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Sten #1
Стен
Вулкан бе планета фабрика, стара от векове, където властваше Компанията, отвратителна като греха и безчувствена като смъртта.
На Вулкан живееха само два типа местни — благодушни и костеливи… Стен беше от вторите.
На Вулкан живееха само два типа местни — благодушни и костеливи… Стен беше от вторите.
272 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1982
60 people are currently reading
1123 people want to read
About the author
Allan Cole
80 books65 followersAllan Cole was an American author and television writer, who wrote or co-wrote nearly thirty books.The son of a CIA operative, Cole was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and raised in Europe, the Middle East and the Far East. He collaborated with Chris Bunch on the Sten science fiction series, as well the Far Kingdoms Series, and the historical novels, A Reckoning For Kings and Daughter Of Liberty.
He co-authored a non-fiction book A Cop's Life with his uncle, Thomas Grubb; and a fantasy novel Lords Of Terror with Russian author Nick Perumov.His solo books include the fantasy novels that make up the Timura Trilogy and the thrillers, Dying Good and Drowned Hopes.
He sold more than a hundred television episodes, including ones for Quincy, M.E., The Rockford Files, The Incredible Hulk, Dinosaucers, Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, Magnum, P.I., Werewolf, and Walker, Texas Ranger.
He was also a Los Angeles newspaper editor and investigative reporter for 14 years.
Cole was married to Chris Bunch's sister, Kathryn. He died of cancer in Boca Raton, Florida, aged 75, on March 29, 2019.
He co-authored a non-fiction book A Cop's Life with his uncle, Thomas Grubb; and a fantasy novel Lords Of Terror with Russian author Nick Perumov.His solo books include the fantasy novels that make up the Timura Trilogy and the thrillers, Dying Good and Drowned Hopes.
He sold more than a hundred television episodes, including ones for Quincy, M.E., The Rockford Files, The Incredible Hulk, Dinosaucers, Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, Magnum, P.I., Werewolf, and Walker, Texas Ranger.
He was also a Los Angeles newspaper editor and investigative reporter for 14 years.
Cole was married to Chris Bunch's sister, Kathryn. He died of cancer in Boca Raton, Florida, aged 75, on March 29, 2019.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 104 reviews
January 7, 2012
Another lesser known gem from the 1980’s. I would call this gourmet cheeseburger and imported beer science fiction that will leave you satiated, happy and feeling pretty darn good about your reading selection.
More than any other period, I have found the “greed is good” decade to be a treasure trove of overlooked excellence just waiting to be discovered by the SF fan willing to mine a little.
As a whole, these books have excited my admiration with the quality of their story-telling and highly engaging plots. Obscure nuggets like Liege Killer, The Man Who Never Missed, RADIX, Sea of Glass and When Gravity Fails...just to name a few. All of these rank among my more pleasant reading experiences in the science fiction genre and it's a shame that they do not have more of a following.
You should check the above out if you haven't read them.
While not quite up to the level of the aforementioned favorites, Sten is a fun, fast read with more brains and subtlety than your typical cookie cutter variety of action yarn. If I mayoverindulge in a lot bit of name-dropping, underlying the novel is a cohesive political undertone similar to those found in the LaNague stories by F. Paul Wilson and the Matadora series by Steve Perry. The main characters (particularly Sten) reminded me of some of Heinlein’s better efforts with prose that was a bit fresher and read more like “John Scalzi.” Finish it off with some “start shit/end shit” badass military armor reminiscent of the John Steakley’s Armor and smidge of “lost Earth” nostalgia ala Jack Vance and you’ve got the ingredients for a thoughtful, well done science fiction story and the start of what looks to be a nice series.
PLOT SUMMARY:
Humanity has colonized the stars and is ruled by the Eternal Emperor (immortality not explained) whose political power is derived from his exclusive control over the material that allows faster than light space travel (think spice from Dune). Beneath the emperor and his bureaucratic apparatus are the mega-wealthy, mega-evil mega-corporations who control the commerce of the empire and form a political counterweight to the Emperor. These giant-soulless-agglomerations of greed use entire worlds as the equivalent of “corporate towns” where they produce the life-blood of the empire’s goods. At the bottom of a rigid hierarchy are the Migs (i.e. migrant workers) who sign 10 year contracts for "big money" to work for the corporations.
The undisclosed “small print” that goes along with this “big money” is that the cost of living on these worlds is entirely controlled by the corporation and so a slice of bread might (and does) cost you the equivalent of a $100. The result, similar to the historical example of the corporate town, is that the Migs’ 10 year contracts turns into life-time indenture as they can never earn enough to “buy out” their contracts or repay the debt accumulated to the corporation.
Sten, our hero, is the son of a Mig working for a particularly nasty group of corporate tools. The immoral head of this whoreporation has a secret project that, if completed, will have catastrophic ramifications throughout the empire. We follow Sten from early tragedy (caused by the aforementioned scumbag), to further tragedy, to heroic act leading to fortunate break, to “recognition of his unique but superior qualities” to clandestine warrior to [???]… and it’s a helluva ride getting there.
THOUGHTS:
A nice balance between back-story, characterization and pacing. I never found the plot approaching snooze-ville and yet sufficient time was spent developing the environment and the politics to fully engage in the story. I would say good, solid entertainment…plus a bit more that makes it something that SF fans should seek out.
While not what I would call an ultra dark story, there is enough grit and explicit violence to satisfy those of us who like our science fiction more somber and serious. For example, the story includes:
**semi-forced prostitution in the form of joy-girls (daughters of Mig workers who “choose” this profession for the additional income and increased perqs)
**lobotomies on those who speak out against the corporation
** random beatings and killings of Migs by the corporate goon squads.
**drugs, political assassinations, corporate cover-ups and enough greed, casual abuse and inhumanity to fill a small NFL stadium.
Most of this is not explicitly detailed but mentioned in passing or viewed as a fait accompli. I found the balance to be just about goldilocks and I think should appeal to most.
Finally, I would be remiss if I did doff my hat and extend a delighted bow to the author for knowing NOT to clumsily detail the sex scenes in the book. I have said before, unless you can do it right (and most SF writers don’t even come close…*cough* Heinlein *cough*) you are better off just depicting the emotional connection, maybe a nice kiss, then some clothing unzipping and……….flash forward to the next morning where we are told how incredibly planet-shatteringly amazing the sex was. Perfect…yes…let’s move on. The author did this so Huge bonus points there.
Overall, just short of a 4 star read as I didn’t find any of the “very good” elements spectacular enough to push this to the next level. I thoroughly enjoyed this and will certainly be checking out the sequel.
3.5 stars. Recommended (almost highly).
More than any other period, I have found the “greed is good” decade to be a treasure trove of overlooked excellence just waiting to be discovered by the SF fan willing to mine a little.
As a whole, these books have excited my admiration with the quality of their story-telling and highly engaging plots. Obscure nuggets like Liege Killer, The Man Who Never Missed, RADIX, Sea of Glass and When Gravity Fails...just to name a few. All of these rank among my more pleasant reading experiences in the science fiction genre and it's a shame that they do not have more of a following.
You should check the above out if you haven't read them.
While not quite up to the level of the aforementioned favorites, Sten is a fun, fast read with more brains and subtlety than your typical cookie cutter variety of action yarn. If I may
PLOT SUMMARY:
Humanity has colonized the stars and is ruled by the Eternal Emperor (immortality not explained) whose political power is derived from his exclusive control over the material that allows faster than light space travel (think spice from Dune). Beneath the emperor and his bureaucratic apparatus are the mega-wealthy, mega-evil mega-corporations who control the commerce of the empire and form a political counterweight to the Emperor. These giant-soulless-agglomerations of greed use entire worlds as the equivalent of “corporate towns” where they produce the life-blood of the empire’s goods. At the bottom of a rigid hierarchy are the Migs (i.e. migrant workers) who sign 10 year contracts for "big money" to work for the corporations.
The undisclosed “small print” that goes along with this “big money” is that the cost of living on these worlds is entirely controlled by the corporation and so a slice of bread might (and does) cost you the equivalent of a $100. The result, similar to the historical example of the corporate town, is that the Migs’ 10 year contracts turns into life-time indenture as they can never earn enough to “buy out” their contracts or repay the debt accumulated to the corporation.
Sten, our hero, is the son of a Mig working for a particularly nasty group of corporate tools. The immoral head of this whoreporation has a secret project that, if completed, will have catastrophic ramifications throughout the empire. We follow Sten from early tragedy (caused by the aforementioned scumbag), to further tragedy, to heroic act leading to fortunate break, to “recognition of his unique but superior qualities” to clandestine warrior to [???]… and it’s a helluva ride getting there.
THOUGHTS:
A nice balance between back-story, characterization and pacing. I never found the plot approaching snooze-ville and yet sufficient time was spent developing the environment and the politics to fully engage in the story. I would say good, solid entertainment…plus a bit more that makes it something that SF fans should seek out.
While not what I would call an ultra dark story, there is enough grit and explicit violence to satisfy those of us who like our science fiction more somber and serious. For example, the story includes:
**semi-forced prostitution in the form of joy-girls (daughters of Mig workers who “choose” this profession for the additional income and increased perqs)
**lobotomies on those who speak out against the corporation
** random beatings and killings of Migs by the corporate goon squads.
**drugs, political assassinations, corporate cover-ups and enough greed, casual abuse and inhumanity to fill a small NFL stadium.
Most of this is not explicitly detailed but mentioned in passing or viewed as a fait accompli. I found the balance to be just about goldilocks and I think should appeal to most.
Finally, I would be remiss if I did doff my hat and extend a delighted bow to the author for knowing NOT to clumsily detail the sex scenes in the book. I have said before, unless you can do it right (and most SF writers don’t even come close…*cough* Heinlein *cough*) you are better off just depicting the emotional connection, maybe a nice kiss, then some clothing unzipping and……….flash forward to the next morning where we are told how incredibly planet-shatteringly amazing the sex was. Perfect…yes…let’s move on. The author did this so Huge bonus points there.
Overall, just short of a 4 star read as I didn’t find any of the “very good” elements spectacular enough to push this to the next level. I thoroughly enjoyed this and will certainly be checking out the sequel.
3.5 stars. Recommended (almost highly).
December 24, 2024
I first read this a few decades ago, and after just finishing it again, I realized how much I liked it and this series. While not quite a forgotten classic, the Sten series is a fun military space opera that moves right along. Interesting characters and situations!
The novel starts off on Vulcan, an industrial habitat that is ran as an old company town. Workers, or Migs (migrant labor) sign on for multiyear contracts, but the system is rigged so that they can never pay off their contracts, leaving them basically indentured servants/workers. Management is only interested in profits, and the death toll is high. Sten is a teenage whose parents signed on when he was just a boy. After his family is killed in an 'accident', Sten inherits his father's time contract. Sten tries to escape and is caught, then forced to work in the extremely dangerous 'exotic' division. There, he befriends an old fighter who teaches him some moves. Sten manages to escape the exotic division and teams up with some other local rebels, but vows to get off Vulcan...
Sten is really a sort-of classic space adventure. The empire controls everything and regarding the economy is basically 'hands off'-- written when it was, this could only be a jab at Reagan's 'trickle down' economics. In any case, the emperor knows the ruler of Vulcan is up to no good, and sends a killer spy to find out what is going on...
Sten has lots of humor, but it really is a gritty, grimdark world where life is cheap. Some excellent action sequences and a ruthlessness pervade the novel. This has really held up well over time! 4 stars.
The novel starts off on Vulcan, an industrial habitat that is ran as an old company town. Workers, or Migs (migrant labor) sign on for multiyear contracts, but the system is rigged so that they can never pay off their contracts, leaving them basically indentured servants/workers. Management is only interested in profits, and the death toll is high. Sten is a teenage whose parents signed on when he was just a boy. After his family is killed in an 'accident', Sten inherits his father's time contract. Sten tries to escape and is caught, then forced to work in the extremely dangerous 'exotic' division. There, he befriends an old fighter who teaches him some moves. Sten manages to escape the exotic division and teams up with some other local rebels, but vows to get off Vulcan...
Sten is really a sort-of classic space adventure. The empire controls everything and regarding the economy is basically 'hands off'-- written when it was, this could only be a jab at Reagan's 'trickle down' economics. In any case, the emperor knows the ruler of Vulcan is up to no good, and sends a killer spy to find out what is going on...
Sten has lots of humor, but it really is a gritty, grimdark world where life is cheap. Some excellent action sequences and a ruthlessness pervade the novel. This has really held up well over time! 4 stars.
January 13, 2011
This is probably as good as this kind of thing gets. I particularly enjoyed the grimy, gritty feel of the novel, especially as far as the opening chapters were concerned. The action scenes are written exceptionally well, perhaps in some part because of the authors' individual backgrounds (Chris Bunch was a patrol commander in Vietnam). This novel was written in the 80s and it hasn't really dated. The science bits are quite interesting, more so than in many of the more science oriented Sci-Fi novels around. Atmospheric and fast paced. The only real gripe I had with this novel was with the final sequence, i.e. the return to Vulcan. I realise that it was necessary for the resolution of certain key plot elements, but the whole bit detracted from the rest of the novel, which was excellent. It just felt, to me, like it lost some steam at this stage. That is also the only reason I'm not giving this 5 stars. A great read if you're looking for action / military science fiction.
March 21, 2012
Some of my friends have already written great reviews of this novel, and I won't compete with them. (For a great review, see this one by Stephen. Also check out reviews by C.L., Dirk, Mike, and Tom.)
But I did love the book and want to say something...
So, why should you read Sten?
- because it's consiSTENtly entertaining
- because it's unabSTENtiously gritty; there's a STENch of reality in each injustice
- because it's oSTENtatiously thrilling - the book's dramatic voice is truly STENtorian
- because it's not oSTENsibly fixated on action alone (memorable and unique characters are also in exiSTENce)
- because while it deals with various episodes in time, each section moves by with insiSTENcy
- because its subsiSTENce as an overlooked science-fiction gem has been in persiSTENce far too long
If that's not enough, how about some STEN acronyms:
Space Turmoil Effects Nastiness
Shocking Trauma Engenders Nerve
Stunningly Thrilling Episodic Narrative
Sincerely Touted Enjoyable Novel
4.5 stars!
But I did love the book and want to say something...
So, why should you read Sten?
- because it's consiSTENtly entertaining
- because it's unabSTENtiously gritty; there's a STENch of reality in each injustice
- because it's oSTENtatiously thrilling - the book's dramatic voice is truly STENtorian
- because it's not oSTENsibly fixated on action alone (memorable and unique characters are also in exiSTENce)
- because while it deals with various episodes in time, each section moves by with insiSTENcy
- because its subsiSTENce as an overlooked science-fiction gem has been in persiSTENce far too long
If that's not enough, how about some STEN acronyms:
Space Turmoil Effects Nastiness
Shocking Trauma Engenders Nerve
Stunningly Thrilling Episodic Narrative
Sincerely Touted Enjoyable Novel
4.5 stars!
June 4, 2015
I actually bought this book as kind of a joke. My friend Chip was looking for books to read that were a) science fiction, b) looked like he might like them, and c) cheap. I was looking at the web site for Powell's Books and saw they listed the second book in this series as recently bought used and for sale cheap. It looked interesting enough to me and was clearly science fiction, and Powell's actually had inexpensive used copies of the entire eight-book series. Unable to convince Chip to give the series a try and noticing that none of the books were available from the library, I decided to buy them myself. Now Chip will know what he's missing!
It was clear from the back text of many of the books that this series was a dark-hero "unstoppable killing machine" kind of thing, and it sure delivers. There's plenty of violence and grit, described in just enough detail to give you a very clear picture. The setting is basically a Dune knock off with the corporate maneuvering, opression of the masses, and violence of Robocop mixed in. You could probably say there's a liberal sprinkling of pick-your-Schwarzenegger-film-from-the-80s too, with a couple of Stallones (Rambo and Cobra) tossed in for good measure.
The writing is spare and functional, but that's mostly how I like it. It's the kind of book you enjoy like a mindless action movie. The victory in the very last fight scene is ridiculous enough to remind you it's not meant to be taken seriously, if the killer teddy-bear alien didn't tell you earlier. I never sorted out Sten's family in the beginning, but that's okay because they all die in the first few pages anyway.
I'm a sucker for survival and revenge stories, so I enjoyed this at a four-star level but wouldn't "recommend it without reservation to anyone" so three it is. Anyone reading this review, or the back text of the books in the series, should know whether they'd like it or not by now.
(On the advice of my wife, I'm making the official rating four stars because anyone interested in reading it should know now whether they would like it or not.)
It was clear from the back text of many of the books that this series was a dark-hero "unstoppable killing machine" kind of thing, and it sure delivers. There's plenty of violence and grit, described in just enough detail to give you a very clear picture. The setting is basically a Dune knock off with the corporate maneuvering, opression of the masses, and violence of Robocop mixed in. You could probably say there's a liberal sprinkling of pick-your-Schwarzenegger-film-from-the-80s too, with a couple of Stallones (Rambo and Cobra) tossed in for good measure.
The writing is spare and functional, but that's mostly how I like it. It's the kind of book you enjoy like a mindless action movie. The victory in the very last fight scene is ridiculous enough to remind you it's not meant to be taken seriously, if the killer teddy-bear alien didn't tell you earlier. I never sorted out Sten's family in the beginning, but that's okay because they all die in the first few pages anyway.
I'm a sucker for survival and revenge stories, so I enjoyed this at a four-star level but wouldn't "recommend it without reservation to anyone" so three it is. Anyone reading this review, or the back text of the books in the series, should know whether they'd like it or not by now.
(On the advice of my wife, I'm making the official rating four stars because anyone interested in reading it should know now whether they would like it or not.)
November 16, 2007
Gimme a shot of synthalk, sit down by the fire and read this sleeper series. I had never heard of Bunch and Cole before this book but now I have most of their stuff. Good, simple scifi.
February 8, 2022
Wow... this was going to be a longer review but the final final sequence was so incredibly dumb in its attempts to be awesome, that i’m feeling a little drained.
Also there wasn’t a single action sequence in this entire thing (and there are a lot of them) that i was able to completely follow but a lot of the hand-to-hand stuff seemed utterly ridiculous.
This started off really well actually as a sort of dickensian, dystopian nightmare. I was hopes of at least 4-stars, but the changes of scene and supporting cast made it impossible for me to keep caring.
I had become utterly uninvested by the time we entered the final quarter.
This is an easy read, but its mostly trash in my opinion.
Also there wasn’t a single action sequence in this entire thing (and there are a lot of them) that i was able to completely follow but a lot of the hand-to-hand stuff seemed utterly ridiculous.
This started off really well actually as a sort of dickensian, dystopian nightmare. I was hopes of at least 4-stars, but the changes of scene and supporting cast made it impossible for me to keep caring.
I had become utterly uninvested by the time we entered the final quarter.
This is an easy read, but its mostly trash in my opinion.
March 5, 2011
Good Intro To Allan Cole, Don't Let the 3 Stars Turn You Away
Pro's: Unforgettable Characters, Great Story
Con's: Too much happened in the first novel that could've been stretched and explained better. Where can they go from here?
I am a big fan of the Timura Trilogy by Allan Cole (even though I have yet to read the third book for fear of a bad ending to the trilogy, stupid huh?). For some reason or another, I had yet to read the Sten series even though I was so in love with the characters Cole created in the Timura Trilogy. The benefit of reading a series well after it is over, is knowing how much time you have with the main character. It is always a fear of mine, when reading a new book, that I won't get to spend time with that character again.
Sten is the epitome of a sci-fi classic that could've used a little more time to bake. The character of Sten is great, and you feel for his plight, but a few things get in the way. Each chapter and section feel like segments of the story instead of a continuous flow. Within the blank space of an inch, Cole & Bunch span the time of seconds, days, weeks, or even months without explanation. It will often make you re-read the last paragraph before continuing.
Otherwise, it is a great story. There are many interesting and memorable characters to meet that you hope will be seen in the other Sten books, and fantastic settings that you won't forget when you pick up another book.
While minor things held back a 4 or 5 rating, I am anxious to read the rest of the series and I highly recommend this book to any sci-fi fan or anyone who wants an introduction to Cole's work.
Pro's: Unforgettable Characters, Great Story
Con's: Too much happened in the first novel that could've been stretched and explained better. Where can they go from here?
I am a big fan of the Timura Trilogy by Allan Cole (even though I have yet to read the third book for fear of a bad ending to the trilogy, stupid huh?). For some reason or another, I had yet to read the Sten series even though I was so in love with the characters Cole created in the Timura Trilogy. The benefit of reading a series well after it is over, is knowing how much time you have with the main character. It is always a fear of mine, when reading a new book, that I won't get to spend time with that character again.
Sten is the epitome of a sci-fi classic that could've used a little more time to bake. The character of Sten is great, and you feel for his plight, but a few things get in the way. Each chapter and section feel like segments of the story instead of a continuous flow. Within the blank space of an inch, Cole & Bunch span the time of seconds, days, weeks, or even months without explanation. It will often make you re-read the last paragraph before continuing.
Otherwise, it is a great story. There are many interesting and memorable characters to meet that you hope will be seen in the other Sten books, and fantastic settings that you won't forget when you pick up another book.
While minor things held back a 4 or 5 rating, I am anxious to read the rest of the series and I highly recommend this book to any sci-fi fan or anyone who wants an introduction to Cole's work.
November 24, 2013
Re-read.
Back when this book first came out, I loved it. I think I was 17 at the time and I just found it to be immense fun. Lots of action, some cool sci-fi stuff, a protagonist I could relate to, witty banter and a quick read. I probably read it another 3 or 4 times as the other books in the series came out.
Upon rereading it again after more than 25 years have passed, I thoroughly enjoyed it once again.
Allan Cole and Chris Bunch were screenwriters, and that really comes across in this book. The descriptions are spare without being sparse and the dialogue is punchy. Rarely in films do you hear characters say more than a couple lines at a time, particularly in action movies, and that's the case here. It also helps that Cole's dad was a spy for the CIA and Bunch (1943-2005) was a Vietnam vet, which makes the military scenes ring true.
I was genuinely surprised at how well the science fictional aspects hold up. This is definitely in the Space Fantasy subgenre inhabited by Star Wars and Star Trek, but other than the computers being a little dated (and big), it wasn't too bad. Usually this stuff ages badly, but it held up rather well, all things considered.
As I recall, the series waxed and waned in quality as it went along, and Cole & Bunch unabashedly cribbed their plots from famous movies, but rather than feeling cheap, it kind of added to the fun for me. This book, though, is fun in and of itself. It's not very deep, but it is plenty fast, and there's a brief section with miniature T. rexes fighting.
I actually think this would make for an excellent movie, and I wouldn't be surprised to learn it started life as a script. Lotsa fun.
Back when this book first came out, I loved it. I think I was 17 at the time and I just found it to be immense fun. Lots of action, some cool sci-fi stuff, a protagonist I could relate to, witty banter and a quick read. I probably read it another 3 or 4 times as the other books in the series came out.
Upon rereading it again after more than 25 years have passed, I thoroughly enjoyed it once again.
Allan Cole and Chris Bunch were screenwriters, and that really comes across in this book. The descriptions are spare without being sparse and the dialogue is punchy. Rarely in films do you hear characters say more than a couple lines at a time, particularly in action movies, and that's the case here. It also helps that Cole's dad was a spy for the CIA and Bunch (1943-2005) was a Vietnam vet, which makes the military scenes ring true.
I was genuinely surprised at how well the science fictional aspects hold up. This is definitely in the Space Fantasy subgenre inhabited by Star Wars and Star Trek, but other than the computers being a little dated (and big), it wasn't too bad. Usually this stuff ages badly, but it held up rather well, all things considered.
As I recall, the series waxed and waned in quality as it went along, and Cole & Bunch unabashedly cribbed their plots from famous movies, but rather than feeling cheap, it kind of added to the fun for me. This book, though, is fun in and of itself. It's not very deep, but it is plenty fast, and there's a brief section with miniature T. rexes fighting.
I actually think this would make for an excellent movie, and I wouldn't be surprised to learn it started life as a script. Lotsa fun.
August 15, 2013
Wow! :D Sten is a book that pulls very little punches to the point that when the proverbial 'punch, knife or rifle blast' lands the story is already moving on to the next scene which draws the reader on at a breakneck pace! :D
Characters grow throughout the book and are formed through the events that the Sten and Bet and others go through :D There are snippets of backstory that pop up that further flesh out the characters but the authors are certainly not afraid to remove characters left right and centre in many various ways! ;) :D
Sten has relentless pace that will keep you page turning :D There is a lot of humour in Sten some unexpectedly provided a lot of the time by the Emperor and his cooking habits! :D In addition there is a dark humour that permeates the book which can have you laughing at some scenes that out of context you really shouldn't be! ;) :D
A fast inventive pacey book with a unique spin! Highly recommended and a great start to this series! :D
Characters grow throughout the book and are formed through the events that the Sten and Bet and others go through :D There are snippets of backstory that pop up that further flesh out the characters but the authors are certainly not afraid to remove characters left right and centre in many various ways! ;) :D
Sten has relentless pace that will keep you page turning :D There is a lot of humour in Sten some unexpectedly provided a lot of the time by the Emperor and his cooking habits! :D In addition there is a dark humour that permeates the book which can have you laughing at some scenes that out of context you really shouldn't be! ;) :D
A fast inventive pacey book with a unique spin! Highly recommended and a great start to this series! :D
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 30, 2014
Military SF
"Shades of Robert Heinlein" according to the blurb. But this book is closer to Haldeman's The Forever War with it's gritty action and angst-filled protagonist. Written with spare, impactful prose and the insight of one who has been to war and knows its horrors. A good origin story for the series.
"Shades of Robert Heinlein" according to the blurb. But this book is closer to Haldeman's The Forever War with it's gritty action and angst-filled protagonist. Written with spare, impactful prose and the insight of one who has been to war and knows its horrors. A good origin story for the series.
June 24, 2017
I don't care for the authors' hyper-active writing style. Too many topics in each paragraph. For me, it was a mass of confusion.
December 13, 2022
In a galaxy far, far away....
The main setting of this tale is Vulcan, an industrial factory world somewhere in the universe. In an age when travelling among the stars is as easy as taking a train from one town to another, Vulkan is still ruled by the means of a very strict division of the masses. The main ruling body is the Company, and everybody else is classified as Execs (leaders and politicians), Techs (technicians and skilled labor), or Migs (migrant unskilled workers). The main character, Karl Sten, and his family are Migs, therefore with the lowest social status. People like them are normally attracted to Vulcan with very appealing offers, however, in reality they are expected to work and die for the Company with extremely limited personal profit. Sten's family is unexpectedly killed in a very unfortunate "accident", which inflames his hatred and triggers his defiance against the Company. What follows next is his rapid rise through the military ranks and his ultimate quest to find and destroy those, who have wronged him.
The main setting of this tale is Vulcan, an industrial factory world somewhere in the universe. In an age when travelling among the stars is as easy as taking a train from one town to another, Vulkan is still ruled by the means of a very strict division of the masses. The main ruling body is the Company, and everybody else is classified as Execs (leaders and politicians), Techs (technicians and skilled labor), or Migs (migrant unskilled workers). The main character, Karl Sten, and his family are Migs, therefore with the lowest social status. People like them are normally attracted to Vulcan with very appealing offers, however, in reality they are expected to work and die for the Company with extremely limited personal profit. Sten's family is unexpectedly killed in a very unfortunate "accident", which inflames his hatred and triggers his defiance against the Company. What follows next is his rapid rise through the military ranks and his ultimate quest to find and destroy those, who have wronged him.
April 15, 2021
GR- Because you shelved Brothers in Arms, perhaps you would like to purchase this fine novel from a large online retailer?
Sherron- Thanks goodreads, already way ahead if you there. Sorrrrry. Got it free online from hoopla. I should check out the rest of the series if it’s still there.
Sten is a very smart, very scrappy boy wonder, and I guess that makes him a bit of a Mary Sue, but I like him anyway. Besides, it’s always life affirming to cheer for David and boo at Goliath, isn’t it?
Sherron- Thanks goodreads, already way ahead if you there. Sorrrrry. Got it free online from hoopla. I should check out the rest of the series if it’s still there.
Sten is a very smart, very scrappy boy wonder, and I guess that makes him a bit of a Mary Sue, but I like him anyway. Besides, it’s always life affirming to cheer for David and boo at Goliath, isn’t it?
November 17, 2020
I love this book! It is one of my all time favorites. I have read it more than 10 times.
Part 1
Sten's family lives as economic slaves to the company, a gigantic manufacturing space station which is hundreds of years old. After Sten's family is killed in an accident, he is graciously allowed to join the workforce and assume his family's debts. After he figures out the system is rigged and there is no way to make enough money to pay off what he owes the company, he indulges in some rather antisocial behavior that lands him in a maximum security, extremely hazardous, short life expectancy job. Eventually he escapes and ends up living in the unused portions of the space station with other delinquents, dodging police and stealing what they need. A government agent, investigating the company, organizes the "delinq's" for a clandestine raid on company headquarters, then gets Sten off the station and enrolls him in the military.
Part 2
Sten's military training, army, then special forces and intelligence.
Part 3
Sten's team is sent to bring down the company that he escaped from in the beginning.
Part 1
Sten's family lives as economic slaves to the company, a gigantic manufacturing space station which is hundreds of years old. After Sten's family is killed in an accident, he is graciously allowed to join the workforce and assume his family's debts. After he figures out the system is rigged and there is no way to make enough money to pay off what he owes the company, he indulges in some rather antisocial behavior that lands him in a maximum security, extremely hazardous, short life expectancy job. Eventually he escapes and ends up living in the unused portions of the space station with other delinquents, dodging police and stealing what they need. A government agent, investigating the company, organizes the "delinq's" for a clandestine raid on company headquarters, then gets Sten off the station and enrolls him in the military.
Part 2
Sten's military training, army, then special forces and intelligence.
Part 3
Sten's team is sent to bring down the company that he escaped from in the beginning.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 17, 2013
I read this book on a dare, sort of... this one a very hard-core science fiction book that after a couple of chapters took my breath away with its depiction of the not so distant future. You know you're reading a GREAT book when you care about the characters in it so much. What made this book a must read for me though was the overriding story arch that I could neither guess at nor imagine.
The cover reminds me of old-style pulp fiction and I guess, in a way, that's what it is. But the story-line is so solid and the descriptions so complete that I would look around for my spacesuit to stave off decompression should an air-lock fail! Of course I'm exaggerating,but the story is immersive and if you plan of reading the first, trust me, you might as well get the other seven in the series as well or you'll be cursing silently why you didn't have them handy when you finish it and the wait is interminable. I won't submit reviews for the other seven, except to say... expect the same wonderful writing in all eight books.
Highly recommended!!
The cover reminds me of old-style pulp fiction and I guess, in a way, that's what it is. But the story-line is so solid and the descriptions so complete that I would look around for my spacesuit to stave off decompression should an air-lock fail! Of course I'm exaggerating,but the story is immersive and if you plan of reading the first, trust me, you might as well get the other seven in the series as well or you'll be cursing silently why you didn't have them handy when you finish it and the wait is interminable. I won't submit reviews for the other seven, except to say... expect the same wonderful writing in all eight books.
Highly recommended!!
July 8, 2011
This tops my sci-fi all-time favorites...along with Stranger In A Strange Land and Starship Troopers (both by Heinlein, of course).
This is one of those books that I read about once a year, just for the pure joy of it.
Great character development, awesome military themes, Allan and Chris just nailed this one to the floor. It is just about perfect in every way for me. Sten is seen as a kid on a slave planet, who loses everything and has to make his own way in the horrible world he's in. But, this guy is not one to back down from any challenge. His character growth over the course of the novel is phenomenal and I would love to be his comrade-in-arms. Seriously.
Sten stands tall as one of my favorite literary characters of all time and throughout the entire series (seven books), he continues to grow and surprise (us and himself).
If you've not read these books, then do yourself a favor, all you sci-fi fans...grab this book and get ready for the ride of your life.
Stregg forever!
This is one of those books that I read about once a year, just for the pure joy of it.
Great character development, awesome military themes, Allan and Chris just nailed this one to the floor. It is just about perfect in every way for me. Sten is seen as a kid on a slave planet, who loses everything and has to make his own way in the horrible world he's in. But, this guy is not one to back down from any challenge. His character growth over the course of the novel is phenomenal and I would love to be his comrade-in-arms. Seriously.
Sten stands tall as one of my favorite literary characters of all time and throughout the entire series (seven books), he continues to grow and surprise (us and himself).
If you've not read these books, then do yourself a favor, all you sci-fi fans...grab this book and get ready for the ride of your life.
Stregg forever!
April 7, 2018
This is the first book in the Sten series by Chris Bunch and Allan Cole. This book is a great example of Space Opera/Military Science Fiction. Although it was originally written in the early 80's the story holds up well even today. The action scenes are written exceptionally well and the characters and story will hold your interest if you are a fan of these genre's. Sten is a worker on a factory planet where it is next to impossible to work off your contract to the company. When his family is killed because of an uncaring company Sten decides to fight back. This story is about his journey to revenge.
Note: I bought my copy of this book at a used book store in Crossville Tennessee. This copy was published in the U.K. by Orbit Books U.K. It has the price listed on the back cover as £5.99. I think that it is interesting how far this book has traveled. :)
Note: I bought my copy of this book at a used book store in Crossville Tennessee. This copy was published in the U.K. by Orbit Books U.K. It has the price listed on the back cover as £5.99. I think that it is interesting how far this book has traveled. :)
September 17, 2019
I chose to read this as it was recommended as a book similar to other authors I've read and enjoyed. I usually find the recommendations spot on, but this one...BIG NOPE. His style of writing made absolutely no sense to me, and the pacing is horrendous. One minute Sten would be in basic training, then the next paragraph he's on some random planet with a team of weird alien beings (including a teddy bear with a tentacle beard named Doc?) getting involved in some nomadic political struggle that has no bearing on the story whatsoever. Even worse, one of his team mates is apparently an ultra strong Scottish midget with a hard on for explosives. Bunch chose to give him a ridiculous accent that gave me a headache. Unless your familiar Gaelic, good luck trying to figure out what the hell he's saying half the time.
May 20, 2021
Pretty bad, because the first third of the book is good and has some interesting sci-fi tropes like the oppressive megacorp and a disrespect for an individuals sense of self.
Then it moves off to pointless boot camp and some more badly executed mil-sf stuff which wouldn't have been so bad if it didn't follow an otherwise interesting opening. You get your hopes up and are disappointed all through the course of one book, it'd be a more impressive accomplishment if instead the book just continued along the same vein as the opening.
Also the author's writing style is a bit rough and the pacing is really hard to grasp, it moves forward in leaps and bounds and stays stagnant in spots for far too many pages.
It's a shame, I wanted to like this, and initially I did, the author just failed to deliver on the premise he himself set forth. Best avoided.
Then it moves off to pointless boot camp and some more badly executed mil-sf stuff which wouldn't have been so bad if it didn't follow an otherwise interesting opening. You get your hopes up and are disappointed all through the course of one book, it'd be a more impressive accomplishment if instead the book just continued along the same vein as the opening.
Also the author's writing style is a bit rough and the pacing is really hard to grasp, it moves forward in leaps and bounds and stays stagnant in spots for far too many pages.
It's a shame, I wanted to like this, and initially I did, the author just failed to deliver on the premise he himself set forth. Best avoided.
August 4, 2013
I really enjoyed this book and it looks like it is set to be a good series, it took me a little while to get into the story and at some points I didn't really feel that I knew Sten as I suppose he had been through a fair deal and so was sort of numb and a bit "oh, ok". However this book is pretty much an introduction to Sten and the series, and I am looking forward to finding out more about the team and the Emperor as he seems like a bit of a crazy/sane/scary guy!
I note that this book is also by Chris Bunch, which probably explains a little while it took me a little while to get into this book, as his Dragonmaster Omnibus was the same - though I really enjoyed that too once I got to grips with it :)
I note that this book is also by Chris Bunch, which probably explains a little while it took me a little while to get into this book, as his Dragonmaster Omnibus was the same - though I really enjoyed that too once I got to grips with it :)
August 2, 2020
I got this one from an eBay SF lot of 60 books, so I shouldn't have been surprised. Formulaic action-revenge sci fi that relies almost entirely on standard space opera and SF tropes. The few novel elements, like an immortal galactic emperor who was never quite explained, do not make the book interesting enough to warrant recommending. The writing is also turgid in spots, to the point where I had to re-read passages to figure out what was happening. Dialog was also clunky.
June 19, 2016
Équivalant à un polar vite lu avec ce qu'il faut de rebondissement, beaucoup de stéréotypes, certes de l'action, mais aucune réelle connexion avec les personnages (Sten faisant figure de "super héros" même à travers toutes les épreuves endurées )
tenter le T2 pour voir si la série s'améliore et prend sa "3e dimension" ?
tenter le T2 pour voir si la série s'améliore et prend sa "3e dimension" ?
June 6, 2013
Terrible, borring, could not finish it. A waste of time, story was stupid, who cares about the story, every chapter starting out confusing like your were restarting the book each time. No flow of story, absolutely one of the worst reads I have ever started.
March 17, 2014
I thought the beginning of the book was pretty solid. When it got to the action scenes at the end the scottish accent of one of the characters was a bit much. Overall i thought it was a good read with some technical issues with how the chapters and flow were set up.
Read
December 31, 2022Loved The Seer King trilogy by Chris Bunch, so I thought I'd enjoy this.
I was wrong.
Couldn't even finish it.
Trudged my way through 50 pages of clunky, dry, sci-fi jargon and bullshit with no narrative breadcrumbs indicating it'd be worth my time to continue.
I was wrong.
Couldn't even finish it.
Trudged my way through 50 pages of clunky, dry, sci-fi jargon and bullshit with no narrative breadcrumbs indicating it'd be worth my time to continue.
April 5, 2011
wont bother with any more, andy remic it is not
June 17, 2012
Sten is a superhero. Start with that in mind, and enjoy the ride :)
June 1, 2016
Great start to the series. He is precursor to Mike Harmon
April 9, 2018
A bit pulpy but moves at a good pace.
Plot: Seen this before many times
Characters: Decent, wish they had a better story
Style: Action movie style
Setting: Pretty bland
Plot: Seen this before many times
Characters: Decent, wish they had a better story
Style: Action movie style
Setting: Pretty bland
Displaying 1 - 30 of 104 reviews