Vigilance

Fractal #3

by Allen Stroud

The stirring finale of The Fractal series which began with the much lauded Fearless and Resilient hard-sf masterpieces.

In the aftermath of Phobos Station’s destruction, sinister forces fight to control humanity’s fragile first steps in colonizing other worlds. There are competing agendas at work. Some seek to overthrow the Corporations and Governments, others just want to see everything burn.

In the midst of it all, Captain Ellisa Shann and her crew are fighting to survive and to unlock the secrets of a mysterious and ancient alien ship.

Vigilance is the conclusion to the epic science fiction story that began with Fearless and continued with Resilient. What new revelations await in the ongoing Fractal Series?

Genres: Science Fiction

416 pages, Paperback

Published September 3, 2024

About the author

I am Assistant Professor (Research) Defence and Security Futures in the Centre for Peace and Security at Coventry University.

I was Chair of the British Science Fiction Association between 2019 and 2025.

In 2017, I completed my Ph. D. in "Worldbuilding Techniques and Writing Structures in Science Fiction and Fantasy".

My Official Elite: Dangerous novel, Elite: Lave Revolution was published in May 2014. I am also the official novelist for Julian Gollop's new game 'Chaos Reborn', released in 2016. I also wrote 'The Last Tank Commander', which was first published by Newcon Press and went on to be included in 'The Year's Best Military SF and Adventure Stories 2016' by Baen Books.

In 2017, Luna Press published my novel, 'The Forever Man', a weird fiction/urban fantasy. In 2018, I was featured in the Clarke Award/Newcon Press anthology celebrating 100 years since the birth of Arthur C. Clarke.

I was also the co-lead writer for the computer game, Phoenix Point which was published in 2019. You can find a collection of the short stories here - https://phoenixpoint.info/archives/

In 2020, Flame Tree Press published my Science Fiction novel, Fearless.

“Stroud raises fascinating questions about the politics of space exploration.”- Publisher’s Weekly

“Rigorous hard SF with a powerful but flawed protagonist and a fascinating historical background, Fearless is a treat for just about any Analog reader.” AnalogSF

“Fast-paced, gripping hard SF with death in hard vacuum waiting at every turn.” Adrian Tchaikovsky

After Fearless, we have the sequel, Resilient (2022) then the episodes: Europa (2023), Ceres (2023) Lagrange Point (2023), Terra (2023), Luna (2024) and Jezero (2024). Also, the third novel, Vigilance came out in 2024.

Reviews

[Runalong · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fine end to a great space opera series (or at least arc) with cleverly interlocking of the two previous books casts and the big reveal of who is behind all of this. Highly recommended


Full review - https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/bl...

[Haunting Season · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book resolves the story extremely well in my opinion. Just like life, there is no true ending with a full and complete resolution, but that’s what makes these characters feel so real. The hard sci-fi evolves through all three installments in a way that gets across advanced futuristic concepts that challenge the reader to think about the moral and ethical dilemmas that ripple back in time to where we are now with the development of AI, quantum computing and space travel. It also forces us to confront our of understanding of self and personal identity and how that may change with the advancement of technology.

But the book is more than just a think piece, it’s a space opera adventure following our ragtag crew of survivors who never expected to be at the center of the galaxy’s first space war. It kept me on the edge of my seat, jumping from character to character eager to pop out my e-reader to check on my friends any chance I got.

This is maybe my favorite series of books I’ve ever read.

[Nessa’s Book Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

The epic conclusion to The Fractal Series is here, and Vigilance brings it all together with heart-pounding action, thrilling revelations, and more zero-g chaos!

Picking up after the destruction of Phobos Station, Vigilance throws us right back into the fire. Sinister forces are vying for control over humanity’s fragile foothold in space, with corporations, governments, and rogue factions all pushing their own dangerous agendas. Some want to change the system, while others just want to watch it burn.

At the heart of it all is our fearless (pun intended) Captain Ellisa Shann and her crew, who are not only trying to survive but also uncover the mysteries of an ancient alien ship. And let’s just say—the stakes have never been higher.

What I Loved:
* Action-Packed Finale: From the first page, Vigilance grabs you and doesn’t let go. Space battles, corporate intrigue, and alien secrets all collide in a thrilling, fast-paced ride.
* Ellisa Shann, as always!: She’s been through the wringer, but Ellisa’s resilience and determination shine even brighter in this final chapter. She’s not just fighting for survival—she’s fighting for the future of humanity.
* Big Revelations: The mysteries built up in Fearless and Resilient finally pay off, and trust me, some of these twists will leave your jaw on the floor. 👀

With so many agendas and characters at play, the plot can feel a bit overwhelming at times. A few moments felt rushed, and I wanted more time to process the big reveals.

Vigilance is an exhilarating conclusion to a stellar sci-fi series!

If you’ve been following Ellisa Shann’s journey from Fearless to Resilient, you’ll love this satisfying, high-stakes finale.

Expect intense space action, jaw-dropping twists, and a fight for humanity’s future that will leave you thinking long after you turn the last page.

[Liviu · Rating 2 out of 5]

very disappointing series finale (at least presumably as I didn't really get any sense of closure of the storyline so who knows despite the blurb proclaiming it as such, there may be more in the series); disjointed in a way that the other two books weren't despite their multiple pov's and I kind of lost interest early on and turned the pages more from duty and to see if it gets better, but sadly it didn't

[Josef Hernandez · Rating 4 out of 5]

A strong ending to a good series

For a full review, please go to https://areviewerdarkly.blogspot.com/... and follow me on X @josenher

[Bob · Rating 3 out of 5]

A lot of characters to keep track of, actually, oddly more characters than bodies. It does come out in the end.