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Ark Royal #20
Judgement Day
For uncounted millennia, the twin Dyson Spheres – one intact, and host to a population unaware of their origins or even the nature of the world around them; one seemingly little more than debris orbiting a dying star – have remained a mystery, their seemingly all-powerful builders as enigmatic as the supertechnology used to construct and maintain the humungous megastructures. But now, in the wake of HMS Endeavour’s discovery of the spheres and the arrival of a multinational fleet to explore – and exploit – the alien tech, everything has changed.
468 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 29, 2023
163 people are currently reading
45 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
October 11, 2023
Christopher Nuttall is one of my favorite authors. He is one of the first (good) science fiction and fantasy authors that I stumbled on when I took up reading seriously back in 2011.
This series started out with a bang with three five star books. At the time it was good solid military science fiction and I really liked it.
Since then the author have expanded the universe by writing several “trilogies” within the same universe exploring different stories. Most of them have been military science fiction but not all of them and then usually my ratings have dropped a bit.
This book is one of those where it is more about adventure, scientific exploration and quite a bit of more or less sensational events taking place. Some of them being of the “any sufficiently advanced technology will appear like magic” kind of events.
It is a good book there is no doubt about that. Still, I have to say that I liked the classical military science fiction at the beginning of the series more.
This book is really a bit too much fantastic things and events being thrown in all the time and the characters are more reacting than anything else.
Also, this idea about them scrambling to find a way of defeating the uber powerful advanced aliens, like they could advance millions of years in a matter of days, felt a bit silly.
In addition, the rather vague tie-in to the virus arc, which I did not really like that much in the first place, did not really contribute much as far as I am concerned.
Nevertheless, overall, it was a good well written book. If the author decides to write another story arc in the series I will for sure pick it up but I hope it will be more traditional military science fiction.
This series started out with a bang with three five star books. At the time it was good solid military science fiction and I really liked it.
Since then the author have expanded the universe by writing several “trilogies” within the same universe exploring different stories. Most of them have been military science fiction but not all of them and then usually my ratings have dropped a bit.
This book is one of those where it is more about adventure, scientific exploration and quite a bit of more or less sensational events taking place. Some of them being of the “any sufficiently advanced technology will appear like magic” kind of events.
It is a good book there is no doubt about that. Still, I have to say that I liked the classical military science fiction at the beginning of the series more.
This book is really a bit too much fantastic things and events being thrown in all the time and the characters are more reacting than anything else.
Also, this idea about them scrambling to find a way of defeating the uber powerful advanced aliens, like they could advance millions of years in a matter of days, felt a bit silly.
In addition, the rather vague tie-in to the virus arc, which I did not really like that much in the first place, did not really contribute much as far as I am concerned.
Nevertheless, overall, it was a good well written book. If the author decides to write another story arc in the series I will for sure pick it up but I hope it will be more traditional military science fiction.
October 8, 2023
Good, but...
Good science fiction, very similar to Strugatsky's Roadside Picnic; humans struggling to understand alien tech so advanced, it feels like deadly magic. Unfortunately the atmosphere is a permanent doom and gloom, flat and honestly boring (or maybe there's some English humor I don't get?). Come on, Christopher, please insert some humor in your books! Maybe a couple of jokers per story? Or one? Please?
Five stars because I managed to finish it, but it wasn't easy.
Good science fiction, very similar to Strugatsky's Roadside Picnic; humans struggling to understand alien tech so advanced, it feels like deadly magic. Unfortunately the atmosphere is a permanent doom and gloom, flat and honestly boring (or maybe there's some English humor I don't get?). Come on, Christopher, please insert some humor in your books! Maybe a couple of jokers per story? Or one? Please?
Five stars because I managed to finish it, but it wasn't easy.
December 9, 2023
Less than satisfying
I generally like Nuttall and especially his practice of developing his characters by placing them in new and challenging situations. However, the writing here is too repetitive. Why must the writer use the “we might be like ants to them” metaphor repeatedly to explain how advanced a civilization might be? A good editor could tighten this whole thing up. Do I look forward to another book? Not sure.
I generally like Nuttall and especially his practice of developing his characters by placing them in new and challenging situations. However, the writing here is too repetitive. Why must the writer use the “we might be like ants to them” metaphor repeatedly to explain how advanced a civilization might be? A good editor could tighten this whole thing up. Do I look forward to another book? Not sure.
June 25, 2025
The hardest mile
This book was the hardest for me to read in this series.
Several Authors I really like have written about the extremely large ideas. David Brins Uplift series. Vernor Vinge's "Fire on the Deep" Universe.
And now this Author has attempted this Feat.
Enjoy this Future and enjoy this Story telling.
This book was the hardest for me to read in this series.
Several Authors I really like have written about the extremely large ideas. David Brins Uplift series. Vernor Vinge's "Fire on the Deep" Universe.
And now this Author has attempted this Feat.
Enjoy this Future and enjoy this Story telling.
October 16, 2023
Still good reading
For a 20 book long series book 20 "Judgement Day", is still a good read. All twenty books have been. Some questions answered, some not. Suspect Mr. Nuttall can come up with another three books.
For a 20 book long series book 20 "Judgement Day", is still a good read. All twenty books have been. Some questions answered, some not. Suspect Mr. Nuttall can come up with another three books.
October 29, 2023
one of the best
I've read all 20 books in this series and this last has proved to be one of the best. I hope the author will continue the series. Who knows what else resides in deep space....
I've read all 20 books in this series and this last has proved to be one of the best. I hope the author will continue the series. Who knows what else resides in deep space....
November 2, 2023
After reading all 20 of the Ark Royal series I do have to wonder if there will be any more. I found this one a bit of a task to get through. The story was Ok but I do feel it could have a better ending.
November 11, 2023
Great series
I hope there will be next trilogy in this series. Christopher please write it :)
If you like good Sci fi with solid science behind by reading Ark Royal series you will be very satisfied.
I hope there will be next trilogy in this series. Christopher please write it :)
If you like good Sci fi with solid science behind by reading Ark Royal series you will be very satisfied.
October 15, 2023
Enjoyed
Like all the other Nuttall books this was an enjoyable read more complicated than some of the others but still good.
Like all the other Nuttall books this was an enjoyable read more complicated than some of the others but still good.
October 20, 2023
once again
Cannot bs faulted. PLEASE do NOT stop this (or my other of your Series’
You bring joy to all of us
Cannot bs faulted. PLEASE do NOT stop this (or my other of your Series’
You bring joy to all of us
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews