What do you think?
Rate this book
Mercenary Navy #1
Rawlins' Redemption
Wrongfully stripped of his rank, ex-Union Navy Officer Cliff Rawlins must find his way in a changing galaxy.
More than four years after being stripped of his rank and decorations in a court-martial stacked against him, Rawlins suddenly finds himself a free man. His former commanding officer, Admiral James Sorenson, never doubted Cliff’s innocence and, even after retiring from active duty, fought for Cliff’s release.
The universe to which Cliff returns is on the verge of change, though.
The Union of Free Planets, the largest and longest-lasting multi-planet government in settled space, is on the verge of dissolving. Some of the shadowy political players working behind the scenes to end the Union are the same people who sent Cliff away. Yet, in the coming political upheaval, Cliff glimpses an opportunity.
For hundreds of years, people have relied upon the Union Navy to act as the policeman of the shipping lanes. With the end of the Union will come the end of the navy. Interstellar commerce is about to become fraught with danger.
Cliff has a hunch—an idea of how to provide secure transport in what promises to be a chaotic environment. James and his wife Miranda assist Cliff in transforming his hunch into a business.
Cliff proves to be the man with the right idea at the right time as interstellar space becomes increasingly hazardous.
But Cliff’s success brings him unwanted attention from enemies old and new. Some have held a grudge for a few years. Others resent his interference with the success of their criminal enterprises. This time, they want him dead.
Don't miss this new science fiction thrill ride from award-winning author John J. Spearman!
More than four years after being stripped of his rank and decorations in a court-martial stacked against him, Rawlins suddenly finds himself a free man. His former commanding officer, Admiral James Sorenson, never doubted Cliff’s innocence and, even after retiring from active duty, fought for Cliff’s release.
The universe to which Cliff returns is on the verge of change, though.
The Union of Free Planets, the largest and longest-lasting multi-planet government in settled space, is on the verge of dissolving. Some of the shadowy political players working behind the scenes to end the Union are the same people who sent Cliff away. Yet, in the coming political upheaval, Cliff glimpses an opportunity.
For hundreds of years, people have relied upon the Union Navy to act as the policeman of the shipping lanes. With the end of the Union will come the end of the navy. Interstellar commerce is about to become fraught with danger.
Cliff has a hunch—an idea of how to provide secure transport in what promises to be a chaotic environment. James and his wife Miranda assist Cliff in transforming his hunch into a business.
Cliff proves to be the man with the right idea at the right time as interstellar space becomes increasingly hazardous.
But Cliff’s success brings him unwanted attention from enemies old and new. Some have held a grudge for a few years. Others resent his interference with the success of their criminal enterprises. This time, they want him dead.
Don't miss this new science fiction thrill ride from award-winning author John J. Spearman!
- GenresScience FictionSpace
378 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 23, 2024
566 people are currently reading
150 people want to read
About the author
John Spearman
46 books40 followersJohn Spearman is an award-winning author. In the past, he served a Latin teacher and coach at a prestigious New England boarding school. Before joining the world of academia, Spearman had been a sales and marketing executive for 25 years.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
January 27, 2025
Good Start to a New Series
John Spearman shows good form in the first book of his Mercanary Navy series. But the author dumps a lot of background on the reader and continues to build a complex political structure among worlds that seem to have all moved into the stars from English-speaking Earth cultures long ago. Even with the bhomogeneous ethnicities, the star nations manage to struggle among themselves in ways that seem plausible repeats of human cultures everywhere.
Enjoyed the main character, Admiral Clif Rawlings, who does represent humanity at its best.
Recommend.
John Spearman shows good form in the first book of his Mercanary Navy series. But the author dumps a lot of background on the reader and continues to build a complex political structure among worlds that seem to have all moved into the stars from English-speaking Earth cultures long ago. Even with the bhomogeneous ethnicities, the star nations manage to struggle among themselves in ways that seem plausible repeats of human cultures everywhere.
Enjoyed the main character, Admiral Clif Rawlings, who does represent humanity at its best.
Recommend.
August 27, 2024
Characterization is only adequate as the story if very fast moving and full of action. The story would make a great script for a movie. Tech is believable w/o a lot of detail bogging down, again a nod to the fast pace. But the concepts are solid, consistent and believable. I snapped up volume two within minutes of finishing this one and expect to finish that one eagerly waiting for more.
May 17, 2025
Mercs
Well developed world,good world building, good characters,I've enjoyed the characters,fine action,a good story, I fully enjoyed this story,I'm going to immediately read the next book, kept me up until 3am, one night ,which was uncalled for stopping my sleep.but worth it
Well developed world,good world building, good characters,I've enjoyed the characters,fine action,a good story, I fully enjoyed this story,I'm going to immediately read the next book, kept me up until 3am, one night ,which was uncalled for stopping my sleep.but worth it
July 26, 2024
Redemption in space
Freed from false charges rawlings starts a private protection service as the galaxy falls apart. Kept me engaged all day. Can't wait for the next one
Freed from false charges rawlings starts a private protection service as the galaxy falls apart. Kept me engaged all day. Can't wait for the next one
July 26, 2024
outstanding!
Awesome beginning, can’t wait for book 2. Love the storyline and the characters. Look forward to seeing what comes next. Fan for life.
Awesome beginning, can’t wait for book 2. Love the storyline and the characters. Look forward to seeing what comes next. Fan for life.
August 5, 2024
Excellent beginning!
As the first book in a series this one filled the characters out nicely. The start of the story was an unusual twist but worked well. The ending, without being a spoiler was climactic, leaving you eager for the next book.
As the first book in a series this one filled the characters out nicely. The start of the story was an unusual twist but worked well. The ending, without being a spoiler was climactic, leaving you eager for the next book.
August 7, 2024
What a great read
What a story this was. Its full of adventure, intrigue, and fast paced action. If you enjoy a military type thriller then this book should not be missed.
What a story this was. Its full of adventure, intrigue, and fast paced action. If you enjoy a military type thriller then this book should not be missed.
November 11, 2024
DNF @ 87+%
Not for me. Too old to read anything I'm not loving.
More than I wanted to know about the economics of setting up the MC's new business.
Ditto the backroom discussion on going to war.
The military / action scenes I enjoyed and would have stuck with the book if they had been the center of the story instead of the business.
The romance subplot was a little clunky, awkward and juvenile, not adding to the plot or characterization of the MCs.
The author suddenly added two more POVs at the 70% mark of the story. I felt it was jarring and they weren't as well done as the rest of the book. The writing style and the dialogue weren't as good.
Not for me. Too old to read anything I'm not loving.
More than I wanted to know about the economics of setting up the MC's new business.
Ditto the backroom discussion on going to war.
The military / action scenes I enjoyed and would have stuck with the book if they had been the center of the story instead of the business.
The romance subplot was a little clunky, awkward and juvenile, not adding to the plot or characterization of the MCs.
The author suddenly added two more POVs at the 70% mark of the story. I felt it was jarring and they weren't as well done as the rest of the book. The writing style and the dialogue weren't as good.
August 20, 2024
This was pretty good although there was a very slow section after the get-your-attention beginning and author included lots of wordy detail in straightforward actions. I like reading about the business aspects and challenges but was surprised others do too as the business startup section was long yet high ratings say people read on through.
I’m always glad to see authors factor economics into books.
I’m always glad to see authors factor economics into books.
August 6, 2024
Unexpected Non Ending
It’s a good storyline, with acceptable character development so I’m not sure why the author left everything hanging at the end of this book? While the expectation is for everything to workout, the reader still won’t know until they get book 2, which is unfortunate.
It’s a good storyline, with acceptable character development so I’m not sure why the author left everything hanging at the end of this book? While the expectation is for everything to workout, the reader still won’t know until they get book 2, which is unfortunate.
March 27, 2025
The series isn't good, but it is diverting. If you can turn off your brain
It follows many of the usual patterns/traps for this sort of book.
- Midas-touched main character whose backstory includes major injustice that he (always a he) handled with incredible grace. He's a military hero, of course. All his ventures succeed beyond all reason
- Each female character's attractiveness is specified. Many of them want to sleep with the main character, of course
- The romance plots are so lame
- All the normal libertarian/free market spiels about how government is inherently inefficient and corrupt are in there. Seeking to maximize (not just deliver) shareholder value is presented as a morally-neutral, inalienable fact of the universe. Characters seem to think they're quite clever in ham-fisted exposition that corporation don't have any "free will." They just have to do what their customers want. Of course, the characters saying this who run a mercenary company earlier explained how there are lines they won't cross, and therefore their company won't. So don't worry; all the companies we care about are morally good in the story!
The books don't get so overtly ideological until the second book where we get, e.g., self-serious psychoanalysis about how progressives literally cannot be rational, while the board members of the mercenary mega-corp nod along sagely.
Anyway, you can probably burn through this as a candybar book. I think you'll get what you want out of it. It just isn't really better than any of the other self-published dreck available out there
------------
Ugh, it has continued to get worse. Academics and intellectuals are all liberal puppets. The media is always biased in their favor, literally takes marching orders from progressive politicians, and (in a fun reference to the 2020 US election) discredits legitimate evidence of election irregularities.
It's like your crazy uncle wrote some dumb OAN conspiracy theory fanfic
It follows many of the usual patterns/traps for this sort of book.
- Midas-touched main character whose backstory includes major injustice that he (always a he) handled with incredible grace. He's a military hero, of course. All his ventures succeed beyond all reason
- Each female character's attractiveness is specified. Many of them want to sleep with the main character, of course
- The romance plots are so lame
- All the normal libertarian/free market spiels about how government is inherently inefficient and corrupt are in there. Seeking to maximize (not just deliver) shareholder value is presented as a morally-neutral, inalienable fact of the universe. Characters seem to think they're quite clever in ham-fisted exposition that corporation don't have any "free will." They just have to do what their customers want. Of course, the characters saying this who run a mercenary company earlier explained how there are lines they won't cross, and therefore their company won't. So don't worry; all the companies we care about are morally good in the story!
The books don't get so overtly ideological until the second book where we get, e.g., self-serious psychoanalysis about how progressives literally cannot be rational, while the board members of the mercenary mega-corp nod along sagely.
Anyway, you can probably burn through this as a candybar book. I think you'll get what you want out of it. It just isn't really better than any of the other self-published dreck available out there
------------
Ugh, it has continued to get worse. Academics and intellectuals are all liberal puppets. The media is always biased in their favor, literally takes marching orders from progressive politicians, and (in a fun reference to the 2020 US election) discredits legitimate evidence of election irregularities.
It's like your crazy uncle wrote some dumb OAN conspiracy theory fanfic
August 14, 2024
high quality military sci-if.
One of the major weaknesses in this genre is authors who can’t leave the humanity in their heroes. No challenge, no real penalties for failure and no development beyond being even more awesome. Spearman has avoided that to a large degree.
Cliff Rawlings is a super stud who just happened to piss off a powerful family of political operators. After 4 years on a prison planet he’s freed and, with the help of rich, supportive friends starts his life again.
I like the way that the author attempts to logically make his case for a new kind of hero quest. Not everyone is happy and Cliff isn’t on a non-stop fest of women dying to please him. That’s a plus…if he didn’t have some disappointment then it would be boring.
On the whole things are going impossibly well for Cliff and his almost Midas touch with his business gets a little tired. There should be more struggle…and some setbacks that are not just further evidence of how cool he is. So far…it’s not ridiculous just faintly nauseating.
World building is first rate and the villains that are spaced throughout the story are well envisioned. Really good stuff on the whole.
One of the major weaknesses in this genre is authors who can’t leave the humanity in their heroes. No challenge, no real penalties for failure and no development beyond being even more awesome. Spearman has avoided that to a large degree.
Cliff Rawlings is a super stud who just happened to piss off a powerful family of political operators. After 4 years on a prison planet he’s freed and, with the help of rich, supportive friends starts his life again.
I like the way that the author attempts to logically make his case for a new kind of hero quest. Not everyone is happy and Cliff isn’t on a non-stop fest of women dying to please him. That’s a plus…if he didn’t have some disappointment then it would be boring.
On the whole things are going impossibly well for Cliff and his almost Midas touch with his business gets a little tired. There should be more struggle…and some setbacks that are not just further evidence of how cool he is. So far…it’s not ridiculous just faintly nauseating.
World building is first rate and the villains that are spaced throughout the story are well envisioned. Really good stuff on the whole.
November 12, 2024
I enjoyed the story, but towards the end of the book I began to feel a bit irritated with Cliff. His lack of awareness about is situation is bordering on imbecilic. How many times must he be given warnings that he has a target on his back and needs to take precautions, after all he is ex-military. I bet before even starting the next book the author is going to continue this lack of care just to pad out the story with another attempt on Cliff.
I was going to give at least four stars, but I think the author is taking liberties with the character.
I was going to give at least four stars, but I think the author is taking liberties with the character.
September 6, 2024
Very good space, military opera
This is not David Weber good at world building or battles. Nor is this Nathan Lowell good at character building. But then very few can compete with those authors. Rawlings’ Redemption is nonetheless well worth reading for its world building, battles and characters.
This is not David Weber good at world building or battles. Nor is this Nathan Lowell good at character building. But then very few can compete with those authors. Rawlings’ Redemption is nonetheless well worth reading for its world building, battles and characters.
December 6, 2024
An okay read overall, the descriptive prose is well done, sets the scene very well, but the dialogue is a little too wooden. The characters are ok at first and I can understand the need for exposition at the beginning to do some world building, but it seems like it never went beyond that. Overall not bad, but dialogue could use some more work and characterization could use a bit more depth.
December 31, 2024
Too wordy and stilted when the characters are talking. Based on the level of writing I'm assuming this is the author's first book. Everything is too easy for the main character and we go into excruciating detail on setting up his new corporation. I gave up 20% into the book. It's got potential but this particular book is just too annoying for me to spend any more time on.
November 19, 2024
Fun and fast book which made me turn the pages until the end as well as start the next installment. A bit cute on occasion and the setup is not as developed as it could be but definitely worth reading.
November 22, 2024
Good
Great story but the ending was a bit disappointing , is Fred an idiot or did he not understand his orders , either way he shouldn't be in charge of a paddle boat undermine a warship.
Great story but the ending was a bit disappointing , is Fred an idiot or did he not understand his orders , either way he shouldn't be in charge of a paddle boat undermine a warship.
September 2, 2024
Good action
Fantastic fights with relationships that are tragic and foolhardy. Good summer read for adults who want a touch of wistfulness.
Fantastic fights with relationships that are tragic and foolhardy. Good summer read for adults who want a touch of wistfulness.
October 3, 2024
good read
I enjoyed the story and liked the main characters. A quick and easy read. A lot happened in a short period of time, with a fast storyline and action.
I enjoyed the story and liked the main characters. A quick and easy read. A lot happened in a short period of time, with a fast storyline and action.
October 20, 2024
Great story
I greatly enjoyed reading this book. This is book one of three, and I can not wait to read the others.
I greatly enjoyed reading this book. This is book one of three, and I can not wait to read the others.
November 28, 2024
What A Ride
Great start to this series. Love the characters, the action, the plot. Minor editing issues, and I do mean minor.
Great start to this series. Love the characters, the action, the plot. Minor editing issues, and I do mean minor.
March 2, 2025
I felt like this book was a book on how to setup a business story. I did enjoy the book until the cliffhanger ending. I can't stand cliffhangers.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 27, 2025
A perfect blend of Marko Kloss Frontlines series with Nathan Lowells Solar Clippers.
July 20, 2025
Ends with a cliffhanger!
Well narrated.
Well narrated.
August 5, 2025
Good story and characters
August 10, 2025
Really
Who rates this stuff..
The writing is terrible, no flavor, it's like reading a specifications.. please get an editor
I got halfway and gave up
Who rates this stuff..
The writing is terrible, no flavor, it's like reading a specifications.. please get an editor
I got halfway and gave up
August 10, 2024
Enjoyable even if familiar
Thoroughly enjoy this author, find his work pleasant and generally engrossing reading. This series follows an all to familiar format but is enjoyable.
Thoroughly enjoy this author, find his work pleasant and generally engrossing reading. This series follows an all to familiar format but is enjoyable.
February 25, 2025
I would rate most of the book at just below three stars, but then the author decided to cut it off in the middle of the action. For half a book, therefore, I can only award half the rating.
Overall, the book has good bones. It is fast paced, and there are good descriptions of encounters, strategies and actions. I also appreciated how men and women were equally represented at every command level without comment from the author.
However, it seems to me that the author got so caught up in the action that he forgot about the characters. Even the main character, Cliff Rawlins, has no personality. Curiously, the only ones who have any personality at all, are Cliff's love interests. This is a shame, because when I don't care about the characters, I don't care what happens to them, and then the story becomes pretty boring.
The most annoying part though, was the flip flopping between the 1st and 3rd person narrative - often even within the same sentence! It's so excessive it comes off as amateurish.
I'm not really invested enough to read the second book.
Overall, the book has good bones. It is fast paced, and there are good descriptions of encounters, strategies and actions. I also appreciated how men and women were equally represented at every command level without comment from the author.
However, it seems to me that the author got so caught up in the action that he forgot about the characters. Even the main character, Cliff Rawlins, has no personality. Curiously, the only ones who have any personality at all, are Cliff's love interests. This is a shame, because when I don't care about the characters, I don't care what happens to them, and then the story becomes pretty boring.
The most annoying part though, was the flip flopping between the 1st and 3rd person narrative - often even within the same sentence! It's so excessive it comes off as amateurish.
I'm not really invested enough to read the second book.
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews