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Salvage
millennia man ruled the earth, but destiny eventually drove him to the stars. This created two factions; those that stayed and those that left. Between were the many ships and stations that supplied them both and acted as a lifeline. When Captain Metcalf received a distress call from one of those stations, he knew he could not ignore it. He charged to the farthest reaches of colonized space. But the station was not suffering from a malfunction, it was being attacked. If the attackers were still in the system, the decision to help could be a fatal one.Salvage is the story of Captain Anthony Metcalf and his struggle with that fateful decision, as he battles his fears and an old enemy to keep his business afloat and his crew alive.About the than faster-than-light travel, faster-than-light communication, and artificial gravity, every effort was made to use hard science. The author also subscribes to the point of view that great science fiction should have a great story first and foremost. The science fiction should only serve as the backdrop against which the story is told. Salvage was written with this philosophy.Book length is 274 pages, approx. 115,000 words.Interview with the were you trying to accomplish with Salvage? mean other than winning a Hugo award, quitting my day job and making millions of dollars? What was the point? wanted to fill a gap in science fiction. The gap to which I refer is the one in which the science seems to fall. At present we cannot travel to distant galaxies, but to me that's where the fun is, so I compromised. That's the fiction. But other than that I don't really see the need to add sound effects in the silence of outer space. I think a story can be cool without them. . . cooler in fact. Many science fiction stories today rely too heavily on the fiction, or even fantasy, that why you calculated orbits, fuel consumption, thrust duration and many other technical details? Well, that and I really don't know how long a ship has to fire it's thrusters to slow down. Do you? No. So your story is a boring technical baton you use to bludgeon your readers with? The calculations are transparent to the reader and I do have characters in there, some of them even have Wow! Sounds not really a Ok, what's so spicy? there's excitement, suspense, danger, character development and even a little adult content. Also, spoiler alert, some of the characters don't make it to the end of the see. . . so do you have anything to add, since you are pretty much making up these questions? I'm good. Just read the first few chapters and see if you like the universe I've created and the writing style. If you do, buy the book and enjoy reading it as much as I did writing it. If you really like it, buy a million copies for all of your friends so that I can make the time write more of them. Thank you.
274 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 16, 2012
2 people want to read
About the author
Russell W. Libonati
3 books6 followersI hesitate to put too much information online so I'll just hit some highlights.
I'm in my middle forties, I grew up and spent most of my life in Florida but lived overseas for a few years. I'm married. No kids, but my wife says I'm the kid. I have a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering and I specialize in antenna design. I hold three patents and have one patent pending.
I am a man of many hobbies. I dabble in Photography, videography, web design, creating steam punk items for sale on Etsy. My lifelong passion, however, is cars. I am a car guy through and through. I do have a website, feel free to visit. It's a work in progress, always: www.ozone2000.com
I have a love of books. I bind books (but haven't done so in a long time) and I of course write them. I have written three books and numerous short stories, but Salvage is the first to go out to the public. I do this as a form of therapy and would do so whether anyone reads them or not, but I hope they do.
I hope someone enjoys them. I am happy to answer emails and questions. Thank you for reading.
I'm in my middle forties, I grew up and spent most of my life in Florida but lived overseas for a few years. I'm married. No kids, but my wife says I'm the kid. I have a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering and I specialize in antenna design. I hold three patents and have one patent pending.
I am a man of many hobbies. I dabble in Photography, videography, web design, creating steam punk items for sale on Etsy. My lifelong passion, however, is cars. I am a car guy through and through. I do have a website, feel free to visit. It's a work in progress, always: www.ozone2000.com
I have a love of books. I bind books (but haven't done so in a long time) and I of course write them. I have written three books and numerous short stories, but Salvage is the first to go out to the public. I do this as a form of therapy and would do so whether anyone reads them or not, but I hope they do.
I hope someone enjoys them. I am happy to answer emails and questions. Thank you for reading.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
September 26, 2013
Excellent. The great characters and enjoyable plot made for an outstanding book. This was my first ebook and I wasn't sure what to expect. I'm glad I read it. I'd definitely recommend it to anyone who likes good sci-fi. I'll look forward to the next book from this author.
March 9, 2013
God, I dont even know where to begin. I dont normally read much classic SciFi. I love SciFi stories but I have found that I prefer those on screen. I like the fantasy element to be built in but the magic formula to melding a story based in science with an element that is, well, not really seems to escape quite a few straight SciFi authors – all while labeling their work SciFi Fantasy. So rather than read book after book by authors I really wasn’t into, I tend to lean more towards the fantasy side of the tracks.
I received a review request for Salvage from the author and believe it or not, we really do read through the synopsis of each of the requests. We get so many of them that it may take a while, but we eventually get there. I read the synopsis for Salvage and immediately became interested. I am a Star Wars nerd. I am a Firefly FREAK. Salvage……sounded awesome.
And it really, really was!
The version I read was in PDF format and including the title page and copyright info, it clocks in at 232 pages long. You would think that one would not be able to construct a good SciFi Fantasy novel in approx 230 pages but Mr. Libonati did a fantastic job at doing just that.
The story takes off right from page 1. There is no real lag time at the beginning of the book where the author usually spends forever and a dog’s age setting the stage of the story, explaining who is who and what is what and yadda yadda yadda before we ever even see dialog. Salvage introduces you to a handful of characters, starting with the very first page. And best of all, we are a fly on the wall for a conversation between a newbie to the ship and a seasoned crew member. So as the newbie is learning, so do we and rather than feeling like filler text that we must read in order to understand any of the dialog, it is smooth conversation and everything flows very naturally.
The one thing that really stuck out to me about this book is the Firefly feel. Don’t get me wrong, Salvage is not a Xerox of Firefly put to paper but it has that same feel to it. If you liked Firefly, you’ll like this book. I correlated the too so much so that when reading any parts involving the ship’s captain, Metcalf, I pictured Nathan Fillion all decked out in cowboy garb on the bridge of the Serenity. I don’t feel that the likeness hindered the book though. It just brought an element of familiarity in my mind right away. I kind of enjoyed it.
Now, with all this talk of Firefly parallels, do not be mistaken. Salvage is its own story and one well worth reading. It’s incredibly fast-paced and a smooth, easy read. The dialog is written well with a sizeable case of very distinct personalities. I never once had to go back and reread anything out of confusion over who was talking or which character was which. Again, a symptom I have found in a lot of straight SciFi books.
Overall, I am going to give Salvage 4 stars. This is a solid book with an entertaining story and a great cast.
I received a review request for Salvage from the author and believe it or not, we really do read through the synopsis of each of the requests. We get so many of them that it may take a while, but we eventually get there. I read the synopsis for Salvage and immediately became interested. I am a Star Wars nerd. I am a Firefly FREAK. Salvage……sounded awesome.
And it really, really was!
The version I read was in PDF format and including the title page and copyright info, it clocks in at 232 pages long. You would think that one would not be able to construct a good SciFi Fantasy novel in approx 230 pages but Mr. Libonati did a fantastic job at doing just that.
The story takes off right from page 1. There is no real lag time at the beginning of the book where the author usually spends forever and a dog’s age setting the stage of the story, explaining who is who and what is what and yadda yadda yadda before we ever even see dialog. Salvage introduces you to a handful of characters, starting with the very first page. And best of all, we are a fly on the wall for a conversation between a newbie to the ship and a seasoned crew member. So as the newbie is learning, so do we and rather than feeling like filler text that we must read in order to understand any of the dialog, it is smooth conversation and everything flows very naturally.
The one thing that really stuck out to me about this book is the Firefly feel. Don’t get me wrong, Salvage is not a Xerox of Firefly put to paper but it has that same feel to it. If you liked Firefly, you’ll like this book. I correlated the too so much so that when reading any parts involving the ship’s captain, Metcalf, I pictured Nathan Fillion all decked out in cowboy garb on the bridge of the Serenity. I don’t feel that the likeness hindered the book though. It just brought an element of familiarity in my mind right away. I kind of enjoyed it.
Now, with all this talk of Firefly parallels, do not be mistaken. Salvage is its own story and one well worth reading. It’s incredibly fast-paced and a smooth, easy read. The dialog is written well with a sizeable case of very distinct personalities. I never once had to go back and reread anything out of confusion over who was talking or which character was which. Again, a symptom I have found in a lot of straight SciFi books.
Overall, I am going to give Salvage 4 stars. This is a solid book with an entertaining story and a great cast.
December 28, 2016
I was given a free (digital) copy of this book in exchange for a review.
Salvage is a story that focuses on the crew of a salvage ship (surprise surprise) as they attempt to rescue an attacked space station. What initially appears to be a straightforward rescue mission ends up going dangerously wrong...
The strengths of Salvage lie mainly in the style of writing and the science. Libonati writes in a manner that is to the point - there's no flowery bs, just straightforward prose. The science is impeccable and I really appreciated the details (one of my favourite gadgets was the pressure measuring device).
There's quite a large array of (interesting) characters, but I didn't quite feel I was emotionally involved with them. However, I did think their reactions to certain situations were completely human and not out of the ordinary. Because of this, Salvage is actually an interesting character study as to how humans would react whilst in space.
My main problem with the story was the plot. There was plenty of tension throughout the book, which was great as it kept me reading. However, I felt the climax of the novel fell a bit flat. I didn't feel like there were enough clues for the reader to piece the puzzle. The main plot point was just exposed in a few pages and so the ending felt rushed.
Overall I did enjoy the book, although it did take me a little longer than usual to finish. I liked the style of writing, but I was left disappointed by the ending. The scifi aspect of the book was excellent, so I'll definitely be looking out for future books by Libonati.
Salvage is a story that focuses on the crew of a salvage ship (surprise surprise) as they attempt to rescue an attacked space station. What initially appears to be a straightforward rescue mission ends up going dangerously wrong...
The strengths of Salvage lie mainly in the style of writing and the science. Libonati writes in a manner that is to the point - there's no flowery bs, just straightforward prose. The science is impeccable and I really appreciated the details (one of my favourite gadgets was the pressure measuring device).
There's quite a large array of (interesting) characters, but I didn't quite feel I was emotionally involved with them. However, I did think their reactions to certain situations were completely human and not out of the ordinary. Because of this, Salvage is actually an interesting character study as to how humans would react whilst in space.
My main problem with the story was the plot. There was plenty of tension throughout the book, which was great as it kept me reading. However, I felt the climax of the novel fell a bit flat. I didn't feel like there were enough clues for the reader to piece the puzzle. The main plot point was just exposed in a few pages and so the ending felt rushed.
Overall I did enjoy the book, although it did take me a little longer than usual to finish. I liked the style of writing, but I was left disappointed by the ending. The scifi aspect of the book was excellent, so I'll definitely be looking out for future books by Libonati.
February 9, 2015
Great SciFi Adventure – Believable and Exciting
I say exciting, I have to be honest it took me a little while to “get into the book” as Libonati really piles on the characters in the first 4 or 5 chapters. This take a bit of pace out of the early story as the scenes have to keep flicking around the ship to keep tabs on people.
However, once the story is up and running then it all flows nicely. The author has a great touch with characters and dialogue. The baiting between the various characters is good. The science is treated with due courtesy and (I am not an expert) feels real and consistent throughout the story – there are no magic saves.
The final third of the book really flows well – the plot charges along - and I stayed up late to “just finish the next chapter”.
Read it, stick with it, and you will enjoy it.
I say exciting, I have to be honest it took me a little while to “get into the book” as Libonati really piles on the characters in the first 4 or 5 chapters. This take a bit of pace out of the early story as the scenes have to keep flicking around the ship to keep tabs on people.
However, once the story is up and running then it all flows nicely. The author has a great touch with characters and dialogue. The baiting between the various characters is good. The science is treated with due courtesy and (I am not an expert) feels real and consistent throughout the story – there are no magic saves.
The final third of the book really flows well – the plot charges along - and I stayed up late to “just finish the next chapter”.
Read it, stick with it, and you will enjoy it.
May 3, 2015
**Author provided me with a free copy**
A salvage ship is sent to investigate a distress signal and try to recover what they can. What seems such a simple mission soon turns complicated with the arrival of the government forces with a hidden agenda.
This is a great scifi book with a wide range of interesting and well developed characters. The plot is well paced, developed and there are a few twists and turns in there to keep you guessing.
All in all a thoroughly enjoyable read for a lazy afternoon and I have recommended it to a few of my friends.
A salvage ship is sent to investigate a distress signal and try to recover what they can. What seems such a simple mission soon turns complicated with the arrival of the government forces with a hidden agenda.
This is a great scifi book with a wide range of interesting and well developed characters. The plot is well paced, developed and there are a few twists and turns in there to keep you guessing.
All in all a thoroughly enjoyable read for a lazy afternoon and I have recommended it to a few of my friends.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews