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Guardians of the Dark #1
Off Midway Station
“I realized that I wasn't going to get any sleep (Just one more page... Just one more page…) I'm not just reading words on a page, I'm there… A hell of a ride.” NetGalley reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Humanity is on the brink of annihilation. Only one man can turn the tide.
For centuries, we explored the stars and settled new worlds. But a mysterious alien threat emerged, launching devastating attacks and seizing entire star systems. Every fifty years they come, silent and relentless, before disappearing again into the dark. And as they close in on humanity’s home worlds, one more defeat could mean total extinction.
Captain Jim Garrett joined the navy to fight back. But when a delicate mission ends in madness and mutiny, Garrett takes the blame and his career is left in ruins.
Now, the only thing he commands is a construction site. The CNS Surprise is an experimental warship, half built in the dockyards of Midway Station. Garrett knows the ship inside out, but the navy brass would never let him take the helm, let alone lead her in battle.
But when the aliens strike early, with unexpected ferocity, it’s clear that every ship in the fleet will be needed. And the Surprise could be the only hope of slowing the enemy onslaught.
Garrett is thrust into command for the first time, launching straight into combat. He must unite a maverick crew and master new technologies, as he leads a desperate counterstrike that will decide mankind’s future.
Off Midway Station is a military SF adventure of high-stakes space warfare, nail-biting action, and characters you would gladly follow into battle. A monumental journey of courage, innovation, and the relentless pursuit of survival, it’s perfect for fans of Jack Campbell, David Weber, and Marko Kloos.
See why readers love Marc Alan Edelheit’s epic stories of battle and
“A wild ride that ended in truly epic fashion… I absolutely enjoyed it from start to finish… Can’t wait for Book 2 and how THAT AMAZING TWIST is going to be resolved.” FanFiAddict ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Edelheit belongs amongst the elite of authors in this genre… I can hardly wait to read the next volume in this series… It is difficult to put the book down… By the end, it is nearly impossible… You need to pick up a copy of this!” Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“The action seldom stops… Your adrenaline will be pumping throughout your body. Your blood pressure will rise… Yes, this is one of those books you will find hard to put down… Page turner.” Netgalley reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Very exciting… Great pacing… Great suspense and tension… The beginning got me hooked and kept me interested until the end.” Netgalley reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Outstanding military sci-fi! I couldn't put it down. Intense action and believable characters. I will recommend this author to my friends and family.
Humanity is on the brink of annihilation. Only one man can turn the tide.
For centuries, we explored the stars and settled new worlds. But a mysterious alien threat emerged, launching devastating attacks and seizing entire star systems. Every fifty years they come, silent and relentless, before disappearing again into the dark. And as they close in on humanity’s home worlds, one more defeat could mean total extinction.
Captain Jim Garrett joined the navy to fight back. But when a delicate mission ends in madness and mutiny, Garrett takes the blame and his career is left in ruins.
Now, the only thing he commands is a construction site. The CNS Surprise is an experimental warship, half built in the dockyards of Midway Station. Garrett knows the ship inside out, but the navy brass would never let him take the helm, let alone lead her in battle.
But when the aliens strike early, with unexpected ferocity, it’s clear that every ship in the fleet will be needed. And the Surprise could be the only hope of slowing the enemy onslaught.
Garrett is thrust into command for the first time, launching straight into combat. He must unite a maverick crew and master new technologies, as he leads a desperate counterstrike that will decide mankind’s future.
Off Midway Station is a military SF adventure of high-stakes space warfare, nail-biting action, and characters you would gladly follow into battle. A monumental journey of courage, innovation, and the relentless pursuit of survival, it’s perfect for fans of Jack Campbell, David Weber, and Marko Kloos.
See why readers love Marc Alan Edelheit’s epic stories of battle and
“A wild ride that ended in truly epic fashion… I absolutely enjoyed it from start to finish… Can’t wait for Book 2 and how THAT AMAZING TWIST is going to be resolved.” FanFiAddict ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Edelheit belongs amongst the elite of authors in this genre… I can hardly wait to read the next volume in this series… It is difficult to put the book down… By the end, it is nearly impossible… You need to pick up a copy of this!” Goodreads reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“The action seldom stops… Your adrenaline will be pumping throughout your body. Your blood pressure will rise… Yes, this is one of those books you will find hard to put down… Page turner.” Netgalley reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Very exciting… Great pacing… Great suspense and tension… The beginning got me hooked and kept me interested until the end.” Netgalley reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Outstanding military sci-fi! I couldn't put it down. Intense action and believable characters. I will recommend this author to my friends and family.
440 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 13, 2024
About the author
Marc Alan Edelheit
42 books883 followersBestselling author Marc Edelheit has traveled the world, from Asia to Europe, at one point crossing the border at Check Point Charlie in Berlin toward the end of the Cold War.
Marc is the ultimate history fan and incorporates much of that passion into his work to bring greater realism to his fans. He is also an avid reader, devouring several books per week, ranging from history to science fiction and fantasy.
Marc is the ultimate history fan and incorporates much of that passion into his work to bring greater realism to his fans. He is also an avid reader, devouring several books per week, ranging from history to science fiction and fantasy.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 129 reviews
October 24, 2024
dry slow unfocused
I started this book due to the reviews,was disappointed by the book itself. There is no need for 5 pages the explain undocking from a station. Unfortunately every situation is written just the same,no flow. It’s feels clunky and like the author was paid by the word. I love space fleet novels and series but I cant push through the rest of the series if this is and indication of what is to come.
I started this book due to the reviews,was disappointed by the book itself. There is no need for 5 pages the explain undocking from a station. Unfortunately every situation is written just the same,no flow. It’s feels clunky and like the author was paid by the word. I love space fleet novels and series but I cant push through the rest of the series if this is and indication of what is to come.
September 14, 2024
Review originally on JamReads
Off Midway Station is the first book in the military sci-fi series Guardians of the Dark, written by Marc Alan Edelheit, and published by Second Sky Books. A story about people that are forced to act under pressure, an underdog that will need to unite his crew to survive an attack, and a unique view into the construction of a spaceship.
A story that starts twelve years before, showing us how Jim Garrett, our main character, is relegated after having to take a difficult decision in order to save the lives of civilians; a career that is neutered before starting. The impossibility of rising doesn't stop him from trying to do his best, commanding the construction of spaceships in order to prepare for the Pulse (an attack that each 50 years is unleashed against humanity).
However, when the attack comes before than expected, Garrett will be forced to take the control of this new spaceship, and learn how to unite the crew in order if they want to keep humanity's hope.
We have a novel with two different parts: a first one that is slow-burned, more centered on the worldbuilding and introducing us to the characters; the construction of this new spaceship takes the focus in what is the slower section of the book, with more technical explanations. In comparison, the second one is really frenetic, putting that action component that characterizes military SF; you will fly through these pages.
Off Midway Station is a great starter to a series that promises much if you like military SF, with a more technical approach at the first half, putting the focus on how that ship is built; Garrett is a total underdog you want to cheer for, and definitely, if you want a really cinematic read, I would recommend this one!
Off Midway Station is the first book in the military sci-fi series Guardians of the Dark, written by Marc Alan Edelheit, and published by Second Sky Books. A story about people that are forced to act under pressure, an underdog that will need to unite his crew to survive an attack, and a unique view into the construction of a spaceship.
A story that starts twelve years before, showing us how Jim Garrett, our main character, is relegated after having to take a difficult decision in order to save the lives of civilians; a career that is neutered before starting. The impossibility of rising doesn't stop him from trying to do his best, commanding the construction of spaceships in order to prepare for the Pulse (an attack that each 50 years is unleashed against humanity).
However, when the attack comes before than expected, Garrett will be forced to take the control of this new spaceship, and learn how to unite the crew in order if they want to keep humanity's hope.
We have a novel with two different parts: a first one that is slow-burned, more centered on the worldbuilding and introducing us to the characters; the construction of this new spaceship takes the focus in what is the slower section of the book, with more technical explanations. In comparison, the second one is really frenetic, putting that action component that characterizes military SF; you will fly through these pages.
Off Midway Station is a great starter to a series that promises much if you like military SF, with a more technical approach at the first half, putting the focus on how that ship is built; Garrett is a total underdog you want to cheer for, and definitely, if you want a really cinematic read, I would recommend this one!
September 30, 2024
You can never go wrong with an Edelheit story. The writing is engaging. The characters are well developed. The story always keeps your attention.
October 26, 2025
I lost patience with the author's ponderous writing style at 7% DNF
The premise, the characters and world building have promise, but the execution has me grinding my teeth.
YMMV
The premise, the characters and world building have promise, but the execution has me grinding my teeth.
YMMV
January 21, 2025
A bit wordy
great plot. However much to verbose of an author. Includes considerable effort on over describing things, and extranous details that are neither relevant to the plot nor character development. Yet is still missing such basic details as the actual size of the ship or its crew complement.
great plot. However much to verbose of an author. Includes considerable effort on over describing things, and extranous details that are neither relevant to the plot nor character development. Yet is still missing such basic details as the actual size of the ship or its crew complement.
October 21, 2024
it’s just the little things
The story was OK. It was a little things that really kind of bugged me. The train on Midway station taking an hour and a half to get somewhere that makes like zippo sense. I don’t understand all this unused new technologies stuff you would’ve thought that you would’ve had to have test beds for new tech. And the surprise of the hydrogen based enemy that made no sense either.
The story was OK. It was a little things that really kind of bugged me. The train on Midway station taking an hour and a half to get somewhere that makes like zippo sense. I don’t understand all this unused new technologies stuff you would’ve thought that you would’ve had to have test beds for new tech. And the surprise of the hydrogen based enemy that made no sense either.
August 24, 2025
Exciting space drama, book one series starter. They say you can’t hear screams in space - but beginning and end there’s a lot of screaming going on. Might be yours of course, as the action is full on at these points. You can read this as a stand alone, but it does lead you into book two.Thank you to Marc Alan Edelheit, Second Sky and NetGalley for the ARC. The views expressed are all mine.
October 13, 2024
Excellent premise!
The Author has a good grasp of World Building and Story telling.
You will likely enjoy this book.
I don't enjoy wordiness. This would be an excellent book with sufficient editing. More show, less tell. More concise.
Many will read and enjoy this book. I hope you are one of them!
The Author has a good grasp of World Building and Story telling.
You will likely enjoy this book.
I don't enjoy wordiness. This would be an excellent book with sufficient editing. More show, less tell. More concise.
Many will read and enjoy this book. I hope you are one of them!
November 10, 2024
You can skip just about 80% of the written words in this novel, and still follow the story. The author uses far far far too much descriptive text, and annoyingly long and repetitive introspective passages.
The plot, when you get to it, is a good one. But most authors would have condensed this entire novel into a handful of chapters.
The plot, when you get to it, is a good one. But most authors would have condensed this entire novel into a handful of chapters.
November 25, 2025
Too many words for what happens.
June 22, 2026
Whelp…. It’s been a long time since I had a chance to sit down and read a book cover to cover (figuratively speaking), and an even longer time since I had enough of a break in the action to write a review. Funny how life can get in the way of all the things one loves, even something as straightforward as reading. Hell, it’s almost too easy at this point, with instant book downloads, backlit screens, and even audio books allowing for easier consumption of the written word.
But, I’ve been on a military space opera kick lately, having read about three or four novels in the span of a couple of weeks, and I have to admit that Off Midway Station by Marc Alan Edelheit has risen to the top of the crop. I’ve not read any of his works before, and this book just happened to jump out at me while perusing sci-fi on Amazon. At the time, this first book in the series was on sale for $0, so I had literally nothing to lose but time. Knowing what I know now, I would have gladly paid list price for this genuinely engaging tome.
As the start of a decently-sized military sci-fi series, Off Midway Station does a great job at setting the tone of an advanced yet believable future, where humanity has spread throughout the galaxy. I was getting serious Honor Harrington vibes, which is never a bad thing. But while Mr. Weber can get VERY wordy with his epic space series, Mr. Edelheit keeps things a little more grounded. That’s not to say that he doesn’t get a little wordy at times, especially when it comes to the minutiae of some of the procedures and technology in play. But, while these stretches can slow the proceedings down a bit, when there’s action to be had, the pages almost seem to flip themselves.
The real draw of this series, for me at least, is the believability on display. Yes, there are shields and wormholes and railguns, along with many other staples of the military space opera genre, but most of it is kept at a viable level of functionality. There’s no telepathic space wizards, no world-altering artificial intelligence, etc etc. This is all pretty grounded stuff, and that goes a long way in keeping the story plausible and the characters relatable. All in all, if you like big ships (and you cannot lie), military tactics, swiveling turrets and point defense weaponry, and chaotic slugfests featuring missiles and ship-borne lasers, you’re in the right place.
On the character side of things, Mr. Edelheit keeps the main roster pretty small, with only three main character viewpoints to follow. Captain Garrett gets the most page time (by a wide margin), but we do get viewpoints in the form of the ship-based Marines (Stroud) and a pilot in smaller attack craft (Tabby). I feel like three is just the right amount of main cast; we get enough different viewpoints to help broaden the overall scope of the tale, while still keeping it narrow enough that we don’t get lost along the way. While I absolutely love Weber’s Harrington series (which truly does feel like the flagship series for this particular genre), he tends to have WAY too many characters to follow, all of which are their own brand of witty. It actually starts to feel super samey given the sheer roster. That is absolutely not a problem here. All three leads are engaging in their own right, easy to root for while being relatable in their failings and worries.
One area where I feel Mr. Edelheit shines as an author is his unpredictability. Yes, there are more than a few events that play out pretty much as one would expect, but he also throws enough curveballs into the mix to keep things interesting. I can generally spot most plot twists a mile away in this particular genre, but there were a few in Off Midway Station that I honesty did not see coming, but which go a long way into adding to the overall realism of the story being told. This is especially true when it comes to luck, both good and bad.
However, it’s not all sunshine and roses in the Guardians of the Dark series. For one, Mr. Edelheit needs a stricter editor. As someone who’s written a few stories, one of the biggest lessons I took away from the experience is the need to trust one’s reader. There’s rarely a need to repeat certain truisms once they’ve been established, as the reader will instinctively carry those forward after the first time coming across them. However… this whole book is chock full of repetitious passages that truly should have been cut. We’ll be told, in the space of two or three paragraphs, that the crew has to have precautions in place due to the potential exposure to hard vacuum, or that a character has a certain suspicion about something, or even that a system is designed to work a certain way. These things get mentioned again and again and again, and then a character will talk about them in a spot of dialogue, and then there’s another mention of those things. And then, a few chapters later, they get mentioned again. As a fellow writer, I get it. We love creating these passages and doing our best to sell the environment and feeling of a situation. Word count is absolutely a real thing, always hanging over our heads. But, at the end of the day, continually bringing up a point or truism ad nauseum is ultimately distracting, not to mention wholly unnecessary. It also takes away some of the overall polish of the finished product, making it seem a little less professional than it could be.
There is also, as mentioned above, a bit of an over-reliance on detailing the minutiae of certain activities. The level of detail spent on discussing the unmooring of a ship from was approaching Clancy levels of unnecessary detail, and just drags something out that doesn’t need to be inflated. Like, cool, Mr. Edelheit has mapped out the intricate step-by-detail of each technical function, but most readers simply do not want (or need) that level of involvement.
I’ve also noticed a severe lack of contractions during dialogue. I don’t know if some authoritative even took place in this book’s universe that outlawed the use of “can’t or I’m or I’ll”, but the flow of dialogue departs from realism when literally everyone says “cannot or I am or I will”. I work with plenty of military folks on a daily basis, and they talk in a certain shorthand, most of which is bolstered by contractions. Ultimately, it’s a small thing, but it still stands out, making much of the dialogue feel unnatural.
Those quibbles, however, did nothing to diminish my overall enjoyment of Off Midway Station. It’s an appropriately gritty take on space warfare, and once the action kicks in, it propels the book along with that “just one more chapter” allure. It’s neither too long nor too short, feeling just right for the tale being told. While there is enough of a cliffhanger ending that I went and bought the second book in the series immediately after finishing this one, the initial narrative arc within Off Midway Station is also one that essentially gets wrapped up within the first book, which helps allow the book have at least a small sense of completion. I think a lot of authors fumble this part of a series, so I’m glad that Mr .Edelheit was on top of things.
As military space operas go, one could do a lot worse than Off Midway Station. A few nitpicks aside, it really did check all the boxes for me for a solid genre tale. On top of that, I’ve already started in on book two, Off Javelin Station, so that just goes to show how engaged I am with the story and characters. And with the systems down at work today, I’ve made good progress already! Speaking of which, it’s time to get back to it. Dismissed!
But, I’ve been on a military space opera kick lately, having read about three or four novels in the span of a couple of weeks, and I have to admit that Off Midway Station by Marc Alan Edelheit has risen to the top of the crop. I’ve not read any of his works before, and this book just happened to jump out at me while perusing sci-fi on Amazon. At the time, this first book in the series was on sale for $0, so I had literally nothing to lose but time. Knowing what I know now, I would have gladly paid list price for this genuinely engaging tome.
As the start of a decently-sized military sci-fi series, Off Midway Station does a great job at setting the tone of an advanced yet believable future, where humanity has spread throughout the galaxy. I was getting serious Honor Harrington vibes, which is never a bad thing. But while Mr. Weber can get VERY wordy with his epic space series, Mr. Edelheit keeps things a little more grounded. That’s not to say that he doesn’t get a little wordy at times, especially when it comes to the minutiae of some of the procedures and technology in play. But, while these stretches can slow the proceedings down a bit, when there’s action to be had, the pages almost seem to flip themselves.
The real draw of this series, for me at least, is the believability on display. Yes, there are shields and wormholes and railguns, along with many other staples of the military space opera genre, but most of it is kept at a viable level of functionality. There’s no telepathic space wizards, no world-altering artificial intelligence, etc etc. This is all pretty grounded stuff, and that goes a long way in keeping the story plausible and the characters relatable. All in all, if you like big ships (and you cannot lie), military tactics, swiveling turrets and point defense weaponry, and chaotic slugfests featuring missiles and ship-borne lasers, you’re in the right place.
On the character side of things, Mr. Edelheit keeps the main roster pretty small, with only three main character viewpoints to follow. Captain Garrett gets the most page time (by a wide margin), but we do get viewpoints in the form of the ship-based Marines (Stroud) and a pilot in smaller attack craft (Tabby). I feel like three is just the right amount of main cast; we get enough different viewpoints to help broaden the overall scope of the tale, while still keeping it narrow enough that we don’t get lost along the way. While I absolutely love Weber’s Harrington series (which truly does feel like the flagship series for this particular genre), he tends to have WAY too many characters to follow, all of which are their own brand of witty. It actually starts to feel super samey given the sheer roster. That is absolutely not a problem here. All three leads are engaging in their own right, easy to root for while being relatable in their failings and worries.
One area where I feel Mr. Edelheit shines as an author is his unpredictability. Yes, there are more than a few events that play out pretty much as one would expect, but he also throws enough curveballs into the mix to keep things interesting. I can generally spot most plot twists a mile away in this particular genre, but there were a few in Off Midway Station that I honesty did not see coming, but which go a long way into adding to the overall realism of the story being told. This is especially true when it comes to luck, both good and bad.
However, it’s not all sunshine and roses in the Guardians of the Dark series. For one, Mr. Edelheit needs a stricter editor. As someone who’s written a few stories, one of the biggest lessons I took away from the experience is the need to trust one’s reader. There’s rarely a need to repeat certain truisms once they’ve been established, as the reader will instinctively carry those forward after the first time coming across them. However… this whole book is chock full of repetitious passages that truly should have been cut. We’ll be told, in the space of two or three paragraphs, that the crew has to have precautions in place due to the potential exposure to hard vacuum, or that a character has a certain suspicion about something, or even that a system is designed to work a certain way. These things get mentioned again and again and again, and then a character will talk about them in a spot of dialogue, and then there’s another mention of those things. And then, a few chapters later, they get mentioned again. As a fellow writer, I get it. We love creating these passages and doing our best to sell the environment and feeling of a situation. Word count is absolutely a real thing, always hanging over our heads. But, at the end of the day, continually bringing up a point or truism ad nauseum is ultimately distracting, not to mention wholly unnecessary. It also takes away some of the overall polish of the finished product, making it seem a little less professional than it could be.
There is also, as mentioned above, a bit of an over-reliance on detailing the minutiae of certain activities. The level of detail spent on discussing the unmooring of a ship from was approaching Clancy levels of unnecessary detail, and just drags something out that doesn’t need to be inflated. Like, cool, Mr. Edelheit has mapped out the intricate step-by-detail of each technical function, but most readers simply do not want (or need) that level of involvement.
I’ve also noticed a severe lack of contractions during dialogue. I don’t know if some authoritative even took place in this book’s universe that outlawed the use of “can’t or I’m or I’ll”, but the flow of dialogue departs from realism when literally everyone says “cannot or I am or I will”. I work with plenty of military folks on a daily basis, and they talk in a certain shorthand, most of which is bolstered by contractions. Ultimately, it’s a small thing, but it still stands out, making much of the dialogue feel unnatural.
Those quibbles, however, did nothing to diminish my overall enjoyment of Off Midway Station. It’s an appropriately gritty take on space warfare, and once the action kicks in, it propels the book along with that “just one more chapter” allure. It’s neither too long nor too short, feeling just right for the tale being told. While there is enough of a cliffhanger ending that I went and bought the second book in the series immediately after finishing this one, the initial narrative arc within Off Midway Station is also one that essentially gets wrapped up within the first book, which helps allow the book have at least a small sense of completion. I think a lot of authors fumble this part of a series, so I’m glad that Mr .Edelheit was on top of things.
As military space operas go, one could do a lot worse than Off Midway Station. A few nitpicks aside, it really did check all the boxes for me for a solid genre tale. On top of that, I’ve already started in on book two, Off Javelin Station, so that just goes to show how engaged I am with the story and characters. And with the systems down at work today, I’ve made good progress already! Speaking of which, it’s time to get back to it. Dismissed!
November 27, 2024
I quit at 40%.
Chapter after chapter of people sitting, waiting, immersed in shallow contemplation of their existence, and these are not happy people. They are not at pleased with their lot. This really does not qualify as science fiction.
Chapter after chapter of people sitting, waiting, immersed in shallow contemplation of their existence, and these are not happy people. They are not at pleased with their lot. This really does not qualify as science fiction.
November 14, 2024
He definitely got paid by the word. DNF
October 24, 2024
Marc Alan Edelheit (https://www.maenovels.com) is the author of 10 books. Off Midway Station was published last September and is the first book in his Guardians of the Dark series. It is the 80th book I completed reading in 2024.
I received an ARC of this book through https://www.netgalley.com with the expectation of a fair and honest review. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own! Due to scenes of violence, I categorize this novel as R.
The novel is set in the far future where humanity has colonized several star systems. As humans have stretched their range, they have encountered aliens that have become known as the Push. Every 50 years they attack human colonies, slowly pushing back the range of human settlement. The nature of the aliens is unknown, but their goal seems to be the elimination of humanity.
The next onslaught by the Push should be around five years in the future. Unexpectedly they change tactics and attack early, taking the Confederation Navy by surprise. The Push emerges in the star system where Midway Station is located. It is one of the Confederation’s forward Navy bases.
For many years Jim Garrett has served the Navy Construction Command at Midway, overseeing many different projects. He has been relegated there because of an incident early in his career. He has always had command of a starship as his goal, but one that seems likely out of reach. He has been an outstanding worker for Construction Command and now holds the rank of Captain.
Garrett’s current assignment is overseeing the completion of a new starship. The largest vessel ever built by humans. It has been called the Mothership and is intended to revolutionize warfare. The enormous ship is designed to take the war to the Push. The ship is armed with state-of-the-art weapons and is the first Confederation ship capable of jumping through space without using the normal jump gates.
At first, Garrett is told to scuttle the ship, but he convinces the admiral that he can get her to safety. After some consideration, the admiral agrees and assigns Garrett as Captain and promotes him. Garrett names his ship Surprise, and the admiral immediately commissions her. The next several hours are chaos as the ship is loaded with all of the supplies they can gather. Thousands of civilians on Midway also board as refugees.
The Surprise leaves the dock on schedule and begins a long journey to a rear position and temporary safety. The Push blocks the jump gate, obstructing any vessel from leaving the area of Midway. The Surprise must employ her untested weapons to save itself and other Confederation ships. It does not go unscathed and is attacked by a swarm of boarding vessels.
Will the Surprise survive? Where will they now head?
I enjoyed the 11 hours I spent reading this 428-page science fiction novel. I have always enjoyed a good space opera novel. This book did not disappoint! The novel was a little slow at the beginning spending over 25% building the backgrounds of the three principal characters. The novel did come to an exciting conclusion, and it left a clear path for sequel novels. I give this novel a rating of 4.8 (rounded to 5) out of 5.
You can access more of my book reviews on my Blog ( https://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/).
I received an ARC of this book through https://www.netgalley.com with the expectation of a fair and honest review. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own! Due to scenes of violence, I categorize this novel as R.
The novel is set in the far future where humanity has colonized several star systems. As humans have stretched their range, they have encountered aliens that have become known as the Push. Every 50 years they attack human colonies, slowly pushing back the range of human settlement. The nature of the aliens is unknown, but their goal seems to be the elimination of humanity.
The next onslaught by the Push should be around five years in the future. Unexpectedly they change tactics and attack early, taking the Confederation Navy by surprise. The Push emerges in the star system where Midway Station is located. It is one of the Confederation’s forward Navy bases.
For many years Jim Garrett has served the Navy Construction Command at Midway, overseeing many different projects. He has been relegated there because of an incident early in his career. He has always had command of a starship as his goal, but one that seems likely out of reach. He has been an outstanding worker for Construction Command and now holds the rank of Captain.
Garrett’s current assignment is overseeing the completion of a new starship. The largest vessel ever built by humans. It has been called the Mothership and is intended to revolutionize warfare. The enormous ship is designed to take the war to the Push. The ship is armed with state-of-the-art weapons and is the first Confederation ship capable of jumping through space without using the normal jump gates.
At first, Garrett is told to scuttle the ship, but he convinces the admiral that he can get her to safety. After some consideration, the admiral agrees and assigns Garrett as Captain and promotes him. Garrett names his ship Surprise, and the admiral immediately commissions her. The next several hours are chaos as the ship is loaded with all of the supplies they can gather. Thousands of civilians on Midway also board as refugees.
The Surprise leaves the dock on schedule and begins a long journey to a rear position and temporary safety. The Push blocks the jump gate, obstructing any vessel from leaving the area of Midway. The Surprise must employ her untested weapons to save itself and other Confederation ships. It does not go unscathed and is attacked by a swarm of boarding vessels.
Will the Surprise survive? Where will they now head?
I enjoyed the 11 hours I spent reading this 428-page science fiction novel. I have always enjoyed a good space opera novel. This book did not disappoint! The novel was a little slow at the beginning spending over 25% building the backgrounds of the three principal characters. The novel did come to an exciting conclusion, and it left a clear path for sequel novels. I give this novel a rating of 4.8 (rounded to 5) out of 5.
You can access more of my book reviews on my Blog ( https://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/).
September 13, 2024
TL;DR Review – Slow-burn beginning that builds to an action-packed climax. A fascinating look at the construction and launch of a brand new spaceship.
Full Review:
There’s a special place in my heart for underdog stories like this, stories of people called to rise to the occasion and do the impossible even when outmatched or outclassed.
Off Midway Station follows Jim Garrett, a naval officer who has been relegated to captaining ships under construction after a difficult choice cost him any chance at a career future. Politics in the armed forces ensures he’ll never rise higher in the ranks, but that doesn’t stop him from doing the best job he can to guarantee that every ship built under his command is turned out in tip-top shape and ready for the war everyone knows is coming.
Only that war comes early, with a surprise attack that rocks Midway Station, the space station that serves as both military dry-dock and home for hundreds of thousands of civilians. When the enemy rips through their defenses and sets their sights on destroying the station itself, it’s up to Garrett and his crew to launch their not-yet-complete vessel to save the civilians and fight back.
One thing this book does very well is offer insight into the construction and deployment of a ship. It’s something I’ve never read in any sci-fi book before—most spaceships are high-tech, top-of-the-line, and fully armed and ready for battle, but definitely not this one. This ship is in its final stages of construction, and we learn a great deal about its construction in a fascinating way, but we also get to see its first launch and how much goes into that process. I found it a really fun and fresh take on the typical “cutting edge spaceship” trope. We only get to see a fraction of its full capabilities, but boy, does it deliver.
The beginning of Off Midway Station is slower; it takes its time to introduce us to all the characters, set the stakes, develop the world, and give us a look at the technology to be deployed. It’s never boring—quite the opposite, I found the insight into the ship itself fascinating—but maintains a steady pace of building the character and the ship that will be our home for the series.
But once the attack comes, that’s when things kick into high gear. It’s setback after setback, challenge after challenge, with the entire crew rushing to launch the ship, then try to hit back against the enemy that has come to destroy them. The last 25% was a wild ride that ended in truly epic fashion and the promise of great things to come.
Off Midway Station has all the military and sci-fi flavor I’ve loved in David Weber and Tom Clancy novels, and I absolutely enjoyed it from start to finish. I can’t wait for Book 2 to find out what comes next, and how THAT AMAZING TWIST deployed at the 85% mark is going to be resolved.
Full Review:
There’s a special place in my heart for underdog stories like this, stories of people called to rise to the occasion and do the impossible even when outmatched or outclassed.
Off Midway Station follows Jim Garrett, a naval officer who has been relegated to captaining ships under construction after a difficult choice cost him any chance at a career future. Politics in the armed forces ensures he’ll never rise higher in the ranks, but that doesn’t stop him from doing the best job he can to guarantee that every ship built under his command is turned out in tip-top shape and ready for the war everyone knows is coming.
Only that war comes early, with a surprise attack that rocks Midway Station, the space station that serves as both military dry-dock and home for hundreds of thousands of civilians. When the enemy rips through their defenses and sets their sights on destroying the station itself, it’s up to Garrett and his crew to launch their not-yet-complete vessel to save the civilians and fight back.
One thing this book does very well is offer insight into the construction and deployment of a ship. It’s something I’ve never read in any sci-fi book before—most spaceships are high-tech, top-of-the-line, and fully armed and ready for battle, but definitely not this one. This ship is in its final stages of construction, and we learn a great deal about its construction in a fascinating way, but we also get to see its first launch and how much goes into that process. I found it a really fun and fresh take on the typical “cutting edge spaceship” trope. We only get to see a fraction of its full capabilities, but boy, does it deliver.
The beginning of Off Midway Station is slower; it takes its time to introduce us to all the characters, set the stakes, develop the world, and give us a look at the technology to be deployed. It’s never boring—quite the opposite, I found the insight into the ship itself fascinating—but maintains a steady pace of building the character and the ship that will be our home for the series.
But once the attack comes, that’s when things kick into high gear. It’s setback after setback, challenge after challenge, with the entire crew rushing to launch the ship, then try to hit back against the enemy that has come to destroy them. The last 25% was a wild ride that ended in truly epic fashion and the promise of great things to come.
Off Midway Station has all the military and sci-fi flavor I’ve loved in David Weber and Tom Clancy novels, and I absolutely enjoyed it from start to finish. I can’t wait for Book 2 to find out what comes next, and how THAT AMAZING TWIST deployed at the 85% mark is going to be resolved.
September 17, 2024
Off Midway Station, A Book Review by Dominick
Off Midway Station, Book 1, Guardians of the Dark. Marc Alan Edelheit. 2024.
Your stomach churns. You are fighting to make sense of your world. Then there’s the unrelenting pain and nauseating disorientation.
Once the fog lifts from your brain, you realize where you are and that you are under attack in the cold, unforgiving, blackness of space.
It was a trap!
Lasers, masers and missiles are on a mission to destroy your vessel. Bodies without heads, and missing limbs are floating around you.
More of the dead are everywhere. You are on the bridge of the ship. Your captain is seriously injured but trying to contain the situation.
As the bad actors retreat, the captain will soon make a serious mistake. As a bridge officer you are about to make a decision that can adversely affect the rest of your life.
Marc Edelheit’s Off Midway Station, starts with harbingers of death lighting up the darkness within the cold silence of space.
Destruction… The death of thousands... And chaos, slap you in the face.
As a reader you note that this action seldom stops. You do not get to breathe. You do not get to rest.
When a moment of peace finally comes; when you can now take that breath; you know that as soon as you turn the page; it will hit you again with full force.
Your adrenaline will be pumping throughout your body. You blood pressure will rise and you won’t put this story down for very long before you feel the need to pick it up once again.
Yes, this is one of those books you will find hard to put down.
This page turner was released on September 13th. Order it now. You can thank me later.
Marc Alan Edelheit is known for his fantasy series of novels and is now building on this to bring you into the wonders of science fiction action.
As far as his fantasy novels go, please plan on reading his Stiger series (Chronicles of an Imperial Legionary Officer, The Karus Saga Books and Tales of the Seventh) and Edelheit’s other books as well. I’ve read them all and was never disappointed.
Order here: https://www.amazon.com/Off-Midway-Sta...
Edelheit’s Books in Order: https://www.bookseriesinorder.com/mar...
More book reviews here: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?...
#OffMidwayStation
#dmbookreview
#MarcAlanEdelheit
Off Midway Station, Book 1, Guardians of the Dark. Marc Alan Edelheit. 2024.
Your stomach churns. You are fighting to make sense of your world. Then there’s the unrelenting pain and nauseating disorientation.
Once the fog lifts from your brain, you realize where you are and that you are under attack in the cold, unforgiving, blackness of space.
It was a trap!
Lasers, masers and missiles are on a mission to destroy your vessel. Bodies without heads, and missing limbs are floating around you.
More of the dead are everywhere. You are on the bridge of the ship. Your captain is seriously injured but trying to contain the situation.
As the bad actors retreat, the captain will soon make a serious mistake. As a bridge officer you are about to make a decision that can adversely affect the rest of your life.
Marc Edelheit’s Off Midway Station, starts with harbingers of death lighting up the darkness within the cold silence of space.
Destruction… The death of thousands... And chaos, slap you in the face.
As a reader you note that this action seldom stops. You do not get to breathe. You do not get to rest.
When a moment of peace finally comes; when you can now take that breath; you know that as soon as you turn the page; it will hit you again with full force.
Your adrenaline will be pumping throughout your body. You blood pressure will rise and you won’t put this story down for very long before you feel the need to pick it up once again.
Yes, this is one of those books you will find hard to put down.
This page turner was released on September 13th. Order it now. You can thank me later.
Marc Alan Edelheit is known for his fantasy series of novels and is now building on this to bring you into the wonders of science fiction action.
As far as his fantasy novels go, please plan on reading his Stiger series (Chronicles of an Imperial Legionary Officer, The Karus Saga Books and Tales of the Seventh) and Edelheit’s other books as well. I’ve read them all and was never disappointed.
Order here: https://www.amazon.com/Off-Midway-Sta...
Edelheit’s Books in Order: https://www.bookseriesinorder.com/mar...
More book reviews here: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?...
#OffMidwayStation
#dmbookreview
#MarcAlanEdelheit
September 2, 2025
This should/could have been a 3+/5 rating but at the point that I gave up on it I didn't think this book worth even a 1/5. It just fails. DNF!
Annoying, lax, ill-prioritizing, cerebrally emo, and zombie like MC who I wanted to slap awake for about the first half of the book. It made for an annoying listen.
There is too much questioning of direct orders by characters with follow on moronic Why?? Instead of proper action. It is exceedingly unrealistic for people who should be trained to the voice of command.
Then there are the lacking story aspect like shapes sizes along with volume and scope. Nonsensical statements like: The enemy borders breached close to the bridge.. Really??? They some how breach heavy armoured star ship hull and for some reason the humongous capital ships bridge is close to the outer hull?????? A ship that by inference must be tens of kilometres in all dimensions. I mean the ship has multiple open bays that are 100m(high) by 200m(wide) by 400m(length).. one of the few things actually described and where dimensions were supplied. We know the ship is less than 100km long at least since well one of the 'Enemies' new ship classes is that long.. But we are told the Surprise is smaller than them by some measure...
It doesn't help that the narrator reads the book in a manner that had a tendency to lull me to sleep. With the writing already being wordy slow and drawn out.
1 hour 25 minutes left of the audiobook and I just quit listening. I couldn't take it anymore I found myself frustrated to the point of mimicking the VA out loud when he read something especially inane. Sigh..
Annoying, lax, ill-prioritizing, cerebrally emo, and zombie like MC who I wanted to slap awake for about the first half of the book. It made for an annoying listen.
There is too much questioning of direct orders by characters with follow on moronic Why?? Instead of proper action. It is exceedingly unrealistic for people who should be trained to the voice of command.
Then there are the lacking story aspect like shapes sizes along with volume and scope. Nonsensical statements like: The enemy borders breached close to the bridge.. Really??? They some how breach heavy armoured star ship hull and for some reason the humongous capital ships bridge is close to the outer hull?????? A ship that by inference must be tens of kilometres in all dimensions. I mean the ship has multiple open bays that are 100m(high) by 200m(wide) by 400m(length).. one of the few things actually described and where dimensions were supplied. We know the ship is less than 100km long at least since well one of the 'Enemies' new ship classes is that long.. But we are told the Surprise is smaller than them by some measure...
It doesn't help that the narrator reads the book in a manner that had a tendency to lull me to sleep. With the writing already being wordy slow and drawn out.
1 hour 25 minutes left of the audiobook and I just quit listening. I couldn't take it anymore I found myself frustrated to the point of mimicking the VA out loud when he read something especially inane. Sigh..
September 18, 2024
A mysterious alien race attacks and seizes star systems within the human expansion into space every fifty years. They attack, seize star systems, and then disappear before coming back. Captain Jim Garrett joined the Navy to fight this force but took the blame for a mission gone wrong and lost his career. His only command now is the construction of a ship at Midway Station. When the aliens attack early, every ship will be needed. Garrett is now thrust into command of the half-built ship and a motley crew.
We open with the attack that disabled the ship where he was a lieutenant and the actions he took to save civilians that made him persona non grata. He wasn't wrong, which helped him get a job afterward within the navy, but not as a fleet captain as he previously hoped. He still takes this job seriously, as he's a captain and carries the weight of that rank even if it's in a shunted-off area of the navy. He still meets with his friends, which gives us a view into the rest of the navy, the war in the outer rim, and how devastating it can be on the captains and the ships they command. We also meet Tabby, leader of her own crew about to get some R&R on the station before they depart for the front, and many of the station crew.
The first third of the novel slowly introduces the characters, the naval command structure, the ships, and their capabilities, and even more slowly drips in mention of the war. We get to almost halfway through the book before news of an early Push comes in, and then multiple warnings and failures on the station. I was impatient to get the action, which kicks up in the second half. Everyone scrambles for resources, and we see the best and worst in people before the battle actually breaks out. That part is exciting, and this sets up the world for the characters to fight in. I'm sure future novels won't need as much world-building and can dive right into the action.
We open with the attack that disabled the ship where he was a lieutenant and the actions he took to save civilians that made him persona non grata. He wasn't wrong, which helped him get a job afterward within the navy, but not as a fleet captain as he previously hoped. He still takes this job seriously, as he's a captain and carries the weight of that rank even if it's in a shunted-off area of the navy. He still meets with his friends, which gives us a view into the rest of the navy, the war in the outer rim, and how devastating it can be on the captains and the ships they command. We also meet Tabby, leader of her own crew about to get some R&R on the station before they depart for the front, and many of the station crew.
The first third of the novel slowly introduces the characters, the naval command structure, the ships, and their capabilities, and even more slowly drips in mention of the war. We get to almost halfway through the book before news of an early Push comes in, and then multiple warnings and failures on the station. I was impatient to get the action, which kicks up in the second half. Everyone scrambles for resources, and we see the best and worst in people before the battle actually breaks out. That part is exciting, and this sets up the world for the characters to fight in. I'm sure future novels won't need as much world-building and can dive right into the action.
November 28, 2025
Off Midway Station is similar to my recollections of Star Trek and Star Wars stories. Humans have been exploring the stars and settling new worlds. But a mysterious alien threat emerges every fifty years, launching devastating attacks and seizing entire star systems. This time, they are closing in on humanity’s home worlds, one more defeat could mean total extinction. Captain Jim Garrett joined the navy to fight back, but after a mission that ended in mutiny, his career is left in ruins, even though he was not charged with anything. He now commands the construction site, where the CNS Surprise, an experimental warship, is being built. Garrett knows the ship inside out, and when the aliens strike before expected, every ship in the fleet is needed. Garrett is thrust into command for the first time, launching straight into combat. He must unite a maverick crew and master new technologies, as he leads a desperate counterstrike that will decide mankind’s future.
Although I don't read a lot of SciFi, this blurb sounded like an exciting story that I would enjoy. I was able to get the audiobook and settled in to listen. It opened with a bang and I was hooked, but unfortunately, not for long. I understand that this is the first book in the series, but there was far too much description of how the ships worked, technical information and processes they follow. I put it aside a few times, but did go back to it. Once the attack finally came in the second half of the book, I became interested once again. Seeing Garrett pull together this crew of mismatched service people was interesting, but even with the action, it was not enough for me to say that I enjoyed this one. The writing is clipped, and at time bogged down. This one has received mixed reviews, so maybe it was just not the genre for me, but I don't think I will be continuing with this series.
Although I don't read a lot of SciFi, this blurb sounded like an exciting story that I would enjoy. I was able to get the audiobook and settled in to listen. It opened with a bang and I was hooked, but unfortunately, not for long. I understand that this is the first book in the series, but there was far too much description of how the ships worked, technical information and processes they follow. I put it aside a few times, but did go back to it. Once the attack finally came in the second half of the book, I became interested once again. Seeing Garrett pull together this crew of mismatched service people was interesting, but even with the action, it was not enough for me to say that I enjoyed this one. The writing is clipped, and at time bogged down. This one has received mixed reviews, so maybe it was just not the genre for me, but I don't think I will be continuing with this series.
July 27, 2024
I'm lucky enough to have gotten an advanced peek at "Off Midway Station". If you are a fan of Marc Edelheit and are familiar with the Stigerverse/Karusverse; then you expect some intense action, blood, sweat, and maybe some tears. This story has all that... in space.
Midway Station is a vast shipyard and fleet staging area, our Captain Garrett is stationed here as a "Job" Captain, meaning the Job is the construction and commissioning of a new warship. His latest project is known as a Mothership. Designed to carry both military and science personnel, while operating deep in hostile territory, and she's nearing completion.
The action begins on the first page, and while it tapers off enough to catch a breath, it doesn't let up for long. There's a point where I realized that I wasn't going to get any sleep (just one more page... just one more page).
As a sailor in the USN, and an Airedale, there was plenty to love here too. The Mothership has her own recently assigned air (space?) contingent, and they will be needing to earn their keep (even though the ship isn't really complete). When describing the Mothership's interior, the hangar spaces, the sights and sounds of the flight deck, I'm not just reading words on a page... I'm there. Watching flight ops. Watching the Marine Detachment jog. Bumping my shoulder on a frame of the ship as I move by someone in the passageway.
This is some great military science fiction. If you are a fan of the genre, then there's something here for you. It's a hell of a ride.
Midway Station is a vast shipyard and fleet staging area, our Captain Garrett is stationed here as a "Job" Captain, meaning the Job is the construction and commissioning of a new warship. His latest project is known as a Mothership. Designed to carry both military and science personnel, while operating deep in hostile territory, and she's nearing completion.
The action begins on the first page, and while it tapers off enough to catch a breath, it doesn't let up for long. There's a point where I realized that I wasn't going to get any sleep (just one more page... just one more page).
As a sailor in the USN, and an Airedale, there was plenty to love here too. The Mothership has her own recently assigned air (space?) contingent, and they will be needing to earn their keep (even though the ship isn't really complete). When describing the Mothership's interior, the hangar spaces, the sights and sounds of the flight deck, I'm not just reading words on a page... I'm there. Watching flight ops. Watching the Marine Detachment jog. Bumping my shoulder on a frame of the ship as I move by someone in the passageway.
This is some great military science fiction. If you are a fan of the genre, then there's something here for you. It's a hell of a ride.
August 27, 2024
I love a good military Science Fiction novel and Off Midway Station seemed as if was going to tick all of the boxes for me. The book opens brilliantly with our main character third in command of a spaceship which has been despatched to deal with a mutiny on a space station. It’s an action packed beginning which sets the scene of space warfare brilliantly.
Then we skip forward 12 years and the author just gets bogged in providing far more detail than anyone could possibly need. There is a whole POV chapter for one of the secondary characters where all she does is check that her ship is working correctly. I understand the need for world building but this just felt excessive and although we were given lots of detail about ship procedures, the author didn’t actually give the reader that much information about the wider situation.
About half way through, everything changed again and we are catapulted into an emergency situation for Garrett and his ship and then the story really takes off. I really enjoyed the second half of the book and was intrigued by the situation between humanity and the enemy that they were fighting.
I will look out for the next in the series and hope that the author resists the temptation to over describe things that really don’t add to the story.
My thanks as always to Net Galley and the publishers, Second Sky, for providing me with this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Then we skip forward 12 years and the author just gets bogged in providing far more detail than anyone could possibly need. There is a whole POV chapter for one of the secondary characters where all she does is check that her ship is working correctly. I understand the need for world building but this just felt excessive and although we were given lots of detail about ship procedures, the author didn’t actually give the reader that much information about the wider situation.
About half way through, everything changed again and we are catapulted into an emergency situation for Garrett and his ship and then the story really takes off. I really enjoyed the second half of the book and was intrigued by the situation between humanity and the enemy that they were fighting.
I will look out for the next in the series and hope that the author resists the temptation to over describe things that really don’t add to the story.
My thanks as always to Net Galley and the publishers, Second Sky, for providing me with this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
April 26, 2025
The entire book reads like a report where the teacher required 418 pages in single spaced 12pt font. There is so much needless fluff, and at the worst possible places. There is absolutely no need to go on a 2 paragraph tangent about how someone felt to a question, before answering the question. You can easily skip over paragraphs of fluff, which adds nothing to the story.
Contractions. The author hates them. With a passion. It is like they have some prior contraction trauma, and refuses to use them. It does not read naturally, especially during a conversation, everyone feels robotic. Even Data learned to use contractions eventually. The book could easily be 250 pages if they used contractions, and stopped going into minute details about things that absolutely do NOT matter.
I do like the chaptering, bouncing between perspectives, which is not common, and the story does seem pretty good. It would be nice to have a name to the Aliens. The big event, the Push, is being perpetrated by....aliens. The Enemy. They. After centuries of warfare with this unknown entity, you would think they would at least take the time out to give them a name.
A good editor would have caught a lot of these glaring issues, and been able to make the book more concise, and enjoyable. I do not know if I can hang in for further stories set in this universe.
Contractions. The author hates them. With a passion. It is like they have some prior contraction trauma, and refuses to use them. It does not read naturally, especially during a conversation, everyone feels robotic. Even Data learned to use contractions eventually. The book could easily be 250 pages if they used contractions, and stopped going into minute details about things that absolutely do NOT matter.
I do like the chaptering, bouncing between perspectives, which is not common, and the story does seem pretty good. It would be nice to have a name to the Aliens. The big event, the Push, is being perpetrated by....aliens. The Enemy. They. After centuries of warfare with this unknown entity, you would think they would at least take the time out to give them a name.
A good editor would have caught a lot of these glaring issues, and been able to make the book more concise, and enjoyable. I do not know if I can hang in for further stories set in this universe.
June 8, 2026
Excellent.
I read some of the other comments on this novel and they seem to attack it for being slow and lacking action until the end. While that is explicitly true, I think it's a strength rather than a weakness. Its clear the author is setting up his trilogy and in so doing, is doing a good job in explaining new terms and processes, new characters and situations for the world he is building. And I liked it. Several times I read a few pages and said to myself - this is setting something up for later, and I'm ok with that.
I found the character arc for Garrett intriguing and new - he's fallen but got back up and me having a history supporting the US Army, it made perfect sense. And I was also intrigued with the new ship - the mothership. My support went to the Depot system - the maintenance part of the Army and I felt this also was authentic as well.
the middle of the novel had some character interactions that I feel will play out over the next two novels and were important set ups for later. Especially his love interest...
When we got to the conflict, it was wow for the remainder of the book. I had to read it more than any other book (I read many at a time), which is always a note to me to pay more attention. I'm also super intrigued with the reveal on wo the enemy is.
Overall, it was a slow build up the roller coaster first hill, and then a wowza down. I'm looking to the hills and valleys of the next novel very much.
I read some of the other comments on this novel and they seem to attack it for being slow and lacking action until the end. While that is explicitly true, I think it's a strength rather than a weakness. Its clear the author is setting up his trilogy and in so doing, is doing a good job in explaining new terms and processes, new characters and situations for the world he is building. And I liked it. Several times I read a few pages and said to myself - this is setting something up for later, and I'm ok with that.
I found the character arc for Garrett intriguing and new - he's fallen but got back up and me having a history supporting the US Army, it made perfect sense. And I was also intrigued with the new ship - the mothership. My support went to the Depot system - the maintenance part of the Army and I felt this also was authentic as well.
the middle of the novel had some character interactions that I feel will play out over the next two novels and were important set ups for later. Especially his love interest...
When we got to the conflict, it was wow for the remainder of the book. I had to read it more than any other book (I read many at a time), which is always a note to me to pay more attention. I'm also super intrigued with the reveal on wo the enemy is.
Overall, it was a slow build up the roller coaster first hill, and then a wowza down. I'm looking to the hills and valleys of the next novel very much.
October 15, 2024
Upfront I'll state, this is a great book. I thoroughly enjoyed this story, and am looking forward to the next in the series.
The Story
Garrett begins the book as a soldier who becomes mired in controversy for a tactical decision that costs lives. Fast forward several years and he is working in the construction yard of the naval fleet. He is constructing a special ship to help in the coming war against a relentless enemy, one who attacks in set cycles every 50 years.
To say more would entail spoilers to some degree, but Garrett's story from the start is engaging, interesting, and had me rooting for him from very early on in the story.
Writing
The author's writing style tends to be a bit wordy though it does improve markedly towards the end when the action really kicks into high gear.
My main gripe is that Mr Edelheit likes to spend a lot of time describing the scene, thoughts and background of nearly every PoV character throughout the book. Even taking detours that last several pages midway through a conversation!
That singular gripe aside, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this slice of military sci-fi. The characters were well written, especially Garrett.
Now I just eagerly await the second book in the series! Well done!
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!
The Story
Garrett begins the book as a soldier who becomes mired in controversy for a tactical decision that costs lives. Fast forward several years and he is working in the construction yard of the naval fleet. He is constructing a special ship to help in the coming war against a relentless enemy, one who attacks in set cycles every 50 years.
To say more would entail spoilers to some degree, but Garrett's story from the start is engaging, interesting, and had me rooting for him from very early on in the story.
Writing
The author's writing style tends to be a bit wordy though it does improve markedly towards the end when the action really kicks into high gear.
My main gripe is that Mr Edelheit likes to spend a lot of time describing the scene, thoughts and background of nearly every PoV character throughout the book. Even taking detours that last several pages midway through a conversation!
That singular gripe aside, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this slice of military sci-fi. The characters were well written, especially Garrett.
Now I just eagerly await the second book in the series! Well done!
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!
October 22, 2024
I finished this book half an hour ago and I'm still rethinking everything that happened during the last 25%.
Until a few months ago, I wasn't particularly interested in sci-fi, but I'm more and more becoming a fan. Especially when it comes to books like this - military fantasy in space with extremely well written characters and a lot of detail in regard to how the ships, the military hierarchy, the process of getting the ships ready, etc work.
Right from the start, I liked the main character, Captain Garrett, a lot and his POV was my favorite in the book. I liked his integrity, his hands-on attitude and his way of thinking on the spot. A character I'd love to chat with over a beer.
Tabby and Stroud are also brilliantly written, so are the side characters, who made this story feel real.
Let's mention the action: there's a lot! The book starts with a lot of action, then tunes down and introduces the characters, let's the reader get to know the situation, the crew, the story... and BAM, the last 25% go by in a heartbeat. Action, fights, death and survival.
Can't wait for the next book and highly recommend this to everyone who enjoys action-packed stories.
Until a few months ago, I wasn't particularly interested in sci-fi, but I'm more and more becoming a fan. Especially when it comes to books like this - military fantasy in space with extremely well written characters and a lot of detail in regard to how the ships, the military hierarchy, the process of getting the ships ready, etc work.
Right from the start, I liked the main character, Captain Garrett, a lot and his POV was my favorite in the book. I liked his integrity, his hands-on attitude and his way of thinking on the spot. A character I'd love to chat with over a beer.
Tabby and Stroud are also brilliantly written, so are the side characters, who made this story feel real.
Let's mention the action: there's a lot! The book starts with a lot of action, then tunes down and introduces the characters, let's the reader get to know the situation, the crew, the story... and BAM, the last 25% go by in a heartbeat. Action, fights, death and survival.
Can't wait for the next book and highly recommend this to everyone who enjoys action-packed stories.
September 30, 2024
In general, another excellent Edelheit read…
In general, another excellent Edelheit read. The opening 30ish % of the story would seem to have been written by my uncle, a retired Naval Captain. I mean. His answering machine back in the day ended the “outgoing message” with “Have a GREAT NAVY day!!!”
Knowing my uncle, I understand the intense pride in Navy culture, mixed with the absolutely writhing, knotted political snake pit of those scheming for higher command and the true courageous commitment of some to doing the right thing where the “right thing” is morally determined not politically mastered. So, the opening was a realistic setting out of a culture.
Is this tour of modern US Navy reality accurate? Yes. Does this create a slow roll start? Yes. Is the tour of Naval culture needed? It likely could have been done more concisely, but Edelheit’s handling is authentic. So, each reader will have to decide is the slow roll is too slow. Given my background, it wasn’t for me.
In general, another excellent Edelheit read. The opening 30ish % of the story would seem to have been written by my uncle, a retired Naval Captain. I mean. His answering machine back in the day ended the “outgoing message” with “Have a GREAT NAVY day!!!”
Knowing my uncle, I understand the intense pride in Navy culture, mixed with the absolutely writhing, knotted political snake pit of those scheming for higher command and the true courageous commitment of some to doing the right thing where the “right thing” is morally determined not politically mastered. So, the opening was a realistic setting out of a culture.
Is this tour of modern US Navy reality accurate? Yes. Does this create a slow roll start? Yes. Is the tour of Naval culture needed? It likely could have been done more concisely, but Edelheit’s handling is authentic. So, each reader will have to decide is the slow roll is too slow. Given my background, it wasn’t for me.
March 7, 2025
A Captivating Read!
This book is well written and totally engaging. Hopefully, the "Guardians of the Dark" series will have a book #2 soon.
The main character suffered a major hit to his spaceforce career when he was forced to make a difficult decision during a battle, which was later vindicated; however, he became blackballed from future command opportunities. Being a highly competent professional, he proved outstanding in an alternative career path, but his dream to command a ship never died. During a sneak attack by humanity's enemy, Captain Garrett was in the right place, at the right time to assume command of a new ship under construction. From this moment, he proves he was not only at the right place at the right time but also the perfect captain for the ship.
This book ends as a cliffhanger and ready for book #2. I first read this as a borrowed book and immediately purchased it upon finishing it (the first time). Hopefully, Marc Edelheit doesn't keep me hanging for book #2.
This book is well written and totally engaging. Hopefully, the "Guardians of the Dark" series will have a book #2 soon.
The main character suffered a major hit to his spaceforce career when he was forced to make a difficult decision during a battle, which was later vindicated; however, he became blackballed from future command opportunities. Being a highly competent professional, he proved outstanding in an alternative career path, but his dream to command a ship never died. During a sneak attack by humanity's enemy, Captain Garrett was in the right place, at the right time to assume command of a new ship under construction. From this moment, he proves he was not only at the right place at the right time but also the perfect captain for the ship.
This book ends as a cliffhanger and ready for book #2. I first read this as a borrowed book and immediately purchased it upon finishing it (the first time). Hopefully, Marc Edelheit doesn't keep me hanging for book #2.
April 29, 2026
I tend to approach this author’s books with some trepidation, sometimes the construction of the story doesn’t lead to an easy read and there is often far too much description of inconsequential items that becomes quite tedious. However occasionally there is a book that overcomes these problems and turns into a very decent read before my patience runs out and I just give up.
Unfortunately the first half book is disjointed as the author jumps between three main characters. Also the author continues to over describe and explain and uses a hundred words when just a couple would be far better. The second half of the book had more action which diluted the over writing a little bit, although some of the action was definitely ‘forced’.
Overall it was an interesting start to a story that would have made an excellent half-a-dozen chapters at the beginning of a novel, but somehow the author managed to make this fill three times as many pages. To be honest he reminds me of ‘David Weber’ at his worse.
Unfortunately the first half book is disjointed as the author jumps between three main characters. Also the author continues to over describe and explain and uses a hundred words when just a couple would be far better. The second half of the book had more action which diluted the over writing a little bit, although some of the action was definitely ‘forced’.
Overall it was an interesting start to a story that would have made an excellent half-a-dozen chapters at the beginning of a novel, but somehow the author managed to make this fill three times as many pages. To be honest he reminds me of ‘David Weber’ at his worse.
April 27, 2025
Good story and action but edit down the descriptions
I enjoyed this book overall. I liked the story arc and the relationships between characters. The world building was well done. Kudos there. Lots of loose ends to take you into the next book. What irritated me were the the long winded, very repetitive descriptions of everything. A scene is introduced where characters start to interact or an action begins and right away we are given 6-8 pages of prose that describe the room or ship or uniform or hallway or whatever and it really interrupts the flow of the story. Each of those descriptions could be done in a good paragraph and get the exact same message across. The descriptions also repeat themselves, with multiple sentences that say the same thing. After the first quarter of the book, I just read the first descriptive paragraph, then skipped ahead to where the scene continues and didn’t feel like I missed anything.
I enjoyed this book overall. I liked the story arc and the relationships between characters. The world building was well done. Kudos there. Lots of loose ends to take you into the next book. What irritated me were the the long winded, very repetitive descriptions of everything. A scene is introduced where characters start to interact or an action begins and right away we are given 6-8 pages of prose that describe the room or ship or uniform or hallway or whatever and it really interrupts the flow of the story. Each of those descriptions could be done in a good paragraph and get the exact same message across. The descriptions also repeat themselves, with multiple sentences that say the same thing. After the first quarter of the book, I just read the first descriptive paragraph, then skipped ahead to where the scene continues and didn’t feel like I missed anything.
September 4, 2024
Off Midway Station by Marc Alan Edelheit is a novel for people who like science fiction and especially the military aspect. You will find a lot of words like maser, laser, LIDAR and so on. The heroes are all military people, straightforward, good, good-looking and pretty much without flaws – except for the few ones that aren’t to give the story more flavor. The enemy is the enemy and that’s it. It is an enteraining read, but don’t expect any hard science fiction. I would like the story to move faster than it does, but that is my own personal preferance and perhaps this is the correct approach for the first books in a series. The series is called Guardians of the Dark and it should be interesting to see where it goes.
Thanks very much to NetGalley and Second Sky for sending me a DRC to review!
Thanks very much to NetGalley and Second Sky for sending me a DRC to review!
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