Ranger

Exodus: Empires at War #5

by Doug Dandridge

No One Is Safe During a War of Extermination. Especially the Civilians. Rebecca Goldman was a bright and pretty child, a twelve year old with a loving family. Technology allowed them to live comfortably on the most dangerous planet in the Empire, Azure. And then the Ca'cadasans came, and it was suddenly survival of the fittest out in the wilderness. Losing everything, Rebecca has only herself to depend on in a jungle where everything is an enemy. Cornelius Walborski just wanted to killed Cacas. After losing his wife to the aliens on Sestius, he trains to become a Ranger, the augmented warriors of the Imperial Army. He has never seen anything like Azure, but there are Cacas to hunt, and a mission to perform. Two unlikely survivors find themselves thrust together, where the man will save the child, and save himself at the same time.

Genres: Science Fiction, Military Fiction, Military Science Fiction, Space Opera

309 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 27, 2013

About the author

Doug Dandridge was born in Venice Florida in 1957, the son of a Florida native and a Mother of French Canadian descent. An avid reader from an early age, Doug has read most of the classic novels and shorts of Science Fiction and Fantasy, as well as multiple hundreds of historical works. Doug has military experience including Marine Corps JROTC, Active Duty Army, and the Florida National Guard. He attended Florida State University, studying Biology, Geology, Physics, and Chemistry, and receiving a BS in Psychology. Doug then studied Clinical Psychology at the University of Alabama, with specific interests in Neuropsychology and Child Psychology, completing a Masters and all course work required for a PhD. He has worked in Psychiatric Hospitals, Mental Health Centers, a Prison, a Juvenile Residential Facility, and for the his last seven years in the work force for the Florida Department of Children and Families. Since March of 2013 he has worked as a full time writer. Doug has been writing on and off for fifteen years. He concentrates on intelligent science fiction and fantasy in which there is always hope, no matter how hard the situation. No area of the fantastic is outside his scope, as he has completed works in near and far future Science Fiction, Urban and High Fantasy, Horror, and Alternate History.
Doug has published 34 books on Amazon, with over 230,000 sales with 5,000 reviews averaging 4.6 stars. He will be publishing his first traditionally published book in 2018, followed by the second book of the contracted series. Also in the planning stages are post apocalyptic and alternate history series.

Reviews

[Red Tide · Rating 4 out of 5]

There be good secondary characters here

This book really developed the character of Cornelius, in the same vein as Richard Gere in "Officer and Gentleman". Rebecca reminded me of the assassin's apprentice in the film "Leon". Together they make a very interesting pair. Both were done well, as was their relationship.

One aspect of the Human Empire that struck me as odd, was the failure to put all citizens through military or naval training. The Empire has had a number of wars and continuously fights quasi-organized pirates, while having trillions of unemployed citizens. Give every one of them a five or ten year exposure to the theories, practise and challenges of war and military/naval organizations. They don't have political power and very little opportunity to develop income above the basic allowance. Unless the empire is afraid of the pitchforks and torches of the dissatisfied peasantry. That would sort of contradict the general description of a happy, involved populace which admires the ruling classes. At best, the "we've never lost a war" empire has gotten fat and lazy, ruling citizens that it's afraid to enlist in its defense.

I totally buy into a lot of the secondary characters, like Cornelius and Rebecca. Now if Dr. Jennifer would just have a fatal accident. I'd be sad of course (wink, wink) but i would "soldier" on.

[David Spera · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great book in series

This is my second time thru this series and it is every bit as good as I remember. Can't wait to get thru it and read the newest book that I haven't read yet

[Jason Braida · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 / 5

[Per Gunnar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Doug Dandridge have done it again. I have to admit that I was concerned as to whether I was going to like this book since the author have pointed out that this book was going to be all planet-based, which I do not like that much, as opposed to previous books which have had a fair to large amount of space-based action, which I like a lot, in them.

I am happy to write that, despite this, I really really liked this book. The book is as well written as the previous books. It is also of a decent size unlike many books which, despite perhaps being good, are finished way too quickly. The book can be said to be a bit of a side-story from the main story arc in the series. It is not that it does not involve the war against the Ca’cadasans but it zooms in on the adventures of two people whose faith converge on one of the occupied planets. The big picture is not very present in this book nor is the emperor although he makes some appearances.

Quite a bit of the book is dedicated to the military training of Walborski and subsequent “enhancements” to become a ranger. In latter parts of the book when Walborski are deployed to Azure the author have built an interesting and dangerous world of beasts and animal-plant hybrids. As in the previous books we get a few glimpses of the other side as well and a new and interesting race is also introduced. The entire package, the training, the story of Rebecca, Walborski encounters with the emperor, the combat action, the little romance that is snuck into the story etc. etc. is so much fun to read.

When I had finished the previous book I was hoping that we would get into pay-back mode and that the humans where going to start to strike back. Well, the humans were certainly dishing out some pay-back in this book but it was not really the push-them-back kind of offensive that I was hoping for. Despite this, I am not disappointed. This was a great book to read and I am already looking forward to the next book in the series.

[Bill Sullivan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exodus Empires at War Book 5 Ranger is the latest volume in the Exodus series by Doug Dandridge and it is an excellent addition. The story follows the training of Cornielus a character from an earlier volume as he goes from a militia civilian to an augmented ranger fighting the alien Cacas, who are the aliens who destroyed Earth and forced the Exodus. The action takes place on an alien world that is as dangerous to man as the aliens. Along the way he learns to become a warrior,saves a young girl, and drives the enemy from the planet. I look forward to the next book. There is plenty of action in this space opera series and Ranger keeps the action going on a planet giving a nice look at how the war continues.

[Don Willett · Rating 5 out of 5]

An epic struggle

An excellent story of survival in a jungle full of predators,human,plant and animal. the story is exciting and I really liked that the little details where not overlooked. the authors detailed description of the environment, plants and animals had me totally immersed in the story. can't wait to start the next one.

[WILLIAM E. BAKER JR · Rating 4 out of 5]

Continue to tell the story at a high level.

believable characters in impossible situations. Dandridge continues to deliver in another episode. Difficult to put down, it grabs with white hot intensity as real people fight overwhelming odds. Can't wait for the next book!

[M Hamed · Rating 1 out of 5]

every person have the fundamental right to write any shit they want .