumped in to it.
From an overall standpoint, the book pretty much picks up right where it left off in the battle with the Sh'daar, albeit 20 years down the road from where book three left off. You have the battles, you have the wins and losses, and there is a "to be continued" element of the ending. I enjoyed it, but I felt like I was slogging my way through it vs. becoming totally absorbed in it like I did with the first three books in the series. The first 22% (as measured on my Kindle) of the book was really slow and, well, dull.
I'm sitting on the fence, however, of purchasing a book five in the series if a book five is published. Why? Without having a spoiler, there is so much rehashing of prior events - I bet we heard about the Chinese asteroid throwing 300 years ago at least two dozen times, for example - it was almost as if different chapters had been written at different points in time, then stitched together to make a complete novel. While that's not unusual, I would expect an editor would have deleted the numerous sub-story lines that are repetitive in Book Four: sure, you can tell me about something you described in a prior novel once or twice, heck even three times, but not over and over and over.
While it did feel good to read more about Sandy Gray and Koenig, sometimes in a series of novels there comes a time to call it a day and move on to the next story instead of milking more out of a franchise. This may be one of those times.
From an overall standpoint, the book pretty much picks up right where it left off in the battle with the Sh'daar, albeit 20 years down the road from where book three left off. You have the battles, you have the wins and losses, and there is a "to be continued" element of the ending. I enjoyed it, but I felt like I was slogging my way through it vs. becoming totally absorbed in it like I did with the first three books in the series. The first 22% (as measured on my Kindle) of the book was really slow and, well, dull.
I'm sitting on the fence, however, of purchasing a book five in the series if a book five is published. Why? Without having a spoiler, there is so much rehashing of prior events - I bet we heard about the Chinese asteroid throwing 300 years ago at least two dozen times, for example - it was almost as if different chapters had been written at different points in time, then stitched together to make a complete novel. While that's not unusual, I would expect an editor would have deleted the numerous sub-story lines that are repetitive in Book Four: sure, you can tell me about something you described in a prior novel once or twice, heck even three times, but not over and over and over.
While it did feel good to read more about Sandy Gray and Koenig, sometimes in a series of novels there comes a time to call it a day and move on to the next story instead of milking more out of a franchise. This may be one of those times.
May 6, 2018
The plot is well thought out with various superficial characters. Yes you heard that right. As you read the book one thing is apparent, the author placed a lot of thought behind the creation of each and every alien species in his universe-now if only that same level of thought was placed behind his primary 'human' characters. The worlds he creates are phenomenal however, the main detractor while reading is the long back story dialogues, which are helpful in some places and in others are nothing more than repeated verbiage from earlier in the book. Overall it was a good book worth reading, if for nothing more than to envision a galaxy spanning space opera that's set in a distant future which can totally be our own one day-if we continue on the technological path we are on.
June 25, 2025
This is the fourth book in Ian Douglas' "Star Carrier" series, a science fiction series set in a future where humanity has expanded, only to bump into aliens and having some aliens attacking human settlements, and even Earth.
Since the last book, many years have passed, maybe 20, and after the peaceful period created by the end of said last book, humans are yet again under attack by an alien race.
I like these books as a bit of brain flush. Not complicated. Not (very) relevant to anything that happens today except on a philosophical level. Sadly this book is adding more "present" to the future than I would like by turning up the "US Exceptionalism". USA great. US military awesome. US Marines/Navy/SEALs better than awesome.
Hopefully next book is better.
Since the last book, many years have passed, maybe 20, and after the peaceful period created by the end of said last book, humans are yet again under attack by an alien race.
I like these books as a bit of brain flush. Not complicated. Not (very) relevant to anything that happens today except on a philosophical level. Sadly this book is adding more "present" to the future than I would like by turning up the "US Exceptionalism". USA great. US military awesome. US Marines/Navy/SEALs better than awesome.
Hopefully next book is better.
June 24, 2018
Restarting the excellent series
Twenty years after book 3 ends, book 4 starts the story again. A distant Earth ship is destroyed, presumably by the Shaddar, signaling the end of the truce. The Europeans decide it is a good time to declare control over America's Navy and any US assets or territories the Euros can grab. Civil war erupts just as war with the Shaddar resumes. The technology is the same except for better Earth fighters and new alien tricks. The science stays solid and obscure but interesting bits of astronomy get woven into the story. Well worth the reading.
Review by Steve Cole, Leanna's husband
Twenty years after book 3 ends, book 4 starts the story again. A distant Earth ship is destroyed, presumably by the Shaddar, signaling the end of the truce. The Europeans decide it is a good time to declare control over America's Navy and any US assets or territories the Euros can grab. Civil war erupts just as war with the Shaddar resumes. The technology is the same except for better Earth fighters and new alien tricks. The science stays solid and obscure but interesting bits of astronomy get woven into the story. Well worth the reading.
Review by Steve Cole, Leanna's husband
May 23, 2020
The main problem I have is whole sections of the book just repeat histories or back stories. Find myself skipping pages to get back to the current story. I don't need to read how the main character grew up in manhattan with no tech 8x per book. Its like a tv series recapping the whole series at the beginning of each episode. Almost made me put the series down. Maybe 20% of the book could be removed and the story would be 100% intact.
But the space battle parts are fast paced and scientifically accurate. The galactic empire species are unique and interesting.
If you need constant reminders about the character history, or don't mind skipping pages, its a fun read.
But the space battle parts are fast paced and scientifically accurate. The galactic empire species are unique and interesting.
If you need constant reminders about the character history, or don't mind skipping pages, its a fun read.
December 31, 2022
While still an engaging story, with many exciting new elements, a time skip was introduced along with a pair of conflicts which seem to happen less because they were a logical conclusion and more because the plot demands them. The new characters fill the same roles as old ones, and all aside, the changes seem minimal. That said, this series remains an innovative, exciting, and action packed thrill ride which kept me hooked to the very end!
October 11, 2017
This is the 4th book in the Star Carrier series. I like the series, and while I rate this lower than the other three, it was still a very good book. I like the discussion on trying to communicate with other alien species and the problems understanding them.
May 26, 2019
A really good science fiction novel set in space which had science all in it as well as the fiction aspect. Good characters and plot about a war about to take place in outer space. Really would recommend this to newbie sf readers
February 15, 2023
I'm always surprised by how quickly I get through these books. They are action packed, but consequently do not cover a large time span. I like the physics. I like the tactics and I like how it is woven into the story. A lot of information is repeated so if it's an ideal book to listen to.
June 11, 2017
I love this series.
June 6, 2018
Still good military space opera, but I'm starting to get a little tired of the recaps and constant scientific explanations.
January 17, 2020
This and 5 it really starts to get interesting.
January 20, 2021
If only normal people would always choose the right choice, like the characters in this series.
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